The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age – Immigration & Urbanization Immigration and Urbanization during the Gilded Age were without a doubt a major issue. Many of the political leaders were Immigrants themselves when they started from the bottom. The controversy with them is whether or not they held on to their roots. Urbanization during the Gilded age had a horrible impact for the lower class. Their living environments were beyond unpleasant. Having open sewers also created diseases and contamination. The amount of poverty during this time was very high.The Urbanization of cities separated the classes causing an even bigger mess. The rich and poor no longer lived in the same areas. Instead they each had their own suburbs. (B) Mass amounts off people were homeless, crime rates grew at a fast pace, and children were left starving. All these problems happened because of the urbanization. While the poor were living miserable lives, the rich had all they could ask for living the good life. (D) The Street s were also a very filthy place in any weather condition. When it rained it turned into slimy conditions.When it didn’t rain, the streets were full of dust. The sprinkling in the summer made the dust into mud and then that mud was turned into dust by the winds. No matter what time it was always an unpleasant setting. Sewers were clogged by the grease that came from the wagon axles, pavements couldn’t even be viewed because of the mass amounts of dust. The open sewers filled the air with an unpleasant smell on every land. Once the citizens were tired of it all the voters soon influenced their political leaders to do something about it. O) We’ve seen these types of influences by the voters in the present day as well. The pros of living in a democracy is that with the will power of the people things can be changed for the better. Religion was also a big craze during this time. Reverends during this time focused on converting citizens to Christ’s Religion. Th ey came up with a belief in religious remedies. These remedies were said to purify a man’s whole being. They swore they had converted many foul men and women by sanctifying them. They claimed that by doing this, it would free them from committing any social sins.Desires for drinking, anger, pride, and love were also â€Å"removed† and healed by the blood of Christ. (K) These different types of religions were also a reason as to why different groups were separated. Immigration during this time was good for those who employed. Not so good for those who were employed by them. When big amounts immigrants arrived at one time, those in the industry lowered the wages knowing that the new immigrants would work for any salary. Long hours and very little pay most likely exhausted the workers. Conditions were not the best even though the companies claimed they were. Q) These problems are still slightly seen today. Immigrants are still being paid whatever the employers want and it ’s obviously not fair at all. It is such a shame that there is still no solution to this problem. Cultural differences also separated many couples. They might have started loving each other while in one of their countries and eventually gotten engaged. The opinions of others could also have caused these separations. The fact that couples from two different places could have been the cause of the very judging opinions of others.Those opinions from others could also have created the same thoughts about their partners. (V) The knowledge that some of the people who were joined could have benefited the governments but because of the judgment it became otherwise. All of these factors contributed the bad times during the gilded age. We still see many of those problems in the present day. It makes us think about the different options that we have in order to change these repeated troubles. It is up to the young generation to think these things through. With many contributing great th inking minds anything can be solved The Gilded Age

Why Millennials Are Screwed

Throughout the article, Hobbes uses sarcastic humor and hyperbole to not only get his point across, but to also be relatable to his audience; the millennials. Hobbes uses this to seem credible and therefore worthy of our trust. Hobbes states that older generations say â€Å"our problems are all our fault: We got the wrong degree.† This statement not only reeks of sarcasm but also subtly points out the foolishness of the generations whom would say this in Hobbes' opinion. He also goes on to say we have â€Å"killed cereal and department stores and golf and napkins and lunch† which out of context makes little sense and yet in context, still makes little sense. He does not go on to explain why he mentioned these specific items nor does he dive into any of the topics he described, but he does makes a great attempt to get the reader to laugh and therefore create the first moment of trust. Continuing to use sarcasm not only helps the reader to find humor in an unpleasant and gloomy topic but establishes relatability to Hobbes. Exaggerating his own situation by saying, â€Å"my rent consumes nearly half my income, I haven't had a steady job since Pluto was a planet and my savings are dwindling faster than the ice caps the baby boomers melted,† helps the reader to relate to Hobbes even more and therefore trusts him to be providing accurate information. His ability to write as though he is writing to a friend through humor relaxes the reader and establishes a deeper connection. In addition to humor, statistics flood this article and subtly attack the readers fear. Hobbes provides that 1 in 5 young adults between the ages of 18 and 34 are living in poverty and that they are half as likely to own a home(6), which are alarmingly figures. Giving such dramatic statistics makes the reader think about their own situation and whether that statistic includes themselves, and perhaps worse, themselves in the future. This creates a sense of concern that fuels the reader to care more about the topic and follow Hobbes as he continues to scare. Although Hobbes did not create the visual aspects of his article, it is important to note that the updated animations throughout the article contribute to him implanting terror into the mind of his readers because of their dramatic context. The use of a graph regarding 2007 and 2009 graduates and their earnings yearly is a great example showing us how a 2009 graduate could earn almost sixty-thousand dollars less than a 2007 graduate (16). Those are relatively large numbers that generate anxiety among the millennials reading this article because not only does it make them think about the statistics but also how it could relate to themselves. Undoubtedly Hobbes provides endless amounts of information as to the topic: why millennials are screwed. In fact I believe he is right. Our generation is heading for disaster and Hobbes does an immaculate job at recording why. His use of humor and sarcasm is what made this piece of writing so enticing and relatable.

Security system is said to be one of the most vital aspects in doing business

Security system is said to be one of the most vital aspects in doing business and ensuring the interest of the company and the welfare of all the employees. Thus, the security personnel are in charge of guarding and protecting the company's resources and its people. As for the case of Walter, a security guard in Bug, it is considerable that he has committed a wrongdoing against the company and to his duty, as one of the security personnel that is responsible of guarding the company's business.As a security guard for Bug, Walter's primary duty is to protect the interest of the business and defend the company's property against the probable deliberate subversion coming from external forces. Thus, knowing the fact that Steve is working for Wiretap, Walter should have not freed Steve and let him walk away from Bug, as if nothing happened and he has not possibly gathered vital information about Bug's nature of doing business.Under the tort law, Walter has committed an offense, which is th at of breach of duty, as he conciously let Steve to walk away despite of the fact that he has made an offense in tresspassing the private domain of the company. Hence, Walter could be held liable to any harm and damages that might happen to Bug, as a result of successful subversion of Steve to the company's premises.More so, Walter could be held accountable to any probable lost in the company because of being negligent and disregarding direct orders, which is that of protecting and ensuring the company's resources and confidentiality in doing business. The tort law, on the other hand, is considered to be different as oppose to other areas of law because it is only a branch of civil law. Unlike in criminal law, wherein the plaintiff is always regarded as the state and the defendant, the dispute in tort law is only between two different private parties.More so, in tort law, the punishment for unsuccesfull defendant is only a matter of paying and shouldering for the damages of the plai ntiff, which evidently different as oppose to other areas of law wherein the defendant is usually punished by the state incase of proven guilty of committing a crime. Reference Theories of tort Law. (2003). Retrieved June 12, 2009, from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/tort-theories/ Larson, A. (2003). Negligence and Tort Law. Retrieved June 12, 2009, from http://www. expertlaw. com/library/personal_injury/negligence. html

The role of stand up meetings in agile software development ( benefit) Essay

The role of stand up meetings in agile software development ( benefit) - Essay Example This study investigated one of the most important elements of the Agile approach, daily stand-up meetings. Over 40 percent of all the respondents were developers, the other bigger proportions were made up of project managers, analysts, software testers and solution architects. This can probably be attributed to the fact that in any process of software development, developers play the greatest role as they are directly involved in the technical processes. According to Martin (2003), an Agile development team needs sufficient software development personnel with deep experience and good working relationship to succeed. Project managers also formed a substantial proportion of all respondents; this too can be explained by the fact that every Agile team has got to be led by a project manager. Sometimes we have a larger project split into smaller project tasks each with a project manager (Larman, 2004). Other roles represented by respondents included Team Leads, Scrum Masters, CEOs, Testers , Delivery Managers, Agile coaches and Product owners. Many responses were not obtained from these groups, probably because they did not play huge roles in their team or they happened to be in leadership positions e.g. CEOs and Team Leads.The software development process function better at optimal conditions; this can only be made possible with the right number of members in a team, each playing a key role. Depending on the company and software development requirements of a project, Agile team sizes differ from project to another, Scrum and DSMD recommend that an ideal project team should have about 10 or twelve people. XP does not have a particular preferred number but recommends that teams be as small as possible. Over 83.8 percent of the respondents indicated that they worked in a team of between one and ten members - these are relatively small groups. Many software developers prefer to carry out projects in small flexible and manageable groups as recommended by the Agile methodo logy. Agile software development is particularly very iterative and participative and requires excellent communication, consultations and interaction between the members. For such teams to work effectively they require a moderate to minimum number of members for flexibility and greater team bonding, for example, stand-up meetings can be more effective and practical with fewer members in the team rather than a large number of members (Larman, 2004). A number of different Agile methods are used in software development. These include Scrum, DSDM, Extreme Programming, and Lean-Kanban. The choice of method is largely determined by software development needs as well as preference. According to Larman (2004), project needs sometimes dictate the choice of method between the various Agile methods. - Developer preferences also play a large part in determination of the methods to be adopted, in most cases once a method is adopted it is used by a company consistently for all other projects. Thi s study found that scrum is the most preferred Agile method with over 59 percent of the respondents using it. The popularity of scrum can be attributed to its ease of use and flexibility. According to Rising and Janoff (2000), Scrum remains the most

Multiple Linear Regression Analysis Research Paper

Multiple Linear Regression Analysis - Research Paper Example The multiple regression analysis methods show that the policy has contributed over 92% of the labor force, employment as per the expectation of the policy by the government. It concludes that the program is efficient, thus suggesting a continuation of such as policies for the unemployment rate reduction. The research findings show that all the coefficients are proportionally significant in the calculations and apart from inflation. This is because the statistics that are calculated are higher than the critical value identified. The results show that the model variables are accurate since they explain over 98% of the independent body. It is recognized that the policy has improved the employment of the labor force to rise above 100% as per the government policy. The research paper concludes that programs that support active employment have a great impact on the levels of employment. This is recognized through the comparison of each and every program’s impact on the employment le vel. The promotion program that deals with employment of the unemployed is identified to have the greater influence on the employment levels. The primary activity that is defined to be of much impact on the promotion program is job training. Comparison of the minor programs within the promotional program shows that capacity building programs and subsidies have a greater employment impact. The omission of observation activities in long periods is identified to be one of the demerits of the models. Â   Â  

