The Legacy Of Farmworker Movement - 1130 Words

The Legacy of Farmworker Movement Farmworker Movement was seen as a drive that came to aid workers whose rights remained unheard overtime. The working conditions have improved although there are some problems which persist to date. Cesar Chavez legacy made significant impacts on workers through an establishment of unions and enactment of laws. Over the years citizens, government and corporations have been sensitized to play crucial roles in ensuring the plight of workers are well addressed. The living and working conditions of farm workers have continually improved over the time. This is out of the emergence of workers unions that takes care and interest of farmworkers. In the past, while workers had no unions, wages was very low, long†¦show more content†¦The challenges faced by earlier farmworkers have continued to persist up to date. In addressing their grievances through the unions, they have to seek government helping hand which poses obstacles and delays in implementation of the new laws. Rural poverty is one major challenge that persisted all along. The income levels to the workers living in the rural areas are very low as compared to urban areas. The administrative practices in recruitment processes have also failed to cease despite many workers union. For the continued search and scarcity of employment opportunities, there is a continuous influx of immigrants in search of work. Proper rules and works ethics continue to be a major challenge in working e nvironment to the workers (Conlon 98). Chavez primary objectives in the 1960s were to fight for the rights of the workers. This was regarding treatment and their wages. In regards, he formed National Farmworkers Association (NFWA) which was a driving force to fight for the workers’ rights. He arranged for strikes in the large farms to put forward the wishes of the workers such as being allowed to have unions and engage in collective bargaining powers. The boycotts and strikes were nonviolence. He was agitating for dignity, justice and respect to workers. As a result of his efforts large growers entered into negotiations, signed contracts, higher wages and were given union representations. Other notable benefits are health insurance plans and even

Universal Healthcare The Pros and Cons Free Essays

Universal Healthcare: The Pros and Cons On March 23, 2010 the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed by President Obama, raising the question for many of whether this new law was going to be more helpful or hurtful. With universal healthcare, healthcare coverage would be increased tremendously, costs would be reduced, Jobs would be created, and consumers would be protected. Conversely, it will also raise taxes and wait times, lead to a smaller number of doctors, and infringe on some employers’ 1st amendment rights. We will write a custom essay sample on Universal Healthcare: The Pros and Cons or any similar topic only for you Order Now Presenting both arguments for and against the Patient Protection nd Affordable Care Act allows one to draw a conclusion on whether the new program will benefit or hinder the citizens of the United States. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or PPACA, will extend coverage to virtually every US citizen. It is estimated that approximately 45 million Americans are uninsured, and 45,000 of those citizens are dying each year simply because they do not have health care (Ireland). Once this new act takes effect, 32 of those 45 million citizens will receive coverage. Citizens whose ages range from 19 to 25 will be able to stay on their parent’s insurance plans when normally they would have been forced ff the plan. Young adults who are not on their parent’s insurance plans and who normally wouldn’t be able to afford coverage will now be able to pay for their own health insurance. Currently, patients with pre-existing conditions can be denied coverage. However, with the PPACA, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage or stop coverage when a member becomes ill. Women will also be granted additional coverage, such as receive access to women’s health services, and these new benefits are also required to have no out of pocket fees. Also, the availability of contraception, such as abortion, will be expanded (â€Å"The Patient Protection†). The cost of health care will be greatly reduced by the PPACA, and this will have a chain reaction on big businesses and employees. With almost 95 percent of citizens paying for health insurance, costs for health care will decrease (Poe). Once the cost for health care declines, it will cost less for big businesses to hire employees. It is estimated that 4 million Jobs will be created over the next 10 years. The PPACA also affects the economy in another way; it will reduce the national deficit. Contrary to popular belief, the passing of this law will reduce the national debt by 210 billion ollars within the next decade. If it were repealed, the national debt would be raised by $230 billion (Poe). The PPACA also offers various other benefits to citizens. Catherine Poe states that once the law is passed, there will be † no more Freddie the Freeloaders allowed†; if a citizen can afford health insurance and does not purchase it, he or she will pay a fee of one percent of his or her household income. This fee will increase to 2. 5 percent by 2017. This will prevent citizens from not paying for health insurance and Just continuing to live off of the tax dollars of other citizens who do pay for their health nsurance. Also, the PPACA will protect consumers from the overcharging by health insurance providers. It will torce the providers to spend 80 percent ot their income on rebates or expenses, such as health and marketing expenses (â€Å"Obamacare†). While the PPACA will benefit citizens greatly, it also has its negative side effects. As previously discussed, the PPACA will lower healthcare costs and the national debt, but it will also hurt the economy as well. The cost of drugs is expected to rise due to pharmaceutical companies paying an additional 84. 8 billion dollars over the next decade (â€Å"The Patient Protection†). Taxes will also be raised in order to cover the additional costs brought on by the new program. The additional taxes will be charged to individuals making over $200,000 and couples making over $250,000. Additionally, families will only be able to deduct medical costs that surpass 10 percent of their annual income, compared to the 7. 5 percent that is currently allowed. It was stated earlier in this paper that big businesses would benefit from this law; however, the exact opposite is true for small businesses. Businesses will be forced to provide healthcare for their employees or pay a fine, something they may not be able to fford. This may result in employees’ hours being cut or even the termination of the employee (â€Å"Obamacare†). The PPACA will also have a direct negative impact on the medical field as a whole. By 2025 there is expected to be a shortage of nearly 52,000 physicians. This, coupled with the number of office visits increasing over 100 million times, will put incredible strain on the healthcare system (â€Å"The Patient Protection†). This will cause wait times for medical treatment to be greatly increased. Patients will be more likely to go to the emergency room for minor treatments, such as coughs due to colds, thus causing atients with real emergencies to wait even longer. Also, there will be no competition for patients. This competition is what encourages health care workers to excel in their specialties and to become better. This may even cause fewer people to choose to pursue a career in the medical profession (Ireland). One of the more controversial arguments against universal healthcare is the effect it will have on known religious-based businesses. As stated earlier, with the PPACA businesses will be required to provide health insurance for their employees that would include contraceptive services for women. The result is that religious based businesses, such as Hobby Lobby, which is owned by evangelical Christians, will be forced to essentially pay for their employees to receive contraceptives, something that goes against their religion. If a business decides to follow its religious beliefs and not provide the health insurance it will be issued a fine, thus hurting the business for practicing their religion. This has led the government to define what religion is and what qualifies a business as a religious employer. This aspect of the PPACA goes against the 1st amendment protection of the freedom of religion, herefore making it unconstitutional (â€Å"A Case†). Weighing both sides of the universal healthcare argument, it can be concluded that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is truly more hurtful than it is helpful. It will cost citizens greatly, through increased tax dollars and being forced to pay for their healthcare. Small businesses contribute immensely to the countrys economy, and they will be hurt significantly by this program. Also, the effects it will have on the healthcare system are immeasurable. There is already a considerable shortage of doctors, and this will only increase remarkably once the PPACA takes tect Lack ot competition within the medical protession is something that cannot be overlooked either. How to cite Universal Healthcare: The Pros and Cons, Papers

Randolph Bourne1886 1918 Essay Example For Students

Randolph Bourne1886 1918 Essay John Dos Passos wrote, that if ever a man had a ghost it was Bourne: A tiny twisted unscared ghost in a black cloak hopping along the grimy old brick and brownstone streets still left in downtown New York, crying out in a shrill soundless giggle: War is the health of the state. Dos Passos, 1919 (N.Y.: Harcourt, Brace Co., 1932), pp. 105-106. When World War I erupted it came as a surprise to the overwhelming majority of American intellectuals. Its barbarity stuck them as anachronistic and they tended to view the conflict as a temporary sidetrack in the march of civilization, an expression of residual animal instincts. The dawn of the Enlightenment and the tremendous progress made in the Nineteenth Century made war seem quite uncharacteristic (in their view) of humanitys evolving nature. Of course, they saw themselves as important and instrumental in defining and fine tuning that nature. On the leading edge of political and social brilliance, ivy-league educated, born to lead and with the silver spoon in the mouth to prove it, they were socialists. And when President Woodrow Wilson (who had been re-elected as a peace candidate, under the slogan, He kept us out of war) opted to throw the full weight of the countrys resources into the European conflict, they rallied to his support. Randolph Bourne, who was to die in the flu epidemic shortly after the Armistice, cried out alone against the betrayal of the values of civilization by his fellow writers. He and his magazine paid a heavy price and, of course, he did not live to see the backlash following the war. The damage had been done; the stage was set for the idiocy of the conditions at Versailles, the ascendency of Adolph Hitler, the unimaginable horrors of National Socialism, and the destruction of the cities of Europe within the next thirty years. Bournes articles appeared in a magazine, The Seven Arts. One of his essays, The War and the Intellectuals, appears here. I hope that this may prompt a new generations student to pursue further research into the brief life and ideas of a man who, as Dos Passos wrote, does indeed have a ghost.

