Discuss and research theories/ studies relating to the formation of relationships

There are many theories relating to formation of relationships. These include the filter theory, the matching hypotheses, social-biological theory and the reinforcement-affect theory. Kerckhoff and Davis came up with the filter model of attraction. They believed that we rely on social and personal factors to filter potential relationships from the field of eligibles. There are five criteria; proximity, similarity, physical attractiveness, complementarity of needs and competence. We narrow down the people whom we may form a relationship with, through a series of selection filters. The criteria tend to be used a different stages. In initial attraction, proximity is the obvious filter; we form relationships with those who live close by, this is how we may become aware of the person. Similarity is important because the people who we share the same ethnicity, background and occupation we are more likely to talk and come in contact with. Once this stage of filtering has taken place, people then consider weather we share the same attitudes as the other person. Duck and Gillmor believed if we do share similar attitudes then the relationship is more likely to be pursued. Caspi and Herbener carried out a survey which found that married couples who were more similar were more satisfied with their marriage. People may have been initially drawn together because of their similarity, but it may become apparent that one person has characteristics that the other lacks, for example someone who is domineering may be attracted to someone who is submissive. Physical attraction plays an important role when forming relationships. Many studies have supported this, for example in Walters computer dance study; couples where randomly selected and assigned to each other for an evening dance, Walster found that physical attractiveness was the single best predictor of how much person liked their assigned ‘date'. However this study has been criticised as it lacks relevance to real life relationships. In Initial attraction, physical attraction has been said to be important. However people are not attracted by the most attractive person. The Matching hypothesis said that we are more likely to form a relationship with some who has a similar level of attractiveness; a possible reason for this is a fear of rejection. The matching hypothesis has been supported by Murstien. In his study people were asked to rate photos of couples and rate them in terms of physical attractiveness. Murstien summarized his findings â€Å"individuals with equal market value for physical attractiveness are more likely to associate in an intimate relationship such as engagement, than individuals with disparate values.' However this is not always the case as some couples may be seen to be physically ‘miss matched'. It is argued though that those who are miss matched balance out in other areas problems can occur in miss matched couples, the less attractive person might feel insecure or jealous of the attention given to their partner, this could also effect the less attractive person self-esteem; which could threaten the long term success of the relationship. Another theory in formation of relationships is the socio-biological theory. Wilson argued that human sexual attraction and behaviour may be explained through an understanding of ‘survival efficiency.' The theory suggests that men like to impregnate many women as it increases there chances of there genes to be carried down to generations. However a woman's best chance of her genes surviving is to ensure that her offspring is healthy and caring for them. There are problems with this theory, it overemphasis on reproduction, not all couples want children and it also excludes homosexual couples. The theory raises an ethical concern as it can be seen to be supporting gender stereotypes, allowing men sexual ‘privileges' and freedoms which woman are denied. Another criticism of this theory is it lacks revalance in the modern world, the socio-biological theory may once have been relevant but not suit those today. The reinforcement-affect model suggest that we like people because we find them rewarding, we associate them with some pleasant. May and Hamilton carried out a study to support this theory; female student were asked to look at photographs of male's, some looked at the photos while pleasant music was played while other looked at the same photos while unpleasant music was played. A comparison also looked at the photos but no music was play. They found that students who looked at the photos while listening to the pleasant music rated and liked the males in the photos best. This study and many others have shown positive feeling can lead to attraction. A lot of the theories and studies in formation of relationships have been criticised. Much of the research is seen as artificial and ‘leaves out most of the things people do in everyday life' Duck 1999. Another reason they have been criticised is research focuses on romantic relationships and leaves platonic friendships. Theories and studies also have not taken into count the influence of others such as family and friends as they can have an affect on relationships we form. Also in polygynous cultures, a man may have several wives at the same time. No characteristics are absolute, all are relative. We may like a characteristic in someone attractive at some point in relationship but find it negative at another time, for example; as fall in love someone we may like someone's unpredictability but as well fall out of love with them we may see it as irresponsibility. Other questions have also been raised; does familiarity always lead to liking? Do we like people more because we spend time with them? Or do we spend we spend more time with them because we like them? Frequency of interaction does not always result to greater liking. It was demonstrated by Warr that it can produce more disliking.

The Impact of Stress and Its Effect on Society

Introduction Stress is like a fever boiling in the human system, as it rises, the body weakens. What exactly is the meaning of stress, and how does it affect the daily lives of people? Stress can be defined as an unpleasant state of emotional and physiological arousal that people experience in situations that they either perceive as dangerous or threatening to their well being(Morrow 2011). A person can under go stress through out their daily lives, and for many, stress is so common place that is has become a way of life.The correlation between stress and age has been studied continuously through out recent years(Morrow 2011) Some people define stress as events or situations that cause them to feel tension, pressure, or negative emotions such as anxiety and anger. The amount of stress can affect different age ranges of people around the world. What exactly are the causes of stress? How does stress correlate to men and women of different ages? Does stress play a larger role in youth a nd adolescence, middle aged adults, or the senior citizens of the society?I collected studies to help answer these questions on how stress impacts its effect on age and society. Causes of Stress There are many causes that affect stress. Stress is the emotional and physical way in which people respond to pressure (Seaward 2012). Physiological changes-such as increased heart rate and muscle tension-as well as emotional and behavioral changes are ways people respond to stress (Seaward 2012). Most psychologists regard stress as a process involving a person's interpretation and response to a threatening event.In order to manage stressful situations people must first observe the general causes that can lead to stress. The UK’s health and safety executive lists keys stress factors that could be the causes of stress at work, some of which include the demand of a job, the control staff and how they do their job, and the relationship with their colleagues. ( Seaward 2012). Perceived th reats, social, and financial threats also lead a person to feel very stress. In particular, it will be worse when the person feels they have no response that can resolve the threat and it can affect the need for a sense f control( Seaward 2012). Fear or uncertainties are other causes of stress, as fear can lead to imagined outcomes, which are the real source of stress. Stressors could also include: death of a spouse or family member, a friend, a person’s well being, injury, or a pregnancy. The Negative vs. The Positive First of all it is good to know that stress is not only negative but it can also be positive and positively affect an individual. This positive stress aids an individual in motivation and inspiration to finish certain projects or creative thinking when completing a task.For athletes this stress arises before the competition, for some it may arise during a joy ride on a rollercoaster, and for others it may arise when watching an exciting movie(Mills, Reiss, & Do mbeck, 2012). The lives of people are almost daily affected by both types positive and negative stress. A type of short-term stress that increases a person’s immediate strength is know as eustress, it comes in effect at times of creativity, physical activity, enthusiasm or excitement(Mills, Reiss, & Dombeck, 2012).Negative stress, however, can arise when a normal routine is constantly altered and adjusted, Humans who try to adapt to new situations are faced with distress that causes feelings of discomfort, anxiety and unfamiliarity (Mills, Reiss, & Dombeck, 2012). Distress is often divided into two types of stress, acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is a short-term stress that intensifies and disappears quickly. A more severe type of distress is chronic stress, it is long-term stress that can exist for weeks, months or in worst case even years(Mills, Reiss, & Dombeck, 2012).Constant change in routine demands on someone or forces them to adjust can be stressful. . I n small doses, stress can motivate and help perform someone under pressure, but it could also have a negative impact on the mind and body of a human. Stress and Gender The physiology of the stress response is similar for everyone. Researchers believe that there are distinct differences in the way women and men experience and respond to stress(e. g. , Bekker, &. Boselie, K, 2002).Community surveys taken in many countries find women consistently report greater distress than men do in study of roughly 1,100 American adults that appeared in The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that women were more likely than men to experience ongoing stress and feel that their lives were out of their control (e. g. , Bekker, &. Boselie, K, 2002). Social responsibilities typically handled by women some of which including child care, care of older relatives, and housework are exposes of more abundant opportunities for distress(e. g. , Bekker, &.Boselie, K, 2002). Men more often report financial stress than women do, which makes sense since men are traditionally expected to be breadwinners. In a UCLA study analyzed data from hundreds of biological and behavioral studies concluded that females were more likely to deal with stress by nurturing those around them and reaching out to others(e. g. , Bekker, &. Boselie, K, 2002). Men, on the other hand, were more likely to sequester themselves or initiate a confrontation, behavior in line with the â€Å"fight or flight†response that's long been associated with stress(e. g. Bekker, &. Boselie, K, 2002). Men and women's different reactions to stress might be more than just an interesting observation, it could account for differences in their longevity and health (Millius 2011). Stress in Youth and Adolescence Stress in early childhood is experienced in many forms, and it varies by the each individual with the child’s developmental level, and their previous life experiences(Jewett & Peterson 2002). Adapting or managing stress appears to be highly dependent on a child’s developmental capabilities and coping-skill inventory(Jewett & Peterson 2002).Children under the age of 6 are developmentally less capable of thinking about an event in its entirety; such as, comprehending an event separate from their own feelings; and modifying their physical reactions in response to change in stimuli (Jewett & Peterson 2002). The increasing knowledge about the importance and impact of stress on young children should be put to good use in reducing stress factors for young children and in assisting children to increase coping strategies and healthy responses to the unavoidable stresses in their lives(Jewett and Peterson 2002).The adolescent years are among the most stressful times in a person's life. Adolescence is the time of life when children change into adults. They are going through puberty, meeting the changing expectations of others, and coping with feelings that may be new to them. Adolescen ts are between stages their thoughts, behavior, and social relations are all changing radically and this is when stress is most likely to occur. Stress in Adulthood and Old Age An adult has so many responsibilities that have to do with work, family and even friends. Today, more and more adult continue with bad habits that might have come as a result of stress.These habits include abuse of substances like drugs and alcohol (Millius 2011). This is because many are not able to deal fully with their issues and they feel like nobody can help them. Stress at adulthood is caused by very many factors and the first one is financial obligations (Millius 2011). Men and women are constantly working hard to provide for their families but, the money seems to be never enough and this leads to a lot of frustration. Many adults continue to be stressed and this has resulted to other effects like poor health (Millius 2011).Older adults prolonged stress that can come from chronic illness, disability or the loss of a spouse. These types of stressors are long term and could be more difficult to deal with. The stress hormones that stimulate the brain and body can take a toll on an older person that can damage brain cells which could lead to depression(e. g, Smith, Smith & Segal 2012). Often adults experience fatigue, loss of memory and concentration, and an increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Body and Prevention A person must first recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects.Stress symptoms can affect the human body, thoughts, feelings, and a person’s behavior. Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes (Marrow 2011). With widespread damage that stress can cause, it is important to know one’s own limit. How much stress is â€Å"too much† differs from person to person. Some people roll with the punches , while others crumble at the slightest obstacle or frustration, while others seem to thrive on the excitement and challenge of a high-stress lifestyle.The ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors including the general quality of relationships, their outlook on life, emotional intelligence, and genetics(Marrow 2011). Exercising regularly and learning relaxation techniques such as, deep breathing, meditation and yoga can be helpful. Accept that there are situation that can not be controlled and seeing the positive aspects of change and solve whatever problems you can and let go of the rest. Conclusion Stress challenges can help people to grow. We have seen how stress correlates to age and gender and what the major causes of stress are.Examining and taking action on the negative and positive aspects of stressful situations we are equipping ourselves to tackle more challenging tasks in our working life. Stress References: Bekker, M. H. J. and Boselie, K. A. H. M. (2002), Gend er and stress: is gender role stress? A re- examination of the relationship between feminine gender role stress and eating disorders. Stress and Health, 18: 141–149. Jewett, J & Peterson, K (2002). Stress and Young Children. Eric Digest. Champaign, IL Retrieved from http://ceep. crc. uiuc. edu/eecearchive/digests/2002/jewett02. df Harry Mills, Ph. D. , Natalie Reiss, Ph. D. and Mark Dombeck,(2012) Positive and negative stress. Retrieved from http://info. emergencehealthnetwork. org/poc/view_doc. php? type=doc=16151=474 Millius, S (2011, September 24). Early stress is contagious in adulthood. Volume 180 #7 (p. 14) Retrieved from http://www. sciencenews. org/view/generic/id/333416/title/Early_stress_is_contagious_in_adulthood Morrow, A ( 2011, January 19) Stress Definition. The New York Times Company. Retrieved from http://dying. about. com/od/glossary/g/stress. htm