Multimedia and design Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multimedia and design - Article Example first understanding of Multimedia and design would be the fusion of audio and art translated into a material that is ready to be translated to digital format or medium. However, upon taking up the course where we have tackled three of the most insightful books: Simple and Usable by AColborne Giles, Steve Jobs by AIsaacson Walter, and. Massive change by AMau Bruce I realized that multimedia and design is indeed another world of digital media that would make every user of the web today more powerful than ever before. I learned from the book Simple and Usable that to be able to be successful in multimedia and design does not always mean creating a grand website that is very catchy to people’s eyes. Yes, it is another factor that a website would be visited however, catchy should never compromise with pleasantness. Thus, it is important to know that simplicity is really an objective one could carry out in any multimedia work that would never lead you astray to success. I learned that it does not mean creating an almost empty site perhaps but one that is of utmost functionality and at the same time with consideration to the basic needs of a user such as including a â€Å"help† link. Another book I learned a lot from would be â€Å"Steve Jobs by AIsaacson Walter† that tackled how Steve Jobs was able to revolutionize six industries from personal computers, movies, music, phones, digital publishing and etc. This opened my eyes for the need to innovate and never let your imaginations end as it is. The success in multimedia could be achieved with inventiveness, a couple of multimedia engineering, and most especially a creation that would give a solution to a need or even a want. One of which would be that he made it possible to legally download songs which is of great value especially to the kind of lifestyle we have today and the booming music industry being experienced like never before in history which is made possible by the web today. With AMau Bruce’s Massive

Marketing - Real-World Write-ups Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing - Real-World Write-ups - Article Example 8). One of the crucial factors that should be considered in the development process is PRODUCT RESEARCH. Mansfield (2011) advised â€Å"does careful product research so you know exactly what your customers want† (par. 10). Other subsequent phases in the development process entails development of a customer list and implementing policies of regular customer contact, of which â€Å"E-MAIL MARKETING is one of the most devastatingly effective methods of keeping existing customers â€Å"in the loop† and warm for your future marketing efforts† (par. 15). The article discussed SURVEYS as effective methods to solicit customer information regarding the new product the organization envision launching. The experience of American Idol in launching singers and marketing them, soliciting feedback through diverse media have proven to be a successful marketing effort that generated millions of viewers all over the world. Definition of Terms E-MAIL MARKETING utilizes the World Wi de Web through the internet to market products and services. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT is the â€Å"creation of products with new or different characteristics that offer new or additional benefits to the customer† (Business Dictionary, 2011, par.

Critical Review of Meet John Doe Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical of Meet John Doe - Movie Review Example After this fake letter was published in the newspaper where Mitchell worked, tremendous reaction on the part of general people followed. This public reaction was noted by the newspaper’s rich and powerful publisher D.B. Norton (played by Edward Arnold). Next, a sinister collaboration starts between Ann, Norton, and other staffs of the newspaper to exploit the sensation created by John Doe’s fake suicide letter. One John Willoughby (Gary Cooper) is duped into this conspiracy and he is asked to play the role of John Doe. At first, Willoughby does this job enthusiastically. But gradually the actual conspiracy is exposed before him. Willoughby has a flux of mind and he starts clinging to the character and mission of fictional John Doe. In doing so, he shakes the very fundamentals of the news media house he was working for and throws a serious challenge before Norton. Ultimately, Willoughby becomes a real John Doe, who successfully convinces people about general good of soci ety and unmasks hypocrites like Norton and his collaborators. Ann also changes side and joins Willoughby in this great mission of John Doe. All during watching this film, I felt that there are several political linkages in this film. However, two most important linkages are being mentioned in this paper. The first one is created with the help of impressions, scenes, and symbols regarding democratic values and community consciousness. The second linkage shows that how one’s personal life and feelings might be used by somebody else to obtain political benefit. 2. In the film Meet John Doe, Capra appears to be consistently pressing ahead with his idealism having ample regard toward the spirit of democracy. After the middle part of the film, contradictions between ideals of democracy and manipulation of the system become the main foci of the film. The scene of the great John Doe Convention speaks about it. The convention is held before a large audience and thousands of people are called on to participate in it. Willoughby, in the meanwhile, finds that Norton wants to exploit the sensation created by the story of John Doe. Norton wanted Willoughby to endorse Norton as a presidential candidate for the federal elections in the garb of John Doe Convention emerging as a political party. This being the backdrop, Willoughby now tries to breakaway from Norton’s control. At this point, Capra creates a marvelous scene at the John Doe Convention. In this scene, with the help of a combination of distant and close shots, Capra shows how desperately Willoughby is going ahead into the crowd and trying to tell the truth about John Doe and Norton. With the help of special effects using montage of crowds repeatedly, Capra creates the impression of Willoughby, a desperate man, trying to communicate with thousands of people individually, intimately, and simultaneously. This scene showing the seemingly impossible task of Willoughby actually exhibits that how confusing in stitutional democracy might become. Emotional and spirited public might fail to identify the real evil behind ambitious politicians. Political propaganda can become powerful enough to overshadow the actual goals of the democratic institution. Consequently, public might go ahead and invite an â€Å"iron hand† (Capra 1941) to rule them as had happened in the countries like Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. The second most intriguing scene in this film is seen

Experiences of Morrison concerts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Experiences of Morrison concerts - Assignment Example The piano trio, which consisted of a piano, a cello and a violin, was excellent, as was the string quartet with the special guest Mack McCray on the piano. The overall feeling of both of these musical ensembles was that there was a certain lightness to the playing, at least in spots. I really enjoy the cello, especially, as it tends to have such rich tones, and it complemented the piano on the Calyx piano trio very well. As did the violin. What struck me was that, between both concerts, the music was very similar. There were periods where the music sounded like folk music, like Hungarian folk music, and then there were spots were I could detect a slight Celtic bent to the music. Then, there were periods of the concert when the music sounded more like modern music, with a hint of Igor Stravinsky in some of the chords. That is, there were periods where the music became allegro and the musicians played them with great passion and verve. Mack McCray was an amazing pianist. He played with a great flow and passion, and there was not a note that was out of place. Sometimes it seemed that the concert belonged to him, more than the string quartet, but there were other spots where the quartet dominated and the piano receded into the background. I also enjoyed listening to the different influences that were heard throughout the perfomances. For instance, in the Schumann's Piano Quintet in E Flat Major, which was one of the pieces that was played in the St. Petersburg String Quartet, there were evidently influences that were classical and romantic in origin. The piece went from a lugubrious opening with the cello dominating, then went more into the lighter parts of the piece where the piano was blended in harmoniously with the strings of the other instruments. There were periods that sounded like a waltz, but this was only in spots. The piano in the middle of the piece had an air to it that sounded very polished, and I recognized that the piece had a quality to it that spo ke to me. I was also very interested in the Benjamin Britten piece, as I had studied his music extensively, and I knew of his operas. This piece started out with an almost discordant tone to the strings, and it was definitely the product of a modern composer. That is, the staccato string that can be heard throughout the first part of this piece, combined with the discordant tones are those which are not typically heard in the classical or romantic or baroque styles. This piece actually was the piece that liked the least, because I am not a fan of the discordant style and there was something about it that hearkened to movies with American Indians. And this is what the piece sounded like – music that should be played in American Indian movies. It was a little difficult to listen to, but I do know that this is a style that many people enjoy. The second movement of this piece, however, was much better, and struck a much more harmonious tone. What was striking, though, about the B ritten piece is that it sounded almost spare compared to some of the other pieces which were played. There were very little flourishes that one is used to hearing from a string quartet with a piano. The Franck piece, which as Piano Quintet

Reading Reflection Essay Example for Free

Reading Reflection Essay At first, I think literacy has two meanings. The first meaning is culture or civilization and the second meaning is the ability to write and read. Both meaning are very similar, they are related to cultural knowledge. But in today’s society, literacy not only means culture. The concept of information literacy is people can effectively use and recognize the information. Besides, people can redefining and evaluate themselves in today’s information society. By reading Nunberg’s Teaching Students to Swim in the Online Sea, I think the concept of literacy is the discerning ability of people. Nowadays, much knowledge is deriving from Internet. These are second hand materials, not the primary sources. Some resources are not true. The way every people think of the Web is very different. It tests their discerning abilities. Like most people judge the credibility of a website by its outward. The information literacy means to be able to effectively identify, evaluate, and use the information. Also, the information literacy is expanding to include the map, media, and some electronic text. The information literacy has a deeper meaning. Students are highly familiar about website and search engine. They are effectively integrating the concept of information literacy into their learning programs. For me, I think the information literacy is good for college students. Because it can help them recognize when the information is needed, they have the ability to use the information. Literacy information is increasingly important in college life. Students faced with diverse, rich information every day. It was a big challenge for them.

