Micro-finance in Rural India: Challenges for the Future

Micro-finance in Rural India: Challenges for the Future Submitted by: Aishik Chakraborty Aritra Datta Shubham Chowdhury Snehashish Saha INTRODUCTION Rural India is home to about two-thirds of the Indias 125 crore population. This population is mostly engaged in agriculture that contributes 17.2 percent to Indias GDP. However, this dependence on agriculture is gradually diminishing with small-scale cottage industries and self-help groups gaining prominence in rural economy. This is clearly reflected by the contribution of industry in rural economy which has grown to 30.2 percent in the recent years. However the self-help groups and cottage industries often have to depend on the local moneylenders for financing of its activities with most large scale banks yet to make a foray into rural markets. In such circumstances, micro-finance gains prominence in financing activities of such industries. Micro-finance is a critical factor in uplifting rural economy. However this sector suffers from various challenges. It is imperative that the challenges are studied in order to ensure the Indian growth story to continue. This study will analyze the prevalent challenges and recommend strategies to overcome these bottlenecks. LITERATURE REVIEW Micro-finance refers to small scale financial services provided by financial institutions to the financially backward classes. These services include savings, credit, insurance, etc. The conditions for a financial service to be termed as micro-finance is that the transaction should be small and the customers should be financially weak. Jeffrey Sachs, the renowned economist once claimed that â€Å"The key to ending extreme poverty is to enable the poorest of the poor to get their foot on the ladder of development.† The concept of micro-finance was introduced in India during the 1990s. The country is home to about a third of the world’s poor, most of who do not have access to commercial banking services. The key problem areas in rural financial markets included a lack of credit in rural areas, absence of modern technology in agriculture, low savings capacity in rural areas and prevalence of usurious moneylenders. In such circumstances, micro-finance provides financial inclusion to the under-privileged sections of the society. In absence of micro-finance, the poor in rural India would fall prey to the money-lenders who charge a very high rate of interest on credit and thereby rob the poor of their savings. Micro-finance differs from conventional banking as unlike conventional banks, micro-financing lays more emphasis on the principles of co-operation, equality and mutual self-help. Micro-finance targets mostly the women of rural India, with more than 90% of its customers being women belonging to self-help groups. Micro-credit is mostly used for direct investments by self-help groups and facilitates access to credit by clients who need small amounts of credits but are less credit-worthy for larger loans. However, MFIs in India are susceptible to a number of challenges including political interference. They compete with both politicians and government backed lending programs for the same target segment. The ability of the Indian MFI industry to mitigate this risk is a crucial factor in determining its success. An example of a crisis in the micro-finance sector was when Andhra Pradesh found itself at the center of a debacle thatwas triggered by a the highly successful MFI, SKS Microfinance, which tactfully covered up cases of suicides among MFI borrowers. While it has not been clearly established whether indebtedness or coercive MFI tactics triggered the suicides, the political backlash was intense. In order to counterbalance the political criticism, the state government hastily pushed through a legislation that effectively crippled the MFI industry in the state. RBI established a committee, headed by Y.H. Malegam, to review the various issues and to recommend regulatory steps needed to prevent these incidents from recurring. Released in January 2011, we the recommendations will have wide ranging impacts on the industry. Some of the key impacts include: Creation of entry and operational barriers through higher net worth, capital adequacy, loan portfolio allocation requirements with a possibility of some banks absorbing some of the MFIs. Implementation of industry specific corporate governance standards, greater oversight by the RBI, tailoring NPA definitions in accordance with industry standards will improve corporate governance and transparency . Establishment of a fully fledged credit bureau, limitations on the number of loans to each household, conditions on procedures for loan sanctioning and repayments will reduce the incidence of over-borrowing and multiple-lending . The World Bank has also taken major steps in the sector of micro-finance. Formation of Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) in 1995 as a consortium of 33 Public and private development agencies and establishment of Microfinance Management Institute(MAFMI) in 2003 are significant landmarks. Regional multilateral development banks like Asian Development Bank also champion the cause of commercial micro-finance. Nationalization of existing private commercial banks, massive expansion of branch network in rural areas, mandatory directed credit to priority sectors of the economy, subsidized rates of interest and creation of a new set of rural banks at district level and an Apex bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD20) at national level are some of the organizations working in micro-finance. The initial micro-credit innovations in Bangladesh, Bolivia and Indonesia demonstrated the success of micro-lending. However the popularity of micro-finance in India stemmed from its ability to reach the poor without collateral and near full recovery rates. Micro-finance is contributing significantly to the financial activities of the poor. Various initiatives and programs have been launched to fortify the position of micro-finance in India. The speed of enforcement and the degree to which these recommendations are implemented will determine how much the industry will change and how likely it is to succeed. