Gun Control Argument

Gun Control The gun control debate in the US is often contentious and politically divisive. And with upcoming elections always looming in the near future, we will continue hearing a great deal from the media as well as politicians about what should or should not be done about â€Å"too many guns† in our society. Unfortunately, too many Americans do not take time to truly understand the issues and the reasoning behind both sides of the controversy. To help get a clearer perspective of the problem, there are two very short, but well written pro/con pieces, regarding the debate, by Mitch Albom and Thomas Sowell.Each presents his own rationale for what should be done about gun control. According to Albom’s â€Å"Don’t Shoot Holes in Gun Control Bills,† gun control is something that is needed. He cites several episodes between Los Angeles and Detroit where the availability of obtaining a gun is so easy, that people roll up to someone, roll down a window and sta rt spraying bullets. The argument being made here is that with guns being so easy to obtain, anyone is capable of carrying one. In a lot of cases, self defense is not the issue with them.A lot of gun crimes are out of â€Å"hair trigger tempers with a hair trigger weapon. † The big point being made is that most of these violent crimes with guns are a result of someone blowing off steam. It is not only gang members doing the shooting either. One man was cited as not liking a hamburger he received so he threw it at the clerk at the drive through window. She in turn threw a soda at him so he returned moments later and shot her. He states that contrary to the belief that guns don’t kill people, people kill people, that the weapon that kills is the gun being used.It is the weapon that does the killing. There are some very valid points as to how lack of gun control can allow crime to run rampant, but not everyone sees it that way. On the other side of the argument is Thomas Sowell. His essay â€Å"Mass Shootings and Mass Hysteria† claims that gun control is not the cause of violence. He claims when we are allowed to carry guns for self defense, a mass shooting is less likely to happen as it will be thwarted a lot sooner by bystanders as they will take action upon themselves to thwart the attacker.He states people committing these illegal acts are not going to stop just because guns are illegal. When looking into who would stop these people, another person with a gun is the answer. Sowell also cites the flaw of the waiting period, stating the Columbine incident, involved a couple of kids who waited a long time to plan out their attack, nor would the tragedy have been prevented by a program for troubled youth. The kids committing this mass murder passed their psych evaluations. Some people support gun control just because they don’t like guns.He concludes by saying criminals are less likely to commit a crime when they know the person they a re going after may very well have a gun of their own. He wants to compare the statistics to accidental gun deaths and statistics on gun murders being much less where gun ownership is widespread. On a lighter note, to demonstrate the real irony of the issue, a spring 2006 segment of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, entitled â€Å"Bye, Bye, Birdie,† tackled the gun controversy by satirizing former Vice President Cheney’s accidental shooting of his friend during a sporting event.This makes light of a serious issue but the underlying theme is of a serious nature. They bring to the point how this hunting club allows you to shoot animals that truly cannot escape. It is depicting the event with Vice President Cheney as this is where he was with his friend when he accidentally shot him. While it is humorous, when you look at the real issue it does lay out a serious angle. To the intelligent viewer, this can be very effective. They can become engaged in an entertaining fashion but take the serious message from the satire.To the not so intelligent viewer, this may look like a big joke, which can take away from the effectiveness of the message, even if it brings ratings due to the entertainment value. In the end these sources make valid points from their points of view. There are two very different schools of thought and even when satire is involved, it is a very controversial topic. The perspectives are out there. Now it is time for the viewer and reader to take what they wish from it all.

Goal Setting and Strategies Worksheet Essay

Review this week’s resources (for example SMART criteria, and the Career Plan Building Activities). Respond to the following in 50 to 100 words each: 1. Describe one academic goal that you have created using the SMART criteria. How do SMART criteria contribute to your academic goals?. My academic goal would be finishing college. SMART contributes to my goal by helping me set standards, revising my goal, and goals from the lest important to the most important. Then decideing if it is a long-term goal, or short-term goal. How to make a stradegy. It helps to put things into perspective on how you choose to accomplish your goals. 2. Describe one professional/career goal you have created using the SMART criteria and Career Plan Building Activities results. How did the results of the Career Interest Profiler and Career Plan Building Activity on Competencies contribute to your professional goal development?One of my Career goals that I created using the SMART would be finishing school, setting out to geat a great job. The way that career profiler and career plan building activity contributed to my goal was by visualizing my goal, giving me that thought process to take on old and new career goals. That motivation, that staying focused mentality, 3. Describe the stress and time-management strategies you have learned this week that will help you achieve your goals. The stress and time-management strategies I have learned this week would be to stay focused, stay motivated. Decide how to accomplish your goal in a reasonable time, as in keep your set goal, Set a time when your goal will be accomplished, give yourself room to breath, meaning time to accomplish this goal, do not over welhem yourself. 4. Describe how you will balance academic expectations and your personal and professional responsibilities. I will Balance my academic expectations, by setting aside time. Preparing a schedule to make time for my academics. Speak with my family about setting up times or days to communicate with each other if things are getting to complicated with my personal life just let them know that I am there always. Professional wise just staying on top of things if my job is demanding more hours, well then I will have to improvise my schedule. 5. How can understanding the importance of SMART criteria and your career interests and competencies help you move towards your career and academic goals? They can help me view situations more easily by setting standards, staying motivated keeping my mind on what needs to be done. Helping me realize what kind of time-managemnet I need to accomplish these goals. Setting aside personal, and professtional life. It has given me a better out look on reaching my academic goal. How I can keep things going smoothly.

ANALYSIS ON THE EUROPEAN UNION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

ANALYSIS ON THE EUROPEAN UNION - Essay Example A Commissioner can be responsible for policy areas that belong to different DGs. Cabinet portfolios are basically function-based. National officials are invited by the Commission to participate on expert and advisory committees in the preparatory stages of a policy process. They attend as area experts, and do not formally represent their governments (Docksey and Williams, 1997, p. 141). Interest group participation is functionally based. The geographical principle is apparent in several respects. At the apex of the organization, the College of Commissioners is comprised of persons proposed by the member governments. They are served by personal secretariats that are composed of compatriots of the respective commissioners. For the Commission services, the recruitment of officials is drawn from national quotas but merit criteria is also applied. The EU has 27 member countries. ... (since 2004-05-01), Lithuania (since 2004-05-01), Luxembourg (EUR), Malta (since 2004-05-01) (EUR: 2008-01-01), the Netherlands (EUR), Poland (since 2004-05-01),Portugal (EUR), Romania (since 2007-01-01),Slovakia (since 2004-05-01) (EUR: 2009-01-01), Slovenia (since 2004-05-01) (EUR) , Spain (EUR), Sweden (since 1995-01-01) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. III. Economic Total Value of Trade The EU has a tremendous trading partnership with various countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). The total value of EU trade with the ACP countries reached approximately 80 billion for 2007. The breakdown of trade transactions reflected figures of EU importation worth 40.2 billion and EU export figures of 39.7 billion. For the African countries, the EU is their largest trading partner.In terms of trade composition, the profile of key products which are currently traded are as follows: the ACP countries export petroleum (42% of total exports), cocoa beans, (5%) and diamonds (5%). The EU exports machinery (22%), oil (11%), vehicles (7%), boats (7%), and medicines (3%). The EU also poured considerable foreign direct investment to the ACP countries which had increased from 1,922 million in 1996 to 4,319 million in 2002. This value of investment represents approximately 3.3% share out of the total investment outflows of the EU.In terms of foreign direct investment breakdown, foreign dirext investment flows to ACP Africa peaked from 1,532 million in 1995 to 2,799 million in 2002. Hence, the ACP has increasingly become a destination for investment by the EU.According to EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson (2008), the continued prosperity of Europe hinges on business certainty, tariff predictability,

Managing entrepreneurially Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing entrepreneurially - Essay Example In the use of entrepreneurship skills in management, maximization on the available resources is usually the highest priority to increase the level of output in a firm, without incurring additional costs both financially and through labor. As per the definition of entrepreneurial management, an entrepreneur is a good manager who assumes all the risks of a business by taking control of the company, as well as its goals and direction. The entrepreneurship model of management is made up of six different styles that are generated from a combination of one or more styles, but all aim at the earlier mentioned goals of effectiveness and independence. The first style is the classic and is more of a traditional entrepreneurial management style based on monitoring and supervision (Roslan et al 91). With this in mind, all hired personnel are monitored and supervised on a personal level, where personal refers to the manager taking the role of supervisor. This style also focuses on lack of delegat ion of responsibilities in the firm all thanks to the personal nature or attachment of the manager to the firm in taking the lead to oversee everything personally. The down side to this style lies in the failure to delegate duties and responsibilities due to the neurotic urge to do everything by oneself, which is more of a negative way to run a firm. The style is reformed by defining that which can be delegated and that which cannot, in order to create a convention on that which is right and wrong in running of the firm in relation to effectiveness. However, due to the common belief that this style uses team management, businesses often become too complicated to be run by the entrepreneur using this style; thus the inclusion of managers from outside to run the business. Still, due to the lack of trust in the delegation of responsibilities to subordinates and other members of staff, there is usually conflict in the running of the firm, as the leader needs to be in control. This is co ncerning running and supervising everything personally, which leads to over regulation what the managers are supposed t do for the development of the firm. As a result, it disillusions the subordinates and the firm is left without members of staff since they cannot handle the occurrence of such events on a regular basis as it appears disrespectful to the members of staff by subjecting them to some of the responsibilities that one cannot handle on his or her own. To correct the situation of the classic style of leadership with its down sides, to is crucial to identify the role of one’s leadership in relation to one’s ability to delegate. Therefore, when one cannot delegate effectively, it is crucial to keep the complexity of the business to a minimum in order to eliminate the need for managers and disillusionment of subordinates. The second style is the coordinator, which is an alternative to the classic method in that it takes the recommendations of reforming the class ic to mind. A firm can be easily run with a very limited number of employees together with the leader, where the role of the leader revolves around organization. In this case, entrepreneurial management involves the leader verifying that everything is done in the form and that the firm is

