Cultural Project (Nursing) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural Project (Nursing) - Essay Example 5). It is important for nurses to communicate effectively in a culturally-sensitive way by taking into consideration the respective cultures of their patients. This paper is about taking care of a 65-year Haitian male. In order to provide relevant and culturally-competent medical care, it is necessary to know some of the unique cultural beliefs and practices of the people of Haiti. The country has two official languages which are French (20% of the population) and Haitian Creole (80%) which in turn is a mixture of some Spanish, English, French, African and Arabic. This means Haitian Creole is a pidgin language that is a combination or mixture of the several languages which do not have anything much in common between them; it is also the most widely-spoken Creole language in the world. Haitians prefer direct eye contact when communicating and there is very little personal space between two persons who are talking to each other, complemented with animated voice and expressive hand gestures; personal interaction is often very close. This is why caregivers are appreciated when they touch their patients (Colin & Paperwalla, 1996, p. 140). Most of Haitians are illiterate and need an interpreter for English whom they also tend to mistrust. For many centuries after the island was discovered and colonized by Spain and named as Hispaniola, Roman Catholicism was the sole religion with an estimated 80% of the people who are Catholics. The rest are Protestants (16%) such as Baptists, Methodists, Mormons and Adventists while the remaining 4% believe in voodoo often called as the peoples religion. It is not surprising to hear it said that 96% of the people are Christians but 100% of the Haitians are believers in voodoo. The rich and educated people of Haiti (a very small proportion) view voodoo as the practice of black magic by ignorant people (Ngcheong-lum & Jermyn,

Change and Innovation Essay Example for Free

Change and Innovation Essay The Governor of a certain Province has been plagued by problems on low-productivity turnout and project implementation troubles that delay project completion and reduce effective delivery of services to its constituents. This has also been voiced by the previous administration, so to correct this possible relapse a thorough revamp of the department has to be implemented. Top priority of his agenda was to hire an Architect who will lead the department concerned and enforce the required change to provide the dynamics of a vibrant administration that puts premium on the welfare of its constituents. The Scenario  Checking on the management system that has been in effect, the Architect found different flaws; the staff has been underachieving because the work assigned to each of them did not correspond with their degree of expertise; the planning division was in disarray because nobody could stand-up to make vital decisions; the system lacked incentives, that’s why most personnel go to work late and leave early. Besides taking long time breaks; various paper works do not follow a regular pattern. Thus, orders suffer delay and even payrolls are not processed on time (American Society of Associates Executive 2003). Various suppliers secure materials ordered at a central warehouse and department inspectors check the deliveries made. Said process takes too long that payments were seldom prompt. Project engineers were required to withdraw and deliver to the site the necessary materials when implementing projects; a system that entails double handling of materials and added fuel cost. Personnel in the field failed to follow proper time management because implementing engineers seldom reported to the site. The equipment pool lacked proper assessment while many endured long use but did not undergo timely maintenance. Equipment cannot be dispatched on time so that project engineers had to wait, even during critical junctions of the construction process. No schedules were ever followed over the use of equipment while only those favored have the liberty of priority accommodation. And lastly, the engineer’s capabilities were in question for many appear to lack construction experience that made the reliability of finished projects doubtful. The Revamp Upon assumption of office, the Architect made a thorough evaluation of each employee’s capabilities and then proper segregation of divisions was put in effect. The administration handled time management; to see to it that personnel report on time; that break time rules are implemented; that tardiness and absenteeism are dealt with corresponding penalties and that proper decorum is observed at all times (Time Management 2007). A working set-up was also devised to speed-up processing of documents to avoid unnecessary delays in the discharge of work orders, payment vouchers, travel orders, equipment requests and the approval of payroll requests. A division head is made answerable directly to the Architect for this matter. The planning division was also initiated with personnel divided into functional units. The design sector aims to conceive the projects requested by the Governor. Once designs are approved, the drafting section takes over in coordination with the structural section, sanitary