Essay --

Hello everyone! I am thrilled to announce that I will once again be miniaturized along with my submarine and take you on another Fantastic Voyage inside the human body. In case you have forgotten the details of our last journey, my sub and I will be shrunken down to be 8 microns long. This time I will be swallowed by Fred, a 55 year old man, while he enjoys a hamburger, French fries, and root beer. As I pilot my way through his body, I will be describing the process of digestion and what major structures I see and come across. Can you imagine being part of someone’s meal? Neither can I, yet here I am being chewed and mixed with a juicy burger by Fred’s teeth. As Fred enjoys his meal, the first part of digestion is happening in his oral cavity. Fred’s burger is a mixture of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. As he chews and moves his food around with the help of his tongue, I can see his saliva coming from different angles and mixing with his food. There are three pairs of salivary glands, the parotids, submandibulars, and sublinguals. They secrete most (about 1L) of the saliva produced each day in an adult. (Thibodeau & Patton, 2008, pg397) Saliva contains mucus and a digestive enzyme called salivary amylase. As you can see here, the process of chewing combined with this mucus is allowing the food to break down into a small bolus. After this process I am now mixed up with the bolus and with the help of Fred’s tongue, I have began moving down into the pharynx and then down t o this muscular tube called the esophagus. The esophagus is a stretchy pipe, about 25 centimeters that carries food and liquids from the throat to the stomach for digestion after it has been chewed and chemically softened in the mouth. (InnerBody, 2013) ... ...nce: Thibodeau, G., Patton, K. (2008). Structure and Function of the Body (13th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier Publishing. InnerBody, Digestive System. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.innerbody.com/image/digeov.html KidsHealth (1995). Your Digestive System, On the way down. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/digestive_system.html# Inner Body, Superior Mesenteric Artery. (1999). Retrieved from http://www.innerbody.com/image_dige08/card25.html Coffman, M. A. (n.d.). The Absorption of Food by the Human Body | Healthy Eating | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/absorption-food-human-body-4100.html Oza, N., & Cooper, D. (2011, May 18). How Does the Human Body Maintain Homeostasis? How Chemicals and Organs Work Together to Keep the Body in Balance. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/111342.aspx

Preparation and analysis of inorganic and organic compounds Essay

Task 1 titration of sodium hydroxide with hydrochloric acid In this experiment the sodium hydroxide is neutralized with Hydrochloric acid to produce sodium chloride (the soluble salt) it is then crystallized in a dish. The equation for the above reaction is →NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H20(l) Method Add 25cm3 of sodium hydroxide into a conical flask then add couple of drops of methyl orange indicator Next fill the burette with HCL using a funnel to the 0 mark Add HCL to sodium hydroxide in small amounts swirling constantly keep adding until the solution changes to a red colour record your result Using the same volume of HCL now add it to another 25 cm3 of sodium hydroxide to produce a neutral solution Use a Bunsen burner and an evaporating dish to reduce the volume to half Finally leave to evaporate in a crystallizing dish to produce a white crystalline solid Average Volume = 26.35 Mass of Evaporating dish = 53.86 (Mass = 55.04 – 53.86 = 1.18g) Mass = n x Mr = 0.025 x 58.5 = 1.4625 Calculating Percentage Yield 1.18 x 100 = 80.7 % 1.4625 Test for ions present Sodium Na+ — test carried out = flame test – result golden yellow This happens as the electrons move to higher energy level and then fall back down when heated which gives out yellow light. Chloride test → test carried out = add silver nitrate – result white precipitate of silver chloride was formed Task (e) Purity analysis of NaCl In this task I will be showing the purity analysis of NaCl the same procedure will be carried out as before but this time 0.1 moldm-3 of sodium chloride is titrated with 0.05 moldm-3 silver nitrate the indicator will be the chromate indicator The chemical formula for the following reaction is:NaCl(aq) + AgNO3(aq) → AgCl(s) + NaNo3(aq) RESULTS These are the results obtained for the following experiment: Rough 1 2 Final burette reading 19.9 20.5 20.6 Initial Burette Reading 0.00 0.00 0.00 Titre 19.9 20.5 20.6 Average Volume = 20.55 Converted to dm3 /1000 1)calculate no of moles of silver nitrate N= C x V =0.05 x 0.02055 = 0.010275 moles 2)answer = no of mole of NaCl (1 : 1 ratio) 3) Calculate the actual concentration of NaCl C= n/V = 0.010275 = 0.10275moldm-3 0.01 4)percentage purity ppurity = 0.1 x 100 = 97.3%) 0.010275 Task 2 Method: 1)shake 2g of 2- hydroxybenzoic acid with 4 cm3 of ethanoic anhydride in a 100cm3 conical flask 2) add five drops of concentrated sulphuric acid agitating the flask for about 10 mins the whole wil form a crystalline mush 3) Dilute by stirring it in 4cm3 of cold glacial ethanoic acid and cool by placing in a water bath containing crushed ice 4) filter off the crystals using a Hirsch funnel and wash once with ice cold water 5) place the crude aspirin in a 100cm3 beaker add hot water not boiling water till it dissolves 6)cool and filter of crystals this process is known as recrystallisation 7) Take 4 test tubes add 2cm3 of distilled water in each and in 1 tube add one crystal of the product before recrystallisation and shake 8) Second tube add one crystal of the recrystallised product and shake 9) Third tube add one crystal of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid and shake 10) In last tube add one crystal of known pure aspirin and shake 11)To each tube add 2 drops in turn of neutral iron (III) chloride and shake Following this method I got the following results Mass at start was 2.04 Finishing mass was 2.08 Amount of yield: 138 →180 1 →180/138 1 →1.3 2.04 → 2.652 2.08 x 100 = 78.4% 2.652 Organic testing To test for a phenol group Method: Add neutral iron III chloride(if a phenol group is present it will change into purple complex and if theres no purple then the aspirin is pure) Using the following method my result showed a purple complex showing that my aspirin was impure Melting point analysis

