UNICEF and the Safeguard of Children Rights Essay Example for Free

UNICEF and the Safeguard of Children Rights Essay UNICEF’s mission is to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided in doing this by the provisions and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNICEF, 2008). Built on varied legal systems and cultural traditions, the Convention is a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations (UNICEF, 2006). The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights (Freeman, 1996). In 1989, world leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for them because people under eighteen years old often need special care and protection that adults do not (Alston, 1992). The leaders also wanted to make sure that the world recognized that children have human rights too. The Convention sets out these rights in 54 articles and two Optional Protocols. It spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have: the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life (UNICEF, 2006). The four core principles of the Convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child (Jasper, 1994). Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. The Convention protects childrens rights by setting standards in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services (Jasper, 1994). By agreeing to undertake the obligations of the Convention, national governments committed themselves to protecting and ensuring childrens rights and they have agreed to hold themselves accountable for this commitment before the international community. States parties to the Convention are obliged to develop and undertake all actions and policies in the light of the best interests of the child (Stein, 1998). Most of the governments have incorporated this issue in their development plan courtesy of UNICEF. UNICEFs work for the overall protection of childhood is guided by the principles and standards established by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Walker, 1999). In advocating to protect childrens rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential, UNICEF helps to change the legal and policy framework of States parties and to improve understanding of the Convention itself at all levels of society (Walker, 1999). Among other activities, UNICEF works in nearly 160 countries to support ratification and implementation of the Convention and the Optional Protocols on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF draws attention to the duties of governments, families, communities and individuals to respect those rights and supports them in doing so. During armed conflict, children are targeted for the worst possible violence and abuse, including abduction, rape and recruitment as child soldiers, and may be forced or coerced to take part in atrocities (Peters, 1997). Because children are among the most affected by conflict they become victims and witnesses of these offences (Brandes, 1999). The lack of accountability for conflict-related crimes against children can leave child victims vulnerable to further violation and abuse. Accountability in post-conflict situations can fulfill a number of important functions (Peters, 1997). It contributes to the process of healing and helps children understand that they are not to blame for what has happened. By investigating and documenting violations committed, accountability processes raise public awareness of the impacts of conflict on children (Dobrish, 1999). Accountability can also help to break the cycle of violence, restore confidence in democracy and the rule of law, and strengthen the legitimacy and authority of the new government (Fox, 1997). In recent years, truth, justice and reconciliation processes have begun to focus specifically on crimes committed against children and have involved children proactively, including through testimony that bears witness to their experiences(Dobrish, 1999). The recent involvement of children and adolescents in providing testimony to international and national courts and truth commissions has demonstrated their unique role as participants and as members of their communities (UNICEF, 2008). But if children are to engage in transitional justice processes their rights must be respected. The review and analysis of emerging good practices on the involvement of children and adolescents in truth, justice and reconciliation processes has brought to light a number of dilemmas. For example, it is recognized that children and adolescents who have been recruited to take part in hostilities are primarily victims of armed conflict. At the same time, many argue that some form of accountability for crimes committed by children is in their best interests and could contribute to processes of reconciliation and reintegration (Teitelbaum, 1999). Mechanisms of accountability for serious violations committed during armed conflict include a wide range of options, such as judicial prosecutions, truth commissions, restorative justice processes and traditional practices (Kurmay, 1996). When children engage in truth, justice and reconciliation processes, new possibilities and new challenges are encountered. In a number of instances, child-friendly procedures have been introduced to safeguard the rights of children who become involved and to support their protection throughout the process (Teitelbaum, 1999). This can help build children’s confidence and restore their sense of justice in the social and political order, while also establishing a mechanism of accountability for crimes committed against them. However, many questions remain as to how best to protect the rights of children involved as victims and witnesses in these contexts. Ideally children’s participation should strengthen and enhance their protection, and protection measures should enable participation (Kurmay, 1996). In the long term, if children are excluded from transitional processes, they may become frustrated and vulnerable to a continuing cycle of violence, impacting future generations. Failure to address their concerns also wastes the capacity and potential of children and adolescents to serve as catalysts for reconciliation and peace-building within their own communities (Dwyer, 1999). The importance of furthering efforts to support children’s involvement in transitional justice processes was identified during an expert discussion on Transitional Justice and Children convened by the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre (IRC) in November 2005. It was proposed that research on children and truth commissions be undertaken, identifying good practices and lessons learned, and recommending strategies to improve and facilitate children’s participation in future truth commissions(UNICEF, 2006). Documentation on the role of children in truth commissions was initiated by UNICEF IRC and the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) (UNICEF, 2006). In the