Comparison of Matilda Cook in Fever 1793 Essay

Mattie’s Life and Changes In Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson, sixteen year old Matilda (or Mattie) Cook changes dramatically over the course of the book. In the beginning, she is portrayed to be a young selfish girl who was always too lazy to work. By the end of the book, she is shown to be a strong young woman. Her family of three consisting of her grandfather, mother, and herself runs a small coffee shop. Her family usually works relentlessly before, during, and after the shop’s hours. Their kind slave, Eliza, works just as relentlessly around the kitchens. Mattie herself has the easy job as a waitress and usually works much less than her family and slave. Even so, she never puts her heart into her work. This demonstrates how foolish and selfish she is; but just in a few weeks her world will change epically for herself and everyone around her. The yellow fever hits Philadelphia with venom and mercilessly takes away numerous lives. Unfortunately, the disease finds its way to Lucille Cook, Mattie’s mother. Mattie is forced to run away with her grandfather in order to prevent herself and her grandfather from catching it. They try to find their way to a friend’s farm, but her grandfather catches the fever along the way. In desperation, Mattie picks berries and fetches water so that she and her weak grandfather can survive until help comes. In this chapter of her life, Mattie is slowly improving on her attitude and personality. She soon gets help for her grandfather from a hospital nearby. He starts feeling better, but then she herself catches the fever. Mattie is fed and cared for the same way as her grandfather. He soon recovers and takes care of Mattie. She in time gets better and decides with her grandfather that it is time to head home. When the travelling pair reaches Philadelphia, they find objects carelessly strewn across the paths. Houses are desolate and empty; bodies pile up in the graveyard. Their own coffee house is in ruins and Mattie’s mother is not to be found. Mattie and her grandfather try to strive as long as they can. During that time, Mattie hauls in water from the well, picks and chooses in their rotten garden, and uses what is not stolen in the kitchen  for the rest of their meals. They are doing alright for the first few nights, but a few nights later, a robbery occurs that takes Mattie’s grandfather’s life away. In grief, she allows the cart for the dead to take him to the graveyard and follows it to the graveyard. There she mourns for the dead who were taken by the fever, or less commonly from robberies that took Mattie’s grandfather away. In desperation, Mattie proceeds to find Eliza. Along the way, she comes across a young orphan named Nell and brings her along. Mattie soon finds herself living with Eliza, a pair of twins, Nell, and Joseph. She works in the day and late into the night feeding the needy; until the fever takes a toll on Nell and the twins. The house is too crowded for sick individuals, so Eliza and Mattie move the children along with themselves to the coffee shop for recovery. They care for the children as best to their abilities and hope that that the ill children will last until winter when the frost could chase the fever away. Fever 1793 is a wonderful book about a young foolish girl turning into a mature and hardworking young lady. Through the course of this book, Mattie demonstrates how she can change from a selfish immature girl into a selfless, hardworking, and mature lady.

Ethical and Legal implications of lack of access to healthcare Case Study

Ethical and Legal implications of lack of access to healthcare - Case Study Example The high expectations of ensuring effective care to those suffering from acute illnesses have taken a toll on the health care system in the country due to shortage of available resources against the number of people in need of care. Allocation of scarce resources in the midst of increasing costs and unemployment has led to a series of debates among scholars regarding the role and impact of ethics in provision of health care services. Although various health care reforms have been initiated over the years, to ensure better care for the citizens, the nurses and other care givers are entrusted with an ethical responsibility to provide equitable and fair distribution of resources (White, Duncan, 2002). The ethical obligation to offer adequate and timely health care services across all classes of the society entails two key principles of health care which includes - the provision of fair and equal opportunities to all members of the society and to protect and safeguard the interests of th e vulnerable populations by providing them proper health care benefits. These principles seem to have eroded with time, on account of increasing costs of drugs, rise in health care expenditures, and the resulting cost-control measures arising out of the same. This has lead to serious negative implications on the society as a whole such as reduction in overall health of the citizens, reduction in employee productivity, and an increased burden on the health care system in terms of added costs among many others (Sulmasy, 1992). Although access to health care services is not an end to all health related problems, the equitable access to such services does however significantly increases the odds of attaining better health outcomes due to timely diagnosis and treatment. According to the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedicine and Behavioral Science Research Commission, one of the key ethical obligations of the society includes ensuring equal access to health care services. The commission states that "Equitable access to health care requires that all citizens be able to secure an adequate level of care without excessive burdens" (Millman 1993, Pp. 32). Legal Implications of lack of access to health care: There are wide ranging racial disparities in the United States with regard to health care, despite of stringent laws against such discrimination. However, such disparities exist on account of various reasons such as the vulnerabilities of people belonging to certain races such as African Americans and Hispanics who belong to low socio-economic backgrounds. According to The Civil Rights Act of 1964, any discrimination in provision of health care may lead to enforcement of legal action against the accused. Section 601 of Title VI states that "No person in the United States, shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity r eceiving federal financial assistance" (Williams 2007, pp. 180). This clearly indicates that law prohibits any kind of discrimination however preventing such discrimination poses a greater challenge, due to the various types of

Lower Divison Capstone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lower Divison Capstone - Essay Example K., & Versace, G.2011). Company authorities knew that the market was already ruled by some of the most prominent and famous luxury watch manufacturers such as the Anne Klein Watches, Rolex and Di Molodo Watches. Therefore, the Company authorities were well aware of the fact that the Company will have to deliberately set a low price because it faces a high degree of competition posed by legendary luxury watch manufacturer’s, who have been in the business from decades. Therefore, in launching the Versace Luxury Watches, the Company had to employ the theory of Price Penetration in an effort to gain a footing in the market. So, initially the prices of Versace watches were deliberately set very low as compared to the prices of other luxury Brand watches. The idea behind the implementation of price penetration strategy was to introduce the consumers to the Versace Watches at a lower price which would inevitably encourage the consumers to buy them. Secondly, the other purpose of sett ing lower prices was to encourage the customers to develop the habit of using Versace watches, so that when the Company eventually raises the prices, their sales would not be affected substantially. (Hassan et al 1994). Thirdly, the company’s use of penetration pricing strategy ensured that it would gain a substantial slice of the market because the low price of their watches would definitely attract retailers to buy large quantities of their product. The results of the implementation of the pricing penetration theory were simple; the Versace Watches were an instant success and their first annual sales were several folds higher than the Company had initially expected. The success of pricing penetration theory lies in the fact that Versace is a huge Company with revenue of over â‚ ¬ 162.7 million, thus the Company was well adapted to cope with the high cost of the implementation of the theory. (Davis, D. K., & Versace, G.2011). However, if I had been the senior manager at t he time the Company launched the watches, I would have definitely employed the theory of Market Skimming. Through the implementation of this theory, I would have ensured that the product is sold at a high price at the time of its launching because initially the product is unique in the market and for a large number of consumers; Uniqueness matters more than the price. (Needham et al 1990). Over the last few years, the Versace business environment has changed dramatically, and globalization has proved to be the catalyst of the change. In an effort to cope with the expansion of its business, Versace has sought to employ the strategy of employee empowerment. The company is based in Italy but is now expanding their business worldwide and for this the adoption of employee empowerment culture plays a vital role. Due to the opening of boutiques and stores across the world, the Company now relies extensively on the capabilities of its employees. The Company has introduced a range of trainin g programs and other services which ensures that their employees are more reliable and capable of performing better than ever before. On the other hand, the Company ensures that its employees feel trusted and gives the right of decision making to them. Furthermore, through various employee benefitting policies, the employees are given self confidence in an effort to ensure that they remain motivated and perform their duties to their full capabilities. Therefore, in many ways the Versace fashion house lets its employees know that for them, their

