Globalization and the Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Globalization and the Society - Essay Example (Pros and Cons of Globalization, 2012) Most of the time globalization is used to refer to a particular specific aspect- economic integration throughout the world. This essay will examine the term of globalization, how it has been achieved, what benefits and drawbacks it brings to peoples’ daily life. Based on these facts and arguments, this essay will finally consider from different points of view whether globalization is good for society or not. Globalization began along with the time of the industrial age. Industries produced goods in a mass quantity without any specific market orientation; therefore they started to sell products across the board. Export became more efficient for business, so they wanted to replace production to a place with more affordable labor and cheaper production cost. Thus, replacing production location allows businesses to produce more at a cheaper price in a market where demand is higher. Free Trade Agreement allows free moving to industries among d ifferent countries; therefore it brings welfare to all countries for several reasons. First of all, globalization provides an opportunity for finance. Before globalization, businesses were limited only to domestic sources of finance from investors. But today, countries become closer therefore limitations on finance sources fall. In a global economy, entrepreneurs have an opportunity to gain investment form any country. For example, a company based in Mexico, can easily get investments from the US, Canada, Europe or Asia. This practice is becoming more common globally. This opportunity is available not only for developed countries, but also for developing countries. For example, African countries can gain funds form countless international sources like Kiva International, an organization that provides funding to poorest, allowing them to turn ideas into businesses (Faiola, 2009). Economic integration with foreign countries makes economic growth more constant and faster than those cou ntries that try to dissociate itself from all. China is a great illustration of international integration. To become a globally active nation, China has broken traditional principles of being individual and ignoring other countries. As a result, it could not be unnoticed that China is the fastest growing nation in the world nowadays. According to statistics, an open economy has a rate of growth of 2.5% higher than in a closed economy due to the process of globalization (Dreher, 2006). An open economy in this case has been achievable due to the globalization process that has taken place around the world allowing for different countries to financially interact with one another for mutual benefit. Business across the borders has proven to be a sustainable practice that allows the countries that practice to access markets that would have previously been inaccessible due to their location (Vujakovic, 2010). The open market has served to increase the financial wealth of a country as it ha s provided more opportunities to conduct business besides the local industries that are available. Globalization has enhanced the relationships that exist between countries thanks to their interaction with one another that has allowed them to get along and in the process reducing the prospect of war between countries (Scholte, 2005). Globalization has enhanced the bonds that exist between countries as they work together to enhance their financial and political strength meaning that there is little opportunity for them to come up with reasons for disagreements as they are in the process of working together for the common good of both of their nations. Improved relationships

Biometrics Essay Example for Free

Biometrics Essay Biometric Recognition or Biometrics refers to the automatic identification of a person based on intrinsic physical or behavioral traits. It requires physically present at the point of identification. Identification based on biometric techniques lessen the need to remember a password or carry a token like a physical ID. Various biometric traits are being used for real-time recognition, the most popular being face, iris and fingerprint. However, there are biometric systems that are based on retinal scan, voice, signature and hand geometry. First, a user must be enrolled in the system so that his biometric template or reference can be captured. This template is securely stored in a central database. The template is used for matching when an individual needs to be identified. Depending on the context, a biometric system can operate either in a verification (authentication) or an identification mode. The biometric recognition system is a technology design to monitor the students’ official entry inside the campus. It will also serve as the Internet and Tool room access pass. With the issues concern on the monitoring of students, the researchers delve on the propose project study entitled â€Å"TUPT using Biometric Technology.† It will also be used to identify students who will use University facilities like Internet Center and Tool Room. This study will help the security system by adopting the biometric recognition to identify the bona fide students of TUP- Taguig. It will also track and manage the end user of Internet Center same with the borrower in Tool Room. Statement of the Problem This study would utilize the security systems in the campus. Several problems incurred in the campus wherein the security guards encountered difficulties in dealing with student’s admission. To a large extent, borrowing, monitoring and tracking of equipments by the students are also considered in this study. In view, the researchers prompted to conduct this study by enhancing the ID system in which the Biometric Recognition should be adopted. Objectives General Objective: This study aims to enhance the University ID system by adopting Biometric Technology. Specific objectives: 1.To create a system that will enhance the security of the campus using Biometric technology. 2.To develop a more efficient management and operation in ID system. 3.To gather information regarding the development of ID system in TUP- Taguig using Biometric. 4.To test and implement the effectiveness of said system in the campus.