Analysis of the poem Essay

The poem Originally by Carol Ann Duffy talks about the issue of culture identity. The poem talks about change, memories, and anxiety which occurs when moving. This is conveyed through the experiences of a young girl in the poem who is reluctant to leave what she knows behind. This is made apparent through the theme of memory and the continual change of setting. The title Originally sets the tone for the poem as there change needs to occur for there to be an ‘original’. This choice of diction allows for an expectation for what the journey will be about, while the ambiguity of the poem is written in such a way that personal experiences can be projected upon the protagonist. The aspect of the poem through tone however creates a bias towards negative emotions and experiences due to the despondent tone throughout the first two stanzas. This atmosphere of loss is aided through the use of negative emotive diction such as ‘bawling’ and ‘resigned’. By showing that the protagonist’s brothers are crying, Duffy illustrates how hard this is for them as crying is usually only brought on by major or sad events and loss, ‘resigned’ is used to show how she has accepted her fate, but it doesn’t mean she likes it. This association of emotions with the diction allows for empathy to occur towards the protagonist and her unsure feelings about her emigration. The theme of cultural identity is used in the poem in order to instil a sense of not belonging. This feeling of unease and unhappiness is introduced through the use of ‘bawling’ as this change from the place where they are comfortable and belong to the new one is both painful and confusing for them. The use of italics however, in the repetition of ‘Home’ as well as the capitalisation of it, emphasises it’s importance to them and their desire to return to it. The use of a blind toy by Duffy can be used as a metaphor towards the protagonists new life, where, although the toy is blind, it still has eyes. The foreshadowing could be that when the protagonist moves she will be blinded by everything which is new so that she doesn’t become overwhelmed by it. She will continue to be blind to the beauty of her new home so long as she is yearning for her old one. However, once she is ready her ‘sight’ will return and she will start to forget her cultural identity. At the time, the girl doesn’t want this however, so she is clinging onto a toy to maintain her memories of home. Additionally, a toy is associated with childhood, so the clinging onto it may represent how she doesn’t want to grow up and leave her comforts behind. By saying in the second stanza that ‘all childhood is emigration’, Duffy allows for immediate relation to the protagonists situation. This is due to the journey of growing up to adulthood which is a worldwide experience, as well as referring to physical emigration of moving from one place to another. Improtantly however, the emigration of childhood is all made without the acceptance of the person moving, they cannot stop growing older, and parents make the ultimate decisions. This unease and the inability to understand the need to move is reinforced by the location of her new home where ‘no one you know stays. ‘ This introduces the tone of isolation which is reinforced by having the wrong accent, and ‘shouting words you don’t understand’ which immediately marks a person as being from a different area, even though the move could have been within the same country of city, the accent and slang changes. The introduction of ‘big boys’ shows that she is intimidated by people from the area who are older and bigger as she doesn’t know how they will react, this is reinforced by the alliteration present through the repetition of the hard ‘d’, continuing the feeling of intimidation which the protagonist encounters. A continuation of the alliteration in sibilance, ‘seeing your brother swallow a slug, feel only a skelf of shame,’ provides an insight that the protagonist is slightly proud of her brothers for adapting so well to the environment, which is then applied to herself in a continuation of sibilance in combination with a simile in that she ‘remembers (her) tongue shedding it’s skin like a snake, my voice in the classroom sounding just like the rest. ‘ This shows that she is also now adapting to her environment, reinforced by the fact that a shed skin is natural for a snake, and this adaptation is normal, although slightly unwanted. The last stanza’s change in tone shows how the protagonist has changed with age. This allows for a time skip to take place into a time when she is more mature and able to reflect upon the journey easily, although with some regret. This is expressed through rhetorical questions beginning with the use of ‘Do I only think,’ in line 20, which builds up an atmosphere of longing and wistfulness. There is also a tone of uncertainty in there, as she doesn’t know if she had remained in the place if the feelings of belonging would have remained, which is why she only questions and doesn’t outright believe that staying would have been the best option for her. The rhyming of the words ‘first space’ and ‘right place’ reinforces the doubt she feels about her cultural identity. The continued doubt of the protagonist’s cultural identity which occurs in lines 23 and 24, illustrates how she will continue to try and find the answers throughout her life as she will never be truly certain of who she is, creating a sense of not belonging. Although emigration is a hard thing to experience, Duffy illustrates that trying to maintain a cultural identity through such a process may cause problems later. The continued rejection of the new culture illustrates how much of an outsider it makes the protagonist feel later in life, which could have been avoided if it had been readily embraced. The place which she originates from will always have a draw, however, the acceptance of a new culture viewed as a new part of a personal culture, would be much easier to accept than a replacement to the old one.