Reflection Journal Part-3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection Journal Part-3 - Essay Example Similarly, environmental issues, cutting edge technology, standards of practice, policies, procedures and auditable areas for the Joint Commission come under discussion at meetings of APICE. Another key aspect of APICE meetings is information sharing and deliberation on policies and processes. Typical attendees at APICE meetings are people in administrative positions such as nurse educators, infection disease nurses, Directors of Nursing, Clinical Nurse Managers, Public Health Nurses and the like. The main contention behind APICE is the prevention of and awareness regarding infectious diseases inside hospitals. Each meeting of the APICE invites a speaker to share informative information regarding disease prevention. For the July session of the APICE that I attended, the speaker was Michelle DeVires, BS, MPH, ICC and she spoke about â€Å"Peripheral IV’s: Overlook source of Infection†. Ms. DeVires was very inspiring because she was not only a public health nurse but her specialty was infection prevention. I was surprised that I could really comprehend some of the information that she was sharing with the group. She touched on a little statistics when she talked about population mean, and the frequency, standard deviation, bell curve, the probability of the p-value and many other statistical data forms. Although I thought that I would be lost, but I actually understood some of information that she was presenting. Ms. DeVires went on to discuss intervention and prevention as processes and she spoke about how hospitals needs to discontinue any IV’s that are not being utilized. Anytime an IV is in place and is not being used, it has a tendency to set up an infection. It was revealed that most infections took root when the E.R. department starts an IV. The fast paced work demands of the E.R. meant that nurses or doctors were not cleaning or using sterile techniques to clean the site

Critique Writing of Cinderella Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critique Writing of Cinderella - Essay Example The feelings lead to fear of rejection by the child giving them the distress of others being favored over them. Therefore, sibling rivalry arising. Among the fairy tales best known, â€Å"Cinderella† puts a mark. The story has its origin related to the German and Chinese culture. Bettelheim applies reasoning that the bona fide meaning behind the fairy tale, â€Å"Cinderella† is sibling rivalry. However, he theorizes that the use of stepmother and stepsisters is intentional to condone the antagonism present among actual brothers and sisters. Granted, realistic situation do not tend to be as inordinate as that of Cinderella, in the child’s perspective, they feel just as degraded. The phrase â€Å"Sibling rivalry† is used by Bettelheim to advert pattern of intense emotions evoked in a child. Sympathy and empathy are present in a child’s feelings toward Cinderella (Behrens & Rosen, 2008). A child may be aware that their situation is not as worse as Cinderella’s but not fully be able to look at his own predicament in an unbiased manner. Bettelheim points out that a child tends to see things in an abstract way, therefore in the majority of circumstances, the way they feel is an inconsistency of excerption on Cinderella. A child’s imagination brings a feeling of degradation by their siblings as Cinderella by her stepsisters. However, the other aspect of this story that brings appeal to children is the successful conclusion. A child will hope for the same ending, a rescue from the current situation. The happy conclusion gives conviction and optimism to the child lacking confidence to gain triumph in future. Bettelheim suggests that the fairy tale gives hope to children. At the same point, every child is overwhelmed by the feeling of debase due to lack of confidence; When something unpleasant happens to them, they feel as if they deserve it. The child craves for assurance of

Direct　Marketing　Sales　and　Promotion Essay

Direct　Marketing　Sales　and　Promotion - Essay Example mpanies are at a dilemma as to how to increase their brand equity, operating within a business environment where most companies are focused on brand building and thus, strong brands are not necessarily a competitive advantage anymore. With the increased advertising clutter and shifting market demographics with highly fragmented consumer needs, the traditional dominance of mass media in todays, promotional strategy is declining. This essay aims to analyse the growth of Direct Marketing in today’s communicational mix and to identify both desired and unintended effects of direct marketing activities. The essay will further focus on the challenges in designing and deploying effective direct marketing campaigns, which are creative and exciting enough to compete with the overall advertising clutter competing for consumer attention. When considering the communication mix options available for marketers today, the highly developed communication industry coupled with the wide spread use of Internet has provided new means of interactive marketing such as web sites, online stores, and a host of other innovative and informative means such as CD Rom catalogues and Video screens in supermarkets, altering the traditional mix of promotional tools drastically. These wide choices have not only increased the reach of the communication mix but also reduced the cost per reach significantly. The biggest advantage of these new modes of communicational tools lies in being able to be highly focused and directed to the desired segment of consumers. Within these changes in promotional strategies, a notable development is the increased importance placed on direct marketing. Environmental forces such as political, economic, social and technological factors driving such growth of Direct Marketing is worth analysing in order to understand why direct marketing is becoming an increasingly popular mode of communicating with the consumers. More and more companies are embracing the paradigm shift

Pick topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pick topic - Essay Example I should rely more on fruits and yoghurt for dessert rather than sugar enriched dishes. In the same manner, there should be more vegetables, legumes and fruits included in my dinner plan to increase by the nutrition on my diet. A human body whether male or female function on protein, carbohydrate and lipids along with vitamins and minerals achieved from food. Generally, protein is needed for muscles and organs of body. Nutrients are substances needed for growth, metabolism, and for other body functions. With insufficient supply of these macro nutrient the body gets malfunctioned which result in diseases. I believe my fiber intake is less that recommendation and I should include more tubers, vegetables and fruits in my diet. Apart from this, legumes and pulses can add the fiber and nutritional supply in my diet When it is the issue of food my strength is that I like to see variety in my food menu. I like to mix and match food items which is really a positive thing. Because I like various food sources and colors in my diet, I can access to multiple nutritious food. I am not monotonous with my food menu and like to change food every time throughout the week. Also I like to eat fruits along with all my meals as my appetite increases when I see colorful fruits on my table. It is a fact that I have sweet tooth and indulging in healthy desserts add to my satiety value and usually my dessert .I also have the strength of liking vegetables in my diet as their color and peculiar taste add to my palate. My Weakness : My weakness is that I consistently want sweet dishes in my menu throughout the day. Also I adore food that is fatty and oily. I am a person who loves meat products and replacing it with fish make me think twice. The other weakness is that I don’t like dairy product much and that is the reason you see less of milk and chesses in my daily consumption. Suggestion to patient : Eat more of green leafy vegetables and

Business cultural Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 14000 words

Business cultural - Dissertation Example 115). Strengthened by the maximum gross domestic product (GDP) per capita within North African region and government expenditures going beyond 48 billion USD every year, Libya has rapidly turn out to be one of the most lucrative markets in the region for a wide range of products and services. As foreign businesses assess the prospect of entering this potentially productive market, endurance, a dependable associate and profound understanding of the political as well as business setting are significant assets that should come with any future venture. Background As Libya carries on to recover from the Qadhafi era, businesses will certainly come across a number of the similar challenges many Libyans have coped with for years. From a functioning point of view, these aspects repeatedly disrupt the best of project management attempts and exponentially raise the level of endurance essential to function successfully (Bayoud et al, 2012, p. 145). Nonetheless, in a culture focused on associatio ns, the value of a dependable associate with the necessary understanding of the Libyan market cannot be devalued. Looking for an associate with the cultural understanding and continuing political as well as business dealings required to get things done can usually indicate the difference among achievement and collapse. While this business setting will certainly modify during the coming months as the lately nominated General National Congress (GNC) carries on to deal with its parliamentary priorities, companies must be responsive towards existing regulatory requirements. Businesses should as well be aware of a decision linked with â€Å"new customs tariffs issued by the GNC’s predecessor, the National Transitional Council† (Joffe, 2011, p. 240). The general charge of customs duties shall be five percent, with the exception of some particular products that charged higher duty rates starting from 10 percent up to 30 percent. There are some offered within this decision how ever, up till now, a thorough customs tariff chart has not yet been published. While many may consider the inherent challenges of the existing Libyan market as daunting, there are still some companies from around the globe who are recognizing the bright prospects at hand once the problems are being taken care of. Following a year of inconsistency and 42 years of dictatorship, Libyans are dedicated towards helping the country to apprehend its potential and identify the part for foreign business during the process (Adetunji, 2011, p. 209). With the proper leadership, global businesses can do well in Libya and deliver products and services that the financial system requires as it goes to the next level. For companies who can afford to be enduring, who can operate with a dependable local associate and stay at the forefront of political and business