The Hellenic Period Essays - Ancient Greek Philosophers, Parmenides

The Hellenic Period During the Greek Golden Age, art and philosophy expressed hellenic "weltanschauung", their unique outlook on the world and way of life. Through the works of artists, playwrights, and philosophers, one can see both sides of the conflicted systems of the world, such as; good vs. evil, order vs. chaos, stability vs. flux, relativism vs. absolutism and balance and harmony. The Greeks were materialists. They adopted the philosophical doctrine which says that physical matter is the only reality in the universe; everything else, including thought, feeling, mind and will can be explained in terms of physical laws. Their materialism was expressed in an excessive regard for worldly, beautiful material things and concerns. They used their art to show the glories of humanity and man. The sculptors of the Golden Age aimed to create graceful, strong and perfectly formed figures. Their art showed natural positions and thoughtful expressions rather than abstract art forms. Their standards of order a nd balance became standards for classical art in western civilization. The Greeks were proud of their temples and other architecture, made to honor the gods and beautify the polis (city-state). Their famous architectural styles were the heavy Doric columns and the slender scrolled Ionian columns. The Parthenon, the Greek temple for the goddess Athena, is a impeccable example of symmetry and proportion. The sides of the Parthenon give an optical illusion of perfect balance on all sides. Their desire for balance in art and architecture represents the balance of the world; order and moderation are expressed in the simplicity of lines and shapes. The resulting overall structure works together to achieve harmony. In ancient Greece, public drama was more than entertainment. It was a form of public education. It dealt with issues of importance to the people, such as; the authority of the leaders, the power of the people, questions of justice, morality, wars, peace, the duties of the gods , family life and city living. Aeschylus wrote about the furies and how they punished man for wrongdoings. This shows that he believed that chaos would be punished because order (and law) is the ideal state. Sophocles is best known for his plays of Oedipus. Those plays dealt with family and civic loyalty. The Greeks emphasized, particularly in their plays, the importance of loyalty as a goal to strive for. We learn a lot about Greek views through their philosophy, which literally means the love of knowledge. The Greeks educated through a series of questions and answers, in order to better teach about life and the universe. The first philosopher was Thales. He believed in absolutism and eternal matter. He said that water was the original matter and that without it, there would be no life. Parmenides stated that stability and permanence were the underlying conditions of the universe. He believed that change is only an illusion and that one's senses can only grasp superficial realities of change. Heroditus argued with Parmenides saying that change was the basic condition of reality. He further claimed that all permanence was false. Thus he saw things as naturally being in flux rather than a stable state. Democritus argued with both Parmenides and Heroditus. He insisted that there is nothing spiritual and that only matter existed. He then went on to say that everything is made of little invisible particles, hooked up in different arrangements. He was an atomist. The Greek philosophers went on to question the nature of being and the meaning of life. Pythagoras was the first metaphysicist, one who studies beyond physical existence. He believed in a separation between spirit and body, an opposition between good and evil and between discord and harmony. In the 5th century, the Greeks learned from Sophists, who believed that the views of society are standards and the sole measurement of good, truth, justice and beauty. Protagoras was a sophist. He said that, "man is t he measure of all things." He believed in a constant flux, and that nothing is absolutely right or wrong, but subject to change. His view is much like that held by Parmenides. The philosophers then asked a question such as; what would happen if things that were wrong were seen by society as acceptable? What, for

Biography of Lugenia Burns Hope

Biography of Lugenia Burns Hope Social reformer and community activist Lugenia Burns Hope worked tirelessly to create change for African-Americans in the early twentieth century. As the wife of John Hope, an educator and president of Morehouse College, Hope could have lived a comfortable life and entertained other women of her social class. Instead, Hope galvanized women in her community to improve the living conditions of African-American communities throughout Atlanta. Hopes work as an activist influenced many grassroots workers during the Civil Rights Movement. Key Contributions 1898/9: Organizes with other women to establish daycare centers in the West Fair community. 1908: Establishes the Neighborhood Union, the first womens charity group in Atlanta. 1913: Elected chairwoman of Womens Civic and Social Improvement Committee, an organization that works to improve the education for African-American children in Atlanta. 1916: Assisted in the establishment of Atlantas National Association of Colored Womens Clubs. 1917: Becomes director of the Young Womens Christian Associations (YWCA) hostess house program for African American soldiers. 1927: Appointed member of President Herbert Hoovers Colored Commission. 1932: Elected First Vice President of the Atlanta chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Early Life and Education Hope was born in St. Louis, Missouri on February 19, 1871. Hope was the youngest of seven children born to Louisa M. Bertha and Ferdinand Burns. In the 1880s, Hopes family moved to Chicago, Illinois. Hope attended schools such as the Chicago Art Institute, the Chicago School of Design and Chicago Business College. However, while working for settlement houses such as Jane Adams Hull House Hope began her career as a social activist and community organizer. Marriage to John Hope In 1893, while attending the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago, she met John Hope. The couple married in 1897 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee where her husband taught at Roger Williams University. While living in Nashville, Hope renewed her interest in working with the community by teaching physical education and crafts through local organizations. Atlanta: Grassroots Community Leader For thirty years, Hope worked to improve the lives of African Americans in Atlanta, Georgia through her efforts as a social activist and community organizer. Arriving in Atlanta in 1898, Hope worked with a group of women to provide services to African-American children in the West Fair neighborhood. These services included free day care centers, community centers, and recreational facilities. Seeing the high need in many poor communities throughout Atlanta, Hope enlisted the help of Morehouse College students to interview community members concerning their needs. From these surveys, Hope realized that many African Americans not only suffered from societal racism but also a lack of medical and dental services, inadequate access to education and lived in unsanitary conditions. By 1908, Hope established the Neighborhood Union, an organization providing educational, employment, recreational and medical services to African Americans throughout Atlanta. Also, the Neighborhood Union worked to reduce crime in African American communities in Atlanta and also spoke out against racism and Jim Crow laws. Challenging Racism on the National Level Hope was appointed the Special War Secretary for the YWCAs War Work Council in 1917. In this role, Hope trained hostess-house workers for the return of African-American and Jewish soldiers. Through her involvement in the YWCA, Hope realized that African-American women were faced with significant discrimination within the organization. As a result, Hope fought for African-American leadership of branches services African-American communities in the southern states. In 1927, Hope was appointed to the Colored Advisory Commission. In this capacity, Hope worked with the American Red Cross and discovered that African-American victims of the Great Flood of 1927 were faced with racism and discrimination during the relief efforts. In 1932, Hope became the first vice president of the NAACPs Atlanta chapter. During her term, Hope managed the development of citizenship schools which introduced African-Americans to the importance of civic participation and the role of government. Mary McLeod Bethune, director of the Negro Affairs for the National Youth Administration, recruited Hope to work as her assistant in 1937. Death On August 14, 1947, Hope died of heart failure in Nashville, Tennessee.

Twas The Night Before Christmas Reading Comprehension

Twas The Night Before Christmas Reading Comprehension Twas The Night Before Christmas is one of the most traditional Christmas readings in English speaking countries. Written in 1822 by Clement C. Moore, Twas The Night Before Christmas tells the story of Santas arrival on Christmas Eve at a typical American household. Imagine it is Christmas Eve and you are sitting around the fireplace drinking a nice cup of Egg Nog (a typical Christmas drink made with eggs, cinnamon, milk and other ingredients sometimes including a good bit of rum) anxiously awaiting Christmas Eve. Outside the snow is falling and all the family is together. Finally, someone in the family takes out Twas The Night Before ChristmasBefore reading you may want to review some of the more difficult vocabulary listed after the story. Twas The Night Before Christmas Twas The Night Before Christmas, when all through the houseNot a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;The children were nestled all snug in their beds,While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,Had just settled down for a long winters nap,When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.Away to the window I flew like a flash,Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snowGave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,With a little old driver, so lively and quick,I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roofThe prancing and pawing of each little hoof.As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.His eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly,That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,And laying his finger aside of his nose,And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night. Important Vocabulary This version of the story highlights difficult vocabulary in bold. English learners or classes can first learn difficult vocabulary and then move on to listening or reading the story themselves in class. Reading through Twas The Night Before Christmas also makes a great pronunciation exercise for the whole class. The vocabulary is in the order it appears in Twas The Night Before ChristmasTwas It wasstirring movementnestled comfortably in placekerchief handkerchiefclatter noisesash window covering that is pulled down from inside the roomshutters window covering that is opened from outside the windowlustre glow, illuminationsleigh Santa Claus vehicle, also used in Alaska with dogsSt. Nick Santa ClausCoursers Animals which draw a sleighPorch terracedash away move onwards quicklytwinkling a secondbound a jumptarnished dirtysoot black waste material found inside a chimneybundle bagpeddler someone who sells things on the streetdimples indentations on the cheeksmerry happydroll funnyencircled circle aroundbelly stomachdread to be afraid ofjerk quick movementdown of a thistle the light material on a certain type of weed that floats away in the airere before

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

Communications - Essay Example They note that simulation and virtual interaction largely address the â€Å"communication challenges.† On the other hand, the research study performed by Salend, Duhaney, and Montgomery (2002) emphasizes the importance and impact of cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the persons involved in and/or during the communication process. In contrast to Salend et al. (2002), the study and findings of Meirovich, Galante, and Kanat-Maymon (2006) reveal that perception of the sender towards the receiver, and vice-versa, affects the act of communication. Here, the literary review -- concerning the nature, and ways of studying the peculiar character, of communication process -- is essentially premised on the vitality of correct communication act within the organization/group in particular and the society in general. On the other hand of the scale, Manchester United (MU) defender Rio Ferdinand â€Å"forgot† to participate in the random and routine drug test activity slated on 23rd of September, 2003. The British football star was moving house at the time of drug testing. As a result, the Football Association (FA) made a drastic decision to leave out Ferdinand from the England squad bound to Turkey for the 2004 European Championship. The FA’s verdict is grounded on the misconduct of the football athlete: not showing up in the scheduled drug testing. On the other hand, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and the MU team deciphered the FA’s decision as an insinuation that Ferdinand is guilty of being a drug dependent. By and large, the football star’s â€Å"forgot† reasoning and the eventual verdict reached by the FA spawned a massive controversy both for Ferdinand in particular and the British football game in general. Ferdinand’s case i s a battle essentially dealing with communication processes and the barriers inherent in an ineffective communication. This essay examines the elements and varieties of

