The relationship between childhood neglect and later Essay Example for Free

The relationship between childhood neglect and later Essay In examining the relationship between childhood neglect and later use of illicit drugs, the following variables will have to be taken into account: Childhood – It is the time or state of being a child which is the period between infancy and pubescence. It is a crucial period in a person’s life since it is at this stage where most of the physical and mental development of a child takes place.   It is also at this stage where the child learns the difference between good and bad behavior. Later use – this pertains to a reaction. The principle is that for every action there is a corresponding reaction.   For purpose of this research childhood neglect is considered as an action and the use of illicit drugs during the later stages of the child’s life is considered as the reaction. Illicit drugs – these are drugs the use of which is rendered illegal by existing laws because of their harmful effects to the user. These drugs include cannabis such as marijuana and hashish, opiates such as heroin, stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines and hallucinogens. Parental neglect – an act or omission of a parent or any person exercising substitute parental authority which is classified as a crime because it endangers the health and life of a child. It includes failure to provide for the child’s food, clothing and medical needs.   It also includes the act of leaving the child alone without anyone that can provide for the needs previously mentioned.   It its extreme form it may also include subjecting the child to physical and emotional abuse.   For purpose of this research, the following variables will be operationally defined as follows: Childhood – The participants of this research will be persons between the ages of 13-25.   They will be asked to recollect and reveal whether they are presently using illicit drugs and whether they experienced parental neglect during their childhood years.   For this purpose, they will be asked to make a recollection whether they experienced neglect between the ages of 5 to 12. Later use – The participants of this research will be asked whether they are presently using illicit drugs and the reasons why they use illicit drugs.   Their present problems involving drug use will then be connected to the participants’ past history of parental neglect.   For this purpose the subjects of this research will be limited to ages between 13-25. Illicit drugs – This concept will have same definition as the above.   For purpose of this research, the respondents will be asked to identify the kind of drugs they use and the age when they started using these illicit drugs.   The respondents will be asked to determine the reason/s why they started using illegal drugs. Parental neglect – The respondents will be asked whether they experienced neglect during their childhood and to describe the kind of relationship they have with their parents or whether they have positive or negative relationship with their parents.   If they have negative relationship with their parents, a follow up question will be asked whether the participants have been subjected to physical, verbal or sexual abuse.

Looking At The Social Welfare Legislation Social Work Essay

Looking At The Social Welfare Legislation Social Work Essay Social workers, as a profession, exist in a contested domain, within a framework of rights and duties that are defined by law, by employers and professional codes of conduct (Swaine and Rice, 2009: xi). To be effective a social worker must have an understanding of statutory and legal requirements, and while using the law attempt to balance conflicting principles and practices. It is important to note that the law does not tell us what we ought to do, just what we can do most decisions in social work involve a complex interaction of ethical, political, technical and legal issues which are all interconnected (Banks 1995). In answering this question I intend to focus on the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 detailing the background to the acts and applying them to the Smith case study. The courts in England are managed by Her Majestys Courts Service, an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (Brammer 2010). The courts are divided into criminal and civil courts. Criminal courts deal with criminal cases and civil courts deal with non-criminal disputes. The role that  social workers play in courts can be broken down into public law and private law. Public law cases are circumstances where the state, acting through local authority social services, takes steps to intervene in family life. This includes applications for care orders, supervision orders and emergency protection orders. Proceedings where individuals bring cases in their own name are known as private law cases. Contact and residence cases, applications for specific issues orders, prohibited steps orders; parental responsibility and adoption are examples of private law cases. The English court structure is hierarchical with the Supreme Court at the top and the Magistrates Court and Tribunals at the bot tom. This means that cases are seen in the inferior courts first before proceeding, when necessary, to the superior courts. A decision made in the Supreme Court would bind all inferior courts. Social workers can be involved at all levels of the court structure and undertake tasks such as writing reports, appearing as witnesses, or providing support to a service user. As such it is essential for social workers to have a good understanding of the law as it applies to their role. Most court proceedings are held in public in accordance with Article 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing. However, in certain circumstances the public and press are excluded and cases are heard privately or in camera (Brammer 2010:65). For social work practice the Human Rights Act 1998 provides an opportunity to empower service users and professionals while promoting best practice, as well as an extra layer of responsibility (Cull and Roche 2001:80). Local