European History 1914-to present Essay Example for Free

European History 1914-to present Essay The period that immediately followed the First World War was marked by the autocratic regimes in Austria, Germany and Russia being replaced by republics as they were overthrown. There seemed to be a promise of an era of democracy as the seven states that had all been newly created adopted the republican form of government giving the impression that democracy had finally been found after the First World War. However, this did not last as after only two decades, a form of dictatorship took over most of the democratic European countries. While some countries became communists, others took to fascism which resulted to totalitarian form of government (Gardner, Kleiner Mamiya, 2005). In totalitarianism individuals had absolutely no freedom in their life as all political, intellectual, social, cultural, economic and even religious and spiritual activities were subordinated to the authority of the rulers and the government. This form of rule was characterized by the rulers of the government as a central power controlling all the aspects of the citizens lives through force and repression such that those who held views that were different from the ideologies of the rulers and had different practices in the mentioned aspects of their lives were considered to be against the state hence enemies. Totalitarianism was manifested through mass-media that was state controlled, one party state in which the party controlled everything that went on in the state, mass surveillance accompanied with state terrorism and restricted free discussion or criticism especially of the governmental ideologies. In European countries such as such as Russia under Stalin and Germany under Hitler, totalitarianism and the practices of the government received overwhelming support from the citizens (Gardner, Kleiner Mamiya, 2005). The support was however not spontaneous, it required the rulers to be charismatic so that he would be able to draw support. The rapid development in infrastructure especially communication and transportation played a great role in the rise and spread of the totalitarianism and growth of its popularity amongst the citizens in the countries in which it was practised. This paper seeks to discuss totalitarianism and the reasons for its rise in Europe in the early 20th century. Totalitarianism is characterized by the state pursuing some goal that is special such as conquest of a certain region, exclusion of all others who hold different ideologies from those ones of the state or industrialization. All resources of the state usually are directed and focussed on achievement of these goals regardless of their cost. Anything that furthers the attainment of the goal is fully supported while the things that threaten to foil this achievement are rejected. It is a form of obsession that triggers an ideology that explains and describes things in terms of the intended goal, justifying all obstacles that could arise and all the forces that may struggle against the state in achieving the desired goal (Gardner, Kleiner Mamiya, 2005). This results to the state getting popular support from the citizens which gives it the power to practice any form of governmental actions. Anyone opposing the goals or ideologies of the state is considered evil and political differences within the state not allowed. Achievement of the goal is never acknowledged even in the event the state actually gets to achieve it. This is because totalitarianism is entirely founded on the ideology of achieving the goal such that in the event the goal is achieved then it should cease to exist. The pursuit of specific goals by different leaders for the states they ruled is considered to be the main reason for the rise of totalitarianism in Europe. As mentioned earlier, fascism was one of the main reasons for totalitarianism. This ideology was common in Germany and Italy. It originated with Mussolini Benito in his rule over the country. This ideology in which the proponents advocated for the creation of a single party state was a reaction against equality, liberty and fraternity that were being proposed by democratic nations such as France and Britain after they won the war. Fascists argued that nations and races usually are in a conflict in which only the strongest and the healthiest survive. Apart from being healthy the strongest also survive by asserting themselves against the weak through repression and in combat (Griffiths 2005). These governments prohibited and suppressed opposition and any form of criticism to the government. In Germany, races that were not German such as the Jews, Slavs and individuals who were either sick or disabled were targeted for execution as Hitler’s government sought to have a nation of pure healthy Germans. Fascism claimed that a nation was the race and hence sought to execute everyone who was not of the race of the rulers (Griffiths 2005). Fascism is also characterized by respect and love for collective organization in which individuals work together to achieve a certain goals and ideology. This formed totalitarianism in Italy and Germany. In which the citizens were organized against other individuals of other races that were considered a threat to achieving a nation that was formed of one superior race. Nazism was movement mostly in Germany which was is also referred to as National Socialism. This movement sought to spread the ideologies of Adolf Hitler’s government in Germany and the world as a whole. Nazism is argued to be a form of fascism as its characteristics are the same as those ones of fascism as it featured racism, expansion and obedience/loyalty to one leader. Hitler expected everyone to be loyal to him and executed anyone who defiled his orders. Nazism also had theories about other races which portrayed them as inferior to German Aryans and a threat to its existence hence the necessity to get rid of them. This led to the massive execution of the Jews and the disabled Germans as they were considered unfit for survival according to fascism. This ideology is therefore one of the reasons for the rise of totalitarianism in Germany and most of its neighbouring nations (Klaus Vondung 2005). Bolshevism-Stalinism was the reason for the rise of totalitarianism in Russia. Bolshevism was a movement formed by professionals who believed in military control over the country and democratic centralism such the party (Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party) took form of internal hierarchy in which individuals from other groups were not allowed to lead the party. Only these members made decisions and any party that was formed to challenge Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party it was purged (Worley, Morgan Laporte 2002). This movement greatly supported single party state and is believed to have caused the rise of Stalinism. Stalinism refers to the form of government used by Joseph Stalin and those who were allied to his ideologies (Worley, Morgan Laporte 2002). This ideology is sometimes referred to as red fascism as it is a form of fascism. Stalinism refers to a form of governance that is characterized by oppression of the citizens and extensive spying by the government so that individuals can not criticize or form movements to overthrow it. This system was also characterized by purging in which those who were opposed to the government ideologies were sent to prison camps or sometimes killed. The state used propaganda and established some form of cult around a leader who was a dictator so that he would have absolute control over the communist party and maintain control over all the citizens of Russia. Apart from the mentioned countries, Austria also participated in the rise of totalitarianism by supporting Nazism and Fascism. Its Prime Minister Kurt Waldheim is said to have assisted Germany in transporting Jews to dearth camps. Several other Eastern and Central European countries also got obsessed with the fascist movement (Klaus Vondung 2005). This included Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovakia, Lithuania and Croatia. The fascist movements in these countries were all characterized racism specifically against the Jews whom they associated with communism which they greatly despised. Spain is the only country which though fascist never got obsessed with race and believing in the ant-Jewish conspiracies that characteristic of German’s Nazism. The rise of totalitarianism in Europe during the early 20th century was mainly due to fascism. Both Nazism and Bolshevism-Stalinism which were the main movements in Europe at this time and are all forms of fascism which emphasizes on the power of the state over the citizens. A significant characteristic of these movements is racism in which each state believed in being occupied by only those who were of its race hence eliminating those who belonged to different races or had different practices than were contrary to the ideologies of the ruling government. The most affected race in Europe was the Jewish. The rise of totalitarianism in Europe can therefore be solely attributed to fascism. References Gardner, H. , Kleiner, S. Mamiya, C. , (2005). Gardners Art Through The Ages: The Western Perspective. Sidney: Cengage Learning. Griffiths, R. (2005). Fascism second ed. New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group. Klaus Vondung, K. (2005). The Apocalypse in Germany, Columbia and London: Univ. of Missouri Press. Redles, D. (2005). Hitler’s Millennial Reich: Apocalyptic Belief and the Search for Salvation. New York, NY: New York Univ. Press. Worley, M. , Morgan, K. Laporte, N. , (2002). Bolshevism, Stalinism And The Comintern: Perspectives On Stalinization. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Racial Formation Essay Example for Free