Policy Making Processes in South Africa

Policy Making Processes in South Africa The National Government is accountable to the law making process regarding the rights and commitments of its citizens and delivery of services. The Constitution of South Africa provides in Section 43, three spheres of government in South Africa, namely, the National Government, Provincial Government and Local Government. In Section 40(1) of the Constitution it states that these spheres of government are distinctive, inter-related and inter-dependent. All three areas work under the Constitution as well as the laws and policies created by Parliament. Elected members sanction policies and laws as well as supervise the work of the departments. The department and public services are liable for the work delegated by government and are accountable to the Executive. In the Provincial Legislature, the Premier and Executive Council is responsible for the managerial executive and the administration is done by the Heads of Department and their staff. The local government or council are managed b y the Mayor and the Mayoral Committee and the administration is taken care of by the Municipal Manager, Heads of Department and their staff. The law making process The National Legislature is the authority that passes new laws, amend existing laws or repeal old laws. This same power exists for provincial legislatures in making provincial laws and municipal laws in respect of municipal by –laws. The process is as follow: Firstly, a draft bill is drawn up by the MEC, MPL or the standing committee. This is then published in the provincial gazette as well as other papers to notify the public. The public has 14 days to respond to the proposed drat. If there were any public comment, the department will make the changes. Secondly, the speaker will introduce the proposed Bill to the legislature. Thirdly, the legislature committee debates the bill. Public hearings can be hold and if there are any changes to the draft, it is referred back to the legislature. Fourthly, the Legislature debates the bill and a vote is then passed. The Bill is passed once a majority vote is in favour. If not, the Bill is rejected. Fifthly, the Premier of the Province signs the Bill into an Act. Lastly, the Act is published in the Provincial Government Gazette. The Role of the NCOP When a Bill is passed by the National Assembly it is given a number and referred to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). The Bill is subject to the amendment proposed or rejected by the Council. The NCOP first needs to distinguished if the Bill contains issues that affects provinces (Section 76 Bill) or contains issues that do not affect the provinces (Section 75 Bill). If the Bill contains issues affecting provinces (Section 76 Bill) Members of the Select Committee approach their own provinces to review the Bill. Each provincial legislature gives a provincial mandate to make changes or leave it as it stands. Provincial representatives report back to the NCOP on their provincial decision. Then the selected committee negotiates the final version of the Bill, to report their decision or suggested changes to the NCOP. The NCOP considers the report, vote on the Bill and each province has a vote. It there are any proposed changes to the Bill, the NCOP refers it back to the National Assembly for approval. If the Bill contains issues that do not affect the provinces (Section 75 Bill) The NCOP considers the Bill, can either accept, reject or propose changes by the Select Committee. Each member of the NCOP votes according to their party decision. If the NCOP makes any changes to the Bill, it is then referred back again to the National Assembly for approval. If there are still differences in the agreement of the Bill, it can follow a mediation process. If this fails, the National Assembly can refer the Bill (Section 76 Bill) to the president to obtain a two thirds majority. If this does not happen the Bill falls away Once both houses accepts the final version of the Bill, it is then send to the President to be signed into an Act and law and then published in the Gazette. Once a law has been passed by the National Parliament it is up to the Provincial and Local Government on the implementation thereof The Role, Powers and Function of the Local Government in law-making According to Section 156(2) of the Constitution: â€Å"A municipality may make and administer by-laws for the effective administration of the matters which it has the right to administer†. The elected members to the municipality decide on the policies and by-laws for their area that needs to be approved and executed by law. The executive committee of the local council is accountable to present the by-laws. A by-law can only be passed if a majority vote in the municipal council was achieved, all members received reasonable notice and it was published in to elicit public comment. It must be understandable