Staphylococcus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Staphylococcus - Research Paper Example The different species prove to be dangerous because they show resistance towards methicillin and other potent antibiotics (Acton, 2012, pg.38). Incidence of a disease is defined as risk of contracting a disease. Hence various studies have been conducted to assess the incidence of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus. There was a dramatic increase in the number of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus cases in the late 1990s in America. The strain was seen to cause infections in children who were not at risk. The children had not had recent hospitalization, surgery, injection infusion nor had they resided in a medical facility for a long time. Four fatal pediatric cases also emerged between 1996 and 1999. This raised questions. The methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus could be acquired in the community, and this also suggested that a new strain of the bacterium was present which differed from the already present strain in hospital settings (Song et al, 2013, pg. 69). The epidemiology of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus is continuously changing due to its capability to resist. This trait makes it hard to treat these infections. Hence regular surveillance studies are held to assess the status of disease. Surveillance studies from 1990s indicated an increase in the incidence of MRSA infections. The role of surveillance studies is to lower morbidity, mortality and incidence of disease (Meija et al, 2015, pg. 79). Methicillin resistance is a universal problem but is more prevalent in countries where use of antibiotics is high. American and China have the highest rate of antibiotic consumption and hence face the most cases of methicillin resistance (Tisserand, 2015, pg. 20). The normal bacterial flora of humans includes S. aureus often. Studies indicate that the organism is present in the nasal colonization of the adult population. Staphylococcus aureus

Business Process Diagram Samples Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Business Process Diagram Samples - Essay Example 1.  The activities of the different departments of a company operate on a set of processes known as the Business Processes of the organization. The case of a retail company, ABC desiring to track its sales requires the creation of a business process. This business process is depicted by the construction of a flow diagram carving out the entire business process needed for tracking sales. (Business Process Diagram Samples). The diagram generated for a business process consists of graphical figures linked unto each other reflecting a constant flow of activities. (White, 1-3). 2.   The requirement to design a business process arises from the situation in solving a specific business problem which can range from operations to customer care and can even encompass the warehouse operations. (Business Process Diagram Samples).   However the design of the business process must be made keeping a focus that it helps in a better understanding of the complex business functions. Thus geometric al figures like square, circle, rectangle, and triangle are employed connected by flow lines depicting the various functions.   (White, 1-3). 3.   Designing the diagrams for business processes helps in probing into the details of the business operations with needful precision. This detailing of business activities helps in effective monitoring and controlling of business functions which in turn enhances the quality of goods and services produced. (White, 1, 8). 1.  

Information Sensitivity and Protection of Data Essay - 5

Information Sensitivity and Protection of Data - Essay Example ael Deaconess Medical Center uses in handling sensitive data, as appearing in Managing Information Privacy & Security: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Technology Resources Policy (2007) are against the following: Access to vital information is a key concern by these organizations. There are policies put in place that emphasize of access of information to authorized personnel only. In most cases, there are access control measures allowing specific personnel access to them. Hacking or breaking into somewhere are means of accessing information illegally, leading to further means of access control such as power switches and anti-hacking software. Disclosure of crucial information is critical in healthcare. It may have serious consequences on the patient or their relatives (Herdman, 2006). It is therefore wise to keep it as discreet as possible. In large firms with different departments, restricting disclosure to the less involved ones is a possible way of curbing disclosure. There are also restrictions of unauthorized disclosure of institutional information beyond it, mostly by export through electronic means. The issue of data alteration is a key concerning the three organizations. Altering data interferes with crucial conclusions or actions of healthcare institutions (Iyer, Levin, Shea & Ashton, 2006). Alteration occurs intentionally by malicious staff and is preventable by having monitoring systems such as CCTV cameras in safe rooms. Accidental alterations occur in some cases such as virus attacks on databases, leading to restriction of digital uses that may expose information to such. Destruction of data is likely to occur in any organization in form of crises such as fire, system failure, or virus attacks. Luckily, these are preventable by having fire-fighting equipment, computer back up systems and proper anti-virus software, or in the case of electronic data loss, data recovery mechanisms are available. It is evident that most of the policies applied in data

Examine the leadership styles of lewin (1951)white lippit(1960)and Essay

Examine the leadership styles of lewin (1951)white lippit(1960)and consider how it applies to your current or past work place.us - Essay Example According to them, leaders acted in three main ways, laissez – faire, democratic and autocratic leadership style. Autocratic leaders dictated terms and people had to obey them blindly. Democratic leaders discussed all probabilities and also made followers to take their own decisions. Laissez – faire is the extreme opposite to autocratic leadership style. They completely parted with all responsibilities to the followers. The experiments conducted by Lewin on planned change and styles of leadership spurred the launch of group dynamics research and change programs implementation (Burnes 2004). Relevance of Lewin, White and Lippit’s leadership styles in today’s healthcare organizations Nursing is basically a people oriented profession and hence there is considerably focus on humanity and this is one of the basic factors influencing nursing leadership. In order to deal with daily work routines and situations, nursing managers need to make the most use of situat ional leadership. For this, the manager must be aware of the leadership styles employed, task and the processes and systems followed in the healthcare organization. Nursing managers who can successfully combine the above mentioned attributes attain maximum success in handling challenging situations (Sellgren, Ekvall & Tomson 2006). However, the traditional leadership styles experimented on a group of children by Lewin, Lippitt and White may not be the most popular leadership style adapted by nurse managers. In fact, on the basis of these behavioural forced leadership styles, the transformational leadership was subsequently developed and is still considered one of the most popular leadership style adapted by nurse managers. Transformational leadership styles take on all the aspects of democratic, autocratic and laissez – faire styles and apply it depending on the situation warranted. Hence, in today’s changing healthcare organizations, nurse managers have to utilize all the three leadership styles proposed by White, Lippitt and Lewin depending on the situation (Molero et al. 2007). Changes made in the organizational structure also affect the leadership style to be adapted by nurse managers. Also the diverse phases of development which an organization goes through, warrants diverse management efforts and the leadership style should be in compliance with the particular stage through which the organization runs through. The current changes in the environment affecting the culture in the organization also spurs nurse managers to create a specific leadership style of their own in order to handle tasks efficiently (Lindholm, Sivberg & Uden 2000). Hence, most nurse managers employ all three styles of democratic, laissez – faire and authoritative depending on the situation. The leadership style adapted by nursing managers depends on the climate of the group. The manager needs to find out whether the needs of the group are meted out and whether the group is so formed in order to handle group goals. In this case, the nurse leader needs to first make a retrospect of his or her behavioural traits. Accordingly, the current situation in the organizati

Vidoe analyze Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vidoe analyze - Essay Example The Maori people, a minority group from New Zealand, use tribal tattoos not only as a form of identity, but also as a show of one’s social status in the society. According to them, ones Moko designs improved one’s stature and indicated their shift in status quo. On the utmost point, the Moko designs also declared the holy nature of leadership as performed by the elders (Ellis 185). Maori health tattoos were used to maintain ones youthful nature, especially girls would tattoo their chin and lips so that incase ones eyesight would fail at any point, he/she would repeat the tattooing again in order to see well. According to the two YouTube videos I have watched, the Maori people are proud of who they are and are glad that the Moko designs are now widely spreading. For instance, vacationers visit the area to see them and learn more about the tattoos. Although it had started dying by the coming of the church and Christianity, it has been resurrected by those proud of the culture and the women are trying to uphold it by educating their children and grandchildren about the Moko and the beliefs of the Maori (Ellis 175). They say it identifies you and people need not ask who you are, where you come from and what language you speak anymore. They are proud of themselves and the sense of satisfaction that comes with being a Maori. They even insist the Tatau and Moko designs have created a spirit of unity and brotherhood in them as it gives them a sense of belonging and sweeps away the fear that they have been concealed as a minority. In my own opinion, I feel that since the Moko are used as an identity mark, the non-Maoris should not be allowed to get the Moko because it is a tribal tattoo and only the Maoris have the right to their specific patterns and art forms. Besides, although most non-Maoris are getting the Mokos on their bodies and

Discrimination in Healthcare Essay Example for Free

Discrimination in Healthcare Essay The new test is whether or not certain treatment was unfavourable to the person claiming discrimination, focusing on the consequences of the treatment on the person claiming direct discrimination because of a protected attribute. Examples of direct discrimination An employer advises an employee that they will not be trained to work on new machinery because they are too old to learn new skills. The employer has discriminated against the employee by denying them training in their employment on the basis of their age. A real estate agent refuses an African man’s application for a lease. The real estate agent tells the man that the landlord would prefer an Australian tenant. The real estate agent has discriminated against the man by denying him accommodation on the basis of his race. Indirect The definition of indirect discrimination has been simplified by removing existing technicalities and providing further clarity around the factors to consider in determining whether a requirement, condition or practice is reasonable in the circumstances. Indirect discrimination will occur where a person imposes, or proposes to impose, a requirement, condition or practice that has, or is likely to have, the effect of disadvantaging people with a protected attribute, and that is not reasonable. The new test for indirect discrimination: needs a person to show that the requirement, condition or practice causes, or is likely to cause disadvantage, rather than demonstrating that they cannot comply with a requirement, condition or practice removes the requirement that the person claiming indirect discrimination must establish that a substantially higher proportion of people without the attribute that they have can comply with the requirement, condition or practice places the onus of proof regarding the easonableness of the requirement, condition or practice on the person who imposed or proposes to impose it extends the factors to be considered in determining whether a requirement, condition or practice is reasonable.