Racial Formation Essay Quitting smoking is proven to be a task that is not easy to accomplish. The average number of quitting attempts that majority of smokers try in their lifetime varies from 6 to 9 times (Pfizer, Inc. , 2007). The smoking cessation attempts are often not successful because of faulty methodologies used in the endeavor. Majority of smoker’s efforts to quit are without usage of medical drugs. Thus, the meager success rates of only 3 to 5 percent of the total yearly attempts. The availability of products like bupropion hydrochloride, nortriptyline hydrochloride, and nicotine replacement drugs manifests only modest accomplishments (Nides et al. , 2006). In line with this dilemma, a drug was manufactured to aide smokers in their quitting venture with a step-by-step technique. This drug which is manufactured by Pfizer, Inc. is known for its brand name Chantix ® but its generic name is varenicline tartrate. This drug was manufactured to offer an effective support for smokers that want to quit this vice. Drug specifics and mode of action Varenicline tartrate, the tartrate salt form of varenicline, posses the chemical name 7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,10-methano-6H-pyrazino[2,3-h][3]benzazepine, (2R,3R)-2,3-dihydroxy- butanedioate (1:1). This substance which is the active ingredient of Chantix ® remarkably dissolves in water and has a white to slightly yellow color when in powered form. Varenicline has the molecular formula C13H13N3†¢C4H6O6 (RxList, Inc. , 2009). This drug is a non-nicotinic drug that targets the ? 4? 2 nicotinic receptor in the brain. It acts through blockage of nicotine from attaching to the ? 4? 2 nicotinic receptor. These receptors are the same target of nicotine, a substance present in cigarette. The binding of nicotine with the ? 4? 2 nicotinic receptors after the smoker inhales cigarette smoke conveys a message to a specific part in the brain to discharge dopamine, the substance responsible for creating the pleasure feeling. The addiction to cigarette smoking is due to short duration nature of the pleasurable feeling that is created by dopamine. The body yearns for more nicotine so that a simulation of the pleasurable feeling occurs again and again. Since varenicline prevents the binding of nicotine with its brain receptors; the intake of this drug will erase the feeling of pleasure that a person experiences every time cigarette is smoked. Therefore, quitting of smoking is easier along with intake of varenicline because the act of smoking does not bring the good feeling anymore (Coe et al. 2005). Another positive attribute of varenicline is its capacity to decrease the smoking withdrawal signs through its interaction with the dopamine receptors. This interaction results in the discharge of the hormones that allows the individual to feel pleasure or â€Å"feel-good† hormones (Bullock, 2007). Thus, during varenicline medication the smoker will not experience the terrible withdrawal symptoms because high amounts of â€Å"feel-good† hormones are distributed in his or her blood. Precautions and side effects The adverse reactions associated with the intake of varenicline are: dizziness; nausea; headache; fatigue; behavioral changes like depression and crankiness; boosted appetite; vomiting; decreased bowel motility; flatulence; and, sleeping problems. This drug can not be taken along with cimetidine because the latter will amplify varenicline levels in the plasma. Insulin; blood thinners like warfarin or coumadin; and theophylline are other therapeutic medicines prohibited during varenicline medication (â€Å"MSN health and fitness†). Precautions that need to be observed during varenicline medication are: consultation with a physician about the proper dosage and duration of therapy; monitoring of behavioral changes during the medication period; this drug is not good for individuals whom are below 18 years old, pregnant, and breast feeding mothers; the intake of this drug may also alter the performance of specialized tasks; and, medication should be after food ingestion (MIMS, 2009). Further precautions indicated in the use of this drug are: non- usage among people with history of mental disease and kidney problems; compliance with proper dosage prescribed by the doctor; and, observance of prescription label (â€Å"MSN health and fitness†). Efficacy of varenicline therapy According to its manufacturer, varenicline medication has the smoking quitting success rate of 44 percent while sugar pills only have 18 percent efficacy (Pfizer, Inc. , 2007). In a study conducted by Nides et al. (2006) comparing varenicline with bupropion a significantly higher success rate among varenicline medicated subjects was observed. The efficacy of this drug in the said study was 21. 9 percent, whereas, bupropion only had 16. 1 percent. Another study which proves the capacity of this drug to increase the success rate of smoking cessation is that one done by Cahill et al. (2007). It is noted in the said study that varenicline triples the achievement of smoking termination as compared to those who are medicated with antidepressants or had no medications at all. Issues on varenicline medication Among the issues that are coupled with the medication of varenicline are the harsh side effects like hallucinations and the alterations in the perception of joy. A varenicline medicated individual reported that during his therapy with varenicline he experienced intense hallucinations as well as alterations in his fulfillment after activities that can supposedly make an individual happy. Given examples of the activities he can’t find pleasure anymore were: writing, exercising, self-stimulation tricks, and socialization (Cloud, 2009). Another issue with varenicline medication is the suicidal inclination of individuals taking this drug. There are reports of individuals having suicide thoughts and committing suicides that are attributed to the intake of varenicline as a therapeutic aide for smoking cessation. This drug is also accounted to amplify psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These reports were already reported to FDA thus the advice of this agency to take tremendous caution when prescribing and taking varenicline (FDA, 2007). Biochemical Pathway The maximum plasma concentration of varenicline is attained 3 – 4 hours post oral intake of the drug. This drug’s bioavailability is high after oral intake and is not altered by the dosing time and the presence or absence of food. Varenicline though has a plasma protein binding that is below or equal to 20 percent. It takes an estimate of 24 hours for the half-life elimination of this drug to take place and negligible metabolism was observed (RxList, Inc. , 2009). Conclusion Despite the side effects that are said to be attributed to the administration of varenicline, this drug’s efficacy as a smoking cessation aide remains to be unaffected. Almost all of the available drugs have side effects thus it is not alarming for varenicline to also have some side effects. That is why precautions are available to eliminate the occurrence of most of a drug’s side effects. The proper observance of all the precautions indicated for this drug ensures that the person undergoing varenicline therapy and smoking cessation endeavor will have no health problems attributable to the medication. The weight of support that this drug can lend to the smokers who are trying to leave their deadly vice (smoking) is significantly higher as compared to the risks of side effects manifestation during the therapeutic period. Thus, cessation of smoking can be made easier through the aide of varenicline tartrate (Chantix ® ). Reference List Bullock, Carole. (2007). Smokers get a kick from varenicline; new research finds drug triples quit rate. Heartwire. Retrieved March 25, 2009 from http://www.theheart. org/article/768455. do Cloud, John. (2009). Can One Drug Cure Addiction to Another? Time, Inc. Retrieved March 26, 2009 from http://www. time. com/time/health/article/0,8599,1883588,00. html? xid=rss-fullhealthsci-yahoo Coe JW, Brooks PR, Vetelino MG, Wirtz MC, Arnold EP, Huang J, Sands SB, Davis TI, Lebel LA, Fox CB, Shrikhande A, Heym JH, Schaeffer E, Rollema H, Lu Y, Mansbach RS, Chambers LK, Rovetti CC, Schulz DW, Tingley FD 3rd, ONeill BT. (2005). Varenicline: An ? 4? 2 Nicotinic Receptor Partial Agonist for Smoking Cessation. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 48(10), 3474-3477. U. S. Food and Drug Administration, (FDA). (2007). Early Communication About an Ongoing Safety Review Varenicline (marketed as Chantix). Retrieved March 26, 2009 from http://www. fda. gov/Cder/Drug/early_comm/varenicline. htm MIMS. (2009) Varenicline. Retrieved March 25, 2009 from http://www. mims. com/Page. aspx? menuid=mngname=vareniclinegenmono=true â€Å"MSN health and fitness† (2008). Varenicline. Center Multum, Inc. Retrieved March 25, 2009 from http://health. msn. com/medications/articlepage. aspx? cp-documentid=100160707 Nides, M. , Oncken, C. , Gonzales, D. , Rennard, S. , Watsky, E. J. , Anziano, R. , and Reeves, K. R. (2006). Smoking Cessation with Varenicline, a Selective an ? 4? 2 Nicotinic Receptor Partial Agonist. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166. Retrieved March 25, 2009 from http://archinte. ama-assn. org/cgi/reprint/166/15/1561