Changes In Policies Directed Toward Poverty Social Policy Essay

Changes In Policies Directed Toward Poverty Social Policy Essay This assignment will examine the transformation of social welfare policy that was established and implemented during the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries to address the problem of poverty and to assist the poor at a time when rapid industrialisation hit Britain. These policies had been developed throughout this period using a combination of both state and charitable sector intervention that expanded and contracted at different levels within both sectors at different times. The assignment will be structured to incorporate the following distinct yet associated elements: Initially, I will explain what relief system/policy was in place to address rural and urban poverty leading up to the early part of the 19th century. Then, I will go on to set the environmental context in terms of how the rapid industrialisation that occurred in Britain could have contributed towards exacerbating the poverty being experienced by local communities and individuals during the early 19th century. I will then go on to concentrate on those policies and interventions that were introduced and/or endorsed by the state to specifically address poverty and help the poor; whilst considering in parallel, the differing perceptions of success and failure that surfaced during the implementation of these policies spanning a timeline of the 1800 1939 period. An integral part of this will include the differential categorisations and views on poverty that existed and subsequently evolved during this time period. Main body From the introduction of the Elizabethan Poor Law Act of 1601, those who were considered as deserving poor received relief from within their parish, which was subsidised by a compulsory poor rate levied on each parishs land and property owners. This was intended to give local control and responsibility for reducing the poverty being experienced by the poor, young, infirm or elderly within communities. These deserving poor were provided with what was termed Outdoor Relief in the form of either monetary payment or in-kind relief such as food, rent or clothes which enabled them to stay at home. Those who were classed as poor impotent people (2002, pg 11) and unable to help themselves, alongside the able bodied poor who were set to work, were provided with indoor relief within workhouses. This system continued well in to the late 18th century until the introduction of the Gilberts Act which advocated that workhouses should become poorhouses, run by poor law parish unions, to help only th e sick, the orphaned or the elderly. Joseph Townsend subsequently expressed his disapproval of this approach: and said that the workhouses operate like the figures which we set to scare the birds, till they have learnt first to despise them then to perch upon the objects of their terror. (Townsend 1788 cited in Spicker 1984, pg 10) The able-bodied poor could still claim outdoor relief but would be expected to find employment outside of the union workhouse, therefore poverty and poor relief problems became compounded further during a time of agricultural depression when wages were low and unemployment and population numbers were on the increase. By the early part of the 19th century the poor relief system was under significant strain as poor rates escalated, food prices were higher and the worlds first industrial society was spawned as industrialisation hit Britain. This was to be a period of rapid industrial advance and unprecedented urban growth; of major shifts in patterns of occupation (chiefly from agricultural to industrial and service) and of economic insecurity for many. (Kidd,1999; pg 4) Technological advancement moved into rural communities, and the agricultural labourer was replaced with more cost efficient machinery, such as horse powered threshing machines. This meant that agricultural workers and their families had little choice but to move to the more industrious towns and urban cities where wages were higher and there were more opportunities for work within factories, particularly in the textiles, transport and mining sectors. In reality, this optimistic view taken by those looking to escape the difficulties of the countryside and improve their standard of living would be faced with other prohibiting factors and subsequent poverty within the mass working class neighbourhoods would be harshly realised in various ways. Within the cities people were living in cheaply built, overcrowded terraced housing, which had inadequate sanitation and few amenities. Within the factories, conditions were no better as workers were subject to working unprotected around dangerous machinery, whilst working long hours for unduly low wages and receiving harsh punishments for non compliance. Similarly, employers could freely use child labour which they felt aided poor families by giving their children work from the age of five years upwards, much to the detriment of a childs education which was fated due to no enforced legislation being in place. In addition, there were increasingly instances of poor malnutrition that existed in families which was associated to the costly prices of food, therefore poor factory workers could usually only afford to buy rotten items. Taking into account all of these factors, the families of manual workers were always vulnerable to unemployment, sickness, old age or the death of the breadwinner, which reduced them to pauperism (Royle, 1997; pg 162) New Poor Law As population growth reached an unprecedented level, poor relief costs were also rising as more people were falling into a spiral of poverty and pauperism rather than benefiting from the increased wages and improved standard of living that optimists of the industrial revolution predicted. Politicians recognised that the current poor law system of 1601 needed to undergo considerable reform as there were clearly widespread frustrations on the back of what Malthus argued as providing encouragement to illegitimacy (Spicker et al 2007; pg 148) through the provision of family child allowance and that outdoor relief will diminish both the power and the will to save among the common people (Malthus cited in Kidd 1999; pg 21) inadvertently forcing more people towards poverty. Malthus subsequently concluded in saying that dependent poverty ought to be held disgraceful and the poor laws abolished. (Englander 1998; pg 9) Social reformer and laissez-faire economist Jeremy Bentham argued for a more disciplinary and corrective approach and believed in the primacy of the free competitive market in the solution of social problems. (Englander, 1998, pg 10) In 1832 in response to the pressures highlighted above a Royal Commission on the Poor Law was appointed, consisting of 9 members and several assistant commissioners ranging from economists to social reformers e.g. Edwin Chadwick. Their remit was to identify the flaws in the current poor relief system and make recommendations for a new, more cost efficient model for implementation. In the midst of this review, the first policy move against child labour occurred in the form of the Factory Act of 1833, whereby children younger than nine were not allowed to work, children were not permitted to work at night and the work day of youth under the age of 18 was limited to twelve hours. (INSERT SOURCE) After much assessment of fact and statistics in conjunction with the previous influential ideas portrayed by Malthus and Bentham the New Poor Law Report was published in 1834, that concluded the law itself was the cause of poverty. This led to the subsequent endorsement of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 that focused on the ethos of instilling a work discipline whilst controlling the costs of poor relief (Pierson, 2009). In order to do this, the act placed its emphasis on putting the deterrent workhouse at its core with the guiding concept of less eligibility which would distinguish between the able-bodied pauper and the independent poor and automatically weed out the merely work- shy from the truly indigent (Brundage, 2002; pg 35). Consequently, the pauper would experience poorer conditions within the workhouse than the lowest living standards of an independent labourer. The workhouse would resemble the layout and mechanics of a correctional institution, comprising segregation (a mongst different classes), uniformity, tedious work, a controlling discipline and the bare minimum in food and accommodation. This it was hoped would ultimately deter the able bodied from applying for indoor relief in favour of finding employment to survive, whilst simultaneously improving the ethical nature of the indolent people it housed and to encourage their eventual liberation. The Act also proposed to abolish all outdoor relief, however this actually persisted to provide assistance up until the 1840s as there were insufficient workhouses built to house the inevitable increase in paupers who would not get help outside. Another key feature that remained was the guardians control of the stringent settlement laws which would help avoid a large influx of paupers from the rural villages, thus keeping costs for the urban tax payer at a manageable level. At the start of the Victorian era in 1837 the view on poverty remained as one of self responsibility and character, whereby the individual was considered responsible for his/her own actions and subsequent survival in life irrespective of the environment they were living in. This opinion gathered momentum as people continually failed to or were reluctant to find a job, thus leading to the increased dependency on the state and little or no inclination to save money as a means of supporting themselves through difficult circumstances and into their old age. This became exacerbated further by those who simply ventured down the path of petty crime, sexual immorality, idleness and insobriety, which were defects which could be overcome by discipline and new attitudes (Townsend, 1993; pg 97); and thus further supported the principles and establishment of the deterrent workhouse system. As the 1840s progressed; the guardians began to reduce the levels of outdoor relief being distributed to the able bodied poor. People were becoming shamed and increasingly aware that to be considered for relief they would be expected to perform some work tasks with a view to accessing employment, otherwise they would be faced with the harsh reality of having to enter the workhouse with their families. Subsequently, people began to recognise the emerging stigma attached to relief and would focus their efforts on finding work and other means of assistance before succumbing to the indignities of the Poor Law and the ultimate indignity of a pauper funeral (Alcock et al, 2008; pg 13). This was similarly echoed by Jeremy Bentham who argued that people did what was pleasant and would not do what was unpleasant so that if people were not to claim relief, it had to be unpleasant (Spicker, 2007; pg 148) At this time the severe measures and conditions within the workhouse system were receiving a barrage of criticism and opposition from the religious sector and workers unions which led to the review and further amendments of the Amendment Act, removing the harshest measures of the workhouses. The Andover workhouse scandal, where conditions in the Andover Union Workhouse were found to be inhumane and dangerous, prompted a government review and the abolishment of the Poor Law Commission, which was replaced with a Poor Law Board. In 1842 Edwin Chadwick wrote and published a report made the statement that sanitation After the influenza and typhoid epidemics in 1837 and 1838, Edwin Chadwick was asked by the government to carry out a new enquiry into sanitation. His report, The Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population was published in 1842. In the report Chadwick argued that disease was directly related to living conditions and that there was a desperate need for public health reform. Over 7,000 copies of the report was published and it helped create awareness of the need for government to take action in order to protect the lives of people living in Britains towns and cities. Sir Robert Peel and his Conservative administration were unwilling to support Chadwicks recommendations. A pressure group, the Health of Towns Association, was formed in an effort to persuade Peels government to take action. However, it was only after the 1847 General Election, when Lord John Russell became leader of a new Liberal government, that new legislation was introduced. In 1848 Parliament passed a Public Health Act that provided for the formation of a Central Board of Health. This new body had powers to create local boards to oversee street cleansing, refuse collection, water supply and sewerage systems Edwin Chadwick Sanitation Report (1842) Charitable/self help movement COS (1869) Slum clearance freeing up land for housing developers (1870) Charles Booth (class division/ income) / Seebohm Rowntree Sanitation/Environment studies Physical deterioration/health Boer War National fitness Committee on physical deterioration Settlement Houses to mix upper class in with poor communities Bibliography Alcock, C., Daly, G. and Griggs, E. (2008) Introducing Social Policy, 2nd ed., London: Longman Brundage, A. (2002) The English Poor Laws 1700-1930, Basingstoke: Palgrave Englander, D. (1998) Poverty and Poor Law Reform in 19th Century Britain, 1834-1914 From Chadwick to Booth, Harlow: Longman Kidd, A. (1999) State, Society and the Poor in Nineteenth-Century England,Basingstoke: Macmillan Royle, E. (1997) Modern Britain: A Social History 1750-1985, 2nd ed., London: Arnold Spicker, P. (1984) Stigma and Social Welfare, Kent: Croom Helm Spicker, P., Alvarez Leguizamon, S. and Gordon, D. (2007) Poverty: an international glossary, 2nd ed., London: Zed Townsend, P. (1993) The International Analysis of Poverty, London: Harvester Wheatsheaf

The Conflict Between Individual And State And The Grammatical Fiction :: essays research papers

The Conflict Between the Individual and the State and the Grammatical Fiction in Darkness At Noon "The Party denied the free will of an individual-and at the same time exacted his willing self-sacrifice." The obvious contradiction of the above definition of the Communist party is depicts the conflict between the individual and the State in Arthur Koestler’s novel Darkness at Noon. Koestler’s protagonist Nicolas Salamanovich Rubashov, devout communist and former leader of the Communist party, falls victim to his own system during the time of the Moscow trials. Accused and imprisoned for crimes he did not commit, Rubashov is forced to choose between the ideology he has faithfully followed for the past forty years of his life, or a new found sense of self, which he calls the "grammatical fiction".During the beginning of Rubashov’s solitary incarceration, he begins to doubt the infallibility of the Communist regime, and for a time, views himself independent from the Party. Rubashov’s pulling away from Communism is evident in his conversation with the examining magistrate, Ivanov, during his first hearing. Rubashov addresses Ivanov’s collective viewpoint with the developing views of his own:"Your argument is somewhat anachronistic," said Rubashov. "As you quite rightly remarked, we were accustomed always to use the plural ‘we’ and to avoid as far as possible the first person singular. I have rather lost the habit of this form of speech; you stick to it. But who is this ‘we’ in whose name you speak to-day? It needs re-defining. That is the point."Apart from the Party, Rubashov no longer functions as part of the Communist unit, but rather as an individual. Within communist doctrine the individual is only a piece of a larger system, and for the true communist the pronoun ‘I’ is not even part of his or her vocabulary. Rather, the personal ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we’, which represents the Party. The significance of Rubashov’s statement is that even his speech patterns, a physical manifestation of one’s subconscious, display his self-detachment from the Communist Party in that he has lost his ability to associate with the communist We. Over and over Rubashov is tormented by the idea "I shall pay", an unrest due to his uncertainty about the foundation of Communism he has placed himself on. Shortly after his first hearing he writes in his diary "The fact is: I no longer believe in my infallibility. That is why I am lost.