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Microfinance suffers from various challenges from its competitors and also from the issues stemming from the mismanagement of various micro-finance companies. The study will enable us to recommend the future strategies and build the way forward for MFIs in India by addressing the following issues. What is microfinance and how does it impact rural India? What are the challenges faces by MFIs in India? What are its implications on the various stakeholders (villagers, money-lenders, banks, Govt. and the MFI institutions) What are the possible solutions to these challenges? Action plan for the recommendations. RESEARCH DESIGN The research will be based on the following methodologies. Identification and interpretation Identify the major issues and challenges. Formulate relevant questions keeping in mind these issues. Gather information from primary and secondary sources. Interpret the solutions to the issues Support and supplement the findings from research data. Data Analysis Gather data from self help groups and find whether they are involved in Micro Finance, and how micro finance has contributed to their business and rural India in general. Challenges that they face while getting the requisite loan from the Micro Finance Institutions. What are the viable alternatives to Micro Finance. The strategic importance of Micro Finance Institutions to their organization. How Micro Finance has impacted their lives and whether the impact is positive or negative. EXPECTED CONRIBUTION The study will consider all the dimensions of Micro Finance in Rural India and provide the following value additions to the field. Appreciate the importance of Micro Finance in rural India and explain their significance. Understand the perceptions of the rural population about Micro Finance in India. Remove the apprehensions about Micro Finance and communicate the benefits of Micro Finance to the rural population. Understand and comprehend the challenges that Micro Finance Institutions face in rural India. Elucidate how the challenges impact the MFI’s. Analyze and evaluate the challenges critically. Develop strategies for overcoming the current challenges and sustaining them. Analyze the competitors and their strategies. How can MFI’s handle the challenges and maintain their customer base. Design the future path of development for Micro Finance in India. Existing micro-finance models in India The following micro-financing models are prevalent in India. Each of these models have their own advantages and disadvantages. SHG-Bank Linkage Model: In this model the SHGs get credit directly from the co-operative banks, regional rural banks, NABARD, etc. This model provides credit to SHGs at lower rates of interest. However this model reduces the credit worthiness of the SHGs and increases the risk of default for the banks. Bank-MFI Linkage Model: In this model, the MFIs act as intermediaries and guarantors for the SHGs and receive financing from banks for further lending it to the SHGs. This model helps in improving the credit worthiness of the SHGs and reduces the risks for the banks. However the SHGs have to pay a higher rate of interest to MFIs in this model. Challenges faced by the Micro-finance sector in India Through extensive study and discussions with relevant stakeholders, the following have been identified as being the foremost challenges to the micro-finance sector in India. There is extreme skewness in distribution of micro-finance services in India. 52% clients of micro-financing come from southern India while 23% come from eastern India. The share of micro-finance beneficiaries from North, West, Central and North-East India stand at an abnormally low level of 9%, 12%, 3% and 3% respectively. This disparity clearly shows that micro-financing services are unevenly spread and is not available to many people who need it. Micro-finance is mostly concerned with micro-credit to SHGs. However other financial services such as insurance, savings schemes are not provided. Also it serves the SHGs, individual businesses don’t benefit through micro-finance. Micro-finance is considered as a social/charitable business rather than a profitable one. Consequently, almost 90% MFIs are dependent on subsidies and suffer from a high debt-equity ratio. The loan sizes are generally small and involves high transaction and processing costs. Consequently the interest rates are higher. There is high turnover of MFI employees. The reasons are poor salary, lack of incentives and working mostly in rural areas with limited opportunities. The employees also lack in financial and technical training. The MFIs lack control over how efficiently the money is used after lending. This often leads to bad investments by SHGs and results in default. MFIs are aware of this risk and keep the interest rates high in absence of a collateral. Micro-finance has reached only a small fraction of the people who need it. The micro-finance sector lags behind from technological perspective that would allow it to disburse loans more effectively. Absence of best practices norms in the industry often leads to coercive recovery of loans. The poor in urban areas cannot avail micro-finance services. Hence these services should be extended for the urban poor as well. Micro-finance institutions have a very low rate of customer retention. This is because clients are not properly educated about the services available from the MFIs. Recommendations Based on the findings, the following steps are recommended for reviving micro-finance sector in India and turning it into a tool for poverty alleviation and financial inclusion. Micro-finance reaches a very small fraction of the people who need it. Hence an overall scaling up of micro-finance sector is imperative. The initiative can be in form of public ventures, private banks or PPP model. The MFIs and NBFCs are to be brought under a regulatory authority to ensure standardization and enforce best practices. The micro-finance sector should diversify its portfolio from being a money-lending entity into an sector that provides holistic financial services such as insurance and savings to its clients. It should also try to widen its client base from SHGs in rural areas to the deserving urban poor who require financial inclusion. Greater use of technology and analytics can negate some issues that arise out of asymmetric information while sanctioning a loan and provide better risk analysis. This will allow MFIs to lower the risk of default while the poor will benefit from lower interest rates due to less chances of default. There employees should be provided with better incentives and given proper training to educate the rural people with the benefits of services provided by the MFIs. They should also be provided with technical and financial training to better assess the credit worthiness of the client. The perception of MFIs should change from being social or charitable organizations into being sustainable and profitable organizations. This would allow MFIs access into financial markets and investments and end their dependency on subsidies. Appendix The following questions were asked to hostel and mess staff and security guards of IMI who were likely to have been exposed to the Micro-finance sector. The questionnaire and responses are as follows. Are there any SHGs operating your native village? Do you have any close relative associated to SHGs? Which part of the country your native village is situated at? Are you aware of the services that micro-finance institutions provide? Do you have access to micro-finance institutions in your village? What is the preferred source of credit in your village? Has micro-finance institutions uplifted the rural class? REFERENCES Microfinance in India: Empirical Evidence, Alternative Models and Policy Imperatives Rajaram Dasgupta Access, Use and Contribution of Microfinance in India: Findings from a National Study Frances Sinha Microfinance in India K.G. Karmakar ISBN: 978-0-7619-3626-8 Microfinance in India: Mission or Misery? Jaideep Singh Panwar The Microfinance Sector in India: Which Way Now? Savita Shankar and Mukul G. Asher Issues and Challenges Relating to Microfinance in India Dr. Sandeep Bansal Microfinance in India: Contemporary Issues and Challenges Sibghatullah Nasir