authorities can no longer use budgetary constraints as justification for decisions as discretionary policies and decisions can be challenged on the basis of an alleged breach of human rights. (Cull and Roche, 2001). The Human rights Act 1998 incorporates the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms into UK domestic law (Brammer 2010). The European Convention for Human Rights contains rights, prohibitions and freedoms arranged in articles. The focus of the Human Rights Act 1998 is to promote and uphold rights contained in these articles and it provides opportunities to promote anti-discriminatory practice. Social workers legal areas of responsibility are classified as duties or powers. Social services are obliged to carry out a duty. There is no discretion or allowance and failure to carry out a duty could found an action for judicial review (Brammer 2010:17). For example, under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 local authorities have a duty to investigate if they have have reasonable cause to suspect that a child who lives, or is found, in their area is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm (Children Act 1989, Section 47(b)). Powers give a social worker the authority to act in a particular way but there is discretion to decide how to act. For example, a local authority has power to make payments to parents in respect of travelling, subsistence or other expenses incurred by that person in visiting the child (Para. 16 of Sch. 2 to the Childrens Act 1989). Specific pieces of legislation are more relevant to social workers in their specific roles. The Children Acts 1989 and 2004 are of particular relevance to those working with children and families. Prior to the implementation of the Children Act 1989 the law as it related to children was found in various acts and judicial hearings. The Children Act 1989 combined and simplified existing legislation in order to create an enlightened and practical framework for decision-making, whether the decision is taken in the family home, in a local authority office, in a health centre or in a court room (Allen, 1998, quoted in Cull 2001). Various forces led to the implementation of the Children Act 1989. Firstly, the need to address numerous child abuse and child death scandals such as Maria Colwell and Jasmine Beckford. Central themes that emerged from inquiries into the deaths of these children were the need for better cohesion between agencies to better protect children and consideration of the childs welfare as paramount (OLoughlin and OLoughlin 2008). Such themes subsequently emerged in the Laming Inquiry (2003) following the death of Victoria Climbie, and other subsequent inquiries. These continual failures seem to indicate that the Children Act 1989 does not seem to be fulfilling its purpose. Secondly, international commitments made to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 meant the need to provide legislation highlighting the importance of childrens rights. The Children Act 1989 recognised the right of children to have their voices heard in the decision-making process and made provisions for childrens guardians to be appointed by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) representing the child and the childs interests in court (Children Act 1989, s.41). Under section 44(7) of the act children of sufficient age and understanding were enabled to refuse to undergo medical assessment, something that the children involved in the Cleveland Inquiry (1988) had not been able to do (OLoughlin and OLoughlin 2008). The Act gave flexibility to the court to meet individual childrens needs in particular circumstances and to act in the best interests of that child (Brammer, 2010). The Children Act 1989 brought together public and private law to ensure that the welfare of the child is paramount (OLoughlin and OLoughlin, 2008:21) and reaffirmed the belief that children were best brought up within their families, with minimal intervention from the state (Brayne and Carr, 2008). In response to the Laming Report (2003) into the death of Victoria Climbià © the government published the Green Paper, Every Child Matters. This document had four key themes; more focus on supporting families and carers, timely intervention and protecting children from falling through the net; addressing issues of poor accountability and ensuring that childcare workers are valued, rewarded and trained (Brayne and Carr, 2008). The Children Act 2004 was passed following consultation on this Green Paper. It provides the legislative framework required to address the issues highlighted in the Laming report. Its main aim was to develop more effective and accessible services focused around the needs of children, young people and their families (Brayne and Carr, 2008 p.155). The main provisions of the Children Act 2004 include a duty to co-operate to improve the wellbeing of children, especially in light of failings by multiple agencies to protect children like Victoria Climbià ©. Under th e Act local authorities have a duty to make arrangements to improve wellbeing and partner agencies have a duty to co-operate with local authorities. To enhance the duty of agencies to co-operate Section 8 of the Children Act 2004 imposes the duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Agencies are encouraged to prioritise their responsibilities to children and share early concerns in order to prevent crises. Legislation in the 2004 Act requires that all agencies in contact with children recognize that their needs are different from those of adults and safeguard and promote their wellbeing in the course of their normal duties. Section 17 of the Children Act 2004 introduced the requirement for local authorities to produce Children and Young peoples Plans (CYPP). The CYPP should be the single, strategic, overarching plan for all services and all relevant partners (Brayne and Carr, 2008 p.160). The 1989 Act focused on child protection, the key term in the 2004 Act is safeguar ding. Child protection is linked to legally based state intervention, safeguarding is a means of ensuring that children receive the support