A review of capital structure theories

A review of capital structure theories 1.0 Introduction One of the most contentious financial issues that have provoked intense academic research during the last decades is the theory of capital structure. Capital structure can be defined as a Mix of different securities issued by a firm (Brealey and Myers, 2003). Simply speaking, capital structure mainly contains two elements, debt and equity. In 1958, through combining tax and debt factors in a simple model to price the value of a company, Modigliani and Miller firstly begin to explore a modern capital structure theory, and their work inspired this area study. However, the MM theory has no practical use because it lacks of direct guidance for companies to determine capital structure in real life (Baxter, 1967; Sarig and Warga, 1989; Vernimmen et al, 2005). During the past years, researchers strived to establish a more reasonable capital structure theory that can be put into practices efficiently, and they attempted to expand debt ratio and tax advantage factors into a new area. Myers (1984) states that only practical capital structure theories, which introducing adjustment cost that includes agency cost and information asymmetry problems, could provide a useful guidance for firms to determine their capital structure. However, from recent studies, Myers (2001) believes that how information differences and agency costs influence the capital structure is still an open question. From this perspective, it is very important to review the development of these two factors which make theoretical research having a strong relationship with reality. Thus, this project will summarize the capital structure theories orientated by agency cost and asymmetric information from extant literature. Also some gaps and conflicts among theories of capital structure will be found and discussed in order to further improve this area study. The rest of this project is arranged as follows. Section 2 will present the theories based on agency costs that causes the conflicts between equity holders and debt holders or managers. Section 3 will illustrate from two areas, interplay of capital structure and investment, followed by signal effect of debt ratio, to show the theories based on asymmetric information. In conclusion, Section 4 will summarize the entire essay and suggest further research direction of capital structure theory. 2.0 Capital structure theories based on agency costs Although Berry and Means (1931, cited in Myers, 2001) state an adverse relationship between the separated ownership and corporate control status, it commonly admits that Jensen and Meckling (1976) firstly conducted the research in how agency costs determine capital structure (Harris and Raviv, 1991). Over the past decades, researchers have tried to add agency costs to capital structure models (Harris and Raviv, 1991). The perfect alignment between firm investors and firm agencies, such as managers, does not exist (Myers, 2001). According to Jensen and Meckling (1976), company agents, the managers, always emphasize on their own interests, such as high salary and reputation. Also these company agents use entrenching investments, which make the asset and capital structure orientated by the managements knowledge and skills, to increase their bargaining power with the true company holders (Chen and Kensinger, 1992). However, Myers (2001) believes that the firm holders can reduce such transferred value through using different kinds of methods of control and supervising, but he further points out the weakness that these methods are expensive and reduce returns. As a result, the perfect monitoring system is out of work, and agency costs are produced from these conflicts. According to Jensen and Meckling (1976), the conflicts between investors and agencies are generally divided into two types. The first conflict occurs between debt holders and equity holders, and the second conflict is from between equity holders and managers. Consequently, all the capital structure theories based on agency costs can be also classified based on these two conflicts. In the rest of this section, each individual conflict will be separately discussed. 2.1 Conflicts between Debt holders and Equity holders Jensen and Meckling (1976) point out that agency costs problems happen in determining the structure of a firms capital when the conflict between debt holders and equity holders is caused by debt contracts. Similar to Jensen and Mecklings conclusion, Myers (1977) observes that since equity holders bear the whole cost of the investment and debt holders get the main part of the profits from the investment, equity holders may have no interest in investing in value-increasing businesses when companies are likely to face bankruptcy in the short term future. Thus, if debt occupies a large part of firms capital, it will lead to the rejection of investing in more value-increased business projects. However, in 1991, Harris and Raviv cast a contrasting opinion to adjust the capital structure theory based on this conflict. They point out that most debt contracts give equity holders a push power to invest sub-optimally investment project. If the investment fails, due to limited liability, debt holders bear the consequences of a decline of the debt value, but equity holders get most of yields if the investment could generate returns above the debt par value. In order to prevent debt holders from receiving unfair treatment, equity holders normally get less for the debt than original expectation from debt holders. Thus, the agency costs are created by equity holders who issue the debt rather than debt holders reason (Harris and Raviv, 1991). Tradeoff capital structure theory has a basic and strong relationship with this type of agency costs. However, different researchers hold various explanations of the relationship. Myers (1977) points out the debt cost reason, Green (1984) announces that convertible bonds can reduce the asset substitution problem which comes from the tradeoff theory, Stulz and Johnson (1985) consider about collateral effect. In the end, only Diamond model (1989) is widely accepted. If Equity holders do not consider reputational reason, they are willing to trade relatively safe projects, but this activity will lead to less debt financing (Diamond, 1989; Mike et al, 1997). Diamond model (1989) assumes two tradeoffs, risky and risk-free, to show that the debt repayment should consider both possible investment plans. Furthermore, Mike et al (1997) use empirical evidence to indicate how to use debt to trade off these two optional investment plans. Moreover, in 1991, Harris and Raviv expanded Diamonds model to three investment choices. They point out that one choice of investment can only contain the risk-free project, one option can invest in risk project and the last option combine both risk-free and risk projects. In fact, since the reputation factor is vital for a manager, managers are willing to choose risk-free investment projects that have more possibility of success. Consequently, the amount of debt is often reduced by managers. 2.2 Conflicts between Managers and Equity holders Jensen and Meckling (1976) also states that conflicts naturally arise between managers and equity holders since managers just hold parts of the whole firms capital. Consequently, firm mangers only benefit from part of the profit generated by their business activities, but they simultaneously bear the whole cost of these actions. However, Myer (2001) casts a different opinion about the reason of the conflict and claims that in fact, managers never bear the full costs of the business activities unless the manager is also the firms investor. He further maintains that the real cause of the conflict is due to an imperfect observable reward system between investors and managers, because both parties have different standpoints to measure their own interest, especially the rewards. There are two dominant models, the Harris and Raviv model and the Stulz model, to explain this area. Although both models have a common assumption that labor contracts cannot address the conflict between managers and equity holders, both models hold different opinions about debt release and the problem in the drawbacks of debt in the capital structure. According to Harris and Raviv model (1990), managers are designed to want to continue the companys current operations all the time even if equity holders prefer the liquidation of the company. However, in Stulz model (1990), managers are keen to invest all available funds even if the equity holders can benefit from paying out cash. Moreover, Harris and Raviv (1990) point out that debt alleviates the agency costs and the conflict results from giving equity holders the chance to speed up liquidation when cash flows are hard to predict. In contrast, Stulz (1990) based on Jenson model (1986) concludes that debt payments reduce free cash flow. He further maintains that the debt costs reduce the available funds of a profitable project, since the costs result from debt payment that more than exhausts free cash flow. As a result, capital structure can be determined by trading off debt advantages against debt costs. 3.0 Capital structure theories based on asymmetric information The development of information modeling provides a possible approach to explain capital structure. In these capital structure theories, company insiders, such as managers, are assumed to obtain all private information about the investment opportunities or investment return. Some theories try to find out how the allocation of capital structure passes the insiders information of a firm to outsiders. Meanwhile, in other theories, the purpose of the capital structure is to improve efficiencies in the companys investment activities under asymmetric information (Vernimmen et al, 2005). The rest of this section will be divided into two subsections based on both sets of theories mentioned above. 3.1 Interplay of capital structure and investment This area of research begins with two vital academic papers, Myers and Majluf (1984) and Myers (1984). According to Myers and Majluf (1984), the firms equity will be mispriced by the market when investors obtain less information of one firms assets value than the firms current insiders. Moreover, they further point out that if firms issue equity to absorb capital for a new investment, mispricing may make a net loss to the firms current shareholders. In Myers second paper (1984), he formally defines this as a pecking order capital structure theory. In this theory, a firms capital structure is determined by the purpose of the company to finance new investment. Furthermore, with the development of the Myers pecking order theory, researchers find some vital empirical implications of this theory. Krasker (1986) confirms the results of Myers theory (1984) and also shows that the larger the equity issue, the worse the asymmetric information problem and the firm with worse asymmetric information problems will often have a more under price problem. Ebsen (1986) finds that if managers could trade their firms new equity, the under price problem caused by asymmetric information will be reduced. Then Dierkens (1991) argues that the under price problem can be solved by information releases such as annual financial statement reports. However, some economists cast a doubt on the pecking order theory. These theoretical researches have a common feature that they all put investment situations under the pecking order theory but provide more finance choices for a firm. Brennan and Kraus (1987) state that it is not necessary for a firm to have a preference for financing through debt over equity and the under price problem can be addressed through various financing options and simple capital structure rather than solving asymmetry information problem. Their findings are also confirmed by Noe (1988). Moreover, in 1993, Nachman and Noe put Brennan and Kraus theory into practice and also come to the same conclusion. 3.2 Signal effect of debt ratio After discussing models which investigate the interplay of capital structure and investment, it is vital to turn to models in which investment is a fixed factor and only capital structure is regarded as a private information signal. The investigation of this area starts with the work of Ross (1977). According to Rosss capital structure theory, only firms insiders, such as managers, can get full information of the firms return distribution, but investors cannot. The main empirical implication of Ross theory is that there is a positive relation between firm value and debt ratio. However, further research combines debt and dividend policy together to show an opposite opinion that a firm value is determined by dividend and debt ratio rather than a single factor of debt ratio (Vernimem et al, 2005). Furthermore, in 1982, Heinkel improve Ross model. His model is similar to Ross but does not have the same assumption. Instead, high market value firms are assumed to have high total value but low quality debt, thus high market value firms has high equity value. This finding has been consistent with further capital structure theoretical research (Franke, 1987; John, 1987). Another debt ratio signal model is built by Poitevin (1989). He firstly points out the potential competition between an entrant and an incumbent under the asymmetric information. According to Poitevin model (1989), the marginal costs of entrant are private information obtained only by the entrant, and in a stable situation, the capital of high cost entrants does not issue any debt while low cost entrants never issue equity. However, Glazer and Israel (1990) cast a different conclusion against Poitevin. They maintain that low cost entrants are willing to issue equity since they can much easier use this finance approach to reduce marginal production costs than the high cost entrants. Nevertheless, Harris and Raviv (1991) point out the weakness of the Glazer and Israel model is that they ignore the dividends finance factor which has the same signal effect as debt. Normally, a capital structure theory should combine various basic finance factors together. In the end, Glazer and Israel recognize this weakness and claim that their results cannot be considered as a capital structure theory. 4.0 Summary and Conclusion To sum up, this literature review of capital structure theories is element arranged. The set of theories based on agency costs and the set of theories based on asymmetric information are separately presented in the passage. Moreover, each set of theories can also be divided into several subsections. Agency costs cause two types of conflicts among stakeholders, and these conflicts affect a firms choice of capital structure. Moreover, capital structure theories show that under an asymmetric information situation, capital structure has a strong reaction with investment activities and debt ratio has a signaling utility for the determination of capital structure. The range of the selected paper is from 1958 to 2005. These papers cover majority parts of the study including agency costs, interplay of capital structure and investment, imperfect information situations and debt signal effect. Also these papers are all from core financial journals, e.g. Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Financial Management, American Economic Review and Review of Financial Studies. Thus, this literature review can be considered to be efficient and thorough. This essay covers a considerable number of literatures which can present modern theoretical findings of capital structure. However, it should be noticed that the blooming period of capital structure theory is between 1970s-1980s. After 1990, the theoretical research seems to have developed very slowly, and the majority of papers in this field just review former findings since few new theories of capital structure come out. The direction of the theoretical research of capital structure should incline to be more practical. The future study should be extended in two areas. (1) Add psychosocial conditions and assumptions to improve extant capital structure theories. It is important to acknowledge that most capital structure theories cannot be used by companies in real life since these theories lacks of more reality factors. Thus, behavior finance could provide a new approach to extant theories. (2)Combine agency costs and asymmetric information problems together in one capital structure theory. Currently, both problems are discussed separately. However, companies often suffer from these two problems at the same time when they determine their capital structure. Consequently, it is necessary to set up a new theory based on both problems. Bibliography 1. Baxter, N. (1967) Leverage, risk of ruin, and the cost of capital, Journal of Finance, 22, pp. 395-403. 2. Brealey, R. A. and Myers, S. C. (2003) Principles of Corporate Finance. 7th edn. New York: The McGraw-Hill Company. 3. Brennan, M. and Alan, K. (1987) Efficient financing under asymmetric information, Journal of Finance, 42, pp 1225-1243. 4. Chen, A. H. and Kensinger, J. (1992) Uncommon Equity, Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 5(1), pp. 36-43. 5. Diamond, D. W. (1989) Reputation acquisition in debt markets, Journal of Political Economy, 97, pp. 828-862. 6. Dierkens, N. (1991) Information Asymmetry and Equity Issues. Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, 26(2), pp.181-199. 7. Ebsen, E. (1986) The Valuation Effects of Corporate Debt Offerings, Journal of Financial Economics. 15(1), pp. 119-152. 8. Franke, G. (1987) Costless signaling in financial markets, Journal of Finance, 42, pp.809-822. 9. Glazer, and Israel, R. (1990) Managerial incentives and financial signaling in product market competition, International Journal of Industrial Economics, 8, pp. 271-280. 10. Green, R.C. (1984) Investment incentives, debt, and warrants, Journal of Financial Economics, 13, pp. 115-136. 11. Harris, M. and Raviv, A. (1990) Capital structure and the informational role of debt, Journal of Finance, 45, pp.321-349. 12. Harris, M. and Raviv, A. (1991) The Theory of Capital Structure, The Journal of Finance, 46(1), pp. 297-355. 13. Heinkel, R. (1982) A theory of capital structure relevance under imperfect information, Journal of Finance, 37, pp.1141-1150. 14. Jensen, M. C. and William, H. M. (1976) Theory of the Firm: Managerial Behavior, Agency Costs and Ownership Structure, Journal of Financial Management, 3(4), pp. 305- 360. 15. Jenson, M. C. (1986) Agency Costs of Free Cash Flow, Corporate Finance, and Takeovers, American Economic Review, 76(2), pp. 323-29. 16. John, K. (1987) Risk-shifting incentives and signaling through corporate capital structure, Journal of Finance, 42, pp. 623-641. 17. Krasker, W. (1986) Stock price movements in response to stock issues under asymmetric information, Journal of Finance, 41, pp. 93-105. 18. Leland, H.E. (1994) Corporate Debt Value, Bond Covenants, and Optimal Capital Structure, Journal of Finance, 49(4), pp. 1213-1252. 19. Mike, B., Gromb, D. and Panunzi, F. (1997) Large Shareholders, Monitoring and the Value of the Firm, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 112, pp. 693-728. 20. Modigliani, F. and Miller, M. H. (1958) The cost of capital, corporation finance, and the theory of investment, American Economic Review, 48, pp.261-297. 21. Myers, S. C. (1977) Determinants of corporate borrowing, Journal of Financial Economics, (5), pp. 147-175. 22. Myers, S.C. (1984) The capital structure puzzle, Journal of Finance, 39, pp.575-592. 23. Myers, S. C. and Majluf, N. S. (1984) Corporate financing and investment decisions when firms have information that investors do not have, Journal of Financial Economics, 13, pp.187-221. 24. Myers, S. C. (2001) Capital Structure, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 15(2), PP. 18-102. 25. Nachman, David C. and Noe, T. H. (1993) Design of securities under asymmetric information, Working paper, Georgia Institute of Technology. 26. Noe, T. (1988) Capital structure and signaling game equilibria, Review of Financial Studies, 1, pp. 331-356. 27. Poitevin, M. (1989) Financial signaling and the deep-pocket argument, Rand Journal of Economics, 20, pp.26-40. 28. Ross, S. (1977) The determination of financial structure: The incentive signaling approach, Bell Journal of Economics, 8, pp.23-40. 29. Sarig, O., and Warga A. (1989) Some empirical estimates of the risk structure of interest rates, Journal of Finance, 44, pp. 1351-1360. 30. Stulz, R. and Johnson, H. (1985) An analysis of secured debt, Journal of Financial Economics, 14, pp. 501-521. 31. Stulz, R. (1990) Managerial discretion and optimal financing policies, Journal of Financial Economics, 26, pp.3-27. 32. Vernimmen, P., Quiry, P., Dallocchio, M., Fur, Y. L., Salvi, A. (2005) Corporate Finance: Theory and Practice, 6th edn. West Sussex: John Wiley Sons. Ltd.