A Synopsis of the Movie The Graduate

A world without rebels would be a world with no change. If specific groups didn't escape the status quo, life would essentially go on as if it were put on repeat. Nothing would ever change, and nothing new would ever be accomplished. And most importantly, there would be no distinguishing factors between any two generations. Generations are shaped by the exclusive social changes that transpire over a given time period. Each generation desperately wants to set themselves apart by challenging the values and morals of the ones who came before them.They rebel against everything they were once taught in order to be independent and live a appy life. These rebellions have shaped American society for decades. Mike Nichol's film, The Graduate, tells the story of a young man's rebellion against his family and against society. The story unfolds in the nineteen sixties during a time of a major cultural change. In The Graduate, Benjamin Braddock consistently rebels against everything he believes i n, which doesn't stray far from the typical behavior of most youth in the nineteen sixties. Rebellion is a recurring theme throughout Nichol's film.The main character, Benjamin Braddock, had Just graduated college and had no definite plan for his uture endeavors. On the other hand, Benjamin's overbearing parents practically had his life laid out for him. As soon as he returned home from graduating college they constantly pestered him about attending graduate school. At the time, the thought of attending graduate school or starting a career stressed Benjamin out, and he admitted that he was nervous about his future. At his graduation party he told his father that he wishes that his future could be â€Å"different†, but his father did not seem to care about Benjamin's uncertainties.Therefore, he followed what most kids is age were doing in the sixties and rebelled against conformity. In the nineteen sixties the youth rebellion was in full swing. The youth wanted freedom from th e previous ways of the generation before them, so they began to rebel. The rebellion was massive because the current youth was comprised of the baby-boomer generation (â€Å"Rebellion and Reaction†). In fact it was so big that it gave the nineteen sixties the common nicknames of â€Å"the rebellious decade† and â€Å"the period of turmoil† (Bodroghkozy).The nineteen sixtys counterculture rebelled in various ways, but defying parental authorities was among the most popular. They wanted to ensure that their values and behaviors deviated from those of their parents. It was important to them that they made a new life for themselves that was for their own happiness and not for their parent's happiness (â€Å"Rebellion and Reaction†). They were striving to make their futures different Just like Benjamin Braddock wanted his future to be. Parents were always trying to map out their children's futures, but the rebellious youth of the nineteen sixties were all but willing to allow that to happen.Benjamin Braddock did everything he could to escape from his parent's high expectations. They were constantly telling him what to do and when to do it. However, Benjamin continued to ignore their constant demands and did the exact opposite of what he was told. He rebelled because he wanted to make himself happy betore pleasing his parents He was not ready to s tart a career or turtner his education; all he wanted to do was relax by his parent's pool and not worry about his future Just yet. The scene at his 21st birthday party finally allowed him to tune out the sound of his parents.He was given a scuba suit and was forced to test it out in front of everyone who was at his party. After he was forced into the pool, he found himself standing still at the bottom. He was finally alone and was not able to hear any of the noise coming from above the water. The camera angle shifted and was now from the perspective of Benjamin. It showed him looking up out of the water at his parents shouting at him, but he was not able to comprehend any of the words being yelled at him. This was Just the start of his rebellion against his parents.The fact that he was underwater symbolized that Benjamin felt like his parents were drowning him in all of their expectations. He was suffocating and was finally able to be at peace at the bottom of the pool. The majority of the youth at this time was searching for peace, and the only way of obtaining it was to rebel against the conformity of their parents. They all felt like they were being drowned; therefore they continued to rebel in ways that disgusted their parents and even disgraced society. The nineteen sixties was a time to experiment. The youth was trying so hard to change society and find a new identity for themselves.They did everything they could to stray away from what was considered normal. Drugs and sex played a major role in the youth's rebellion against society, and it was definitely a culture shock. During this time period, casual sex became more acceptable and a majority of the youth participated in it. It became so popular that it earned the name â€Å"free sex† and everyone was made aware of it (â€Å"Rebellion and Reaction†). It was mostly popular among the younger generation, but that didn't stop Benjamin Braddock from pursuing an older woman. He engaged himself in a long-term affair with one of his parent's friends.In the beginning he was very hesitant and nervous about the affair ut soon realized that it was the nineteen sixties and it was the start of the â€Å"free love† era. He became more comfortable with the affair as the movie went on. By committing adultery with Mrs. Robinson, Benjamin Braddock clearly destroyed all moral values of the generation that came before him. This kind of behavior was not acceptable for the previous generation but became a trend during his time. The counterculture strayed far away from the traditional values of their parents and â€Å"this marked the beginning of the sexual revolution† (â€Å"Primary Menu†).It was one of the iggest societal changes during the sixties. The affair between Mrs. Robinson and Benjamin Braddock was a little different from what was actually acceptable in the nineteen sixties. â€Å"Free sex† was acceptable; however, affairs were not. He soon realized that what he was doing was wrong and immediately put a stop to the affair. Even though he ended the affair, it was still understandable as to why he got himself into that position in the first place. Benjamin Braddock was Just trying to fit in with the rest of his generation in the sixties by rebelling against conformity.The sexual evolution was among the most rebellious acts of the nineteen sixties. The more Benjamin Braddock's parents pushed him, the more he rebelled. Not only did he rebel against going to graduate school and starting a career but he also had a scandalous long-term affair with one of his parent's close friends. Both acts were done to rebel against the contormity ot his parents and against society . Instead of conforming to the high expectations of his parents and society, Benjamin Braddock took a different path to ensure his own happiness. He follows his own heart and defies the path that was mapped out for him.

