The Normal Heart

The Normal Heart Larry Kramer wrote The Normal Heart, a semi-autobiographical award-winning play based on his experiences as a gay man during the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York. The protagonist, Ned Weeks, is Kramer’s alter ego - an outspoken and acerbic personality who was the voice of reason so many people both inside and outside the gay community refused to listen to or follow. Kramer himself originated the Gay Men’s Health Crisis which was one of the first groups founded to help victims of AIDS and spread awareness of the disease. Kramer was later forced out of the group he helped to found due to the board of directors feeling he was over confrontational and hostile. Sexual Revolution In the beginning of the 1980s, the gay population in America was experiencing a sexual revolution. Especially in New York City, gay men and women finally felt free enough to come â€Å"out of the closet† and express pride in who they were and the lives they wished to lead. This sexual revolution coincided with the outbreak of HIV/AIDS and the only prevention advocated by medical personnel at that time was abstinence. This solution was unacceptable to a population of oppressed people who had finally found freedom through sexual expression. Kramer and his alter ego Ned Weeks, did his best to talk to his friends, send out information, and get government assistance to convince the gay community of the real and present danger of the as yet unnamed plague that was being transmitted sexually. Kramer was met with resistance and anger from every side and it would take over four years before any of his efforts found success. Plot Synopsis The Normal Heart spans a period of three years from 1981-1984 and chronicles the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City from the perspective of the protagonist, Ned Weeks. Ned is not an easy man to love or befriend. He challenges everyone’s viewpoints and is willing to speak and speak loudly, about unpopular issues. The play opens at a doctor’s office where four gay men wait to be seen by Dr. Emma Brookner. She is one of the few doctors willing to see and attempt to treat patients who come to her with the varied and bizarre symptoms with which AIDS first presents. By the end of the first scene, two of the four men are diagnosed positive for the disease. The other two men are worried about possibly being carriers of the disease. (This bears repeating: It is important to note that the disease is so new it doesn’t have a name yet.) Ned and a few others found a group to help spread awareness of this new and deadly disease. Ned butts heads with the board of directors frequently because the board wishes to focus on helping those already infected and in trouble while Ned wants to push ideas that may prevent the spread of the disease - namely, abstinence. Ned’s ideas are distinctly unpopular and his personality renders him incapable of winning anyone to his side. Even his partner, Felix, a writer for the New York Times is reluctant to write anything having to do with this supposed homosexual disease that only seems to affect gays and junkies. Ned and his group attempt to meet with the governor of New York several times with no success. In the meantime, the number of people diagnosed and deceased from the disease begins to rise exponentially. Ned wonders if any help is ever going to come from the government and strikes out on his own to go on radio and TV to spread awareness. His actions eventually lead the group he created to force him out. The board of directors does not support his insistence on having the word â€Å"Gay† on the letterhead or return address on mailings. They do not want him doing any interviews (since he wasn’t voted president) and they do not want Ned as the main voice speaking out for the gay community. He is forced out and goes home to help his partner, Felix, now in the final stages of the disease. Production Details Setting: New York City The stage is meant to be â€Å"whitewashed† with statistics about the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic written in plain black lettering for the audience to read. Notes about what statistics were used in the original production can be found in the script published by the New American Library. Time: 1981-1984 Cast Size: This play can accommodate 14 actors. Male Characters: 13 Female Characters: 1 Roles Ned Weeks is difficult to get along with and love. His ideas are ahead of his time. Dr. Emma Brookner is one of the first doctors to treat the new and nameless disease infecting the gay community. She is under-appreciated in her field and her advice and prevention ideas are unpopular. The character of Dr. Emma Brookner is confined to a wheelchair due to a childhood bout of polio. This wheelchair, along with her illness, is a subject of discussion in the  dialogue of the play and the actress playing her must remain seated in the wheelchair the entire production. The character of Dr. Emma Brookner is based on the real-life doctor Dr. Linda Laubenstein who was one of the first doctors to treat patients with HIV/AIDS. Bruce Niles is the handsome president of the support group Ned helped found. He is unwilling to come out of the closet at work and refuses to do any interview that might out him as a gay man. He is terrified he may be a carrier of the disease as so many of his partners have been infected and died. Felix Turner is Ned’s partner. He is a writer for the fashion and food sections of the New York Times  but is still reluctant to write anything to publicize the disease even after he is infected. Ben Weeks is Ned’s brother. Ben swears he supports Ned’s lifestyle, but his actions often betray an underlying uneasiness with his brother’s homosexuality. Smaller Roles David Tommy Boatwright Craig Donner Mickey Marcus Hiram Keebler Grady Examining Doctor Orderly Orderly Content Issues: Language, sex, death, graphic details about the end stages of AIDS Resources Samuel French holds the production rights for The Normal Heart. In 2014, HBO released a movie of the same name.