The Architecture of Cathedrals and Great Churches

The nave of Amines Cathedral The Amines cathedral is the tallest complete cathedral in France, its stone-vaulted nave reaching an internal height of 42. 30 meters (138. Oft). The lower nave completed by the sass's under the direction of Robert De Leaches. Thomas De Cormorant completed the upper nave in the sass's and later the radiating chapels. The plan of Amines Cathedral is like that of the other Classical cathedrals at Chartres and Reams, as well as the Notre-Dame in Paris: a three-aisled nave with a twin-towered west facade, a three-aisled transept, a five-aisled choir, an ambulatory, and radiating happens.The whole design reflects the builders' confident use of the complete High Gothic structural vocabulary: the rectangular-bay system, the four-part rib vault, and a buttressing system that permitted almost complete dissolution of heavy masses and thick weight-bearing walls. At Amines, the concept of a self-sustaining skeletal architecture reached full maturity. The remaining st retches of wall seem to serve no purpose other than to provide a weather screen for the interior. Amines Cathedral is one of the most impressive examples of the French Gothic obsession with instructing ever taller churches.Using their new skeletal frames of stone, French builders attempted goals almost beyond limit, pushing to new heights with increasingly slender supports. The tense, strong lines of the Amines vault ribs converge at the colonnades and speed down the shell-like walls to the compound piers. The nave of Santa Crock Santa Crock is the largest Franciscan church in Florence. The construction started in 1295 by architect Arnold did Cambial and completed in 1442. The church is simple basilica style with a nave and two isles.The nave is mom wide and wooden ceiling is the succession of early Christian architecture. Basically the building is modified- Gothic style which has come from Sectarian church and has bring into Tuscany. The imposing interior has a nave and two side ai sles separated by slender octagonal piers from which spring spacious pointed arches with a double molding. The nave is wide and well-lit, with massive widely-spaced piers supporting pointed arches. The ancient choir placed in the central nave of the church was demolished. The Architecture of Cathedrals and Great Churches By mastoid