Top Ten Reasons For Legalizing Euthanasia :: Argument in Favor of Euthanasia

Euthanasia has always been a taboo subject in some cultures. People all over the world so openly engage in conversation in matters of life. But when it comes to the other half of life, death, no one likes discussing it. Only terrorists claim how glorious death will be. These are some of the reasons that many people in society feel that euthanasia is morally wrong. Who is to say when it is time for someone to die or how much a person should suffer before they are allowed to end their life? How does someone know what the right age is that people should die? Should people be allowed to end their life when they feel their health is degenerating? Just keep in mind the word euthanasia comes from the Greek words eu â€Å"good† and thanatos â€Å"death.† Literal translation is â€Å"good death.† There are a variety of meanings and ways to be euthanized. The meaning of euthanasia is the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is â€Å"intentional†. If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia.) Euthanasia by action is intentionally causing a person’s death by performing an action such as by giving a lethal injection. Euthanasia by omission is intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water. What euthanasia is not: there is no euthanasia unless the death is intentionally caused by what was done or not done. Thus, some medical actions that are often labeled "passive euthanasia" are no form of euthanasia, since the intention to take life is lacking. These acts include not commencing treatment that would not provide a benefit to the patient, withdrawing treatment that has been shown to be ineffective, too burdenso me or is unwanted, and the giving of high doses of pain-killers that may endanger life, when they have been shown to be necessary. All those are part of good medical practice, endorsed by law, when they are properly carried out. (Euthanasia definitions) Euthanasia also includes assisted suicide. If a doctor is involved with the death of a patient or person it is called physician assisted. Until recent times the word euthanasia was thought of as dying from old age or a natural death. In the nineteenth century is when physicians and politicians started using it as a life shortening death, taking years away from someone that could live a long life if cared for properly.

The Fight between Christianity and Satanism :: essays research papers

The Fight between Christianity and Satanism This is a fight between a slave world and a free world. Just as the United States in 1862 could not remain half slave and half free, so in 1942 the world must make its decision for a complete victory one way or the other. As we begin the final stages of this fight to the death between the free world and the slave world, it is worth while to refresh our minds about the march of freedom for the common man. The idea of freedom — the freedom that we in the United States know and love so well — is derived from the Bible with its extraordinary emphasis on the dignity of the individual. Democracy is the only true political expression of Christianity. The prophets of the Old Testament were the first to preach social justice. But that which was sensed by the prophets many centuries before Christ was not given complete and powerful political expression until our nation was formed as a Federal Union a century and a half ago. Even then, the march of the common people had just begun. Most of them did not yet know how to read and write. There were no public schools to which all children could go. Men and women can not be really free until they have plenty to eat, and time and ability to read and think and talk things over. Down the years, the people of the United States have moved steadily forward in the practice of democracy. Through universal education, they now can read and write and form opinions of their own. They have learned, and are still learning, the art of production — that is, how to make a living. They have learned, and are still learning, the art of self-government. If we were to measure freedom by standards of nutrition, education and self-government, we might rank the United States and certain nations of Western Europe very high. But this would not be fair to other nations where education had become widespread only in the last twenty years. In many nations, a generation ago, nine out of ten of the people could not read or write. Russia, for example, was changed from an illiterate to a literate nation within one generation and, in the process, Russia's appreciation of freedom was enormously enhanced. In China, the increase during the past thirty years in the ability of the people to read and write has been matched by their increased interest in real liberty.

sniper :: essays research papers

Quietly walking behind him in a dark alley, I could see him stalk a young schoolgirl. I didn't want my presence to be known. I could see him, fallowing her closely to her house. Right when she opened the front door of her house, he jumped towards her, and pushed her into the house, bolting the door behind him. My suspicions became clear. I knew what had to be done. I broke down the door, and grabbed a nearby coat hanger. (hehe) Scanning the room, I couldn't see anything strange. Making my way around the house, I could faintly hear a muffled scream from upstairs. I ran up, knocking down a vase on accident. (Freaking coat hanger) Breaking down another door (my foot started to hurt after this one) I could see him desperately trying to part her legs. I threw the coat hanger at him, hitting him right in the head. The impact threw him down to the floor, giving her a chance to get out of the room. It was just between us two now. He removed a knife from its sheath, and pointed it at me. I w asn't really ready for this, but I searched my pockets and I found a†¦ lighter. This is going great I thought to myself. He jumped at me, slicing me in the arm. My wound was bleeding very badly, and my arm began to numb. He jumped at me once again, but this time, I grabbed him by the arm and hit him at the elbow. His arm made a sharp cracking noise, and he screamed in pain. I kicked his knee, and another crack noise could be heard. At least now he won't be jumping at me anymore. I pinned him to the floor, and with a flick of my wrist, lighted the lighter. Pointing it towards his eye, I could see his eye slowly deplete its moisture, and in a few seconds, it was nothing more than a raisin. He struck at me again with his left arm, and hit me right below the eye. I fell back at the attack, and he was quickly on top of me, knife at my throat. I burned his other eye and he rolled back with his hand over his eye. I could already see that his eye was beginning to turn gray from the hea t. He threw the knife at me, and I kicked it away.

