Succubus on Top CHAPTER 7

We stood rooted in the bedroom, frozen, both of us too terrified to blink. Downstairs, the door shut and footsteps could be clearly heard on the hardwood floor. A low murmur of voices drifted up, the words inaudible. â€Å"What are we going to do?† I whispered. Invisible we might be, but I still didn't want to slink through the house with others around. It would also make leaving inconspicuously a problem. Bastien frowned, apparently trying to discern the words below. â€Å"Those are all male voices. Not Dana. Come on.† He grabbed my arm, and we crept out into the hallway where we could hear more clearly. â€Å"You sure they aren't coming home?† asked an anxious voice. â€Å"Yup. They'll be out 'til, like, midnight.† â€Å"Cool.† Bastien grinned at me. â€Å"Reese,† he breathed. Reese. The son. The son who was supposed to be down the street at a friend's house. That was better than Dana, but still disconcerting. I shot Bastien a questioning look. What's he doing here? I mouthed. Bastien shrugged by way of answer and gestured for me to follow him the rest of the way downstairs. Reese and his friend obliviously made enough noise to cover any of our movements. I hadn't really seen Reese yet and was curious. I'd expected a clean-cut, dutiful altar-boy type, but he seemed perfectly average – in that sullen, T-shirt wearing sort of way. He had Dana's black hair and blue eyes, paired with some of Bill's unfortunate facial features. His friend had long hair and wore a beat-up army coat with jeans. â€Å"Where should we do it?† asked the friend. Reese glanced around. â€Å"Outside. Otherwise they'll smell it later.† â€Å"Okay. But roll it in here.† They huddled around the kitchen table. Reese produced a tin of rolling papers and a plastic Baggie with enough marijuana in it to keep a family of five stoned for a week. The friend skillfully rolled an enormous joint, and the boys took it outside, going out the same door we'd come in. Bastien and I exchanged glances, both of us barely holding back hysterical laughter. We walked into the still-dark living room and stood at the window, watching the boys outside. They left all the outdoor lights off, not wanting to attract neighborly attention. The joint made a pinpoint of orange light in the blackness as they passed it back and forth. â€Å"Oh my God,† I gasped. â€Å"This just justified the whole break-in.† Bastien's expression was speculative. â€Å"Maybe we can use this against her.† I turned on him. â€Å"What? Come on. He's just a kid. No need to drag him down with her. Besides, if I had his parents, I'd want to be high too. â€Å" Bastien looked momentarily uncertain, finally yielding with a small nod. â€Å"Okay. You're right. So. You want to finish the bedroom and then head out? I doubt they're going to notice much going on around them. â€Å" We went back upstairs, still hoping for some incriminating photo or piece of paper. No such luck. We left Reese and his friend alone, using the front door to make our getaway. Once we were safely back at Bastien's, we settled into the immaculate living room, defeated. â€Å"Well. That was pointless,† I said. â€Å"Not entirely.† Bastien reached into his pocket and tossed over Reese's plastic bag. I caught it and straightened up in my chair. â€Å"Jesus H. Christ! You swiped that poor kid's pot?† â€Å"He shouldn't have left it out like that.† I held it up. It was half-full. â€Å"There's a special hell for people like you.† â€Å"Yeah, I own a condo there. Besides, it's for his own good. Pot's a gateway drug, you know. â€Å" â€Å"I can't believe this. You don't think they're going to notice this is missing?† â€Å"Nah. By the time they come back in, they'll be so far gone they won't remember where they left it. They'll spend the next few days accusing each other of losing it.† I shook my head. â€Å"I know I've said it before, but this really is a new low. I†¦I'm so shocked now, I don't even know what to do.† â€Å"7 do.† An hour later, we were both on the floor, giggling endlessly, though I wasn't entirely sure what about. Bastien passed the joint to me, and I took a hit off it, sighing happily. I handed it back. â€Å"I'm not saying Monique wasn't a bitch,† he was explaining, â€Å"but you have to admit, she knew how to get things done.† I leaned against the back of the couch, letting my head roll around on the cushions. â€Å"Yeah, but†¦she was†¦you know, sloppy. Like, no creativity whatsoever. Being in the business isn't just about sex. It's about†¦pride†¦pride in your work.† He inhaled and passed the joint back. â€Å"Oh, she had pride in her work, believe me. Used to ride me like a horse.† He paused a moment, then started laughing. â€Å"She totally did me proud.† I sat back up. â€Å"What, you slept with her?† â€Å"Sure, why not?† I poked him with my foot. â€Å"You fucking slut.† â€Å"Look who's calling the cauldron black.† â€Å"Kettle. It's a kettle. Get your metaphors right. â€Å" â€Å"That wasn't a metaphor. It was a, you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stared off into space, blinking. â€Å"One of those things that's symbolic of another thing. But isn't the same thing. Just like it.† â€Å"You mean a metaphor?† â€Å"No! It's like a story†¦like†¦a proverb! That's it.† â€Å"I'm pretty sure that wasn't a proverb. Maybe it was an analogy. â€Å" â€Å"I don't think so.† â€Å"Look, I know these things. I work in a – oh!† â€Å"Oh what?† â€Å"How am I going to get home?† â€Å"You're leaving? Or is that an analogy?† â€Å"I'm not leaving yet†¦but you drove me†¦you can't drive me back.† â€Å"Sure I can. I feel fine.† â€Å"You wish. I haven't smoked that much.† I rummaged through my purse, found my cell phone, and dialed the first number in it. Beside me, Bastien muttered about analogies while staring entranced at the smoke swirling off the joint. â€Å"Hello?† answered Seth. We hadn't really spoken since our awkward morning. â€Å"Hey, it's me.† â€Å"Hey.† â€Å"So†¦I, uh†¦need a favor.† â€Å"What is it?† When I didn't say anything right away, he asked, â€Å"You still there? You okay?† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I started laughing uncontrollably. â€Å"I am 50 okay.† â€Å"Urn, all right. What do you need?† It took me a moment to remember. â€Å"A ride.† â€Å"A ride?† â€Å"Yeah. A ride.† Bastien made a rude gesture at the mention of â€Å"a ride,† and I kicked him again. I gave the address to a clearly confused Seth and then disconnected. â€Å"Idiot!† I yelled at Bastien, even though I thought the whole situation was hilarious, as did he. I went in for a tackle. â€Å"What were you – â€Å" The doorbell rang. Our eyes went wide as we froze mid-grapple, panic flooding us like two kids who had just been busted hardcore. â€Å"Shit,† I said. â€Å"Damn. That author drives fast.† â€Å"It's not him, you dork. Don't move. They'll go away.† He lumbered to his feet. â€Å"No†¦I gotta see who it is†¦maybe it's Jack Daniels†¦could use a drink†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Don't do it!† I begged, suddenly terrified for no reason I could identify. He turned invisible and strolled over to the door. Half a second later, he came tearing back. â€Å"It's Dana! She's back early.† He ran his hand frantically over Mitch's neat, blonde hair. â€Å"What's she want? What's she doing here?† â€Å"Maybe she wants Reese's pot back.† â€Å"This is my chance! She's here alone. She wants me. Quick.† He yanked my arm and dragged me to the stairs. I cried out in surprise. â€Å"Get out of sight. Throw that away.† â€Å"I'm not throwing this away! Besides, you don't think she'll notice that your whole fucking house smells like this? Jesus. Your pupils are the size of her granny panties. Virtuous or not, she isn't stupid.† â€Å"Just go! Hurry! Don't come down.† Grumbling, I went upstairs while Bastien scurried to the door. Turning invisible, I sat cross-legged at the top of the stairs and kept smoking. Below, I heard him greet Dana. â€Å"Well, hello,† he bellowed. â€Å"Sorry if I kept you waiting†¦I was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off stupidly, and I shook my head. Sloppy, sloppy. He would have never been at a loss for words sober, but then, his sober self would have immediately noticed the foolishness afoot. â€Å"I was†¦um, busy. Upstairs.† â€Å"I see,† replied Dana. Her tone was once again set to cool and formal. I decided Bastien had imagined the warm and friendly rapport he kept claiming they had when alone. â€Å"Well, I apologize for disturbing you, but when I dropped off the cookies earlier, I think I may have lost an earring.† I straightened up. Cookies? He hadn't mentioned that. Maybe he was making progress after all. Cookies. I wondered what kind she'd brought. Peanut butter? Chocolate chip? Oh. Maybe even white chocolate macadamia. He and Dana commenced a search for the earring, coming up empty. The whole time, Bastien tried to act like he wasn't stoned, but Dana couldn't have been fooled. Not with those cyborg eyes of hers. Hell, I didn't even need to see it. The audio track alone was entertaining enough. Meanwhile, I couldn't stop thinking about those goddamned cookies. They sounded good. Really good. Suddenly, I wanted them more than I'd ever wanted anything in my life. â€Å"Well,† I heard Dana say, â€Å"I must have lost it somewhere else. Thanks for looking.† â€Å"Sorry I couldn't help you.† â€Å"It's all right.† She allowed an elegantly crafted pause. â€Å"Isn't that Tabitha's purse over there? Is she here?† Oh, shit. I had a feeling Bastien was thinking the same thing. â€Å"Uh, well, yeah†¦but†¦um, she's upstairs lying down,† he faltered. â€Å"Has a headache.† â€Å"Oh, that's too bad. Did she take anything for it?† â€Å"Um, yeah, she did.† I looked at the joint. Had I ever. Bastien and Dana started talking about something else, and I decided then that I had to get those cookies. I was starving. The lovebirds sounded like they had moved to the living room, so I could sneak invisibly down the stairs and raid the kitchen without them knowing. Standing up, I put the joint out in the upstairs bathroom and moved on to my covert descent. Pot doesn't usually mess with motor control the way alcohol can, but it can certainly distract you from ordinary things. Like watching where you're going. About three steps down, my foot slipped out from under me. I uttered a sailor-worthy expletive and slid painfully down the rest of the way, landing hard on my butt at the bottom, my legs twisting into unnatural positions underneath me. I had barely enough sense to snap back to a visible Tabitha, lest Bastien and Dana think a clumsy ghost had just fallen down. A moment later, they came running. â€Å"What happened?† exclaimed Bastien. He sounded more upset about the interruption than my immediate health. â€Å"I†¦I tripped†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Looking down, I tried moving my left ankle to a more comfortable position. I winced. It hurt like hell, but at least it moved. â€Å"Well,† he said crisply, â€Å"so long as you're okay. I'm sure you'll want to go and – â€Å" â€Å"Okay?† Dana gave him an incredulous look. â€Å"We need to get her to the couch so she can straighten that out.† â€Å"Oh no,† I protested, seeing Bastien's murderous expression. â€Å"I†¦I'm fine†¦really†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But there was no arguing with Dana. She supported me under one arm, and he took the other. I hobbled over to the couch, putting my weight only on the right foot. Once I was stretched out, she pushed my jeans up over my calf and felt the ankle with cautious, expert precision, carefully examining each inch. I appreciated her solicitous concern and apparent first-aid know-how, but the thought of this wretched woman touching my leg repulsed me. Besides, what I really wanted were those cookies. Fuck my ankle. â€Å"It doesn't feel broken,† she finally decided. â€Å"Probably just a sprain, lucky for you. We should ice it.