nature of ligic and perception Essay -- essays research papers

Logic and perception 1 One of the amazing yet perplexing things about thinking logically and critically is that all of us perceive issues differently and all of us have a unique thinking pattern. The things that we experience also play an important role in how we perceive issues and also our thinking patterns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One believes the nature of logic is how we each deal with a situation and how we decide what the right thing to do is and how we come to certain conclusions about a situation. We all have had experiences in our life that contribute to what we feel is logical or not logical.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My perpetual process has a lot to do with the experiences that I have gone through. For example, if I experience something negative from that point on I will continue to think that and the same goes for a positive experiences. Some blocks that I have is that I, unfortunately was raised to always think of the worst before the best. This is something that I work on and have come far, but in the situation I am about to tell you about had happened you will be able to see this trait in me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At my current workplace we were just starting to do all of our work and correspondence to our client’s via-email, since all of our clients were requesting this. So we decided to use it among each other in the office as well. My boss informed me that there was an email that had been sent to me and it was cruci...

New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum Essay -- Education, elementary

Fleer claims â€Å"there are many theoretical voices within Te WhÄ riki,† the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum document (Nuttall, 2003, p.254). However two are predominant and stand symbiotically on the pages and in the intent of the curriculum. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological, system’s theory, which emphasises how the quality and setting of the child’s environment influences the child (Ministry of Education, 1996; Paquette, & Ryan, 2001) and Vygotsky’s ‘sociocultural theory,’ which describes learning as a social process originating in society or culture and passed through generations (UNESCO, 2004). Discussed within this essay will be a review of these theoretical perspectives illustrating their explanations for how each influences the child, how the child learns, how development is explained, and how these theories are reflected within Te WhÄ riki. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological, system’s theory describes how the child and their immediate surroundings are in an innermost layer surrounded, embedded and influenced by layers from the larger environment all impacting upon the child (Ministry of Education, 1996; Paquette, & Ryan, 2001). Of particular interest are the effects to the child of two way relationships towards and away from the child, as defined by Bronfenbrenner as bi-directional influences, these are particularly influential in the child’s inner layer. For instance: the impact to the child of attentive or non-attentive parents affects how the child reacts to a given situation, which in turn affects how the parent behaves. Notwithstanding, the impact of bi-directional influences on the child’s world continues into the outer layers, as in the example of a parent’s workplace demanding more input into the workplace, which means... ... social aspects have a huge influence on these surroundings. This is demonstrated when whÄ nau are involved and supportive in a child’s life, sharing the family’s and their culture’s funds of knowledge, resulting in the positive effect to the child’s environment which will have vast social and educational impacts by ensuring connections are made to children’s lives and experiences. Adding to this is the socio-cultural philosophy of peer tutoring and where knowledge is actively constructed through modelling and scaffolding, with teachers facilitating the learning process. While through the building of relationships between the family and the centre, Te WhÄ riki advocates the importance of the involvement of whÄ nau and family, which encourages a learning community which has interchangeable reciprocal advantages in a safe, positive, fun, caring, learning environment.

Georg Cantor

History of Mathematics Portfolio Standard 1 Discrete Mathematics Georg Ferdinand Ludwig Phillip Cantor (1845 – 1918) †¦the transfinite species are just as much at the disposal of the intentions of the Creator and His absolute boundless will as the finite numbers. Georg Cantor Georg Cantor was born on March 3, 1845 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Georg lived in the city until age eleven, when his father became sick and the family moved to Germany to get away from the bitter winters in Russia. Throughout his youth, Georg played the violin and showed great talent, a talent he inherited from his musical parents.Georg graduated in 1860 from Realschule in Darmstadt. He was given praise for his outstanding skills in mathematics, especially trigonometry. He continued his studies at the Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zurich, where he stayed until his father’s death in 1863. At this time, he was given a considerable inheritance, and decided to transfer his studies to the Univ ersity of Berlin. While at the University, Georg attended lectures by prominent mathematicians such as Leopold Kronecker, Karl Weierstrass, and Ernst Kummer.In the summer of 1966, Georg attended the University of Gottingen, which was and still is an important mathematical research center. He received his Ph. D. in 1867 for his thesis on number theory, De aequationibus secundi gradus indeterminatis. After receiving his Ph. D. , Georg began working at an all-girls’ school in Berlin. He quickly left this position to take up another one at the University of Halle, where he remained for the rest of his career. In 1874, after Georg’s career began, he met and married Vally Guttmann.Between 1874 and 1886, Georg and Vally had six children. Thanks to his father’s inheritance he was able to care and provide for such a large family while making a modest salary in academia. The decade of 1874 to 1884 proved to be Georg’s finest mathematical time. It was during this ti me that Cantor began his work on set theory. He was able to prove that there are (infinitely) many possible sizes for infinite sets, which were not trivial and needed to be studied. Before this proof, â€Å"infinite† was a philosophical discussion, not a mathematical one.In one of Georg’s first papers, he proved that the set of real numbers is â€Å"more numerous† than the set of natural numbers. He also showed the necessity of one-to-one correspondence in set theory. He used this concept to define finite and infinite sets, subdividing the latter into denumerable sets and uncountable sets. Georg also pioneered using fundamental counting in set theory. This discovery led to Cantor’s theorem: the size of the power set of A is strictly larger than the size of A, even when A is an infinite set.Georg had many triumphs during his career, making him one of the great discrete mathematicians in history, but he also suffered because of his career. He was hospitaliz ed several times throughout his life, which until his death, was contributed to depression. He would sever ties with friends and colleagues if they criticized his work. He once became so â€Å"depressed† from criticism by Leopold Kronecker that he began applying himself to lecture on philosophy instead of mathematics. He spent a great deal of time trying to prove that Francis Bacon wrote the plays attributed to Shakespeare, even writing two pamphlets on it.All of his correspondence with friend and publisher Gosta Mittag-Leffler attacked Kronecker and displayed how much of his confidence he lost due to Kronecker’s critiques of his work. Georg retired in 1913, still battling chronic depression. He suffered from poverty and malnourishment during World War I. He passed his final year of life in the sanatorium, where he died on January 6, 1918. After his death, Georg was diagnosed with bipolarity, which is attributed for his erratic behavior and depression.

Laughter the best medicine Essay

A good sense of humour is one of the most important tools in your self-care kit. In fact, studies show that laughter affects both your body and your mind. Laughter is also readily available, free, has no side effects, and you don’t have to worry about overdosing. Moreover, it’s good for everyone around you too. And laughter can relieve stress, boost your immune system and even change your perspective on things. Stress relief. Laughter lowers your blood pressure and pulse rate and helps your muscles to relax. It counteracts your body’s stress response by lowering the stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine, adrenaline and dopamine. In addition, it releases â€Å"happy chemicals† in your brain, leaving you with a sense of well-being or even euphoria. Increased immunity. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of killer T-cells. This means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects and immune sup pression caused by stress. Pain relief. Laughter increases the production of natural painkillers, thereby improving our tolerance to pain. Muscle relaxation. Laughter exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterwards. It even provides a good workout for the heart. According to the late Dr Laurence Peter, author of The Peter Principle, the bigger the laugh, the lower the tension and the more long-lasting the relief. Perspective. Humour gives us an entirely different perspective on our problems. By viewing a problem a little more light-heartedly, it becomes a challenge instead of a threat, and your body won’t react with a stress response. This gives us a sense of mastery and control over our environment, which helps us cope with adversity. Distraction. Laughter diverts our attention away from our negative feelings like guilt, anger, and stress. Improved social interaction. Laughter is contagious. If you laugh, people laugh with you, even if they donâ⠂¬â„¢t always know what you’re laughing about. It connects us to those around us, and can even be used to ease interpersonal tension – crack a joke during your next heated argument and see the tension melt away. back to top How to lighten up Raise your laughter level with the following strategies: Surround yourself with humour. Watch a funny movie, read a humorous book or a comic, or listen to your favourite stand-up comedian. When you’re stressed at work, take ten minutes to read jokes on the Internet or listen to something silly on your iPod. Laugh with a friend or colleague. People tend to laugh more in social situations, so share the funnies with a friend. It will strengthen your relationship and the contagious effects of laughter may mean you’ll laugh more than you otherwise would have. Look for humour in everyday life. Why wait to â€Å"look back on it and laugh†? Find the humour in every situation, even the stressful and unpleasant ones, and enjoy a good giggle now. Laugh at yourself. Poke fun at your own behaviour and idiosyncrasies. As the saying goes, â€Å"Laugh at yourself and the world laughs with you.† Comedian Bill Cosby once said, â€Å"If you can laugh at it, you can survive it†. With the improved immune system, reduce stress ed, better coping ability and positive attitude that comes with laughter, you can survive almost anything too.