Prisoners Of War In Japan Ww2 History Essay

Prisoners Of War In Japan Ww2 History Essay The Japanese attack against the United States in Pearl Harbor happened so quickly that most Americans were captured in the opening weeks of World War II. The Japanese captured a total of 140,000 American soldiers and held them in Japanese camps from 1942-1945. These prisoners were treated cruelly and inhumanely by their captors. In fact, more prisoners died in Japanese camps than did in German war camps. To prevent enemy soldiers from returning to their troops, the Japanese held prisoners of war in horrible camps throughout Japan, forced them to work in horrendous conditions, and treated them inhumanely. The living conditions the prisoners had to endure on the way to the camps was truly awful. When transported, the men were crammed into rusty old freighters and spent several nights in these hell ships (The POW Camps). The men on the ships had no room to move, were ill with dysentery and had very little food. Sometimes they were transported from one hell ship to another on their journeys to work camps. The camps were surrounded by barbed wire and closely guarded by Japanese soldiers (Wukovits 37). Prisoners of war slept in crowed barracks on mats (World War Two Japanese) and slept eight to thirteen prisoners to a room (Wukovits 37). Because the living conditions were so bad, the health conditions in the camps were also horrendous. In 1942, the Japanese decided that each prisoner would get fifteen ounces of rice or barley, a few vegetables and sometimes a few bits of meat each day (Wukovits 39). They suffered from starvation, malnutrition, ulcers and cholera (World War Two Japanese). 1-in-3 prisoners died from starvation, work, or diseases (World War Two Japanese). More prisoners died from disease and illness than from torture. The Japanese took no pity on the sick. If they were incapable of doing their assigned task because of their illness, they were made to do other jobs and their allotment of food was cut in half. Many men died because they were starved to death. One structure in each camp was known as the Zero Ward, because men who entered the ward with illness did not leave it alive (Wukovits 63). The prisoners of war were treated as slaves by the Japanese. In May 1942, the Japanese Prime Minister announced a no work- no food policy (Wukovits 39). They were forced to work in mines, fields, shipyards and factories (World War Two Japanese). Prisoners had to build bridges, dig ditches, garden and raise chickens. One of the most famous work assignments was the Burma-Thailand Railroad. Prisoners of war were forced to work side-by-side with Asian laborers to build the 260 mile railroad by hand. They worked from dawn until dusk moving earth and building bridges for 10 days straight (World War Two Japanese). They worked 16- hour days in 50-man teams cutting down trees, building roads and laying ties for the railroad (The POW Camps). Prisoners did not remain in the same areas for long. They were shipped off to various camps throughout Asia. A camp near Changi was the most notorious POW camp where prisoners who did not work were not fed (Trueman). In the beginning, the prisoners of Ch angi were not asked to do much and had plenty of food. However, in Easter of 1942 the Japanese changed their minds and formed work parties providing the men with very little food (Trueman). Many of the prisoners jobs were in conflict with the rules established by the Geneva Convention, but the Japanese did not care (La Forte, Marcello, and Himmel 115). The Japanese believed in Extreme Measures and treated the prisoners of war inhumanely. Japanese soldiers lived under the code of Bushido which involved complete obedience, bravery, honor and ultimate loyalty (Wukovits 14). The worst offense a Japanese soldier could commit was to surrender in battle. By this action he shamed his action and village, and his name would be removed from the towns registry (Wukovits 14). Therefore, American soldiers who surrendered were considered to have dishonored their country and were treated with contempt. Prisoners who tried to escape were killed either in groups or individually (Gevinson). The aim was to not allow a single escape, but to annihilate them all and not leave a single trace (Gevinson). One of the many difficulties the prisoners of war were faced with was the language barrier. The Japanese guards spoke very little English and prisoners were forced to learn Japanese to follow commands (World War Two Japanese). Those who did not follow com mands were beaten (Gevinson). Annelex Hofstra Layson in her memoirs of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp as a little girl said, The soldiers did a lot of arm waving and yellingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ When we couldnt understand what they wanted us to do, the guards became angry. Their facial expressions would change, and they would start hitting and shoving people around. Even though no guard ever hurt me, I lived in constant fear that one would (41). Prisoners of war suffered horribly in Japanese camps during World War II. The living conditions were barbaric, because soldiers were forced to live in crowded barracks on mats. They suffered from starvation, diseases and malnutrition not only because of their living conditions, but because they were given very little to eat each day. Prisoners of war were forced to work side by side building a 260-mile railroad in 16 hour days doing hard labor with very little food (World War Two Japanese). Injured and sick prisoners were still made to work, but their food was restricted even more. The Japanese believed in a no work no food policy (Wukovits 39). The working conditions violated the laws of the Geneva Convention. Extreme measures were used by the Japanese with the prisoners of war, because they believed the soldiers were dishonoring their country by surrendering or being captured. The aim of the Japanese was not to allow any prisoners to escape. Their main goal was to eliminate all p risoners and not leave any traces of their existence. The Japanese did not speak any English and the soldiers spoke no Japanese, therefore they had difficulty following the commands and were beaten because of this. In conclusion, during World War II Japanese prisoners of war were held in appalling conditions, forced to work as slaves, and were treated inhumanely to prevent their return to their troops and to punish them for abandoning their country. Prisoners of War in Japan WW2

Native American Essay -- Essays Papers

Native American The story of the pilgrims and Native Americans was always taught in elementary school during the Thanksgiving holiday. The teachers frequently called Native Americans â€Å"Indians†. It never crossed my mind that the word â€Å"Indians† was the politically incorrect way of labeling Native Americans until a student shouted it out to the teacher in 5th grade. It finally clicked in my mind that Indians are people from India not America. Native Americans were always portrayed to be accepting culture when confronted with the Europeans during Thanksgiving. In elementary school, everything is happy. I don’t even remember learning American history. Columbus sailed the ocean blue, thought he was in India, and started the trend of labeling Native Americans as â€Å"Indians†. In junior high school, I learned more about the Native American’s view on the colonization of America. They were people who were forced out of their land to make room for European settlements. Most Native American tribes were at war with the incoming settlers. Native Americans are people who celebrate and wor...

Protein Power Essays -- Eating Health Essays

Protein Power 1. Description Met-Rx can be used as a meal supplement or meal companion. It is mostly used by body builders in order to build body mass. It is packaged in the form of food bars or powdered shakes. (www.metrx.com/tutorials-and-quiz/quiz.html) The purpose of this treatment is to "support protein synthesis, energy production, and fat utilization" (www.met-rx.com/faq/default.htm). The ingredients contained in these combinations allow the body to acquire all the necessary nutrients for maximum metabolic effect. 2. Types of Protein Supplements Shakes are used so that the time consuming calorie counting, etc. can be avoided. They are also designed to "maximize the oxidation and storage potential of some metabolic pathways (protein and carbohydrates) and limits others (fat)" (www.metrx.com/tutorial-and-quiz/lesson7c.html). Currently, whey protein has the highest Biological Value (a number used for comparing protein value in foods.) The fact that whey protein was produced as a result of milk protein and there is no inclusion of fat or lactose allows whey protein to be very beneficial. Whey protein has also shown an increase in levels of glutathione (an antioxidant which is necessary in a healthy immune system). (www.powersupplements.com/protein.htm) For this reason, the University of Nebraska Medical Center studied the effects of a protein diet on hamsters. They concluded that the "life span of hamsters was extended by 60% by supplementing their diet with whey protein" (www.powersupplements.com/protein.htm). Considering this study deals with hamsters, the results can not be assumed exact for humans, nonetheless they are encouraging. 3. Food Vs. Protein Supplement ... ...cience Nutrition. Jul;39(4):317-328. (3) Dohm GL. (1984). Protein nutrition for athletes. Clinical Sports Medicine. Jul;3(3):s595-604. (4) Jenson, MB and I Hessov. (1997). Dietary supplementation at home improves the regain of lean body mass after surgery. Nutrition. May;13(5):422-430. (5) McCarthy, D and D Weihofen. (1999). The effect of nutritional supplements on food intake in patients undergoing radiotherapy. Oncol Nurs Forum. Jun;26(5):897-900. (6) Nesheim, MC. (1999). What is the research base for the use of dietary supplements? Public Health Nutrition. Mer;2(1):35-38. (7) Arslanian, S. and S DaSilva, FL Goss, J Kang, KF Metz, RJ Robertson, RR Suminski, and AC Utter. (1997). Acute effect of amino acid ingestion and resistance exercise on plasma growth hormone concentration in young men. Int. J. Sport Nutrition. Mar;7(1):48-60.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 23