† When Bastien neither did nor offered anything useful, she went into the kitchen. I could hear her opening drawers and the freezer. â€Å"Do you hate me or something?† he hissed once we were alone. â€Å"This wasn't my fault,† I countered. â€Å"I think you've got a defective stair.† â€Å"Defective my ass. The only thing that's defective is your sense of timing. Do you know how close I was to scoring?† â€Å"Close? Close? Not to use a cliche, but hell was closer to freezing over than you were to scoring. I don't think she really goes for the babbling, high kind of guy.† â€Å"I wasn't babbling. And there's no way she knows I'm high.† â€Å"Oh, come on. If you were any higher, you'd – â€Å" I shut my mouth as Dana returned with the ice pack. She knelt by my feet and carefully set the pack on the injured ankle. I grimaced at the sudden change of temperature, but the shocking cold did numb the throbbing. Still concerned, she surveyed the rest of my lower leg with those sharp eyes. Again, she felt around the ankle area, her hands gently touching here and there. She frowned. â€Å"I could be wrong about how serious it is. You should keep icing it and take ibuprofen. If it doesn't get better in a couple days, go see your doctor.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said, looking away. Honestly, what I found most disconcerting now was how sincerely concerned she seemed. Maybe we'd misjudged her all along. Nah. â€Å"Well,† breezed Bastien, â€Å"if Tabby Cat's okay, maybe we should go to the kitchen and have some coffee – â€Å" â€Å"Do you know how it happened?† Dana asked me, ignoring him. â€Å"Oh†¦just a misstep I think†¦or maybe the stair is defective.† â€Å"I doubt there's anything wrong with the stairs,† said Bastien. â€Å"Tabitha's always been clumsy, that's all. It's legendary in our family.† Dana, oblivious to me glaring at the incubus over the slam to my gracefulness, glanced over at my shoes sitting near the door. They were strappy and black, with three-inch heels. â€Å"Are those what you've been wearing?† She fixed me with a stern, motherly look. â€Å"I know how strong societal pressure can be in making you think you need to fit a certain mold. But walking around in shoes like that all day will do serious damage to your feet. Not only that, they send a message that you have no shame when it comes to – â€Å" The doorbell rang then. None of us moved at first, and then Bastien rose, looking amazed that this night could get any worse. Dana dropped her wardrobe lecture and switched to a medical one. â€Å"You really need to be careful with this. Too much stress will agitate it. â€Å" Bastien returned a moment later with an utterly puzzled Seth, whom I suspected had no idea who had just let him in. Indeed, his bewilderment grew as he scanned Dana and me, no doubt wondering if he had the right house. â€Å"Hi Seth,† I said pointedly, in too loud of a voice, â€Å"thanks for coming to pick me up.† He continued to stare, and then the faintest gleam of understanding showed in his eyes. He'd seen me shape-shift clothes often, but this was the first time he'd ever seen me in another body. Dana looked around expectantly. â€Å"Oh,† I said, my mind still running a little slow from the pot. â€Å"This is, um, Seth. Seth, Dana.† â€Å"Hello,† she said, rising smoothly and shaking his hand. â€Å"Nice to meet you.† â€Å"Um, yeah. You too.† I had a feeling he would bolt if given half a chance. â€Å"Seth is Tabitha's boyfriend,† explained Bastien. â€Å"I imagine they'll want to be on their way now.† â€Å"I'd heard you were single. How long have you two been dating?† she asked, steering us toward casual conversation. Neither of us answered. â€Å"A couple months,† I said at last, wondering if my virtue was once again being assessed. She smiled. â€Å"How nice.† I started feeling those creepy vibes again, and suddenly I did want to leave. I tried to sit up, and she rushed to my side. â€Å"Someone grab her other arm.† When Bastien didn't move, Seth was finally spurred into action. He supported my other side and helped me stand. It was clear, however, that touching me in this body unnerved him, and he tried to manage it while staying as far away from me as possible. Consequently, all of his movements seemed awkward and unnatural, and no doubt Dana thought we were even weirder than before. She and Seth helped me to the car, Bastien following with a pout. When I was situated in the passenger seat, Dana offered a few parting words of instruction to both Seth and me on how to care for the ankle. â€Å"Thanks for the help,† I told her. â€Å"Happy to. Just try to be more careful from now on.† She glanced at her watch. â€Å"Well. I should probably go home myself.† â€Å"Do you have to?† asked Bastien stupidly. â€Å"Er, I mean, no need to feel rushed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Thank you, but no. Bill will wonder what happened to me.† I saw her walk back to her house as Seth pulled out. I also saw the look on Bastien's face. The morning after was not going to be pretty. We were almost in the city when Seth finally spoke. â€Å"Can you†¦uh†¦you know†¦change? This is really weird.† â€Å"Huh?† I had been staring bleary-eyed out the window, intrigued by the blur of city lights. â€Å"Oh. Yeah.† A moment later, I was the Georgina Kincaid he knew. â€Å"Thanks. So, uh†¦I don't suppose I really want to know what was going on back there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Nope.† I craned my head to look in the backseat. â€Å"You really don't.† â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"You don't have any cookies back there do you?† â€Å"Uh†¦no. I'm all out.† I sighed and sank into my seat. â€Å"I am starving. I don't think I can hold on much longer. You sure you don't have any other food?† The ghost of a smile curled his lips. â€Å"Nope. Sorry. You want to stop somewhere?† â€Å"Yes!† He pulled into a Taco Bell drive-thru, looking surprised when I gave him my order. When it came up, he wordlessly handed me my bag of four tacos, two bean burritos, and a tostada. I dove into them before he'd even accelerated away. When we got back to my place, he didn't give me the chance to limp in. He scooped me up effortlessly, almost like O'Neill might have in one of his novels. If not for me being stoned and clinging to a taco, it would have been terribly romantic. â€Å"You think I'm a freak, don't you?† I asked, once I was situated in bed and he sat on its edge. Seth had tended me once before, after a night of heavy drinking. I felt so irresponsible compared to him. â€Å"Well, the tostada was kind of excessive, but I've seen freakier.† â€Å"No†¦you know. I mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated. â€Å"Well, you may not realize this, but I've sort of been smoking†¦some stuff.† â€Å"Yeah. I kind of picked up on that.† â€Å"Oh. Well. Sorry.† I bit into one of the burritos savagely. â€Å"Why are you apologizing?† â€Å"Because†¦well, you don't do this.† â€Å"Do what?† â€Å"Smoke pot. Or drink. Geez, you even avoid caffeine. Don't you think I'm like, I don't know†¦corrupt?† â€Å"Corrupt?† He laughed. â€Å"Hardly. Anyway, you don't think I've ever done any of that?† The idea was just shocking enough to give me pause. I put my gluttony on hold. â€Å"Well†¦I don't know. I just figured, well, no. Either that, or you had some tragic history†¦like you got drunk and hit a mailbox or took off all your clothes in public and now avoid all such vices.† â€Å"That would be tragic. But rest easy, I indulged in plenty of ‘vices' in college. That's why it took me six years to graduate. Well, that and changing my major a few times. In the end, I just decided to abstain altogether. Didn't like myself otherwise. Sobriety's better for writing, and I say too many stupid things when I'm drunk or high.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said uneasily, trying to remember what I'd said tonight. It was kind of a haze. â€Å"So you don't think I'm like†¦I don't know, a shameless lush?† â€Å"Nope. So long as you don't do yourself harm.† He eyed the ankle suspiciously. â€Å"It doesn't matter to me. Honestly, half the reason I like you is because you're so†¦I don't know. You like life.† He looked away from my eyes, amused as his thoughts spun, considering. â€Å"You're fearless. Bold. Not afraid to enjoy yourself. You just go out there and do what you want. I like the whirlwind you exist in. I envy it. It's funny, really.† He smiled. â€Å"I used to think I wanted someone exactly like me, but now I think I'd be bored to death with another version of myself. I'm surprised I don't bore you sometimes.† I gaped. â€Å"Are you kidding? You're the most interesting person I know. Aside from Hugh maybe. But then, he installs breast implants and buys souls. That's a hard combination to beat. But he's not nearly as cute.† Seth's smile increased, and he squeezed my hand. Silence fell between us again, but this time it was kind of cozy. â€Å"Thanks for rescuing me,† I said slowly, â€Å"and for†¦well†¦I mean, I'm sorry about last night. Sorry I shut down.† His face sobered. â€Å"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have – â€Å" â€Å"No,† I said firmly. â€Å"Don't blame yourself. It was me too. My fault too. And really, I was the one who started it. I should have just talked to you about it then. Especially after you made me pancakes this morning. You know, those suddenly sound really good again.† I looked at him meaningfully. â€Å"We shouldn't have done what we did†¦in bed†¦but, at least we did manage to stop. That's worth something.† I nodded, crumpling up the Taco Bell bag and tossing it across the room into my wastebasket. Score. He studied me, eyes warm and affectionate. He sighed and turned pensive again. There apparently was more seriousness to come. â€Å"I'd like to try sleeping together again, but I suppose†¦we should take a break from that. â€Å" I mirrored his sigh. â€Å"Yeah. I suppose.† Remembering something, I cocked my head and gave him a sharp look. â€Å"Hey, hypothetically – and I'm not offering this, so don't get any ideas – would you, like, give up part of your life to sleep with me? Er, but I mean†¦not actually sleep†¦ â€Å" He laughed out loud, the laughter underscored with a wry edge. â€Å"Thetis, I'd give up part of my life to do any number of things with you.† My interest flared. â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Well†¦isn't it obvious?† I leaned toward him. Maybe I was still high and suffering from weed-induced horniness – and hey, in another reality, shouldn't we have been entitled to make-up sex? – but I suddenly and desperately wanted to hear him articulate what he wanted to do to me. â€Å"Tell me.† He shook his head. â€Å"I can't. You know how I am.† His eyes narrowed intently. â€Å"I could maybe†¦I could maybe write it for you, though.† â€Å"Really? Not in published story form this time?† â€Å"Yes, not in published story form.† â€Å"I'd like that.† I must have looked expectant because he laughed. â€Å"Not tonight, Thetis. Not tonight. I think we both need some sleep.† I was disappointed but could see the wisdom here. Having more time would ensure some good writing, I guessed. Furthermore, it was hard to be too sad when the tension from last night's mishap appeared to be gone. Our rapport and affection had returned, and watching him, I felt my feelings for him practically increase by the second. We chatted a bit more, and then he kissed me lightly on the mouth and rose. I wistfully watched him go, wishing he were staying. Drifting off to sleep, I finally contented myself by thinking about all the things I wanted to do to him. It was a long list, and I was out before even getting through a fraction of it.