to the public. A by-law can only be imposed if it was published in the provincial gazette. Municipalities can prepare by-laws on matters that refer to Schedule 4B and Schedule 5B of the Constitution which gives Local Government the power to create and pass laws. Municipalities can also make laws on issues allocated by the National or Provincial Government. These issues depend on the category of the municipality to make these by-laws. A category ‘A’ municipality is referred to as a metropolitan municipality, a category ‘B† municipality is identified as a local municipality and a category ‘C’ is known as a district municipality. A metropolitan municipality makes by-laws on all affairs as listed per Schedule 4B and 5B of the Constitution and has the ability to make by-laws delegated by the Provincial or National Government. These affairs include by-laws affecting for example, air pollution, building regulations, local tourism and municipal planning, to name a few. These affairs are identified as Schedule 4B affairs. By-laws with regards to Schedule 5B is affairs that include display of billboards, keeping of cemeteries, licensing of dogs, markets and local abattoirs, to name a few. Local and district municipalities share the power to create by-laws. This has been controlled by the Municipal Structures Act. Section 84(1) of the Municipal Structures Act, states the powers and functions of the district municipality and obtained from Schedule 4B and Schedule 5B of the Constitution. According to Section 84(2) of the Municipal Structures Act, the local municipality has authority over all other local government matters not mentioned in section 84(1) in its jurisdiction. Examples are for instance on air pollution which is a Schedule 4B competency. A district municipality under section 84(1) has no power but the local municipality under section 84(2) has full power in the area of jurisdiction. The district municipality has no powers under Section 84(1) with regards to beaches and amusement facilities under Schedule 5B, but the local municipality under section 84(2) has full powers in the area of jurisdiction. THE ROLE, POWERS AND FUNCTION OF THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IN LAW MAKING All nine provinces have their own legislature ranging from 30 up to 80 members depending on the number of votes received by the political party. The provincial legislature is accountable for making and passing laws for its province. The provincial government tables provincial Bills under Schedule 5B of the Constitution. These Bills must be accepted by the executive council and then published in the Provincial Gazette for public commentary. The provincial laws requires two thirds majority of the vote and are only operative in that specific province. An example is the ban on cell phones while driving in the Western Cape. A Bill is presented by the Speaker of the provincial legislature. The Standing Committee can invite public hearing and after consultation send a report to the provincial legislature. A vote is taken after the debate and the legislation is passed when a majority vote has reached. The Premier of the province has to sign the Bill into law. The Act then gets published and takes effect on the determined date. Provincial laws can be changed or interceded by Parliament if they challenge the interest of national or other provincial governments. According to the Constitution, provinces can have legislative and executive powers simultaneously with the national government over areas such as agriculture, cultural affairs, environmental issue, health services etc. Also, provinces has absolute proficiency over areas such as ambulance services, liquor licenses, provincial roads, planning and cultural matters

Images, Imagery, Symbols, and Symbolism in Macbeth Essay -- Macbeth es

Imagery and Symbolism in Macbeth   Ã‚  Ã‚   In Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses extensive imagery and symbolism throughout the course of his play.   Shakespeare uses this imagery and symbolism so that the reader may gain a deeper understanding and feeling for the happenings of this tragedy.   This is further demonstrated by Shakespeare's use of darkness in Macbeth.   As one of the more noticeable and important symbols, darkness represents many different elements in the play.   First and foremost, darkness is related to sleep;   sleep implies both night, a time of darkness, and a personal darkness when one's eyes are closed.    The first scene which alludes to darkness is Act I, Scene II where the bloody sergeant has just returned from the battle with Macbeth against Macdonwald.   He states, "Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break."   This simple phrase not only foreshadows the storm that is to come, but it is in contrast to the current events where Macbeth has heroically defeated Macdonwald and the Thane of Cowder.   It seems that even in this time of success fo...