Capital Asset Pricing Model Essay

The capital asset pricing model (CAPM) is an important model in finance theory. CAPM is a theory or model use to calculate the risk and expected return rate of an investment portfolio (normally refer to stocks or shares). All stocks have 2 risks: Systematic Risk (also called Market Risk which affect every stocks) and Unsystematic Risk (also called Specific or Unique Risk that only affects individual stocks). To diversify unsystematic risk, we selected and combined different stocks, which are negatively correlated with one another into one portfolio. In this way risk are eliminated greatly. See diagram below. CAPM Equation The general formula used for Capital Asset Pricing Model is: re = rf + [ ß (rm – rf) ] where the components are as follows: re = Expected return rate of the investment portfolio rf = Risk free rate of return ß = Beta (correlation between the shares and the market) rm = Expected market return which also means: rm – rf = Market risk (systematic risk) ß (rm – rf) = Risk premium *Beta is overall risk value for investing in the stock market. The higher the beta, the more the risk. CAPM Example Assume there is two Investment portfolio (stocks) or project – A & B. With the information given below, we can use CAPM to help us decide which to invest on. risk free rate beta expected market return A 3% 2.5 10% B 3% 1.2 10% From the beta value above, we know A is a more risky portfolio. A is 2.5 times more risky than the overall market and B is 1.5 times less risky. †¢ Expected return produce by A re = rf + [ ß (rm – rf) ] re = 3 + [ 2.5 (10 – 3) ] = 20.5 % †¢ Expected return produce by B re = rf + [ ß (rm – rf) ] = 3 + [ 1.2 (10 – 3) ] = 11.4 % Using CAPM formula, we calculated A produce a 20.5% expected return rate. It is higher than the overall market expected return, which is 10%. Whereas for B, the expected return rate are only 11.2% compare to market return of 10%. Base on result, A is definitely a better but if you don’t feel conformable with A’s risk or think it might not able to produce the expected return rate, then you would probably can choose investing in B. Criticisms of CAPM Although CAPM seems to be one of the most widely used methods to determine the expected return of a investment portfolio, It still have its limitation. Many had criticized on its unrealistic assumptions. †¢ Required a well-diversified portfolio Firstly CAPM works really well with a well-diversified portfolio as it accounted for systematic risk (market risk) but as seen on the graph on page 1, systematic risk is still undiversified. Therefore unsystematic risk is ignore in CAPM calculation. †¢ Beta as it main calculation components As Beta value are computed base on past one year figures so in this case CAPM assume that the future won’t change. Also beta may not really reflect the actual performance of different stocks. This was question by professors Eugene Fama and Kenneth French where they looked at share returns on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and Nasdaq between 1963 and 1990, they found that differences in betas over that lengthy period did not explain the performance of different stocks. The linear relationship between beta and individual stock returns also breaks down over shorter periods of time. These findings seem to suggest that CAPM may be wrong. †¢ Risk free rate of return CAPM assumes there is a risk free rate where investors can borrow or lend at this rate but it is not true in the real world. †¢ Perfect capital market exists There is no transaction cost for trading in the market and profit is non-taxable. †¢ All investor are the same CAPM assume all investors have the same expectations on the risk and expected return.

Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 10

10. Unlikely Knights THE EMPEROR They called it Wine Country. What it was, in fact, was an area south of Market Street, adjacent to the Tenderloin, where liquor stores sold a high volume, yet small variety, of fortified wines like Thunderbird, Richard's Wild Irish Rose, and MD 20-20 (known in the wine world as Mad Dog, for the propensity of its drinkers to urinate publicly and turn around three times before passing out on the sidewalk). While Wine Country was technically the SOMA, or the â€Å"fashionable† South of Market Street neighborhood, it had yet to draw the young professional crowd that sprayed everything with a shiny coat of latte and money, as had its waterfront neighbor. No, Wine Country consisted mainly of run-down apartments, sleazy residence hotels, deeply skeezy porn theaters, and old industrial buildings, which now housed mini-storage units. Oh, and a huge Federal Building that looked like it was being molested by a giant steel pterodactyl, but evidently that was just the government trying to get away from their standard bomb shelter architecture to something more aesthetically appealing, especially if you liked Godzilla porn. It was in the shadow of that architectural abomination that the Emperor had taken his search for the alpha vampire cat. He and the men didn't spend much time in Wine Country, as he had lost a decade in a bottle somewhere and had since forsworn the grape. But it was his city, and he knew it like the cat-scratch scars on Bummer's muzzle. â€Å"Steadfast, gents, steadfast,† said the Emperor, throwing his shoulder against a Dumpster behind a hundred-year-old brick building. Bummer and Lazarus had commenced low, rumbling growls since they'd come into the alley, as if there were tiny semi-trucks idling in their chests. They were close. The Dumpster rolled aside on rusty wheels, revealing a basement window with a sheet of plywood loosely fitted into it. The building had once housed a brewery, but had long since been refitted for storage, except for the basement, half of which had been bricked off from the inside. But this window had been forgotten, and it led to an underground chamber completely unknown to the police, where William, and other people who succumbed to the Wine Country's charms, would seek shelter from the rain or the cold. Of course, you had to be drunk to think it was a good place to stay. Except for the spot by the window, the basement was completely dark, as well as damp, rat infested, and reeking of urine. As he pulled away the plywood, the Emperor heard a high sizzling sound, and the smell of burning hair came streaming out the window. Bummer barked. The Emperor turned away and coughed, fanned the smoke away from his face, and then peered into the basement. All over the visible parts of the floor, cat cadavers were smoldering, burning, and reducing to ash as the sun hit them. There were scores of them, and those were just the ones the Emperor could see from the window light. â€Å"This appears to be the place, gents,† he said, patting Lazarus's side. Bummer snorted, tossed his head, and ruffed three times fast, which translated to, â€Å"I thought I would enjoy the smell of burning cats more, but strangely, no.† The Emperor got on his hands and knees, then backed through the window. His overcoat caught on the window sill and actually helped him in lowering his great bulk to the floor. Lazarus stuck his head in the window and whimpered, which translated to, â€Å"I'm a little uneasy about you being in there by yourself.† He measured the distance from the window to the basement floor and pranced, preparing himself to leap into the abyss. â€Å"No, you stay, good Lazarus,† said the Emperor. â€Å"I fear I wouldn't be able to lift you out once you are down here.† With the ashes of burned cats crunching under his shoes the Emperor made his way across the room until he reached the end of the direct light that lay across the floor like a dingy gray carpet. To move farther he'd have to step on the bodies of the sleeping-well, dead-cats, as even in the shadows, he could see that the floor was covered with feline corpses. The Emperor shuddered and fought the urge to bolt to the window. He was not a particularly brave man, but had an overly developed sense of duty to his city, and putting himself in harm's way to protect her was something he was compelled to do, despite the acute case of the willies that was crawling up his spine like an enormous centipede. â€Å"There must be another entrance,† the Emperor said, more to calm himself than to actually impart information. â€Å"Perhaps not large enough for a man, or I would have known.† He tentatively nudged a dead cat aside with his toe, cringing as he did it. The vision of the vampire cats engulfing the samurai swordsman filled his head and he had to shake it off before taking another step. â€Å"A flashlight might have been a good idea,† he said. He didn't have a flashlight, however. What he had were five books of matches and a cheap, serrated-edged chef's knife that he'd found in a trash can. This would be the weapon he'd use to dispatch the vampire cat, Chet. In his younger, naà ¯ve days, last month, he'd carried a wooden sword, thinking to stake the vampires in the heart, movie style, but he'd seen the old vampire nearly torn apart by explosions, gunfire, and spear guns by the Animals when they'd destroyed his yacht, and none of it seemed as effective as had the little swordsman he'd seen in the SOMA. Still, a flashlight would have been nice. He lit a match and held it before him as he moved into the dark, working his foot between cat bodies with each step. When the match burned his fingers, he lit another. Bummer barked, the sharp report echoed through the basement. The Emperor turned and realized that he'd somehow made his way around a corner and the window was no longer visible. He reached inside his great overcoat and felt for the handle of the chef's knife, which was stuck in his belt at the small of his back. He pushed on, moving into another room, a large one as far as he could tell, but still, to the edge of the match light, the bodies of cats littered the floor, most of them lying on their sides as if they'd just dropped over, or in awkward piles, as if they'd been in the middle playing, or fighting, or mating when something suddenly switched them off like a light switch. Another distant bark from Bummer, then a deeper one from Lazarus. â€Å"I'm fine, men, I'll be finished with this and back out in no time.† Well into his third book of matches, the Emperor saw a steel door, partly ajar. He made his way to it; the dead cats thinned out and then there was a bit of a clearing in the carnage, although only for a foot or two, as if a path had been cleared, but a narrow one. He stood and caught his breath. He heard men's voices, but coming from back by the window, amid them more barking and now snarling from the men. â€Å"I'm in here!† the Emperor called. â€Å"I'm in here. The men are with me!† Then a distant voice. â€Å"Mo-fuckas need to cover this up. The City see it they brick this bitch up, then where we go when it rain?† There was a thump, then a grating noise, a rusty creaking, and the Emperor realized it was the sound of the plywood being fit back into the window and the heavy Dumpster pushed into place before it. â€Å"Block them wheels,† said the voice. â€Å"I'm here! I'm here!† called the Emperor. He gritted his teeth, preparing to run across the deep carpet of cat corpses to the window, but he hesitated, the match burned his fingers, and darkness fell upon him. THE ANIMALS â€Å"I'm pretty sure it's the Apocalypse,† said Clint, not even looking up from his red-letter King James Bible. The Animals were spread out in various positions around the basketball court, playing HORSE. Clint, Troy Lee, and Drew sat with their backs to the chain-link fence. Troy Lee was trying to read over Clint's shoulder, Drew was packing pot into the bowl of a purple carbon-fiber sports bong. Cavuto and Rivera made their way around the outside of the court. â€Å"What's up my niggas!† came a scratchy, wizened voice-totally out of place for the surroundings-like someone smacking a fiery fart out of a tiny dragon with a badminton racket. Rivera stopped and turned toward a small figure who stood at the foul line dressed in enormous sneakers and an Oakland Raiders hoody big enough for a pro offensive tackle. Except for the cat-rim glasses, it looked like Gangsta Yoda, only not so green. â€Å"That's Troy Lee's grandma,† said the tall kid, Jeff. â€Å"You have to give her a pound or she's going to keep saying it.† Indeed, she had a fist in the air, waiting for a pound. â€Å"You go ahead,† said Cavuto. â€Å"You're ethnic.† Rivera made his way to the tiny woman and despite feeling completely embarrassed about it, bumped fists with her. â€Å"Troot,† said Grandma. â€Å"Truth,† said Rivera. He looked to Lash, who had been the ad hoc leader of the Animals after Tommy Flood was turned vampire. â€Å"You okay with this?† Lash shrugged. â€Å"What are you gonna do? Besides, it's prolly the Apocalypse. No time to roll all politically correct up in this bitch when the world is ending.† â€Å"It's not the Apocalypse,† said Cavuto. â€Å"It's definitely not the Apocalypse.† â€Å"I'm pretty sure it is,† said Troy Lee, looking over Clint's shoulder at Revelation. They all gathered around the seated Animals. Rivera took out his notebook, then shrugged and put it back in his pocket. This wasn't going to be in any report. Drew sparked up the bong, bubbled a long hit, then handed it to Barry, the balding scuba diver, who inhaled the extra off the top. â€Å"We're cops, you know?† said Cavuto, not sounding that sure of it himself. Drew shrugged and exhaled a skunky blast. â€Å"S'okay, it's medical.† â€Å"What medical? You have a card? What's your condition?† Drew produced a blue card from his shirt pocket and held it up. â€Å"I'm anxious.† â€Å"That's not a condition,† said Cavuto, snapping the card out of Drew's hand. â€Å"And this is a library card.† † Reading makes him anxious,† said Lash. â€Å"It's a condition,† said Jeff, trying to look somber. â€Å"It's for arthritis,† said Troy Lee. â€Å"He doesn't have arthritis. It's not a thing.† Cavuto was pulling handcuffs out of the pouch on his belt. â€Å"She does,† said Troy Lee, pointing to his grandmother. The old woman grinned, held up her card, flashed an arthritic â€Å"West Coast† gang sign, and said, â€Å"What's up, my nigga?† â€Å"I'm not giving her a pound,† said Cavuto. â€Å"She's like ninety. You must. It is our way,† said Troy Lee in his mysterious ancient Chinese secret voice. From his sitting position, he bowed a little at the end for effect. Cavuto had to bend down to give the old woman a pound. â€Å"You know you'll never escape the killer cats in those giant shoes,† he said. â€Å"She doesn't understand,† said Barry. â€Å"No comprende English,† said Gustavo. â€Å"Cats?† said Rivera. â€Å"Your message.† â€Å"Yeah, you said to call if anything weird happened,† said Troy Lee. â€Å"Actually, we said not to call us,† said Cavuto. â€Å"Really? Whatever. Anyway, the Emperor came banging on the store windows last night all freaked out about vampire cats.† â€Å"Did you see them?† â€Å"Yeah, there were shitloads. And I don't know how you're going to take them down. That's why it's pretty obvious that it's the Apocalypse.† Clint, the born-again, now looked up. â€Å"I figure that the number of the beast is a number of how many. So, there were like six hundred sixty-six at least.† â€Å"Although it was hard to count,† said Drew. â€Å"They were in a cloud.† Rivera looked to Troy Lee for explanation. â€Å"It was like they'd all gone to vapor, like we saw the old vampire trying to do that night we blew up his yacht. Except they were all merged into one, big-ass vampire cloud.† â€Å"Yeah, it started coming into the store, even with the door locked,† said Jeff, now at the foul line, sinking his fourth swish in a row. â€Å"How'd you stop it?† Cavuto asked. â€Å"Wet towel under the door,† said Barry. â€Å"It's what you do when you're smoking weed in a hotel and you don't want everyone calling security. You're always supposed to have a towel. I read about it in a guide for hitchhiking through the galaxy.† â€Å"Skills,† said Drew, a little glassy-eyed now. â€Å"But, if not for the wet towel, it was the Apocalypse,† said Troy Lee. â€Å"Clint is looking in the book of Revelation for the part about the towel now.† â€Å"I hope it's like Thunder Dome Apocalypse,† said Jeff. â€Å"Not zombies trying to eat your brain Apocalypse.† â€Å"I'm pretty sure it's going to be, city-wiped-out-by-vampire-cats Apocalypse,† said Barry. â€Å"You know, just going on what we know.† â€Å"It's not the Apocalypse,† said Cavuto. â€Å"So, what happened?† Rivera asked. â€Å"The cloud just went away?† â€Å"Yeah, it sort of distilled to a big herd of cats and they went running every which way. But what do we do tonight if it comes back? The Emperor led it right to us.† â€Å"Where is the Emperor?† â€Å"He went off this morning with his dogs. Said he thought he knew where the prime vampire cat might be and that he and the men would dispatch it and save his city.† â€Å"And you let him?† â€Å"He's the Emperor, Inspector. You can't tell him shit.† Rivera looked at Cavuto. â€Å"Call dispatch to post a bulletin to call us if anyone sees the Emperor.† â€Å"We're not getting off work today, are we?† said Cavuto. â€Å"Take an Apocalypse day,† said Barry. â€Å"Woo-hoo! Apocalypse day!† Troy Lee's grandma fired off a barrage of Cantonese to her grandson, who replied with the same. The old woman shrugged and looked up at Cavuto and Rivera and spoke for about thirty seconds, then went and took the ball from Jeff, then shot a complete air ball, at which everyone cheered. â€Å"What? What?† said Cavuto. â€Å"She wanted to know what Barry was woo-hooing about, so I told her.† â€Å"What did she say?† â€Å"She said no big deal. They had vampire cats in Beijing when she was a girl. She said their shit is weak.† â€Å"She said that?† â€Å"The idiom is different, but basically, yeah.† â€Å"Oh good,† said Cavuto, â€Å"I feel better.† â€Å"We need to find the Emperor,† Rivera said. Cavuto pulled the car keys out of his jacket. â€Å"And pick up our Apocalypse jackets.† â€Å"What about us?† asked Lash. Rivera didn't even look back when he said, â€Å"You guys have more experience fighting vampires than anyone on the planet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We do, don't we?† said Troy Lee. â€Å"Oh, we are so fucked,† said Lash. â€Å"That's sad,† said Drew, repacking the bowl of the bong. â€Å"Really sad.† THE EMPEROR Darkness. He waited a moment, listening to his pulse beat in his ears before striking another match. â€Å"Courage,† he whispered to himself, a mantra, an affirmation, a sound to keep him from jumping out of his own skin at every creak or rustle in the dark. He lit the match, held it aloft. He pulled at the big steel door, throwing his weight, and it moved a few inches. Perhaps this was the other way out. It was clear that all these cats hadn't come in through the window, not with the plywood blocking it. He elbowed the door aside, feeling the resistance of a drift of dormant vampire cats piled up against it. When the opening was wide enough to squeeze through, he put his shoulder inside, then paused as the match went out from the movement. He was inside, and the floor seemed clear at his feet, although it felt as if he was standing on powder. As he lit the next match he hoped to see a stairway, a hallway, perhaps another boarded-up window, but in fact what he saw was that he was in a small storeroom fitted with wide metal shelves. The floor was indeed covered with a thick layer of dust, and among it, rumpled clothing. Ragged overcoats, jeans, and work boots, but also brightly colored satin garments, hot pants, and halter tops, tall platform shoes in fluorescent colors, dingy under the dust and darkness. These had been people. Homeless people and hookers. The fiends had actually dragged people down here and fed on them-sucked them to dust, as the little Goth girl had termed it. But how? No matter how strong or ravenous, the cats were still just housecats before they had turned. And they hadn't seemed cooperative. He couldn't imagine a pack of twenty vampire cats dragging a fully grown person down here. It didn't make sense. The match burned his finger and he tossed it aside, then pulled the knife from his belt before lighting the next. When the next match flared, he saw something on one of the high shelves at the far side of the room. Something quite a bit larger than a housecat. Perhaps it was one of their victims who had survived. He adjusted his grip on the knife and moved forward, trying not to cringe as the dusty clothing clung to his feet and ankles. No, not a cat. At least not a housecat. But it had fur. And a tail. But it was the size of an eight-year-old child, and it was snuggled up against something even larger. The Emperor raised the knife and stepped forward, then stopped. â€Å"Well, you don't see that every day,† he said. The cat thing was spooning the naked form of Tommy Flood.