Strength: Debut Albums and Johnny

Strength They are taking the casket away to the burial site. It is made of a dark maple wood with an arrangement of white roses on top. The preacher says only family can come. So the son stands up and follows the casket to the burial site. He is wearing a gray shirt with a black coat and black pants. He doesn't seem to be shaken up about the funeral. He is quiet and stays to himself. Once they reach the burial site he stands next to the casket as they begin to lower it. He just stares and begins to think about the memory that caused this. Johnny was sitting at the kitchen table watching his mother Anita, cleaning the dishes.She was wearing her tired blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, beat up denims, and her hair in a low pony-tail. Anita’s favorite thing was to do the dishes. She always sang to herself while her blue eyes traveled out the window through the woods. She would think things of leaving and starting over. She never wanted Johnny to see herself that way but he di d. He saw her sadness. Many times she would stare at the little Eiffel Tower statue that was on the window sill or look at her and her husband, Jacks', wedding photo above the fireplace. The pictured showed a much younger, and happier Anita. The house was quiet.And Johnny liked moments like these. Moments that showed how cozy and peaceful their 700 square foot home could be instead of the tumble-down house it really was. It had a kitchen/den, two bedrooms, and a bath. Their family spent most of the time in the kitchen. It was painted a pale yellow, had a wooden table with three chairs, and had a window over the sink. It connected to a hallway which connected to the two rooms. All the rooms were small but the size didn’t really bother him, it was the only place he had known for his ten years. The house was light green with white shutters on the outside.The paint had faded so much that the home almost blended into the woods. Johnny didn’t have many neighbors but he had a n imagination that was as vibrant and wild as the Salmon River a few miles away. He would sneak there sometimes when his mother would be sleeping and his father was at work. One day as the sun was rising over the river he began a story of a boy traveling through the woods and ending up in a far away land. It was a much peaceful, newer, land than the one he knew. He became friends with them and they allowed him to go back and bring one person back to live with them. He brought his mother.Anita finished the dishes and turned around to look at Johnny. â€Å"Alright young man, it's time for bed. Your father will be home soon. † â€Å"Could you read me a story before bed? † â€Å"Sweetie, your father is almost home and you need to be in bed. † â€Å"Mama, please? † said Johnny. She looked at him; his big blue eyes, half covered by his unkempt hair, always won. They were her weakness. He was such a kind boy whose eyes always saw good, no matter the evil in fron t of him. â€Å"Okay† she said, â€Å"but it's going to be a short one. † She told him a story of a blue eyed, brown haired boy who travels to a distant land to save a girl who is in trouble.In the story the boy had to learn that bravery isn’t just about doing what is right but also being able to sacrifice your feelings to do the right thing. As she neared the end of the story she heard her husband’s truck pull up. She hurriedly got to her feet and looked out the window. Her heart started to beat faster and there was a little bit of perspiration right above her brow. Johnny sat up and peered over her shoulder. They both looked and saw him and his gun fall out of their blue Ford F-150. Her husband picked up his gun and staggered towards the house. Anita turned around and tucked Johnny in.As she pulled away Johnny grabbed her hand, and in a very small but strong voice Johnny said, â€Å"Mama†¦ one day I’ll save you. I promise. † Anita sta red. The car door slamming knocked Anita out of her trance. She walked out of Johnny’s room, wiped the few tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes, and shut the door behind her. As Anita walked into the kitchen so did her husband Jack. He was a tall man who looked much older than he was. His skin was leathery and the tips of his hair were gray. His blue eyes which, used to hold so much promise, were now red with black sags under them. He and Anita meet in high school.They were in the same math class. Anita was failing math and Jack decided to help her with her studies. The friendship blossomed into a beautiful relationship. One time, when they were together, Jack gave Anita an Eiffel Tower statue and promised her that when he became a famous engineer he would take her there. This never happened though. Their junior year she got pregnant. They both dropped out to support their son. Jack was a loving man but as his dream got farther, the liquor bottle got closer. It became a continuous problem. Anita could count on one hand how many times she saw Jack without a whiskey bottle, in the past six months.The alcohol changed him, like many men, into a monster. â€Å"What’s wrong with you? † Jack asked while he threw his gun on the counter by the hallway and kicked off his old black boots. â€Å"Nothing, been cleaning all day. I’m a little tired I guess. How was work? † â€Å"Well, let's see, I worked an eleven hour day, at a job that I hate, with a boss who doesn't respect me, and I come home to a family that doesn't appreciate me. Its just another day. † â€Å"Oh now, come on, you know that Johnny and I love-† â€Å"Love me? † Jack interrupted. â€Å"Is that why I come home to half the house a mess, no dinner on the table, no poured drink, and my son already asleep.It’s starting to get real old Anita. I’m not up for all these games, never have been. † †I’m not playing games with you Jack. I have worked all day too and I take care of our son. God I don’t understand why you get so paranoid. † â€Å"Don’t call me paranoid! Anita you don't know when to shut the fuck up, do you? I am not paranoid you-† â€Å"You accuse me of everything! † Anita interrupted, â€Å"Last night we argued about how you think I am turning Johnny against you and how you think I am taking money. I think we know where the money is going. † Anita watched as Jack opened up the brown cupboard door, took out the whiskey, and poured himself a glass.There was no expression on Anita’s' face but her heart was pounding. Jack stopped in mid swig and stared at her. â€Å"What the fuck is this? † â€Å"Here you go again Jack accusing me. † Anita tried very hard to put on an easy face but the rage in Jacks eyes seemed to be building with every second. His hand on the bottle became a vice. â€Å"What did I tell you about touchi ng my whiskey? † â€Å"I didn’t touch your damn whiskey. † â€Å"You think because I'm drunk that I don’t taste the difference? You’ve done this before, Anita. † â€Å"Again with the para-â€Å" â€Å"Stop calling me paranoid! † Jack roared.All the blood in his entire body seemed to be at his face. The buttons on his blue and gray plaid shirt almost popped from his chest being out too far. He shut his eyes and took a breath. â€Å"Didn’t I tell you what was going to happen if you watered down any of my drinks again? † Jack said with an almost eerie calmness. Anita saw the familiar look in his eyes. Her body reacted in a way a deer’s' does when they know what’s coming for them: heart racing, fixed stare, muscles tense. She took a deep breath and tried to relax herself. â€Å"Jack, sweetie, I didn't touch your whiskey. I promise you. † â€Å"You think I’m dumb, don’t you?Ya know I try a nd be sweet and understanding, but you keep lying to me. Why do you do that? You know I can’t stand it when you do that. You say that you love me, and when you love someone you aren’t supposed to lie to them. You love me don’t you? † â€Å"Of course sweetie I love you. You mean the world to me. I don’t know-† â€Å"See, here you go again with those lies. It makes me angry. And what am I supposed to do? Just let you continue telling lies? We are raising a son together, and I don’t want Johnny to learn that habit. † The eerie calmness was still there, and Jack barely spoke above a whisper. He began streaming his fingers through her hair.He looked down at his bottle, and as his face rose again to meet hers it changed. He became a monster. â€Å"I told you I don’t like my whiskey being watered down. Is it that difficult to do as I say? † Jacks voice became louder and stronger. He grabbed Anita’s hair with his fi sts and shoved her head onto the table. The skin around her scalp was stretching from the force of the grip. Her arms were against the edge of the table trying to push herself up, but he was too strong. Tightening his grip, he bent down to have his face beside hers. â€Å"You have to learn. You fucking bitch, you have to learn. † â€Å"Jack please, I didn’t do it.Your hurting me, sweetie, stop. † As she spoke, the force of Jacks hand against her face became stronger towards the wooden table. Her heart was pounding and she was looking for any possible way to protect herself. Tears started rolling down her face. She didn’t know what to do. She knew he wasn’t going to believe her and he was so much stronger than her. She finally said the only thing she felt could stop it, â€Å"I'm sorry. † He eased up on his force but still kept a grip on her hair. â€Å"What did you say? † â€Å"I’m sorry. It's just, just your drinking changes you. And I like the old Jack. Honey I’m sorry. Please let me go. Anita’s voice was that of an innocent child. Her eyes locked on his. â€Å"Now, now doesn’t that feel better? † Jack said as he straightened his back and looked down at her. â€Å"Doesn’t it feel good to tell the truth and admit your problems? See, I am helping. But honey that doesn’t change the fact of what you did. You’ve done it before, and it's becoming a habit. † At that moment his full force returned. He lifted her head and slammed it into the table. Anita wailed in pain. Above her temple she started bleeding. He pulled her off the table and started dragging her across the white laminate floor with her hair.As he dragged her to the hallway entrance, towards the bedroom, he looked up for the first time and let go of his wife’s hair. She turned around and slowly stood up. They saw Johnny standing in the hallway. Johnny’s eyes were red with dried tears on his checks. He stood as if he were seven feet tall with all the confidence in the world, and just stared at his father. Anita looked at his sweet eyes, that for the first time realized there was no good to be seen in his father. Jack wasn’t looking at Johnny’s eyes like his wife was, he was looking at the pistol Johnny was holding up with both his hands.Johnny witnessed everything like he always had. When he heard his mothers screams he got out of bed and walked towards the kitchen. He saw blood running down his mothers face and couldn't control the anger that was rising in him. As his father slammed his mothers head into the wooden table, a second time, he grabbed the gun that was on the counter. Holding the cold unfamiliar metal in his hands, he stood tall and pointed it at his father. â€Å"Sweetheart,† his mother said, â€Å"everything is going to be okay. Alright? Come here, let me hold you. † Johnny didn’t say a word but kept starrin g at his father. â€Å"Son give the gun to me. † I gave mama a promise. † Johnny spoke with no hesitation. â€Å"Sweetie, it’s okay to break promises. This isn’t your battle to fight. This isn’t a story. Honey just look at me. † Anita was scared for her sons life. Neither her or her husband had taught him to shoot a gun. She was afraid the he would end up hurting himself. Johnny turned his head to look at his mother. He saw that the blood on her face was curving around the fake smile she was trying to make. As he looked down to see some of her hair on the floor, his father took the opportunity and lunged for Johnny. His grip wasn’t as tight anymore and he felt the gun falling out of his hands.His father picked him up and threw him against the wall. Jack started yelling and slapped Johnny across the face. Johnny began to cry. Anita felt the breaking point. Hearing her son cry was the key to unveiling her eyes. She knew, the only reason she stayed alive, was to protect Johnny. Her heart began to race. All the lost opportunities of running away led to this moment. Her blood started pumping faster. She would be damned if she let this happen to her son. She picked up the gun and thought back to the moment her daddy taught her to shoot. â€Å"Jack, put him down. † He didn’t turn around or even acknowledge her. â€Å"Jack! Jack turned around and dropped his son. â€Å"Anita, baby what are you-â€Å" Anita shot a bullet to the left of him. â€Å"Johnny come here. † Johnny got up from the floor and stood behind his mother. He had one hand around her leg and used the other to wipe tears from his eyes. â€Å"Sweetie, go outside. Mama will be there soon. † Johnny walked out of the kitchen door and sat by the truck. â€Å"I'm done with this Jack. I am his mother, I have to protect him. † Her grip became tighter. â€Å"What are you going to do? You have no job, no education. You need me. † Jack tried to seem calm but the fear in his eyes gave him away. â€Å"I don't need you.I will find my own way. † Anita raised the gun and pointed it straight at his head. â€Å"I hope your son can live with the fact that his mother is a coward and a murderer. When the kids ridicule him I hope you think of me. † Bam She did it. She put a bullet through his head and finally shut the bastard up. He laid there with a pool of blood flowing out of his head. Blood was everywhere. It was splattered all over the walls and cabinets. Her hearing slowly came back to her in a wave. She finally lowered her gun and just starred. Part of her couldn't believe what she had done. And she wondered if she was strong enough to handle it.She remembered Johnny sitting outside. She tossed her thoughts aside and walked to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror. Her shirt was ripped, she had patches of hair missing, and her face was covered in blood. She cleaned herself up and walked out to Johnny. Johnny ran into his mother’s arms. â€Å"Mama I’m sorry. â€Å"Honey, you look at me. Don't cry anymore. You did nothing wrong. Okay? We are going to call the police and you will tell them the absolute truth. Baby everything will be fine. † â€Å"Okay mama, ill be strong for you. † Why could you never let those words go? Johnny thought to himself. I hope your son can live with the fact that his mother is a coward and a murderer. † I know you loved me and you did what you had to do. You protected me. How could that man still have control over you after all this time? I tried to be strong and hide my tears forr you but you kept sinking further away. Maybe you knew that you wouldn't be able to handle it but you did it anyway? Like what you taught me in those stories when I was young: bravery isn’t just about doing what is right but also being able to sacrifice your feelings to do the right thing. Johnny lowered his head and, for the first time in eight years, cried.