A self assessment on intercultural negotiating skills Essay - 1

A self assessment on intercultural negotiating skills - Essay Example This paper looks at issues surrounding intercultural negotiations. Qualities of a Good Intercultural Negotiator A good cross-cultural negotiator should be a good observer and listener. He is able to observe how people from two different cultural backgrounds communicates and is thus able to develop a common ground where the two parties can understand each other. Another characteristic that a good communicator should bear is the ability to communicate clearly and precisely. He should be able to identify the root problem of the conflict and communicate it to the parties involved (JANDT, 2010: 65). He should then communicate the need to first deal with the root problem as a way of eradicating the problem completely. A good intercultural communicator should never assume anything. When in doubt about something, he should ask for clarification from the parties involved. He should also not shy away from paraphrasing statement to ensure that there is no misunderstanding Assumptions may lead t o the negotiator making decisions based on stereotypes and not fact. This would make the party which is affected by the cultural stereotype to be dissatisfied with the solution and the conflict is not amicably resolved. A negotiator should also be flexible in terms of negotiation (FISHER & PATTON, 1992: 32). It is okay to conduct a background research on the conflict and come up with ways of resolving the conflict before meeting the parties. However, a good negotiator should be able to change his solutions in line with new information acquired during the negotiation process. Self assessment on the Simulation of the role of an Intercultural Negotiator In the case I was negotiating upon as an MP of Dunston area involved convincing Spitzer UK Company to continue operating within the area. The company had invested in the area but was now closing its operations in Duston as it stopped some of its research projects respiratory and allergy. This move would result in 2400 people losing thei r jobs. This is against my promises to the people of increasing job opportunities. I resolved this problem by talking to Duston mayor to find a way that we could stop the company from leaving the district. A meeting was organized between the Spitzer company managers and the mayor. For the company to continue operating in the district, the mayor would provide the necessary infrastructure needed such as roads. He would also relax the tax requirements making this region attractive to Spitzer. This was with the condition that they retain all the employees. The company would then work on its existing researches in Dunston. Eventually the company agreed to continue with its operation but would have to reduce the current employees by 20% in order to cut on costs. One mistake that I made when going to the negotiations is that I believed that the only solution to the problem was having all the employees retained. However, after talking with the parties involved and almost repulsing the Spitz er company manager, I realized that there was another solution. If the company agreed to retain its operations in the district with 80% of employees, it would soon need to employ more people as it started working on new project. The deal may not be what I wanted at the moment but the company would employ more people in the longrun (GIBSON, 2002: 49). If the company refused the deal and moved its