General Categories of Sexual Harassment

As more and more women have entered the workforce in the last several decades, there has been a heightened awareness of the problem of sexual harassment. The recent spate of successful employee litigation in this area, combined with tan extension of an employer†s liability for acts of its supervisors and often its rank-and-file employees, has created an area of serious concern to employers. This is particularly so given the heightened awareness to the issue inherent in the U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Justice Clarence Thomas. It is important for supervisor and manager to be familiar with the laws of sexual harassment. Their knowledge and actions will not only legally bind the company, but may also make themselves personally liable for violation the law. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces federal prohibition against sexual harassment, defines sexual harassment as â€Å"unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.† The California Fair Employment and Housing Commission (FEHC), which enforces state law, further defines sexual harassment to include: Verbal harassment, such as epithets, derogatory comments or slurs; Physical harassment, such as assault or physical interference with movement or work; and Visual harassment, such as derogatory cartoons, drawings or posters. Two General Categories of Sexual Harassment Over the years, the courts have separated sexual harassment into tow main categories: 1. â€Å"Quid pro quo† occurs when a supervisor or manager conditions an employment benefit or continuing employment on the employees acquiescence in the form of sexual behavior. 2. â€Å"Hostile† or â€Å"offensive† work environment sexual harassment. No employment benefits need be lost or gained, and this type of harassment may be engaged in not only by management, but also by coworkers or persons who are not even employed by the employer. An offensive work environment occurs where sexual jokes, suggestive remarks, cartoons, physical interference with movement such as blocking or following, and sexually derogatory comments create an offensive working environment. In determining when conduct is unwelcome, it†s important to determine is whether the victim indicated by his/her conduct that the sexual advance or conduct were unwelcome, not whether any participation was voluntary. The victim†s conduct may be totally passive, such as not laughing at sexual jokes. In determining whether a work environment is hostile, the conduct must be sufficiently severe and pervasive so as to alter the condition of the employee†s employment. Trivial or merely annoying conduct is not enough. A pattern of offensive conduct is generally required also. Unless severe, a single incident or isolated incident of sexual conduct or remarks will not be sufficient to show environmental harassment. Finally, the conduct will be evaluated from the objective viewpoint of a reasonable person facing the same conditions. The victim†s perspective will be used, not community standards or stereotypes of acceptable behavior. In California, an employer is strictly liable for the sexual harassing conduct of managers and supervisors in both the â€Å"quid pro quo† and â€Å"hostile environment† situation on the common law theory that holds an employer liable for injuries committed by employees during the course of their employment. The assumption is made that if the manager/supervisor did it, then the manager/supervisor knew about it, and therefore the company knew about it. The employer is liable for harassment of an employee by a co-worker and possibly even of non-employees, if the employer knew, or should have known, of such conduct and failed to take immediate and appropriate action. Sexual harassment also may occur where employment benefits are granted because of one employee†s submission to a supervisor†s request for sexual favors, but where other employees equally or better qualified to receive the benefits are denied them. If the employer did not know of the conduct, the FEHC will consider that the employer had notice unless the employer can establish that it took reasonable steps to prevent the harassment from occurring. Such reasonable steps may include having a sexual harassment policy in place, as well as providing sexual harassment training to supervisors and managers. Supervisors, managers, and employees must know and follow the company†s policy against sexual harassment. If a violation of company policy is found, a prompt and effective remedy should be provided to the complaining employee and disciplinary action taken against the harasser. The company can only determine whether company policy was violated. Supervisors and mangers should avoid making any statements or conclusions that illegal sexual harassment has taken place.