Animal Rights and Human Wrongs Essay

Are there limits on how human beings can legitimately treat non-human animals? Or can we treat them just any way we please? If there are limits, what are they? Are they sufficiently strong, as som e peop le supp ose, to lead us to be veg etarians and to se riously curtail, if not eliminate, our use of non-human animals in `scientific’ experiments designed to benefit us? To fully ap preciate this question let me contrast it with two different ones: Are there limits on how we can legitimately treat rocks? And: are there limits on how we can legitima tely treat other human beings? The an swer to th e first ques tion is pre suma bly `No.’ Well, that’s not q uite right. There are som e limits on what w e can le gitimate ly do with or to rocks. If Paula has a pet rock, then Susan can’t justifiably take it away or smash it with a sledge hammer. After all it is Paula’s rock. Or if there is a rock of unusual beauty or special human interest say the Old Man of Hoy or Mt. Rushmore it would be inappropriate , and pro bably im mora l, for me to te ar it down , to deface it, or to chisel o ut a sectio n to use in my ca tapult. These limits though, arise not from any direct concern for the rocks; rather, they are imposed because of the interests a nd rights of other h uman s. Susan can’t take Paula’s rock for the same reason she can’t take Paula’s eraser: it is Paula’s and Paula has a right to those things which are hers. And no one ca n destro y or defa ce items of specia l natural b eauty because by doing so one is indirectly harming the interests of other humans in them. So there are limits on what we can legitimately do to inanim ate objects, but whatever limits there are arise from some human concern.1 Not so for our treatment of other humans. We suppose that it is inappropriate to tr eat a human being just any way we wish. I cannot steal another human; that would be kidnapping. Nor can I sm ash so meon e with a sledgehammer; that would be, depending on the outcome, assault, attempted m urder, or murder. And the reason I cannot do these things has nothing to do with what third parties d o or don ‘t want. It has to do with the interest and desires of that particular person. It is wrong for Susan to hit Paula , not beca use oth er peo ple like Paula or because other people would be offended, but because Paula is a person. Period. Thus, there is a fundamental contrast between those objects which we can treat as we please (excep t when limited by the interests of other humans) and those which we canno t. Ordinary rocks fall into the first camp; humans, into the later. Now, what about nonhuman animals? Do they fall into the first or the se cond c amp? Or som ewhe re in between? There are reasons to believe that many animals and certainly the higher-order anima ls are more like humans than they are like rocks. Thus, we have reason to believe there are constraints on how we can legitimately treat them, regardless of our particular wishes and desires. Or so I shall argue. For the moment I will simply note that these are beliefs which most of us already have. That is, most of us presume that it is illegitimate to treat animals just anyway we wish. For exam ple, mo st of us be lieve it is wrong to wanto nly kill or torture a higher o rder m amm al. Suppose we discover that some member of our commun ity, say Jones, has a habit of picking up stray dog s or cats a nd dec apitating them w ith his hom e-ma de guillo tine’; 2 or we learn he has invented a machine which draws and quarters them. He uses these machines because he revels in th e anim als’ pain, b ecaus e he relis hes in the sight of blood; or maybe he is a scientist who w ants to stu dy their re action to stress. In this case we rightly surmise that Jones is immoral. We wouldn’t want him to be our pre sident, our fr iend, our next door neighbor, or our son-in-law. In short, we all seem to agree that they a re limits on how we can properly treat nonhuman animals, and that these limits arise becau se of the n ature of th e anim als, not m erely because of the de sires of oth er hum ans to see an imals trea ted we ll. That is, such acts are wrong not merely because other humans are bothered by them. We would think them equa lly wrong if they were secretly done so that no one else in the community knew about them. We think they are wrong because of what it does to the animal. On the other hand, we are also part of a culture which rather cavalier ly uses a nimals for food, for clothes, for research in the development of new drugs, and to determine the safety of household products. And many of these u ses req uire inflicting a great d eal of pa in on animals. Record of such uses is readily available in various academic journals, and chronicled by num erous writers on the topic’. 3 But for the reader who might be unfamiliar with them, let me briefly describe two ways in which we use animals ways which inflict substantial pain on them. Anima ls who are raised for food are obviously raised with the express purpose of making a profit for the farmer. Nothing surprising. But the implications of this are direct and obvious and deleterious to the an imals. There are two ways for a farmer to increase her profit. One is to get higher prices for her goods, the other is to spend less producing those goods. Since there is a limit on how much people will pay for meat, there is substantial financia l pressu re to dec rease th e expe nse of p roducin g the m eat. This under standa bly leads to over-crowding; after all the more animals a farmer can get into a smaller space, the less it costs to produce the meat. There are similar pressures to restrict the animals’ movement. The less the animals move, the less they eat, thus decreasing the farmer’s expense. For instance, farmers who raise chickens are inclined to put them in small `battery’ cages. They are commonly kept `eight to ten to a space smaller than a newspaper page. Unable to walk around or even stretch their wings much less build a nest the birds be come vicious a nd attac k one a nother ‘.4 The average person seems equally unfamiliar with the extensive use of animals in laboratory experim ents. Ma ny of thes e are of o nly mo derate significan ce’; 5 most of the them involve extensive pain on animals. For instance, N.J. Carlson gave hig h voltag e electric shocks to sixteen d ogs an d found that the `h igh-sho ck grou p’ acqu ired `an xiety’ faster. Or researchers in Texas constructed a pneumatically driven piston to pound an anvil into the skulls of thirteen monkeys. When it didn’t immediately produce concussions, the researchers increased the strength of the piston until it produced `cardiac damage, hemorrhages and brain dama ge’. 6 Or researchers at Harvard placed baby mice and ba by rats into cages with starving adult male rats. The adults ate them. The researchers’ conclusion: hunger is an important drive in animals. (That, of course, is some thing we are sho cked to learn; we would have never kno wn this fact otherwise). T HE O PTIONS Now, how d o we sq uare o ur abso lute revu lsion at ou r hypoth etical Jones with his animal guillotine, and our rather blithe acceptance of the treatment of animals on the farm and in the scientific and co mme rcial labo ratories? It is not imm ediately clear tha t we can . What is clear, it seems, it that we have three options, three alternative beliefs about our treatment of anim als. Thes e are: 1) If we are repulsed by Jones treatment of stray animals, we are simply being inappr opriately or unduly squeamish or sympathetic. We should have no aversion to killing, torturin g, or usin g anim als in any way w e pleas e, unles s, of course, that anima l is some one els e’s prop erty, that is, he r pet. 2) There are reasons why we should treat non-human animals better than we treat rocks; nonetheless, there are also reasons why we can use non-huma n anim als in ways we could never legitimately use humans. 3) We should be treating non-human animals more like we currently treat humans. Many of our accepted ways of using animals are, in fact, morally objectionable. The first position, it seems, is completely untenable. No sensible person , I think, is willing to adop t a position which s ays that to rturing a nimals for fun is completely acceptable; no one is willing to say that Jones is a fit mem ber of so ciety. This b elief, it seem s, is virtually unshakable. Most of you understood perfectly well what I meant when I describe d Jone s’s behavior as `torture.’ But this claim would be nonsense if we thought there were no moral limits on how we could treat animals.7 So we are left with the la tter option s. And, of course, which one we choose, will have a dramatic impact on the lives of humans and of other animals. One necessary clarification: to say that animals should be treated more like humans is not to say that they should be treated exactly like humans. For instance, we need not consider giving animals the right to vote, the right to free religious expression, or the right of free speech. As far as I can ascertain, most an imals do n’t have the necessary capabilities to exercise these rights. However, the same is true of very young children and of se verely retarded adults. That is why they don’t have these rights either: the y lack the requisite capacities. Nonetheless, the mere fact that some adult humans are not given the right to vote does n ot mea n it is legitimate to have them for lunch or to test bleach in their eyes. So why assume it is so for animals? W HY ANIMALS SHOULDN’T SUFFER NEED LESS PAIN Until now I have been trying to identify our own deeply held convictions about restriction s on the prope r treatme nt of anim als. Now it is high time to try to offer a positive defense of our ordinary understa nding; a defense which will have even more radical implications that we might have supposed. That is, I want to argue for option three above; I want to a rgue tha t there are rather strin gent lim its on wh at it is morally permis sible to do to anima ls. More s pecifically , I wish to argue that we should all b ecom e vege tarians a nd that w e shou ld dram atically curtail, if not eliminate, our use of laboratory animals. Though there are numerous arguments which can be offered in this rega rd, I want to defend one particular claim: that we should not inflict need less pain on anim als. Before I go on I should make it clear what I mean by `needless pain.’ The point can be made most clear by use of an analogy. Contrast the following cases: 1) I prick my daughter’s arm with a needle for no apparent reason (though we needn’t assume I derive any sadistic pleasure from it). 2) I am a physician and I inoculate her against typhoid. What differentiates these cases? In both I prick her arm; in both (let us presume) I inflict similar amounts of pain. Yet we consider the latter not only ju stifiable, bu t possibly obligato ry; the former we consider sadistic. Why? Because it inflicts unne cessar y pain. M y daug hter doe s not in any way bene fit from it. Thus, unnecessary pain is that which is inflicted on a sentient (feeling) creature when it is not for the good of that particular creature. The latter is necessary pain; it is pain which the creature suffers for her own good. There are two main premises in my argument. The first is the factual claim that anima ls do, in fact, feel pa in. The second is the claim that the potential of animal suffering severe ly limits what we can justifiably do to them, it constrains the way we can legitima tely use them. That an imals fee l pain That anima ls do feel p ain see ms rela tively unc ontrove rsial. It is a belief we all share. As I noted earlier we couldn’t even make sense of `torturing’ an animal if we assumed it was incapa ble of feeling pain. Nor could we understand being repulsed at Jones’s use of stray anima ls unless we thought the animals suffered at Jones’s hands. If Jones collected abandoned tin cans and cut them to pieces w ith his guillo tine, we m ig ht think J ones te rribly odd, bu t not imm oral. But more can be said. We have more than adequate behavioral evidence that anima ls feel pain and that they can suffer. Most of us have seen a dog which has been struck by a car, though not killed instantaneously. The dog convulses, bleed, and yelps. Less drastically, most of us have, at some time or another, stepped on a cat’s tail or a dog’s paw and ha ve witne ssed the anima l’s reaction . The reaction, unsurprisingly, is like our own reaction in similar cases. If someone steps on my hand, I w ill likely yell and attempt to move my hand. But we ne edn’t res t the case on beh avioral e videnc e thoug h it does seem to m e to be more than sufficient. We should also note that we share important anatomical structures with higher o rder an imals. A human being’s central nervous center is remarkably similar to that of a chimpanzee, dog, pig, and even a rat. That is not to say the brains are exactly alike; they aren’t. The cerebral cortex in human beings is more highly de velope d than in most mamm als (though not noticeably so wh en compare d with a dolphin or a Great Ap e); but the cortex is the location of our `higher brain fun ctions,’ for e xamp le, the sea t of thoug ht, speech, etc. However, the areas of the brain which neurophysiologist identity as the `pain centers’ are virtua lly identica l betwee n hum an and non-h uman anima ls. Accord ing to evolutionary biology this is exactly w hat we should expec t. The pa in centers worke d well in enhancing the survival of lower species, so they were altered only slightly in succeeding evolutionary stages. H igher br ain func tions, how ever, are condu cive to survival, and thus, have led to more dramatic advances in cerebral development. Given all this, it seems undeniable that many animals do feel pain. That they feel pain is morally relevant ‘So what?†™ someone might ask. ` Even if animals do feel p ain, why should that limit or at least se riously restrict our treatment of them? Why can’t we still use them for our purposes, whatever those purposes happen to be?’ Let’s turn the question around for a moment and ask why we think we should be able to use them for our purposes, given that they are capable of suffering? After all, we are staunc hly opposed to inflicting unnecessary pain on human beings. If animals can also feel pain, why shouldn’t we have the same reluctance to inflicting needless pain on them? A crucial tenet of ethics is that we should treat like cases alike. Th at is, we sh ould treat two cases the same unless there is some general and relevant reason which justifies the difference in treatment. Thus, two students who perform equally well in the same class should get the same grade; two who perform rather differently should receive different grades. By the same token, if two creatures feel pain and it is improp er to inflict needless pain on one of them , it would likewise be improper to inflict needless pain on the othe r. But the argumen t has pro gresse d too qu ickly. This a rgum ent wo rks only if the reason it is wrong to inflict need less pain on the one creature is that it feels pain. If there is some other reason so me rea son wh ich could differentia te hum an from non-h uman anim als then we would not be able to infer that it is illegitim ate to inflict needless pain on animals. Hence, if someone wishes to show that it is not wrong to inflict needless pain on animals, then she must identify some relevant difference between human and non-huma n animals, some differenc e which justifies this d ifference in treatm ent. And, of course , this is just wh at mos t defend ers of ou r presen t treatme nt of anim als are inclined to do. Tho ugh pe ople on ce rega rded a nimals as non-sentient creatures as mere automata that is no longer so.