Innovation and Technology Management - Long Tail Essay

Innovation and Technology Management - Long Tail - Essay Example rd to the explosion of online commerce and distribution is that this new distribution medium is changing the way products and services are consumed, away from the traditional model of mass consumption that is premised on scarcity of distribution resources and the need for hits to keep the markets for all kinds of goods and services viable and humming via a reliance on hits. In the new distribution paradigm, there is no additional cost to keeping non-hit products in the inventory, especially with regard to electronic goods such as music and books, and that pioneering companies in the new distribution channels, such as Amazon and Netflix, as well as Apple for music, are finding out that non-hit music, books and movies kept in stock and easily procured by specific niche consumers have come to constitute a steady stream of on-going business, This is to the extent that in some cases, the cumulative sales of these so-called long-tail products and services have come to account for a large p ortion of the total sales of these firms, dwarfing or becoming comparable to the sales of the hits products and services that used to account for all the sales. This is a new business reality that is the result of the online commerce revolution itself, and promises to be a very profitable new reality for those who know how to capitalize on the knowledge and implications of the long tail (Anderson 2004). The literature has come to unearth a large number of phenomena in the business world relating to the long tail, even as the term itself has come to be associated with the returns that can be had from keeping goods in stock for those items that are not in large demand but whose costs of distribution, marketing, warehousing, storage and merchandising are low enough that those costs are offset by marginal sales. Statistically too, the implication of the long tail concept is that there is money to be made within that area of the probability distribution for a population lying at the tails