Rebranding Selfridges Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rebranding Selfridges Brand - Essay Example This is because the various branding associated to the department store has the ability of attracting various customers who poses different taste and preferences. Therefore, it is of very key importance to rebrand various brands of products offered by the department store in order to increase sales and profits by attracting more customers. This essay will focus on rebranding Selfridges brand known as Miss Selfridges (Honeycombe, 1984). Today, there are many cases focusing on women who are abused or have been abused both within the country and globally. The healing process for these abused women is always a difficult journey as most of them always end up loosing their self esteem hence failing in all major sectors in life. To address this, Selfridges started a brand known as Miss Selfridges which was aimed giving these abused self esteem in the society through their dressing. The brand focuses on delivering various clothe wear for women ranging from wedding dresses, Selfridges loves or such dressings like summer denim amongst other types of clothing. These clothe wears are always designed to cheer mood of make women feel young, beautiful and sexy again hence allowing them to continue with life normally accomplishing their different task while enjoying a strong self esteem brought about by the different women’s wear (Our heritage. 2015). However, in spite of the brand doing good in the market, it has faced some stiff competition form such companies or designers in the region who also produce similar products like the Marks and Spencer. This store in spite of having a strong brand and enjoying a strong customer loyalty in the market, it also produces women wears which helps in raising and building confidence of women in different situations. A good example of the products that are being produced and sold by this store is ladies underwear. Moreover, the kind of advertising being used by this company has really yielded positive fruits for the sale s

Healthcare Informatics Discuss Essay Example for Free

Healthcare Informatics Discuss Essay The information revolution has changed the health care system to an unbelievable level. Combination of informatics in nursing is going beyond data processing function I view nursing informatics as a specialty title to health care informatics. Health informatics. the application of computer and information science in al basic and applied biomedical sciences to facilitate and acquisition , processing, interpretation, optimal use, and communication of health-related date. Hebda, T., Czar, P. (2012. P.6). I consider healthcare informatics is dealing with information, computerized information and telecommunications. Especially for nursing informatics deals with these also but how they impact patient care. Nurses in today’s world are almost all familiar with some sort of healthcare informatics such as a computerized medication system or charting systems as well as discharge instructions or patient education. Every nurse at my facility uses the computer, internet, and intranet daily to conduct patient care. I work in the OR and we get our room assignment off a computer generated sheet. There are definitely different levels the variety of nurses are able to use the computer systems for these purposes. We collect data and information before patient come to the operating room. We will collect date about patient’s age, weight, allergy, blood work †¦..Etc. We use this knowledge to manage and plan the patient care. For example: my patient is overweight I will need to solve the moving patient from cart to bed problem before and after surgery. I will put a special air mattress on the OR bed. And by checking the patient labs from the computer, I will know if this patient has been cross matched for the surgery in case so unpredictable blood lost from the surgery. I think the computer system is essential for patient care. It benefits both the patients stay and the work flow of the nurse. From the patients perspective they can expect fewer errors, shorter stays, better communication, and even more high tech rooms with vital sign equipment that enters its data into a computer automatically. Patients can also expect better education and information about a certain disease, even the rarest of them all. The benefits to nurses are tremendous. short7sweet (Se ptember 2008) Reference Hebda, T. , Czar, P. (2012). Handbook of Informatics for Nurses Healthcare Professionals (5th Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Short7sweet (2008, 09). Health Informatics. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 09, 2008, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Health-Informatics-164985.html

Netspeak :: science

Netspeak An analysis of Internet jargon Approximately 30 million people world-wide use the Internet and online services daily. The Net is growing exponentially in all areas, and a rapidly increasing number of people are finding themselves working and playing on the Internet. The people on the Net are not all rocket scientists and computer programmers; they're graphic designers, teachers, students, artists, musicians, feminists, Rush Limbaugh-fans, and your next door neighbors. What these diverse groups of people have in common is their language. The Net community exists and thrives because of effective written communication, as on the net all you have available to express yourself are typewritten words. If you cannot express yourself well in written language, you either learn more effective ways of communicating, or get lost in the shuffle. "Netspeak" is evolving on a national and international level. The technological vocabulary once used only by computer programmers and elite computer manip ulators called "Hackers," has spread to all users of computer networks. The language is currently spoken by people on the Internet, and is rapidly spilling over into advertising and business. The words "online," "network," and "surf the net" are occuring more and more frequently in our newspapers and on television. If you're like most Americans, you're feeling bombarded by Netspeak. Television advertisers, newspapers, and international businesses have jumped on the "Information Superhighway" bandwagon, making the Net more accessible to large numbers of not-entirely-technically-oriented people. As a result, technological vocabulary is entering into non-technological communication. For example, even the archaic UNIX command "grep," (an acronym meaning Get REpeated Pattern) is becoming more widely accepted as a synonym of "search" in everyday communication. The argument rages as to whether Netspeak is merely slang, or a jargon in and of itself. The language is emerging based loosely up on telecommunications vocabulary and computer jargons, with new derivations and compounds of existing words, and shifts creating different usages; all of which depending quite heavily upon clippings. Because of these reasons, the majority of Net-using linguists classify Netspeak as a dynamic jargon in and of itself, rather than as a collection of slang. Linguistically, the most interesting feature of Netspeak is its morphology. Acronyms and abbreviations make up a large part of Net jargon. FAQ (Frequently Asked Question), MUD (Multi-User-Dungeon), and URL (Uniform Resource Locator) are some of the most frequently seen TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) on the Internet. General abbreviations abound as well, in more friendly and conversationally conducive forms, such as TIA (Thanks In Advance), BRB (Be Right Back), BTW (By The Way), and IMHO (In My Humble Opinion. Netspeak :: science Netspeak An analysis of Internet jargon Approximately 30 million people world-wide use the Internet and online services daily. The Net is growing exponentially in all areas, and a rapidly increasing number of people are finding themselves working and playing on the Internet. The people on the Net are not all rocket scientists and computer programmers; they're graphic designers, teachers, students, artists, musicians, feminists, Rush Limbaugh-fans, and your next door neighbors. What these diverse groups of people have in common is their language. The Net community exists and thrives because of effective written communication, as on the net all you have available to express yourself are typewritten words. If you cannot express yourself well in written language, you either learn more effective ways of communicating, or get lost in the shuffle. "Netspeak" is evolving on a national and international level. The technological vocabulary once used only by computer programmers and elite computer manip ulators called "Hackers," has spread to all users of computer networks. The language is currently spoken by people on the Internet, and is rapidly spilling over into advertising and business. The words "online," "network," and "surf the net" are occuring more and more frequently in our newspapers and on television. If you're like most Americans, you're feeling bombarded by Netspeak. Television advertisers, newspapers, and international businesses have jumped on the "Information Superhighway" bandwagon, making the Net more accessible to large numbers of not-entirely-technically-oriented people. As a result, technological vocabulary is entering into non-technological communication. For example, even the archaic UNIX command "grep," (an acronym meaning Get REpeated Pattern) is becoming more widely accepted as a synonym of "search" in everyday communication. The argument rages as to whether Netspeak is merely slang, or a jargon in and of itself. The language is emerging based loosely up on telecommunications vocabulary and computer jargons, with new derivations and compounds of existing words, and shifts creating different usages; all of which depending quite heavily upon clippings. Because of these reasons, the majority of Net-using linguists classify Netspeak as a dynamic jargon in and of itself, rather than as a collection of slang. Linguistically, the most interesting feature of Netspeak is its morphology. Acronyms and abbreviations make up a large part of Net jargon. FAQ (Frequently Asked Question), MUD (Multi-User-Dungeon), and URL (Uniform Resource Locator) are some of the most frequently seen TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) on the Internet. General abbreviations abound as well, in more friendly and conversationally conducive forms, such as TIA (Thanks In Advance), BRB (Be Right Back), BTW (By The Way), and IMHO (In My Humble Opinion.