HRM Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HRM - Coursework Example The paper aims to show that the value of a HR system is depended not only on its effectiveness locally but also on its ability to be easily alternated in order to fit to its environment; the flexibility of the American HR system, as explained below, seems to be the system’s greater advantage towards its major competitor: the Japanese HR system. 2. American HR system – characteristics and differences from the Japanese HR system The appearance of the American HR system is dated back to 1877 (Kaufman 2008). At that year, the Great Railway Strike forced employees to search for a framework that could help them to improve their communication with workers (Kaufman 2008). Through the decades the American HR system has been expanded internationally; however, it was only in western countries that the American HR system has been kept unchanged (Kaufman 2008). In other countries, such as Japan, the HR system was highly differentiated so that it is aligned with local culture and eth ics (Kaufman 2008). When referring to the American HR system reference should be made to two important periods: a) at 1920s the system was clearly opposed to unionism, b) from 1933 onwards the system is characterized by a strong unionism, i.e. by the significant increase of the power of workers to fight for their rights (Kaufman 2008). As a concept, the HR management is rather broad incorporating all aspects of the relationship between employer and employee. In this context, a clear description of HR management would be rather difficult; however, the mission and role of HR management can be understood through the following definition: ‘HR management can be characterized using the term labour management’ (Kaufman 2008, p.3). In the context of the American HR system, HR management is considered as ‘one of the most critical organizational activities’ (Price 2007, p.593). In fact, in America, HR management is based on certain principles, such as the use of form al processes, the empowered role of leader, the use of teams for completing tasks (Price 2007). In addition, the American HR system is highly centralized, not leaving particular space for initiatives (Price 2007). Also, communication is not a critical part of the American HR system; rather emphasis is given on the assignment of tasks to employees who are appropriately skilled (Hendry 2012). Moreover, the use of consultation, as a tool for supporting employees is not quite developed in the American HR system; rather, teams are used so that views are exchanged between employees in regard to the needs and the risks of each task (Hendry 2012). As for training, this is not highly valued in American firms and it is used only when it is inevitable for the success of a task (Hendry 2012). The duration of employment and the level of compensation are also key elements of the American HR system: various modes of employment, such as part-time or short employment schemes are used in the system i n order to support employers to face the market pressures (Brewster and Mayrhofer 2012). As for the compensation in firms based on the American HR system, this is arranged centrally, i.e. in a firm’s head offices; managers do not have power to take initiatives as of the employees’ level of compensation (Brewster and Mayrhofer 2012). This means that salaries and benefits are part of the organization’

Story for Group's Non-profit Organization Assignment

Story for Group's Non-profit Organization - Assignment Example Jeremy becomes quickly agitated when Sandra raises her voice, as he does not understand what is expected of him. He lacks the language to explain or tell his mother exactly what he wants. Despite the problems in communication, Jeremy loves his mother and wants to be near her constantly. He rarely explores distant toys or activities and he is lacking in self confidence. Sandra does not know how to encourage safe exploration and play. Recently, when Sandra was arrested and taken to jail, Jeremy cried for hours. He stayed with Sandra’s mother Deborah, who eventually was able to calm him. However, she too lacks the skills to deal with Jeremy’s level of activity and with his tantrums or fits of frustration. Deborah is even more distant than Sandra, when it comes to Jeremy. She rarely cuddles or converses with him other than to correct him when he tries to touch or explore something he shouldn’t. Jeremy’s tantrums have increased since his mother’s incarceration and he is trying Deborah’s patience. There is some concern that Deborah may try to hurt Jeremy, though there has never been any evidence of this. Sandra is complacent in jail and seems not to be as concerned about Jeremy as she should be. Sandra spends her days in jail chatting, doing minimal chores and playing cards. The Travis County Sherriff’s department does not offer any educational for parents like Sandra, who often fail to realize the impact their jail time has on their children. There is a missed opportunity to help these parents learn effective coping skills and become better role models for their children. Family Matters, A program by Family Connections, helps children whose parents are in jail, by providing supervised visits and parenting classes. This unique program is designed to serve 500 children of roughly 400 parents who are incarcerated. Skilled and experienced parent educators will be used to help incarcerated parents learn how to

Service Operations Management for Aviation Essay

Service Operations Management for Aviation - Essay Example Virgin Atlantic services desing is based around mass customization of customer service where the needs of customer and expectation are meet. This is achieved through having different services for different customers so that the customer can choose the kind of service they intent to have. In this case, the customers can choose to fly in one of the three classes which include the business, economy and the upper class. The service design in virgin is also created around the standardisation of the service. This is achieved through the training of staff in order to have a standard of service as they face the customers. This attitude towards service design is both advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is the fact that the members of staff are more likely to make any mistakes as they relate the customers (Woods, Hebron & Bradley, 2001). However, as Khosrowpour (2006) argues, when the service is standardised, the staff know exactly what to do and when to do it and this helps in ma king sure that the staff are not likely to do something that may harm the brand of the firm. At the same time, it helps the customers to know what to expect and this reduces the number of inconveniences. There are negatives however, and these include the fact that such a service may seem to be too robotic for the customers (Barlow, 2003). In fact, customers in many cases have complained due to this kind of service where the service members of staff are not able to act spontaneously when dealing with the customers but instead follow too strict procedures. This affects the quality of service especially for customers who would prefer to have a less formal and less robotized customer service. Virgin Atlantic operates in some of the markets where customers demand the best service. One of these markets is he American and European market where customer service quality is highly demanded. Apart from the fact that customers from these two markets demand he best customer service, the market i s also a high competition market, with so many airlines operating in the market (Heracleous, 2008). This competition means that the firms in the market have to be innovative in order to give the customers the best quality service while at the same time reducing costs (Truxal, 2013). This is a challenge for businesses like Virgin Atlantic because there delivering high quality leads to higher costs. Other issues of irregular demand are also important in affecting the way the firm is able to delver high quality services. Like many airlines, the firm has found a way to increase its customer base by increasing customer experience. This is done across the three flight classes. Virgin Atlantic has a department for service design that is dedicated to designing service models which will help the firm in giving the customer the best service. The department is given the mandate to design customer service experience with regard to the cabin crew and other staff who meet the customer face to fac e. It is also mandated with helping the firm to design internal systems in order to give the customer the best feel while flying. This department, in particular is mandated to achieve the following; Pre-flight customer experience design This includes the booking systems, check in systems, and customer service at the airport. Like many airlines, Virgin Atlantic has tied as much as possible to make flight booking easy and to make the check in process easy. This has also been aided by the fact that