Key Items for a College Grocery List

Whether its a lack of space, appliances, or time to cook, eating well as a college student can be tricky. With the help of a smart grocery list, spending and eating wisely in college can be much easier. Breakfast on the Go It would be dreamy to have the time, energy, money, and ability to make a delicious breakfast of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and fruit every morning. But breakfast in college—when and if it happens—often looks completely different, even though nearly everyone agrees on the importance of breakfast. When grocery shopping, look for items you enjoy that can easily be taken to go and require little to no prep time: Granola or breakfast barsYogurtCereal (put in a bag or container to eat dry)Bagels (and peanut butter, cream cheese, jam, etc.)Fruit Having breakfast may be a challenge sometimes, but it can make all the difference in your energy level and ability to focus. Keeping things on hand that are tasty and easy to enjoy on your way to class will make it more likely that youll get something in your stomach before the day begins. Easy-to-Make Small Meals or Snacks Food doesnt have to be fancy to fill you up, provide nutrition, and taste good. You can make lots of tasty and filling meals with inexpensive ingredients and a microwave: Macaroni and cheeseRamenOatmealSoupEggs (can be scrambled in the microwave)BreadSandwich items (peanut butter, jelly, cold cuts, cheese) There are several ways to prepare these items to help prevent you from getting bored with your options. Ramen noodles, for example, can be sprinkled raw on a salad for some extra pep, cooked with butter and cheese, or added to your favorite soup. Add fruit, nuts, or peanut butter to your oatmeal for a different flavor and texture. Nutritious Snacks That Wont Expire for a While When buying snacks, go for items that pack a punch nutritionally without expiring too soon. You can also opt for frozen foods that are ready-to-eat when thawed. PopcornWhole-wheat crackersMixed nutsDried fruitFrozen blueberriesFrozen edamame Perishable Items That Will Last for at Least a Week Even if you have a tiny fridge in your residence hall, its still a fridge, right? Treat yourself and your body to some healthy snacks that, although perishable, will last longer than just a few days: Baby carrotsApplesCherry tomatoesMilkSalsa (dont forget the chips)HummusCheese (bonus: string cheese is a great grab-and-go snack) You can use milk for your macaroni and cheese recipe or for cereal. (Pro tip: keep chocolate syrup in the fridge so you can prepare chocolate milk when you want a treat.) Baby carrots can be a snack on their own or a nice side to your main meal. Slice cherry tomatoes for your sandwich or dip them in hummus. Buying perishable things can be smart if you know how to use each item in more than one way. Flavor Enhancers You dont need a full-fledged kitchen to experiment with new flavors. Having a few items on hand that can change the taste of a snack or dish can be an easy—and inexpensive—way to mix up your menu and give it a boost. Salt and pepperItalian dressingSrirachaMustardKetchupBarbecue sauce A bottle of Italian dressing will last a long time in your fridge and can be used as a dip for veggies or as a tasty topping on a sandwich. Other spicy sauces and condiments (wasabi mayo, anyone?) can be added to various items to switch up the flavor on an otherwise simple meal. Of course, you dont need to buy all these items at once. (Where would you put them, anyway?) Be realistic when making your grocery list and make an effort to use what you have before heading back out to the store to prevent wasting both food and money.

Im Kaufhaus - Beginner German Reading Lesson

A Brief Look at Muhammad Ali - 644 Words

Muhammad Ali was a professional boxer, also considered one of the vast heavyweights in sport’s history and an Olympic gold medalist. He was the first fighter to win three heavyweight titles. Unlike any other boxers, he was raised in a supportive African American, specifically in a middle class family. He won fifty-six out of the sixty-one fights he fought in! Muhammad wasn’t one of the smartest kids in his class, but was one of the most popular kids in his school because of his dedication to boxing. Muhammad was always against the way people treated African Americans. He joined the Nation of Islam and that changed his name. When Muhammad was a kid he went to a Columbian Auditorium with his friend. When he got back he found out that his bike had been stolen. He was sizzling with anger, so he immediately found a cop and notified him that he was going to â€Å"whup† whoever stole his bike. Martin, the cop, was actually a boxing trainer. He said , â€Å"You better lern to box before challenging others.† Since that day, Muhammad got encouraged. Martin was who started him out, but he daily trained by a African American named Tred Stone, who taught him how to jab. Within weeks, the 89-pound Muhammad had his first bout and his first win. Boxing kept him out of trouble, he trained six days a week and never drank or smoked. Muhammad had a dream of being the world’s greatest heavyweight champion. He dedicated himself to boxing. He never worked, all he did was box and train as aShow MoreRelatedPoverty in Afghanistan1663 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction I will discuss about the brief problems of poverty in Pakistan. Following are the list of some causes of occurring rapid increase of poverty in our country. - Increase in the rate of prices. - Load shedding reduced the production which result into unemployment. - Corruption and poverty. - Increase in road beggars due to shortage of money. - Pakistan is not a welfare state. 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Succubus Revealed Chapter 11 Free Essays