course of research underway on children and truth commissions, a number of issues have emerged requiring further research and analysis in order to better understand the potential and the limits of children’s participation in transitional justice processes (ACF, 2007). As a result it was decided to initiate an Expert Paper Series on Children and Transitional Justice, addressing a broad range of issues, including judicial accountability, truth-seeking, local, traditional and restorative justice processes, and institutional reform. The Series has helped to build a network for sharing information and expertise, generating discussion and debate among key stakeholders (UNICEF, 2006). These include child protection advocates, government agents, legal experts and academics. The objective of the expert paper series is to improve accountability for crimes against children and to protect the rights of children involved in transitional justice processes (ACF, 2007). Specific papers will document and analyze emerging good practices and lessons learned; evaluate the potential role of children; and anticipate and promote strategies for involving children in future transitional processes(ACF, 2007). It is anticipated that studies undertaken in this series will help to guide the involvement of children in truth, justice and reconciliation processes in post-conflict transition. UNICEF works closely with other human rights bodies such as Human Security Network (HSN). This is an organization which has a long-standing commitment to human rights and to the protection of the most vulnerable both in peace and in times of conflict (Marta, 2007). The Human Security Network plays a decisive role in advancing the implementation of the Convention and of its two Optional Protocols, and in reaffirming, in each and every decision the general principles of non discrimination, best interests of the child, survival and development and participation of the child (UNICEF, 2008). The year 2007 was a landmark year for the protection of children’s rights. Indeed, 2007 marked the 18th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Marta, 2007). As the Convention entered a new stage of adulthood there was an opportunity to celebrate the many important achievements and to critically reflect on the best ways of addressing the challenges ahead. The year was also marked by the General Assembly mid decade review of the follow-up to the Special Session on Children. This process was an important opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to children, to advance the Millennium Agenda and further consolidate a world fit for children (Marta, 2007). By 2007, there is a full prohibition of all forms of violence against children in 19 countries (UNICEF, 2008). Legislation was adopted in The Netherlands where law enactment is being supported by a communication plan designed to inform parents and the general public about the legal ban in the lead up to its entry into force. New Zealand has banned the use of reasonable force for parents in the disciplining of their children (ACF, 2008). In a number of other nations draft legislation has been prepared and in others public commitments have been undertaken to ban all forms of violence (ACF, 2008). Once the changes become effective within each of these States, one fifth of the UN Member States would have extended legal protection to prevent violence against children (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF have recently developed and launched a Handbook on what parliamentarians can do to protect children from violence (UNICEF, 2008). With the participation of parliamentarians and international organizations from more than 100 countries, the launch was an opportunity to anticipate actions parliaments can take to ensure children’s freedom from violence, including through their legislative power, and to encourage and oversee government action and to promote the allocation of resources for relevant programmes and interventions(UNICEF, 2008). The Handbook will be translated in national languages and used as an important tool to support follow-up to the UN Study on Violence (Marta, 2007). The Human Security Network have partnered to promote its wide dissemination and use. Naturally, legislation is only meaningful when it is effectively applied. To make law enforcement a reality it is important to engage children in the process of implementation (Masson, 1999). It is for this reason that UNICEF has joined efforts with a number of partners to produce the child friendly version of the UN Guidelines on justice in matters involving child victims and witnesses of crime. The child friendly version was launched at the recent Crime Prevention Commission, in Vienna (UNICEF, 2008). The previous months show the instrumental role played by Professor Pinheiro as a global advocate and a catalyst for social change. But the task is just beginning and only by moving the implementation forward can we build a world free from violence for every child, wherever he or she may live (Marta, 2007). France hosted a major conference in 2006 where a wide range partners endorsed the Paris Principles to stop the recruitment and use of children in adult wars. The document represents the state of the art knowledge in the prevention, protection and reintegration of children recruited by armed forces and groups. And it has a unique potential to ensure the realization of children’s rights more broadly (UNICEF, 2008). These milestones are mutually complementary and provide a strategic vision for the future. More importantly, they give us a golden occasion to make a real difference in the lives of children (UNICEF, 2008). At the heart of this process are two closely related dimensions; child participation and the prevention of violence and conflict. Together, they both support the protection of children’s rights. A recent study of the Innocenti Research Centre a partner of UNICEF on â€Å"Birth Registration and Armed Conflict† revealed a few truths. Birth Registration is a permanent and official record of a child’s existence (Marta, 2007). It is a fundamental human right and has strong implications for the enjoyment of other human rights it thus stand as a vivid illustration of the indivisibility of children’s rights and a call to always keep a child centered approach. In times of war, birth registration gains a special relevance for child protection, for the prevention of child recruitment, abduction and exploitation, as well as for access to humanitarian assistance (ABA, 2007). Over 25 truth commissions have been convened in various countries over the last decades and several have addressed the experiences of children (ABA, 2007). But the Truth Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for Sierra Leone was the first truth commission to specifically focus on children as victims and witnesses, and to profile children’s role as actors in the reconciliation process. It