Disease and Disorders of the Lymphatic System

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there are high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Type I Diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. It was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Type I diabetes is usually caused by an auto-immune reaction in which the cells that produce insulin are attacked by the body’s defense system. People who have type 1 diabetes produce very little or no insulin. (Types of Diabetes, 2013) The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. However, in most people, it due to a problem with the body’s immune system. The immune system is supposed to fight harmful bacteria and viruses, but in those with type 1 diabetes the system mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas. (The Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013) Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas, which lies behind and below the stomach. Once the islet cells have been destroyed the pancreas will produce little or no insulin. The pancreas secretes insulin in the bloodstream and it is circulated throughout the system enabling sugar to enter cells. The main function of insulin is to lower the amount of sugar in the bloodstream. As the level of sugar drops in the blood, the pancreas slows down the secretion of insulin. Because there is no insulin to let glucose into cells, the sugar builds up in the bloodstream where is can cause life-threatening complications. (The Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013) Glucose is important to the body as it is the main source of energy for the cells that make up muscles and other tissues. There are two major sources of glucose, food and the liver. The body receives glucose from various foods containing sugar. When sugar is ingested it is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it enters cells with the help of insulin. When you haven’t eaten for a period of time, your insulin levels are low; this is when the liver converts stored glycogen into glucose to keep the glucose level within the body within a normal range. (The Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013) There aren’t many known risk factors for type 1 diabetes. Some of the known risk factors include: a family history of parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes, Genetics (the presence of certain genes indicates an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes), exposure to certain viruses (Epstein-Barr, mumps, or cytomegalovirus may trigger destruction of islet cells), early drinking of cow’s milk, introduction of cereal to a baby’s diet prior to the age of 3 months, the birth mother who is younger than 25 years of age or if she had preeclampsia during pregnancy, being born with jaundice, and having a respiratory infection just after birth. The Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013) While diabetes is a chronic, lifelong illness, it is controllable. Treatment for type 1 diabetes includes monitoring blood sugar on a regular basis, eating healthy foods, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight, as well as insulin therapy. Individuals with type 1 diabetes will generally require regular insulin injections for the duration of their lives . (The Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013) There are various types of insulin used to control blood sugar levels. The three types insulin used for therapy is rapid-acting, intermediate options, and long-acting insulin. Rapid-acting insulin should be taken within 30 minutes of eating a meal as onset of action begins 10-15 minutes after injection and last for approximately 45 minutes. It is meant to be used to help metabolize food when ingested. Long-acting insulin should be taken at the same each day as it works over a 24 hour period with no peak time. The goal is to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible, this will delay and possibly prevent complications. Daytime blood sugar levels prior to meals should be between 80 and 120. Bedtime blood sugar levels should be between 100 and 140. Keeping blood sugar levels close to normal most of the time can dramatically reduce the risk of complications to other major organs in the body. Uncontrolled blood sugar can cause damage to the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. Long-term complications develop gradually over years. The earlier diabetes develops and the less controlled the blood sugar is, the higher the risk for complications. Type 1 diabetes complications can be life-threatening or even disabling. Heart and blood vessel disease increases the risk for coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and narrowing of the arteries. Excess sugar can injure the walls of tiny blood vessels, with can cause tingling, numbness, burning or pain that usually begins at the tops of the toes/fingers and gradually spreads upward. Uncontrolled blood sugar can cause the loss of all sense of feeling in limbs. Diabetes can also damage the filtering system of the kidneys. Severe damage can lead to kidney failure which can require dialysis or a kidney transplant. Because diabetes can cause nerve damage it can also affect the blood vessels of the retina which can lead to potential blindness. Diabetes increases the risk of cataracts and glaucoma of the eye. This is just a few of the complications of uncontrolled diabetes. (The Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013) Living with diabetes isn’t easy. Management of blood sugar requires a lot of time and effort, especially when newly diagnosed. Poorly controlled blood sugar can directly affect emotions and cause behavior changes, such as irritability. Diabetes can also make you feel different from other people. It is important to take with others who have diabetes. Support groups are available both online and in person. This is a good source of information. You can also visit the websites of the American Diabetes Association or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Biology of Mind Essay

* Everything psychological is simultaneously biological   * Plato correctly located the mind in the spherical head * Aristotle believed mind was in the heart   * Although heart is the symbol for love, psychology has proven that you fall in love using your brain * 1800s Franz Gall (German psychologist) invented phrenology theory that claims that bumps on our skull could reveal our mental ability and character traits * Biological Psychology – the branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behaviour * Biological psychologists sometimes called Behavioural neuroscientist, neuropsychologist, behaviour geneticist, psychological psychologist, bio psychologist †¦ * We are a system of substances, that are composed of even smaller substances (tiny cells make up body organs) * Body’s information system is built from billions of tiny interconnected system of neurones * Sensory Neurones – neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptor the brain and the spinal cord for processing – â€Å"afferent† * Motor Neurons – the neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain to the muscles and the glands – â€Å"efferent† * Interneurons – neurons within the brain and the spinal corf that that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and the motor outputs * Each neuron consists of a: * Cell body and branching fibres (the cell’s life support center) * Dendrite fibres – receive information and conduct it toward the cell body * Axon – passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles and glands * Can be very long projecting several feet into the body * Myelin sheath – a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibres of many neurons * Allows for fast impulse transmission among neurons * If myelin sheath degenerates, communication to muscles slow with eventual loss of muscle control * Action potential – brief electric charge that travels down a neuron’s axon (neural impulse) * Generally an axon is in a negative state, while the fluid outside an axon is in a positive state * Resting potential – the positive outside/ negative inside state of an inert neuron * K+ [ ] in axon < Na+ [ ] outside axon (-70mv) * Axon membrane is Selectively Permeable – does not allow everything inside (selective) * When a neuron fires, the first bit of the axon opens up allowing positively charged sodium ions to enter * That section of the ion becomes depolarized, making the axon’s next channel to open up * During resting period(refractory period) the neurons pump the positively charged sodium ions back outside * Each neuron receives signals from hundreds of other neurons * Excitatory signals – like pushing a neuron accelerator * Inhibitory signals – like pushing its breaks * Threshold – the level of stimulation required to trigger a natural impulse * If the excitatory signal minus inhibitory signal exceeds a min intensity (-60mv) * How neurons communicate: Before thought that axon of one cell fused with dendrites of another, but Sir Charles Sherrington noticed that it takes a long time for the signal to travel. Therefore concluded that there is a gap * Synapse – the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite of the receiving cell * Synapse gap (synaptic cleft) – the tiny gap at the junction (less than a millionth inch wide) * When action potential reaches the terminal’s at the axon, release of chemical messenger is triggered (neurotransmitters) * Soon the neurotransmitters cross the synapse gap and bind to the receptor site on the receiving neuron * For an instant the receptors unlock the channels at the receiving site and electrically changed atoms flow in , exciting or inhibiting the receiving neu ron readiness to fire * Then reuptake occurs (a process when the sending neuron reabsorbs the neurotransmitters) * How neurotransmitters Influence Us : there is a particular path way in the brain for certain neurotransmitters and particular neurotransmitters may have particular effect on behaviour and emotion * Example: Acetylcholine (ACh) – one of the best understood neurotransmitters * Has to do with learning and memory * At every junction between motor neurons and skeletal muscles * Muscles contract, but when pathway is blocked we are paralyzed * Drugs like artificial opiates (like heroin and morphine) lessen pain and boost mood, may cause brain to stop producing its natural opiates (may cause discomfort) * Drugs and other chemical affect brain chemistry at synapses by either amplifying or blocking a neurotransmitter’s activity * Agonist – a molecule similar to a neurotransmitter that can mimic its effect or block the reuptake * Black widow spider venom floods synapses with Ach cause muscle contractions †¦ and possibly death * Antagonists – block neurotransmitter’s functioning * May occupy receptor sites – but not similar enough to stimulate receptor * Nervous system – body’s electrochemical communication network consisting of nerve cells from peripheral and central nervous systems * Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) – sensory and motor nervous system that connects the CNS to the rest of the body. Has 2 components: * Somatic Nervous System – part of the PNS that controls skeletal muscles * Automatic Nervous System – part of the PNS that controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs (ie the heart) * Sympathetic nervous System – arouses the body and gives energy * Accelerate heartbeat, raise blood pressure, slow digestion †¦ when something alarms, enrages or challenges you making you alert and ready for action * Parasympathetic Nervous System – calms the body down, conserving energy (opposite of sympathetic) The two work together to keep you in steady internal state * Central Nervous System (CNS) – the brain and the spinal cord * Neural networks– groups of brain neurons cluster into work groups * Neurons network with near-by neurons with which they can make fast connection * Spinal cord – information way connecting PNS to the Brain * Reflex – an automatic response to a sensory stimulus – spinal cord’s work * Simple reflex pathway is composed of single sensory & motor neurons * Communicate through interneurons * Below pt of injury on spinal cord – loses connection w/ brain – lose all sensation and voluntary movement in body regions with sensory & motor connections * The Endocrine System – body’s slow chemical communication system; a set of glands that produce hormones into your bloodstream * Hormones – chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues * Slower than neural massages, but last longer * Adrenal Gland – a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body at time of stress * Increase heart rate, blood sugar levels, blood pressure †¦ * Pituitary Gland – endocrine system’s most influential gland. When under hypothalamus influence, the pituitary gland regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands * Pea sized structure located in the core of the brain * Example pituitary gland influences the sex glands to release sex hormones * (brain pituitary other hormone brain ) – connection b/w endocrine + nervous Module 5 * Lesion – tissue destruction   * Brain lesion -Naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue * Used in Experiments: tiny clusters of normal/defective brain cells would be destroyed w/ surrounding unharmed – which part influences what Scientists electrically/chemically/magnetically stimulate various parts of the brain – note effects * Neuroscientists study the working brain by: recording brain’s electrical activity * Electroencephalogram (EEG) – amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface (measured by electrodes places on scalp) * PET (positron emission tomography) Scan – visual display that shows brain activity that detects where radioactive glucose (gamma rays) goes in the brain while it performs a certain task * Active neurons are glucose hogs * MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) – technique that uses magnetic field and radio waves to produce computer generated images of the soft tissue – show brain anatomy * Align spinning atoms of the brain molecules, then radio wave pulse temporarily disorients atoms return to normal spin; formed detailed pic of the brain tissue b/c released signals * fMRI (functional MRI) – a technique revealing blood flow (brain activity), by comparing successive MRIs – show brain function and structure * Brainstem – the oldest part of the central core of the brain * Starts where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull * Responsible for automatic survival functions   * Medulla – base of brainstem * Responsible for heartbeat and breathing * Right above the medulla are the pons help coordinate movement Brainstem is where most nerves to and from each side of the brain connects to the opposite side of the body – crossover pt * Reticular formation – located inside brainstem b/w ears – extends from spinal cord thalamus * A nerve network – plays an important role in controlling arousal * Filters incoming stimuli and relays important info to other parts of brain * Thalamus – brain’s sensory switchboard receives sensory info – except smell – from all senses, then directs messages to the sensory receiving area in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla * Located on top of the brainstem * Cerebellum – functions include processing sensory input and coordinating voluntary movement output and balance – located at the back of the brainstem * Enables nonverbal learning + memory – judge time, modulate emotions, discriminate sounds/textures Limbic System – neural system associated with emotions and drive * Located below cerebral hemisphere – 2 halves of brain (brain hemisphere) * Hippocampus – process memory * Amygdala – two neural clusters linked to emotion (influences aggression and fear) * Hypothalamus – located below the thalamus – keep body’s internal environment in a steady state * Directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature) * Helps govern endocrine system via pituitary glands * Linked to emotions and reward Module 6 * Older brain networks sustain basic functions and enable emotion, memory and basic derives * Newer brain networks (within the cerebrum the two hemispheres that make up 85% of our brain mass) are responsible for more advanced things like speaking and thinking and perceiving Cerebral cortex – thin layer of interconnected neural cells covers the brain(cerebral) hemispheres. – body’s ultimate control + info-processing center (thinking mostly occurs) * As we move up the animal ladder, cerebral cortex expands, genetic control decreases, and adaptation increases * small cerebral cortex (ie frogs) operate mostly on programed genetic instructions (instinct); larger cortex – larger capacity for learning & thinking more adaptable * Humans have a very complex functioning cortex Structure: Has lots of wrinkles and if expanded, triples the area * brain hemispheres filled w/ axons connecting cerebral cortex to all other brain regions * Glial cells – cells in the nervous system that protect, nourish and support neurons * Provide nutrients, insulating myelin, guide neural connection and mop up ions and neurotransmitters to neurons * May also participate in information transmission and memory * Moving up animal chain proportion of glial cells to neurons increases * Each hemispheres (there are 2) are divided into 4 lobes separated by fissures (folds) * Frontal lobe (behind the forehead) – involved in speaking and muscle movement also controls making plans and judgments * Parietal lobe (at the top to rear) – receives sensory input for touch & body position * Occipital lobe (at the back of the head) – receives information from visual fields * Temporal lobe (above the ear) – includes auditory areas (receives info from opposite ear) Functions: * German physician Gustav Fritsch and Eduard Hitzing applied mild electric stimulation to a dog’s cortex caused parts of the dog’s body to move * Worked only when stimulating the arch shaped regions on the back of the frontal lobe * Stimulating parts of this region in the left/right hemisphere caused movements on opposite side of certain body parts Motor cortex – area at the rear of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movement * Areas of body that require most control (like fingers and mouth) have largest area * Sensory cortex – area at front of parietal lobe that process sensory touch &movement sensations * The more sensitive the body region, the larger area for sensory cortex is developed for it * Association area – areas of the cerebral cortex not involved in primary motor control function or sensory functions: they are involved in more complex functions like learning, memory, thinking and speaking * Not dormant areas – rather interpr et, integrate & act on info processed by sensory areas * found in all four lobes * Front lobe enable judging, processing of new memories and planning * Damage to frontal lobe may cause personality change (Ex Gage, damaged frontal lobe, but still had all memories and skills intact.. just became more irritable and dishonest) * Parietal lobe enable mathematical and three-dimensional reasoning * Underside of the right temporal lobe allows us to recognize faces * Memory, language & attention results from synchronized activity among brain areas * Brain’s Plasticity – brain’s ability to change, during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or building new paths based on experience * Severed neurons do not regenerate and some specific brain functions are reassigned to certain areas * Some neural tissue can be reorganized if the person is still young * Constraint-induced therapy – aims to rewire the brain by warning a fully functioning limb and forcing the used of the disfunctioning limb * Losing a finger may cause the sensory area responsible for that finger to input adjacent figures (making them more sensitive) * Neurogenesis – formation of new neurons * The fact that brain`s two sides serve different functions is seen when there is damage * 1961, Philip Vogel and Joseph Bogen thought that major epileptic seizures were caused by increase in brain activity bouncing back and forth between the cerebral hemispheres * Tried cutting the corpus callosum – the large band of axon fibre connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying massages between them * Split brain – condition resulting from the surgery that isolates the brain`s two hemispheres by cutting the fibres (mainly those in corpus callosum) connecting them * Normal personality and intellect hardly affected * Right hemisphere – used when a person preforms perceptual tasks * Makes inferences to languages * Left hemisphere – increase activity when a person speaks or calculates * Makes quick, literal interpretations of language * Also responsible for sign language in deaf people * 90% of people are right handed and 10% of people are left handed ( a bit more male left handed people and a bit less female) * 96% of right handed people process speech in left hemisphere * 70% of left handed people process speech in left hemisphere, and everyone else either left or both * Bias of right hand is unique to humans (and other primates like chimpanzees and baboons) * Either genes or parental factor indicates handedness

Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Four

It tasted as bitter as always, but as I drank, Markelle lifted her eyes. There was nothing obvious in them, no wink, no expectation. Yet, somehow, I knew. I knew. It was the fake again. Satisfied that I'd swallowed it all, Abigail gave me a withering glance. â€Å"We need you cleaned up. That fool is coming for you again later tonight, and he did a number on that dress last time. He wants you looking good, though, so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She gave a half-hearted shrug. Naturally, I couldn't tell her that my dress's rumpled and slightly torn state had nothing to do with Leith's sexual aggression, but, rather, an angry spirit bent on killing me. Markelle's eyes were downcast once more. â€Å"Should I get her a new dress?† â€Å"No. You've got to clean up too. Art's going to be here in a little while for you.† The girl flinched, but Abigail didn't seem to notice. But then, why would she? She didn't notice any of these girls, not really. And I knew what those words meant. Markelle's time had come. â€Å"I'll send in that freckled one, once she wakes up again.† I realized that she was me and that I should allegedly be going under. I sank back against the covers, blinking like I was trying to stay awake. The two of them left, Markelle giving me one last fleeting glance. There were a lot of things in her wide eyes as she looked at me. Fear. Hope. Anxiety. I exhaled once they were gone and sat up. Plan time. My muscles were still weak, but they reminded me more of what you'd feel after a hard run. What had Markelle said before? Twelve hours was the normal dose? I was at that point. The nightshade had to be significantly wearing off. Theoretically, my magic should be returning too and- â€Å"Why, hello,† I murmured. I'd sent my mind out into the room and had just barely-barely-felt the tingle of air and water. I wasn't going to be blowing anyone apart soon, but the magic was coming back. And when it did, these assholes were fucked. But I needed to wait this out. I wasn't going to jump the gun like I had with Volusian. Every minute brought the magic and my strength back. I had to use this downtime to assess the situation. Abigail was in the house still. Art and Leith were eventually coming back-together or apart, I didn't know. The one thing I felt confident of was that I did not want to face all of them at the same time. That meant Abigail had to be taken out first, but I was going to need help. In what must have been a little over an hour, Cariena slipped in with a pink silk dress. It reminded me of something Maiwenn would wear. Apparently, no one had gotten the memo that redheads don't wear pink. I stood up and took the dress from Cariena, promptly tossing it on the bed. She looked aghast that I'd gotten up without falling over. Considering all that had happened recently, I couldn't blame her. â€Å"Your m-majesty, what-â€Å" â€Å"Cariena, we're getting out of here.† â€Å"We can't!† â€Å"Oh, we can, and we are. Where's Markelle?† I had a feeling I was going to need an accomplice with a bit more boldness. â€Å"And Raina?† I rarely saw the third gentry girl around here and had no clue to her attitude, but she needed to be accounted for. â€Å"Raina's in her room. She was-disrespectful. And Markelle is preparing herself.† Preparing herself for a lifetime as a sex slave. I grimaced. â€Å"And Abigail?† â€Å"She's upstairs. Watching†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cariena groped for the unfamiliar word. â€Å"†¦the television.† â€Å"Okay, okay.† My mind was spinning now. It seemed to be recovering faster than my body. â€Å"Here's the deal. I need a weapon. Is there anything you've seen that would work as one?† â€Å"We can't do this. We can't-â€Å" â€Å"We can,† I ordered, making my voice hard and fierce. This girl had been beaten into weakness, and if those shamans scared her, I would make sure that I-her queen-scared her more. â€Å"And you will obey me. You're my subject. You'll get out of this alive-I swear it. You'll see your family.† She was still scared out of her mind, but she gave a weak nod. â€Å"I see Abigail and the Red Snake Man carry weapons, but there are none around. I couldn't touch them anyway.† â€Å"Alright. We'll make do with†¦hey, is the garage attached to the house?† â€Å"Garage?† â€Å"Another building. One where they keep cars.† I recalled the garage but didn't know if it connected directly to the house. Surely she knew what a car was. She nodded. â€Å"Yes. They go in and out of it sometimes. It's attached to the kitchen.† â€Å"When you come down here, whose room do you pass first out there in the hall? Mine or Markelle's?† â€Å"Yours†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cariena was clearly puzzled now. â€Å"Perfect. I know what we're going to do. Take me to Markelle.† There was a moment's hesitation, and I knew this was the turning point of whether she could help or not. The door was unlocked; I didn't need her. But if I didn't have her assistance, I'd have to knock her out to keep her out of the way. â€Å"This way,† she said at last. Markelle nearly threw herself into my arms when we walked into her room. â€Å"Your majesty! I knew you'd do it. I knew you could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She wore a strappy little red sundress and had been applying makeup. Funny. I got dressed up like gentry royalty, and the girls here were dressed like human whores. â€Å"Shh,† I said. â€Å"We're not out of here yet.† I hastily whispered my plan to them. Markelle understood instantly, and although Cariena still seemed terrified, she also appeared determined. I returned to my room, body tensed for action as I waited for my plan to unfold. Pressing my ear to the closed door, I listened as Cariena's feet thudded up the stairs. Presumably she spoke to Abigail, but I couldn't hear anything. A few moments later, two sets of feet came downstairs, walked past my room, and went to Markelle's. I opened my door a crack to make sure the hall was empty. Next door, I could hear Markelle having the nervous breakdown we'd planned-saying she was afraid to leave, afraid to meet this man, didn't know what to wear†¦. Abigail, clearly irritated, began to scold her, much as she had responded to Leith's whining. I waited to hear no more and turned in the opposite direction, heading for the stairs. When I reached the main floor, I did a double-take. The house was beautiful, all new construction and designer decorating as befitted the neighborhood Art lived in. The gentry sex dungeon below us kind of detracted from the maple cupboards and crown molding, though. All the curtains were closed, the windows covered with iron grating, and outside I could just barely make out the Sleeping Beauty hedges blocking the windows too. Art's lawn maintenance had been about more than aesthetics. The patio drapes I'd so admired weren't laced with silver thread. It was iron. The garage was adjacent to the kitchen, just as Cariena had said. The top half of the door leading out to it had a window covered with more iron grating. I turned the doorknob. Locked. There were no signs of keys anywhere, which meant I'd have to do it the hard way. First, I double-checked the kitchen and living room, looking for any other weapon options. On a good day, I could have taken Abigail with my own fists. This was not a good day. Kitchen drawers revealed butter knives, nothing sharper. With a sigh, I returned to the garage door. This was it. The grating was loosely bolted, enough to keep it up and prevent the girls from touching it. Hoping I'd gained enough strength, I gripped the sides of it and tried to jerk it off. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, in one movement, it ripped from the wood. I froze, waiting to see if anyone downstairs had heard, but the deed appeared to have been performed fairly silently. The next part, I knew, would not be so quiet. I dragged a chair up to the door and then grabbed a smaller stool used to get into high cupboards. It was metal and had some heft to it. Would it be enough? I stood on the chair and swung the stool forward into the door's window. Yup. Enough heft. More than half of the glass broke. One more swing got the rest of it out, and I climbed through the hole into the garage. The whole maneuver was a bit awkward on my part; I wasn't in that good of shape yet. But, I made it through, incurring only a few cuts on my arms and legs. I knew, however, I was seconds away from Abigail's arrival. There was no way that breaking glass had gone unnoticed. Small patches of light streamed into the darkened garage from narrow windows as I peered around. Yes, it was a normal garage-albeit it one with a Jaguar in it. I guessed that was why Art had to keep the SUV in the driveway. Part of me wanted to go kick in the car's door, but there was no time. I had to assess the garage's other contents. Scattered tools. Bags of fertilizer. Art's gardening equipment. A heavy metal wrench held my attention for a moment, but then I decided I needed more leverage with my weakened state. I selected a shovel from Art's gardening stash, its scoop heavy metal and wooden handle sturdy. From inside the house, I could hear shouting. It wasn't going to take Abigail long to figure out where I'd gone when she saw the glass. Grateful for the darkness, I darted over to the side of the door that led into the house, pressing myself as flat as I could against the wall. There was a click as the door from the kitchen opened, but no one came out right away. I could picture Abigail standing there, looking around for any sign of me. After several heavy seconds, I saw a hand holding a blade-an athame-come out the door first, defensively positioned in case I came charging at her. That wasn't my intent, though. I wanted to get her from behind. She took one step out, still cautious and slow, looking around everywhere. I had to give her credit for that. She didn't just barrel forward; she knew I might be waiting by the door. And in fact, when she looked in my direction, that's exactly what I was doing. My shovel hit her in the side of the head before she could react. She crumpled to the ground, athame clattering against the concrete floor as it fell from her hands. I knelt down and immediately scooped it up and left the shovel. There was a bloody mark where I'd struck her, and her eyes were only half-open. My hand checked her pulse and found she wasn't dead yet. She was going to have a hell of a headache or concussion when she woke up-which wasn't something I could allow to happen any time soon. I left her lying there on the garage floor and stepped back into the kitchen. I opened a few cupboards and found