Internal and External Audit of General Motors Inc Essay

Internal and External Audit of General Motors Inc - Essay Example GM recorded revenues worth $192,604 million during the fiscal year ended December 2005. GM also owns equity partnerships in some regional subsidiaries and joint ventures like New United Motor Manufacturing (NUMMI), Suzuki Motor Corporation, Isuzu Motors, Shanghai GM, SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Company and CAMI Automotive. General Motors has been facing stiff competition from the likes of AB Volvo, Capital One Financial Corporation, DaimlerChrysler AG, Fiat S.p.A., Ford Motor Company etc. for quite some time now. Owing to increased competition and reduction in margins General Motors Europe announced, during 2004, that it'll be resorting to the reduction in its annual structural costs by about 500 million by 2006. The plan included a reduction in the workforce by about 12,000 over this period. Considering such a scenario, the company requires to determine the priorities it should accord to certain products, so that better profit margins and long-term value creation can be ensured. BCG Matrix i.e. Boston Consultancy Group matrix is a very useful tool for identifying the products which contains both high-growth products in need of cash inputs and certain low-growth products which generate lot of cash. It's a two-dimensional matrix, depicting market share and market growth. Leading market position: GM has consistentl... In US it is the league of the big three with Ford and DaimlerChrysler. GM also has a strong market position in the UK, Germany, Brazil, Australia and China. Robust revenue growth in Asia Pacific: The Asia-Pacific region has proved to be very encouraging and having immense potential for the company. Despite the challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, GM recorded strong revenue growth in this region with continued strong performance by Shanghai GM in China and Holden in Australia. For 2003, GM Asia Pacific (GMAP) earned $577 million, more than three times the net income of $188 million in 2002. Company is also aggressively expanding its operations in India, another big market in the region. Such a strength in this region helps the company to offset its losses in some other regions. Strong brand portfolio: GM has a strong brand portfolio. The company has on board global brand names like Saab, Chevrolet and Cadillac. Weaknesses North America and Europe Continue to be loosing grounds: General Motors's largest geographical market, North America, accounting for nearly 75% of the total revenues, continues to show decelerating momentum. GM North America (GMNA) could earn $1.2 billion, down from $3.1 billion in 2002. Company has partially attributed this slowdown in profitability owing to the higher pension and health-care costs in the U.S, but the cause of worry for GM is its dwindling market share in US, which came down to 28.0 percent compared with 28.3 percent in 2002. Similarly for 2003, GM Europe (GME) had a loss of $286 million, an improvement from the $549 million loss in 2002. Large post retirement liabilities and high debt: GM has large unfunded other post retirement benefit obligations and high debt. As of now for every