is also the first case where a children’s version of the Commission’s report was prepared (ACF, 2008 ). The children’s version of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report is one example of how children can contribute to community efforts towards reconciliation and transition, while helping to break the cycle of violence and re-establish confidence in the rule of law. UNICEF has had its fair share of challenges in protecting the rights of children. Civil wars especially in Africa have always targeted the children as recruits and this has always been a hurdle for the organization to overcome. Advocacy for children rights in a civic war infested area has not always been easy for them since the lives of the employees are also threatened. Lack of political will in various countries to support the UNICEF’s initiatives has been another monster in children rights protection. Some government agents like the police may be uncooperative in issues of child trafficking, pornography and other related cases hence the risk of failing to catch non-convicted abusers. Other barriers that have been along UNICEF’s path to success are undeveloped, unimplemented and conflicting policies on children rights and responsibilities in many countries. Lack of adequate funds to support their initiatives especially in less developed countries. Traditional practices and taboos among communities are also a major impediment since some encourage abusive practices against children such as communities’ warriors, early marriages, and local slave trade among others. Children are members of their communities and by taking part in community action they increase awareness and confidence and build their capacity for citizenship (Teitelbaum, 1999). Through their involvement in community reconciliation efforts, children can become advocates and catalysts within their families and communities, energizing reconciliation and nation building efforts (Jackson, 1999). It is by addressing the root causes of conflict and providing realistic opportunities for young people that we can begin to break the inter-generational violence that has resulted in protracted conflicts in many countries today. Finally, as we move forward and support actions to prevent all forms of violence in peace and in war through UNICEF, we must not forget that at the centre of all our efforts are individual children whose lives hang in the balance of our actions. We cannot wait another minute. When Graca Machel prepared her report in 1995, she was asked by a child, â€Å"How long will it take before things get better? A month, a year? † Today that child is an adult and another generation of children is asking the same question (UNICEF, 2008). How long will it take? The life of a child leaves no second chance. That is the urgency that must drive us in our efforts to make a real difference, a lasting difference. References: Alston, Philip, et al. , Children, rights, and the law. Oxford England: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. Alston, Philip. The best interests of the child: reconciling culture and human rights. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. Angel, William D. The international law of youth rights : source documents and commentary. Dordrecht ; Boston : M. Nijhoff, 1995. Carey, Jacqueline M. Section of Family Law Home Page. American Bar Association Family Law Section. URL: http://www. abanet. org/family/ Cohen, Cynthia Price. Childrens rights in America : U. N. Convention on the rights of the child compared with United States law. [Chicago, Ill. ] : American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, [in cooperation with] Defense for Children International-USA, c1990. Freeman, Michael. Childrens rights : a comparative perspective. Aldershot, Hants, England ; Brookfield, Vt. : Dartmouth Pub. Co. , c1996. Jasper, Margaret C. Juvenile justice and childrens law. Dobbs Ferry, NY : Oceana Publications, 1994. Masson, J. M. (Judith M. ) Out of hearing : representing children in care proceedings. Chichester ; New York : Wiley, c1999. Mezey, Susan Gluck. Children in court : public policymaking and federal court decisions. Albany : State University of New York Press, c1996.

Presidential Candidate Profiles :: essays research papers

Candidate Profiles I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Al Gore   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore, was born on March 31, 1948 in Washington D.C.. His father Albert Gore Sr., a congressman from Tennessee, served in the House of Representatives and his mother Pauline La Fon was one of the first women to graduate from Vanderbilt Law School. Gore, a Baptist, attended Harvard where he received a degree with high honors in government. Even though he was strongly opposed to the war in 1970 Al joined the army where he served his time in Vietnam as an army reporter. After attending Vanderbilt Law School Gore ran for and won Tennessee’s fourth district congressional seat where he served four terms, after which he ran for and won the Tennessee Senatorial Seat. Gore remained in senate until presidential nominee Bill Clinton Chose him as his running mate in 1992, they were elected into office that year and re-elected in 1996. While in office Gore expressed great concern for the envir onment and in 1992 wrote the book Earth in the Balance: Healing the Global Environment. Gore has been married to Tipper Aitcheson since 1969, together they have four children: Karenna, Kristin, Sarah, and Albert III. Al Gore’s running Mate for the 2000 election is Connecticut state Senator Joe Lieberman. As well as being the first Jewish-American ever in the U.S. Senate, Lieberman was the Connecticut state Attorney General and also practiced law in New Haven. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  George Bush   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Governor of Texas and Republican Presidential Nominee George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946 in New Haven , Connecticut. Bush, often referred to as simply W. is The eldest son of former President George Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush, his siblings include Jeb (Governor of Florida), Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy. Like his father, Bush attended the prestigious Philips Andover Academy in Massachusetts before going to Yale University where he graduated with a bachelors degree. Upon leaving Yale he went to Texas and joined the Air National Guard, Where he learned to fly fighter jets, he eventually became a lieutenant but was never called on to fight in Vietnam. In 1972 Bush entered Harvard Business School, earning his M.B.A. in 1975. In 1977 he married Laura Welch, a former teacher and librarian, and in 1980 she gave birth to their twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna. Shortly after his 40th birthday in July ‘86 Bush reached a turning point in his pers onal and professional life.