what I'd hoped I would: the household's stash of medicine. Tylenol, multivitamins, et cetera. Behind them were a couple of prescription bottles. One I didn't recognize, but I thought it was some sort of heart medication. The other was Ambien, and I smiled. Just like me, a lot of shamans were insomniacs. I popped a pill out of the bottle, reconsidered, and grabbed a second. I then propped up Abigail and managed to shove the pills down her throat, with the help of a glass of water and some acrobatics with my fingers. â€Å"Payback's a bitch,† I said when her reflexes kicked in and she swallowed the pills the rest of the way. She wouldn't be waking up any time soon. I stepped back into the kitchen and saw all three gentry girls standing there and staring at me. Cariena and Raina looked afraid. Markelle, though she bore a red slap mark on her face from the confrontation earlier with Abigail, looked excited and defiant. I ordered them to carry Abigail downstairs and lock her in one of the rooms. I didn't know which way Art would enter the house and couldn't risk him finding her on the garage floor. Of course, if he did come in through the garage, the shattered glass was going to be a dead giveaway that something was up. Before they took Abigail away, I frisked her, hoping to find another weapon. Nope. Just the athame I'd already taken. I did, however, discover something nearly as useful: a set of keys. On the ring were several tiny keys, the ones that opened up the iron cuffs and bracelets the girls wore. Once they'd stashed Abigail away, I removed all the iron. Relief flooded the girls' faces, and I scowled when I saw the welts and bruises left from where iron reacted with gentry skin. â€Å"You should have your magic back,† I said, reaching for the phone. â€Å"We can use it when we get out of here. What can you guys do?† I was dialing Roland's cell phone, and the girls described their magic to me as the line rang. Cariena had a knack for helping plants grow, kind of like Shaya. Raina had some healing ability. Markelle could summon beams and balls of light. I disconnected when I got Roland's voice mail and promptly dialed Kiyo. â€Å"Son of a bitch,† I muttered. None of the girls' powers were going to help us. And honestly? It wasn't a surprise. If I were Leith and had wanted to catch girls who would make docile servants, I too would have picked ones with little or no offensive magic. Kiyo's phone rang only once before going to voice mail, meaning it was off or he was in the Otherworld. I hung up and prepared to dial my parents' home number. If Roland hadn't answered his cell, he likely wasn't home either, but I had to try. Before I could punch in the numbers, I heard the sound of keys at the front door on the far side of the house. I turned to the girls. â€Å"Downstairs!† I hissed. â€Å"Now!† Markelle looked like she would have stayed, but a stern glance from me sent her scurrying down with the others. Meanwhile, Art's voice rang through the house. â€Å"Abigail?† I'm not sure how he knew something was wrong. For all he knew, Abigail could have just been downstairs. Maybe it was just some sixth sense, but I heard him hurrying down the hall toward the kitchen, footsteps fast on the hardwood floor. I had a split second to react, no chance to find a hiding spot as I had with Abigail. Surprise was my greatest weapon now. As soon as he entered the room, I leapt on him with the athame. The thing that gave me a fighting chance was that he'd armed himself too well in his wariness, a gun in one hand and an athame of his own in the other. Full hands prevented him from fully deflecting my attack, though in many ways, the strength of his arms were more than good enough to block the worst of it. I got a swipe in on his face, however, gaining a fair amount of satisfaction in seeing the blood it produced. â€Å"You bitch,† he said, circling with me in the kitchen as we each sized each other up for an attack. â€Å"Where's Abigail?† â€Å"Taking a nap,† I said. I gave him a wicked smile, hoping I sounded stronger than I felt. With that one shove alone, I'd been painfully reminded that I was not in peak condition quite yet. I couldn't let him know how weak I was. â€Å"Don't worry. You can join her.† â€Å"I knew I shouldn't have let him keep you here,† Art growled. â€Å"I should have made him drag you back by your hair to your own fucking world like a caveman. But he was too afraid they'd find you.† â€Å"It's too late. They know I'm here already. See the phone? I got a call in just before you arrived.† A lie, but an effective one as it turned out. Art's eyes flicked to the portable phone lying on the kitchen floor. It had come open when I dropped it, and the battery lay nearby. With that slight distraction, I tried again, lunging toward him. I got a kick in-not as strong as one of my usual ones, particularly since I was still in that fucking gentry dress-but enough to throw him off-balance. He was still stronger and faster, though. He'd dropped the athame earlier and grabbed me with that free hand, wrenching my arm painfully to get me to drop my athame. In his other hand, he held the gun but seemed hesitant to use it. At last, his hand was too strong, and my fingers unclenched, releasing the blade and leaving me defenseless. Triumphant, Art slammed me back against the cupboard and tried to turn me around, probably to bind my hands. I'd noticed a glitter near his pocket earlier and suspected he had handcuffs on him. I fought him the whole time, refusing to turn around, and with only one hand free, he had a bit of difficulty in maneuvering me. â€Å"Stop struggling, or I'll blow your head off,† he yelled. â€Å"No one's coming, and you know it. Play nice, or there's nothing that Leith can offer me to keep you alive.† â€Å"I doubt that. Your whoring operation seems to bring in a lot of money. Are you going to give that up so easily?† â€Å"There are other ways to get gentry girls,† he grunted, still trying to shove me around and subdue me. The unfortunate thing was, he was getting closer. My strength was rapidly fading. â€Å"Other people will make deals. I don't need Leith or his half-breed whore to-ah!† I saw the chair before I saw Markelle. It was the one I'd used to climb through the garage door. Abigail had shoved it aside when she went outside, and now Markelle had snuck up and clobbered Art with it from behind. It was hardly a blow to render him unconscious, but it caused him to release me and stagger back. Markelle immediately scrambled away, but Art's attention wasn't on her. His eyes were back on me. Weak or not, I knew I had to use that opening to take him down. I surged forward again, fists ready and- He shot me. So help me, that bastard shot me. The bullet took me in the right shoulder, and I flew back against the cupboards, sinking down to the floor as my left hand instinctively flew to the wound to stop the blood. Art walked swiftly toward me, gun pointed down. â€Å"The next one goes through your heart,† he said. â€Å"Now turn around and put your hands behind your back.† â€Å"I'm kind of fucking bleeding here,† I snapped back. My shoulder was on fire, and I couldn't even really move my arm. â€Å"How much more incapacitated could I get?† His smile was bitter. â€Å"Eugenie, you won't be incapacitated enough until you're dead.† I saw Markelle come up behind him again. Her chair was gone, but her fists were out as she pounded him on the back, desperately trying to get him away from me. It was noble and tugged at my heart, but I wanted to yell at her to get the hell out of here. She was no more than a mosquito to him. With ease, he turned around and backhanded her, and I swear, she hit the floor harder than I had when I was shot. In those fleeting seconds, I snaked one of my feet out as hard as I could manage and hit Art in the shin. He stumbled, leg buckling, but didn't fall. The gun, however, did fall from his hands. It hit the floor with a clatter and slid far out of my reach-but not out of Cariena's. She'd apparently been standing on the far side of the kitchen this entire time. When the gun slid up to her, the timid girl didn't hesitate. She picked it up-screaming as her fingers made contact with the metal and polymers-and slid it back across the floor to me. I grabbed it. All the while, Art's eyes had been following the gun's journey, so when it came to my hand, he was facing me. I had the gun aimed in a flash, and while I wasn't a great shot with my left hand, I wasn't horrible either. No hesitation: I fired. The bullet bit into his chest, and he fell backward, blood immediately pouring from the wound. I'd hit the mark. Markelle and Cariena ran up to me, Raina following moments later. â€Å"Are you all right?† exclaimed Markelle. â€Å"Me?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"He smacked you across the room.† She shrugged. â€Å"They've done worse since I've been here.† Between the three of them, they managed to help me to my feet without putting too much pressure on the wounded shoulder. Raina attempted some of her healing magic-maybe I'd been too quick to dismiss their powers after all-and we found bandages to wrap the wound. Her power only lessened the pain; she could do nothing more extensive. â€Å"It's made of iron,† she said apologetically. Of course it was. Art would have had it loaded for wayward gentry. â€Å"It's okay. I'm fine.† We were back in the kitchen, and I was leaning against the counter, attempting to straighten the bandage. We were all kind of trying to ignore Art's body. â€Å"Okay. I can try to call for help again, but I think we need to get out of here on foot. I know where the gateway is, and it's kind of a long ways, but we should be able to-â€Å" â€Å"Eugenie? What's going on?† I'd set the gun on the counter while tugging my bandages straight, but in the blink of an eye, the revolver was back in my left hand, pointed toward the new addition in the kitchen. I knew the voice before I saw the face. How could I not? I'd been listening to that voice over and over this whole week, both sleeping and awake. A voice that was a contradiction because it promised love and devotion while only delivering pain and humiliation. I'd numbed out the worst of it with sheer will and the nightshade's effects. But now, pumped full of adrenaline, on the verge of escape and in control of my senses, the true magnitude of it all slammed into me. The horror. The terror. The helplessness. Emotion after emotion burned through me, but in the space of a breath, my mind immediately dispatched any feelings that wouldn't help me right now. That left only the dark ones. Rage. Fury. Malice. I tightened my hold on the gun and narrowed my eyes at the man I hated most in the world. â€Å"Hello, Leith.†