string(37) " she was genuinely happy to see him\." It was hard leaving Seth’s side in the morning. We’d had too few nights together recently, and each day that passed only served to remind me I was that much closer to the transfer. Lying in his arms, watching him sleep in the early sunlight, I thought back to what he’d said about Andrea getting better. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Revealed Chapter 11 or any similar topic only for you Order Now If that was true, if she was healing, then there was a chance the ties keeping Seth here might lessen. I felt selfish even thinking that way, but surely it wasn’t too terrible a thing to wish we could all get a happy ending. After a leisurely breakfast, Seth and I went over to the Mortensens’. He was on babysitting duty while Andrea went to a doctor’s appointment, and I was there to pick up Brandy. Chaos met us at the door, and Brandy practically flew outside, breathless and laughing. â€Å"Don’t go in there,† she warned me, after I gave Seth a quick kiss good-bye. She and I headed toward my car. â€Å"It’s crazy. Mom and Dad slept in, and Grandma let Kendall and the twins ‘help’ with breakfast.† â€Å"What are they making?† â€Å"Waffles,† she said. â€Å"From scratch. I don’t know which was scarier: Kendall mixing the batter or Morgan and McKenna on duty with the waffle iron. They set the smoke detector off twice.† I couldn’t help but laugh as I pulled out of the driveway. â€Å"And you and Kayla didn’t help?† â€Å"No way,† Brandy replied. â€Å"I stayed away from that mess, and Kayla was in one of her silent moods today.† â€Å"Aw.† I kind of wished now that I’d taken a moment to go inside. Tiny Kayla had a special place in my heart. Though she was better than she used to be, she still had a tendency to simply watch her world without a word, and it could be difficult coaxing conversation from her. Some of this was shyness, and some of this – I suspected – was from the fact that Kayla was psychic. Her skills were still undeveloped, but she was sensitive to the workings of the supernatural world, which I had to imagine would make anyone of any age silent at times. â€Å"She’ll be fine. She loves waffles.† Brandy smiled, and I was happy to see her so upbeat for a change. She shouldered just as much stress as the adults. â€Å"If any actually get made.† We drove downtown, and I quizzed Brandy about what she was looking for in a dress. She had little to offer, which was both charming and kind of heartbreaking. Brandy wasn’t a tomboy, but with all of her family drama, dresses had been understandably off her radar. In fact, when her face lit up at all the downtown lights and decorations, it became clear that family had really been the only thing in her life recently. â€Å"I haven’t seen any of the holiday stuff this year,† she told me, gazing out the windows. A pang in my heart reminded me that this would be my last year to see Seattle in all its holiday finery. â€Å"We usually always come down here so that the girls can see Santa. There’s been no time.† â€Å"The girls haven’t seen Santa?† I asked, snapping out of my moment of self-pity. â€Å"That’s not fair, especially considering I see a little too much of him.† It made me wonder how many drinks it would take to coax Walter into a house call. It also convinced me more than ever to make this a special day for Brandy. I couldn’t expect her not to worry about her mom, but today, with Andrea on the mend and Seattle’s shopping wonderland ready to explore, Brandy was entitled to worry just a little less than usual. She deserved to think about herself. I took her on a whirlwind tour of designer stores, chastising her for looking at price tags. I wanted this to be about more than the dress itself. I wanted her to have an experience, to feel like a princess. I made sure the salespeople were falling all over themselves to help her, which wasn’t always so easy to do at such a busy time of the year. Brandy’s radiant expression told me it was worth the effort, and we finally hit gold at our third store, finding what was unquestionably the dress. It was made of dark pink satin wrapped around to create a sheath silhouette that could still show off her figure without being pornographically tight. Satin flowers near the top added a whimsical edge, and the straps and knee-length made me feel it wouldn’t get her kicked out of a church function. We spent the next hour finding the perfect shoes and jewelry for it, and although each new purchase clearly made her uneasy, she stopped questioning me about the cost. She didn†™t know about Margaret’s funding, but it had long since been spent. Exhausted and triumphant with our purchases, we went to lunch at an Italian restaurant frequented by other ladies of leisure. It was inside a larger, elegant shopping complex, and just as we were about to enter the restaurant, I saw a familiar face emerge from a nearby store. Something in my chest clenched, and I spoke before I could help myself. â€Å"Doug!† It took him a moment to figure out who’d called to him. When he did, a series of emotions played over his face. I wondered then how the encounter would have been different if Brandy hadn’t been there. Would he have even acknowledged me? Maybe. Maybe not. But Brandy’s presence guaranteed politeness. No matter how angry Doug might be at me, he wouldn’t snub her. â€Å"Kincaid,† he said, strolling over to us. â€Å"And little Brandy. How’s it going?† â€Å"Good,† she said cheerfully. The two of them, I realized, could have been related if Seth and Maddie had ended up getting married. The weird fallout from their breakup hadn’t had as big an effect on Brandy as the rest of us, though, and she was genuinely happy to see him. You read "Succubus Revealed Chapter 11" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"We’re shopping.† He favored her with a smile, and I wondered if he was avoiding eye contact with me. â€Å"Last minute Christmas gifts?