Describe the possible signs Essay Example for Free

Describe the possible signs Essay Bullying is not defined as a form of abuse in Working Together but there is clear evidence that it is abusive and will include at least one, if not two, three or all four, of the defined categories of abuse. Recognising child abuse is not easy. It is not our responsibility to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place or if a child is at significant risk of harm from someone. We do however, have both a responsibility and duty, as set out in your organisation’s child protection procedures, to act in order that the appropriate agencies can investigate and take any necessary action to protect a child. Physical abuse Physical abuse is deliberately causing physical harm to a child. This might involve punching; kicking, biting, burning, scalding, shaking, throwing or beating with objects such as belts, whips, or sticks. It also includes poisoning, giving a child alcohol or illegal drugs, drowning or suffocation. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of illness in a child. Signs of Physical Abuse There are certain signs that need to be acknowledged when suspicion arises that physical abuse is occurring: Any injuries not consistent with the explanation given to staff. Injuries which occur to any part of the body but usually in places which are not normally exposed to falls or rough games Injuries which have not received medical attention Reluctance to change in the heat, or to change/participate in activities such as, PE or swimming Bruises (usually in clusters), human bites, cigarette burns and fractures, for example, which do not have an accidental explanation multiple burns with a clearly demarcated edge Fear of parents being approached for an explanation Flinching when approached or touched Aggressive behaviour and/or sudden anger outbursts Depression Running away from home Possible effects of physical abuse Physical abuse can lead directly to neurological damage, physical injuries, disability and in extreme cases death. Physical abuse has been linked to aggressive behavior in children, emotional and behavioral problems and learning difficulties. Emotional Abuse Emotional abuse is where repeated verbal threats, criticism, shouting, lack of love and affection causes a severe adverse effect on a childs emotional development. It consists of communicating to children that they are worthless, unloved, and inadequate or valued. Emotional abuse may include not giving a child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or making fun of what they say. It may feature inappropriate expectations being imposed on a child, over protection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from taking part in normal social interaction. Signs of possible emotional abuse †¢ Depression, aggression, extreme anxiety, changes or regression in mood or behavior, particularly where a child withdraws or becomes clingy †¢ Obsessions or phobias †¢ Sudden underachievement or lack of concentration †¢ Seeking adult attention and not mixing well with other children †¢ Sleep or speech disorders †¢ Low self-esteem †¢ Fear of parents/carer being approached regarding their behavior †¢ Fear of making mistakes Possible effects of emotional abuse This type of abuse can lead to adverse long-term effects on the child’s development. Emotional abuse has a significant impact on a developing childs mental health, behavior and self-esteem. This type of abuse is as important as the other three types, and can be detected as the signs are more visible and can be easily detected. Domestic violence, adult mental health problems and parental substance misuse may be features in families where children are exposed to such abuse. Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. This may involve physical contact including penetrative sex, oral sex, masturbation, kissing, rubbing, or touching outside of clothing, or it may involve non-contact activities such as involving children in watching sexual activities, producing or looking at sexual images, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Abusers can be men, women or other children. Between 21% and 36% of sexually abused children will display few or no symptoms but it is usually a child’s behavior which becomes a cause for concern. Children who tell of sexual abuse do so because they want it to stop therefore is extremely important to listen to a child that discloses such an allegation. Signs of possible sexual abuse †¢ Any allegations made by a child concerning sexual abuse †¢ self-harming, sometimes leading to suicide attempts †¢ Sexual activity through words, play or drawing †¢ Repeated urinary infections, itching or bleeding around genital area and/or unexplained stomach pains †¢ The child is sexually provocative or seductive with adults †¢ Saying they have a secrets that they cannot share with anyone †¢ Severe sleep disturbances with fears, phobias, vivid dreams or nightmares which sometimes have overt or veiled sexual connotations or bedwetting †¢ Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia Possible effects of sexual abuse Behavior such as self-harm, inappropriate sexual behavior, sadness, depression and loss of self-esteem has all been linked to sexual abuse. The effects of sexual abuse can affect the individual into their adult life. The extent or the severity of each case is determined by the time span of abuse, the more serious the abuse, the younger the child is and the relationship of the child to the abuser. Once sexual abuse has been identified the support of an adult who believes the child helps, starts to help the child understand the abuse and can therefore offer help and protection to the abused child. Neglect Neglect has been described as the â€Å"most serious type of child maltreatment and the least understood† (Crittenden 1999: 67). It is the most common reason for a child to be placed on the child protection register in the UK. Neglect is the failure to meet a child’s basic physical and or psychological needs, which is likely to affect the child’s health or development. Neglect is when a parent or carer fails to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment), medical care, or protection from physical and emotional harm or danger. Additionally failure to ensure access to education or to look after a child because the carer is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, is considered as Neglect. Signs of possible neglect †¢ Dirty skin, body smells, unwashed, uncombed hair and untreated lice †¢ Clothing that is dirty, too big or small, or inappropriate for weather conditions †¢ frequently left unsupervised or alone †¢ Frequent diarrhoea †¢ complaints of being tired all the time †¢ Untreated illnesses, infected cuts or physical complaints which the carer doesn’t respond to †¢ frequently hungry sometimes stealing other children’s food †¢ Being underweight Possible effects of neglect Neglect can seriously impair a childs health, physical and intellectual growth and development, and can cause long term difficulties with social functioning, relationships and educational progress. Extreme cases of neglect can cause death. Bullying Bullying is also recognized as a type of abuse. Bullying is always distressing for the victim and can have serious consequences. Bullying should always be taken seriously. Emotional bullying is the most commonly reported by children and young people and is often more difficult to spot. Bullying can take place both inside and outside of the school. Bullying happens when an individual or a group show hostility towards an individual and this can be: †¢ Emotional, such as name-calling, not talking to someone, taking or hiding personal items, humiliating, spreading rumors or teasing †¢ Physical, such as pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching or threatening to use physical force †¢ Racist, such as racial taunts or gestures †¢ Sexual, such as inappropriate physical contact, sexual comments and innuendo, or homophobic taunts. Signs of possible bullying Loss of personal possessions, dinner money or items of clothing Torn clothing, maybe even having cuts and bruises (if physically bullied) Shyness, withdrawn behavior, lack of self-esteem and depression Aggressive, bad tempered behavior and may become aggressive to younger siblings Threaten or attempt suicide Not achieving very well academically Not wanting to leave their home Possible effects of bullying Bullying will most definitely affect a child’s social and emotional development as they have very low self-esteem maybe depression and will probably try to isolate themselves from others which will have a profound effect on their social skills with their peers and pretty much everybody around them, they may become aggressive and bad tempered and may threaten or attempt suicide and in some extreme cases may actually commit suicide. Cyber-bullying In recent years, a new form of bullying known as ‘cyber-bullying’ has become increasingly common. Cyber-bullying may be emotional, racist or sexual forms of abuse. It happens through emails, text messages or telephone calls. Information about someone may also be shared by putting it on to social networking sites. This can include the sharing of private photographs. Children and young people who use this method of bullying often feel disassociated from their actions, but the consequences can be just as serious for the child. This type of bullying can be particularly distressing as children are unable to get away from it, it even invades their home.