Case on Law of Quantum Meruit

Case Analysis Puran Lal Sah versus State of UP Submitted by – Aseem Agarwal (12PGPIM04) Nitin Gupta (12PGPIM21) Rahul Jain (12PGPIM24) Saumitra Das (12PGPIM28) Nishant Shah (12PGPIM29) Supreme Court of India Puran Lal Sah vs State Of U. P on 21 January, 1971 Equivalent citations: 1971 AIR 712, 1971 SCR (3) 469 Bench: Reddy, P Jaganmohan PETITIONER: PURAN LAL SAH Vs. RESPONDENT: STATE OF U. P. DATE OF JUDGMENT 21/01/1971 BENCH: REDDY, P. JAGANMOHAN BENCH: REDDY, P. JAGANMOHAN DUA, I. D. CITATION: 1971 AIR 712 1971 SCR (3) 469 1971 SCC (1) 424 ACT:Contract-Claim on basis of Quantum Meruit – When sustainable Brief Facts of the Case The Public Works Department of the State of UP had issued a tender notice to construct Mile 3 of the Nainital – Bhowali Road. They published Schedule B rates based on the calculation that stone would be available within 26 chains. The appellant inspected the site and found that there was stone available for construction within 26 chains. Satisfied he submitted a tender at 13% below the rates given in Schedule B on 30th September, 1946. Finally the tender was accepted and contract signed on 20th November, 1946.However when the appellant tried to take stone from the specific area, he was stopped by Cantonment authorities. Furthermore he was not given permission from the Cantonment authorities for the removal of stones. As a result he had to get stone from Gadhera and Bhumedar from a distance of 79 and 110 chains respectively. Also during the construction of the road he encountered very hard shale rock that wasn’t mentioned in the contract as result of which he had to do some extra work. He requested for a higher rate from PWD but was rejected.After that he commenced the work, finally when the work was finished the Executive engineer forwarded his request for a higher rate. In his letter dated 15th June 1950 he mentioned that since the appellant was unable to get the stone from within 26 chains and had to bring it from outside, he is entitled to get extra compensation. Under para 5 of the contract the appellant must be prepared to execute the work at original tender rate in excess of the given quantities of work upto 30 % and if he works in excess of 30% he is entitled to refuse the work if the rates are not increased.Since the appellant worked in excess of 30% he claimed a higher rate of payment for this extra work – Rs 48,840 due as balance together with interest by way of damages at 12% amounting to Rs 17,582 making a total of Rs 66,422. When this claim was rejected the appellant gave notice under Section 80 of the CPC and filed a suit for the above amount. The defendant-respondent resisted the suit due to 3 reasons – 1) No assurance was given to the appellant by officers of the PWD as alleged by them. ) Quantity of very hard shale rock shown by the appellant was false. 3) Under para 5 of the contract the appellant must be prepared to execute the work at original tender ra te in excess of the given quantities of work upto 30 % and if he works in excess of 30% he must intimate to Engineer-in-charge in writing his willingness or refusal to do extra work at original rates and if he refuses to carry on at the original rates he is required to settle fresh rates for increased work over 30% before doing the work.The appellant did no such thing but continued to work even after it went in excess of 30%. The trial court held issues 1, 2, 6 and 7 in favour of the appellant while issues 3, 4 and 5 were decided against him. As a result a decree for a sum of Rs 20,495 for extra lead plus Rs 1,653 for extra work done under the item very hard shale and Rs 4,155 interest by way of damages on Rs 22,158 making it a total of Rs 26,313 was passed with interest at 3 per cent per annum. The High court however reversed the decree for 2 reasons – ) Employment of the figure 26 chains was for no other purpose that that of calculation, it could not be held give any assura nce/guarantee to the contactors that they would get stone within the distance. 2) Plaintiff – appellant performed the work required of him without exercising his right under para 5 of the contract which gives him right to demand fresh rate in due of excess work done by him above 30 %. The appeal of the respondent was allowed and the suit dismissed. The case was taken for trial in the Supreme Court and the judgement is as given subsequently.Issues There were two main issues. 1) Whether the estimate of the PWD formed part of the contract so as to be binding on both parties and whether any assurance were given to the appellant that he would be given higher rates from bringing the stones from places situated at 79 chains and 110 Chains respectively. 2) Whether clause 5 of the special conditions of the contract was applicable to the extra item of work and whether he was entitled on the assurances given by the local officers to higher rate for the extra work done. Judgement ) a) In -none of the clauses of the tender notice or conditions of contract or in any other document was there any assurance that if stone was not available at the distance of 26 chains the appellant would ‘be paid higher rates. It was for the appellant to have satisfied himself before entering into the contract that the Cantonment authorities would permit him to take the stone. Since be commenced work after his request for higher rate was rejected, it could not be said that the appellant was in any way induced by any assurance. The Executive Engineer’s letter was only recommendatory and did not establish any right to obtain a higher rate. ) It could not be said that once stone was not available at a distance, of 26 chains, the contract was at an end and that because the appellant had done the work, he should be paid on the basis of quantum meruit. That remedy would be available only when the original contract had been discharged by the defendant in such a way as to entitle the plaintiff to regard himself as discharged from any further performance, and be elects to do so; but, where work is done under a contract persuant to its terms no amount can be claimed by way of quantum meruit. Adopi Parshad & Sons.Ltd. v. Union of India, [1960] 2 S. C. R. 793, followed. 