Acoldfrisson went down Elena's back, the most delicate of shivers. Damon didn'task for kisses. This wasn'tright . â€Å"No,† she whispered. â€Å"Just one.† â€Å"I'm not going to kiss you, Damon.† â€Å"Not me. Him.† Damon denoted â€Å"him† with a tilt of his head toward Matt. â€Å"A kiss between you and your former knight.† â€Å"You wantwhat ?† Matt's eyes snapped open and he got the words out explosively before Elena could open her mouth. â€Å"You'd like it,† Damon's voice had dropped to its softest, most insinuating tones. â€Å"You'd like to kiss her. And there's no one to stop you.† â€Å"Damon.† Matt struggled up out of Elena's arms. He seemed, if not entirely recovered, perhaps eighty percent of the way there, but Elena could hear his heart laboring. Elena wondered how long he'd lain feigning unconsciousness to get his strength back. â€Å"The last thing I knew you were trying to kill me. That doesn't exactly get you on my good side. Second, people just don't go around kissing girls because they're pretty or their boyfriend takes a day off.† â€Å"Don't they?† Damon hiked an eyebrow in surprise. â€Å"I do.† Matt just shook his head, dazed. He seemed to be trying to keep one idea fixed in his mind. â€Å"Will you move your car so we can leave?† he said. Elena felt as if she were watching Matt from very far away; and as if he was caged somewhere with a tiger and didn't know it. The clearing had become a very beautiful, wild, and dangerous place, and Matt didn't know that either. Besides, she thought with concern, he'smaking himself stand up. Weneed to leave – and quickly, before Damon does anything else to him. But what was the real way out? What was Damon's real agenda? â€Å"You can go,† Damon said. â€Å"As soon as she kisses you. Or you kiss her,† he added, as if making a concession. Slowly, as if he realized what it was going to mean, Matt looked at Elena and then back at Damon. Elena tried to communicate silently with him, but Matt wasn't in the mood. He looked Damon in the face and said, â€Å"No way.† Shrugging, as if to say,I did everything I could , Damon lifted the shaggy pine rod – â€Å"No,† cried Elena. â€Å"Damon, I'll do it.† Damon smiledthe smile and held it for a moment, until Elena looked away and went to Matt. His face was still pale, cool. Elena leaned her cheek against his and said almost soundlessly into his ear, â€Å"Matt, I've dealt with Damon before. And you can't just defy him. Let's play along – for now. Then maybe we can get away.† And then she made herself say, â€Å"For me? Please?† The truth was that she knew too much about stubborn males. Too much about how to manipulate them. It was a trait she'd come to hate, but right now she was too busy trying to think of ways to save Matt's life to debate the ethics of pressuring him. She wished it were Meredith or Bonnie instead of Matt. Not that she would wish such pain on anyone, but Meredith would be coming up with Plans C and D even as Elena came up with A and B. And Bonnie would already have lifted tear-filled, heart-melting brown eyes to Damon†¦. Suddenly Elena thought of the single red flash she'd seen under the Ray-Bans, and she changed her mind. She wasn't sure she wanted Bonnie around Damon now. Of all of the guys she'd known, Damon had been the only one Elena couldn't break. Oh, Matt was stubborn, and Stefan could be impossible sometimes. But they both had brightly colored buttons somewhere inside them, labeledPUSH ME , and you just had to fiddle with the mechanism a little – okay, sometimes more than a little – and eventually even the most challenging male could be mastered. Except one†¦ â€Å"All right, kiddies, enough time out.† Elena felt Matt pulled from her arms and held up – she didn't know by what, but he was standing. Something held him in place, upright, and she knew it wasn't his muscles. â€Å"So where were we?† Damon was walking back and forth, with the Virginia pine branch in his right hand, tapping it on his left palm. â€Å"Oh, that'sright † – as if making a great discovery – â€Å"the girl and the stalwart knight are going to kiss.† In Stefan's room, Bonnie said, â€Å"For the last time, Meredith, did you find a backup file for Stefan's note or not?† â€Å"No,† Meredith said in a flat voice. But just as Bonnie was about to collapse again, Meredith said, â€Å"I found a different note completely. A letter, really.† â€Å"Adifferent note? What does it say?† â€Å"Can you stand up at all? Because I think you'd better have a look at this.† Bonnie, who had only just gotten back her breath, managed to hobble over to the computer. She read the document on the screen – complete except for what seemed to be its final words, and gasped. â€Å"Damon did something to Stefan!† she said, and felt her heart plummet and all her internal organs follow it. So Elena had been wrong. Damonwas evil, through and through. By now, Stefan might even be†¦ â€Å"Dead,† Meredith said, her mind obviously following the same track that Bonnie's had taken. She lifted dark eyes to Bonnie's. Bonnie knew that her own eyes were wet. â€Å"How long,† Meredith asked, â€Å"has it been since you called Elena or Matt?† â€Å"I don't know; I don't know what time it is. But I called twice after we left Caroline's house and once at Isobel's; and when I've tried after that, I either get a message that their mailboxes are full or it won't connect at all.† â€Å"That's about exactly what I've gotten. If they went near the Old Wood – well, you know what it does to phone reception.† â€Å"And now, even if they come out of the woods, we can't leave them a message because we've filled up their voicemail – â€Å" â€Å"E-mail,† Meredith said. â€Å"Good old e-mail; we can use that to send Elena a message.† â€Å"Yes!† Bonnie punched the air. Then she deflated. She hesitated for an instant and then almost whispered, â€Å"No.† Words from Stefan's real note kept echoing in her mind:I trust Matt's instinctive protectiveness for you, Meredith's judgment, and Bonnie's intuition. Tell them to remember that. â€Å"You can't tell her what Damon's done,† she said, even as Meredith began busily typing. â€Å"She probably already knows – and if she doesn't, it'll just make more trouble. She's with Damon.† â€Å"Matt told you that?† â€Å"No. But Matt was out of his mind with pain.† â€Å"Couldn't it have been from those – bugs?† Meredith looked down at her ankle where several red welts still showed on the smooth olive flesh. â€Å"It could be, but it wasn't. It didn't feel like the trees, either. It was just†¦pure pain. And I don't know, not for certain, how I know that it's Damon doing it. I just – know.† She saw Meredith's eyes unfocus and knew that she was thinking about Stefan's words, too. â€Å"Well, my judgment tells me to trust you,† she said. â€Å"By the way, Stefan spells  ¡Ã‚ ®judgment' the preferred American way,† she added. â€Å"Damon spells it with ane . That may have been what was bothering Matt.† â€Å"As if Stefan would really leave Elena alone with everything that's been going on,† Bonnie said indignantly. â€Å"Well, Damon fooled all of us and made us think so,† Meredith pointed out. Meredith tended to point out things like that. Bonnie started suddenly. â€Å"I wonder if he stole the money?† â€Å"I doubt it, but let's see.† Meredith pulled the rocking chair away, saying, â€Å"Grab me a hanger.† Bonnie grabbed one from the closet and grabbed herself one of Elena's tops to put on at the same time. It was too big, since it was Meredith's top given to Elena, but at least it was warm. Meredith was using the hooked end of the wire hanger on all sides of the floorboard that looked most promising. Just as she managed to pry it up, there was a knock at the open door. They both jumped. â€Å"It's only me,† said the voice of Mrs. Flowers from behind a large duffel bag and a tray of bandages, mugs, sandwiches, and strong-smelling cheesecloth bags like the ones she'd used on Matt's arm. Bonnie and Meredith exchanged a glance and then Meredith said, â€Å"Come in and let us help you.† Bonnie was already taking the tray, and Mrs. Flowers was dumping the duffel bag on the floor. Meredith continued prying the board up. â€Å"Food!† Bonnie said gratefully. â€Å"Yes, turkey-and-tomato sandwiches. Help yourselves. I'm sorry I was away so long, but you can't hurry the poultice for swellings,† Mrs. Flowers said. â€Å"I remember, long ago, my younger brother always said – oh, my goodness gracious!† She was staring at the place where the floorboard had been. A good-sized hollow was filled with hundred-dollar bills, neatly wrapped in packets with bank-bands still around them. â€Å"Wow,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I never saw so much money!† â€Å"Yes.† Mrs. Flowers turned and began distributing cups of cocoa and sandwiches. Bonnie bit into a sandwich hungrily. â€Å"People used to simply put things behind the loose brick in the fireplace. But I can see that the young man needed more space.† â€Å"Thank you for the cocoa and sandwiches,† Meredith said after a few minutes spent wolfing them down while working on the computer at the same time. â€Å"But if you want to treat us for bruises and things – well, I'm afraid we just can't wait.† â€Å"Oh, come.† Mrs. Flowers took a small compress that smelled to Bonnie like tea and pressed it to Meredith's nose. â€Å"This will take the swelling down in minutes. And you, Bonnie – sniff out the one that's for that bump on your forehead.† Once again Meredith's and Bonnie's eyes met. Bonnie said, â€Å"Well, if it's only a few minutes – I don't know what we're doing next anyway.† She looked the poultices over and picked a round one that smelled of flowers and musk to put on her forehead. â€Å"Exactly right,† Mrs. Flowers said without turning around to look. â€Å"And of course, the long thin one is for Meredith's ankle.† Meredith drank the last of her cocoa, then reached down to gingerly touch one of the red marks. â€Å"That's okay – † she began, when Mrs. Flowers interrupted. â€Å"You're going to need that ankle at full capacity when we go out.† â€Å";;When we go out'?† Meredith stared at her. â€Å"Into the Old Wood,† Mrs. Flowers clarified. â€Å"To find your friends.† Meredith looked horrified. â€Å"If Elena and Matt are in the Old Wood, then I agree:we have to go look for them. Butyou can't go, Mrs. Flowers! And we don't know where they are, anyway.† Mrs. Flowers drank from the cup of cocoa in her hand, looking thoughtfully at the one window that wasn't shuttered. For a moment Meredith thought she hadn't heard or didn't mean to answer. Then she said, slowly, â€Å"I daresay you all think I'm just a batty old woman who's never around when there's trouble at hand.† â€Å"We would never think that,† Bonnie said staunchly, but thinking that they'd found out more about Mrs. Flowers in the last two days than in the entire nine months since Stefan had moved in here. Before that, all she'd ever heard were ghost stories or rumors about the crazy old lady in the boardinghouse. She'd been hearing them since she could remember. Mrs. Flowers smiled. â€Å"It's not easy having the Power and never being believed when you use it. And then, I've lived for so long – and people don't like that. It worries them. They start to make up ghost stories or rumors – â€Å" Bonnie felt her eyes go round. Mrs. Flowers just smiled again and nodded gently. â€Å"It's been a real pleasure having a polite young man in the house,† she said, taking the long poultice from the tray and wrapping it around Meredith's ankle. â€Å"Of course, I had to get over my prejudices. Dear Mamaalways said that if I kept the place, I might have to take in boarders, and to be sure not to take in foreigners. And then of course, the young man is a vampire as well – â€Å" Bonnie almost sprayed cocoa across the room. She choked, then went into a spasm of coughing. Meredith had her no-expression expression on. † – but after a while I got to understand him better and to sympathize with his problems,† Mrs. Flowers continued, ignoring Bonnie's attack of coughing. â€Å"And now, the blond girl is involved as well†¦poor young thing. I often speak to Mama† – still with the accent on the second syllable – â€Å"about it.† â€Å"How old is your mother?† Meredith asked. Her tone was one of polite inquiry, but to Bonnie's experienced eyes her expression was one of slightly morbid fascination. â€Å"Oh, she died back at the turn of the century.† There was a pause, and then Meredith rallied. â€Å"I'm so sorry,† she said. â€Å"She must have lived a long – â€Å" â€Å"I should have said, the turn of theprevious century. Back in 1901, it was.† This time it was Meredith who had the choking fit. But she was more quiet about it. Mrs. Flowers' gentle gaze had drifted back to them. â€Å"I was a medium in my day. On vaudeville, you know. So hard to achieve a trance in front of a roomful of people. But, yes, I really am a White Witch. I have the Power. And now, if you've finished your cocoa, I think it's time we went into the Old Wood to find your friends. Even though it's summertime, my dears, you'd both better dress warmly,† she added. â€Å"I have.†