History and Geography??“the Foundations of Culture

History helps define a nation's â€Å"mission,† how t perceives Its neighbors, how It sees its place In the world, and how It sees itself. The history of a country is important in understanding many aspects of a culture. One cannot fully understand how businesspeople negotiate, how they conduct business, their attitudes toward foreign investment, the legal system, and other aspects of the market/business system without a historical perspective. A historical perspective helps prepare an International marketer for many of the cultural differences that often cause misunderstandings and In many cases, mistakes.While a racketeer may not be able to change a person's attitude or behavior, if you have an historical perspective of why they react as they do, you can gain insights that can possibly make it easier to adapt your strategies for a successful outcome. To understand, explain, and appreciate a people's image of itself and the attitudes and unconscious fears that reflected In it s view of foreign cultures, it is necessary to study the culture as It Is now as well as to understand the culture as It was-?that is, a country's history.Loyalty to family, to country, to company, and to social groups and he strong drive to cooperate, to work together for a common cause, permeate many facets of Japanese behavior and have historical roots that date back thousands of years. To understand, explain, and appreciate a people's image of itself and the fundamental attitudes and unconscious fears that are often reflected in its view of foreign cultures, it is necessary to study the culture as it is now as well as to understand culture as It was, that Is, a country's history.An awareness of the history of a country Is particularly effective for understanding attitudes about the role of overspent and business, the relations between managers and the managed, the sources of management authority, and attitudes toward foreign Mac's. History is what helps define a nation's â€Å" mission,† how it perceives its neighbors, and how it sees its place in the world. To understand a country's attitudes, prejudices, and fears it is necessary to look beyond the surface or current events to the Inner refinement of the country's entire past for clues.Geography Is a study of the physical characteristics of a particular region of the earth. Involved in this study are climate, topography, and population. The interaction of the physical characteristics is one of the principal determinants of a country's customs, products, industries, needs, and methods of satisfying those needs. Marketing is concerned with satisfying the needs of people. International marketing seeks out the whole world as its marketplace.Therefore, for an International marketer to know how to satisfy the needs of the International factors of the people's needs are. International marketer must know that various climates and topographies do exist and that they are vital in shaping the marketing plans that an international marketer must make. As an example, a producer selling machinery in the tropics would have to realize that special protection is needed to keep a machine running properly in hot and humid climates. Study of geography is important in the evaluation of markets.Marketers need to be knowledgeable about the effects of geographic diversity on the economic profiles of various nations. Climate and topography are examined as facets of the broader and more important elements of geography. Knowledge about geography, the climate and physical terrain when appraising a market influences marketing from product adaptation to ore profound influences on the development of marketing systems. Climatic features affect the uses and functions of products and equipment.Companies looking to build manufacturing plants in countries with more liberal pollution regulations than they have at home are finding that regulations everywhere are becoming stricter. Many Asian governments are drafti ng new regulations and strictly enforcing existing ones. A strong motivator for Asia and the rest of the world is the realization that pollution is on the verge of getting completely out of control. Neither Western Europe nor the rest of the industrialized world are free of environmental mage; rivers are polluted and the atmosphere in many major urban areas is far from clean.The very process of controlling industrial wastes leads to another and perhaps equally critical issue: the disposal of hazardous waste, a by-product of pollution control. Estimates of hazardous wastes collected annually exceed 300 million tons; the critical question is disposal that does not move the problem elsewhere. The business community is responding positively to the notion that the focus must be on the global environment rather than the quality of the air, land, and water in our own backyards.An International Chamber of Commerce Industry Forum on the environment reflected a shift in company attitudes towa rd environmental issues away from a reactive and largely defensive stance to a proactive and constructive approach. Some disbeliever may dismiss such statements as â€Å"window dressing† and they could be, but the beginning of change is awareness. Responsibility for cleaning up the environment does not rest solely with governments, businesses, or activist groups. Each citizen has social and moral responsibility to include environmental protection among his/her highest goals.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 16