section, electrical section and mechanical section, if required. And when plans are completed, some are tasked to work on the specifications, program of work, PERT CPM, a bar chart and bidding documents while others prepare the plans for printing. All of these are reviewed and approved by the architect prior to submission to the governor and implementation. Likewise the equipment section also had its share in the revamp. The designated head has to account for all equipment in its arsenal. Segregate those in good and running condition, equipment that needs minor repairs, equipment that has to be totally overhauled and equipment that has to be discarded. The section also prepares a list of equipment that has to be purchased and submitted as essential, and sees to it that all project engineers have access to equipment when required. A proper equipment release and return scheme should be devised to make erring personnel accountable for their action. The division that needed priority reorganization was the project implementation division. The architect ordered that project engineers undergo construction reorientation training before they can be dispatched to construction sites. This is the most important aspect of the revamp because failure of the project engineers will affect the safety of individuals that will benefit and use the finished project. This also is an assurance that the Province adheres to the safety rules and regulation required by the â€Å"National Building Code† (Wikipedia Contributors 2007c). Besides those in Government cannot afford to waste public funds by doing sub-standard projects. An additional section was organized to monitor all projects in the field daily with reports of the previous day handed in the morning prior to their sorties during the day. This way, the Architect is always abridged of proper project evaluation as well as construction accomplishments while related problems are resolved immediately. This also serves to entice field personnel to report on time and render the 8 hours work required daily and project engineers to be around to lend their technical know-how in the implementation of the project. Another aspect that the Architect revised is the delivery of materials. Since materials are requested per project subject for implementation, winning materials dealers are now required to deliver direct to the site, to save on double handling expenses. Materials after due inspection are turned over to the project engineer concerned, who will be accountable should anything happen to the materials out of his negligence. The Architect relied heavily on the management system of delegation of authority, to give all those involved personnel professional advancement (Delegation of Authority 2006). If a person delivers on the target expected, naturally incentives are provided to keep the momentum always in high gear. Underachievers are likewise given time to recoup and reconsider the causes of his debacle and when really inefficient are given the release order. We have to weed out the bad apples from the good, so only the reliable ones should remain. Risks  In any new endeavor there will always be adverse effects, whether pros and cons, depending upon the degree any change would affect individuals. In our case, the long exposure to a system that has been redundant will be a defining factor as to who perceives it to be good and those who are not receptive to a renewed environment. For those assigned to man the administrative division, change implied the systematic division of labor as each one functions relative to others. If one falls short, the whole system becomes ineffective, just like the domino principle in economics (Leeson, P. T. t al 2001). Everybody is required to do his share to keep the workplace humming. The planning division was not affected, since their tasks were clearly defined so that overlapping of functions can be minimized. Respect and trust to the division head is the contributing factor, as everybody relies on his experience and perceived intelligence to answer relevant queries. Of paramount importance is the implementing arm of the division, the project engineers. On their shoulders rests the completion of projects, so re-trainings are vital to the success of the projects (Wikipedia Contributors 2007b). Even if we have monitoring teams to check on their accomplishment, it is their intelligence and experience that will eventually dictate the tempo of their work. All other personnel needed the time to adjust and such will be achieved through mastery and familiarity of the new system. Evaluation of risks All the smart boys will never enter government service, so it is generally perceived that those in government are above average political appointees. And owing to their clout with the powers that be, they are the last segment that would be receptive to change. What makes it even harder is the Civil Service eligibility that protects their tenure even if they become a total recluse in their duties as public servant (Reinventing the State Civil Service 1995). Thus, this realignment is only made in part to appease the timid employees, while putting a lot of pressure to groups that found the revamp more in line with their educational attainment and experience. Those initiating change are always walking in