CITY BUDGET ANALYSIS OF AVALON, CA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

CITY BUDGET ANALYSIS OF AVALON, CA - Essay Example 7.3 km of which (2.8 mi) is land and 0.9 km (0.3 mi) of the area (10.48%) is water (U.S. Census Bureau 2000). The process of preparing and presenting a budget for approval and adoption by the Council administration takes various steps. A proper estimate of the available resources with the estimated amounts and the purposes for which the funds are to be deployed effectively are the main considerations for the preparation of any budget. The formal budgetary process encompasses a structure involving the following essential components: The complexity of the budget review process depends on the size of the council for which the budget is being prepared. In some cases the budget responsibilities would be assigned to a chief executive officer for reviewing the requests and present them to the elected board for approval. When the unit is large there may be a separate budget office functioning within the council. In even larger City councils apart from the review by the budgetary office departmental budgets would be prepared and reviewed for appropriate provisions in respect of the individual departments. In the case of the City of Avalon, the City Manager and his office will be responsible for the preparation and presentation of the budget for the approval of the elected council members. Being a small town, there is no necessity to follow an elaborate budgetary process. The process broadly will follow the procedure outlined above and will be reviewed by the elected council members themselves for approval and adoption. 3.0 Strategic Goals and Key Performance Indicators: The administration of the City Councils has become the function of the elected representatives as well as the appointed officials who have to operate in unison with each other's ideas. If they start to function in tangential directions, it will be detrimental to the well being of the city dwellers, as no welfare measures can be undertaken without the concerted action of both these bodies. In order that the mission, vision and value of the city can be accomplished in all intent it is important to adopt certain strategic planning measures encompassing the performance of the city council or the county board as the case may be. Like in any other profit centered organization, the strategic planning helps setting the direction of the council and with the set directions, the elected street-level bureaucrats are motivated to perform at their best efficiency levels to organize the functions and activities of the Council in the direction of the welfare of the people of the City. Establishment of long-term objectives and goals are an essential pre-requisite of any strategic planning. Once the broader goals are established it becomes easier to break down them into smaller performance targets to be achieved by the appointed officials and the representatives. Just as in the case of private organizations strategic goals in respect of

Traditional family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Traditional family - Essay Example Life has become so expensive and it is not possible for the man's income to be enough to bring the food on the table. For this case, both parents are forced to work in order to provide for their children. The wife was left alone to do all the house chaos in a traditional family setting which is different today since one can employ a house girl or boy to do the house jobs while the wife go for a white collar job. On the other hand a man was treated like a king and the wife as a servant in the traditional family but today the wife has a bit of freedom since she can choose what she want with her life. House chaos in a traditional family setting was divided in gender. For example, the woman takes care of the children inside the home and the man works outside the home. Each person knew what he or she was supposed to do for example the boys were supposed to help their father while the girls were supposed help their mothers with cooking and washing dishes. Traditional family has some values which are usually social standards brought about by natural forces of nature. These values have been tested customs which normally provide emotional and physical support for rearing offspring. The religious value and traditions reinforce these social values. The traditions reflect a natural order responsible for providing and protecting children as they grow and learn. The tradition family was seen as an institution responsible for bring up physically and emotional healthy children. Naturally, a family institution is suited for supporting each other through unconditional love; growing children and providing for them both physically and emotionally. There has been too much divorce and cohabitating in the society today such that the traditional family is on the decline. There is more than fifty percent divorce in our society today. In the United States, people spends less time in marriage than they used to do as they see no use of marriage and family as well as bearing children. Due to the fact that traditional constituted, the people now see that marriage and family are not satisfying the social and intimacy need of many people. Traditionally, the main aim of marriage was to produce a male heir who was supposed to carry on the family line and not to provide mutual companionship and support for husband and wife. Today, this is very different as people are comfortable with either they get a male or female child. Recent studies have shown that a female child look after their old parent more than their male counterparts against the traditional believe that the male child was better in looking after their aging parent. Many people today value their nuclear family other than the extended family due to drastic economic changes that have affected our economy. For this case, one has to have a smaller family in order to provide basic food to them all with difficulty. On the other hand it is not also possible for one to build big quarters for our extended family hence we are forced to live with our nuclear family.

Languages and Evolution Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Languages and Evolution - Research Proposal Example A report in the telegraph by Hayley Dixon could perhaps contextualize what I want to achieve. The report stated the widely recognized principle that humans especially children learn new words based from what they hear others use them in conversations. Dixon revealed that experts are now thinking the capability to learn language and acquire new vocabulary may be severely hampered as children increasingly learn through devices such as Ipads. Would children exposed to these technological devices create new vocabularies by imitating sounds from them? I intend to support my position in this mini-research through several arguments. First, I would like to explain and establish the role of vocal imitation in human language development as well as its genetic and biological explanations. Why is this crucial in the origin of our language? I hope to draw a parallel between this area and a potential of radical language change in the future through vocal imitation. I will also support my argument with an analysis of new vocabularies based on vocal imitations. For example, there are the cases of untz, wub and beep. These are new words derived from the human imitation of sounds. For further support, I could also discuss in this context the incidence of â€Å"mesofact† or the way meaning changes for words over time Finally, I would like to devote an important part of my work to the links between vocal imitation, adaptation, human sociality and their role in the future of human language. I would like to confine this within a discourse using technology as a control point. The technology variable is accepted to be increasingly eroding our oral traditions, specifically; the passing of knowledge with the now limited opportunity to hear wide range of words (Hayley). I will answer how - with our new-found incapability to hear and learn new words - could vocal imitation fill the gap

Evaluating Automobile Fuel Essay Example for Free

Evaluating Automobile Fuel Essay The alternatives to liquid fuels are compressed gases and electric power, however, both are viewed as inferior by the automotive industry. The gases are inferior in terms of energy content per unit volume. Electric power may be stored on board a vehicle in a battery or (for a short time) in capacitors. However, batteries are regarded within the automotive industry as substandard compared to liquid fuels in terms of energy stored by unit weight and volume. Furthermore their cost is high, and the manufacture of some battery types involves large quantities of scarce or environmentally-threatening materials including cadmium, lead, lithium, nickel, sodium, sulphur and zinc. According to the already mentioned just-auto report entitled The future of road vehicle fuels – forecasts to 2020 (January 2008), the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2007 found that around 230m barrels of oil equivalent are required to meet global demand each day. Of this total, liquids account for the largest share of the 230m barrels (37%) followed by coal (23%) and natural gas (21%), leaving a 19% contribution from nuclear and sustainable sources. Of the liquids, however, transport use accounts for more than half (51%), with the remainder going to industry (32%), residential and commercial (11%) and power generation (6%). The residential and commercial share is mainly accounted for by oil-fired central heating, and the small power generation share by gas turbines running to meet peak loads. It follows that the transport sector share of the world energy market is just over half of 37%, in other words some 19% or just under one-fifth of the total. It should also be borne in mind that the transport sector is itself divided into light-duty vehicles (privately-owned passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles), heavy-duty vehicles, and other transport applications (aircraft, ships and diesel railway engines). The light-duty and heavy-duty sub-sectors take about 40% each, and the other applications some 20%. The search for improved efficiency in the transport sector must therefore embrace both light-duty and heavy-duty road vehicles.