Calls up until the arrival of Inspector Goole? Essay

   † The lifeless thing that lay at my feet†¦ my candle was nearly burnt out†. Frankenstein has made himself isolated by abandoning everything to create his creature. Mary Shelley develops the theme of isolation in chapter 21 when Victor Frankenstein is placed in prison; she has now physically isolated him. Frankenstein is shown as very secluded and distraught â€Å"I was overcome with gloom and misery†. Frankenstein’s closest friend had been killed so his isolation seems to be justified. Shelley used his self-pity to reflect to evoke the feeling that he is alone without a friend; no one is there to help so he goes deeper into self pity â€Å"no one near me soothed me with the gentle voice of love; no dear hand supported me. † Shelley portrays the monster as a misunderstood individual with caring at heart but wants retribution against Frankenstein. The monster mirrors the actions of a child that had been rejected at birth by its parents. The monster looks to the reader as being destined towards a life of isolation and depression. The monster describes himself as† a poor, helpless, miserable wretch†. Shelley uses these comments by the monster to evoke the feeling of sympathy and make it known to the reader that at that point in the time the monster was feeling rejected and isolated making the monster low in self-esteem leading to the statements being made. The monster also enhances the portrayal of the isolation by admitting he is â€Å"desolate† to the reader making more straight-forward for the reader to identify with the monster and even Mary Shelley as all the characters are related to Shelley’s personal experiences during her childhood and adulthood. At the end of chapter 10 when Frankenstein and his â€Å"monster† meet Shelley shows the monster as someone who was willing to make friends among humans. â€Å"I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity; but am I not alone, miserably alone? You, my creator abhor me; what hope can I gather from your fellow creatures, who owe me nothing? † To the reader the monster is shown as an isolated individual who has unfairly been abandoned by its father/creator. Frankenstein is shown as his father who has left him to rot therefore enforcing the effect of isolation the reader feels about the monster. The reader is then made to feel that Victor Frankenstein is to blame for the monster’s feelings of isolation. Shelley used this technique to prepare the reader for the monster’s narrative view and to start seeing things from the monster’s perspective. In conclusion Shelley has been found to use to several narrative and literal techniques to show the feeling of isolation through all the characters. Shelley very often during the story used the scenery to reflect the emotions of the narrators within the book. The isolation within this book was one of the primary themes contributing to its gothic theme. Shelley uses things she experienced during her experience to create different situations in which isolation and sympathy were portrayed. Shelley (in the book) does not mention the word â€Å"isolation† however using very subtle techniques during the dialogue of the narrators and also scenery description she conveys the emotion fully to the reader about the characters within the story. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Notes on Appeasement

Slide 2 – Appeasement Appeasement characterises British Foreign Policy for all 20th Century e. g. modifying of treaty of Versailles. Appeasement now associated with weakness (dirty word) but in 1900s was seen as honourable. CATO – ‘guilty men' – published by left wing journalists analysed why appeasement failed, the guilty men were seen as moral cowards†¦ people supported this until the opening of the National Archives. WHO you are trying to appease is the problem. Doomed to fail from the start? Trying to appease the unappeasable?Slide 4 – Anglo – German Act of revenge on part of previous warfare against Ethiopia Inferiority complex often shown by Italy as it had no Empire League put economic sanctions but did not shut the Suez Canal- showing they did not want to provoke Italy and Britain wants Italy as Ally against Hitler Therefore there is a need for Appeasement, Britain and France were put to shame, angered Mussolini and therefore join s Hitler in taking over Austria. Diplomatic allegiance that threatens Britain's security due to disarmament. (Japan, Italy and Germany)Collective security completely discredited – League plays no role at all in any of succeeding crises – everyone for themselves. Slide 5 – Re- Occupation of Rhineland Hitler sees world is distracted and takes the opportunity and invades Rhineland and re arms it. Gamble by Hitler – Army was not sent in just a few infantry. Britain wants him to get away with it. Public opinion – Pacifist against war v no interest in foreign affairs This was last chance to stop Hitler. Slide 6 – Spanish Civil War Representative of ideological struggle in Europe as whole: Communists and socialists vs.Fascists and right wing. Britain and France Appease AGAIN!!!!! EST OF NON – INTERVENTION COMMITTEE BUT DOES NOTHING BRITAIN BEGINS TO FEAR AERIAL BOMBARDMENT Slide 7 – Guernica STRIKE FEAR INTO BRITONS AND BEGIN TO RE â €“ ARM TO SECURE SAFETY OF LONDON (PUBLIC OPINION AND POLITICAL CIRCLES) STANLEY BALDWIN – NO DEFENCE AGAINST THE BOMBER. MORAL PANIC. REFER TO GUERNICA IN STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. EXPECTED DEATHS CAUSED EVEN MORE PANIC Slide 8 – The Anschluss HITLER BREACHES VERSAILLE AGAIN FELT THAT THERE WAS LITTLE BRITAIN AND FRANCE COULD DO, SO APPEASED AGAIN!!! Slide 10- CzechoslovakiaWanted to take back land that was originally German But part of little entente, so makes a seperatist movement e. g. propaganda against each other Slide 13 – Appeasement If you don't negotiate with Hitler? What do you do? League of Nations a ‘busted flush' Any collective security via Empire? Empire a source of weakness, give commitments and responsibilities but not necessarily the strength to deal with those responsibility? Possibility of an alliance system against Germany? – potential of a front against Hitler, Poland hates Russia and Vice Versa and czechs, not easy to form.Lik liehood of provoking a war becomes increasingly more apparent Slide 14 – Defence Weaknesses Red. Britain's defences 1934 – penny drops, DRC formed because thought that world is no longer a peaceful place. Specifically look at defence requirements – 15yrs of cuts left britain with very small army, air force not good, navy only thing that was useful. Not useful on mainland Europe. Slide 15 – Defence Weaknesses cont. Fear of German bombing was rife, need a strong air force. Even though not consistent but still at heart. 1938 rearmament really begins to take placeRAF slower than bombers they needed to intercept. Needed a modern defensive. 1935 – 1939 Britain manages to create a modern air defence system, RAF more effective now. Makes Appeasement seem logical Slide 16 – Economic weakness Economic Consequences of going into war, just emerging out of Great depression don't want involvement in war for 2nd time in 20 yrs. Munitions are now very expen sive, cost of rearmament begins to bite 40% of total govt expenditure- treasury had to borrow money, weakens the pound. Could Britain plunge back into depression? Appeasement looks like a good idea now!Slide17 – European commitments Britain has too many commitments but not enough power to keep to them. External threats to the empire are possible so do not want to exhaust all resources on Germany. Internal threats within the Empire are also rife. All hostile to any European entanglements. Specific memory of disastorious consequences of involvement in Gallipole (Austrailia and New Zealand) Slide 18 – Absence of allies No real allies within Europe in 1930s Retreatment of USA – legal neutral and isolate Soviet Union? – Communism worse than Nazism.Fundamentally unreliable – change in govt every 6 months. (politically unstable) shocked by consequences of ww1 not willing to go out on a limb against Hitler. Slide 19 – Domestic calculation Students o f Oxford Union vote that they will NOT serve King and Country. Score points for more outrageous policy – score of political debate within UNI Some evidence of pacifism but not as strong as people believe. Housing led to socialists being elected and nearly unseating current Mayor. Chamberlain confident public not enthusiastic about War. In order to win war impetus for appeasement.Slide 21- failure of appeasement Lebensraum – key German policy goes way beyond re taking german territory. Wants to create a german empire. Apeasement led to demand for more territory on behalf of Hitler? Kristallnacht! Horrified people, persecution of Jewish people of Germany made them feel guilty of betraying Jewish people. Slovak nationalist Seperatism – allowed Hitler to invade the remains of Czechoslovakia Slide 22- Abandonment of Hitler could not be trusted and was willing to use force when necessary! 1st time in peace time introduction of limited conscription (more spending? Anno unces that Britain would give cast Iron gurantees to Poland etc. guarantees security. But all efforts too little too late. Chamberlain still believes that Hitler would not have guts to risk a European war. Hitler expected a short campaign. Slide 23 – Franco Russian talks Spurred on by German Italian axis. Britain's Lack of common sense. British Naval conservation goes to †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ head of mission to be greeted by Soviets, wore medal for fighting against soviet union. Stalin has own agenda, wants russian troops in Poland, but neither can agree.