† he asked. â€Å"Not a chance,† I said. â€Å"This is all for Brandy. She’s going to a dance tonight.† â€Å"Oh, I see how it is,† he said. â€Å"Getting ready to break some hearts for the holidays, huh?† She turned bright red. â€Å"No! It’s at my church!† Teasing girls was familiar and easy territory for Doug. â€Å"Yeah?† he said, forcibly keeping a straight face. â€Å"Then why are you blushing? Church boys’ hearts break just as easily as us sinners’, you know. I’m sure you’ll leave a trail of hundreds in your wake.† â€Å"No,† she protested. â€Å"Not hundreds – â€Å" â€Å"Just one?† he asked slyly. Brandy looked to me for help, and I laughed. â€Å"I knew there was someone.† â€Å"You guys are terrible,† she said, though she didn’t look that upset. â€Å"Can I go put our name on the list?† â€Å"Sure,† I said, still laughing. But the instant she was inside the restaurant, Doug’s playful manner vanished. â€Å"Well, I’ve got to go,† he said, starting to turn away. â€Å"Wait, Doug, I . . .† He looked back at me, but I was at a loss. What could I say? That I was sorry for sleeping with his sister’s fiance? That I was sorry for lying to all of them and breaking her heart? How could you apologize for something like that? â€Å"It . . . it was good to see you,† I said at last. â€Å"You too,† he said, though he didn’t sound convincing. He nodded toward the restaurant. â€Å"And her. I hope she has fun.† â€Å"Me too. She deserves it, what with everything else going on.† He had attempted to leave again, but my words made him pause. â€Å"How’s her mom?† I shrugged. â€Å"Good days and bad days. It’s up and down. . . . sometimes it seems hopeless, sometimes it’s like everything’s fixed. Wreaks havoc on everyone. . . . you just can’t assume anything, you know? She’s having some good days right now, but it’s been a hard road for all of them. We just never know what’s going to happen next and have to hang in there as best we can. I’m trying to help, but I don’t know. . . . I don’t feel like it’s enough. But what could be?† I promptly shut up, realizing I was rambling. Doug said nothing, his dark eyes studying me for several heavy seconds. Then, his gaze shifted to Brandy, speaking to the hostess, for a few more moments before returning to me. â€Å"You’re a good person, Kincaid,† he said softly. And this time, he did leave. Nothing else he might have said could have surprised me more. In all the imagined conversations I’d had with Doug, I’d expected frigid politeness at best – and that had seemed like a long shot. More often than not, I’d envisioned him telling me terrible, hurtful things, things I deserved. As much as a secret part of me yearned for him to forgive me so that we could be friends again, I really didn’t think I deserved that forgiveness. I watched him walk away until Brandy stuck her head out from the restaurant door and called that they had a table. Despite how pensive my meeting with Doug left me, I was still able to enjoy the rest of the afternoon with Brandy. We were both in good spirits when we arrived back at the Mortensen home, and mine soared even higher when I saw Seth’s car in the driveway. I hurried inside, eager to see him, only to have my mood shatter when I saw his face. Margaret and Terry wore similar expressions. Brandy, normally so observant, was too keyed up over her purchases to notice that there had been a significant mood shift in the house, compared to the bubbly chaos of this morning. â€Å"We had such a great time,† Brandy told them, face shining. â€Å"I got the best dress.† Margaret gave her a tight smile. â€Å"Why don’t you try it on for us?† Brandy didn’t need to be told twice, and Kendall and the twins followed her uproariously to the bedroom, offering to â€Å"help.† The instant they were gone, I turned to the adults. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"Bad prognosis at the doctor’s,† said Seth, when no one else spoke right away. â€Å"But she was improving,† I argued. I looked at them all for confirmation. â€Å"Right?† â€Å"We thought so,† said Terry. â€Å"At the very least, she seemed to be feeling better. But in these situations . . . well, cancer tricks you that way. It’s why people go so long without ever knowing they have it. She woke up feeling bad this morning, and the doctor confirmed our fears.† I was kind of in awe at how calmly he managed to deliver that. I wasn’t sure I could have without breaking down. Honestly, I didn’t know how he’d been able to handle any of this with as much strength and determination as he had. If this were happening to the love of my life, I was pretty sure I’d crawl into in a corner and cry. Or would I? Looking at Seth, at those beloved features and compassionate expression, I suddenly knew that wasn’t true. If the one I loved needed my strength, then I would give all I had within me. â€Å"We’re not telling Brandy yet,† said Seth. â€Å"We’re not going to keep it from her, but we figured it would be best to wait until after tonight.† I nodded slowly, having no words. I was usually so quick with a quip or soothing line, but what response could I make to that? Especially when, moments later, Brandy came bounding back down the stairs in the pink dress. Each twin held a shoe, and Kendall carried the glittering chandelier earrings we’d found just before lunch. I was reminded of Cinderella’s mouse retainers. Brandy’s tastes had been foremost in my mind while shopping, but I’d also had half an eye on what I thought her family would approve of in fashion. As she spun around for them, however, I realized it didn’t matter. I could’ve brought her home in rags, and they would’ve loved it so long as she wore the look of radiance on her face that she did now. That was what sold it, one spot of pure joy in the dark cloud that kept hanging over this family. The adults were too overcome with emotion to speak, so Kendall did it for us. â€Å"Doesn’t she look like a princess?