As I walked into my building after dropping Seth off, I was surprised to see the guy who staffed the front desk still working. He usually went home at dinnertime. A sheaf of papers in his hands indicated some sort of mandatory overtime. He brightened when he saw me. â€Å"Miss Kincaid! I have something for you.† I blanked for a moment, then remembered the daily Post-it reminders on my door. There'd been a total of three now. â€Å"Oh, yeah,† I said. â€Å"Sorry I haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. I keep forgetting.† He was already rustling around for something behind him on the other side of the window. I strolled over, just as he heaved a huge box up onto the counter. The printing on the side was upside down, but I could still make it out: Christmas Tree – Austrian Fir. â€Å"Oh, man,† I grumbled. â€Å"This is somebody's idea of a – â€Å" But the guy was busy hauling another box up to the counter, a smaller one with pictures on the side depicting the ‘pre-decorated fiber optic tree' inside. It was followed by another box, a bit smaller than the Austrian Fir, and a smaller one still that was about two-by-two feet. These last two boxes were wrapped in glittery green paper, with a wrapping job so perfect that only one being on earth could have managed it: Peter. The desk guy surveyed the boxes. â€Å"You must really like Christmas.† â€Å"I thought each of those notes was a reminder for the same package.† â€Å"Nope. New one each day. Want some help?† We hauled the trees up to my apartment and deposited them on the living room floor. I thanked him, and as soon as he left, Aubrey emerged and began stalking the boxes. â€Å"That's a lot of tannenbaum,† a voice behind me suddenly said. I jumped and turned around. Yasmine. â€Å"Don't do that. Carter does exactly the same thing.† â€Å"Sorry,† she said, looking sheepish. â€Å"Wasn't intentional. I just got here.† She walked over to the boxes, tilting her head to read them. She wore jeans and an LSU sweatshirt, her black hair pulled into the trademark ponytail that made her look seventeen. â€Å"What's up with all these?† I took off my coat and flounced onto the couch with a sigh. â€Å"My friend Peter started this whole buzz that I needed a Christmas tree after Carter burned mine down. So I guess everyone made good on it.† â€Å"Wait,† she said. â€Å"Did you say Carter burned down your Christmas tree?† â€Å"Yeah, it's a long story.† â€Å"He must feel bad.† She pointed to the little fiber optic tree, the one that was already decorated. Words were scrawled on the side of the box in spidery, nearly illegible writing: G – Figured you could handle this one. Ready and decorated! – C P.S. – And flame retardant. â€Å"Hmm,† I mused. â€Å"‘C' could be Cody too.† â€Å"Nah. I recognize the poor attempt at penmanship. It's Carter.† â€Å"Okay, so the angel repents. But who are the rest from?† We soon found out. The wrapping job on the two matching boxes had already given Peter away. The larger box contained a very beautiful, very expensive tree with ‘winter moss green' needles that were lightly dusted with silver glitter. The smaller box contained a matched set of lights and ornaments all done in purple and fuchsia. Peter apparently hadn't trusted me to decorate his gift myself. The Austrian Fir turned out to be from the bookstore staff. A card from Maddie read: Surprise! We all pitched in for it. Now you can't be a Scrooge. It was signed by other store workers, as well as Seth. I looked back and forth between the boxes. â€Å"It's a Christmas miracle. I had no tree. Now I have a forest.† â€Å"C'mon,† said Yasmine. â€Å"I'll help you set them up.† I looked at her in surprise. â€Å"Aren't you here to meet up with Vince or something?† She shook her head. â€Å"I'm here to talk to you.† Uh-oh. I didn't really want to set up the Christmas trees, but a being vastly more powerful than me did, so I set to it. Carter's tree was the easiest since all I had to do was plug it in. I placed it in a window sill, one with an outlet right underneath. The tree's fiber optic needles lit up to pale pink, then purple, then teal, then white. â€Å"Good God,† I said. â€Å"It's the Christmas tree equivalent of a lava lamp.† â€Å"I like it,† declared Yasmine. â€Å"It's got moxie.† She looked really excited. She could have been a kid on Christmas morning. You'd think after seeing so many Christmases (and trees) in her existence, they'd get kind of old. She pointed at Peter's tree. â€Å"Let's do the prissy one now.† We were stringing purple lights on the ‘winter moss green' tree when she finally started The Talk. â€Å"So. Vincent told me what happened.† She paused as she looped the lights over a branch. â€Å"I'm glad your guy is okay.† â€Å"Me too. He was lucky†¦if Vincent hadn't been there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  More silence. I didn't entirely know where Yasmine was going with this. My guess was that she was concerned I'd tell someone about Vincent. I felt absolutely certain, however, that she wasn't going to threaten to break my kneecaps or anything to keep me silent. In fact, I realized then that what she wanted was reassurance. It was a crazy and startling idea. She was an angel, after all. A being of hope and peace, a being that others prayed to for comfort. Yet, here she was, seeking it from me – a creature of Hell. â€Å"I meant it,† I told her. â€Å"What I said to him. I'm not going to tell anyone.