Internet & Society Essay Example for Free

Internet Society Essay The world is changing and many new technologies are being developed continuously. Our daily life is affected by these changes. The changes will become faster in future. Internet is one most important result of changing technologies. It has become a part of our daily life. Every new technology has its own effects. Some of them are positive and some may be negative. We should avoid the negative effects. Technology should be used in a positive manner, otherwise it will destroy us. Internet is an amazing creation of the technology. The whole world is affected by it and all people are directly or indirectly related with it. Internet is extremely helpful for numerous persons. Students take help of internet for their homework. Investors use internet for the information about stocks. Sport fans watch score and statistics. Internet has taken the place of television. Today internet is same as the television in 1940-50s. Internet is more useful and advantageous than television. But it is not possible for every person to use the internet. Internet also created an effect on the print media and it is gradually replacing the print media because a magazine or newspaper can be published at a very low cost on the internet. There is no need of ink and paper on the internet and fewer workers are required. That’s why print media is taking the advantage of internet. Internet is the main reason behind the revolution in society. Because of the internet, communication between the different countries, societies, communities became possible. Before the internet technology there was no other communication system being so vast to express the ideas and the feelings. Through internet data, voice, and video communication is possible. Mostly people avoid speaking to unknown person. Internet has proved very useful for such kind of people, because they talk with people without showing their age, looks and class. People find many friends through the internet. Many public sites provide this facility. People can gain many friends through these sites. Many young people are earning money with the help of internet by web designing, game construction, working as a freelance writer. It means internet provides many opportunities for the people. Internet has shrunk the world. Today each country is connected with another country with the help of internet. People of one country or society are becoming familiar with the culture of another country or society. With the help of internet the people who have knowledge got their position in the society. At present online shopping has become very popular. People are buying products from their home with the help of the internet. People buy products at low cost from the internet as compare to market because companies can save money of shops and workers in online shopping. United state based company Amazon. com is the best example of online shopping company. People can find each and every thing at lower cost on this website. In recent years some companies have allowed their employees to work at home with the help of internet because workplace has become very stressful and the pollution also increased in some last years. This is very advantageous because a person can save money and time by working from home. The Internet provides freedom of speech. The people who don’t have courage can convey their ideas with the help of internet without any fear. With the help of internet now people are globally connected. A person can communicate with the person of other part of the word at any time through internet. Now people are connected socially and professionally by the use of internet. Internet is very suitable and affordable medium of communication. Today we can place an order just by click a button. Now we can book hotels, flights and train tickets online. Internet made the communication easy. Now we can communicate with the help of e-mail, video conferencing, instant messaging, and Voice over Internet Proxy (VoIP). People can easily get information with the help of internet because there is a very huge database on the internet related with each object. People are finding jobs with the help of internet. We can submit many forms online, which saves time. On internet we can decide that which news or information we want to read. Internet is also playing an important role in the field of entertainment. We can play many games and solve puzzles. Songs can be listened online and we can watch videos on internet. There are some bad effects also, because of the internet on the society. Pornography is a very bad effect of the internet. Sexual material is easily available on internet and society is accepting this material without hesitation. Because of this interest of the people in sex is increasing day by day. As a result, sex-related crimes are increasing continuously. Because of the internet a lot of jobs have been lost, because a small number of people are required to run a site. Because of the online shopping people do not leave their home. This is a reason behind the many diseases such as obesity. Online shopping is not helpful for the local economy because most of these online shopping sites are international. Internet is not always reliable, because there is a risk of breaking the privacy. There is everything is in the form of binary information. On internet we are dependent on others for our privacy. We can not surely protect our information. With the help of data mining our information can be theft. Copyright problem has become a great problem now days. Identity of a person can be theft with the help of internet. There are many other bad effects of the internet such as meeting with the people whom you met online, giving personal information to a complete stranger, giving wrong information. A person can be easily cheated by the internet. Many terrorists are using internet technology for communication by using a wrong address. Child pornography, credit card frauds, espionage, online stalking, kidnappings are some other bad effects of the internet on the society. Now it can be said that it depends on us how internet affects society. Internet can be proved very useful if we use it in a positive direction. Many laws are made for preventing internet crimes, but these crimes are still there. There is a need of enforcement of these laws. Internet can be very useful for the society. It is the best medium of communication and it can be said a good platform for expressing your ideas. There are a lot of changes in the society because of the internet. Internet enhanced the status of the living. Today information and education about the safe use of computer has become very important. There are many disadvantages of the internet, but I think it has really improved our lives.There is a need of education and enforcement of the laws. References Cole J. I. The Impact of the Internet on Our Social,Political and Economic Life. The UCCLA Center for communication Policy. 2000. Cuizon, G. Internet Crime: How Does It Affect Our Society?. April 15, 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://www. socyberty. com/Crime/Internet-Crime-How-Does-It-Affect-Our-Society. 109754 Nie, N. Study of social Consequences of the Internet. Stanford Institute of the Quantitative Study of Society (SIQSS). 2000. Pros and cons of the Internet in todays society. Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://www. helium. com/items/779510-pros-and-cons-of-the-internet-in-todays-society Purdy, R. The Internet- Boon or Detriment to Society? Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://iml. jou. ufl. edu/projects/STUDENTS/Purdy/INDEX. HTM Rajani, M. K. Chandio, M. S. Use of Internet and its effects on our Society. Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://www. szabist. edu. pk/ncet2004/Docs/Session%20VIII%20Paper%20No%202%20(P%20157-161). pdf The Internets Effect on Society. November 19, 2001. Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://www. bbc. co. uk/dna/h2g2/A650684

Religious Experience And Its Kinds Religion Essay

Religious Experience And Its Kinds Religion Essay First of all what is a religion. According to Immanuel Kant Religion is the recognition of all duties as divine commands, not as sanctions, i.e. arbitrary and contingent ordinances of a foreign will, but as essential laws of any free will as such . Another popular definition is by Karl Marx Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopaedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point dhonneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification. I can go on and on, there are countless definitions of religion. My personal definition of religion is that it is a state of mind in which an individual feels a need to be subject to a superior being, and therefore makes these beliefs as a way of his or her everyday life. They are several types of religion Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hindu, Buddhism, etc. But the major types of religion are Christianity and Islam. Every religion is believed to have p eople who have had a spiritual or religious experience. All these religions have some popular figures that have had an encounter with a supernatural being and have told the story of this encounter which has turned their lifes around for the better. They believe that this experience is scared, For example they are other popular examples of these experiences, in islam the Great Prophet Muhammad was said to be in a cave on Jabal al-Nour, when he received his first revelation from Allah (Quran 96). Arjuna was in a chariot on a battlefield, when Krishna revealed his divinity to him. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was bathing in a river when he was taken into the presence of God, and shown that there was one divine reality behind the cosmos (Guru Granth Sahib p.1). This examples show that religious experiences are very scared in religion, and play a very important role in a religious individuals everyday life. There are different ways to look at religious experiences; we can look at its universality, Diversity and its importance to religion. Universality: Its is a universal phenomenon, which is anyone at any point in time could experience, for example in the bible when Moses was out tending to his father-in-laws sheep, when he suddenly saw a burning bush from which God spoke to him (Exodus 3:1-4), he had his experience while tending to animals, which shows it could happen at any point in time in our everyday lives. From research and studies its been proved that spiritual or religious experiences has always been in our society. Diversity: There are different types of religious experiences; just the same way there are different types of people and different types of religion, but at the same time they are also some similarities which makes religious experiences very unique and rare in our society. Importance: To religion, religious experience is has so many importance, it is sometimes a life changing experience for example in the bible when Saul was on his way to Damascus to arrest the Christians, Jesus appeared to him in form of a bright light which blinded him for 3 days (Acts (9:1-11). After the experience he changed his name to Paul and joined the Christian community. Apart from being a life changer , religious experiences also alters a persons mentality, the way he or she views life, fellow human beings and the environment. During my research I saw that there could be two versions of religious experiences namely the weak version and the strong version; in 1896 William James in his The Will to Believe describes the versions as the strong version contends that religious experiences are evidence for the existence of God or other supernatural beings for everyone, whereas the weak version holds that they are only evidence for such things for the experiencer. According to my class note there are different kinds of religious experience which are namely regenerative, charismatic, and mystical. Regenerative religious: is one in which the experiencer undergoes a life transformation a conversion. Elsewhere this kind of experience is expressed as experiencing religion, experiencing salvation, or being delivered from evil. Through such experiences, individuals often find their lives to be changed, filled with meaning and newness, and full of love, joy, and hope. Along with conversion and salvation, another facet of the regenerative experience is moral transformation. In this case, prior to the experience, the individual may feel a sense of sin, guilt, or the inability to do what he or she knows to be morally appropriate. Upon having the regenerative religious experience, she senses that sin and guilt have been removed and a new vision of goodness is seen and sought after; a new or renewed emphasis on moral duties ensues in ones life. Such example of such an experience could be found in the bible when Moses was out tending to his father-in-laws sheep, when he suddenly saw a bur ning bush from which God spoke to him (Exodus 3:1-4). This experience of the burning bush (conversation we God) changed his life and made him the man we all know him as. Charismatic experience: This is a type of experience in which special abilities, gifts, or blessings are manifested. Prophecy, divinely inspired revelation or interpretation. Although prophecy is perhaps most commonly associated with Judaism and Christianity, it is found throughout the religions of the world, both ancient and modern. In its narrower sense, the term prophet (Greek: prophutus, interpreter, expounder [of divine will]) refers to an inspired person who believes that he has been sent by his god with a message to tell. In a broader sense, the word can refer to anybody who utters the will of a deity, often ascertained through visions, dreams, or the casting of lots; the will of the deity also may be spoken in a liturgical setting. The nature of prophecy is twofold: either inspired (by visions or revelatory auditions) or acquired (by learning certain techniques). In many cases both aspects are present. The goal of learning certain prophetic techniques is to reach an ecstatic state in which revelations can be received. That state might be reached through the use of music, dancing, drums, violent bodily movement, and self-laceration. The ecstatic prophet is regarded as being filled with the divine spirit, and in this state the deity speaks through him. Ecstatic oracles, therefore, are generally delivered by the prophet in the first-person singular pronoun and are spoken in a short, rhythmic style. Mystical experience: which, as described by James, includes four distinct characteristics: 1) Ineffability: the experience cannot be adequately described, if at all. 2) Noetic quality: the experiencer believes that she has learned something important from the experience. 3) Transiency: the experience is temporary and the experiencer soon returns to a normal state of mind. 4) Passivity: the experience occurs without conscious decision or control and it cannot be brought to happen at will. Some people claim to have experienced God in such an intense way, that they have literally been in the presence of God. Some people also believe they have become one with God at certain times. People who claim to have such experiences are often called Mystics. It is common for Mystics to use a variety of spiritual techniques, such as meditation, to come into the presence of God in this special way. Mystical experiences take different forms, but a common theme among many of them is identity or union with God in Western religion, or with Absolute Reality Brahman or nirvana or the dao in Eastern religion. A description of a mystical experience within the Advaita VedÄ nta school of Hinduism is given by Shankara. In my research I found more kinds of religious experience, first. Numinous: The German thinker Rudolf Otto (1869-1937) argues that there is one common factor to all religious experience, independent of the cultural background. In his book The Idea of the Holy (1923) he identifies this factor as the numinous. According to him the numinous has two aspects namely mysterium tremendum he explains this as having the tendency to put fear into the host, and the second is mysterium fascinas this has the opposite, which is the tendency to fascinate and attract. The numinous experience is said to describe the feeling that God is very different and superior to us. Rudolf Otto sees the numinous as the only kind religious experience. He states: There is no religion in which it [the numinous] does not live as the real innermost core and without it no religion would be worthy of the name (Otto: 1972) Miracles: This is usually said to happen when God acts in a special way in the world, which go against the laws of nature. In the bible Jesus the son of God exhibited lots of miracle; the bible says miracles could happen through any medium. And the bible also says that God works in mysterious ways. So therefore miracles as far as religion is consigned are very significant especially in Christianity. Ecstasy: this is the kind of experience where by the experiencers spirit lives the body, to go and communicate with the higher beings. This kind of religious experience is very similar to that which a shaman experiences. Enthusiasm: This the kind of experience whereby a scared power or being enters into the body or mind of a person and uses the body to manifest supernatural features such as miracles, etc and also uses the person to communicate its message to the world. The person who is used is called a medium. This kind of religious experience reminds me of the term we used in class Avatara the similarity is that the being enters in to a human body. Now lets look at how the science worldviews and translates religious experiences, according to in class video shown by my instructor science has explains religious experience as an epilepsy of the temporal lobe which causes the host to enter a trance and could make him or her believe that they just had an encounter with a supernatural being. It also showed that electronic devices could also cause an individual with a sensitive brain to hallucinate making them see and believe in things that are not actually there. According to the neurotheologist Andrew B. Newberg, neurological processes which are driven by the repetitive, rhythmic stimulation which is typical of human ritual, and which contributes to the delivery of transcendental feelings of connection to a universal unity. However, that physical stimulation alone is not sufficient to generate transcendental unitive experiences. For this to occur they say there must be a blending of the rhythmic stimulation with ideas. Once this occ urs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ritual turns a meaningful idea into a visceral experience. Moreover they say that humans are compelled to act out myths by the biological operations of the brain due to what they call the inbuilt tendency of the brain to turn thoughts into actions. The scientists have been able to also show that religion and its beliefs are natural, that man always feels the need to believe in something, a higher and superior being. So therefore science explains religious experiences in another way and gives us all another point of view. In conclusion Religion experience from my point of view and experience is that they are real, they are actually cases where a being has manifested itself to a human being and also there cases where people have lied about these experiences, which has also put doubt the minds of some people that religious experiences do not exist, but because of my beliefs as a practicing Christian i believe that God could communicate with human beings thru different mediums. Work Citied. http://www.thatreligiousstudieswebsite.com/Religious_Studies/Phil_of_Rel/God/religious_experience_intro.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_experience http://atheism.about.com/od/argumentsforgod/a/religexperience.htm The Holy Bible (Authorized King James Version) Comparative religion slides