that they need for their wellbeing (Brayne and Carr, 2008 p.161). The Children Act 2004 required the establishment of Local Safeguarding Childrens Boards in order to promote better collaboration between agencies in safeguarding the wellbeing of children; the creation of an information database known as Contact Point to facilitate contact between professionals involved with individual children to secure early, coherent intervention (Brayne and Carr, 2008 p. 163); and the appointment of childrens services directors in childrens services authorities to ensure political leadership and accountability for the performance of childrens services (Brayne and Carr, 2008 p. 164).The Childrens Act of 1989 and 2004 have both gradually endeavoured to develop legislation and administrative roles to do with children in a broader sense and to make official provision for children better and safer. With the Children Act 2004 the functions of social services did not change but how they are delivered has been modified. (OLoughlin and OLoughlin, 2008) The Children Act 1989 outlines the responsibilities that local authorities have towards children in their area. Practice is guided by three underlying principles. Firstly, enforced intrusion into family life should be avoided wherever possible. Secondly, local authorities should work in partnership with parents and provide support to try to keep families together. Lastly, local authority resources should be targeted on families in need to ensure support is available to avoid children suffering ill-treatment or neglect and in extreme circumstances being taken into care (Cull 2001). With the Smith family the starting point under the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 must be to help safeguard and promote the welfare of Andrew and Annie. Under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 if the local authority have reasonable cause to suspect that a child who lives or is found in their area is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, they must take such enquiries as they consider necessary to enable them to decide whether they should take any action to safeguard or promote the childs welfare (Children Act 1989, s.47 (1) (b)). Enquiries made are the beginning of a process and the intention is to decide whether or not action is necessary. Effectiveness of the assessment of the childs needs (and those of the family) is key to the effectiveness of subsequent actions and services and ultimately to the outcomes for the child (Department of Health et al., 2000b). A social worker carrying out this assessment must do so in a manner that causes the least distress to Annie and Andrew, while being respectful to Clare and David. Families affected by parental learning disability are also particularly likely to experience negative attitudes, and worse, from those with whom they come into contact (Department of Health 2007).Practicing in an anti-discriminatory manner would require not making assumptions about David and Clares parenting due to their learning disability. In order to work in partnership with the parents as the Children Act requires the social worker must ensure that the parents do not feel marginalised by explaining the purpose of the investigation and the likely outcomes. How the investigation is handled could affect the relationship between the family and social services and the way the family view input from professionals and other agencies that may become involved. The Children Act 1989 introduced the terms children in need and looked after children and comprised various duties to promote the welfare of such children (Brammer, 2010). The Act even went further by putting in place provisions for children leaving care (Brammer, 2010). Looked after children refers to children who are subject to care orders and those who are voluntarily accommodated by the local authority. Children are considered to be in need if they are unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development without intervention by the local authority; health or development is likely to be impaired or further impaired without local authority support; they are disabled (s. 17 (10) Children Act 1989). Local authorities have specific duties to children considered to be in need. As both David and Clare are known to professionals it is possible that the children have already been classified as in need. In this case the local authority has a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of such children, provide services appropriate to their needs and ascertain and give consideration to the wishes of the child/ren (Children Act 1989, s.17, as amended). Following a section 47 investigation if it is deemed necessary the local authority would also have the power to provide training, advice, guidance and counselling for David and Clare (Cull 2001). David and Clare have co-operated so far and if this remains to be the case the local authority will carry out its duties in partnership with David and Clare, until no further formal intervention is required. It is particularly important to avoid a situation where poor parental care, which does not meet the threshold of significant harm to a child, later declines because of a lack of support. Failure to provide support in this type of situation can damage a childs right to remain with their family (Department of Health, 2007). If the Smith case was considered an emergency it would be possible to apply to court for an Emergency Protection Order (EPO), this would allow for immediate compulsory intervention in order to protect the child/ren (s. 44, Children Act 1989). Those with parental responsibility must be given a minimum of one days notice of impending action; however, action can be taken without notice. If the parents are not present at the initial application for the EPO they have the right to challenge the basis of the intervention after 72 hours. The order lasts a maximum of eight days, but can be extended for a further seven days following application. The applicant has parental responsibility of the child for the duration of the order. This is very much a control aspect of the act as the parents