Part Four Chapter VIII

VIII At half-past six that evening, Howard and Shirley Mollison entered Pagford Church Hall. Shirley was carrying an armful of papers and Howard was wearing the chain of office decorated with the blue and white Pagford crest. The floorboards creaked beneath Howard's massive weight as he moved to the head of the scratched tables that had already been set end to end. Howard was almost as fond of this hall as he was of his own shop. The Brownies used it on Tuesdays, and the Women's Institute on Wednesdays. It had hosted jumble sales and Jubilee celebrations, wedding receptions and wakes, and it smelt of all of these things: of stale clothes and coffee urns, and the ghosts of home-baked cakes and meat salads; of dust and human bodies; but primarily of aged wood and stone. Beaten-brass lights hung from the rafters on thick black flexes, and the kitchen was reached through ornate mahogany doors. Shirley bustled from place to place, setting out papers. She adored council meetings. Quite apart from the pride and enjoyment she derived from listening to Howard chair them, Maureen was necessarily absent; with no official role, she had to be content with the pickings Shirley deigned to share. Howard's fellow councillors arrived singly and in pairs. He boomed out greetings, his voice echoing from the rafters. The full complement of sixteen councillors rarely attended; he was expecting twelve of them today. The table was half full when Aubrey Fawley arrived, walking, as he always did, as if into a high wind, with an air of reluctant forcefulness, slightly stooped, his head bowed. ‘Aubrey!' called Howard joyfully, and for the first time he moved forward to greet the newcomer. ‘How are you? How's Julia? Did you get my invitation?' ‘Sorry, I don't – ‘ ‘To my sixty-fifth? Here – Saturday – day after the election.' ‘Oh, yes, yes. Howard, there's a young woman outside – she says she's from the Yarvil and District Gazette. Alison something?' ‘Oh,' said Howard. ‘Strange. I've just sent her my article, you know, the one answering Fairbrother's †¦ Maybe it's something to do †¦ I'll go and see.' He waddled away, full of vague misgivings. Parminder Jawanda entered as he approached the door; scowling as usual, she walked straight past without greeting him, and for once Howard did not ask ‘how's Parminder?'. Out on the pavement he found a young blonde woman, stocky and square, with an aura of impermeable cheerfulness that Howard recognized immediately as determination of his own brand. She was holding a notebook and looking up at the Sweetlove initials carved over the double doors. ‘Hello, hello,' said Howard, his breathing a little laboured. ‘Alison, is it? Howard Mollison. Have you come all this way to tell me I can't write for toffee?' She beamed, and shook the hand he proffered. ‘Oh, no, we like the article,' she assured him. ‘I thought, as things are getting so interesting, I'd come and sit in on the meeting. You don't mind? Press are allowed, I think. I've looked up all the regulations.' She was moving towards the door as she spoke. ‘Yes, yes, press are allowed,' said Howard, following her and pausing courteously at the entrance to let her through first. ‘Unless we have to deal with anything in camera, that is.' She glanced back at him, and he could make out her teeth, even in the fading light. ‘Like all those anonymous accusations on your message board? From the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother?' ‘Oh dear,' wheezed Howard, smiling back at her. ‘They're not news, surely? A couple of silly comments on the internet?' ‘Has it only been a couple? Somebody told me the bulk of them had been taken off the site.' ‘No, no, somebody's got that wrong,' said Howard. ‘There have only been two or three, to my knowledge. Nasty nonsense. Personally,' he said, improvising on the spot, ‘I think it's some kid.' ‘A kid?' ‘You know. Teenager having fun.' ‘Would teenagers target Parish councillors?' she asked, still smiling. ‘I heard, actually, that one of the victims has lost his job. Possibly as a result of the allegations made against him on your site.' ‘News to me,' said Howard untruthfully. Shirley had seen Ruth at the hospital the previous day and reported back to him. ‘I see on the agenda,' said Alison, as the pair of them entered the brightly lit hall, ‘that you'll be discussing Bellchapel. You and Mr Fairbrother made good