Rape in the Military Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rape in the Military - Essay Example 340). Women are not immune to rape even within their rank and file of the U.S. military which state of affairs will be the subject of discussion in the rest of this paper. Recent CBS news of dt January 27, 2013 reports the rampant rape incidents in the U.S. military where 15 percent of personnel are women. A newly recruited 24 year old in the Air Force has been raped in her unconscious state by her recruiting officer in party she had been called in to meet her fellow soldiers. As she had to drive her car, she did not take alcohol. But her officer had put some intoxicating substance in her soft drinks. She has not made a complaint for fear of losing her job. Her new superior officer has been making sexual advances towards her which she hesitates to report to her commander who happens to be the friend of her superior. The woman cannot easily quit the military without the help of her commanders. There is no severe deterrent punishment for rape and other sex crimes within the military un like in the civilian world. The U.S. Air Force’s own data shows that there were 790 incidents of sexual assaults and harassment by the members of the Air Force in the last year as against 614 in the previous year. In the Army, there were 1,695 cases and in Navy and Marines 883 cases in 2011 involving male members attacking women members. Only 25 percent of the sexual attack incidents in the military are reported and according to the official estimates, there are 19,000 such incidents occurring every year. Forty percent of victims hold men in higher ranks responsible and they come from their chain of command. General Mark Welsh, the Chief of Air Force has vowed to bring down the number to zero rather than lowering the number. 6- Air Force Attorneys have been designated to deal with the complaints. Although the Pentagon set up in 2004 Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) to contain sexual assault in the military, the crime incidents have not come down but only have been increasing. There are proposals to make legislation to have the investigations taken out of the purview of the military chain of command (Herbert, 2012). Military personnel continue indulging in rape both within and outside as well as in wartimes and peacetimes. A report says that two US naval sailors have been convicted for raping a Japanese woman in October, 2012 while she was walking alongside a street in Okinawa US military base in Japan Both in their early twenties have been sentenced with 10 year and nine year imprisonment respectively. This is a case of US forces committing the crime in Japan (Anonymous, 2013). This is a repeat of a 1995 incident involving a 12 year old Japanese girl who was raped by the US military personnel in Okinawa (Smith, 2004). The fact is that military personnel involved in rape of women within the military are unlikely to be punished and there are 86.5 % chance of the crime being swept under the carpet and 92 % chance of court-martial being avoided. Victims often do not make complaints due to the prevailing culture of acceptance in the US military, fewer prosecutions and the chain of command they have to report through. Women in the military who succeed in obtaining punishment to the military rapists are forced to leave the military service because of harassment in investigation and prosecution(Speier, 2012). No military woman who has been raped can approach a medical facility for treatment as well as for evidence

Five filsm of Martin Scorsese Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Five filsm of Martin Scorsese - Essay Example Everything in his work, from his narrative construction, editing, how he directs his actors, all the way to his set design, sound, music, is in perfect harmony. (Casillo & Robert, 90) The Age of Innocence, for instance, looked like a doomed project in the beginning. It provoked fears of failure to live up to the solid and worthy but essentially boring literary adaptations of its time. It however became a golden piece of art, film and refinement, alive in all of its being. (LoBrutto & Vincent, 56) He brings out the much-heated issue of violence in the other three films. He seemingly presents it in two ways .One is to refusing to show it, but always locating it just off-screen. He manages to leave us free to exercise our imaginations and experience the horror, in a way that modern Hollywood does not. Second is by making it as explicitly disturbing as it can possibly be that it is impossible for anyone except the advanced criminal to enjoy it. This is Scorseses back then. (Wernblad & Annette, 67) These methods are however not evident in his most recent work. It was however, still possible to enjoy the violence in Taxi Driver, because of our strange relationship to the main character, but for GoodFellas or Casino, it is a different story. A notable characteristic of his soonest films is the distance he establishes between his audience and all his characters. Identification is hardly a component of the films as it if it flickers only sporadically. (Martin & Richard, 45). The roots of this influential director run deep in the film industry. Martin Scorsese received the title â€Å"directing god† from Roger Ebert, a movie critic. A fellow director, George Lucas has termed him the most influential and best director of their

Business Questions on Ethics, Strategic Plan etc Essay

Business Questions on Ethics, Strategic Plan etc - Essay Example Religion is not just about beliefs. In fact, the religion guides its followers towards a complete way of life that is ethically justified and is meant to spread peace in the society. The different standards of ethics amongst communities dwelling in the same place fundamentally arise from the difference of religious teachings of the different communities. People living in a certain place have their customs, values, and traditions that are a reflection of the geographic, political, and socioeconomic history of that place. Over the time, the customs and traditions approved by a vast majority of the people are recognized as ethics in that society. Ethics play a very important role in the business today. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that the world today is not as healthy and clean place to live in as it once was. This is primarily attributed to the false and objectionable business practices that have been in place over a long time in the history. There is a greater emphasis from the society upon healthy business activities to reduce the negative environmental effects of the business. The term used for environment-friendly businesses is â€Å"green business†. Companies are encouraged to compete with one another to become greener as it is seen as one of the pre-requisites of success for the company. On the other hand, businesses today are expected to fulfill the demands of corporate social responsibility, which essentially means that a business that is only profitable to the business owner today is not sufficient. In order for the business owner to be successful and gain competitive advantage, it is imperative that the business benefits the society as well. It may benefit the society in a number of ways that include but are not limited to reducing unemployment, finding the cure of diseases, creating knowledge, and doing research and development for the benefit of the society. Over the time, people have become more conscious about their health and safet y which has imparted a need for the regulatory bodies to oblige the entrepreneurs to abide by the rules of ethics so that the business can be made greener, and its positive role in the development of the society as a whole can be enhanced. Q. 2 Answer The strategic plan can be considered as a kind of business plan, though there are certain differences between the two. The main purpose of making a strategic plan is to implement an organization’s strategic direction and manage it, thus it is made once the organization or business has been established already whereas the business plan is required at the stage of starting a new business, gathering the required funds, and directing its operations. In this way, the strategic plan is helpful for the businesses that are already established but need to be expanded but the business plan makes an entrepreneur prepared to commence a new business. â€Å"The business plan examines the business’ potential for success, the competing industry and the business’ competitive advantages† (Smith). The timeframe covered by the strategic plan is different from that covered by the business plan. While the time covered by a strategic plan ranges from three to five years in general, the business plan is commonly made to last for a year only. The strategic plan is critical to enlarge the revenues and maximize the return on investment of a business as it prioritizes the resources while the business plan is needed when the entrepreneur needs funding. The strategic pla

Course Content and Modes of Teaching Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Course Content and Modes of Teaching - Assignment Example This study stresses that the fact that the course is undertaken by both local and international students, we are dealing with issues that require cultural diversity to be appreciated so as to interact with other members of the class. The process of interacting with a wide range of cultures in the class has enabled me to develop interest in communication, thus leading to success in this class. In addition, the communication class helps in improving the author's English skills in both written and oral language, which is an essential aspect in the real-life workplace and thus. This research discusses that in presenting the course material, the teacher uses different methods, including lecturing, where the teacher is the sole disseminator of information. In this method, interaction with the students is mainly limited by the lecturer when presenting the instructions. The demonstration method is mainly used in the health class and involves the students observing the process of carrying out a procedure. The health class is complemented with practical exercise where the students participate actively in the process. In addition, the communication class uses the brainstorming method where the instructor gives instructions and the students form groups where they discuss opposing ideas.  Each one of the courses is aimed at a unique purpose. On one hand, the health course is aimed at honing the students’ skills in relation to basic health terminologies while preparing them for future professional practice in health-related areas.  

Info to be emailed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Info to be emailed - Essay Example The Human resources manager who has the responsibility of preparing an employee for overseas assignment must consider other things also which may arises during the employees stay in the foreign country. Food habits and housing requirements may be different in different countries. The Americans has enjoyed the luxury of good foods and housing facilities and hence they may require the same thing while on deputation of an overseas assignment. The HR manager must be able to forecast the difficulties an American may faces in an overseas assignment and he should be able to provide solutions for that. The success of an overseas assignment lies in how comfortable the employee is in his/her stay in the foreign country. The awareness about the designated country, work culture, religions, society and the political system will be helpful for the overseas assignment. Globalization, Liberalization and Privatization policies, has opened the doors widely for business world. Big business tycoons were spreading their wings to other countries based on the business potentials and infrastructure facilities. International trade including exports and imports has increased a lot for the last two decades. The consumers are also happy to have variety of goods from different countries at their finger tips. The business competition also has been increased immensely because of the globalization policies. The small scale domestic industries are struggling hard to compete with the big MNCs. The MNCs are better organized and they have immense financial capabilities to innovate new products at cheaper rates and hence the small scale industries have difficulty in competing with such big MNCs in price and also in quality. Most of the business tycoons, expanding their business interests to many other countries to explore the possibilities there. They became saturated in their native countries and further expansion may be possible for them only in a

Theory and Knowledge Development in Nursing Essay

Theory and Knowledge Development in Nursing - Essay Example And the methods used to apply knowledge can be differed according to the convenience and particularity of the situations. Nursing is both a profession and a discipline nursing as field profession is a practice and when we consider it as knowledge it is a discipline. There are a number of theories advocated by scientists. Theories are definitely the backbone of any discipline and nursing is no exception here. Here I would like to make a brief explanation on the components of theory. Theory consists concepts that are inevitable for practice guidance. Nursing theories are formed out of concepts, definitions assumptions with or without the help of other disciplines or derived from different particular instances; and there are a number of inter- relationships made between them for predicting, explaining and prescribing things (Nursing Theories: An Overview). Theories universally contain concepts, prepositions, metaparadigm, philosophies and conceptual models. Concepts are occurred in mind as ideas on a phenomenon. This is an intellectual process through intuition. They indicate and signify ideas observations or experiences. For instance, relief can be an idea in nursing. Concepts can be useful in creating knowledge on phenomena. These concepts also are supported by constructs. Generally concepts are of three kinds; empirical, inferential and abstract. A statement of relationship between two concepts are said to be prepositions. Structural holarchy of contemporary nursing knowledge include components like metaparadigm, conceptual models, theories, and empirical indicators and their level of abstraction differs; and concepts and propositions are the important to explain a theory (Lesson, 2.1) There are several theories of nursing used by the practitioners today; and those theories are grouped into divisions according to the nature and functions of the theory. Nursing theories can be classified from different categories. Depending on its function it can be divided into four namely, descriptic, explanatory, predictive and perspective. Based on generalisability of their principles they are divided into Meta theory and grand theory. Middle range theory and practice theory are the third one based on the principles of the discipline. Looking from the stand point of philosophy, it can be needs theories, interaction theories, outcome theories and humanistic theories. But the important classification is into grand theories and middle range theories. Prominent among the theories today are Orland nursing theory, Newman theory, Parse theory, Peplaun Theory and Watson Theory. There are also theories called borrowed, which are adopted from other disciplines. Grand theories are the most abstract in nature. Grand theories are instrumental in making nursing as a science. Grand theories are built up on concepts and propositions that are less abstract. These theories are difficult to be practiced in daily nursing tasks. On the other hand middle range theory is mor e concrete. Middle range theories are originated from conceptual models directly. So, they are very much useful in current nursing practice. Middle range theories are of high middle level, middle- middle level and low middle level. 2. The meaning of metaparadigm of nursing? A metaparadigm is considered to be the way to describe concepts that concern any profession or domain. This concept was firstly introduced in early 1970’s.