Woodstock and hippie culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Woodstock and hippie culture - Essay Example With new lifestyle, new ways of thinking and by going against the tide, young people try to create their own new ‘culture’. In America, the most prominent wave of cultural revolution and rebellion was observed during the 60’s and 70’s. During this period, a revolution was introduced through music, art, fashion, open relationships, physical appearance, thinking etc. The ‘culture’ that brought about this revolution in 60’s and 70’s was the culture of ‘hippie’. However, what really became instrumental in giving a massive exposure to the hippie culture was the Woodstock music festival. In 1969, the Woodstock festival witnessed the largest gathering of human beings in one place in history, with the presence of 500,000 youthful people (â€Å"Woodstock 1969.†). Through Woodstock festival, the whole world witnessed a new wave of cultural revolution in ‘hippies’ and Woodstock became a turning point in the c ultural history of America, and the world (â€Å"Woodstock 1969†). The hippies Hippie culture is known as the counterculture of the 1960’s (Issitt 2009, xi). It was in San Francisco, California, that the hippie movement originated and from there, it spread all over the United States and Europe (Huber, Lemieux and Hollis). The hippies followed and encouraged liberal thinking in politics, lifestyle and culture ( Issitt 2009, xi). Hippie culture gave an outlet to the psychological, emotional and cultural revolution that was felt in the heart of the youth all over the world ( Issitt 2009, xi). Hence, even though hippie way of thinking was practiced in America, it was actually a global phenomenon (Issitt 2009, xi). The hippie culture not only remained limited to the thinking and behavior pattern of the hippies, but it also permeated the mediums of music, literature, art, cinema and fashion scene of the 60’s and 70’s (Issitt 2009, xii). Most importantly, music was one of the major medium in which the ‘hippie’ sentiments and thoughts were expressed strongly. This was the major reason why the hippie culture influenced the Woodstock festival to such a great extend. Woodstock festival The Woodstock festival was a result of hippie people’s desire to live the hippie life openly, freely and without any guilt attached to it. The large hippie population, perfect climate and setting for outdoor concert, and the opportunity to experience every aspect of hippie culture, made the Woodstock festival a carnival and ‘once in a lifetime’ experience for hippies (Issitt 2009, 41). Hence, thousands of hippies flocked to the festival to socialize with like minded people and to enjoy ‘their’ kind of music, dance and lifestyle (Issitt 2009, 41). The Woodstock festival was a carnival for the hippies and they made the most of it by attending it in large number. Moreover, what made the Woodstock festival a paradise for hippies is the environment and opportunities that it guaranteed. The 1969 Woodstock festival was the giant spectrum of potential for hippies (Miller 1991, 82). They considered it an â€Å"epitome of joy and peace† (Miller 1991, 82). The Woodstock became ‘the’ destination for hippies as it offered them everything that they desired for (Miller 1991, 82). In the unrestrained environment of the Woodstock festival, the hippies enjoyed the commune like life, spiritual and religious experience, and total freedom to behave in a typical hippie way (Miller 1991, 82). Most importantly, the Woodstock festival proved to be a free dope territory (Miller 1991, 82) which allowed them an opportunity to experience the ‘spiritual’ high through drugs and LSD, openly(Issitt 2009, 41). Moreover, it also allowed them a space where they got to enjoy the intellectual stimulation by listening to the

Educational Assessment of a Public School in U.S Essay

Educational Assessment of a Public School in U.S - Essay Example Jeffco Public School, situated in Colorado, is one of the renowned public school in the United States. It consists of near about 85,000 pupils and is branching over 148 segments altogether. Among these branches, it comprises of 129 neighborhood schools, 9 option schools focusing on special education and 10 charter schools. According to school census (2005-2006), the population of students in school combines 1.1% American Indians, 3.6% Asians, 1.9% Blacks, 17.4% Hispanics and 76.1% Whites. Purpose of EducationA purpose can be defined as the ultimate goal of the process of education. In some instances, the transmission of knowledge has been considered as the primary purpose of education, while the application of knowledge acquired from school setup to the real world is occurred as a result of the processing of knowledge, a phenomenon identified as the function of the education (Oakes, 1986). According to the vision statement ascribed by Jefferson County, the system believes in equality of learning for all students. The ideology of the school is to focus on the areas where students become able to attain their highest potentialities, as reported by the community. Now, as it is quite evident that, the purpose itself is an articulated objective, thus effort needs to be put towards attainment. On the other hand, function is a subjective aspect and assumed to take place without direct intervention. Hence, the design of the purpose needs to facilitate few significant components. – Acquirement of knowledge in the frame of past of present context inclusive of mathematics, science, literature and history Enhancement of decision making policies by means of promoting capabilities for evaluation of information Development of behavioral education focusing on building both psychological and physical health and abilities Promotion of programming into cultural context Enhancement on knowledge of moral exercises and ethical standards pertinent to culture and society Development of self-esteem, self-efficacy, personal development, rational decision-making strategies The Jeffco Public School focuses on the essential ingredients of education and it focuses on the instructional services assuring the standardization of content and educational equity along with norms defining family literacy, corresponding with the body of research supporting the efficacy of family literacy initiatives (Lesar, et al., 1997) and multiracial education by enhancing equality, stability and autonomy with an understanding of cycle of education. Administrator

Literary Response #7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literary Response #7 - Essay Example Indeed, a general perusal of Wright’s work reveals his interest in political concerns, but the most underlining features of his writing are the social and human concerns he addresses with great clarity. Consider his seminal poem ‘A Blessing’. In this poem Wright describes his encounter with two horses, and describes the meeting like he might an interaction with another person whom he cares dearly. In ‘A Note Left in Jimmy Leonard’s Shack,’ Wright continues his characteristic use of clear dialogue and concerns with daily human existence. For instance, he writes, â€Å"He’s drunk or dying now, I don’t know which,/ Rolled in the roots and garbage like a fish,/ The poor old man† (Perkins). While lacking stylistic complexity, it’s clear that the most unifying traits of Wright’s work is this ability to explore meaningful human concerns with great ease and clarity. In considering the poems of Edward Arlington Robinson one is drawn to the stark contrast his writing holds from that of James Wright. E.A. Robinson’s work has is more classically ‘poetic’ in that it is much more stylized, with some poems containing rhyming schemes and even iambic pentameter. While throughout the entire canon of Robinson’s work one is capable of identifying a plethora of themes, perhaps because of his upbringing that included the death of a brother to overdose and his largely solitary life. Consider poems like ‘Luke Havergal’ wherein Robinson largely utilizes iambic pentameter to convey the dark tone with a speaker that returns from the grave to implore Havergal to visit the western wall and speak with a mysterious individual. Another poem ‘Richard Cory’ continues Robinson’s use of iambic pentameter and while it begins in describing an individual with his outwardly happy, it concludes with the fateful words, â€Å"And Richard

The Alternative Solutions for Emerson Ross and Partners Essay

The Alternative Solutions for Emerson Ross and Partners - Essay Example Other alternates pertain to employing motivational programs to reduce employee turnover and increasing their commitment to the company. Employee empowerment and an evaluation of the company resulting in the organizational change has also been suggested. Â  The recommended solution that best solves the problem faced by the company is that of organizational change and the implementation of increased communication, collaborative decision making, and employee empowerment programs. The specific strategies for implantation of these programs have been provided. Â  The Emerson Ross and Partners is primarily a partnership which has been operating in the industrial design industry. The company was initiated by its two main partners Peter Emerson and Andrew Ross. However, over the period of years, the company has grown considerably which has resulted in more partners being inducted and the expansion of the scale of operations of the company in different regions of Australia. Lately, the company has been facing major problems which are creating obstacles for the company in terms of its competitiveness in the market and the future growth of the company. Â  The problems that have been identified through the case analysis pertain to control and communication issues. The two partners Emerson and Ross have been running the business for a long time and find it hard to trust the other partners to be able to run the company on their own.