rights are removed in order to safeguard the child. The child must be returned as soon as it is safe to do so. (s. 44(10) Children Act 1989). The need for an EPO can arise when the referral is received or a t any point in the involvement with children and families. Such an order seems to contradict Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998(Right to private family life). Although important it may prove difficult to balance David and Clares right to private and family life while protecting the childrens right not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Article 3, Human Rights Act 1998). If the out of hours social worker had initially failed to gain access to the children to initiate an investigation but concerns were not urgent the local authority could apply to court for a Child Assessment Order (CAO) (Children Act 1989, s. 43). The order would supplement to powers of the social worker in assessing the child. A court can only grant a CAO if there is reasonable cause to suspect the child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm and that assessment is required to ascertain if this is the case; without the order it is unlikely that assessment can be carried out. A CAO may give direction on how an order is to be carried out, for example, directing that children be kept away from home, or giving direction for a medical assessment to be carried out. With this particular order parental responsibility remains with the parents. Only a local authority or the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children can apply for a CAO. In some circumstances it may be necessary to separate the child from an alleged abuser. As it may be considered too distressing and confusing to remove the child from the home the Family Law Act 1996 amended the Children Act 1989, giving the court power to order the removal of an alleged abuser from the home. In order for Exclusion Orders (EO) to be made the court must be satisfied that there is reasonable cause to believe that if the person is removed the child will no longer suffer or be likely to suffer significant harm. The court must be satisfied that there is someone else willing and capable of caring for the child and that they consent to the exclusion requirement. Four principles generally apply to all orders under the Children Act 1989: paramountcy of the welfare of the child (s1 (1)); reducing delay (S1 (2)) to avoid prejudicing the welfare of the child (in this respect many of the orders that could be granted by the court had specific time limits); no order unless consider ed in the best interests of the child (s1 (5)) and limiting litigation (s91 (14)) (Open University, 2003). The Children Act 1989 provides a welfare checklist s.1 (3) detailing what factors a court has to consider in certain proceedings relating to children. This list includes issues such as the childs wishes/needs, sex, background, etc. Although the law is attempting to impose control when applying an order it also attempts to provide some balance and promote anti-discriminatory practice with children and families. The relationship between social work practice and the law is an extremely complex and ever-changing one. The law is constantly developing especially with the influence of the Human Rights Act 1998 becoming more visible in court decisions. As a result social workers must have an understanding of how the law applies to practice situations recognising the strengths as well as the limitations of applying the law. Sound knowledge of the law is not only essential to ensure that the actions undertaken are legal and proportionate, such knowledge is essential for the social workers own professional protection (Brammer 2010: Foreword by Andrew McFarlane).

Tinnitus :: Health Hearing Loss Noise Loud Essays

Tinnitus A police officer fires his handgun while target practicing. He forgot to put on his ear muffs and suddenly after the shot, he hears a faint buzzing sound. In this example, over time, the ringing will probably fade for the officer. Almost everyone will experience tinnitus in their lifetime. After all, loud noises are impossible to avoid completely. There is only a problem when the sound from the tinnitus does not stop, or it continues to get louder with time. For many people around the world, the ringing, buzzing, hissing or chirping sounds that make up tinnitus (tin-Night-us; Tin-nit-us) or acoustic trauma never go away (Alliance). There are several definitions of the word tinnitus. Tinnitus Away defines it as "a noise heard in the ear, or the sensation of noise as a ringing that is purely subjective." Hear USA says tinnitus is "a noise heard in the ears." According to Tinnitus.com, Tinnitus was defined in 1999 as a sensory disorder. What does all of this mean? Basically, tinnitus is the perception of sound by an individual when there is no external source of that sound. Sound burst hearing loss is due to damage to the auditory receptors, the hair cells, inside the ear. The vibration of these hair follicles is what allows humans to hear so when they become damaged, the auditory sense is set off, and the resulting noise is the sound heard by millions of tinnitus sufferers. The other damage done to the ear by sound bursts that creates hearing loss is the deflation of the cochlea. This damage is usually caused by prolonged exposure to a continuous loud noise. Acoustic traumas are caused by an explosive sound, sudden and loud, that can cause hearing loss (Goldstein, 2002). The effects of these traumas can fade. However, they do not always go away. A college student who had a fire cracker explode in his hand only fifteen inches from his ear still had a ringing sensation two years after the incident. According to the Internet Armory, sound is physically just a rapid change in air pressure above and below the atmospheric pressure. The decibel, dB, named after Alexander Graham Bell, is used to describe this change in pressure. Zero dB is the threshold of human hearing, and 120 dB is the pain threshold. Decibels increase logarithmically so 10 dB is 10 times as powerful as one dB, and twenty dB is ten times as powerful as that.