France and Great Birtains Political Systems Essay -- Politics Governm

France and Great Birtain's Political Systems INTRODUCTION I chose these two systems, which interest me for different reasons. The British system is one that has evolved over many centuries, with both small and large adjustments along the way to keep in on course. In contrast to this, the French model has changed dramatically on several occasions, and can rarely have been described as stable. However, in 1958 Charles de Gaulle made some brave changes to the constitution, which after being approved by the French public, set the scene for the classic semi-presidential system that we see today. Despite these opposing histories, there are many similarities between the two systems, which I intend to discuss. BRITAIN The United Kingdom is a democratic constitutional monarchy, with a system of government often known as the Westminster Model. It has been used as a model of governance in many countries, and undoubtedly indirectly inspired many more. Somewhat unusually, the constitution is unwritten, consisting of conventions along with statutory law and common law, which are collectively referred to as British constitutional law. The head of state and theoretical source of executive and legislative power in the UK is the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. In theory, the British sovereign can dissolve Parliament whenever they desire. They can in theory choose any British citizen to be Prime Minister, even if they are not a member of the House of Commons or House of Lords. Theoretically, the Sovereign possesses the ability to refrain from granting Royal Assent to a Bill from Parliament, in addition to being able to declare war and appoint ministers. In practice, the head of state is a largely ceremonial role, with powers restricted by convention. However, the monarch holds three essential rights, the right to be consulted, the right to advise and the right to warn. Also, as the position of head of state tends to be held for a longer period of time than that of Prime Minister, the monarch builds up lots of experience and wisdom which is at the disposal of the government. Thus the political head of the UK is the Prime Minister(PM), who must be supported by the House of Commons. The executive branch of the UK system is the Government (or more formally, Her Majesty’s Government). The monarch appoints (or in reality, approves) ... ...l Government This is another area that comparison to the UK bears fruit. Both countries are highly regionalised, with distinct languages and cultures differing from the main national identity. However, Britain has made great strides to offer representation to its regions, whereas France has traditionally been very highly centralised, with each of France's departments headed by a prefect appointed by the central government. The process of decentralisation in France is making progress, although very slowly. In 1982, the national government granted a wide range of administrative and fiscal powers to local elected officials. In March 1986, regional councils were directly elected for the first time. In March 2003, a constitutional revision has changed very significantly the legal framework and could lead to more decentralisation in the coming years. Bibliography Contemporary France: An Introduction to French Politics and Society ~Catherine Fieschi, et al France Since 1945 ~Robert Gildea The Globalization of World Politics ~John Baylis (Editor), Steve Smith (Editor) How Parliament Works ~Paul Silk, et al Longman Political Institutions in Europe ~ MÃ ©ny, Y et al France and Great Birtain's Political Systems Essay -- Politics Governm France and Great Birtain's Political Systems INTRODUCTION I chose these two systems, which interest me for different reasons. The British system is one that has evolved over many centuries, with both small and large adjustments along the way to keep in on course. In contrast to this, the French model has changed dramatically on several occasions, and can rarely have been described as stable. However, in 1958 Charles de Gaulle made some brave changes to the constitution, which after being approved by the French public, set the scene for the classic semi-presidential system that we see today. Despite these opposing histories, there are many similarities between the two systems, which I intend to discuss. BRITAIN The United Kingdom is a democratic constitutional monarchy, with a system of government often known as the Westminster Model. It has been used as a model of governance in many countries, and undoubtedly indirectly inspired many more. Somewhat unusually, the constitution is unwritten, consisting of conventions along with statutory law and common law, which are collectively referred to as British constitutional law. The head of state and theoretical source of executive and legislative power in the UK is the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. In theory, the British sovereign can dissolve Parliament whenever they desire. They can in theory choose any British citizen to be Prime Minister, even if they are not a member of the House of Commons or House of Lords. Theoretically, the Sovereign possesses the ability to refrain from granting Royal Assent to a Bill from Parliament, in addition to being able to declare war and appoint ministers. In practice, the head of state is a largely ceremonial role, with powers restricted by convention. However, the monarch holds three essential rights, the right to be consulted, the right to advise and the right to warn. Also, as the position of head of state tends to be held for a longer period of time than that of Prime Minister, the monarch builds up lots of experience and wisdom which is at the disposal of the government. Thus the political head of the UK is the Prime Minister(PM), who must be supported by the House of Commons. The executive branch of the UK system is the Government (or more formally, Her Majesty’s Government). The monarch appoints (or in reality, approves) ... ...l Government This is another area that comparison to the UK bears fruit. Both countries are highly regionalised, with distinct languages and cultures differing from the main national identity. However, Britain has made great strides to offer representation to its regions, whereas France has traditionally been very highly centralised, with each of France's departments headed by a prefect appointed by the central government. The process of decentralisation in France is making progress, although very slowly. In 1982, the national government granted a wide range of administrative and fiscal powers to local elected officials. In March 1986, regional councils were directly elected for the first time. In March 2003, a constitutional revision has changed very significantly the legal framework and could lead to more decentralisation in the coming years. Bibliography Contemporary France: An Introduction to French Politics and Society ~Catherine Fieschi, et al France Since 1945 ~Robert Gildea The Globalization of World Politics ~John Baylis (Editor), Steve Smith (Editor) How Parliament Works ~Paul Silk, et al Longman Political Institutions in Europe ~ MÃ ©ny, Y et al

Assisted Suicide Essay -- Euthanasia Essays

The right to assisted suicide is an intricate topic posed upon those in the United States and several other countries throughout the world. Assisted suicide proposes a controversy of whether or not a person has a right to solicit death through the help of a licensed physician. This issue has sparked an intense moral controversy. Assisted suicide has become apparent in various places around the world such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Oregon and Washington (Humphry). The increasing legalization of assisted suicide creates an even bigger controversy because it disrespects the beliefs of many who are pro-life. But, the act of legalizing assisted suicide in countries and states shows that people are starting to be think more compassionately instead of binding strictly to the laws. When people think of the words â€Å"assisted suicide† many believe it is the action of helping a person commit suicide without the aid of a licensed doctor, making it seem unlawful and inhumane. The importance of assisted suicide is that is directed by a physician that serves to make dying as painless and dignified as possible. Even with this understanding, people still oppose this action because it goes against their religious and moral beliefs. Others support the legislation because of their compassion and respect for those who suffer. Supporters main argument for assisted suicide is that everyone has their own freedom and self determination to decide what they want to do with their lives; others should not be able to control a persons fate. An advocate believes that assisted suicide should be allowed as long as their is no harm inflicted on others. Contrastingly, people who argue against assisted suicide have the opi... ... should be up to them of how they want to live it. The United States allows for freedom of religion and freedom of speech, so how can assisted suicide not be allowed when we have the right to speak for ourselves. Our life is not our own if we cannot choose when to end it. Works Cited "Assisted Suicide: A Right or a Wrong?." Santa Clara University - Welcome. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. http://ww.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n1/suicide.html †¨Humphry, Derek. "Liberty and Death: A manifesto concerning an individual's right to choose to die." Assisted Suicide - Information on right-to-die and euthanasia laws and history. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. http://www.assistedsuicide.org/liberty_and_death_manifesto_right_to_die.html Kuhse, Helga, Peter Singer, and John Lachs. Bioethics: an anthology. 2nd ed. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2006. Print.