business plan Essays -- essays research papers

Wedding Consultants 1.0 Executive Summary CMG Wedding Consultants is a full service company that provides complete consulting services for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and every other special event. Our consultants are experienced and dedicated professionals with many years of event planning experience. CMG is unique in that we give our clients our undivided attention. We listen to their needs and work with them to create the event of their dreams. Our clients' wishes become our commands. So whether our client wants a Western, Tropical, Las Vegas or more traditional wedding, we can help. Our services include weddings, honeymoons, receptions, anniversary consultations, budget planning, answers to etiquette questions, as well as full-service florists, hair stylists, entertainers, musicians, etc. We also provide the inventions and thank you notes 1.1 Objectives Whether this is our client's first wedding, a renewal of their vows or their anniversary, we want every detail of their event to be both a pleasurable and a memora ble experience. With our full service the client does not have to stress on getting everything done, we do it all for them. Therefore we offer a host of packages and services specifically tailored to the needs of each couple. 1.2 Mission At CMG our mission is to keep our customers pleased! Party’s can be very stressful and time consuming, we are here to take the pressure of the client so they can spend more leisure time with family. We listen to their needs and work with them to create the event of their dreams. Our client’s wishes become our commands. We are confident that this business venture will be a success and we estimate that our 1.3 Keys to Success The keys to our success are as follows: 1. Service our clients' needs promptly and efficiently. 2. Maintain excellent working relationships with vendors such as musicians, hair salons and bridal shops. 3. Maintain a professional image at all times. net income will increase more than 10% by the second year. 2.0 Compa ny Summary CMG Wedding Consultants is a start-up company that provides wedding, reunions, and anniversary consulting services to brides, grooms and other family members. We are a full-service bridal consulting group and our goal is to put the fun back into planning a wedding, birthday or anniversary party. Too many people become overly stressed and frustrated when plan... ...eivables $51,322 $67,444 $74,775 Subtotal Cash from Operations $89,442 $113,188 $125,093 Additional Cash Received Extraordinary Items $0 $0 $0 Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received $0 $0 $0 New Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 New Other Liabilities (interest-free) $0 $0 $0 New Long-term Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Sales of other Short-term Assets $0 $0 $0 Sales of Long-term Assets $0 $0 $0 Capital Input $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Received $89,442 $113,188 $125,0 Expenditures 2001 2002 2003 Expenditures from Operations: Cash Spent on Costs and Expenses $1,396 $1,029 $1,150 Wages, Salaries, Payroll Taxes, etc. $53,100 $76,200 $85,800 Payment of Accounts Payable $11,446 $9,556 $10,252 Subtotal Spent on Operations $65,942 $86,785 $97,202 Additional Cash Spent Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out $0 $0 $0 Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 Other Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $0 $0 Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $0 $0 Purchase Other Short-term Assets $0 $0 $0 Purchase Long-term Assets $0 $0 $0 Dividends $0 $0 $0 Adjustment for Assets Purchased on Credit $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Spent $65,942 $86,785 $97,202 Net Cash Flow $23,500 $26,404 $27,891 Cash Balance $28,500 $54,903 $82,794