a tightrope for there are eyes and ears that validate your every move, failure to comply will normally get the ire of well placed politicians. In the aftermath of these changes, many employees will need resettlement and the encompassing revamp should put them in positions that they can still function accordingly without having to compromise. It is a fact that change will be a hard pill to swallow for those comfortable with the previous system but it is a necessary evil in order to succeed and attain development goals. Change versus benefits The change instituted may create temporary, minor discomforts to rank and file personnel, but surely the rewards will be for the benefit of the greater majority. Just imagine when projects implemented are not only deemed safe and secure for those countless beneficiaries; but also when construction time is considerably reduced at the least cost to the government. We don’t need change simply to take over from the old guards. We need it to create a more cohesive workforce that can address to the needs of a more restive and demanding society. Government cannot be complacent amid calls for rapid development in the industry, labor and even the protection of the environment. Moreover, only governments can concretize those changes in place. Rating  The revamp that has been implemented should produce a positive rating especially if implemented with private entities. But for a governmental institution, rating should be around 4. These changes should reduce red tape in the bureaucracy; should provide the impetus for employees to perform well. These changes would have a positive effect on the employee’s self-worth; a beacon for those that desire professional advancement and most of all, constituents will benefit from all of these changes. Comment on rating The bureaucratic structure of the government is never 100% receptive to changes. Even if such changes would encompass welfare to a greater majority. Many will always suspect the intentions behind these changes, how honorable it may be. Such will be counter-productive as you dilly-dally to harm your work ethics and your productivity suffers. For these changes to be effective require a thorough reorganization, meaning personnel from rank and file up to the executives are all hired simultaneously. This way, the chief can mould his team to respond swiftly and accurately. Where everybody functions as they should and without due consideration from previous employment. But since this is not possible, we have to make do with what we have and hope that everybody will have a change of heart and do what is necessary. Raising potential The foremost solution is improve conditions at workplace, try to do some assessment and formulate ideas to probably change the decor, the air-conditioning might be too restrictive or your rapport with your employees might be too militaristic that hinders proper communication and limits production output. All factors will have to be considered to make it conducive to workers. Secondly, it is important that as manager, you are readily aware of your employee’s potential. Allow them to attend seminars and training to improve their capabilities and you should be lavish in your praise for a good work done (Practice Management 2006). And always strive to fight for their cause, ask for incentives that would be due to employees that made a dent to improve performance (Management Incentives Program). Communication Being true to your word with a posture of honesty while strict but also compassionate are the traits of a model manager. With these gestures you are communicating with your subordinates a sense of overbearing confidence that should mitigate respect and admiration. You don’t need to raise you voice to relay what you want. A fair handling of the situation can earn for you the trust that each employee needs from you. A good manager is seldom intellectually bright, proof of the matter are generally geeks never become good managers. It is always your emotional front that makes you a good communicator. Although the most reasonable form of communication ever devised is the weekly reporting system – reports are usually handed to the Head of office before the weekly forum starts, this have defined countless establishments and an effective tool even in government (Wikipedia Contributors 2007a).

Level Of Immigration In London Sociology Essay

Level Of Immigration In London Sociology Essay Immigration is a topic that not every individual would like to discuss, but its an issue that we hear and see every day. There is a high increase in immigrants entering the United Kingdom from European Union countries. Immigration is a subject thats difficult to collect detailed data from as there is a lack of official statistics or evidence. As already mentioned, there are many immigrants from European countries but there are also immigrants entering London from many other countries (non-european). This depends on various reasons, as some may enter a specific country in order to escape from danger in their existing place or to claim asylum. So how do we know if immigration good or bad for the UK? I have conducted an ananymous interview and will use it to critically reflect on the journal article Immigration and Social Cohesion in the UK. The article mainly focuses on the