Bloodlines Chapter Twenty-Two

CLARENCE DIDN'T WANT to talk to us about what had happened. In fact, he adamantly denied anything was wrong, claiming he'd scratched his neck while shaving. â€Å"Mr. Donahue,† I said as gently as I could, â€Å"this was made by a surgical tool. And it didn't happen until Keith visited.† â€Å"No, no,† Clarence managed in a weak voice. â€Å"It has nothing to do with him.† Dorothy stuck her head in just then, carrying a glass of juice. We'd called for her shortly after my arrival tonight. For blood loss, the remedies were the same for Moroi and human alike: sugar and fluids. She offered the glass to him with a straw, her lined face filled with concern. I continued my pleas as he drank. â€Å"Tell us what your deal is,† I begged. â€Å"What's the arrangement? What's he giving you for your blood?† When Clarence remained silent, I tried another tactic. â€Å"People are being hurt. He's giving out your blood indiscriminately.† That got a reaction. â€Å"No,† said Clarence. â€Å"He's using my blood and saliva to heal people. To heal sick humans.† Saliva? I nearly groaned. Of course. The mysterious clear liquid. Now I knew what gave the celestial tattoos their addictive high. Gross. Adrian and I exchanged glances. Healing certainly was a use for vampire blood. The tattoo I wore was proof of that, and the Alchemists had worked long trying to duplicate some of the blood's properties for wider medicinal use. So far, there was no way to synthetically reproduce it, and using real blood simply wasn't practical. â€Å"He lied,† I replied. â€Å"He's selling it to rich teenagers to help them with sports. What did he promise you for it? A cut of the money?† Adrian glanced around the opulent room. â€Å"He doesn't need money. The only thing he needs is what the guardians wouldn't give him. Justice for Tamara, right?† Surprised, I turned back to Clarence and saw Adrian's words confirmed on the old Moroi's face. â€Å"He†¦ he's been investigating the vampire hunters for me,† he said slowly. â€Å"He says he's close. Close to finding them out.† I shook my head, wanting to kick myself for not having figured out sooner that Clarence was the blood source. It explained why Keith was always unexpectedly here – and why he got so upset when I showed up without warning. My â€Å"fraternizing with vampires† had had nothing to do with it. â€Å"Sir, I guarantee the only thing he's investigating is how to spend the money he's been making.† â€Å"No†¦ no†¦ he's going to help me find the hunters who killed Tamara†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stood up. I couldn't stand to hear any more. â€Å"Get him some real food, and see what he'll eat,† I told Dorothy. â€Å"If he's only weak from blood loss, he just needs time.† I nodded for Adrian to follow me out. As we walked toward the living room, I remarked, â€Å"Well, there are good and bad sides to this. At least we can be confident Keith's got a fresh supply of blood for us to bust him with. I'm just sorry Clarence had to get hit so – â€Å" I froze as I entered the living room. I'd simply wanted to go there because it would be a familiar place to discuss our plans, one that was less creepy than Clarence's bedroom. Considering how my imagination often ran wild while I was in this old house, I'd found that few things came as a surprise. But never in my wildest dreams had I imagined the living room would be transformed into an art gallery. Easels and canvas were set up all around the room. Even the pool table was covered by a big roll of paper. The pictures varied wildly in their content. Some simply had splashes of color thrown on them. Some possessed astonishingly realistic depictions of objects and people. An assortment of watercolors and oil paints sat around amidst the art. For a moment, all thoughts of Clarence and Keith disappeared from my head. â€Å"What is this?† â€Å"Homework,† Adrian said. â€Å"Didn't you†¦ didn't you just start your classes? How could they have assigned this much?† He walked over to a canvas showing a swirling red line traced over a black cloud and lightly tested to see if the paint was dry. Studying it, I tried to decide if I really was seeing a cloud. There was almost something anthropomorphic about it. â€Å"Of course they didn't give us this much, Sage. But I had to make sure I nailed my first assignment. Takes a lot of tries before you hit perfection.† He paused to reconsider that. â€Å"Well, except for my parents. They got it on the first try.† I couldn't help a smile. After watching Adrian's moods oscillate so wildly in the last couple weeks, it was nice to see them on the upswing. â€Å"Well, this is kind of amazing,† I admitted. â€Å"What are they? I mean, I get that one.† I pointed to a painting of a woman's eye, brown and long-lashed, and then to another one of roses. â€Å"But the others are open to, um, slightly more creative interpretation.† â€Å"Are they?† asked Adrian, turning back to the smoky painting with the red streak. â€Å"I figured it was obvious. This one is Love. Don't you see it?† I shrugged. â€Å"Maybe I don't have an artistic enough mind.† â€Å"Maybe,† he agreed. â€Å"Once we bust your buddy Keith, we'll discuss my genius art all you want.† â€Å"Right,† I said, growing serious again. â€Å"We need to search his place for evidence. I figured the best way to do that is if I lure him out and you break in while he's gone. To get through the lock – â€Å" Adrian waved me off. â€Å"I can pick a lock. How do you think I got into my parents' liquor cabinet in middle school?† â€Å"Should've guessed,† I said dryly. â€Å"Make sure you look everywhere, not just in obvious places. He could have compartments hidden in the walls or in furniture. You want to find vials of blood or metallic liquid or even the tool that pierced Clarence.† â€Å"Got it.† We hashed out a few more details – including who he should call when he found something – and were about to leave when he asked, â€Å"Sage, why'd you pick me to be your partner in crime in this?† I thought about it. â€Å"Process of elimination, I guess. Jill's supposed to be kept out of trouble. Eddie'd be a good asset, but he needed to go back with her and Lee. Besides, I already knew you didn't have any moral qualms about breaking and entering.† â€Å"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me,† he declared with a grin. We headed out to Keith's after that. All the lights were on in the first floor of his building, dashing a last-minute hope I'd had that maybe I wouldn't have to lure him out. I would've actually liked to help with the search. I dropped Adrian off and then drove to a twenty-four-hour restaurant that was outside the opposite side of town. I figured it would be perfect for keeping Keith away from his home. The driving time alone would provide Adrian with extra searching time, though it meant Adrian had to wait outside for a while until Keith left. Once I finally arrived, I got a table, ordered coffee, and dialed Keith's number. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Keith, it's me. I need to talk to you.† â€Å"So talk,† he said. He sounded smug and confident, no doubt happy at pulling off the last-minute tattoo sale. â€Å"Not on the phone. I need you to meet me.† â€Å"At Amberwood?† he asked in surprise. â€Å"Isn't it after hours?† It was indeed, but that was a problem for later. â€Å"I'm not at school. I'm at Margaret's Diner, that place out by the highway.† Long silence. Then: â€Å"Well, if you're already out past curfew, then just come here.† â€Å"No,† I said firmly. â€Å"You come to me.† â€Å"Why should I?† I hesitated only briefly before playing the card I knew would get him, the one thing that would make him drive out here and not raise suspicions about the tattoos. â€Å"It's about Carly.† â€Å"What about her?† he asked after a moment's pause. â€Å"You know exactly what.† After a second's pause, Keith relented and hung up. I noticed that I had a voice mail from earlier in the day that I hadn't heard come in. I called and listened. â€Å"Sydney, this is Wes Regan from Carlton College. Just wanted to go over a couple things with you. First, I'm afraid I have some bad news. It doesn't look like I'm going to be able to retroactively admit your brother from auditor status. I can enroll him next semester for sure if he stays in good standing, but the only way he can keep taking classes now is if he continues to do so as an auditor. He won't be able to get financial aid as a result, and in fact, you'll actually need to pay the auditing fee soon if he's going to stay in the classes. If he wants to drop altogether, we can do that too. Just call me and let me know what you'd like to do.† I stared at the phone in dismay when the message was over. There went our dreams of sliding Adrian into fully enrolled student status, not to mention his dreams of getting financial aid and moving out of Clarence's. The next semester probably started in January, so Adrian was facing four more months at Clarence's. Adrian would also be facing four more months of bus-riding and taking classes without college credit. But were the credits and financial aid really the most important things here? I thought back to how excited Adrian had been after only a couple classes, how he'd thrown himself into the art. His face had been radiant when he stood in his â€Å"gallery.† Jill's words also echoed through my mind, about how the art had given him something to channel his feelings into and made the bond easier for her to cope with. Those classes were good for both of them. How much was an auditing fee? I wasn't sure but knew it wasn't as much as tuition. It was also a onetime cost that I could probably slide into my expenses without raising the attention of the Alchemists. Adrian needed those classes, of that I was certain. If he knew financial aid wasn't an option this semester, there was a good chance he'd just drop them altogether. I couldn't allow that. He'd known there might be â€Å"a delay† while the financial aid came together. If I could keep him going to Carlton a little longer, then maybe he'd get invested enough in the art that he'd stay on, even when the truth came out. It was a sneaky thing to do, but it would benefit him – and Jill – in the end. I dialed back Wes Regan's office, knowing I'd get his voice mail. I left him a message saying that I'd drop off a check for the auditing fee and that Adrian would stay on until he could be enrolled next semester. I hung up, saying a silent prayer that it would take a while for Adrian to find out any of this. The waitress kept giving me the evil eye over just having coffee, so I finally ordered a piece of pie to go. She had just set the carton down on my table when an irritated Keith entered the restaurant. He stood in the doorway, looking around impatiently until he saw me. â€Å"Okay, what's going on?† he demanded, making a big show of sitting down. â€Å"What's so important that you felt the need to break school rules and drag me halfway across town?† For a moment, I froze up. Looking into Keith's eyes – real and artificial – triggered all the conflicting feelings I'd had about him this last year. Fear and anxiety over what I was trying to pull off warred with the deep hate I'd long carried. Baser instincts wanted me to make him suffer, to throw something at him. Like the pie. Or a chair. Or a baseball bat. â€Å"I – â€Å" Before I could say another word, my phone chimed. I looked down and read a text message from Adrian: GOT IT. CALL MADE. ONE HOUR. I slipped the phone into my purse and exhaled. It had taken Keith twenty minutes to get here, and during that time, Adrian had been dutifully searching the apartment. He'd apparently been successful. Now it was up to me to delay Keith until reinforcements showed up. One hour was actually a lot less time than I'd expected. I'd given Adrian Stanton's phone number, and she would've dispatched whatever Alchemists were closest. I'd figured that would mean Los Angeles, but it was hard to say with the scope of our jobs. If there were Alchemists on the east side of the city, they'd get here very quickly. It was also possible they could cut time by simply flying a private jet in. â€Å"What's that?† asked Keith irritably. â€Å"A text from one of your vampire friends?† â€Å"You can stop the act,† I said. â€Å"I know you don't really care about me ‘getting too close' to them.† I hadn't intended this to be the topic that distracted him, but I'd take it. â€Å"Of course I do. I worry about your soul.† â€Å"Is that why you called my dad?† I asked. â€Å"Is that the reason you wanted me out of Palm Springs?† â€Å"It's for your own good,† he said, putting on that holier-than-thou air. â€Å"Do you know how wrong it was that you even wanted this job in the first place? No Alchemist would. But you, you practically begged for it.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said, feeling my anger rise. â€Å"So Zoe wouldn't have to do it.† â€Å"Tell yourself that if you want. I know the truth. You like these creatures.† â€Å"Why does it have to be so cut-and-dried? In your view, I either have to hate them or be in league with them. There's a middle ground, you know. I can still be loyal to the Alchemists and on friendly terms with vampires and dhampirs.† Keith looked at me like I was ten years old. â€Å"Sydney, you're such an innocent. You don't understand the ways of the world like I do.† I knew all about his â€Å"ways of the world† and would've said as much if the waitress hadn't come by to take his drink order just then. When she was gone, Keith continued his spiel. â€Å"I mean, how do you even know you're feeling the way you do? Vampires can compel, you know. They use mind control. Spirit users like Adrian are really good at it. For all we know, he's been using his powers to endear himself to you.† I thought of all the times I'd wanted to shake some sense into Adrian. â€Å"He's not doing a very good job, then.† We bickered back and forth about this, and for once, I was glad of Keith's obstinacy and refusal to see reason. The longer he argued with me, the more time the Alchemists had to get to his apartment. If Stanton had told Adrian one hour, she probably meant it. Still, it was best to be safe. My breaking point came when Keith said, â€Å"You should be glad I'm looking out for you like this. This is about more than vampires, you know. I'm teaching you life lessons. You memorize books but don't understand people. You don't know how to connect to them. You're going to carry this same naive attitude with you into the real world, thinking everyone means well, and someone – some guy, probably – will just take advantage of you.† â€Å"Well,† I snapped, â€Å"you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?† Keith snorted. â€Å"I have no interest in you, rest easy.† â€Å"I'm not talking about me! I'm talking about Carly.† So. Here it was. The original purpose of our meeting. â€Å"What's she have to do with anything?† Keith kept his tone steady, but I saw it. The slightest flicker of anxiety in his eye. â€Å"I know what happened between you guys. I know what you did to her.† He became very interested in stirring ice around with his straw. â€Å"I didn't do anything to her. I have no idea what you're talking about.† â€Å"You know exactly what I'm talking about! She told me. She came to me afterward.† I leaned forward, feeling confident. â€Å"What do you think my dad would do if he found out? What would yours do?† Keith looked up sharply. â€Å"If you're so certain something terrible happened, then why doesn't your dad already know? Huh? Maybe because Carly knows there's nothing to tattle on. Anything we did, she wanted to, believe me.† â€Å"You are such a liar,† I hissed. â€Å"I know what you did. You raped her. And you will never suffer enough for it. You should've lost both of your eyes.† He stiffened at the reference to his eyes. â€Å"That's harsh. And has nothing to do with any of this. What the hell's happened to you, Sydney? How'd you turn into such a bitch? Maybe making you associate with vampires and dhampirs has caused more damage than we realized. First thing tomorrow, I'm going to call Stanton and ask that they pull you now. No waiting until the end of the week. You need to be away from this dark influence.† He shook his head and gave me a look both condescending and pitying. â€Å"No, you need to be re-educated, period. It should've happened a long time ago, as soon as they caught you busting out that murderer.† â€Å"Don't change the topic.† I spoke haughtily, though he'd again woken a sliver of fear in me. What if Adrian and I failed? What if the Alchemists listened to Keith and hauled me away? He'd never have to worry about me again in a re-education center. â€Å"This isn't about me. We were talking about Carly.† Keith rolled his eyes in annoyance. â€Å"I'm done talking about your slutty sister.† That was when my earlier impulse to throw something at him won out. Lucky for him, it was only my coffee and not a chair. Also lucky for him: the coffee had cooled considerably. There was still a lot of it left, and it managed to splash everywhere, drenching his unfortunate choice of a white shirt. He stared at me in astonishment, sputtering to get his words out. â€Å"You bitch!† he said, standing up. As he started moving toward the door, I realized that my temper might have just blown the plan. I hurried over and caught hold of his arm. â€Å"Wait, Keith. I-I'm sorry. Don't go.† He jerked his arm away and glared at me. â€Å"It's too late for you. You had your chance and blew it.† I grabbed him again. â€Å"No, no. Wait. There's still lots we have to talk about.† He opened his mouth with some snippy remark and then promptly shut it. He studied me for several seconds, his face growing serious. â€Å"Are you trying to keep me here? What's going on?† When I couldn't muster a response, he pulled away and stormed out the door. I quickly ran back to the table and tossed a twenty on it. I grabbed the pie and told the bewildered waitress to keep the change. The clock in my car told me I had twenty minutes until the Alchemists were supposed to show up at Keith's. That was also the time it would take to get back there. I drove right behind him, making no effort to hide my presence. It was no secret now that something was going on, something I'd lured him away from home for. I blessed every red light that stopped us, praying he wouldn't arrive too early. If he did, Adrian and I were going to have to delay him. It wouldn't be impossible, but it also wasn't something I wanted to do. We finally made it back. Keith pulled into his building's tiny lot, and I parked uncaringly in a fire zone out front. I was only steps behind him as he ran to the door, but he hardly seemed to notice. His attention was on the lit-up windows of his building and the dark silhouettes barely discernible beyond the heavy drapes. He burst in through the door, and I followed a moment later, nearly running into him as he came to a complete standstill. I didn't know the three suited men there with Adrian, but I knew they were Alchemists. They had that cold, polished feel that we all strove for, and their cheeks were emblazoned with gold lilies. One was going through Keith's kitchen cupboards. Another had a notepad and was talking to Adrian, who was leaning against the wall and smoking. He smiled when he saw me. The third Alchemist was kneeling on the floor in the living room near a small storage cupboard in the wall. A tacky painting of a shirtless woman's back lay nearby, which apparently had been used to hide the compartment. Its wooden door had clearly been forcibly opened, and various contents were strewn haphazardly around – with a few exceptions. The Alchemist was going to great pains to sort one pile of objects: metal tubes and needles used to drain blood, along with vials of blood and small packets of silvery powder. He looked up at our sudden entrance and fixed Keith with a cool smile. â€Å"Ah, so glad you're here, Mr. Darnell. We were hoping we could take you with us for some questioning.† Keith's face fell.