Jakob Boehme Essay -- German Religious Mystic Religion Biography Bio

Jakob Boehme Jakob Boehme (1575-1624) was a German religious mystic from the town of Goerlitz (Zgorzelec in Polish) in Silesia, on the Polish side of the Oder river just across from eastern Germany. A cobbler by profession, he was an autodidact much influenced by Paracelsus, the Kabbala, astrology, alchemy, and the Hermetic tradition (Peuckert, 1924 101; Merkel 302-310; Hvolbel 6-17). He experienced a seminal religious epiphany in 1600, when a ray of sunlight reflected in a pewter dish catapulted him into an ecstatic vision of the Godhead as penetrating all existence, including even the Abyss of Non-being. This and other mystical experiences caused Boehme to write a series of obscure but powerful religious treatises. According to him, negativity, finitude, and suffering are essential aspects of the Deity, for it is only through the participatory activity of his creatures that God achieves full self-consciousness of his own nature. Boehme's first treatise, entitled Aurora, or Die Morgenroete im Aufgang (1612), expressed his insights in an abstruse, oracular style. This work aroused profound interest among a small circle of followers, but it also provoked the heated opposition of the authorities. After being prosecuted by the local pastor of Goerlitz, Boehme had to promise on pain of imprisonment to cease writing. This judgment he obeyed for five years, until, unable to restrain himself any longer, he began writing again in secret for private circulation among friends. The publication of his Weg zu Christo (Way to Christ) in 1623 by one of these friends led to renewed persecutions. Banished from Goerlitz, Boehme lived for a time in Dresden and on the country estates of wealthy supporters. Finally, stricken by illness in 1624, ... ...ndon: Richardson, 1764. Passages from this English translation are cited above, following the corresponding German citations. The Way to Christ. A modern translation of Boehme's Weg zu Christo (1620). Trans. W. Zeller. New York: Paulist Press, 1978. Works about Boehme: Merkel, Ingrid. "Aurora; or, The Rising Sun of Allegory: Hermetic Imagery in the Work of Jakob Boehme." Hermeticism and the Renaissance: Intellectual History and the Occult in Early Modern Europe. Eds. I. Merkel and A. G. Debus. Washington: The Folger Shakespeare Library, 1988. 302-310. Peuckert, Will-Erich. Das Leben Jakob Boehmes. Jena: E. Dieterichs, 1924. Stoudt, John Joesph. Sunrise to Eternity: A Study in Jacob Boehme's Life and Thought. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1957. Hvolbel, R. H. "Was Jacob Boehme a Paracelsian?" Hermetic Journal 19 (Spring 1983): 6-17. Jakob Boehme Essay -- German Religious Mystic Religion Biography Bio Jakob Boehme Jakob Boehme (1575-1624) was a German religious mystic from the town of Goerlitz (Zgorzelec in Polish) in Silesia, on the Polish side of the Oder river just across from eastern Germany. A cobbler by profession, he was an autodidact much influenced by Paracelsus, the Kabbala, astrology, alchemy, and the Hermetic tradition (Peuckert, 1924 101; Merkel 302-310; Hvolbel 6-17). He experienced a seminal religious epiphany in 1600, when a ray of sunlight reflected in a pewter dish catapulted him into an ecstatic vision of the Godhead as penetrating all existence, including even the Abyss of Non-being. This and other mystical experiences caused Boehme to write a series of obscure but powerful religious treatises. According to him, negativity, finitude, and suffering are essential aspects of the Deity, for it is only through the participatory activity of his creatures that God achieves full self-consciousness of his own nature. Boehme's first treatise, entitled Aurora, or Die Morgenroete im Aufgang (1612), expressed his insights in an abstruse, oracular style. This work aroused profound interest among a small circle of followers, but it also provoked the heated opposition of the authorities. After being prosecuted by the local pastor of Goerlitz, Boehme had to promise on pain of imprisonment to cease writing. This judgment he obeyed for five years, until, unable to restrain himself any longer, he began writing again in secret for private circulation among friends. The publication of his Weg zu Christo (Way to Christ) in 1623 by one of these friends led to renewed persecutions. Banished from Goerlitz, Boehme lived for a time in Dresden and on the country estates of wealthy supporters. Finally, stricken by illness in 1624, ... ...ndon: Richardson, 1764. Passages from this English translation are cited above, following the corresponding German citations. The Way to Christ. A modern translation of Boehme's Weg zu Christo (1620). Trans. W. Zeller. New York: Paulist Press, 1978. Works about Boehme: Merkel, Ingrid. "Aurora; or, The Rising Sun of Allegory: Hermetic Imagery in the Work of Jakob Boehme." Hermeticism and the Renaissance: Intellectual History and the Occult in Early Modern Europe. Eds. I. Merkel and A. G. Debus. Washington: The Folger Shakespeare Library, 1988. 302-310. Peuckert, Will-Erich. Das Leben Jakob Boehmes. Jena: E. Dieterichs, 1924. Stoudt, John Joesph. Sunrise to Eternity: A Study in Jacob Boehme's Life and Thought. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1957. Hvolbel, R. H. "Was Jacob Boehme a Paracelsian?" Hermetic Journal 19 (Spring 1983): 6-17.