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 49

Personal Statement Example I am suitable for the course given I have studied other health related courses, which has equipped me with various skills pertaining to medicine. I can make informed decisions when conduction radiography. I have proper communication and interpersonal skills that can create an atmosphere conducive for diagnosing patients. My previous courses: health promotion and public health, relate to the course. They are concerned with human medicine. Public health enables me to understand the major environmental causes of diseases, how they can be prevented and the necessary steps to undertake in case of an infection or infliction. Since I have always wanted to help suffering and diseased people, I believe Diagnostic Radiography would allow me establish the problems of patients as a crucial step toward helping them. My final year dissertation was based on breast cancer screening and I have worked for a care home center where I have conducted health promotion such as ‘stop smoking’ campaigns. I gained experience while working at the community center and adopted qualities such as examining patients, bonding with them and maintaining positive communication. I had researched on reasons for low uptake of breast screening among other cultures on the U.K. In the research, I shadowed radiographer at breast cancer clinic, where I discovered diagnostic radiography. My hobbies, interests and social activities include socializing, researching, studying and traveling. They contribute to my personality as a person who is always in pursuit of knowledge, which has equipped me with the knowledge I possess at the moment. Acute knowledge is required for my course of interest and through study and research, I will be able meet the demands of the course and adequately care for the patients. I have studied in English and I have participated in activities and researched in English. I would prefer to study

Criminal Orginizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Criminal Orginizations - Essay Example No wonder that the same device which socially is a help may bring about new social trouble when groups clash with groups, or when minor units, families, crowds, or neighborhoods run counter to the demands of the supreme unit, the state. It is not always easy to reconcile conflicting codes and loyalties. The reading suggests that organized crime can be explained as illegal activities aimed to gain financial profits with the help of unlawful actions of disciple; Ned groups of people. The code is acknowledged and the state sets its categorical claims aside. Again group loyalty is permitted to assume the first place. Organized crime group life and structure are subject to other forces which do not stand still. They are deeply affected by technological innovations, the machine age, the age of birth control, the age of ideologies. Through the medium of nascent and dying units all these basic factors of human development and reversion bear on criminal behavior. A group comes into existence when at least one other person enters into relations with a given individual. Organized crime life presupposes interaction. The contact should therefore be not completely ephemeral or one-sided. A passer-by who happens to be knocked down in a dark street does not form a unit with the robber. He may be d runk and scarcely aware of the aggressor. He may even fight back. In no case has a group been set up. Yet there can be beginnings of organized crime with the policeman on his regular beat, with the boss, with a teacher or a priest. Imaginary partners and a person's sincere belief may constitute a social unit, fanciful, it is true, but operative (Lunde and Morton 2004). In general, organized crime groups require some continuity, intimacy, and emotional content. There are certainly group relations between father and son, between two friends, two lovers. Hate and fear are not absolutely group-preventing when compulsive nearness in a prison, in an office, in a neighborhood establishes a contact that otherwise would be avoided. Such units, of course, by necessity live on compromises, private nonaggression pacts, and methods of cooperation. Yet they may have a bearing on both partners' behavior. The "good" prisoner and the warden often live for years in the interdependence of this relationship and act accordingly. Much more often we think of a plurality of persons when we speak of social units. But the simple aggregate is not yet a group sociologically. It does not matter that they meet by chance in a certain square or room. This is just a multitude. But as soon as they go into the streets to show their love or their hate for the same man or the same cau se a metamorphosis has taken place. For a short time at least they have fallen in line psychologically; among all the remaining disparities one identity has made its appearance, which takes command of the multitude and suddenly makes it one, "unum," an organized crime unit. The permanence of these groups does not mean that behind their rigid structure individuals do not come and go. Young people leave their families and set up their own homes. In a highly competitive world, Organized crime groups are designed to substitute for individual competition. The strength of the organized crime u

Cost Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cost Concepts - Essay Example One can illustrate this in the case of the University of Colorado Hospital, a large academic hospital recently recognized as the highest performing academic institution in terms of delivering quality health care in the United States for 2012. Using traditional cost systems, resource allocation distributed across overhead expenditures are done according to a measured amount or volume of individual services or products. For example, in terms of maternity care, the overhead cost could be spread across provider compensation, direct and indirect hospital costs, emergency room, transport, pediatric and a host of other product/service elements. Cost accounting in this setting is straightforward: the total cost is measured as opposed to the measurement of a specific unit of the maternity service. Here, the outcome is fundamentally based on the attempt to determine how many units or the product or services are consumed. Activity-based cost accounting is differentiated from this system because it is more detailed and comprehensive in the manner by which it calculates the cost. There are three steps by which it implements the system as opposed to the mere calculation of resources consumed: 1) defining the activities that support output; 2) defining links between activities and output; and, 3) developing the cost activities (p.5). In the case of the maternity service at the UCH, for instance, it will include nonfinancial variables along with financial variables as bases for allocating costs. In addition, it will also employ a bigger number of cost drivers. It is, hence, more accurate in determining cost than the traditional cost accounting method. The impact of cost accounting is important. Hospitals like UCH will predict the cost on the basis of expected visits in assessments like the profit analysis model. This is significant is especially on the face of the increasing frustrations of healthcare finance

Pe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pe - Essay Example However there are a number of anonymous women of the oracle at Dephi who responsible for advising the Athenians to go and defend the wall of the Wood. Most women in the Greek society were greatly restricted but not as much as the women in other societies of that time. Their role in art was very much important since they represented the ideals of the Greek society and even some religious fervor. This gave rise to an art of great perfection that was highly demanded as a trade item. At that time religion had a lot of interdependence on the stories that were developed in the earlier society where women could prove to act more powerful and independently. The Greek developed a sense of an ideal so that the portrait of the depicted women could depend not only on the ordinary people but on the best that was available at that time. Most of the societies benefited economically from the spreading trade in art while the rest of the world reaped some little benefits from the view of the women that had a less restriction in the Greek society. According to the literature of stereotypes of Athens, women were highly valued for their virtues of not gossiping, taking the responsibility of household management, and most importantly for the production of legitimate children (Tomus, Hall and Geldart 11). The aristocratic woman was majorly secluded in the quarters that were set aside for the women and they were to be accompanied when they were in the public places. She could own a lot of property but they could not sell those property. Most of the Athenian women were subjects to their fathers and even after they were married, they could ask for their return. All women in Athens were not recognized as the citizens of Athens. Â   In Roman, women were legally subjects to the pater familias whether the dominant male in their household of birth or the household of their husbands (Sommerstein 37). They could own property and dispose-off the same property at their own wish and even