Inter Professional Essay

A reflective essay on the skills acquired from collaborative learning and how they may be applied in practice. According to Donald A.Schon (1983) reflective practice is a formation within which all health care professions can work and is a model framework or learning structure that represent the purposes of a profession and is very crucial to health related professions. Inter-professional education(IPE) module had a learning understanding that is universal to all health care professionals, that enables different professional groups to learn together for a particular reason with general contented of learning and achieving a goal (CAIPE, 2002). The module, however focuses on learning from each other to be able to improve teamwork and therefore provides the quality of care. My essay will analyse what I have learnt on this module which are: communication, safeguarding, ethics, professionalism, consent, reflection and equal opportunities. As a health care professional all these learning are important to me which I believe it will help me during my practice in my specified field as a Professional Mental Health Nursing .I will be using Rolfe et al (2001) reflective model using What ? , So what ? and Now What ? to guide my discussions and analysis. According to Barr (2002) Interprofessional education learning in health care is currently measured as a very importance aspect about patient safety. The module enhanced my confidence in working with other health professional discipline, it is a way I found very advantageous in improving my communication skills among the teams, building trust, respecting other member of team and learning from different culture background and other health care discipline which I find quite useful and forwarding because it is a good experience that I will be building on and working with throughout my professional career. The different health care professional discipline in my group such as: social work, adult nurse, pharmacy, midwife, diagnostic radiography and mental health nurse which gives me and my team a privilege to be able to interpret a variety of scenario which will need to cover in the tutorial class like the effectiveness of communication, ethics, consent, safeguarding, diversity, equal oppor tunities and professionalism within the health environment. My role in the group was to look at things in the aspect of psychological or behavioural pattern that is generally associated with distress or disability according to the scenario given and suggest a solution which might be of help and each member of the team gives their own contribution and the outcome was positive for me and my team when sharing it with the whole class. The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (Department of Health, 2004) prompted a set of communication skills that individuals must develop before registration. This included effective communication with fellow professionals and other healthcare staff, having the ability to identify one’s own limitations in communication and being committed to personal development in such areas. In the NHS Plan (Department of Health, 2000) enquire that undergraduate must demonstrate the aptitude to proficiently communicate with their service users before qualifying. However, IPE has clarifies the effectiveness of communication, consent, professionalism safeguarding and equal opportunities which has many characteristics in health care professional career, it is a fundamental to practice and a skill that can be learned and continually improved. These developments require devoted observation, the motivation to be reflective, and the commitment to listen and learn. In nursing, communication is a sharing of health-related information between a patient and a nurse, with both participants as sources and receivers in which the information may be verbal or nonverbal, written or spoken, personal or impersonal, issue-specific, or even relationship-oriented (Sheldon 2004, p. 4). According to Hope el al (2008) ethics is based on how an individual must think and act. Ethics provides me with the tools to determine whether or not I should do a certain action and the extent to which a past action should have been done. However, Seale, C (2010) sees ethics that can be based on social, religious and cultural beliefs. The NMC Code of Conduct (2008) provides a directive to ethical decision making and the standards of professionalism that is essential by the nurses. The use of models of ethical decision making to reinforce codes of ethics is also part of the educational content for all health care professionals, and ability to conduct an evaluation and clarification of a variety of variables such as ethical principles, personal values or beliefs is essential when caring for patients and I believed the purpose of this is to prepared me to act and then review my behaviour in order to carry forward lessons learned in IPE. Referring to a scenario which was given in class about an elderly patient who has senile dementia, severe heart problems, immobile, is permanently in a nursing home and who has come into hospital for an operation to correct her current hip fracture. She has a current DNR order attached to her notes. A service user right to treatment is essential, but the right to decline treatment is much stronger. A patient always has the perfect motive to turn down treatment. RCN, (2011) states that consent to treatment is vital to the provision of healthcare service and patient or Service users have a fundamental, legal and ethical right to determine what happens to their own bodies. Legal consent to treatment is subsequently very fundamental in all areas of healthcare, from the delivering of personal care to undertaking major surgery. Seeking consent is also an issue of broad consideration between health professionals and service users. Furthermore, as health care professionals it is my responsibility to protect people whose circumstances make them particularly vulnerable to abuse, neglect or harm, this term simply refers to safeguarding them. Safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. And as health care professionals contributing to these is a fundamental of creating a vision of high-quality in health and social care which must be treated in professional basis according to the code of conducts and confidentially must be respected at all times . (Mandelstam,M.2008). Additionally, It is my professional responsibility, roles and actions to contribute positively in protecting children and vulnerable adult by following the national safeguarding policies and making recommendations, getting involved in multi-agency children’s safeguarding inspections to get a picture people’s experiences and how well they are being safeguarded and consulting them about their views and experiences of care they are receiving and equal opportunities must be respected at all times when given care to patients. I have learnt the importance of communication skills to enhance patient care and improves patient outcomes and satisfaction which will prepare me for my professional practice which will be of help in my career to be actively involved in communication and use the principles of communication within the health care professional team . I have also learnt that it is a best practice as a health care professional to ask for consent before commencing treatment to a patient by describing to patients what treatment needs to be carried out and I must provide with sufficient information to ensure they understand the nature of the proposed treatment and any alternatives, risks, benefits and anticipated outcomes of treatment before they give their consent to it, and that the patient-clinician discussion and agreement is clearly documented. I have also learnt the importance of safeguarding and the risks that might be involve if a necessary action not taken and I have also learnt to explore the implication of the equality Act (2010) and how it promotes diversity equal opportunities and helps in prevent discrimination. Having good understanding about all I have learnt in IPE I will always applied it my practice and in my future career, I would make sure that I knew the ward protocol before commencing any care, especially when caring for patients. In any new circumstances I would try to learn as much as I could about particular field to gain confidence. I would use questioning to improve my knowledge in my learning area thereby improve my understanding. I would take into account other peoples weaknesses. I would restore confidence for my service users if I were not directly involved in the urgent situation. In accord with UKCC guidelines (1998) I would only take part in practices for which I had appropriate training. Overall, this module has been a rewarding ways of improving my framework in the aspect of health care professionals .Using Rolfe et.al (2001) for my reflective model allows me to reflect on communication, consent, professionalism, diversity and ethics has increased my understanding of necessary skills, and development needs which was required of me as health care professional which was delivered in the IPE module and also I have a foundation knowledge from the module that enthusiasm and commitment from me as a member of the team in the planning and delivering of an inter professional initiative are essentials component in practice and in my future career as mental health nursing.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Eighteen