The phrase “be like water…”

â€Å"Be like water†¦ † is a widely used but unfortunately usually misinterpreted expression. Many novices at single combat often use it trying to show that they are clued-up. And they can’t be accused of it as the phrase has an impressive sounding and in any case represents also impressive, though partial, understanding of Eastern way of thinking.Many such beginners think that this way was formed by Bruce Lee. However, a great martial arts actor and instructor just quoted the Eastern philosophy created much earlier (Wishop 2). The wrong usage of the phraseI became interested in this expression having read the case about one man who said that he wanted to learn martial arts because he wanted to â€Å"be like water†. This phrase seems interesting but its sense is very doubtful and I guess that this man understood it very superficially (Loeb 18).The question is if we can call the wish to â€Å"be like water† a feasible purpose. If to consider the strict sense of a phrase, every person who wants to ‘be like water’ should lay on the ground and try to flow like a stream, because we can’t be ‘like water† when we stand (Loeb 18).The real meaning and the cause of misunderstanding So, what does it really mean to â€Å"be like water†? It must be related to the Taoist philosophy and its idea about five equal elements. They are wood, metal, earth, fire and water. Each of them is very important and strongly connected to others (Greene 5). Possibly, the main issue in that water is usually associated with something soft. We say â€Å"want to be like water† when we want to move easily, without any obstacles.However, we forget that water has other qualities, which appear to be not so attractive. Bruce Lee stated: â€Å"water can flow, or it can crash† (Wishop 14). Unfortunately, people usually pay attention only to the first part of his statement, while it is necessary for everybody who wants to â€Å"be like water† to think about the fact that water can also be destructive (Loeb 20).Many people die and suffer because of floods every year and one usually trembles thinking of huge, destructive sea waves. ConclusionMany phrases are frequently misunderstood and misused because people are inclined to pick new words and utterances very quickly and do not ever try to find out more about their origin. That creates the misuse of the world and finally it can loose its primary meaning. It would be better if we were more scrupulous and curious about new words and phrases we use.Works Cited Wishop, James. Bruce Lee: Dynamic Becoming. Dallas: Promethean Press, 2004 Greene, Neil. Taoist philosophy. London: Oxford UP, 1996 Loeb, Martha. The Ways to Avoid Misunderstanding. New York: Nerd Press, 2003

Global warming and bacteria Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global warming and bacteria - Research Paper Example These paper seeks to discuss global warming in relation to environmental microbiology. In doing this, the paper will analyze the general characteristics of bacteria and relate them to the aspect of global warming to ascertain how they affect the environment of microbes Bacteria and archaea are significantly used in cycles of almost all essential elements. For example, in the nitrogen cycle, the nitrogen fixing bacteria such as rhizobium fix nitrogen, which insinuates that they convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into biological nitrogen that plants can use to build plant proteins. Photosynthetic algae and cyanobacteria form a major component of the marine plankton. They play a major role in the carbon cycle through photosynthesis and form the basis of food chains in the oceanic environments. Some species of bacteria are useful in the environment, and in the end can help in mitigating the problem of global warming. Prochlorococcus and synechococcus are single celled cyanobacteria, th e smallest yet most abundant photosynthetic microbes in the oceanic ecosystems. Researchers have established that these microbes have the ability to remove about 10 billion tonnes of carbon from the air each year. With this information, scientists hope to find out reasons as to why these cyanobacteria are successful in their photosynthesis and the ability to harness such microbial power can slow down the increases of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases thereby mitigating global warming and reducing significantly the effects of climate change globally.