† She kept trying to smooth nonexistent wrinkles out of the skirt, much to Brandy’s dismay. â€Å"I want a dress like this.† Morgan sat down on the floor and tried to forcibly push the shoe on Brandy’s foot while she still stood, furthering my Cinderella images. McKenna joined in as well, and both nearly succeeded in knocking their older sister over. â€Å"Well?† Brandy laughed. â€Å"What do you think?† â€Å"It’s beautiful,† said Margaret. â€Å"You’re beautiful,† said Terry. Having successfully dislodged the twins, Brandy stepped into the shoes, flushing under the praise of her family. â€Å"I hope I don’t fall in these. How stupid would that look?† â€Å"I don’t think anything could make you look stupid,† said Seth. â€Å"You’re perfect from head to toe.† â€Å"Okay, you guys,† said Brandy, growing embarrassed. â€Å"Now you’re just pushing it.† The â€Å"head to toe† comment suddenly reminded me of something. â€Å"Oh. I won’t be here to do your hair. I have to go to work soon.† At that moment, calling in sick seemed like a reasonable idea. Nothing seemed more important than giving her a perfect night. â€Å"That’s okay,† said Brandy. â€Å"I can do it. Or maybe Mom can.† â€Å"She’s been kind of tired today,† said Terry neutrally. â€Å"But I know she’ll want to see you before you leave.† â€Å"I can do a French twist,† said Margaret, surprising us all. â€Å"If you want to wear it up.† â€Å"Will you show me?† asked Brandy. Margaret nodded. â€Å"Sure, let’s go upstairs.† Before they did, Brandy paused to give me a giant hug. â€Å"Thank you so much, Georgina. For everything.† They went upstairs, followed by the littler girls, all of whom thought there was nothing so wonderful as dressing up their older sister. Actually, I realized, that wasn’t entirely true. Not all of them felt that way. â€Å"Where’s Kayla?† I asked. She hadn’t been in the entourage. Terry sighed and ran a hand through his hair, in a way similar to what I’d often seen Seth do. â€Å"In the living room, I think. She’s been out of sorts today. Sometimes I think she can figure out what’s going on, even when we don’t tell her.† With Kayla’s abilities, I didn’t doubt it was true. I remembered Brandy saying Kayla had been in a â€Å"silent mood† since this morning and wondered just how much of her mother’s illness the little girl was in tune with. I left the brothers to seek her out and found her curled up in a corner of the overstuffed sofa, making herself so small that she was almost lost in the cushions. â€Å"Hey, you,† I said, sitting down beside her. â€Å"How’s it going? Don’t you want to see Brandy’s dress?† Kayla shifted her face, looking at me with huge blue eyes. â€Å"Georgina,† she said. â€Å"You have to make it stay away.† My thoughts were on the dress, so it took a moment for me to follow what she was saying. â€Å"Make what stay away, honey?† â€Å"The Darkness.† There was something in the way she said the word that let me know she wasn’t referring to shadows. When she said â€Å"Darkness,† I could feel the personification in her word, the looming threat of something – or someone – tangible. With a pang, I remembered that Kayla had been able to sense Nyx when she’d escaped her angelic captors. I leaned toward Kayla, glad Seth and Terry were preoccupied. â€Å"Kayla, are you talking about . . . about the creature you felt before? The one you could sense on me?† Nyx’s return would be a complication I most certainly didn’t need in my life right now. She shook her head. â€Å"A different one. The Darkness comes here, to my house. To see my mommy. Will you make it go away?† â€Å"Is it here now?† I asked uneasily. â€Å"No. Just sometimes.† â€Å"How many times?† Kayla thought about it. â€Å"Two.† A cold feeling crept over me. â€Å"Was last night one of those times?† She nodded. â€Å"Have you seen it?† I asked her. â€Å"No. But I feel it. I can tell where it’s at when it’s here.† She peered at me beseechingly. â€Å"Will you make it stop?† I had no clue what this Darkness was or what I could do to stop it, but theories were running wild in my head. I kissed her forehead. â€Å"I’ll do what I can, baby. I promise. I’ve got to leave now, but I’ll see what I can find out for you, okay? We’ll make sure the Darkness doesn’t come back.† Like the flip of a switch, Kayla’s whole demeanor changed. Whereas she’d been sad and withdrawn moments ago, she was now beaming and hopeful. All that faith – in me. With my empty assurance to take on something I didn’t understand, she was able to put aside all of her fears and worries. All was right in her world now, thanks to me. She put her arms around me and kissed me back, and I felt like my heart would break when I finally untangled myself from her. Holiday cheer was calling, as well as a burning need to suddenly talk to Roman. Seeing as how we kept missing each other lately, I sent him a text with a reminder of when I’d be home tonight and that I had important information for him. He was so caught up in his conspiracy theories that I wasn’t sure if he’d want to make time for what he’d probably see as a little girl’s fantasies. Kayla’s perceptions – despite her difficulties in articulating them – had proven accurate before. I didn’t know what she was sensing this time, but if there was a force inside the Mortensen household, I intended to stop it. How to cite Succubus Revealed Chapter 11, Essay examples

Data table disease free essay sample