negative aspects of migration in regards of population dimension. In this essay I will mention a few benefits tha t have been brought into London through immigration. I will make arguments in regards of economical and social benefits to the area. Ill be arguing against the journal article and will announce positive aspects and my own view of migration. I will use the answers given by my interviewee and also use some external secondary data. What is immigration? People who move from one nation to the other without being citizens to that specific national state are called immigrants. This is the movement of immigration (ImmigrationAssist, Undated). Immigration is an arguable topic in London as there are both, positive and negative aspects to it. I think that there are more positive aspects to immigration in London rather than negative aspects. London has become a popular place of immigration. People started migrating to London after the second world war (Migration Information, 2009). Immigrants are viewed as people who take over on jobs and houses and leave nothing for the existing citizens (Interview, Line). Criticisms of immigration to consider is that social solidarity gets weaker and secondly that immigrants do not adopt the culture and values shared in Britain, but rather express their own values within London. Immigration is viewed as a cultural eraser. Moreover the UK has a policy framework which prevents racial di scrimination and therefore allows minorities to be visible within the country. Immigration levels have been constant from 1990 onwards (The Guardian, 2001). However, today London is receiving an unimaginable rate of immigrants. Recently, there have been great arguments if there should be a limit introduced to immigration in London. Before attempting to give your own opinion it is important to consider both; negative and positive aspects of the topic. To announce it more accurately I think that it is difficult to maintain both sides at an equal level or to make a fixed statement for or against the matter. We, as the public have opinions about the limitation on immigration so do politicians. Let us consider some if these views. One of the main view is that the country is getting over populated. One of those over populated places in Britain is London. At present times there is a population number of 65 million people within London, however predicitions claim that within 70 years the population number will rise up to 108 million people (BBC, 2011). This means that immigrants will need houses to live in. The government is therefore building as many houses as possible. This means that the government is spending a lot of money on resources. Well end up having less countrysides but a higher level of pollution as houses increase. If there was a limit set to immigration, the government wouldnt need to spend money on building houses (Policy Network, 2013). Not everyone has the same view about immigration, every individual has a different thought about it. Some of us certainly believe that it is better if we closed our borders in order to decrease the level of immigration (Gov.uk, 2013). But what do we gain from limiting the number of immigrants entering the country? The common perspective of immigration is that immigrants enter the country in order to obtain social benefits, which my interviewee also thought of (Interview, Line). However, immigrants do not possess the knowledge of the native language that is being used in the country, as they come from a different culture with different religions and different languages. These differences can lead to serious problems, such as violence. Dishonest immigrants enter the country in order to sell drugs or to carry out illegal activities. This is not a subject to be concerned about in London as much as it is in the United States. On the other side, people view immigration as something positive, as I do. Immigration allows the society to be more diverse in terms of culture and religion. It is important to know the differences between various cultures, as it builds knowledge and may erase the issue of racism. Some believe that jobs are the countrys private property, whereas others claim that immigration is a key to spread a better economy to less developed countries. Immigration can therefore be announced as a tool that helps to overcome world property. Immigrants are known to be the most hard working and intelligent workers within the country. Its an advantage to them as immigration allows to express talents and skills to another country (Independent, 2009). Previous census results show that London has completely changed. The results clearly show that the number of immigrants entering Britain has gone up by 3 million. However, politicians claimed that this was not an issue to worry about. Moreover the 2011 census shows that London is now a place of multiculturalism; which means that the amount white population has decreased to a very low level (ons.gov.uk, interactive, 2011). This has also been mentioned in the dailymail, It is believed to be the first time that British whites have become a minority in any region of the UK (Dailymail, 2012). This certainly means that the country has a very low percentage of white population, however the population size seems to increase as the years go by. This is an