2) The appellant could not succeed on second point also because under clause 12 of the contract Ext. B-1, the plaintiff was bound to perform additional work up to 30% on the same terms and conditions on which he undertook to do the work. The quantity of work that appellant performed was far in excess of what was mentioned in Ext. B-3. The Appellant therefore claimed payment for the work done by him in excess of the quantity mentioned in the contract plus 30% at the current rate as against the stipulated rates.Para 5 of the special instructions provides as follows: â€Å"Contractors must be prepared to do at their original tender rate in excess of the given quantities of work up to 30%. If an increa se in excess of 30% is ordered over the work, the contractor must intimate in advance his willingness or refusal to work at the originally tendered rates. In the latter case, he should also settle fresh rate for increases work over 30% before doing the work. Since there is no evidence nor it is claimed by the appellant that he had given any notice as required under Para 5 of the pecial instructions and since he did the work without fulfilling these requirements he is not entitled to claim any amounts at a higher rate for extra work done. Sections/Acts Sec 73 Indian Contract Act, 1872: Compensation for loss or damage caused by breach of contract. – When a contract has been broken, the party who suffers by such breach is entitled to receive, from the party who has broken the contract, compensation for any loss or damage caused to him thereby, which naturally arose in the usual course of things from such breach, or which the parties knew, when they made the contract, to be likel y to result from the breach of it.Such compensation is not to be given for any remote and indirect loss or damage sustained by reason of the breach. Compensation for failure to discharge obligation resembling those created by contract – When an obligation resembling those created by contract has been incurred and has not been discharged, any person injured by the failure to discharge it is entitled to receive the same compensation from the party in default, as if such person had contracted to discharge it and had broken his contract. Explanation. In estimating the loss or damage arising from a breach of contract, the means which existed of remedying the inconvenience caused- by the non- performance of the contract must be taken into account Contract Claim on basis of Quantum Meruit The term â€Å"quantum meruit† means â€Å"as much as is merited† or â€Å"as much as earned†. It provides that where a person has done something or rendered some service for a nother, or delivered goods to him not intending to do so gratuitously, then he is entitled to recover a reasonable sum in case the contract has not been fully performed.Grounds for Claiming on the basis of quantum meruit: a. Work done in pursuance of a contract which has been discharged due to the defendant. b. Where services are rendered under an agreement which is discovered to be void. c. Where a person enjoys the benefit of a non-gratuitous act (Section 7). d. Where the contract is divisible and the party has enjoyed the benefit of the work done. Limitations: a. Where a contract requires complete performance. b. A person who is himself guilty of breach cannot sue on quantum meruit. . Any claim upon the basis of quantum meruit cannot be entertained unless there is evidence of an express or implied promise to pay for the work which has already been done. Others Cited Cases Alopi Parshad and Sons v. Union of India – This case was cited for the help to understand the present case for the interest as Damages or interest on damages. Case mentioned that the compensation on the principle of quantum meruit is awarded for work done or services rendered when the price thereof is not fixed by contract.It means when there is express term of an agreement the quantum meruit will not apply. As there is agreement and rates are fixed there cannot be any implied contract as express contract is present. Thus compensation quantum meruit cannot be awarded. Conclusion Quantum Meruit: The general rule is that unless one party has performed his obligation in full. He cannot claim performance from the other. However in certain cases, when one party has done some work under the contract and contract gets discharged due to some reason (not because of the party which has done some work).He is entitled to be paid for the work he has done. This is the principle of quantum meruit which means â€Å"as much as merited or earned† References: 1. Bansal, C L. (2006). Business an d Corporate Laws. New Delhi, India: Excel Books. 2. Puran Lal Sah vs State Of U. P. Retrieved from http://www. indiankanoon. org/doc/1394427/ 3. Section 73 in The Indian Contract Act, 1872. Retrieved from http://www. indiankanoon. org/doc/339747/ 4. M/S. Alopi Parshad & Sons, Ltd vs The Union Of India. Retrieved from http://www. indiankanoon. org/doc/1989300/