Northern Ireland and the Ulster League Essay Example for Free

Northern Ireland and the Ulster League Essay This paper will deal with the well known battle in Ulster between Catholics and Protestants, specifically in the pre-independence document known as the Ulster league and Covenant, a document that sought to maintain allegiance to the English state and ultimately, after southern independence, to create the 6 county statelet in the North that would be dominated by Protestants and their vehicle, the Orange Order. During World War I, and up until the recognition of the independence of the 26 counties in 1921, Ireland was in turmoil. The older, 19th century parliamentary politics had broken down, and a more militant movement deriving from the secret Irish republican Brotherhood (Townshend, 2006, 3-7ff) had emerged under the charismatic leadership of Michael Collins and the â€Å"President† of the Provisional Republic, Eamonn de Valera. Given this growing militancy, the Ulster League, realizing that the 6 counties of the northeast were the only place in Ireland where Protestants can create a state where they can be the majority, drew up this famous document, a document that drew the battle lines between the two communities that rages to this day (Townshend, 2006, 36-37). â€Å". . . that home rule would be disastrous to the material well being of Ulster as well as the whole of Ireland. . â€Å" This pointed phrase speaks to the financial dominance of Protestants in the industrialized six counties, as well as â€Å"our civil and religious freedom. † The Ulster Orangemen believed that a Catholic Ireland would launch a new Inquisition to eliminate Protestants, and ally the strategic island with enemies of the British Empire. The basic view is that the Protestant ascendency did not hold Catholics to be as civilized or as educated (in the sense of â€Å"intelligent†) as the British, the Protestants (Townshend, 2006, 33ff). This is class Orangism: Protestantism means individual rights and liberties, as well as Catholic economics, Catholicism means oppression and national subservience to Rome and its allies (Townshend, 2006, 77-80). For the Orange Order, loyalty to the English Crown did several things: it protected their economic ascendency, Protestantism, their traditions as Englishmen, and their connection to a wealthy Empire and civilization that contrasted poorly to the poverty stricken agrarianism of the south. IN other words, a militant Irish Catholic movement, a nationalist movement, could disrupt the economy of the north, tightly connected to England and the Empire, and, given their numerical superiority and greater fertility, could overwhelm and outvote the Protestants, taking their wealth and privileges. This is the main issue of the Covenant. IN reference to the IRB and its militancy, eventually to become the IRA, the Ulster Protestants hold that they are â€Å". . . defending for ourselves and our children our cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom and in using all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule parliament in Ireland. . . † This statement says several things. First, that the British state needs to realize that Protestants are not going to become part of a Catholic, agrarian and united Ireland, and that they are willing to fight in order to opt out of such ain institution. Second, they recognize that the old Irish parliamentary nationalism is over, and now, a new militancy has emerged, forcing Protestants to use whatever means they deem necessary, a clumsy way of disguising the fact that they are arming against any kind of nationalist movement (Townshend, 2006, 33-4; 54-8). Given this early date, 1912, the idea of partition is not explicitly raised, what is being dealt with here is a â€Å"Home Rule† parliament for the whole of Ireland. But it is the stand of the Orangemen that will eventually lead to partition and civil war in 1921 as a compromise with Ulster Protestants. â€Å"And in the event of such a parliament being forced upon us we further solemnly and mutually pledge to refuse to recognize its authority. . . † The very fact of the proposed existence of such a parliament is, to the Orangemen, undemocratic. This is because first, it is granted solely by the force of arms of the IRB and its allies, and second, that the tiny minority of Protestants in the country could not hope to find representation in such a parliament. Hence, again, by holding that Protestants will refuse to recognize such an institution, the Orangemen and their allies are threatening civil war over the question of Home Rule. One needs to keep in mind several issues in dealing with this document. First, that it is primary and centrally about the nature of economics: the Protestants in Ulster were by far the most wealthy element in Irish society. Second, that this wealth, as well as political loyalties conditioned by religion, created a strong sense of corporate identity among Ulster Protestants, finding its institutional expression in the Orange Order and eventually, the 6 county statelet. Third, that the Protestants in Ulster were not living there alone, they lived cheek by jowl with a large and increasingly militant Catholic minority. The basic idea here is that in th event of a militant takeover, the Protestants would be dealing with urban warfare on a black by block basis with only a small population to draw on for defense. The union with the Empire, in other words, was a military and economic guarantee of the physical safety of the Ulster Protestants and Protests elsewhere in urban Ireland. It was not helping matters that the Irish movement developing into a military revolution was also moving towards a form of national-socialism. Such movements as that of James Connolly and papers such as the Irish Worker or Irish Freedom were backing a nationalism as well as a socialist rebellion (Towhshend, 2006, 157-160; 48). Hence, the Ulster Protestants were dealing with a hydra with three heads: Catholicism, nationalism and socialism, the three evils. In conclusion, this document was basically a defense of the privileges of the Ulster protestant community. While this community did have a Protestant working class, the grave threat to this privileged way of life can be summarized as â€Å"popery,† or the enslaving of the freedom loving Protestants to Romish ideology, socialism, or the destruction of Protestant financial supremacy, and nationalism, the destruction of Protestant political supremacy. Hence, it is not much of a stretch to hold that this document came into existence to defend a tiny oligarchy in urban Belfast against the overwhelming majority of Irish citizens of Catholic background, for many centuries second class citizens in their own country. Townshend, Charles. Easter 1916: The Irish Rebellion. Ivan R. Dee, 2006.

Catharine Parr Traills The Backwoods Of Canada English Literature Essay

Catharine Parr Traills The Backwoods Of Canada English Literature Essay Nevertheless, one of the ships officers soon dissuades Traill and her husband of this opinion as he states that, if they were closer, they would find every variety of disease, vice, poverty, filthy and famineà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬human misery in its most disgusting and maddening form. They move up river towards Quebec. However, once again, they are not allowed to go ashore due to pestilence within the city. Traills account of her experiences thus far, that is, the voyage and her first views of the Canadian landscape convey both the beauty of the vistas she perceived and their inherent dangers, as one can gather that hardship and disease were the constant companions of the lands natural beauty, which Traill is very good at describing in lyrical detail. Throughout her account, the modern reader learns interesting details of Canadian life during this era. For example, she is intrigued when the ship passes islands that have herd of cattle grazing on them. The captain explained that local farmers ferry the animals to the island on flat-bottomed boats or swim them across, if possible, and leave them to graze, with someone from the farm canoeing out to milk them on a daily basis. In Lower Canada, below Quebec, the land has a wild and rugged aspect, but Traill comments on the increased fertility as the ship approaches Montreal and how the land surrounding this city seems willing to yield her increase to a moderate exertion. Having landed in Montreal, Trail is struck by the dirty, narrow, ill-paved or unpaved streets. Ultimately, Traill and her husband settle near the town of Peterborough and become true pioneering settlers, as her husband is entitled to land due to his British military service. Furthermore, they are able to purchase land that will give them a water frontage. Throughout her letters, it is fascinating to read Traills very British take on North American life. For example, she is critical of log cabins that she views from the river where the settlers have not taken time out from survival to plant roses around their casements. Likewise, she is amazed that the sons of naval and military officers and clergymen stand behind the counter in shops or wield an axe in the woods and still maintain their rank and status among the aristocracy of the country. Likewise, she is equally surprised that the Americans she meets are polite, well-behaved people rather than the exhibiting the odious manners that she expected. Those people with the worst manners, who displayed a sense of independence that was not exactly suitable to their actual station in life were people who, like themselves, were European settlers. In particular, Traill criticizes a young Scotsman who seemed to be particularly adamant on stressing to Traill and her husband, as English aristocra ts that in the New World, he was not obliged to observe the niceties of the European class system. At every juncture in their journey, the Traills seem to have an easier time of handling the many transitions of emigration as they have money and can purchase assistance. For example, when they finally arrive at their homestead, Traills husband hired people to log up (that is, to draw the chopped timbers into heaps for burning) and clear a space for building our house upon. Nevertheless, she explains to her British mother, and in doing so also to her British readership, that they were also expected to call the bee,' that is, to provide everything necessary for the entertainment of our worthy hive, i.e., the neighbors who assemble to raise the walls of your house, shanty, barn or any other building in a raising bee.' Once again, Traill appears to be astonished that all evidence of class distinctions are laid aside in order for neighbors to help each other. It is interesting to note how Traill quickly learns to abandon the notions of what is proper, which she naturally brought with her from England, as she adapts to her new country. She comments on the need for adaptation by writing about the different peoples to whom life in Canada is well suited. For example, she says that the poor laborer suited to this life because, after a few years of hard work, he can enjoy his own log-house and the fruits of his land and see his children grow up as independent freeholders. Likewise, a rich speculator can do well in the New World. However, an aristocrat whose habits have rendered him unfit for manual labor is not suited to life in North American to the slightest degree, for if he is idle himself, his wife extravagant and discontented, and the children taught to despise laborThey will soon be brought down to ruin. When the Traill home is finished, it sounds extremely inviting. The pillars of their verandah are extremely pretty, wreathed with the luxuriant hop-vine, mixed with the scarlet creeper and morning glory, the American name for the most splendid flowering plant. They have a handsome Franklin stove with brass gallery and fender for warmth and also a brass-railed sofaCanadian painted chairs, a stained pine table, green and white curtains and a handsome Indian mat that covers the floor. Their many books occupy one side of the room, while large maps and prints cover the rough walls. Traill has a knack for description that enlivens her entire narrative, as she paints verbal portraits of landscapes and settings that enable her readers to envision what she sees and does. Sometimes, her reactions are surprising. For example, in describing the severe cold of a Canadian winter, she seems perplexed by the presence of static electricity in her clothing. Nevertheless, while suffering to some extent in the severe cold. Traill is, as always, able to find something pleasurable about the experience and she also lists the charms of this season. By the end of her narrative, Traill has totally discarded all reference that disparage her life in North America as compared to life in England and embraced freedom from convention, identifying herself as a bush-settler, writing: we bush-settler are more independent: we do what we like; we dress as we find most suitable and most convenient; we are totally without the fear of any Mr. or Mrs. Grundy; and having shaken off the trammels of Grundyism, we laugh at the absurdity of those who voluntarily forge afresh and hug their chains. From this passage, it is implied that the reference to Grundyism refers to the notions of etiquette that Traill has thoroughly rejected as inappropriate and silly within the context of frontier life. It is easy to see that a nascent sense of the Canadian national character being forged in her consciousness, as she rejects class distinctions and embraces the liberty and opportunity possible in her new life.