outcome due to immigration. However, it is important to take into account that immigrantion is a not a bad thing itself. Immigration introduces many advantages to London, which can be gathered from the talents and ideas that have been brough t into the country through immigration. It was stated that English is a language that was made up of many foreign languages in Britain decades ago. Through immigration we see an increase in population and culture which has a positive impact on the society. Economically, the increase in population expresses the filled job positions within London, which allows an increase in tax input and therefore benefits institutions such as schools. However, a House of Lords report stated that immigration does not benefit London at all; Minister Liam Byrne says migration has added ÂÂ £6bn to the economy (BBC article, 2008). It does lead to a greater economy which is shared with a greater society which leaves us with nothing. My interviewee, stated that it is not fair on the existing population, as they work very hard to achieve. I certainly go against her saying as people dont move out of one country to another just for the fun of it but for various reasons. The reasons could be the desire for a better living, such as good education al and job opportunities. Its not easy to adopt a new athmosphere, and to seperate from family members and friends. Just like any other place, London expresses that it contains racism to some extent. Even though we think that legal immigrants are treated fairly, there are still people who discriminate others as they possess different values and norms. The BBC news magazine announces, for the most part legal immigrants are treated fairly but there are still racists out there, just cause someone is speaking a different language they start discriminating them (BBC Does Britains sense of fair play attract immigrants?, 2010). Illegal immigrants, however are treated not as fair as legal immigrants. Yet they are illegal residents, but they are here for certain reasons, such as the ideology of having a better life. This shows that London is a place of opportunity and freedom (BBC Does Britains sense of fair play attract immigrants?, 2010). The article also mentions that when people see someone from a different ethnic group, they tend to assume that they are illegal immigrants, when in reality they could b e legal UK citizens. The view is that London has economically benefited from immigration as the new workers (immigrants) agree to take over on low paid jobs, which the existing population may not desire to opt for. Another reason is that the new workers allow the defeat in skill shortages within London. A recent home office research (Glover et al, 2001) states that there has been very little attention in force towards migration within the United Kingdom, Immigration has been a market driven response to supply and demand, rather than policy-driven. Theres no solid solution for the increase of immigration in London, but there are some ways that could be used in order to reduce the amount of immigration. We already have security barriers at all British borders, although they are not strong enough. As I have already mentioned a method is to make those barriers stronger to prevent the high income of immigrants, this means that borders should be checked more frequently and strictly. There are actions taken at the border crossing, The final set of recent immigration policy changes are designed to reinforce security at the border (Focus Migration, undated). The British police should be more aware of illegal entrance into the United Kingdom, and should therefore check immigrants if they have the correct documents to enter the country. The police should also be able to arrest those who enable immigrants to cross countries illegally. My interviewee stated that the government should take some action to decrease the amount of immigration, by providing a lower amount of benefits. To conclude, it seems satisfactory to state that there are social and economic benefits and disadvantages to the UK through immigration, as migrant workers who recently entered London have brought such changes. The pressure on public services has been held responsible on immigration, moreover it is the government that was unable to set additional income into such services while obtaining the advantages of economic growth and greater tax profits. It is very difficult to follow an open-door policy (the scheme of allowing equal business opportunities to all countries) without supplying any help to the community to deal with a greater population level. Immigration can be beneficial if the rate of immigration is maintained to a certain level and if the government fulfills the needs of the population. UK Borders should only be opened up to those who are hard working and who are in real danger. It is for certain that the immigrant population within London will change our lives by creating m ore diverse alterations to the country. Word Count: 1,854 Interview transcription: Carried out on 12th April 2013 Q: Hi, how are you? 1. Alicia: Hiiii (big smile on face), not too bad actually, its just the weather thats irritating. Q: Let me just quickly explain what this is about, I will interview you and see what your opinion about immigration is. Im doing this for an academic purpose and will use this interview for a critical reflection on an artical. I will not collect any personal details from you, as this interview remains anonymous. Is that okai with you? 2. Alicia: Yep, deffoo. Q: Do you mind if I take a maximum of 15 minutes of your life? 3. Alicia: Haha, thats not a problem. I dont mind helping people you know. Q: Whats your favourite town within London? 