DATA TABLES: DISEASE LESSON 1 Lesson 1: Step 1 Population Number Starting Number of Contagious People Sick Days Reported Contagious Contagion Rate Prediction 200 5 60 5 0.5 Simulation Run 1 600 3 51 0 0.1 Simulation Run 2 600 3 85 0 1.0 Simulation Run 3 600 3 28 0 0.0 Lesson 1: Step 2 Population Number Population Density Starting Number of Contagious People Sick Days Reported Contagious Contagion Rate Prediction 1 (low) 125 Low 5 90 250 1.5 Simulation Run 1 200 Low 3 340 3 1.7 Simulation Run 2 200 Low 3 366 2 1.8 Simulation Run 3 200 Low 3 474 3 2.4 Prediction 2 (high) 490 high 5 2000 20 7.0 Simulation Run 1 900 High 3 3661 3 4.1 Simulation Run 2 900 High 3 4002 3 4.4 Simulation Run 3 900 High 3 4121 1 4.6 Responses to Questions: 1. No, the number gets lower each time we run the simulator. More vaccines and people develop stronger immune system. Also it might depend on the disease that the population had to face. 2. It would be about 0.1 per capita 1. First it is much cheaper to prevent people from getting infected because the infection can be contained very easily. In high density population it is very hard to contain the disease for the amount of citizens that live there and the contact that they have with each other. We will write a custom essay sample on Data table disease or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is much expensier to developed drugs because of the high amount of population that needs dosage. 2. Its 6.5 per capita Notes: DATA TABLES: DISEASE LESSON 2 Lesson 2: Step 1 Population Number Population Density Starting Number of Contagious People Sick Days Reported Contagious Dead Prediction (medium/medium) 600 600 5 600 40 30 Simulation Run 1 600 Medium 3 1455 0 8 Simulation Run 2 600 medium 3 1496 0 10 Simulation Run 3 600 Medium 3 1494 0 10 Lesson 2: Step 2 Population Mixing Population Density Starting Number of Contagious People Percentage of Population Affected Sick Days Reported Contagious Prediction 1 (medium/medium) Low Medium 3 20% 500 5 Simulation Run 1 Medium Medium 3 1.5% 1094 0 Simulation Run 2 Medium Medium 3 1.7% 956 0 Simulation Run 3 Medium Medium 3 1.7% 1022 0 Predication 2 (high/high) Medium High 3 2.6% 2000 7 Simulation Run 1 High High 3 2.6% 2330 0 Simulation Run 2 High High 3 3% 2305 0 Simulation Run 3 High High 3 3.2% 2362 0 Responses to Questions: 1. My prediction was wrong, well first because a disease can be very unpredictable so the chances of my prediction to have been accurate were very slim. 2.None died on average on Virgin Field. 3.Well if the disease isn’t dealt in a much faster way it will spread and it will kill most of the population and that is something the government doesn’t want to happen. First you will quarantine the area of the outbreak and find subject zero to try to cure the disease, also speed will be more important and a lot of trials from those who are sick which may lead to experimentation. 4.No because the population is of 600 and the maximum death toll was 15 people in one of the trial that is not an alarming state, when 30 to 40 percent of the population is killed by the disease than that is an alarming stage and should be put in state of emergency. 1.It reduces the sick days very quickly. You will need maybe a 90% even higher. When there is vaccine there are more people immune to the sickness. The sickness doesn’t get transmitted quickly and reduces the number of people who were contaminated. Thus, reducing the sick days. In order to do it needs to be at least has to be 75%. 2. The less the density and the mixing the less sick days there are as well as death tolls. When using vaccinations, more people are immune to the sickness which will prevent from the sickness to spread quickly. When you change the mixing and population density, it can either decrease or increase the spreading of the sickness. For example, if there is a high population density, the disease will spread faster but, if there is little population density, the spreading of the disease can be slower. Notes: DATA TABLES: DISEASE LESSON 3 Lesson 3: Step 1 Population Mixing Population Density Percent Vaccinated/ C-Virus Used Starting Number of Contagious People Sick Days Reported Contagious Immune Dead Prediction 1 (low/low) Low low 0% 3 400 25 50 20 Simulation Run 1 Low low 0% 3 216 44 24 8 Simulation Run 2 Low low 0% 3 178 6 33 2 Simulation Run 3 low low 0% 3 160 7 18 5 Prediction 2 (high/high) High High 0% 3 1590 44 50 45 Simulation Run 1 High high 0% 3 4375 0 900 0 Simulation Run 2 high high 0% 3 4535 0 900 0 Simulation Run 3 high high 0% 3 4434 0 900 0 Lesson 3: Step 2 Population Mixing Population Density Percent Vaccinated/ C-Virus Used Starting Number of Contagious People Percentage of Population Affected Sick Days Reported Dead Prediction medium medium 0.5% 5 3.5 per capita 483 10 Simulation Run 1 (slow) medium medium 0.5% 4 4.8 per capita 2857 0 Simulation Run 2 medium medium 0.5% 6 4.5 per capita 2900 3 Simulation Run 3 medium medium 0.5% 6 4.8 per capita 3052 1 Simulation Run 1 (mid) medium medium 0.5% 6 2.7 per capita 1685 0 Simulation Run 2 medium medium 0.5% 8 2.9 per capita 1814 1 Simulation Run 3 medium medium 0.5% 8 3.1 per capita 483 1 Simulation Run 1 (fast) medium medium 0.5% 7 1.0 per capita 2857 1 Simulation Run 2 medium medium 0.5% 10 1.0 per capita 2900 0 Simulation Run 3 medium medium 0.5% 10 1.0 per capita 3052 1 Responses to Questions: 1. The urban would be considered epidemic. Because in urban areas there is a high population density and mixing so the spreading of the disease is faster than the rural areas where there is less population density and mixing. Some precautionary measures could be sanitation. While rural there isn’t a need to establish a quarantine zone but they do need to get a cure for the disease before it spreads. Better sanitation leads to slower spreading of the disease. 2. Some environmental factors could be the climate. Usually in the summer disease spread much faster unlike in winter in which most diseases die because of the cold. Once, the virus or the bacteria are outside of the body, it might die because of the climate. The virus might be living in rivers or lakes, this can cause other fish animals to get contaminated by the disease. Maybe the counter-virus could be immune to any climate, or it might kill counter-viruses depending on the climate. 3. I believe that counter-viruses can be used to fight diseases intern