Top Down And Bottom Up Management Styles

Top Down And Bottom Up Management Styles The top-down model is a management strategy where scientific investigation leads the process of identifying and designating specific areas (Kelsey et al., 1995 in MPA connections, 2004). This model is an approach to planning that usually involves a centralized government imposing regulations or laws on resource users (MPA connections, 2004). This model can be very controversial and give rise to opposition as it fails to adequately take into consideration and represent the concerns of stakeholders in the MPA designation process which can result in a community with little understanding of, or support for an MPA site proposal or its management plan (Brody, 1998). This top-down management strategy tends to produce paper-parks in which natural resources continue to be degraded due to ineffective enforcement measures and little compliance with rules and regulations (Brody, 1998). This seems to be evident with regards to Buccoo Reef, where decisions about the BRMP are largely made by govern ment officials or management authorities without considering the contributions of many stakeholders. The local community especially those indigenous to the Buccoo Village region, feels disrespected by the lack of communication, and feels that their opinions should be taken into consideration. This lack of communication and support of community involvement, had led to a community that is somewhat disenfranchised, rebellious and uninterested in contributing to protection of the resource. The bottom-up management strategy employs the emphasis on acknowledging local values and perspectives as well as adapting designations to prior use patterns (Fiske 1992 in MPA connections, 2004). This model is a planning approach that usually combines scientific knowledge with traditional knowledge of the users in order to understand and accommodate how they rely on the resource (Graham et al., 1992). Protected areas, either terrestrial or marine, are diverse in their specifications and goals, but share a crucial common ingredient: the role of the public (Springer, 2006). It has thus been realized that biodiversity conversation initiatives cannot be thought in isolation of social issues (Mishra et al., 2009) and biodiversity conservation schemes that do not take local people into account not only raise ethical issues, but also run the risk of being self-defeating (Few, 2000) since ignoring the role of local communities will only exacerbate the problems associated with natural resourc es (Camarago at al., 2009). It is important to note however, that social systems are made of complex components, some of which are inevitably oppositional (Springer, 2006). Nevertheless, these variable roles played by diverse groups of people can contribute to the success of the designated protected area, or in some cases, fracture the entire scenario (Springer, 2006). Over the past two decades, it has become widely recognized that the management of protected areas should include the cooperation and support of local communities (Wells Brandon, 1992). There has been a growing realization that the conventional Gun and Guard method of conservation is no more effective in dealing with the socio-ecological complexity and political dimensions of biodiversity conservation (Mishra at al., 2009). Dealing with such a multidimensional issue, requires integrated approaches that recognize the interconnectedness of social and ecological systems and attempt to link science, policy and societal goals through interdisciplinary methods of problem solving and multi-stakeholder involvement (Mishra et al., 2009). Failure to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to protected area management and manage protected areas as human ecosystems can compromise the biophysical values for which protection was sought (Stevens, 1986 in Lane, 2001). This realization has encouraged the development of community-based conservation (Mehta Kellert, 1998 cited in Bajracharya et al., 2005), which emphasizes the role of communities in decision making (Adams Hulme, 2001). Community Involvement Community-based conservation approaches to decision-making in the management of protected areas are increasingly being implemented (Bajracharya et al., 2005) and many projects have now been initiated in various countries, most notably in Africa, where implementation of such community-based conservation practices have contributed to decreases in poaching and improved conservation (Wainwright Wehrmeyer, 1998 cited in Bajracharya et al., 2005). Designation of protected areas can sometimes result in a variety of negative consequences for rural or local communities by means of restriction of access to traditionally used resources, disruption of local cultures and economies by tourists, resulting in social and cultural disruption and possibly enforced poverty (Mishra 1982 in Bajracharya et al., 2006). These issues have heightened concerns and have led to the growing recognition that for protected areas to be effective, local people need to be closely involved in their management (Wells B randon, 1992). Several research papers have emphasized that failure to recognize the relationship between nature and people can precipitate local social disruption among other negative impacts (Lane, 2001). The approach of community-based protected area management attempts to influence the thinking and attitudes with the hope that this will eventually lead to changes in behavior, although in some communities, such changes do not always occur (Infield Namara, 2001 in Bajracharya et al, 2005). Achieving community-based conservation is very complex. It is very difficult to stipulate a single value or goal onto an entire community of varying stakeholders as that can be restrictive and ultimately ineffective because it does not represent the community as a whole (Springer, 2006). The extent of variation depends on many factors, such as, the size and character of the community in question, the social cohesion of that particular community and the underlying motivation in making unified decisions (Mascia 2004 cited in Springer, 2006). There is no single, definitive framework that can direct diverse communities toward full agreement of any particular issue, thus encouraging communities to come to a decision that represents a broad spectrum of motivations will facilitate the formation and acceptance of alternative and perhaps even more creative solutions (Chrislip, 1994 in Springer, 2006). It is extremely necessary to understand the social dynamics of protected areas as it can hav e important implications for the implementation of management decisions. The central idea of community-based management or co-management as it is sometimes interchangeably referred, is the idea that if park managers can establish a cooperative relationship with local residents and park users, in which the responsibility is shared, then the task of the professional manager and the nature and importance of local management problems can be significantly changed (Lane, 2001). Establishing a cooperative relationship however depends on how the issue is addressed to stakeholders. Management must determine how best it can interact with the local community to achieve reciprocally acceptable goals (Springer, 2006). As suggested by Springer (2006), the best way to guarantee the accomplishment of these goals is through familiarity of the complex social connections within the community of interest (Springer, 2006). In order to gain an understanding of the intricate social dimensions of any community, it requires a close analysis of that particular community which will call for significant consultation and collaboration with various community members (Chrislip 1994, cited in Springer, 2006). This collaboration between conservation planners and stakeholders is crucial to integrating protected areas into the local socioeconomic fabric of the community, thus overcoming local opposition and behaviors that would otherwise undermine conservation goals while developing effective partnerships between local stakeholders and conservation planners (Lane, 2001). These co-management or community-based arrangements have the potential to provide economic benefits for local peoples (Smyth, 1992 cited in Lane 2001), however the extent of the economic benefit is determined by the nature of the relationship between the community and managers and the willingness of the managers to consider local economic issues (Lane, 2001). To achieve effective collaboration, approaches are required that effectively engage the local community in management and decision making, and that enable their livelihood needs to be adequately met (Bajracharya et al., 2006). This concept of linking conservation with community development has resulted in a major shift in conservation management, based on the assumption that if local communities derive some benefits from conservation, they will in turn be more likely to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity (Wells Brandon, 1992). This linkage of conservation ideals with the societal realm of protected areas addresses biological, cultural, economic and political concerns while empowering communities through effective collaboration and integration in conservation efforts (Granek and Brown, 2005). Before gaining local stakeholder and institutional participation, it is imperative that stakeholder education be a prerequisite to the planning and participation process. Educational programs should be implemented that acknowledge stakeholder concerns and educate stakeholders about the benefits and limitations of implementing a protected area. Granek and Brown (2005) showed in their studies on the Comoros Islands that educating about the natural history to local resource users resulted in greater understanding and appreciation of protecting local resources (Lundquist Granek, 2005). Education however, should not be limited to only stakeholders, but rather include scientists and managers to be educated on issues that will increase their understanding of the socioeconomic processes that will habitually affect implementation (Lundquist Granek, 2005). These processes include information on resource industries, political systems, legal frameworks for protection, social systems and consid eration of potential socioeconomic impacts of protected area designation. Education, though fundamental is not the only area in which focus needs to be placed. Of extreme importance as well is the need for the goal of the protected area to be clearly defined. Explicit goals and objectives that are defined early in the design process is important for improving communication and standardizing expectations of stakeholder groups (Lundquist Granek, 2005) thus allowing stakeholders to be fully aware of the expected outcomes and methods for measuring success consequently encouraging more willing support. Management examples Marine protected areas have met limited success in many developing countries and some researchers attribute part of these shortcomings to inadequate attention to the social context of conserving marine resources (Cinner, 2007). Marine protected areas are important in protecting the marine environment, but are also have substantial socio-cultural impacts (Badalamenti et al., 2000). In many MPAs, the success of the protective initiatives often tends to be proportional to the degree of involvement of the local community (West Brechin, 1991 cited in Badalamenti et al., 2000). Considering the fact that effective execution of community involvement programs is quite multifaceted, one may be curious as to how many programs have actually been implemented and what factors contributed to its success or demise. Granek and Brown (2005) conducted a 3 year study that analyzed the co-management practices implemented in Mohà ©li Marine Park, Comoros Islands. Their assessments proved that even though the co-management approach had some inevitable weaknesses, the strengths significantly benefited the park. Granek and Brown (2005) showed that co-management that integrated education, use of indigenous local knowledge, capacity building and community commitment provided partial mitigation where there was a lack of resources, weak governmental enforcement and inadequate scientific data. Through this integration, the local empowerment that resulted contributed to the development of a conservation ethic that provided potential for long-term success through local interest (Granek Brown, 2005). Co-management in the Mohà ©li Marine Park also proved to empower community leaders and therefore evaded traditional hierarchical political structure (Granek Brown, 2005). Involving the community proved to be of significance because this particular park lacked adequate scientific data, therefore requiring traditional knowledge as a substitute for limited ecological data. This in turn sparked local interest in being active in tracking the parks success. Unfortunately however, with these strengths also exists shortcomings of this co-management approach, for example, parks such as these that are based on limited scientific data and rely on traditional knowledge may hinder effectiveness. A lack of baseline data limits the ability of future research to quantitatively measure success (Granek Brown, 2005). There is also the problem of inadequate government resources that can affect the park success and although there is community involvement in monitoring and policing the park, lack of adequate government enforcement continues to affect its success. Other shortcomings include larger scale political and economic issues such as overpopulation, or lack of available funding which can undermine conservation efforts. However, all in all, the co-management of Mohà ©li Marine Park has been successful thus far and the park has seen a notable increase in ecotourism with an average of 200 visitors per year, and even though the designation and impl ementation of this park were limited by available science, technical and financial resources and federal personnel, it has been compensated by the strength and interest of the local community (Granek Brown, 2005). Successful community-based management has also been observed in the case of Puerto Morelos reef, Mà ©xico. In this MPA, the establishment and maintenance had five stages (a) community leaders who would participate in the project were identified (b) consensus on the need to protect the reef through discussion among stakeholders, NGOs and scientists were generated (c) involvement of government agencies in establishing the status of the MPA (d) take-over of decision-making by centralized government agencies and; (e) continues problem-solving process between the government and stakeholders (Rodrà ­guez-Martinà ©z, 2008). As previously mentioned, education plays an important role and in Puerto Morelos, public education was a main factor in gaining community support for the creation and management of the MPA. General education programs began in the early 1990s with participation of NGOs and scientists and expanded