An application for funds from NORAD foreign aid program Essay

An application for funds from NORAD foreign aid program - Essay Example The focus in this paper is in the Southern Sudan, the newest state in East Africa. Having gained independence from the north last year, the country has numerous challenges to address. One of the main challenges the country faces is a lack of capacity to provide its people with clean water. The country lies in the sub-Saharan region where water scarcity has prevailed for a long time now. In addition, the country lacks the financial capacity to run projects that can ensure that every individual has access to clean drinking water. According to the latest statistics, only 37% of the Sudanese population is lucky enough to access clean water. The rest of the population must trek for long distances in order to find a water source. Since the precious resource is very scarce, 63% of people living in south Sudan rely on water that does not meet the World Health Organization’s standards for clean drinking water. These people result to using this water because they lack a choice.   The fact that the water is unclean for human consumption presents new challenges for the country. The susceptibility of water-borne diseases has been increasing. Diseases such as cholera, guinea worm, and typhoid are becoming an everyday case in South Sudan. Provision of clean and safe drinking water is a leading priority in the globe today. It is unfortunate that approximately 6 out of 10 people from south Sudan lack access to a basic resource.   Women and girls have to make long treks before getting a reliable water source. The scarcity of water has led to numerous detrimental effects. As described above, the country must battle with multiple diseases that result from unsafe drinking water. These diseases cost the government a lot in the health sector. In addition, it increases the mortality rate among children and adults. In a globe that commits itself to reducing to increasing life expectancy, the low life expectancy in children is a sad irony for the country. Future prospects predict that the higher percentage of children born today will not live to see the next five years. Without access to water, sanitation deteriorates and the reality of this is evident in Sudan, where sanitation levels are very low. The world water statistics mentioned the sub-Saharan region as the worst affected by water scarcity and low standards of sanitation (UNEP 195). In addition, the same report indicates that the region registers high mortality rates. These statistics also highlight a leading cause of deaths in southern S udan, diarrhea. South Sudan accounts for a great percentage of the 2.2 million deaths resulting from diarrhea. The cause of diarrhea is significantly due the use of unclean drinking water. Current Projects Currently, south Sudan has numerous projects under way in a bid to provide water for the people. Although south Sudan gained independence last year, it realizes the enormous challenges that lay ahead (Dagne 14). Despite the limited financial capacity, it has been making steps towards the provision of solutions to the water challenge. The government realizes that it cannot stand alone and has sought the financial and technological aid from other countries. Financial challenges have denied South Sudan the opportunity to provide water to its people. The government cannot afford the machinery necessary for the process. In addition, the country lacks trained personnel that would operate the machinery even if it were available. Therefore, the country can only rely on foreign machinery and personnel in most of its contracts. The ongoing projects have focused on drilling boreholes that have been the only available source of water for most of the people. In addition, these boreholes account for the 37% population mentioned as

Elisa and Ellen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Elisa and Ellen - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that Elisa has quietly asked her boss to consider extending her health benefits to her spouse and this is still in negotiation. Elisa and Ellen have been together for seven years. They are committed same sex partners and they have a home together. They were "married" after five years and they have lived as any heterosexual couple would live. They understand that there are no laws that protect them but Ellen works only part-time because she is also going to school to gain her bachelors degree. Elisas firm offers academic reimbursement and healthcare to the spouses of heterosexual couples but they do not extend them to homosexuals. They do not have to offer these benefits and most do not. Elisa may have to take a few days off from work when Ellen has the baby which would be allowable if they were a heterosexual couple. Elisa will have to take her vacation days if she wants to take off because there are no provisions for partner leave. Most benefits are given to "married couples" when someone works in a job and gays and lesbians cannot marry in most states. Beyond healthcare and leave, there are other issues of retirement income. Currently Ellen would not be able to collect retirement benefits if something happened to Elisa because they are not married. Although Elisa can make Ellen the beneficiary there are no laws that would give her the retirement if someone from Elisas family would contest it.