points on both sides of the argument in your articles †¦ we had quite a few letters to the paper after we printed Mr Fairbrother's piece. My editor liked that. Anything that makes people write letters †¦' ‘Yes, I saw those,' said Howard. ‘Nobody seemed to have much good to say about the clinic, did they?' The councillors at the table were watching the pair of them. Alison Jenkins returned their gaze, still smiling imperturbably. ‘Let me get you a chair,' said Howard, puffing slightly as he lifted one down from a nearby stack and settling Alison some twelve feet from the table. ‘Thank you.' She pulled it six feet forward. ‘Ladies and gentlemen,' called Howard, ‘we've got a press gallery here tonight. Miss Alison Jenkins of the Yarvil and District Gazette.' A few of them seemed interested and gratified by Alison's appearance, but most looked suspicious. Howard stumped back to the head of the table, where Aubrey and Shirley were questioning him with their eyes. ‘Barry Fairbrother's Ghost,' he told them in an undertone, as he lowered himself gingerly into the plastic chair (one of them had collapsed under him two meetings ago). ‘And Bellchapel. And there's Tony!' he shouted, making Aubrey jump. ‘Come on in, Tony †¦ we'll give Henry and Sheila another couple of minutes, shall we?' The murmur of talk around the table was slightly more subdued than usual. Alison Jenkins was already writing in her notebook. Howard thought angrily, This is all bloody Fairbrother's fault. He was the one who had invited the press in. For a split second, Howard thought of Barry and the Ghost as one and the same, a troublemaker alive and dead. Like Shirley, Parminder had brought a stack of papers with her to the meeting, and these were piled up underneath the agenda she was pretending to read so that she did not have to speak to anybody. In reality, she was thinking about the woman sitting almost directly behind her. The Yarvil and District Gazette had written about Catherine Weedon's collapse, and the family's complaints against their GP. Parminder had not been named, but doubtless the journalist knew who she was. Perhaps Alison had got wind of the anonymous post about Parminder on the Parish Council website too. Calm down. You're getting like Colin. Howard was already taking apologies and asking for revisions to the last set of minutes, but Parminder could barely hear over the sound of her own blood thudding in her ears. ‘Now, unless anybody's got any objections,' said Howard, ‘we're going to deal with items eight and nine first, because District Councillor Fawley's got news on both, and he can't stay long – ‘ ‘Got until eight thirty,' said Aubrey, checking his watch. ‘ – yes, so unless there are objections – no? – floor's yours, Aubrey.' Aubrey stated the position simply and without emotion. There was a new boundary review coming and, for the first time, there was an appetite beyond Pagford to reassign the Fields to Yarvil. Absorbing Pagford's relatively small costs seemed worthwhile to those who hoped to add anti-government votes to Yarvil's tally, where they might make a difference, as opposed to being wasted in Pagford, which had been a safe Conservative seat since the 1950s. The whole thing could be done under the guise of simplifying and streamlining: Yarvil provided almost all services for the place as it was. Aubrey concluded by saying that it would be helpful, should Pagford wish to cut the estate away, for the town to express its wishes for the benefit of the District Council. ‘†¦ a good, clear message from you,' he said, ‘and I really think that this time – ‘ ‘It's never worked before,' said a farmer, to muttered agreement. ‘Well, now, John, we've never been invited to state our position before,' said Howard. ‘Shouldn't we decide what our position is, before we declare it publicly?' asked Parminder, in an icy voice. ‘All right,' said Howard blandly. ‘Would you like to kick off, Dr Jawanda?' ‘I don't know how many people saw Barry's article in the Gazette,' said Parminder. Every face was turned towards her, and she tried not to think about the anonymous post or the journalist sitting behind her. ‘I thought it made the arguments for keeping the Fields part of Pagford very well.' Parminder saw Shirley, who was writing busily, give her pen a tiny smile. ‘By telling us the likes of Krystal Weedon benefit?' said an elderly woman called Betty, from the end of