† â€Å"I believe you,† she said, confusion all over her face. Angels knew when others were telling the truth. â€Å"But I don't understand it. Why? Why wouldn't you? You could get into big trouble if your superiors – if Jerome – found out you knew and weren't telling.† Vincent had said the same thing. It was true. â€Å"Your people tend to get pissed off over stuff like that.† â€Å"What, and yours don't? Would they be forgiving if they found out?† She looked away from me, diverting her attention to hanging a pink glass dove. â€Å"Look,† I said. â€Å"I work for Hell, but I don't, like, delight in others' suffering. Especially since I like both of you. I don't want to see you get into trouble. I don't even think what you're doing is wrong. Dangerous, maybe, but not wrong.† â€Å"Which part? The loving part or the nephilim part?† I shrugged. â€Å"It's all risky.† She smiled at me. â€Å"You talk about nephilim pretty calmly. Most people – in our circles – go running for the hills.† â€Å"I met one once. Dated him.† I hung a bejeweled purple orb on the tree. â€Å"He was scary as hell, yeah. Had this whole homicidal revenge thing going on, which kind of negated his sexiness a little. But at the end of the day†¦I don't know. He wasn't much of a monster. He couldn't help being born what he was.† I was glad to be free of Roman, glad he was somewhere far away from me. He'd posed too much of a threat to both me and those I loved. Still, there had been something in him I found appealing. It was why we'd connected before things literally blew up. I understood his weariness with the games Heaven and Hell played. He'd offered to take me away and free me from it all, and there were days I would still wake up and long for that. â€Å"No,† Yasmine agreed. â€Å"They can't help what they are. And it's not their fault. But their existence is a reminder of our faults†¦of our weaknesses.† She held her hands open in front of her, studying them as though they held answers. â€Å"None of us higher immortals want to be shown that we're weak. That's our hubris, I guess. Especially the angels. No one's perfect, but we like to play that we are.† She sighed and let her hands drop. â€Å"I should walk away from this. I should have a long time ago.† I jerked my head up. â€Å"But you love him.† â€Å"Sometimes loving someone means you have to do what's ultimately good. What you need instead of what you want.† â€Å"I suppose. But ending it seems so extreme. There must be a way to†¦I don't know, have it all.† The door opened, and Vincent walked in. He didn't look surprised to see either of us, but then, he would have sensed our auras. His eyes met Yasmine's, and it was like lightning crackling through the room. Both of them lit up, shining in a way that I doubted my succubus glamour could even begin to compete with. He expressed surprise over my Yuletide Forest but jumped in to help us, appearing just as excited as Yasmine over the activity. The two of them never touched, but I noticed the same thing that I had at breakfast: an intimacy in the way they interacted with each other. They didn't need to touch. Their relationship was obvious, and I wondered how it was possible none of the other angels had ever noticed this. Maybe it was like what Yasmine had mentioned about angels and hubris. Maybe angels always assumed they were perfect and were too blind to see flaws in each other, whereas someone like me – who exploited weakness – knew what to look for. We finished Peter's tree, and then I found my ornaments from last year – the ones that hadn't been destroyed in the fire – and used them on the bookstore's tree. When my woodland paradise was finally complete, Yasmine and Vincent made their farewells and left. I still had no idea what their divine mission in Seattle was, but I assumed it had universal consequences. I felt a little weird that it had been put on hold to decorate my home. As I cleaned up the boxes, I kept thinking about what Yasmine had said about needing versus wanting. In some ways, that was what Seth and I did. We wanted to have sex. We needed to avoid it. I also found myself recalling Andrew again, that annoyingly good priest who'd caused me so many headaches. I hadn't thought much about his story since last week, but as my body mindlessly completed chores, the images began replaying in my mind. Despite my best efforts, he'd remained a bastion of purity and willpower. While frustrating, it nonetheless continued to make the game fun. And although I didn't appreciate it as much back then as I did now, I sort of took pleasure in just hanging around him. He was good company, and he came to mean more to me than just a sexual conquest. It was obvious he cared about me too. It would figure that things went bad between us on a beautiful, sunny day. I remembered it distinctly. I had wandered over to the church he ministered out of and sat with him in the vegetable garden. I stayed clear of the dirt, conscious of the yellow silk dress my bishop had just had made for me. Andrew, less concerned, worked on his knees, unhesitatingly digging in – literally – and cultivating the church's small crop. â€Å"Don't you have other people who could do this for you?