Sleeping Beautys Castle Essay -- Compare Contrast Castles Architectur

Sleeping Beauty's Castle The past has a great influence on present culture. However ideas and themes of the past can change with time. This is true with the ideas associated with the medieval castle. These castles, which once served as a military fortress as well as a residence, are now often associated with the fantastical, popular images people can have of the middle ages. Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland is a good example because it represents an idea to many people of what a medieval castle may have looked like. However the Disney castle is not an exact representation of a medieval castle. The differences in style and architecture between the Sleeping Beauty Castle and a medieval castle reflect each castle's varying functions and result in different impressions associated with each castle. Sleeping Beauty's castle is located at the Disneyland amusement park in Anaheim, California. The castle was opened in April 1957, roughly two years after Disneyland itself opened. Since its opening, the castle has become a major attraction at the park. It is often shown in advertisements for Disneyland and appears on its movie logo. The castle stands in the center of the park, at the end of Disneyland's Main Street. It is also directly aligned with the front entrance of the park. The exterior of the castle is the main emphasis of the attraction. It represents the medieval castle where Sleeping Beauty was born. The numerous towers and walkways that make up the castle are inaccessible. They are only part of the castle's decoration. Visitors to the castle will find that they cannot ascend into any of these towers and can only walk straight through the castle. The walkway through castle displays a diorama of Sleeping Beauty's life... ...types. The more knowledge that is known about medieval castle, the more apparent it is that his castle is an exaggerated version that is aimed more at expressing the magical and fantastical qualities that modern society associates with the middle ages than at giving a true historical representation of a medieval castle. Works Cited: 1. Hughes, James. Military Architecture. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1974 2. Levron, Jacques. The Royal Chateaux of the Ile de France. New York: Rand McNally & Company, 1965. 3. Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. New York: Prentice Hall, inc., and Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, 1995. 4. "Architecture." World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1986. 5. "Castles." World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1986. 6. "Middle Ages." World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1986.

Fool Chapter 16

SIXTEEN A STORM RISING The storm blew in during the night. I was eating my breakfast in the kitchen when a row erupted in the courtyard. I heard Lear bellow and left to attend him, leaving my porridge with Drool. Kent intercepted me in the corridor. â€Å"So the old man lived through the night?† said I. â€Å"I slept at his door,† said Kent. â€Å"Where were you?† â€Å"Trying to see two princesses ruthlessly shagged and starting a civil war, thank you, and with no proper supper, neither.† â€Å"Fine feast,† said Kent. â€Å"Ate till I nearly burst just to see the king went unpoisoned. Who is bloody St. Stephen, anyway?† Then I saw Oswald coming down the corridor. â€Å"Good Kent, go see that the daughters don't kill the king, and that Cornwall doesn't kill Edmund, and that the sisters don't kill each other, and if you can help it, don't kill anyone. It's too early for killing.† Kent hurried off as Oswald reached me. â€Å"So,† said Oswald, â€Å"you lived through the night?† â€Å"Of course, why wouldn't I?† I asked. â€Å"Well, because I told Cornwall of your rendezvous with Regan and I expected him to slay you.† â€Å"Oh for fuck's sake, Oswald, show a little guile, would you? The state of villainy in this castle is rubbish, what with Edmund being pleasant and you being straightforward. What's next, Cornwall starts feeding orphans while bloody bluebirds fly out of his bum? Now, let's try it again, see if you can at least keep up a pretense of evil. Go.† â€Å"So, you lived through the night?† said Oswald. â€Å"Of course, why wouldn't I?† I asked. â€Å"Oh, no reason, I was worried about you.† I clouted Oswald on the ear with Jones. â€Å"No, you nitwit, I'd never believe you're concerned for my welfare – you're a right weasel, aren't you?† He made to reach for his sword and I hit his wrist a vicious blow with Jones's stick end. The villain leapt back and rubbed his bruised wrist. â€Å"Despite your incompetence, our agreement stands. I need you to consult with Edmund. Give him this letter from Regan.† I handed him the letter I'd written at first light. Regan's hand was easy to duplicate. She dotted her i's with hearts. â€Å"Don't break the seal, it professes her devotion for him, but instructs him to show no outward affection for her. You must also caution him against showing any deference to your lady Goneril in front of Regan. And because I know the intrigue confuses you, let me map out your interest here. Edmund will dispatch your Lord Albany, thus releasing your lady to other affections, only then will we reveal to Cornwall that Edmund has cuckolded him with Regan, and the duke will dispatch the bastard, at which time, I will cast the love spell on Goneril, sending her into your own ferrety arms.