4. Alicia: Wembley. Q: If you were to come from Wembley today, why would you get here, all the way from Wembley to Stratford? 5. Alicia: I like shopping, and Westfields is wow, it has a variety of shops. I dont mind travelling, 6. its way better than sitting at home, hehe. Q: How would you get here? 7. Alicia: I took the train. I drive but dont own a car yet. Im still looking for a part time job, coz I 8. dont want my parents to get me a car. If its something for me then it should be from my 9. own money. Q: Okai thats a sweet idea. Would you be able to list any difference between Wembley and Stratford? 10. Alicia: Erm, no. Q: Why not? 11. Alicia: Both places are pretty much multicultural. Erm, you can see people from everywhere, 12. erm you know like, ehhm, you see asians, whites and blacks, sorry Im not trying to be racist 13. here, just answering the question. Q: Interesting, do you prefer this country to remain multicultural? 14. Alicia: Yehh, curse I do. Its cool how we connect with people from different backgrounds. 15. Not only Wembley and Stratford but all over London. I would say that London has people 16. from all over the world. Q: What do you think, could be the reason for multiculturalism in London? 17. Alicia: Im actually not sure you know. Erm (pause), Im really not sure, maybe coz there are 18. better welfare services here..I think. Q: Would you say that immigration has an impact on multiculturalism? 19. Alicia: Oh yh, actually thats something to think about. Personally, Im from Germany. I was 20. born there and spent 13years there. Originally Im of a Pakistani background. I think there is 21. something about the government that makes immigration easier, coz in Germany you rarely 22. meet any people from different places. Immigration must be the reason, there must be 23. many people like me who migrated from other places to the UK. Q: What do you think about immigration? 23. Alicia: Erm, it actually doesnt matter of where youre from, but its good to do it legally 24. rather than illegallyhehe (quiet laughter). Q: Why do you say that? 25. Alicia: Well, illegal residents will of course call their children or relatives over and will opt for 26. benefits and free food and all that. Its so not fair on us, coz we might end up being in a 27. position of hardship.(Quite tensed, forehead creased) Q: What do you mean by hardship, do you mind expanding? 28. Alicia: Its just you know, there is always a time where we might end up not getting 29. jobs..erm, basically well be jobless. We grow up in this country, and do everything legally, 30. and you know work hard to get into a decent job. That cant be taken away from us by illegal 31. immigrants. Its seriously not fair on the ones who work their bottoms off. (Smile faded, head still creasedpretty much into the questionnaire) Q: But dont you think that people may settle here due to their personal reasons? 32. Alicia: Well yeah, erm I know some people who came over coz they have some war or some 33. sort of problem going on in their place. Q: Dont you think that they work really hard too, to remain in a safe place? 34. Alicia: Hmm (seems tensed) Q: Do you think that immigration and population growth go together? 35. Alicia: I think so, the more migrates we have the higher the population will be. Q: Is that something bad or good? 36. Alicia: Id say bad, coz well run out of houses to live in haha, Im kidding, but as I said well 37. experience hardship. Q: So dont you think that there are any good aspects to immigration? 38. Alicia: There are, as I said we connect to people who are of a different background. I would 39. say(little pause), say that immigration makes us learn different cultures. Erm, its kinda like 40. getting to know different values and life styles, were basically learningerm increasing our 41. knowledge. There could also be an opportunity to learn different languages. Q: So youre saying it allows cultural exchange? 42. Alicia: Er yeah, hehe. Q: Is that the only positive aspect or do you have more to add? 43. Alicia: I would say that London is more welcoming than Germany. Erm immigration shows that the country is treating people fairly, whatever their background. (Big smile) Q: Thats a really nice thought.

An Ethical Responsibility Essay -- Essays Papers