Energy policy and technology (Energy in developing countries, Research Proposal

Energy policy and technology (Energy in developing countries, Thailand) - Research Proposal Example Thailand is one of the developing countries in Southeast Asia that has set a good example by introducing policies (Buranasajjawaraporn, 2014) that promote and support the production of clean energy; however, preliminary literature review (Beerepoot, Laosiripojana, Sujjakulnukij, Tippichai, & Kamsamrong, 2013) identified a few problems in its policies and structures that might create hurdles in the future. Due to this potential of Thailand to emerge as one of the leaders in solar energy production and consumption, the proposed study intends to analyse some of the significant aspects of renewable energy industry of Thailand. The Ministry of Energy of Thailand (2002) has indicated its interest in promoting not only the consumption but also the production of solar energy several times, which is also evident from introduction of various incentives and promotional policies. In this regard, the matter of solar energy is of prime importance for the government, as well as for private stakeholders that are interested in investing in the potential industry. Due to this significance, identification and analysis of barriers associated with production of solar energy resources will be helpful for policymakers, as well as investors in not only understanding the problems but also resolving these barriers for successful implementation of government’s policies and achieving the target of 10-years alternative energy development plan of 2011-2021 (Buranasajjawaraporn, 2012). For this purpose, this study aims to investigate different aspects of Thailand’s solar industry with intent to identify and analyse its potential along with barriers that are causing hurdles for the government to promote renewable energy production and consumption in the country. Particularly, the study will attempt to fulfill the following research objectives: Brief review of literature

A Ladder of Citizen Participation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A Ladder of Citizen Participation - Case Study Example Tangent basically comprises studio practice and field practice, where the former includes architectural design and consultation, while the latter deals with the design, participatory place-making, make workshops, and also planning. Both the components involve the company’s work with students and professionals belong to different fields such as design, education, performance, carpentry, and emergency shelter building as well as a variety of community groups. For my internship, I worked with two of my classmates as a team to provide assistance to Sally in terms of completing two projects in a deadline of three weeks, and more projects for the remaining two weeks. The majority of time was spent working at Sally’s private studio in Centrespace, while the remainder was spent working in UWE. The first project involved helping the Architecture Centre in Bristol to set up an exhibition for May 1st, in terms of celebrating Bristol’s victory of being the European Green Capital 2015. The main idea behind this event was to bring people together through the exhibition, workshops talks and other activities in order to provide a forum to discuss and come up with solutions to maintain a more sustainable future (The Architecture Centre, 2015). The second project, on the other hand, revolved around collaboration with the history department in UWE, in order to hold the event ‘Crafts Walk’ for the 7th of June. This walk that will be held within the Bristol historic center is aimed at restoring the value of historic monuments so as to revitalize the old culture and traditions in a better light. The main focus of these projects was on different theories of planning, and after the undertaking of this internship, I have been able to gain an in-depth understanding of planning in its practical aspect. This experience has rendered good insight into the world of planning, and this will significantly help me to make up better plans and take better planning decisions in my future.

Although some people feel airport security infringes on our privacy, Research Paper

Although some people feel airport security infringes on our privacy, It is necessary in order to keep our country and everyone that flies safe - Research Paper Example Any loophole on the part of airport security may lead to security threat to passengers. Although some people feel airport security infringes on our privacy, it is necessary in order to keep our country and everyone that flies safe. The intention of this paper is to identify the need for security in airports. Arguments for security check at the airport indicate that security checks prevent air terrorism attack (Schneier). The September 11 terrorist attack was a great lesson for the need of tight security at the airport. Analysts argue that proper security screening at the airport prevent passengers with harmful intentions from executing their plans. Some people do not intend to travel, but to blow airplanes. Security check prevents such individuals from bordering planes carrying their weapons of mass destruction. Before the September 11 terror attack, many passengers could carry some weapons. It is quite hard to read what is in the human mind. It is important to take precaution by observing security measures in order to avoid issues of security or terror threats. Terrorists usually look for slightest security weakness in order to execute their terror attack. Research on airport security revealed that the cost of preventing security attack is quite cheaper than the cost of security damage . Airport security seeks to protect facilities serving in the aviation industry and the aircraft against unlawful acts (Bajoria). Aviation facilities costs million of dollars thus they require protection from destruction. Mounting a security check at the airport is the only secure way of preventing individuals with ill intentions from carrying out their plans. When individuals with ill intentions get an opportunity to blow an aircraft, the aircraft company would lose its property and workers. This would be harmful to the economy of the country. Aviation industry contributes to the economy through provision of employment, taxes, promotion of trade among others. For a country

Key learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Key learning - Essay Example It is important to learn that determination makes individuals to aspire for a better performance in the next stage. Support from others reassures people that they are not alone in the current circumstance and gives them strength to move on (Lewis 47). This is a key learning point because the neutral zone acts as a redefining moment in the life of an individual. This understanding can an individual learn that difficulties are temporary and that they will go away once he or she succeeds out of this zone (Lewis 47). This is an important learning point because it underscores effectiveness as an indicator of good leadership. This draws from the role of a leader in coordinating the activities of the team and providing direction (Lewis 48). It is crucial to learn that fairness and honesty creates a trusting environment and leads to success because it wins the support of the team towards a leader’s plans. This way, the leader does not strain mobilizing group members for action (Lewis 49). Learning not to overact to resistance and opposition is important because it help to remain objective. This way, a change leader gets time to plan how to counter the resistance in a way that does not scare away the support of the team (Lewis 51). It is important to learn that low trust makes individuals fear for the welfare and this makes them not embrace the change thus disrupting the success of the transition. The change leader needs to convince the team that their welfare is his or her concern (Lewis 52). There is need for change leaders to persuade the team of the efficacy of the intended change plan inviting their participation in the change process. A compelling vision implores people to be proactive in realizing the goal of the change process (Lewis 54). Change process needs leadership and coordination in order to remain harmonious and consistent.

Assigment for Strategic management accounting Essay

Assigment for Strategic management accounting - Essay Example The business functions within Pear Ltd’s value chain encompass aspects such as research and development, design of products, services, and processes, production, marketing, distribution, and customer service. As such, cost management is critical component to the company’s operation in integrating and coordinating activities in all spheres of business function. Alternative Methods of Budgeting The traditional budgeting employs the incremental approach whereby the previous year’s budget is used a basis, subsequent to adjustments up and down, from that budget to mirror the changing assumptions for a new year. This incorporates employing the previous year’s budget, adjusted to accommodate known factors such as anticipated price inflation. Although, incremental budgets are crucial for planning, they may be less useful for control. The incremental approach to budgeting has the effect of incorporating last year’s inefficiencies into the present budget (Bhi mani and Bromwich, 2010). This necessitates the consideration of alternative methods of budgeting. Zero Based Budgeting Zero-based budgeting avails a better approach to dealing with the drawbacks associated with incremental budgeting. Unlike in incremental budgeting, zero-based approach does not necessarily start from the previous year’s budget level; instead, the existing operations remain evaluated and continuance of the operation or activity ought to be justified based on its utility and its need to the company (Bhattacharyya, 2011). Every plan in this case remain justified as per the total cost, and the total benefits and past performance are not in any way referred as a building block. Zero-based budgeting approach avails some distinctive advantages compared to traditional incremental budgeting such as it allocates financial resources based on planning requirements and results; and, in order to attain efficiency, zero-based approach encourages managers to search for alte rnative operation plans. However, the process can consume a lot of managerial time and may appear to be â€Å"too drastic a solution for the task at hand.† Moreover, short-term benefits may take precedence and obscure long-term planning and there may be annual conflicts over budget allocation (Bhattacharyya, 2011). In order to circumvent these drawbacks, especially concerning the managerial time required, one alternative may be to conduct a rolling budget every year and carry out zero-based budgeting perhaps three to five years, or in cases where a considerable modification that occurs within operations. This compromise may aid weeding out waste and inefficiency, especially within a period of intense competition and reengineering that is characteristic of the mobile phone industry (Bhattacharyya, 2011). The adoption of zero-based budgeting will aid Pear Ltd to save costs and exercise restraint in developing budgets, minimizing the entitlement mentality with regard to cost inc reases, and budget decisions to be more meaningful during review sessions. Zero-based budgeting approach is applicable to Pear Ltd in aiding the company to utilize the latest insights and business priorities that reveal fresh opportunities to minimize investments and costs in areas where Pear Ltd market share is lower than critical thresholds. Activity Based Budgeting

Future of Human Factors in Aviation (capstone paper) Thesis

Future of Human Factors in Aviation (capstone paper) - Thesis Example Human factors are the major contributors in accidents associated with aviation industry (Helmreich, 2000). Flight Standards (AFS) Human Factors Specialists’ primary activities include: â€Å"Develop and update FAA regulations, policy, and guidance about human factors issues for aircraft operations and procedures, aircraft maintenance, pilot training, and other functions; Support projects that involve human factors assessments of aircraft operations, procedures, and maintenance; Develop tools to assist the FAA Flight Standards Service; Sponsor and supervise human factors research to support Flight Standards† (FAA, n. d.). FAA and NASA have spent a huge amount of R&D budget in understanding these factors. In an attempt to determine the path for future development in the field of human factors and aviation industry, a thorough investigation was carried out with the help of secondary sources that included books, research articles, and official report. With various technolog ical developments the influence of human factor in aviation has been mitigated to some extent, however, there is still a room for improvement. The need at the moment is to develop error tolerant systems, that not only monitors human factors, but also use automation to an extent where equipment become task centered as well as human centered. Aviation industry is one of the most prosperous industries. The expected annual growth of the industry is around five percent. The number of people utilizing these services continues to increase as well. With such a large customer base, it is tough to maintain standards in performance. Moreover, the slightest of errors may end up in causing loss of millions and affecting several hundred lives at the same time. Safety and efficiency of operations are the two most vital components. These components rely directly on organizations and their crew members. Despite, the advances in technology, it