Three minutes,† Jack said, the moment he pulled the door shut. Because truly, he did not think he could last any longer than that. Not when she was dressed in her nightgown. It was an ugly thing, really, all rough and buttoned from chin to toe, but still, it was a nightgown. And she was Grace. â€Å"You will never believe what has happened,† she said. â€Å"Normally an excellent opening,† he acknowledged, â€Å"but after everything that has happened in the last two weeks, I find myself willing to believe almost anything.† He smiled and shrugged. Two pints of fine Irish ale had made him mellow. But then she told him the most amazing story. Thomas had given her a cottage and an income. Grace was now an independent woman. She was free of the dowager. Jack lit the lamp in his room, listening to her excitement. He felt a prickle of jealousy, though not because he did not think she should be receiving gifts from another man – the truth was, she'd more than earned anything the duke chose to portion off to her. Five years with the dowager – Good God, she ought to be given a title in her own right as penance for such as that. No one had done more for England. No, his jealousy was a far more basic stripe. He heard the joy in her voice, and once he'd banished the dark of the room, he saw the joy in her eyes. And quite simply, it just felt wrong that someone else had given her that. He wanted to do it. He wanted to light her eyes with exhilaration. He wanted to be the origin of her smile. â€Å"I will still have to go with you to County Cavan,† Grace was saying. â€Å"I can't stay here by myself, and I wouldn't want Amelia to be alone. This is all terribly difficult for her, you know.† She looked up at him, so he nodded in response. Truthfully, he hadn't been thinking very much of Amelia, selfish as that was. â€Å"I'm sure it will be awkward with the dowager,† Grace continued. â€Å"She was furious.† â€Å"I can imagine,† Jack murmured. â€Å"Oh, no.† Her eyes grew very wide. â€Å"This was extraordinary, even for her.† He pondered that. â€Å"I am not certain if I am sorry or relieved that I missed it.† â€Å"It was probably for the best that you were not present,† Grace replied, grimacing. â€Å"She was rather unkind.† He was about to say that it was difficult to imagine her any other way, but Grace suddenly brightened and said, â€Å"But do you know, I don't care!† She giggled then, the heady sound of someone who can't quite believe her good fortune. He smiled for her. It was infectious, her happiness. He did not intend that she should ever live apart from him, and he rather suspected that Thomas had not given her the cottage with the intention that she live there as Mrs. Jack Audley, but he understood her delight. For the first time in years, Grace had something of her own. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said, but she could not quite hide her smile. â€Å"I should not be here. I didn't mean to wait up for you, but I was just so excited, and I wanted to tell you, because I knew you'd understand.† And as she stood there, her eyes shining up at him, his demons slipped away, one by one, until he was just a man, standing before the woman he loved. In this room, in this minute, it didn't matter that he was back in Ireland, that there were so many bloody reasons he should be running for the door and finding passage on the next ship to anywhere. In this room, in this minute, she was his everything. â€Å"Grace,† he said, and his hand rose to touch her cheek. She curled into it, and in that moment he knew he was lost. Whatever strength he'd thought he possessed, whatever will to do the right thing – It was gone. â€Å"Kiss me,† he whispered. Her eyes widened. â€Å"Kiss me.† She wanted to. He could see it in her eyes, feel it in the air around them. He leaned down, closer†¦but not enough so their lips touched. â€Å"Kiss me,† he said, one last time. She rose on her toes. She moved nothing else – her hands did not come up to caress him, she did not lean in, allowing her body to rest against his. She just rose on her toes until her lips brushed his. And then she backed away. â€Å"Jack?† she whispered. â€Å"I – † He almost said it. The words were right there, on his lips. I love you. But somehow he knew – he had no idea how, just that he did – if he said it then, if he gave voice to what he was certain she knew in her heart, it would scare her away. â€Å"Stay with me,† he whispered. He was through being noble. The current Duke of Wyndham could spend his life doing nothing but the right thing, but he could not be so unselfish. He kissed her hand. â€Å"I shouldn't,† she whispered. He kissed her other hand. â€Å"Oh, Jack.† He raised them both to his lips, holding them to his face, inhaling her scent. She looked at the door. â€Å"Stay with me,† he said again. And then he touched her chin, tipped her face gently up, and laid one soft kiss on her lips. â€Å"Stay.† He watched her face, saw the conflicted shadows in her eyes. Her lips trembled, and she turned away from him before she spoke. â€Å"If I – † Her voice was a whisper, shaky and unsure. â€Å"If I stay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He touched her chin but did not guide her back to face him. He waited until she was ready, until she turned on her own. â€Å"If I stay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She swallowed, and shut her eyes for a moment, as if summoning courage. â€Å"Can you†¦Is there a way you can make sure there is no baby?† For a moment he could not speak. Then he nodded, because yes, he could make sure there was no baby. He had spent his adult life making sure there would be no babies. But that had been with women he did not love, women he did not intend to adore and worship for the rest of their lives. This was Grace, and the idea of making a baby with her suddenly burned within him like a shining, magical dream. He could see them as a family, laughing, teasing. His own childhood had been like that – loud and boisterous, racing across fields with his cousins, fishing in streams and never catching a thing. Meals were never formal affairs; the icy gatherings at Belgrave had been as foreign to him as a Chinese banquet. He wanted all of that, and he wanted it with Grace. Only he hadn't realized just how much until this very moment. â€Å"Grace,† he said, holding her hands tightly. â€Å"It does not matter. I will marry you. I want to marry you.† She shook her head, the motion fast and jerky, almost frenzied. â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"You can't. Not if you are the duke.† â€Å"I will.† And then, damn it all, he said it anyway. Some things were too big, too true, to keep inside. â€Å"I love you. I love you. I have never said that to another woman, and I never will. I love you, Grace Eversleigh, and I want to marry you.† She shut her eyes, looking almost pained. â€Å"Jack, you can't – â€Å" â€Å"I can. I do. I will.† â€Å"Jack – â€Å" â€Å"I am so tired of everyone telling me what I cannot do,† he burst out, letting go of her hands to stalk across the room. â€Å"Do you understand that I don't care? I don't care about the bloody dukedom and I certainly don't care about the dowager. I care about you, Grace. You.† â€Å"Jack,† she said again, â€Å"if you are the duke, you will be expected to marry a woman of high birth.† He swore under his breath. â€Å"You speak of yourself as if you were some dockside whore.† â€Å"No,† she said, trying to be patient, â€Å"I do not. I know exactly what I am. I am an impoverished young lady of impeccable but undistinguished birth. My father was a country gentleman, my mother the daughter of a country gentleman. We have no connections to the aristocracy. My mother was the second cousin to a baronet, but that is all.† He stared at her as if he hadn't heard a word she'd said. Or as if he'd heard but hadn't listened. No, Grace thought miserably. He'd listened but he hadn't heard. And sure enough, the first words from his mouth were: â€Å"I don't care.† â€Å"But everyone else does,† she persisted. â€Å"And if you are the duke, there will be enough of an uproar as it is. The scandal will be amazing.† â€Å"I don't care.† â€Å"But you should.† She stopped, forcing herself to take a breath before she continued. She wanted to grab her head and press her fingers into her scalp. She wanted to make fists until her fingernails bit into her skin. Anything – anything that would eat away at this awful frustration that was pulling her inside out. Why wasn't he listening? Why couldn't he hear that – â€Å"Grace – † he began. â€Å"No!† She cut him off, perhaps more loudly than she ought, but it had to be said: â€Å"You will need to tread carefully if you wish to be accepted into society. Your wife does not have to be Amelia, but it must be someone like her. With a similar background. Otherwise – â€Å" â€Å"Are you listening to me?† he cut in. He grasped her shoulders, holding her in place until she looked up at him, directly into his eyes. â€Å"I don't care about ‘otherwise.' I don't need for society to accept me. All I need is you, whether I live in a castle, a hovel, or anything in between.† â€Å"Jack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she began. He was being naive. She loved him for it, nearly wept with joy that he adored her enough to think he could so thoroughly flout convention. But he didn't know. He had not lived at Belgrave for five years. He had not traveled to London with the dowager and seen firsthand what it meant to be a member of such a family. She had. She had watched, and she had observed, and she knew exactly what was expected of the Duke of Wyndham. His duchess could not be a nobody from the neighborhood. Not if he expected anyone to take him seriously. â€Å"Jack,† she said again, trying to find the right words. â€Å"I wish – â€Å" â€Å"Do you love me?† he cut in. She froze. He was staring at her with an intensity that left her breathless, immobile. â€Å"Do you love me?† â€Å"It doesn't – â€Å" â€Å"Do†¦you†¦love me?† She closed her eyes. She didn't want to say it. If she did, she would be lost. She would never be able to resist him – his words, his lips. If she gave him this, she would lose her last defense. â€Å"Grace,† he said, cradling her face in his hands. He leaned down and kissed her – once, with aching tenderness. â€Å"Do you love me?† â€Å"Yes,† she whispered. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Then that is all that matters.† She opened her lips to try one last time to talk sense into him, but he was already kissing her, his mouth hot and passionate on her own. â€Å"I love you,† he said, kissing her cheeks, her brows, her ears. â€Å"I love you.† â€Å"Jack,† she whispered, but her body had already begun to hum with desire. She wanted him. She wanted this. She did not know what tomorrow would bring, but at this moment she was willing to pretend that she did not care. As long as – â€Å"Promise me,† she said urgently, grasping his face firmly in her hands. â€Å"Please. Promise me that there will be no baby.† His eyes shuttered and flared, but finally he said, â€Å"I promise you I will try.† â€Å"You will try?† she echoed. Surely he would not lie about this. He would not ignore her plea and later pretend that he'd â€Å"tried.† â€Å"I will do what I know how to do. It is not completely foolproof.† She loosened her grip and showed her acquiescence by allowing her fingers to trail along his cheeks. â€Å"Thank you,† she whispered, leaning up for a kiss. â€Å"But I promise you this,† he said, sweeping her into his arms, â€Å"you will have our baby. I will marry you. No matter who I am, or what my name is, I will marry you.† But she no longer had the will to argue with him. Not now, not when he was carrying her to his bed. He laid her down atop the covers and stepped back, quickly undoing the top buttons of his shirt so he could pull it over his head. And then he was back, half beside her, half atop her, kissing her as if his life depended upon it. â€Å"My God,† he almost grunted, â€Å"this thing is ugly,† and Grace could not help but giggle as his fingers attempted to do their magic on her buttons. He let out a frustrated growl when they did not comply, and he actually grasped the two sides of her nightgown, clearly intending to wrench it apart and let the buttons fly where they might. â€Å"No, Jack, you can't!† She was laughing as she said it; she didn't know why it was so funny – surely de-flowerings were meant to be serious, life-altering affairs. But there was so much joy bubbling within her. It was difficult to keep it contained. Especially when he was trying so hard to complete such a simple task and failing so miserably. â€Å"Are you sure?† His face was almost comical in its frustration. â€Å"Because I am fairly certain that I do a service to all mankind by destroying this.† She tried not to laugh. â€Å"It's my only nightgown.† This, he appeared to find interesting. â€Å"Are you saying that if I tear it off, you will have to sleep naked for the duration of our journey?† She quickly moved his hand from her bodice. â€Å"Don't,† she warned him. â€Å"But it's so tempting.† â€Å"Jack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sat back on his heels, gazing down at her with a mixture of hunger and amusement that made her shiver. â€Å"Very well,† he said, â€Å"you do it.† She had been intending to do just that, but now, with him watching her so intently, his eyes heavy-lidded with desire, she felt almost frozen in place. How could she be so brazen as to strip before him? To peel her clothing from her body – to do it herself. There was a difference, she realized, in taking off her own clothing and allowing herself to be seduced. Slowly, fingers trembling, she reached for the top button of her nightgown. She couldn't see it; it was far too high, almost to her chin. But her fingers knew the motions, knew the buttons, and almost without thinking, she slipped one free. Jack sucked in his breath. â€Å"Another.† She obeyed. â€Å"Another.† And again. And again, until she reached the one that lay between her breasts. He reached down then, his large hands slowly spreading the two sides of her gown open. It did not reveal her to him; she'd not unbuttoned enough for that. But she felt the cool air on her skin, felt the soft tickle of his breath as he leaned down to place one kiss on the flat plane of her chest. â€Å"You are beautiful,† he whispered. And when his fingers moved this time to the buttons on her nightgown, he mastered them with no difficulty at all. He took her hand and gave it a gentle tug, indicating for her to sit up. She did, closing her eyes as the nightgown fell away. With her vision dark, she felt more keenly, and the fabric – nothing but a plain, serviceable cotton – raised shivers of sensation as it slid along her skin. Or maybe it was just that she knew he was looking at her. Was this what it had felt like for that woman? The one in the painting? She must have been a woman of some experience by the time she'd posed for Monsieur Boucher, but surely there had to be a first time for her, as well. Had she, too, closed her eyes so she could feel a man's gaze upon her body? She felt Jack's hand touching her face, the tips of his fingers softly trailing along the line of her neck to the hollow of her shoulder. He paused there, but only for a moment, and Grace sucked in her breath, waiting for the intimacy that awaited her. â€Å"Why are your eyes closed?† he murmured. â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"Are you afraid?† â€Å"No.† She waited. She gasped. She even jumped, just a little, when his fingers slid along the outer curve of her breast. She felt herself arching. It was strange. She'd never thought about this, never even wondered what it might be like to have a man's hands stroking her in this way, but now that the moment was upon her, she knew exactly what she wanted him to do. She wanted to feel him cupping her, holding her entirely in his palm. She wanted to feel his hand brushing against her nipples. She wanted him to touch her†¦dear God, she wanted him to touch her so badly, and it was spreading. It had moved from her breasts to her belly, to the hidden spot between her legs. She felt hot, and tingly, and searingly hungry. Hungry†¦ there. It was without a doubt the strangest and most compelling sensation. She could not ignore it. She didn't want to ignore it. She wanted to feed it, indulge it, let him teach her how to quench it. â€Å"Jack,† she moaned, and his hands moved until he was cradling both of her breasts. And then he kissed her. Her eyes flew open. His mouth was on her now, on the very tip, and she actually clasped one of her hands to her mouth, lest she scream with the pleasure of it. She hadn't imagined†¦She'd thought she'd known what she wanted, but this†¦ She hadn't known. She clutched at his head, using him for support. It was torture, and it was bliss, and she was barely able to breathe by the time he dragged his mouth back up to hers. â€Å"Grace†¦Grace†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he murmured, over and over, his voice sliding into her skin. It felt as if he was kissing her everywhere, and maybe he was – one moment it was her mouth, and next her ear, and then her neck. And his hands – they were wicked. And relentless. He never stopped moving, never stopped touching her. His hands were on her shoulders, and then her hips, and then one of them started sliding down her leg, tugging at her nightgown until it slipped off her entirely. She should have been embarrassed. She should have felt awkward. But she didn't. Not with him. Not when he was gazing down at her with such love and devotion. He loved her. He'd said he did, and she believed him, but now she felt it. The heat, the warmth. It shone from his eyes. And she understood now how a woman might find herself ruined. How could anyone resist this? How could she resist him? He stood then, breathing hard, working at the fastenings of his breeches with frantic fingers. His chest was already bare, and all she could think was – He's beautiful. How could a man be so beautiful? He'd not led a life of leisure; this, she could see. His body was lean and firm, his skin marred here and there with scars and calluses. â€Å"Were you shot?† she asked, her eyes falling on a puckered scar on his upper arm. He looked down, even as he pushed off his breeches. â€Å"A French sniper,† he confirmed. He smiled, rather lopsidedly. â€Å"I am fortunate he was not better at his craft.† It should not have been so amusing. But the statement was so†¦ him. So matter of fact, so understated and dry. She smiled in return. â€Å"I almost died, too.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Fever.† He winced. â€Å"I hate fevers.† She nodded, pinching the corners of her lips to keep from smiling. â€Å"I should hate to be shot.† He looked back at her, his eyes alight with humor. â€Å"I don't recommend it.† And then she did laugh, because it was all so ludicrous. He was standing there naked, for heaven's sake, clearly aroused, and they were discussing the relative unpleasantness of gunshot wounds and fevers. He crawled onto the bed, looming over her with a predatory expression. â€Å"Grace?† he murmured. She looked up at him and nearly melted. â€Å"Yes?† He smiled wolfishly. â€Å"I'm all better now.† And with that, there were no more words. When he kissed her this time, it was with an intensity and fervor that she knew would carry them through to completion. She felt it, too – this desire, this relentless need – and when he nudged his leg between hers, she opened to him immediately, without reservation, without fear. How long he kissed her, she couldn't possibly have known. It seemed like nothing. It seemed like forever. It felt like she had been born for this moment, with this man. As if somehow, on the day of her birth, this had all been preordained – on October the twenty-eighth, the year of our Lord 1819, she would be in Room 14 of the Queen's Arms Inn, and she would give herself to this man, John Augustus Cavendish-Audley. Nothing else could possibly have happened. This was how it was meant to be. She kissed him back with equal abandon, clutching at his shoulders, his arms, anywhere she could gain purchase. And then, just when she thought she could handle no more, his hand slipped between her legs. His touch was gentle, but still, she thought she might scream from the shock and wonder of it. â€Å"Jack,† she gasped, not because she wanted him to stop, but because there was no way she could remain silent amidst the onslaught of sensation brought forth by that simple touch. He tickled and teased, and she panted and writhed. And then she realized that he was no longer just touching her, he was inside of her, his fingers exploring her in a manner so intimate it left her breathless. She could feel herself clench around him, her muscles begging for more. She didn't know what to do, didn't know anything except that she wanted him. She wanted him, and something only he could give her. He shifted position, and his fingers moved away. His body lifted off hers, and when Grace looked up at him, he seemed to be straining against some irresistible force. He was holding himself above her, supporting himself on his forearms. Her tongue moved, preparing to say his name, but just then she felt him at her entrance, pressing gently forward. Their eyes met. â€Å"Shhh,† he murmured. â€Å"Just wait†¦I promise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'm not scared,† she whispered. His mouth moved into a lopsided smile. â€Å"I am.† She wanted to ask what he meant and why he was smiling, but he began to move forward, opening her, stretching her, and it was the strangest, most amazing thing, but he was inside of her. That one person could enter another seemed the most spectacular thing. They were joined. She could not think of any other way to describe it. â€Å"Am I hurting you?† he whispered. She shook her head. â€Å"I like it,† she whispered back. He groaned at that, and thrust forward, the sudden motion sending a wave of sensation and pressure through her. She gasped his name and grabbed his shoulders, and then she found herself in an ancient rhythm, moving with him, as one. Moving, and pulsing, and straining, and then – She shattered. She arched, she moaned, she nearly screamed. And when she finally came down and found the strength to breathe, she could not imagine how she could possibly still be alive. Surely a body could not feel that way and live to repeat it. Then, abruptly, he pulled out of her and turned away, grunting and groaning his own satisfaction. She touched his shoulder, feeling the spasms of his body. And when he cried out, she did not just hear it. She felt it, through his skin, through her body. To her heart. For a few moments he did not move, just lay there, his breathing slowly returning to normal. But then he rolled back over and gathered her into his arms. He whispered her name and kissed the top of her head. And then he did it again. And again. And when she finally fell asleep, that was what she heard in her dreams. Jack's voice. Soft, whispering her name. Jack knew the exact moment she fell asleep. He was not sure what it was – her breathing had already softened to a slow, even sigh, and her body had long since stilled. But when she fell asleep, he knew. He kissed her one last time, on her temple. And as he looked down at her peaceful face, he whispered, â€Å"I will marry you, Grace Eversleigh.† It did not matter who he was. He would not let her go.