to schools with local teacher researchers, tourist operators and MPA pers onnel in 2003 (Rodrà ­guez-Martinà ©z, 2008). Permanent educational programs began in 2004 which were designed to teach tourist guides about the values, functions, uses and fragility of coral reefs in order to heighten their interest in coral reef conservation and to provide them with better tools for work (Rodrà ­guez-Martinà ©z, 2008). Visual aids and public awareness materials such as websites, booklets and fliers were also used to educated students and the wider public. The efforts put into community education highly contributed to an increase in the willingness to accept the MPA designation and also allowed all community sectors to be open to participation during and after the creation phase. The ultimate result is that Puerto Morelos reef has a very cohesive management strategy that gives the community a sense of ownership of the process and readiness to comply, resulting in an increase in the development of social capital. Pollnac et al., (2001) examined the factors that influence the success of community-based marine protected areas in the Visayas, Philippines. The Phillipines is an extreme example where governmental policy, international aid, universities and NGOs have resulted in the establishment of over 400 MPAs (Pollnac et al., 2001). However, only about 20-25 percent of these MPAs in the Phillipines are successful, raising concern that this high failure rate may result in the rejection of the community-based approach. This study was conducted on 45 community-based marine protected areas in the Phillipines to conclude what factors led to the small success rate and whether or not these factors can be used to better the situation of the other 75 percent of MPA designation. At the conclusion of their study, it was indicated that six main factors appeared to be the most important in the overall success of the community-based MPAs on their sample. Population size was the first observed factor, where the population sizes of the successful MPAs was noted to be relatively small (Pollnac et al., 2001). It was observed that for initial cooperation, a perceived crisis was needed before the project was started, for example reduced fish populations. There was also the need for successful alternative income projects considering the community may not be able to use the resource after protection was designated. A relatively high level of community participation in the decision making process that was high on the democracy scale with, continuing advice from the implementing organization along with inputs from the municipal government were also noted. Though these factors were deemed the most important, it is important to note that they are not the only contributors and even though they worked in these areas the factors may differ in other areas. Hind et al. (2008) conducted studies in Apo Island, Phillipines in attempt to show the benefits of community involvement (bottom-up approach). This study analyzed the effects of the transition of Apo Island from being rated one of the best community-involved MPAs to changing into a top-down, solely governmental organized MPA. Observations showed that the MPA went from being fully supported by the community to complete community disenchantment. This change in management strategy by governmental take over resulted in the exclusion of the community and stakeholder input, resulting is lack of interest and compliance to regulations. Considering the complex heterogeneity of the existing community within the Buccoo Reef and Bon Accord region, sole community management may be very difficult to achieve as there will be a plethora of opinions and personal preferences to appease. Considering the aforementioned examples of successful community management of MPAs where the communities involved are somewhat fluid and more dependent on the resource and thus focused on the goal of conservation rather than that of personal gain as the community of Buccoo Reef, leads to another obstacle in achieving effective community management. This therefore lends to the suggestion of a combination of both top-down and bottom-up strategies to ensure effective management. Recognition is growing for such a combined management strategy as being ideal, as it is an approach that is government-driven but also heavily involves stakeholders (MPA connections). This therefore can lead to an increase in the social capital of the region as involveme nt in the decision making process can heighten interest in conservation and protection of the MPA. In the Caribbean there are said to be greater than 285 MPAs (Burke and Maidens, 2004). The management success of these parks highly varies, with some just being paper parks, and others being successfully managed (see figure 8). In order to obtain this information, Burke and Maidens (2004) analyzed effectiveness of MPAs based on four major criteria: the presence of management activity and to what extent enforcement is executed, the presence of a management plan and the presence of resources. The results obtained showed that as much as 49% of MPAs in the Caribbean region are deemed as being inadequate with only 5% being considered good. Some studies suggest that MPAs are frequently unsuccessful as a reef conservation strategy especially in developing countries, where socio-economic factors such as poverty can drive resource exploitation and the capacity for enforcement is often lacking (McClanahan 1999, in Cinner, 2007). Tourism and Carrying Capacity Tourism is the fastest growing sector of the global economy, and in most countries, coastal tourism is the largest sector of this industry (Tourism and Recreation). In many countries, especially developing small island states, tourism contributes a significant and growing portion of GDP and is often the major course of foreign exchange (Tourism and Recreation). In 1998, direct and indirect GDP from travel and tourism in the Caribbean was over US$28 billion, accounting for approximately 25% of the regions total GDP (WTTC 1999 in Tourism and Recreation). In the Caribbean, tourism is largely coastal or marine in nature and has been built upon the traditional aesthetic appeal of beaches, a marine environment suitable for a range of recreational activities, and warm weather conditions all year round (Tourism and Recreation). Considering the lure of the natural environment, the tourism industry within the Caribbean benefits largely from pristine surroundings, and thus, uncontrolled expansi on and mismanagement can harm the very resources on which it is based (WTTC et al., 1997 in Tourism and Recreation). Tourism growth rates vary greatly among Caribbean states, with U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico being 15-19% between 1990 and 1994, while that of Grenada, Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago and the Caymans reported as being 33-37% growth, and that of Belize , St. Lucia and Guadeloupe amounting to as much as 50-65% growth for the same time period (Tourism and Recreation). Marine protected areas are established for the primary purpose of conservation or preservation (Agardy et al., 2003), but their multiple use designation often incorporates a recreation and tourism component (Sorice et al., 2007). Undoubtedly, these use values benefit local and regional economies while also raising awareness and support of coral reef conservation, but unfortunately however, tourism and recreation participation can pose various threats to the marine resources, especially to fragile ecosystems such as coral reefs (Sorice et al., 2007). This illustrates the well-known concept of tourism as a double-edged sword and the tenuous balance between positive and negative impacts (Diedrich, 2007). In the past 20 years, there have been larger increases in visitation to marine protected areas in many parts of the world (Inglis et al., 1999).With this increase, is an associated increase in rates of participation in marine related activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving and reef walking (David and Tisdell, 1995) and thus, MPAs are increasingly challenged to maintain or increase tourism benefits while striving to protect the resource (Sorice at al., 2007). Tourism has been thought of as a low-impact coral reef use, relative to extractive practices such as harvesting corals and fish for commercial purpose (Talge, 1993 in Zakai and Chadwick-Furman, 2002), however recent evidence has demonstrated that reefs may become degraded as a result of poor planned or intensive tourist use (Jameson et al., in Zakai and Chadwick-Furman, 2002). A number of studies have demonstrated that recreation and tourism activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling are threats to coral reefs because touching, standing, or trampling on reefs can cause serious damage such as coral breakage, abrasion and mortality (Hawkins et al., 1999 in Needham, 2010). Studies conducted on reef flats in Egypt have proven that heavily trampled reef flat areas showed a linear increase of coral damage with increased trampling intensities resulting in reduced coral cover, higher amounts of coral damage, less old dead coral, less obligate corallivorous fishes and more herbivores (Leu jak, Ormond, 2007). Considering these findings, it might become necessary to restrict the number of visitors to a site, which raises the question: How much use is too much? In order to attempt to answer such a question, one must consider looking at the notion of carrying capacity. Carrying capacity in tourism is a term used often to measure the level of tourism or tourism development an area can accommodate without adverse effects on the resident community, the natural environment, or the quality of visitor experience (UNEP AND WTO, 1992 in Tourism and Recreation). The basic concept of carrying capacity, the need for a limit of threshold in the tourist activity is present in one way or other in the concerns and priorities of local policy makers for sustainable tourism development (Kostopoulou and Kyritsis, 2006). However, to the extent that tourism related pressures on the natural environment create problems on the functioning of protected areas, management agencies need to determine what the various thresholds should be (Kostopoulou and Kyritsis, 2006). When considering thresholds, research has proposed two distinct carrying capacity concepts. Firstly there is the notion of, ecological or biological carrying capacity, defined by Martin and Uysal (1990) as the maximum number of tourists that can be accommodated without causing excessive environmental degradation; and by Hawkins and Roberts (1997) as the amount of use below which an ecosystem can tolerate the amount of disturbance or stress, but above which degradation ensues (Leujak and Ormond, 2008). Secondly, there is the concept of social carrying capacity, which is defined as the level of use before a decline in users recreation experience ensues (OReilly et al., 1986). Social carrying capacity has been proposed as a management tool for use in coastal tourism, with a decline in attractiveness of a beach location, as detected by a decline in visitor numbers being taken as an indicator of unsustainable resource use (OReilly, 1986). Any tourist destination where the environment is important can lose its attractiveness through either deterioration of the environment most likely due to crowding. Several studies have been undertaken to investigate visitor perceptions, mostly in terrestrial settings, with only a few in marine environments (Leujak and Ormond, 2007). However these studies have confirmed crowding as one of the major factors contributing to visitor dissatisfaction (Hoover et al., 1985 in Leujak and Ormond, 2007), with perceptions of crowding depending on different factors such as visitor characteristics and the location where encounters take place (O Reilly et al., 1986). Studies have shown that crowding norms appear strongly dependant on expe ctations, with visitors with greater experience of nature being more sensitive to visitor density (Manning 1985 in Leujak and Ormond, 2007). Intensified recreational use has been shown to reduce recreational enjoyment as negative impacts such as litter, or damage to plants, trees or corals tend to reduce aesthetic appeal and overall experience, although individuals with a lower degree of environmental concern appear to be more accepting of such impacts (Priskin, 2003 in Leujak and Ormond, 2007). Visitor behavior also has an influence on a locations carrying capacity, as visitors may either simply not be aware of the impact they are having, they may be unable to change their behavior as a result of inexperience (for example inexperienced snorkelers or weak swimmers may be in need of instant rest while being out on a reef), or they may be unaware if existing regulations (Leujak and Ormond, 2007). As such it is important to take visitor perception, awareness and satisfaction into accou nt when accessing any tourist destination, or in this case, a protected area as it can provide essential information for sustainable management (Daily 2000, in Uyarra et al., 2009). Leujak and Ormond (2007) used this notion of social carrying capacity and administered questionnaires at various park locations in Egypt which addressed activity preference, coral reef knowledge and park regulation awareness. Visitor perception of reef quality and crowding were also taken into consideration. Based on their findings, it was estimated that to achieve a greater than 50% of visitors being satisfied about reef health, average coral cover would need to be around 25 to 30%, whereas a decrease of coral cover to 20% would leave only 40% of visitors satisfied and a reduction to 10% would leave only 25% satisfied (Leujak and Ormond, 2007). Results from this study showed that experienced recreationalists were more susceptible to overcrowding, preferring fewer people, whereas the less experienced showed preference to larger crowds. Various literatures have stated that determining the carrying capacity of a reef system is highly specific and still somewhat not fully understood. Ho wever, despite the difficulty of accurately assessing the carrying capacity of coral reefs for recreational use, the concept of carrying capacity remains an important and useful tool for coral reef management (Davis and Tisdell, 1995). Management must develop a concept that establishes the best allowable rate of visitation for the specific park in question as there is no one way to determine this since each site will have varying factors acting on it. It is important to assess these factors in order to allow for sustainable tourism within any protected area. The management plan of BRMP has indicated the need to establish some sort of cap on visitation to the reef in order to achieve sustainable usage however no methods to achieving this goal have been mentioned. Sustainable tourism development not only has the potential for longer-term economic benefits for a community, but also can serve to limit environmental degradation (Tourism and Recreation).