† â€Å"You could be lying. I tried to have you killed. Why would you help me?† â€Å"Excellent question. First, I, unlike you, am not a villain, therefore I can be expected to proceed with a modicum of integrity. And, second, I wish to visit revenge on Goneril for how she has treated me, her younger sister, Cordelia, and King Lear. I can think of no better punishment for her than pairing her with the man-shaped tower of excrement that is yourself.† â€Å"Oh, that's reasonable,† said Oswald. â€Å"Off you go, then. See that Edmund doesn't show deference.† â€Å"I might slay him myself, for violating my lady.† â€Å"No, you won't, you're a coward. Or had you forgotten?† Oswald started to quiver then with anger, but he did not try to reach for his sword. â€Å"Run along, mate, Pocket's got a bumload of foolin' yet to do.† A randy hand of wind groped the courtyard, sending the sisters' skirts tossing and snapping their hair in their faces. Kent crouched and clung to his great broad-brimmed hat to keep it from being carried away. The old king held his fur cape tight around him and squinted against the dust, while the Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Gloucester stood by the great gate for shelter – the duke content, it seemed, to let his duchess do the talking. I was relieved to see that Edmund was not in attendance, so I danced into the courtyard, bells a-jingle, song in heart. â€Å"Hi ho!† said I. â€Å"Everyone get a proper bonking for the Saturnalia, did they?† The two sisters looked at me blankly, as if I might have been speaking Chinese or dog, and they had not, overnight, each received rousing repeated bonkings from an enormous donkey-donged nitwit. Gloucester looked down, embarrassed, I suppose, over abandoning his own pantheon for St. Stephen, and a wholly bollocks holy holiday feast. Cornwall sneered. â€Å"Ah,† said I. â€Å"Then a crispy biscuit baby Jesus cornu-bloody-copia of Christmas cheer, was it? Silent night, camels and wise men – frankenstein, gold, and myrrh all around then?† â€Å"Sodding Christian harpies want to take away my knights,† said Lear. â€Å"I've already lost half my train to you, Goneril, I'll not lose the rest.† â€Å"Oh, yes, sire,† said I. â€Å"Christianity is their fault. I forgot that the wind blew out of a pagan sky for you today.† Regan stepped forward then, and yes, she was walking a bit bow-legged. â€Å"Why do you need to keep fifty men, Father? We've plenty of servants to tend to you.† â€Å"And,† said Goneril, â€Å"they will be under our charge, so there will be no discord within the walls of our homes.† â€Å"I'm of my sister's mind on this,† said Regan. â€Å"You're always of your sister's mind,† said Lear. â€Å"An original thought would crack your feeble skull like a thunderbolt, you craven vulture.† â€Å"That's the spirit, sire,† said I. â€Å"Treat them like bins of used nappies and watch them come around. A wonder they've turned out so delightful with fathering of that quality.† â€Å"Take them, then, you flesh-tearing harpies! Would that I could drag your mother from her tomb and accuse her of most grievous adultery, for you cannot be issue from my loins and treat me so.† I nodded and lay my head on Goneril's shoulder. â€Å"Evidently the adultery comes from Mum's side of the family, pumpkin – the bitterness and stunning bosoms are from Papa.† She pushed me aside, despite my wisdom. Lear was losing all control now, trembling as he shouted impotently at his daughters, looking weaker and more slight with every word. â€Å"Hear me, gods! If it be you that stir these daughters' hearts against their father, then touch me with noble anger, and stain not my man's cheeks with women's weapons, the water drops.† â€Å"Those aren't tears on your cheeks, nuncle,† said I. â€Å"It's raining.† Gloucester and Cornwall looked away, embarrassed for the old man. Kent had his hands on the king's shoulders and was trying to lead him gently out of the rain. Lear shrugged him off and stormed up to his daughters. â€Å"You unnatural hags! I will have such revenges on you both that the world – er, I will do such things that I don't even know yet, but they will be horrible – the very terrors of the earth! But I'll not weep! I'll not. Even if my heart shall break into a hundred thousand shards, I shall not weep. O fool, I shall go mad!† â€Å"Aye, nuncle, smashing good start you're off to.† I tried to put an arm around Lear's shoulders, but he elbowed me away. â€Å"Rescind your orders, harpies, or I shall leave this house.† He made for the great gate. â€Å"It is for your own good, Father,† said Goneril. â€Å"Now, cease this ranting and come inside.† â€Å"I gave you all!† screeched Lear, waving a palsied claw at Regan. â€Å"And you took your bloody time giving it, too, you senile old fuck,† said Regan. â€Å"She came up with that one all on her own, nuncle,† said I, looking on the bright side. â€Å"I will go,† threatened Lear, another step toward the gate. â€Å"I'm not having you on. I'll head right out that door.