The Sting - Comparison to Huck Finn essays

The Sting - Comparison to Huck Finn essays There is one thing that the King, the Duke, and the characters in The Sting have in common, and that is the ability to lie and cheat so well to make a living off doing it to others. The King and the Duke travel around and find vulnerable locations where they feel it will be easy to con the people that occupy the land. Robert Redford and Paul Newmans characters look for high rollers that believe that no one can touch them, and steal thousands of dollars from them using all the possible skill and help they can get. These two pairs of cons have the ability to deceive almost anyone they meet. The King and the Duke took advantage of people by traveling around and using their joint skills of printing and performing, they did a very good job taking money away from the townspeople. What they would do is create hype and persuade people to go see their performances with advertisements posted around the town. Then, when performance time came they would do a poor performance of whatever it was they promised to do, take the money, and not think twice about giving it back. Gandorff and Hooker take advantage of people, but the difference between these men and the King and Duke is that they do not cheat the innocent, but only cheat the cheaters. By spending long hours planning their moves to bring the other man down, they carry out the plan almost flawlessly and achieve their goal by misleading their victims and deception. Although stealing is not the best way to earn a living, these two men cheated without including innocent civilians as the ones to be cheated. ...

Average SAT Scores What They Are and What They Mean

Average SAT Scores What They Are and What They Mean SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When they first start tutoring, almost all students ask the same question: what is the average SAT score? The answer varies a bit every year, but for students in the class of 2013, the average SAT score was a 1497. I’ve created a chart by section below. Critical Reading Math Writing 497 513 487 However, the nationwide average doesn’t actuallymatter! What’s actually important is how your score compares to those of the other students applying to the same colleges and scholarships as you. You’ll need a much higher score to apply to very selective schools like Stanford or Princeton,buta 1500 is a totally acceptable score if you want to apply to smaller campuses of big state school systems. Let’s look at what an average SAT score really means and how it affects you. The National Average Doesn’t Matter - Really! Almosttwo million students take the SAT every year, and they go onto all kinds of different schools,fromIvy League universitiesto local community colleges. The national average includes all of these students'scores. But you're not competing against every single high schooler in the same year as you; you’re only competing against the students who are interested in the same schools and programs as you are. Theimportant thing is to have a score the same as or higher than the average among that group, and whether that average is above or below the national onewill depend entirely on the type of schools you’re interested in. How You Stack Up AgainstYour Peers We've established that the national average doesn't really mean much, but maybe you still want to know how you compare to other students in a general sense. In that case, you might want to look athow your SAT scores compare to those of other students like you, i.e. those with similar grades and backgrounds. To get a sense of how you fit in the range, you can look up at the average SAT score for students at your high school or for those with similar GPAs. Keep in mind, though, that when it comes to college applications, these numbers arealmost as irrelevant as the national one. Adorable dogs duking it out over SAT scores. Average SAT Score for Your High School To find the average SAT score for your school, you can try checking with counseling office ofsearching for â€Å"[your school] SAT scores† on the web. The second approach is more likely to work if you live in an area with high SAT adoption. If you live in an ACT mandatory state, it’s probably easier to find your school's ACT scores and convert them to SAT scores. However, remember that most colleges don’t compare you against your classmates. Though this information can be interesting it shouldn’t be a source of stress. Average SAT Score for High Achievers The average SAT scores for honors students are generally muchhigher than those for all US high schoolers. If you’re a top â…“ honor student, the average SAT score is 1810. If you’re a top 1/10 honor student, the average is 2000. If you’re not scoring that highly, don’t panic. Your personal score goal will still depend on the schools you want to apply to, and plentyof great schools admit mostly students withscores below 2000. The Key Number: The Average SAT Score for Your First-Choice College Ultimately, your SAT score is a tool to help you get into college, so what you really need to know is the average ACT score for students admitted to the school you want to attend. Generally speaking, very selective schools generally have average SAT around 2200, moderately selective schools have an average SAT score around 1800, and less selective schools have an average SAT score around 1550. However, you should look up the specific SAT score range for each school you're planning to apply to. To find this information, check the college’s admissions page or search forâ€Å"[college name] SAT score.† The schools usually list a range from the 25th to 75th percentile - you’ll want to shoot for the higher end of the range. Use the worksheet on this page to calculate your exact target score based on all the schools you’re interested in. What's Next? If you haven't reached your score goal just yet, consider checking out some of our SAT prep resources. You can start with the 5 general strategies you must know and then break yourprep down by section with our ultimate guides to reading, writing, and math (coming soon). Or perhaps you'd fare better with the ACT? Usethese guides to decide whether you might prefer to focus on the ACT: the ACT vs. the current SAT and the ACT vs. the new SAT. But what ifyou're already scoring well on the SAT, but are struggling with a low GPA? This guide can help. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Alex Heimbach About the Author Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Modern World History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Modern World History - Essay Example Explorer Christopher Columbus discovered the western hemisphere and established the foundations for the modern global economy. The voyages of Columbus that led European Conquistadors to the western hemisphere, the Middle East, and other regions were referred to as the Columbian exchange. Discovery of the Americas was the first step in a process that led to the spread of civilization throughout the world and expanded global trade network. The Columbian exchange involved a series of population movements including the spread of nomadic peoples across Central Asia. Following the death of the prophet Muhammad, Islam also spread outside the Middle East.Opening up of the Americas was beneficial in that there was the introduction of the horse, the cow and various grains that increased food production in the Americas. The cultivation of potato, corn, and manioc can all be traced back to the Western hemisphere. The Columbian exchange led to increased economic well-being of the Americas.The Col umbian exchange also had negative consequences associated with it. Some observers were of the view that it led to harsh colonial exploitation and the spread of virulent diseases that devastated local populations. The Spanish economy was distorted because vast amounts of gold and silver were imported leading to price revolution. Whatever shortcomings that were associated with the Columbian exchange, it is undeniable that it was beneficial to the world since it heralded modernization.