An Ethical Responsibility Ethics and morals, two of the most important traits in an educated human being, are interestingly not taught by schools. Ethics is defined, in Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, as the discipline dealing with what is good and what is bad. Morals are defined in the same dicitonary as those principles of right and wrong in behavior. For Jonathan Kozol, in The Night Is Dark And I Am Far From Home, ethics and morals have similar meanings but extend to include a sense of compassion for others. I agree with his argument that the purpose of schooling is to educate an ethical human being: a person who not only lives his life by facts and knowledge but also by ethics and morals. The need for schools to address ethics and morals is important in the 1990s, due to the emergence of the single-parent family. This new type of family, along with the family with two working parents, has caused the "latch key" child to become commonplace in many schools today. Since their parents are still working by the time they are dismissed from school, these young, elementary school children have a key to get into their homes everyday after school. Without parental supervision, they begin to believe that the decisions and actions in surreal comic books, popular, (at times pornographic), magazines, and violent television programs are acceptable. Such a situation results in children with a warped sense of reality, ethics, and moral, allowing them to easily become susceptible to delinquency. Proponents against the inclusion of ethics in schools argue that since ethics and morals are personal they should be taught in the home. However, for many of these children, an academic environ ment is the only place where they interac... ...e which do not. A child will be able to identify not only with his own mother's dying of cancer but also with another child's mother dying from cancer. The need for ethics and morality in education is more important now than ever before. The "latch key" child and single parent family have led schools to consider an ethical dilemma: are they responsible for the ethical and moral education of children. To see an end to teenage pregnancy, violence, and death, schools must teach their students what is ethical and moral and what is not. To secure our future as a provacative, risk taking, concerned society schools must not consider an ethical dilemma but rather accept their ethical responsibility. Works Cited Carballo, Jose. Personal Interview. 20 Sept. 1997. Kozol, Jonathan. The Night is Dark and I am Far From Home. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1975.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 35

â€Å"Nevertheless† – Damon's eyes took on a steely glint – â€Å"without the amulet my assistant and I will not perform.† â€Å"But – with it you will? I say, are you saying that you lost your amulet here?† â€Å"As a matter of fact, yes. Just around the time the party arrangements were being set up.† Damon flashed a beautiful, haunting smile at the young vampires and then turned it off suddenly. â€Å"I had no idea I would have your help, and I was trying to find a way to get an invitation. So I took a look around to see how the place would be laid out.† â€Å"Don't tell me it was before the grass was rolled,† someone said apprehensively. â€Å"Unfortunately, yes. And I was given a psychic message, which told me that the k – the amulet is buried somewhere here.† There was a chorus of groans from the crowd. Then there were individual voices raised, pointing out the difficulties: the rock-hardness of the rolled grass, the many ballrooms with their many floral arrangements in soil, the kitchen garden and flower gardens (which we haven't even seen yet, Elena thought.) â€Å"I realize the virtual impossibility of finding this,† Damon said, taking the half of the fox key back into his hand and making it disappear neatly by passing it near Elena's hand, which was ready to receive it. She now had a special place for it – Lady Ulma had seen to that. Damon was saying, â€Å"That is why I simply said no at the beginning. But you pressed me, and now I've given you the full answer.† There was some more grumbling, but then people began walking out in ones and twos and threes, talking about the best places to start looking. Damon, they're going to destroy Bloddeuwedd's grounds, Elena protested silently. Good. We'll offer all the jewels you three girls have on you, as well as all the gold I have on me, as a recompense. But what four people can't do, maybe a thousand can. Elena sighed. I still wish we'd had the chance to talk to Bloddeuwedd. Not just to hear her speak, but to ask her some questions. I mean what reason would a beautiful blossom like her have to protect Shinichi and Misao? Damon's telepathic answer was brief. Well, let's try the top rooms, then. That was where she was headed, anyway. They found a case of crystal stairs – quite difficult to locate when all the walls were transparent, and frightening to ascend. Once on the second floor they looked for another one. Eventually Elena found it, by stumbling over the first step. â€Å"Oh,† she said, looking from the step, which now showed itself through a line of red across its front edge, to her shin, which showed the same damage. â€Å"Well, it may be invisible, but we aren't.† â€Å"It's not quite invisible.† Damon was channeling Power to his eyes, she knew. She'd been doing the same – but these days she wondered which of them had more of her blood in them: him or her? â€Å"Don't strain yourself, I can see the steps,† he said. â€Å"Just shut your eyes.