The medical model emphasizes exclusively

The medical model emphasizes exclusively on treating specific physical diseases and concerned with resolving health problems and does not emphasize prevention. The holistic model of health is defined by the 1947 WHO definition as a â€Å"state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. †The holistic model integrates the medical model perspective and also introduced the idea of positive health.The social epidemiologic model of health focus on individual level measures, or on emergent social properties that have no correlation at the individual level.The social epidemiologic model overlaps with social sciences like medical sociology and medical geography (Krieger 2002, p. 698).(2. )The debate between alternative and conventional medicines can be quite convincing but leaves those who are not aware of this issue to be either dangerously ignorant or confused. Thus, the impact of science on the rise of conventional (AMA) me dicine put at stake human health and human lives. According to the American Medical Association, the fourth leading cause of death in America is the use of prescription drugs.It accounts for reactions to drugs that were properly prescribed and reported cases. Thus, the exact and precise figure is undoubtedly far worse.(3. ) The main difference between modern and alternative traditional approaches is that the modern approach focuses on the cause of the ailment (Magar 2009). The modern approach concentrates on factors causing the disease, remedies and deal with abnormality as an independent entity. The alternative approach often opposes evidence-based practice and including therapies with an historical or cultural basis, but not scientific basis.(4. ) The wellness lifestyles can yield an impact on the lives of individuals. Thus, the wellness lifestyles can be made into a sociological concept given that there is a rising interest in health, fitness and well-being as an individual conce rn and a parallel concern of organizations, communities and nations (Schuster et al. 2004, p. 357-367).(5. ) Cassidy (1995) notes that the two paradigms namely reductionism (used by bioscientists) and holism (used by alternative healthcare) are incompatible to the ways of biomedicine and CAM.This distinction relates to problems in CAM because the two paradigms reflect two different ways of constructing reality in the society. Thus, the integration of CAM into medicine results to therapies of CAM adopted by medicine without the needed philosophical elements.(6. ) RCT has an issue of internal validity versus external validity. Most RCT designs have high validity based on reductionist scientific paradigm but have low external validity due to misrepresentation of the holistic essence of homeopathy. Homeopathy is a popular form of alternative medicine.(7. ) The choice of outcome measures should match the CAM intervention by matching the desired outcomes of the key participants and its va lidity in terms of measuring what it intends to measure in the study as a form of quality assurance.(8. ) The limitation of RCT is that it lacks qualitative measurement of data (Verhoef, 2002). The limitations of RCT with regard to research on CAM are that it is ineffective in testing more than one hypothesis and is an inappropriate model to evaluate the effectiveness of homeopathy.(9.) The outcome research in CAM can have another alternative to RCT when research uses randomized controlled trials to test in efficacy of the medicines used in homeopathy.(10. ) The most important concept I learned from writing this paper is that models of health greatly differ from each other in terms of their respective approaches and goals. The difference of the models of health possesses the same subject of either conventional or alternative medicines. Works Cited Krieger N. A glossary for social epidemiology. J Epidemiol Community Health. Oct 2001;55(10):693-700. Reprinted in Epidemiological Bullet in, Vol. 23 No. 1, March 2002

Five Facts to Know About Electric Cars

How much do you know about electric cars? Whether youre in the market for a new or used electric car or already own an electric car and just want more information about how your car operates; well  expand on some of the simpler details about the vehicles of now and the future. Gas Tanks Go Empty - Batteries Go Dead This fact has resulted in much range anxiety among prospective electric car buyers and in fact, has also contributed to the popularity of hybrid cars. But just like other batteries, car batteries can be recharged. It is generally recommended that electric cars be plugged in overnight for a full charge, but charging stations are beginning to be put into place that would allow an electric car to become charged in as few as 20 minutes, though there is concern the quick charge doesnt last as long as an overnight charge. Hybrid Cars Are Two Car Types in One Owning an electric car doesnt mean you must own a second car unless you frequently need to travel long distances. Hybrid electric cars, because they can go unlimited distances by relying on an onboard gas combustion engine, can be an alternative if thats the case. The range of electric cars can vary and is affected by things like weight and driving habits. Electric Cars Tend to Be Smaller However, they are equally as safe as gas-powered cars of the same class. The reason many cars are small is due to the low energy density of batteries and the tie in between weight and range. Electric Cars Can Be Pricier While the price of an EV is set by market forces, and some have argued that electric cars should be priced lower than conventional because, on an equivalent production basis, they are cheaper to build with fewer parts. Electric cars can also be cheaper to maintain for the same reason, though they do require the purchase of a replacement battery about every 4 to 5 years. Electric Cars Have Multiple Benefits They provide a quieter ride with less air pollution. They are also less costly to operate, something to keep in mind if your favorite electric car falls slightly out of your budget range. Electric cars should be more reliable since they have fewer parts. And while the idea of an electric car may seem knew, in reality, they have been around for nearly 150 years.