Effect of Internet hon Social Skills and Communication Essay

Effect of Internet hon Social Skills and Communication - Essay Example Electronic communication is very popular because it helps to transmit information to the recipient and receive reply faster and easier in comparison with other types of human interaction at work. Also, the addressing of a message enables normal mail to be processed and delivered without need for the sender to inform the recipient that the message is to be dispatched. On the other hand, electronic mail systems store and then deliver to electronic 'mail boxes' which enable the recipient to retrieve the message when convenient. Following Dimaggio et al (2001): "Enthusiasts predicted that the Internet would reduce inequality by lowering the cost of information and thus enhancing the ability of low-income men and women to gain human capital, find and compete for good jobs, and otherwise enhance their life chances" (p. 38). The great layer of information and varieties of technology become available now for wide target audience. Internet has changed social interaction and patterns of communication between people "forcing" them to spend more time before their screens. Recent years, Internet chat rooms become the most popular channels of social interaction between computer users all over the world. Internet chat rooms have a great impact on personal identity and inner "self" of visitors. In recent years the understanding of "self" has been changed, because as a collective sentiment, it needs to be upheld and reaffirmed (Papacharissi and Rubin 2000). Cyberspace makes it possible for every person to create a unique identity according to personal expectations and desires, but it hides negative and even dangerous consequences for people he/she communicates with. "Cyberspace opens the possibility for identity play, but it is very serious play" (Turkle, 2004, p. 275). In this situation, stipulated gender identi ties exist only in cyberspace, which defines and organizes them. The search for identity includes the question of what is the proper relationship of the individual to society as a whole. Internet and chat rooms open new opportunities for people to change their identity and a social "self". It means that a man can communicates as a woman, or a child can identifies himself as an expert in particular field. For instance, the case of Marcus vividly portrays that a teenager can easily become a "legal expert" in a chat room. He deceived hundreds of people who needed professional help and advice. This case depicts that "in a few weeks Marcus had created a new identity for himself: legal wizard" (Lewis 2004, p. 289). The Internet communication facilitates dialogue, empowers people to make things happen rather than have things happen to them, and as a tool for creating new forms of solidarity and cooperation, yet internet technology does not do all these things in and of itself. Mobilizing the opportunities offered by the Internet will therefore always involve unacknowledged conditions, unintended consequences, and a dazzling array of interests which are not only contradictor y, but may also be contested by others. The Internet creates a new form of social interaction which affects and changes

The Destruction of the Berlin Wall Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Destruction of the Berlin Wall - Coursework Example The Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 in an attempt to prevent the crà ¨me da crà ¨me of East Germany from going to West Germany. It was built post World War II and inaugurated on the 16th August of the same year. The eastern sector of Berlin was under the control of the Soviet Union and the western sector under United States, France and Great Britain. Technically and officially East Germany also known as German Democratic Republic (GDR) was a communist state. It existed for around forty one years under Soviet control spanning it through the 1949-1990 eras. Soviet sector constituted all the major hubs including Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg, and Lichtenberg; it was also the biggest o the spot and the whole idea was to prevent an imminent brain drain, departure of well educated talented elite from east Germany. It also aimed at keeping at bay various spy centers and other organizations from intruding.It was then when a threat of yet another Great Dep ression engulfed Europe and Germany constituted the league of those severely affected.   A majority of German city had been effaced while the transportation system remained shanty. Seldomly, refugees from the East would be seen moving to the west in search of a sound society ready to work for some measly money in this bid. In what many perceive as a rare move, the allied victors sought to rehabilitate and rebuild the destructed cities. The move aimed at assuaging the economic crisis and was popularly called the Marshall Plan.... It existed for around forty one years under Soviet control spanning it through the 1949-1990 eras. Soviet sector constituted all the major hubs including Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg, and Lichtenberg; it was also the biggest o the spot and the whole idea was to prevent an imminent brain drain, departure of well educated talented elite from east Germany. It also aimed at keeping at bay various spy centers and other organizations from intruding. It was then when a threat of yet another Great Depression engulfed Europe and Germany constituted the league of those severely affected. A majority of German city had been effaced while the transportation system remained shanty. Seldomly, refugees from the East would be seen moving to the west in search of a sound society ready to work for some measly money in this bid. In what many perceive as a rare move, the allied victors sought to rehabilitate and rebuild the destructed cities. The move aimed at assuaging the economic crisis and was popularly called the Marshall Plan. It was named after the then U.S Secretary of State George C. Marshall, the first one to make the call for the reconstruction of Europe apparently. His successful strategy later earned him the Nobel Peace Prize. (Harrison) In another move, on July 1958, the East Germany Congress announced all agricultural products be collected and distributed at whole sale prices. The move aimed at improving industrial output and formed the basis of the seven year economic stimulus which was originally meant to bring the PPC of East Germany at par with that of West Germany. The plan also severed trade and gas supply routes behind the Iron Curtain and the situation become even worse. The policies in the East could not