† Squinting up at me in the bright light, he smiled. â€Å"Nothing compares to the satisfaction of doing something yourself.† â€Å"If you say so.† He returned to his work, and I continued to sit quietly, watching him and the lazy vista of that golden afternoon. Not far away, the sounds of daily hustle and bustle carried over. I liked this town – it was a nice break from the large, busy cities I'd spent most of my succubus time in. Eventually, though, I knew I'd grow restless and move onto some place with a little more excitement. I turned back to Andrew. â€Å"Thomas Brewer just got back from Cadwell. He says they're all getting sick there.† Andrew nodded. â€Å"People are getting sick everywhere. There have been outbreaks in a lot of the western towns.† â€Å"Are you worried?† He shrugged. â€Å"What comes will come. None of us can change God's will.† I grimaced. I'd heard about this illness, what later generations would call the Black Death. The rapid onset. The blackened skin. The swollen lumps. Even if it couldn't technically hurt me, I didn't want to see it spread here. â€Å"I don't think God can be as merciful as you say in mass if He's inflicting something like that on his people.† â€Å"It's a test, Cecily. God is always testing us. It makes us stronger.† â€Å"Or dead.† He didn't respond. â€Å"What will you do if it comes?† I pushed. â€Å"Geoffrey says he'll leave. Will you go with him?† His dark eyebrows rose in surprise, like I'd asked if the sun would take tomorrow off. â€Å"Of course not. I mean, as bishop, I'm sure Geoffrey must†¦do what is necessary to continue fulfilling his duties, but me? I serve the people. I will continue to serve the people. If they're sick, I'll tend them.† My sarcasm gave way to shock, and I leapt to my feet, striding toward him. â€Å"You can't do that! Haven't you heard about this? People don't come back from it. The only thing to do is get out and let it run its course.† It was true. Call it cruel, but as I'd told Liam on our post-auction date, that was the way the world had dealt with epidemics for a lot of human history. Certainly, some people cared and ministered unto others, but when disease grew really terrible, with no clear answer in sight, ignorance and fear reigned supreme. Most people of that era saw the simplest solution as putting as much distance as possible between them and the illness. Andrew stood up as well, wearing an expression so annoyingly wise and serene as he faced me. â€Å"If that's what you must do, then you must do it. My place is here.† I didn't even have seduction on my mind when I reached out and grabbed his hands. He flinched with surprise but didn't let go. â€Å"It's stupid,† I told him earnestly. â€Å"You can't stop it. You'll die, and I – I can't watch that.† â€Å"Then go. Go with Geoffrey. Or go†¦out to the convent. It's isolated. You'd be safe there.† I scowled. â€Å"Not that again.† â€Å"I just want what's best for you, that's all.† One of his hands reached up and cupped my chin. â€Å"I don't want to see you suffer either.† It occurred to me then how close we stood. The heat building between our bodies rivaled that of the sunshine pounding down on us from above. Andrew, realizing this too, started and tried to pull away. I held on to his hand, anger flaring up in my chest. â€Å"So that's how you'll let it end then? You spend your whole life living in poverty and chastity, only to die in a pile of stinking corpses with oozing sores and rotting skin?† â€Å"If that's what God – â€Å" â€Å"Stop it,† I said, leaning forward. â€Å"Just stop it. Don't you get it? God doesn't care. He's not even paying attention.† â€Å"Cecily – â€Å" I didn't let him finish. Instead, I pressed my mouth against his mouth, molding my body to his. I don't know if he'd ever kissed anyone else before, but if not, he was a quick study. He didn't break from me. In fact I would have sworn there was an eagerness to his lips as they explored mine, willingly letting my tongue stroke and dance with his. And oh, God help me, he was so very good and noble that I tasted a sunburst of energy just from that kiss alone. It poured into me like honey, glorious and sweet. And surprisingly, it was me who finally broke the kiss, though I still stayed pressed against his body, my arms encircling him. â€Å"Don't you see how stupid it is?† I whispered, our lips so close we shared each other's breath. â€Å"Are you going to die without having lived? Without having tasted everything that's out there? Are you really just going to rush into death like that?† His eyes weighed me, his own hands resting on my waist. â€Å"I don't need fleshly pleasures to complete my life.† â€Å"You're lying,† I told him. â€Å"You want to.† â€Å"Wanting and needing are two different things.† He stepped away from me, and I suddenly felt incomplete without his body against mine. I had a fleeting flash of some connection bigger than both of us, and then it was gone. â€Å"A long life means nothing if it's empty and has no purpose. Better to live a short one filled with the things that are important to you.† â€Å"You're a fool,† I snapped. â€Å"I'm not going to stay and watch you die.† â€Å"Then go.† And I did.