† â€Å"Pity,† said Goneril. â€Å"Shame, really,† said Regan. â€Å"Here I go. Right out that gate. Never to return. All alone.† â€Å"Ta,† said Goneril. â€Å"Au revoir,† said Regan, in nearly perfect fucking French. â€Å"I mean it.† The old man was actually through the gate now. â€Å"Close it,† said Regan. â€Å"But, lady, it's not fit for man nor beast out there,† said Gloucester. â€Å"Fucking close it!† said Goneril. She ran forward and pushed the great iron lever by the gatehouse with all her might. The heavy, iron-clad portcullis slammed down, the points just missing the old king as they set in the ports a foot deep in the stone. â€Å"I'll go,† said Lear, through the grate. â€Å"Don't think I won't.† The sisters left the courtyard for the shelter of the castle. Cornwall followed them and called for Gloucester to come along. â€Å"But this storm,† said Gloucester, watching his old friend through the bars. â€Å"No one should be out in this storm.† â€Å"He brought it on himself,† said Cornwall. â€Å"Now, come along, good Gloucester.† Gloucester pulled himself away from the grate and followed Cornwall into the castle, leaving just Kent and me standing in the rain in only our woolen cloaks. Kent looked tortured over the old man's fate. â€Å"He's alone, Pocket. It's not even noon and the sky is as dark as midnight. Lear is outside and alone.† â€Å"Oh buggering bugger,† said I. I looked at the chains leading up to the top of the gatehouse, the beams that protruded from the walls, the crenellations at the top to protect the archers. Damn the anchoress and Belette for my monkey-training as an acrobat. â€Å"I'll go with him. But you have to hide Drool from Edmund. Talk to the laundress with the smashing knockers, she'll help. She fancies the lad, no matter what she says.† â€Å"I'll go get help to crank up the gate,† said Kent. â€Å"Not to worry. You look after the Natural, and watch your back for Edmund and Oswald. I'll return with the old man when I can.† And with that I shoved Jones down the back of my jerkin, ran and leapt onto the massive chain, spidered up it hand over hand, swung up onto one of the beams that protruded from the stone above, then hopped from beam to beam until I could find a handhold in the stone – and scurried up another story to the top of the wall. â€Å"Sorry sodding fortress,† I shouted to Kent with a wave. In a wink I was over the wall and down the drawbridge chains on the other side to the ground below. The old man was already at the gates of the walled village, nearly disappearing amid the rain, tottering out onto the heath in his fur cape, looking like an ancient sodden rat.

Business and administration Essay

Some sources of information may be found within an organisation (known as internal sources) while other sources are found outside the organisation (known as external sources). You can click on the icons below to see some examples. Internal External As you can see, there are many sources of high quality information out there. By taking time to explore this information, most people should be able to find out what they need to know. What a written statement must include A written statement can be made up of more than one document (if the employer gives employees different sections of their statement at different times). If this does happen, one of the documents (called the ‘principal statement’) must include at least: the business’s name the employee’s name, job title or a description of work and start date if a previous job counts towards a period of continuous employment, the date the period started how much and how often an employee will get paid hours of work (and if employees will have to work Sundays, nights or overtime holiday entitlement (and if that includes public holidays)Â  where an employee will be working and whether they might have to relocate if an employee works in different places, where these will be and what the employer’s address is As well as the principal statement, a written statement must also contain information about: how long a temporary job is expected to last the end date of a fixed-term contract notice periods collective agreements pensions who to go to with a grievance how to complain about how a grievance is handled how to complain about a disciplinary or dismissal decision What a written statement doesn’t need to include The written statement doesn’t need to cover the following (but it must say where the information can be found): sick pay and procedures disciplinary and dismissal procedures grievance procedures In Northern Ireland, a written statement must explain what the disciplinary rules and procedures are. Employers can download a template of a written statement of particulars to fill out. Working abroad If an employee has to work abroad for more than a month, their employer must state: how long they’ll be abroad what currency they’ll be paid in what additional pay or benefits they’ll get terms relating to their return to the UK This information can be given to the employee in a separate document. An employer may send an employee to another country in the European Economic Area (EEA). In this situation employees must get the terms and conditions that are the legal minimum in that country for: working hours and rest breaks holiday entitlement minimum pay (including overtime)