the table. Parminder had always detested her. ‘By reminding us that people living in the Fields are part of our community too,' she answered. ‘They think of themselves as from Yarvil,' said the farmer. ‘Always have.' ‘I remember,' said Betty, ‘when Krystal Weedon pushed another child into the river on a nature walk.' ‘No, she didn't,' said Parminder angrily, ‘my daughter was there – that was two boys who were fighting – anyway – ‘ ‘I heard it was Krystal Weedon,' said Betty. ‘You heard wrong,' said Parminder, except that she did not say it, she shouted it. They were shocked. She had shocked herself. The echo hummed off the old walls. Parminder could barely swallow; she kept her head down, staring at the agenda, and heard John's voice from a long way off. ‘Barry would've done better to talk about himself, not that girl. He got a lot out of St Thomas's.' ‘Trouble is, for every Barry,' said another woman, ‘you get a load of yobs.' ‘They're Yarvil people, bottom line,' said a man, ‘they belong to Yarvil.' ‘That's not true,' said Parminder, keeping her voice deliberately low, but they all fell silent to listen to her, waiting for her to shout again. ‘It's simply not true. Look at the Weedons. That was the whole point of Barry's article. They were a Pagford family going back years, but – ‘ ‘They moved to Yarvil!' said Betty. ‘There was no housing here,' said Parminder, fighting her own temper, ‘none of you wanted a new development on the outskirts of town.' ‘You weren't here, I'm sorry,' said Betty, pink in the face, looking ostentatiously away from Parminder. ‘You don't know the history.' Talk had become general: the meeting had broken into several little knots of conversation, and Parminder could not make out any of it. Her throat was tight and she did not dare meet anyone's eyes. ‘Shall we have a show of hands?' Howard shouted down the table, and silence fell again. ‘Those in favour of telling the District Council that Pagford will be happy for the parish boundary to be redrawn, to take the Fields out of our jurisdiction?' Parminder's fists were clenched in her lap and the nails of both her hands were embedded in their palms. There was a rustle of sleeves all around her. ‘Excellent!' said Howard, and the jubilation in his voice rang triumphantly from the rafters. ‘Well, I'll draft something with Tony and Helen and we'll send it round for everyone to see, and we'll get it off. Excellent!' A couple of councillors clapped. Parminder's vision blurred and she blinked hard. The agenda swam in and out of focus. The silence went on so long that finally she looked up: Howard, in his excitement, had had recourse to his inhaler, and most of the councillors were watching solicitously. ‘All right, then,' wheezed Howard, putting the inhaler away again, red in the face and beaming, ‘unless anyone's got anything else to add -‘ an infinitesimal pause ‘- item nine. Bellchapel. And Aubrey's got something to tell us here too.' Barry wouldn't have let it happen. He'd have argued. He'd have made John laugh and vote with us. He ought to have written about himself, not Krystal †¦ I've let him down. ‘Thank you, Howard,' said Aubrey, as the blood pounded in Parminder's ears, and she dug her nails still more deeply into her palms. ‘As you know, we're having to make some pretty drastic cuts at District level †¦' She was in love with me, which she could barely hide whenever she laid eyes on me †¦ ‘†¦ and one of the projects we've got to look at is Bellchapel,' said Aubrey. ‘I thought I'd have a word, because, as you all know, it's the Parish that owns the building – ‘ ‘ – and the lease is almost up,' said Howard. ‘That's right.' ‘But nobody else is interested in that old place, are they?' asked a retired accountant from the end of the table. ‘It's in a bad state, from what I've heard.' ‘Oh, I'm sure we could find a new tenant,' said Howard comfortably, ‘but that's not really the issue. The point is whether we think the clinic is doing a good – ‘ ‘That's not the point at all,' said Parminder, cutting across him. ‘It isn't the Parish Council's job to decide whether or not the clinic's doing a good job. We don't fund their work. They're not our responsibility.' ‘But we own the building,' said Howard, still smiling, still polite, ‘so I think it's natural for us to want to consider – ‘ ‘If we're going to look at information on the clinic's work, I think it's very important