A Man without Ambition is Like a Woman without Beauty

All the process of human development is led by the man, to my mind. Maybe I would be blamed by some kind of feminists, but I’m totally convinced of this statement. The most of great explores, inventions, technologies were created by men. As a consequence , I can agree with the expression of Frank Harris, that â€Å"a man without ambition is like a woman without beauty†.Considering the man as the leading power of history, I can confess that they couldn’t go forward without ambition. Only good sense of ambition can make a man to be an outstanding person.To reach the top of development and flourishing of society, we should carefully divide the roles of   the man and the woman. Of course it doesn’t mean that everybody must be similar. Jjust I think it will be better if a man remains a man and a woman remains a woman. I’m persuaded of the statement that a man is to have ambitions.For example, being young he should try to choose some goal of his life an d improve himself to reach it as soon as possible. The main role in succeeding belongs to his healthy ambition.If a man is ambitious enough, nothing will stop him. A woman, in her turn, must be the well-spring of a men’s inspiration. That’s why she should be beautiful, thoughtful, smart and kind. If it is such an order in our life, men will win the world.Applying to the history, we can remember the love-story of Napoleon and his wife Josephine. Napoleon became a legend because of his great ambition. He was so determined, so strong person that stayed in memory forever.Josephine was unusual person, too. She was not only a really beautiful woman, but she was wise and clever enough to share all Napoleon’s ideas and aims. I think it was also her triumphs which her husband had come to. It’s obvious, that his astonishing ambitions were inspired by Josephine too.To have an ambition means that one has a sense of self-reliance, strong desire to succeed, to do his b est and to get his dream, to make something remarkable.What will happen to a man without ambition? To my point of view, he won’t succeed in his life at all. Such a man will just join a big number of average people and at least disappear without leaving anything special. Unfortunately, there are a lot of such men. They never strive for any goal, because of the leak of ambition.Summarizing the whole ideas, I can say that a man should bring his ambition up. This feature of character is a particularly the men’s one.   A man without ambition can’t be admired and respected, can’t become a special person and can’t move the world’s history forward.All the greatest men of the centuries were ambitious persons. So if a man wants to be one of them, he should choose the most complicated way and follow it without hesitating.   

Information Pack Essay

With an international reputation for innovation, high quality education and research, and global relationships, it is not surprising that Oxford Brookes University has been voted the best modern university in the Sunday Times Good University Guide for seven years in succession. The Business School is one of the leading schools for teaching and learning in the UK, being a national Subject Centre in Business, Management, Accountancy and Finance, and Oxford Brookes University is one of only sixteen institutions across the UK to have received two multi-million pound awards to establish more than one Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Oxford Brookes University – like other UK universities – has degree awarding power, granted by Royal Charter. But what does this mean? Well, these powers are granted on the basis of Oxford Brookes University having appropriate procedures for assuring the quality and standards of its awards in both design and operation, and being subject to the scrutiny of the QAA, the body responsible to the UK Government’s Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills for assuring the quality of UK Higher Education in the public interest. So although you don’t physically attend Oxford Brookes University to gain the BSc (Hons) degree in Applied Accounting, the degree programme is of the same rigorous standard as other degrees offered by Oxford Brookes University and meets standards set by QAA. In an independent assessment of teaching quality, the Business School was one of only two in the country to achieve the maximum score (24/24) across more than one subject area. The School’s reputation has also been recognised through the award of a national, multi-million-pound Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning, which has developed a new learning centre on campus with the latest technology to support learning in a cafe-style environment. In a recent QAA audit of Oxford Brookes University it concluded that it has ‘broad confidence’ (the highest category available) in the quality and standards of its awards. So by gaining the BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting, awarded by Oxford Brookes University, you will not only demonstrate to potential or existing employers that you possess all the relevant graduate skills to equip you for a brilliant career in accounting and finance, but that it is from a university that has a reputation for excellence. 4 2. Eligibility To be awarded the BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting you must:  · Be eligible for the degree. This means you must be registered with Oxford Brookes University i. . opted-in to the BSc degree scheme before passing any of the three ACCA Fundamentals papers, F7, F8 and F9  · pass the three ACCA Fundamentals papers F7, F8 and F9 and pass other papers as required to successfully complete all nine Fundamentals level papers  · complete the ACCA Professional Ethics module before submitting a Research and Analysis Project to Oxford Brookes University.  · complete and pass the Oxford Brookes University Research and Analysis Project The degree must be completed within 10 years of your start date onto the ACCA’s professional qualification otherwise your eligibility will be withdrawn If you are unsure on your eligibility for the BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting degree, then you should firstly refer to myACCA which will tell you whether or not you have opted in to the degree scheme and whether or not you are eligible. If you are not eligible for the degree programme, then it will be for one of the following reasons: You enrolled with ACCA before the BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting degree was introduced When the degree programme was introduced in 2000/2001, all eligible registered students were required to opt into the degree scheme by November 2001. Any student who did not do so, would have been automatically withdrawn.  · If you registered with ACCA prior to 2001, have yet to complete Papers F7-F9 and are within 10 years of your start date, please contact ACCA Connect to opt into the degree programme. You ticked the box on your ACCA registration form stating you did not wish to join the Oxford Brookes University degree programme If you are yet to complete Papers F7, F8 and F9, you may opt back in to the BSc degree by contacting ACCA Connect.  · If you have already passed ANY of Papers F7, F8 or F9, then unfortunately it is now too late to opt back into the degree programme.  · If you hold exemptions for any of Papers F7-F9, then you may contact ACCA Connect to forfeit these in order to remain eligible. This must be done before sitting any of the other core Papers of F7-F9 – once you have forfeited your exemption you cannot reverse this decision. 5 You do not hold a suitable English language qualification  · Providing you complete Paper F4, then this will be acceptable. Oxford Brookes University deems Paper F4 as proof of English proficiency therefore you should complete this exam and opt in with ACCA before passing Papers F7-F9. You enrolled with ACCA over 10 years ago  · The BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting degree has a 10 year deadline starting from a student’s start date with ACCA. If this has expired in your case, we regret that you are no longer eligible to complete the degree with us. 6 3 Conversion arrangements ACCA exam conversion arrangements Oxford Brookes University will recognise any passes or exemptions from Part 1 and Part 2 exams in the ACCA Professional scheme that are converted to the Fundamentals level of the ACCA Qualification, as contributions towards the award of the BSc degree. ACCA Professional Scheme exam passes before June 2000 You will be subject to both the requirements of the ‘transitional arrangements’, published when the degree was introduced, and the requirements of these conversion arrangements. 7 4. Aims and outcomes The principal aim of the BSc degree programme is to widen access to Oxford Brookes University (OBU) and enable ACCA students across the world the opportunity to obtain an OBU degree. The BSc degree aims to enhance and extend the knowledge and skills gained by you in your professional studies, and to improve your effectiveness as a professional accountancy student and future finance professional. 4 . a) Programme regulations Admission The minimum academic entry requirements for registering on the BSc degree are two A Levels plus three GCSEs (grade C or above) in five separate subjects including Maths and English. Oxford Brookes University recognises a number of other qualifications which satisfy the minimum English language requirement, including a Pass in ACCA Paper F4, Corporate and Business Law. Further details can be obtained from the ACCA office at Oxford Brookes University. If you registered with ACCA under the mature student entry route (MSER) and do not have an acceptable English Language qualification, you will be permitted to register for the BSc degree only after you have passed Paper F4, Corporate and Business Law. If you are a CAT student, and have passed the CAT Advanced level exam papers, you meet all the entry requirements for the BSc degree. Exemptions As a registered student, you may be given exemptions from one or more of the nine ACCA specified exam papers. Exemption decisions are made by ACCA and ACCA exemption policy is periodically reviewed by Oxford Brookes University. However, if you wish to achieve the BSc degree you must sit and pass all of the three ACCA subjects F7, F8 and F9. No exemption can be given from the Professional Ethics Module or from the Oxford Brookes University Research and Analysis Project (RAP). Progression When you register with ACCA to undertake the ACCA Qualification, you are automatically registered with Oxford Brookes University for the BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting, unless you opted-out of the BSc degree programme at the time of initially registering with ACCA. If you have opted-put, you may re-register for the BSc degree scheme provided you have not passed any of the three subjects – F7, F8 and F9. If you have passed any one of these three subjects you cannot then register on to the BSc degree. Conversion arrangements have been developed for completion of the BSc degree if you have passed one or more ACCA professional scheme exams by, or at, the June 2 0 07 ACCA exam sitting. 8 Oxford Brookes University Research and Analysis Project You must pass or be exempt from the ACCA Fundamentals exams, including sitting and passing all of F7, F8 and F9, and complete the Professional Ethics module before submitting a RAP to Oxford Brookes University. You will need to find a project mentor to assist you with your RAP, by providing guidance and advice on your RAP and also to verify that you made an oral presentation at the end of your project research. Your project mentor should be a member of staff at an ACCA tuition provider, your line manager or an ACCA qualified member. Please note that this is different role to the role of the workplace mentor you need when completing your practical experience requirements, although you may find that your line manager is the most appropriate person to fulfil both these roles. Oxford Brookes University has two submission periods each year during which you may submit an OBU RAP. An OBU RAP that is submitted after the end of a submission period will be returned unmarked to you, but it may be resubmitted in the following submission period. You are required to pay a project submission fee to Oxford Brookes University with any project submission. See the section on Submission Periods for the current submission fee. 4 . b) Programme learning outcomes On completing the degree programme, you will have demonstrated a capability to: Knowledge and understanding K1 Critically evaluate accounting concepts and principles and their application in solutions to practical accounting problems. K2 Prepare financial statements of entities, including groups of companies, using relevant financial information, accounting techniques and standards; and to analyse and interpret such financial statements. K3 Use relevant management accounting techniques with cost information, for planning, decision-making, performance evaluation and control, within different business settings. K4 Apply financial management techniques to issues affecting investment, financing, and dividend policy decisions of an organisation. K5 Understand the general legal framework, and apply specific legal principles relating to business, including taxation legislation as applicable to individuals, single companies and groups of companies. K6 Explain the process of carrying out the assurance (audit) engagement and its application in the context of the professional (audit) regulatory framework. K7 Describe the organisational context of the accountant and of the development of accounting information systems; to understand the need for the efficient use of resources within an organisation. K8 Understand the ethical responsibilities of professional accountants, including the principles of the ACCA code of conduct, and to reflect on ethical dilemmas and potential solutions. 9 Disciplinary and professional skills D1 Prepare non-complex financial statements using generally accepted accounting principles. D2 Evaluate and comment on the performance and financial situation of organisations using a range of interpretative techniques. D3 Select and apply appropriate accounting and financial management techniques to organisational business planning, decision-making and control. D4 Understand the limitations of accounting techniques and the implications of such limitations. D5 Understand the limitations of acquired knowledge of legal and taxation issues and recognise the need to seek further specialist advice where necessary. D6 Communicate analysis of accounting and financial information and recommendations to a variety of different audiences. Transferable Skills T1 Solve problems through the identification of key issues, synthesis of information and analytical tools, and the presentation and critical evaluation of a range of options. T2 Communicate appropriately in writing and through an oral presentation.