Leisure Management Essays Leisure Activity

Leisure Management Essays Leisure Activity The Development and significance of tennis as a Leisure Activity (Mainly in the UK). 1. The History and Development of tennis. (Mainly in the UK) According to The Cliff Richard Tennis Development Fund 2000, tennis is a world-class competitive sport captivating millions of players and fans all round the world. It was in France that the game tennis as we know it today really came into being. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries it became the highly fashionable sport of kings and noblemen a far cry from being played by the lower classes. The development fund 2000 describes how real tennis was actually very different to the game that we know today. The game was played indoors, in large galleries with jutting roofs and points were won according to how the ball was played off of the gallery walls, rather like squash. This concept is very different to todays Lawn Tennis, where the rectangular court is laid out on a grass surface and the play is within marked boundaries, not off of the walls. After its initial rise in popularity with the French nobility, tennis spread throughout Europe, becoming particularly popular in England. To day, Wimbledon and the UK are associated with lawn tennis. Cliff Richard’s Development fund describes how the changes in tennis have taken place over the years and how the shift has moved tennis from being associated with the upper classes to a sport which is played at all different levels and at every level of the social classes. During the 19th century when Victorian prosperity in England prompted a significant revival, courts were built in many famous country houses and the first tennis clubs providing facilities for members began to appear. The biggest boost for tennis however came in 1875. As said by the development Fund 2000, The All England Croquet Club, which had formed in 1869 had failed to attract enough visitors and in 1875 they decided to offer Lawn Tennis as an added attraction. The new game was an instant success, so much so that in 1877 the name of the club was changed to the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club. This highlights that the popularity of tennis has been growing for many decades thus gives us a good ind ication that it will continue to prosper. The Wimbledon Championship has been one of the most significant developments in the history of tennis. This event alone has contributed to a huge numbers of followers and participants throughout the UK and illustrates the development of tennis as we know it today. In the 1930s the game became highly fashionable in the UK, led by British stars such as Fred Perry and Don Budge and International Champions such as Henri Lacoste. Then, into the 1990s the championships became more popular than ever particularly as Great Britains hopes for a champion became rekindled with the likes of Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman. Now, entering 2006 we are witnessing the rise of young Andrew Murray who is taking the tennis circuit by storm and he will hopefully encourage and boost tennis numbers within the UK. The Lawn Tennis Association has outlined a number of ways in which it has attempted to translate the enthusiasm generated by the Wimbledon Championships each year into lasting benefits and continually develop tennis on a yearly basis. Some examples include; the sponsored campaign, ‘Play Tennis’, which is an initiative that offered free tennis lessons with the Lawn Tennis Association coaches in April and May 2004. The Lawn Tennis Association confirms that in 2004, 8,000 Londoners participated in the scheme and as a result around a third joined their local tennis clubs after playing. This highlights the significance of tennis within the UK and that the sport is held in high esteem. Perhaps now it is important to expand its target market and appeal to different socio-economic groups. Further, the Lawn Tennis Association launched an Ariel Tennis Ace campaign which was a ‘talent search’ for young players, the winner of which received coaching with John McEnroe du ring the Wimbledon Championships. It is important to note that tennis is such a significant sport within the UK that such competitions are respected and widely sought after. Other ways in which the Lawn Tennis Association has developed and increased the popularity in the UK include the introduction of a Tennis Show which has been running since April 2004 which was linked in with the Fitness Show and offered free coaching, access to clubs and information. Further, in order to establish a larger ratio of children who play tennis the organisation pioneered the Wimbledon Kid’s Zone; whilst the Championships were taking place, a children’s area is established to introduce children to tennis. Approximately 6,000 children attended in 2004 and lastly, ‘The Road to Wimbledon’ initiative was set up for young players to lure them into tennis and encourage promising young talent which will help boost tennis numbers. The incentive to entering this competition was that the winners were given the opportunity to play at Wimbledon in August. Nowadays, sporting events tend to be sponsored by major companies in order to generate more money. Last year, American Express sponsored a five-day event next to Tower Bridge with larges screens televising Wimbledon matches, tennis training and held a celebrity tennis night which raised money for the Sport Relief Charity. The Lawn Tennis Association supports any private sponsorship for these free public events because it helps develop the sport. Moreover, it is obvious that much is being done to develop tennis within the UK because Sport England has launched a website www.activeplaces.com – this Internet site has produced a list of facilities for all sports, including the locations of every tennis court in London. Sport England believes that the site’s usefulness could be enhanced if it keeps records of the condition of facilities to ensure the courts upkeep and increase the number of tennis players in the UK. The Lawn Tennis Association believes that currently a third of local authority tennis courts are in a state of disrepair, this information needs to be passed onto the local authorities to be addressed, otherwise tennis could cease to play a significant sporting role in the UK. Also, if information of facility conditions is recorded it will provide a more realistic picture of sports resources in London and may serve as a prompt to local authorities to improve their local facilities. 2. The Organisation of tennis.   The Lawn Tennis Association’s work and investment is based around three main priority areas, theses include tennis clubs, junior players and performance. The organisation has been trying to make British tennis more inclusive and available to a wide number for many years. The reasons for targeting the different areas and widening their target market are to attract more and better players. Nowadays, the Lawn Tennis Association is focusing on how and where tennis is played and organised in the UK. The reason for this is to establish where the best facilities are and to improve the areas which are in disrepair. In order to better organise tennis within the UK, the Lawn Tennis Association has introduced an initiative called ‘Club Vision’ which aims to provide progressive clubs with greater support and resources at both a national and county level and to ensure that clubs can play a greater part in making the UK into a stronger tennis nation and make it as popular and g enerate a following as great as that of football. ‘Club Vision’ is described by the Lawn Tennis Association as being a multi-million pound investment programme that puts clubs at the heart of British Tennis and also supports public pay and play indoor tennis centres, schools and local authority venues. The Lawn Tennis Association joined forces with the Sports Council and the All England Lawn Tennis Club in 1986 to launch the Indoor Tennis Initiative designed to develop indoor tennis centres around Britain. The main benefit of ‘Club Vision’ is that it is able to help any club throughout the UK regardless of size and therefore as facilities are better they can promote and attempt to attract many people. This shows that tennis is becoming more organised in the UK perhaps as a result of the increased availability of courts, the affordability of equipment and the increased media interest and coverage of tennis tournaments and championships. According to Sport England, the London Assembly’s Culture Sport and Tourism Committee met with them and the Lawn Tennis Association to discuss tennis in London in 2004. The aim of the meeting was to establish how the Wimbledon Championship could propel and promote tennis within London and the rest of the UK. Further, the bodies discussed and considered ease of access to tennis courts in London and deliberated over club organization and costs of using publicly owned tennis courts. Throughout the talks, certain projects were discussed which encourage young people to get involved in tennis (such as the Westway Tennis centre), and further they examined how the Mayor, Sport England and the Lawn Tennis Association could encourage more Londoners to pick up a racquet. There is more incentive for people to take up tennis due to the 2,600 tennis clubs which have affiliated with the Lawn Tennis Association via their local county office. The development and introduction of so many clubs h ighlights the improvement of tennis as a leisure activity. Currently, the Lawn Tennis Association estimates are that two-thirds of local authority courts nationally are in a state of disrepair and nevertheless the cost of hiring local authority courts stands between  £2- £6 per hour for adults. Most tennis activities are run through such organisations as the Lawn Tennis Association and All England Tennis Club. As a result of theses clubs it is possible for people to enquire as to their nearest club or courts and increase the probability of people playing tennis as knowledge is more readily available. 3. The Social Structure of Participation. In my opinion tennis has always been classified as a rich mans sport. This might be due to the fact that when tennis originated it was played by the Kings, Queens and nobility. This stigma has now shifted however, there are still certain socio-demographics who shy away from the sport. According to the Lawn Tennis Association, 2.9  million people aged four years and upwards played tennis in the UK in 2003. Further, this is reinforced by the British Embassy who suggests that around five million people play tennis in the UK. Either way, this is a large number but there does not compete with the number of people that play football. Of the 2.9 million tennis players the Lawn Tennis Association estimates that 441,000 of   these people play tennis in London; 137,000 of them playing regularly. In the UK many of the tennis campaigns and organisations aim to attract the younger generation to take up tennis. This it is no surprise that the younger generation in the UK are likely to play mor e tennis in the future than that of the current older generation. In contrast to the number of tennis players in the UK, American Tennis Life Magazine, which conducted a survey on tennis, illustrates that 23.5 million Americans play tennis annually. Of this, 52 per cent of players were men and 48 per cent were women with the average age of these players being 29. Further, the percentage of women players to men is reflected in the ratio of spectatorship. McNamee, (2001) illustrates that 48 per cent of women watch tennis compared to 52 per cent of men. I am surprised that women on average play less and watch less tennis. The abovementioned illustrates that tennis is indeed a thriving sport within the UK but simultaneously illustrate that there is scope for growth within these figures. So, it is important to establish the type of people who do not play tennis and the reasons for their lack of participation in the sport. The kind of people not playing tennis are those who are in the lower social classes who cannot afford to pay for a club membership, those in areas where facilities are in a state of disrepair and those from ethnic minorities, the latter will be discussed further. Moreover, Sport England and the Lawn Tennis Association have identified the following barriers to greater participation in tennis in London, some of which include; cost (however in reality this is more down to peoples perception of the sport – studies show that the actual cost of tennis membership is more than half what people estimate). Also, poor local authority facilities and a lack of investment in facilities has meant that people in certain areas are just unable to play tennis. Further, the weather plays a large role in determining the months of the year in which tennis is playe d. Those with no access to indoor courts are not likely to play tennis outside the summer months which results in lower numbers of people who play tennis. Moreover, Sport England has established that there is no co-ordinated approach to tennis for people with disabilities, thus limiting the development of tennis as a leisure activity. Lastly, due to the immense popularity and plugging of other sports such as football, competition with other leisure activities and sports creates a loss of interest in playing tennis once young people have left school. Furthermore, according to Gabriel, D from the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), black players are noticeably absent from tennis. Supposedly, poverty is cited as a major factor, with 57 per cent of people from ethnic minorities socially excluded from sports on the grounds of destitution. Gabriel, D believes that a white sporting establishment effectively excludes people from ethnic minorities  from getting involved in the organisation and governance of sport at every level. In other words, the lack of black people in decision-making roles within sports organisations means there is little opportunity for them to ascend to senior and more influential roles that could promote their wider involvement and influence in sport. McLean, L reinforces the fact that the ethnic minorities do not take part in sport, compared with the national average. Supposedly, people from ethnic minorities are keen to give sports such as tennis a go, but they do not have access to facilities. Thus in order to ensure that tennis remains a popular sport and continues to grow it is essential that every local government looks to improve facilities in their area and encourage ethnic minorities. Every year, Wimbledon is broadcast on television and in its own right is one of the UK’s major sporting events. According to the Lawn Tennis Association, Sport England spent approximately  £18.7 million on tennis facilities, coaching and promotion and outreach in London in 2003. This perhaps demonstrates that tennis in the UK is in fact on the increase. What we must ensure is that we have the infrastructure in place to cope with larger numbers. The Lawn Tennis Association believes that the most immediate benefit from the Wimbledon Championships is the revenue generated by the event.   The 2003 competition brought in  £25.8 million (net income) which was invested back into tennis initiatives nationally. However, in order to see tennis become more popular it is essential to promote all year round and eradicate the idea that it is a summer sport. There is of course little that the Lawn Tennis Association can do to change the weather but it should look to invest in indoor co urts and floodlighting through its Club Vision programme and Indoor Tennis Initiative.   In 2003, the Lawn Tennis Association committed  £2.28 million to facilities in London, 30 per cent of the organisations fund. Since 2001 it has invested over  £4.89 million in 16 major tennis projects in London. Further, Gabriel, D from the Commission for Racial Equality has reported that black people are very interested in tennis thus there is scope to increase the number of tennis players in the UK. In my opinion tennis is a growing sport. This is further emphasised by UK Sport (2001), which has explained how the management Board of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to engage with Sport England and the Lawn Tennis Association in an informal consortium to seek planning permission for the redevelopment of facilities at the Bisham Abbey Sports Centre, enabling it to become a Centre of Excellence for both sports. This illustrates that organisations believe that tennis is a worthy investment for the future. Further, Since September 2004, construction has been underway on the Lawn Tennis Association’s new National Tennis Centre (NTC) in Roehampton. If tennis was showing signs of decline there would not be so many initiatives or campaigns running to improve facilities throughout the UK. The site will provide a single site of national focus for tennis in Great Britain, and will open in late 2006. The reasons for a National Tennis Centre according to the Lawn Tennis Association are that in 1999 an extensive review of the sport was undertaken and it arose that tennis has effectively turned into a social leisure activity for a few, rather than a competitive sport to be enjoyed by many millions. In all, the evidence points to a rise in popularity of the game tennis. There is still plenty of scope for growth and the introduction of more ethnic minorities to the sport. Bibliography The Cliff Richard Tennis Development Fund (2000) The History of Tennis. (Internet), Available at http://www.cliffrichardtennis.org/planet_tennis/history.htm, cited 30/11/05 Bray, A. (2005) Tennis in London. (Internet), Available at http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/reports/culture/tennis.rtf, cited 30/11/05 The Lawn Tennis Association. (2005) Building our Tennis Nation. (Internet), Available at http://www.lta.org.uk/InsideTheLta/AboutTheLta/BuildingOurTennisNation.htm, cited 30/11/05 British Embassy. Sport – One of the best things in life. (Internet), Available at http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate /ShowPagec=Pagecid=1065716130553, cited 30/11/05 Gabriel, D. Commission for Racial Equality (2005). Why black British tennis players are missing from Wimbledon. (Internet), Available at http://www.cre.gov.uk/Default.aspx.LocID-0hgnew070.RefLocID-0hg00k001.Lang-EN.htm, cited 30/11/05 UK Sport (2001) Cricket and Tennis seek Alliances. (Internet), Available at http://www.uksport.gov.uk/template.asp?id=376, cited 30/11/05 Tennis Life Magazine. Demographics. (Internet), Available at http://www.tennislifemagazine.com/advertising/advertising-demo.html, cited 01/12/05 McNamee, Dr (2001) Sporting Conduct: A survey of Sports spectators’ perceptions of the values and norms of selected professional sports. (Internet), Available at http://www.uksport.gov.uk/images/uploaded/sportingconduct.pdf, cited 01/12/05 McLean, L. Participation in Sport. (Internet), Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2002/race/participation_in_sport.stm, cited 01/12/05