that we get a balanced picture,' said Parminder. ‘I'm terribly sorry,' said Shirley, blinking down the table at Parminder, ‘but could you try not to interrupt the Chair, Dr Jawanda? It's awfully difficult to take notes if people talk over other people. And now I've interrupted,' she added with a smile. ‘Sorry!' ‘I presume the Parish wants to keep getting revenue from the building,' said Parminder, ignoring Shirley. ‘And we have no other potential tenant lined up, as far as I know. So I'm wondering why we are even considering terminating the clinic's lease.' ‘They don't cure them,' said Betty. ‘They just give them more drugs. I'd be very happy to see them out.' ‘We're having to make some very difficult decisions at District Council level,' said Aubrey Fawley. ‘The government's looking for more than a billion in savings from local government. We cannot continue to provide services the way we have done. That's the reality.' Parminder hated the way that her fellow councillors acted around Aubrey, drinking in his deep modulated voice, nodding gently as he talked. She was well aware that some of them called her ‘Bends-Your-Ear'. ‘Research indicates that illegal drug use increases during recessions,' said Parminder. ‘It's their choice,' said Betty. ‘Nobody makes them take drugs.' She looked around the table for support. Shirley smiled at her. ‘We're having to make some tough choices,' said Aubrey. ‘So you've got together with Howard,' Parminder talked over him, ‘and decided that you can give the clinic a little push by forcing them out of the building.' ‘I can think of better ways to spend money than on a bunch of criminals,' said the accountant. ‘I'd cut off all their benefits, personally,' said Betty. ‘I was invited to this meeting to put you all in the picture about what's happening at District level,' said Aubrey calmly. ‘Nothing more than that, Dr Jawanda.' ‘Helen,' said Howard loudly, pointing to another councillor, whose hand was raised, and who had been trying to make her views heard for a minute. Parminder heard nothing of what the woman said. She had quite forgotten about the stack of papers lying underneath her agenda, on which Kay Bawden had spent so much time: the statistics, the profiles of successful cases, the explanation of the benefits of methadone as against heroin; studies showing the cost, financial and social, of heroin addiction. Everything around her had become slightly liquid, unreal; she knew that she was going to erupt as she had never erupted in her life, and there was no room to regret it, or to prevent it, or do anything except watch it happen; it was too late, far too late †¦ ‘†¦ culture of entitlement,' said Aubrey Fawley. ‘People who have literally not worked a day in their lives.' ‘And, let's face it,' said Howard, ‘this is a problem with a simple solution. Stop taking the drugs.' He turned, smiling and conciliating, to Parminder. ‘They call it â€Å"cold turkey†, isn't that right, Dr Jawanda?' ‘Oh, you think that they should take responsibility for their addiction and change their behaviour?' said Parminder. ‘In a nutshell, yes.' ‘Before they cost the state any more money.' ‘Exact – ‘ ‘And you,' said Parminder loudly, as the silent eruption engulfed her, ‘do you know how many tens of thousands of pounds you, Howard Mollison, have cost the health service, because of your total inability to stop gorging yourself?' A rich, red claret stain was spreading up Howard's neck into his cheeks. ‘Do you know how much your bypass cost, and your drugs, and your long stay in hospital? And the doctor's appointments you take up with your asthma and your blood pressure and the nasty skin rash, which are all caused by your refusal to lose weight?' As Parminder's voice became a scream, other councillors began to protest on Howard's behalf; Shirley was on her feet; Parminder was still shouting, clawing together the papers that had somehow been scattered as she gesticulated. ‘What about patient confidentiality?' shouted Shirley. ‘Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!' Parminder was at the door of the hall and striding through it, and she heard, over her own furious sobs, Betty calling for her immediate expulsion from the council; she was half running away from the hall, and she knew that she had done something cataclysmic, and she wanted nothing more than to be swallowed up by the darkness and to disappear for ever.