† â€Å"My eyes – † Before she could ask why she knew why and before she could scream he had picked her up, his body warm and solid and the only solid thing anywhere around. He headed up the stairs holding her so that her dress was out of the way of the blood droplets that fell freely into space. For someone afraid of heights, it was a wild, terrifying ride: even though she knew Damon was in top condition and would not drop her and even though she was certain he could see where he was going. Still, left to herself and her own volition, she would never have made it farther than the first stair. As it was, she didn't even dare wiggle much in case she threw Damon off balance. She could only whimper and try to endure. When, an eternity later, they reached the top, Elena wondered who would carry her down, or if she would be left here the rest of her life. They were confronted by Bloddeuwedd, the most enchantingly inhuman creature Elena had yet seen. Enchanting†¦but odd. Was there not a slight primrose pattern to her hair in back and on the sides? Wasn't her face actually the shape of an apple-blossom petal as well as having the petal's faint bloom? â€Å"You are in my private library,† she said. And, as if a mirror had cracked, Elena came free of the last of Bloddeuwedd's glamour. The gods had made her out of flowers†¦but flowers don't speak. Bloddeuwedd's voice was toneless and flat. It ruined the image of the flower-made girl completely. â€Å"We're sorry,† Damon said – naturally not at all out of breath. â€Å"But we'd like to ask you some questions.† â€Å"If you think I will help you, I will not,† the flower-petal girl said in the same nasal tone. â€Å"I hate humans.† â€Å"But I am a vampire, as you have surely already discerned,† Damon was beginning, laying the charm on thick, when Bloddeuwedd interrupted him. â€Å"Once a human, always a human.† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† Damon's loss of control might have been the best thing that could have happened, Elena thought, trying to keep behind him. He was so clearly sincere about his scorn for humans that Bloddeuwedd softened a little. â€Å"What did you come to ask?† â€Å"Only if you had seen one of two kitsune lately: they're brother and sister and call themselves Shinichi and Misao.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Or they might – I'm sorry? Yes?† â€Å"The thieves came to my house at night. I was at a party. I flew back from the party and almost caught them. Kitsune are hard to catch, though.† â€Å"Where†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Damon swallowed. â€Å"Where were they?† â€Å"Running down the front stairs.† â€Å"And do you remember the date that they were here?† â€Å"It was the night that the grounds were made ready for this party. Stone rollers went over the grass. The canopy was erected.† Weird things to do at night, Elena thought, but then she remembered – again. The light was always the same. But her heart was beating fast. Shinichi and Misao could only have been here for one reason: to drop off half of the fox key. And maybe drop it in the Great Ballroom, Elena thought. She watched dully as the entire outside of the library rotated, almost like a giant planetarium, so that Bloddeuwedd could pick out a globe and place it in some contraption that must make the music play in various rooms. â€Å"Excuse me,† Damon said. â€Å"This is my private library,† Bloddeuwedd said coldly against the swelling of the glorious ending to the Firebird Suite. â€Å"Meaning now we must leave?† â€Å"Meaning now I am going to kill you.†

Anita Desai

Won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize for her novel â€Å"Fire on the Mountain† and her children's book â€Å"The Village by the Sea† (1982), won the Guardian Children's Fiction Award.Anita Desai is an Indian novelist and short story writer. She is known for her sensitive portrayal of the inner feelings of her female characters. Many of Anita Desai's novels explore tensions between family members and the alienation of middle-class women. In her later novels, Anita Desai wrote on varied themes such as German anti-Semitism, the demise of traditions, and Western stereotypical views of India.Anita Desai was born as Anita Mazumdar on June 24, 1937 in Mussoorie. Her mother was German and her father was Bengali. Anita Desai completed her schooling from Queen Mary's Higher Secondary School in Delhi and graduated in English literature from the University of Delhi (Miranda House).Anita Desai made her debut as novelist in 1963 with â€Å"The Peacock†. It was followed by â €Å"Voices of the City† (1965)- a story about three siblings and their different ways of life in Calcutta. Her novel â€Å"Fire on the Mountain† (1977) won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize. Anita Desai's other works include â€Å"Clear Light of Day† (1980), â€Å"In Custody† (1984) and â€Å"Fasting, Feasting† (1999), each of which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. â€Å"In Custody† was made into a film by Merchant Ivory productions. Her children's book â€Å"The Village by the Sea† (1982), won the Guardian Children's Fiction Award. Anita Desai's most recent novel is â€Å"The Zig Zag Way† (2004), set in 20th century Mexico.Anita Desai is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Girton College, Cambridge and Clare Hall, Cambridge. Presently, Anita lives in the United States, where she is the John E. Burchard Professor of Writing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambri dge, MA. – See more at: file:///D:/my%20research/Anita%20Desai%20Profile%20-%20Anita%20Desai%20Biography%20-%20Information%20on%20Indian%20Writer%20Anita%20Desai.htm#sthash.ULB7qt