Anthithesis in romeo and juliet essays

Anthithesis in romeo and juliet essays Antithesis in Romeo and Juliet Antithesis is used to create maximum contrast. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses antithesis constantly. People can be both caring and cruel, and love is both life and death. Using antithesis can add a lot to a play. Friar Laurences plan for temporarily killing Juliet had antithesis, it was both healing and deadly. It would heal Juliet and Romeos love by making everyone think that Juliet was dead, that way they could run away and be together. But, it was also deadly because it would kill Juliet. Maybe not forever but it would lead to a tragedy. If the potion would actually kill Juliet and not just temporarily, then there would not be antithesis because then Romeo and Juliet would not be able to be together, and there would not be both a happy and sad result. Another thing that had antithesis was Romeo and Juliets love. It was both life death. Being together, was their life, they would have done anything just to be with each other. No matter what people did or said, they would ignore them. Unfortunately, their love would bring them to their death. They were so much in love that they would have given up anything for each other, even if it meant their life. Romeo and Juliet died Not only can things have antithesis but people can also. Romeo was both loving and cruel. Whenever he was with Juliet, he seemed like he could never hurt a fly. He would say poetry to Juliet and would look at her as if she were a precious jewel. But, when Tybalt came around, he was like night and day. Tybalt picked a fight with Romeos cousin, Mercutio. Mercutio was badly wounded and died. This angered Romeo so much that he chased Tybalt and killed him. Even though he was the cousin of his wife ...

What to Do Before Leaving for College

What to Do Before Leaving for College Overwhelmed with everything you need to do before heading to college? Familiarizing yourself with everything on this list can help make the process easier. 1. Contact Your Roommate That first conversation is pivotal for getting to know each other, for building your relationship as roommates, and for figuring out whos going to be bringing what. A great roommate can make all the difference in school. 2. Organize All Your Purchases Knowing what to bring is just as important as knowing what not to bring. Deciding on what kind of computer youll have is also a big decision that will influence several aspects of your college life. (Can you bring it home? Is it powerful enough to run graphics programs or economic models youll need for your major?) 3. Understand Your Financial Aid The last thing you want to have happen is for finances to get in the way of your academic progress (yes, it really does matter if you miss that deadline for submitting your FAFSA). Make sure your finances are in order- and that you understand all you need to do while youre in school. 4. Make a Budget Youll need to know, from your first day on campus, how much money you can spend on certain things, whether or not youll need an on-campus job, and how much money you should have at the end of every month so you dont have to beg your roommate for food come December. 5. Take Care of Your Physical Health Picking the right meal plan and knowing how to make healthy choices in your new environment will greatly aid your time in school. Who wants to miss a midterm because of a stress-induced cold? 6. Familiarize Yourself With College Terminology If your RA tells you that the problem youre having with your TA can best be handled by the dean, will you know what all of that means? What if your cute lab partner is complaining because adjunct professors werent invited to convocation? College life is full of acronyms and new lingo: do what you can to familiarize yourself with it before you arrive. 7. Get the Most out of Orientation Everything from meeting people to making it through your first week takes a lot of courage- but pushing yourself through will make a huge difference during your entire time at school. 8. Plan to Keep in Touch With Friends and Family Its a good idea to know how to manage relationships with your boyfriend or girlfriend, parents, and even siblings. If you talk about how to keep in touch before you leave, everyone will know what to expect. 9. Develop a Time Management System Figuring out how to manage their time is often one of the biggest challenges for college students. Set yourself up early with a system that you know will work for you. 10. Keep Yourself and Your Stuff Safe The last thing you need to be worried about while in school is dealing with something that may have been preventable. Losing your computer, for example, can wreak havoc on your academics- and, if someone breaks into your room while you left the door open, can wreak havoc on your roommate relationship. Its easier to stay safe than to deal with theft. Lastly- an unofficial #11- congratulate yourself on a job well done for getting here in the first place, and have fun!

Lesson 11 - Course Project 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lesson 11 - Course Project 1 - Essay Example Atkins and Granger make liberal use of this budget-making technique when making sales and expense projections. Budgetary slacks alleviate the effects of deviations if they occur. A more shifty use of the technique is to make it easier for managers to achieve targets, especially where sales performance results in bonuses and appraisals (Stevens 1). Budgetary slacks in sales and expenditure projections can adversely affect the staff the projections relate. In the case of Atkins and Granger, altered projections can result in less motivation to achieve more in their areas of responsibility as they can alter the figures to give the impression that they are performing beyond the projections. On another note, if the two staff can alter the financial figures at will, then there is serious risk of the pair falsifying account figures to serve selfish interests (Stevens 1). The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) requires its members behave ethically, and in ways that are responsible, honest, fair, and objective (IMA 1). IMA categorically opposes the use of confidential information for unethical and illegal motives. Overall, management accountants should cultivate restraint in situations that pose conflicting interests. IMA also requires that management accountants evade activities such as the budgetary slack that may jeopardize efficient execution of some activities. A budgetary slack presents amble opportunities for information asymmetry (Stevens 1). For instance, Granger cannot tell with certainty the actual sales figures because Atkins changes them before handing them over. On credibility, the IMA expects that management accountants disclose all relevant information that may influence the understanding, and use of the information (IMA 2). Modification of sales figures by Atkins adversely affects the ability by Granger to predict closing inventory levels, which is clearly unethical. In addition, Atkins