The value of communication skills in the workplace Research Paper

The value of communication skills in the workplace - Research Paper Example o and Sanchez believe that â€Å"if the idea received is not the one intended, communication has not taken place; the sender has merely spoken or written† (Guo & Sanchez, 2005, p.78). The present study focuses on the skills of communication that are necessary within an organization for achieving successful communication between the organizational employees. As Guffey & Loewy reflect in their views, effective communication is essential within an organization for advancements of the organization. Organizational members including leaders, managers, supervisors and employees need to communicate well among themselves. Proper skills of communication are hence necessary both within the organization as well as outside. Excellent communication skills enable an organization to advance more than others. In today’s organizations there is a greater need to understand different data, figures and words where written communications also prove to be highly significant (Guffey & Loewy, 2010, p.30). It can thus be said that communication in any form proves significant in order to pass any message internal or external to an organization. Guffey & Loewy also mentioned that today’s business organizations reflect dynamic trends where there is tremendous need for excellent communication. This is accompanied by flattened hierarchies of the organizational managements, expansion of the management based on teams, use of innovative technologies for the purpose of communication particularly where the office works occur anywhere and at anytime, diverse workforce, as well as enhanced focus on business ethics (Guffey & Loewy, 2010, p.30). Hence it can be realized that modifications in businesses in the present times require that organizational members are strong in their communication capabilities. This would enable messages to be communicated effectively. Effective decision-making may be obtained in this way with exchange of needful information. Also, effective communication would allow

Community Nursing Hat 1 Essay Example for Free

Community Nursing Hat 1 Essay I chose as my community El Dorado County in the foothills of Northern California. I live in this community. We are a very healthy and active community with a large retirement group. I will go through the four assessments next. The Population Economic Status Assessment shows our population to be around 181,000. We are made up of 80% white Christian, with the next largest ethnic group being about 15% Mexican. The average household income is around $70,000 with 7.9% of people being at or below the poverty level. The Mexican population makes up the biggest percentage of the poor. El Dorado County’s median household income has been higher than the state average since 2000, indicating that its residents have more spending power than the average Californian (El Dorado Co). The unemployment rate is 11.8%. El Dorado County’s unemployment rate has been consistently lower than the California average since 1990. At any given time, there are 600+ homeless people in this community. Around 9000 people receive food stamps another 3000 receive cash aid. On an average, we have much fewer people on public assistance than the national average. According to the information I gathered in the Cultural Assessment Tool, the population in this community has slightly more females than males which is very typical in these rural areas. There are 80% white people living here with about a 15% Mexican population (El Dorado Co). 27% of the populous are affiliated with a church, mostly Catholic Christian, compared to the 50% in the USA (Religions). About 85% of the people are covered by health insurance, which is very high compared to the rest of California. Cancer is the leading cause of death, with heart disease being second. The birth rate is 10.1 per 1000. County birth rates are consistently below average compared to the state, which is attributed to the higher senior population of the county (El Dorado Co). There is a high prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse in this community, related to poor or ineffective coping skills in the populous. There is a  real powerful stigma against the homeless community here, which really could benefit from some community teaching and outreach. The Neighborhood Community Safety Assessment shows that the air and water quality is very good in this community. Carbon monoxide levels are below the US average. They do usually have a few bad air days a year due to fires. There is some residual mercury left over from the mining days, but in low levels (El Dorado Co). During the winter snow, flooding and the cold pose health hazards. During the summer, fires are a hazard to public safety. However, there is excellent fire and police response here in this community. Many rivers and lakes in this community pose a risk for drowning; however, there are very few documented drowning’s here per year. There is quite a bit of poison oak ivy here, and grass and hay fever irritants. Last, I will discuss the Disaster Assessment Planning in this community. Through my research, I found that this community does follow federal guidelines for disaster management (OES). There is a County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan that was adopted in 2007 (City of Placerville). This plan has four parts that cover administrative, an emergency operations center plan, a recovery plan, plans specific to a type of emergency (terrorism, multi-casualty incidents, hazard mitigation plan, etc.). This plan meets needs for rescue, medical care, food, shelter, clothing, temporary housing, and employment should an emergency arise. This community also uses the CDC’s Public Health Emergency Response Guide for emergency preparedness response. I found all this information on line, but it took considerable research and was not easy. In my research, I found that most residents in this community are not aware of any disaster preparedness plan, nor do they know where to find one. There needs to some community wide teaching on disaster preparedness, and where to find information regarding this. The following is my community genogram and diagnosis. Community Diagnosis Within the parameters assessed above, El Dorado County California is a healthy community. The areas that need improvements are discovering a way to help people respond in healthy ways to painful life events other than drugs alcohol, to create implement a plan to help the homeless community, to educate the public regarding the causes and preventative  measures for Cancer Coronary Artery Disease, and to educate the public regarding emergency disaster preparedness through community outreach programs. Community Diagnosis Within the parameters assessed above, El Dorado County California is a healthy community. The areas that need improvements are discovering a way to help people respond in healthy ways to painful life events other than drugs alcohol, to create implement a plan to help the homeless community, to educate the public regarding the causes and preventative measures for Cancer Coronary Artery Disease, and to educate the public regarding emergency disaster preparedness through community outreach programs. El Dorado County, California hhhh El Dorado County, California hhhh Population Economic Status Located in Northern California Population 181,058 Mostly white Next largest ethnic group Mexican Median household income 70,000 7.9% households at or below poverty level 11.8% unemployment rate 600+ homeless 9,000 receive food stamps 3,000 families receive cash aid Population Economic Status Located in Northern California Population 181,058 Mostly white Next largest ethnic group Mexican Median household income 70,000 7.9% households at or below poverty level 11.8% unemployment rate 600+ homeless 9,000 receive food stamps 3,000 families receive cash aid Cultural Assessment Slightly more females than males Mostly white Christians Subcultures small Mexican Asian Many know how to achieve good health-60% put forth effort 85% have health coverage Most know how where to obtain medical care High prevalence of alcohol drug abuse due to a variety of stressors Stigmas of homelessness Vast variety of outdoor recreational activities Cultural Assessment Slightly more females than males Mostly white Christians Subcultures small Mexican Asian Many know how to achieve good health-60% put forth effort 85% have health coverage Most know how where to obtain medical care High prevalence of alcohol drug abuse due to a variety of stressors Stigmas of homelessness Vast variety of outdoor recreational activities Neighborhood/ Community Safety Health dept very involved in providing health services, education information Very good air quality Very good water quality Potential for wildlife disease Vast amounts of rivers lakes potential for drowning Severe weather events potential Potential for fires due to vast forestry Excellent fire police response Domestic violence calls 10.5 per 1000 Neighborhood/ Community Safety Health dept very involved in providing health services, education information Very good air quality Very good water quality Potential for wildlife disease Vast amounts of rivers lakes potential for drowning Severe weather events potential Potential for fires due to vast forestry Excellent fire police response Domestic violence calls 10.5 per 1000 Disaster Assessment/Planning El Dorado County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan California Emergency Management Agency Federal Emergency Management Agency preparedness plan Following federal guidelines Rescue, medical care, food, shelter, clothing Temporary housing, food stamps, employment Public Health Emergency Response Guide by CDC for emergency preparedness and response Most residents unaware of any plan Disaster plan not readily available or easily found Disaster Assessment/Planning El Dorado County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan California Emergency Management Agency Federal Emergency Management Agency preparedness plan Following federal guidelines Rescue, medical care, food, shelter, clothing Temporary housing, food stamps, employment Public Health Emergency Response Guide by CDC for emergency preparedness and response Most residents unaware of any plan Disaster plan not readily available or easily found The community genogram shows a relatively healthy mostly white community. As a whole, the people here make a good living, with unemployment below the national average. A small percentage receives food stamps and public cash benefits, also below the national average. Most people have health coverage, and about 60% of the population is proactive with their health. The leading causes of death are cancer and then cardiac disease occurring in the high 80’s of age, due to the large retirement population. The public health department is very involved in providing health services here (CDHP). The air and water quality is good here, with pollution below the national average. There is some potential for bad weather and fires, however, our fire and police response are excellent here. There is a good disaster preparedness plan, however, it is difficult to find, and few know about it. There is a high incidence of alcohol and drug use here, with poor and inadequate coping skills to handle d ifficult life events. The homeless population is really looked down upon here. Within the parameters assessed above, El Dorado County is a healthy community. The areas that need improvement are discovering a way to help people respond in healthy ways to painful life events other than drugs alcohol, to create implement a plan to help the homeless community, to educate the public regarding the causes and preventative measures for Cancer Coronary Artery Disease, and to educate the public regarding emergency disaster preparedness through community outreach programs. Bibliography CDHP. Retrieved from http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/Pages/HealthyCommunityIndicators.aspx City of Placerville. Retrieved from http://www.cityofplacerville.org/ El Dorado County Economic and Demographic Profile. Retrieved from http://www.eldoradocounty.org/ Office of Emergency Services (OES). Retrieved from http://www.edcgov.us/Government/Sheriff/Divisions/Support/Office_of_Emergency_Services_