American Labor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

American Labor - Essay Example Many western and European production oriented companies started reducing their operations in their native countries thus resulting in job cuts. As this trend continues unabated, concerns of increasing unemployment figures are being expressed by analysts. Countries like US, UK and Germany are considered to be the ones from where multinational companies have moved their operations eastward. It is widely believed that opening of economic policies results in mutual benefits for the trading nations, but when it is felt that jobs are being taken away from one country and handed over to another country, then it gives rise to a peculiar social sector problem. United States of America recently saw a political campaign, during which outsourcing and increasing unemployment figures were big issues. Therefore, it becomes all the more necessary for the US government to get to the depth of the issue and try to figure out an acceptable solution. If we take a look at look at the figures of US trade with China during the last 10 years (during the period 1999-2008), we find that the trade deficit has indeed widened between in favor of China (US Census Bureau, 2009). It is therefore quite clear that while on the one hand the Chinese dominance is increasing by leaps and bounds in the US market, the US exports to China have not been able to match the import figures. In fact, today China has literally become a talking point at all international forum. Besides some of the issues involving human rights, Tibet, Taiwan etc. the rapid progress made by the country on the trade and industry front has provided a leading edge to China. Supplies of cheaper goods to countries around the world, hazardous paints in toys etc. are also being discussed as the shortcomings arising out of China in the recent past. While the US seems to be facing a number of problems in the form of outsourcing and job losses, China is steadily making a progress in its economic standards. This gives rise to questions like, is the growth of China at the cost of other nations progress Is the Chinese cheap labor stealing jobs from their US counterparts Liberalization and the Aftereffect During the early years of liberalization China's fastest growing sectors were textiles, apparel, footwear, and toys. During the period between 1980 and 1998, this sector saw a growth of more than ten-fold from $4.3 billion to $53.5 billion (Lardy, 2003). But in recent years China seems to have become tech savvy as well. Now, the country is attracting the industries like consumer electronics, automobiles, computers and other information technology products from all across the world. Since the

The Forgotten Group Member Essay Example for Free

The Forgotten Group Member Essay Identify and summarize the stages of group development According to the text, Christine and the group are in the stages of conflict as shown in figure 10.2, Antecedents, Felt conflict, Manifest conflict, Conflict resolution, and Conflict suppression. Professor Thiel assigns each group a task to be evaluated by their peers. Mike seems a little distant at the first meeting and never wanting to join the group. When Mike bumped into them at school having lunch, he would give them a vague look. They never spoke to him or the professor about this situation. Identify Key Problems The primary problem for the group is their class members will be evaluating how they dealt with problem at hand and Mike isn’t making it any better by not cooperating or corresponding with the team. The secondary problem is Christine and the group is trying to deal with Mike without the Professor being involved. Christine and the team should have noticed how distant Mike was during the first meeting. They should have gone to Professor Thiel after he declined and came up with an excuse not to attend any meetings, knowing he would affect their overall grade. Given that there is no â€Å"one perfect solution† for this situation, identify, describe, and defend two possible solutions to the primary problem(s). The class was put into groups to complete a task which will be evaluated. Mike never wanted to participate in the group meetings; he gave Christine notes on their project. Everyone in their group was capable of carrying on without Mike. If they didn’t have his i nput and cooperation they were to discuss the matter with the professor. According to the text, Christine compromised with him, trying to get him to meet with the rest of the group. She done everything she could to empathize with him regarding his girlfriend. Christine and the group should have gone to the professor about their problem first, now, if they were to handle this problem on their own. They should have voted on removing Mike from the team and continue on with their project. This would have been the answer or solution to their task at hand and possibly receives a good grade. Discuss whether Christine was an effective group leader in this case. Why or why not? Christine could have been stricter toward Mike, being this was a class project and he had no regard for the next person. She should have brought this to the Professor’s attention and dismissed him. Christine should have given Mike certain tasks to do and have him to turn them to her or drop it off to one of the other team members, this would show that he was trying and putting out on his share of the work. Having him to complete these tasks possibly would bring him from being so distant from them. These tasks for Mike could work toward her advantage and she wouldn’t be up worrying.

Another Masterpiece: Final Fantasy Goes Online :: Video Games Entertainment Essays

Another Masterpiece: Final Fantasy Goes Online Everyone who knows games, and even some who don’t, knows the title Final Fantasy. They may also know that it has been claimed the best RPG (Role Playing Game) series of all time. Most people also know that the company, Squaresoft, is the maker of this great series. Final Fantasy was nothing short of a miracle for Squaresoft when the first game came out. Squaresoft was about to go bankrupt when they decided to make one last game, a final game, which they decided to name Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy was either going to be their last game or it was going to save them. It did more than save them. It made them famous and rich. There have been more than 10 different Final Fantasy games released. Recently, Squaresoft joined with another gaming company called Enix. They have combined their names and are now called SquareEnix . They recently made the 11th installation of Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI. I recently picked up Final Fantasy XI to see if I would like it. Final Fantasy XI has taken a different turn than all the other Final Fantasy games of the series. Final Fantasy XI is a MMORPG, which means, massive multiplayer online role-playing game. In English terms, it is a game that can only be played on the Internet and where you interact with thousands of other people around the world. Of course there is a monthly fee that has to be paid which is a minimum of 13 dollars. Here is a review to help you decide if Final Fantasy XI is worth the money you have to pay to play it. First, I want to start of talking about the graphics. Compared to all the other MMORPG that are on the market, Final Fantasy XI beats them all. The graphics are amazing. The name of the Final Fantasy XI world is Vana’diel. It is divided into several regions, which contains different zones. Each zone has a lot of estate to wander around on. Every area is very detailed and the character designs are simply wonderful. Every weapon and piece of armor has its own design. The environment around you is glamorous. When creating your character, you get to choose your race, hairstyle, type of face, and even how big you want your character to be.

Relationships in The Storm, The Yellow Wallpaper and Young Goodman Brow

  Because writing is inherently romantic in nature, throughout the history of literature, we see many authors' insights into the enigmatic and often ambiguous subject of love and relationships. Three short stories penned by three separate American writers deal with such matter: Charlotte Perkins Gillman in "The Yellow Wallpaper", Kate Chopin in "The Storm", and Nathaniel Hawthorne in "Young Goodman Brown." Though the relationships presented in each of these stories are unique in their own persuasion, the same underlying theme runs true in all. At first glance all of these relationships may appear healthy in their existence; however, further introspection uncovers specific maladies which I believe elicit much of the discord which arises within each of these writings. All of the husbands in the aforementioned short stories evoke, though some more subtly than others, varying degrees of conflict. Gillman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" is a story pertaining to, and narrated by, a women suffering from depression after the recent birth of a child. Although the name of the women in the story is never revealed, many believe this is short story is an excerpt from the author's life. Much of the setting of the story takes place in an aging mansion recently inhabited by the narrator and John, the narrator's husband. Due to her affliction and under strict instruction of her husband John, who is also a physician, the narrator is sentenced to bed rest in one of the upper rooms of the house. The walls of the room in which the narrator is forced to occupy, are enveloped with decrepit yellow wallpaper displaying an irksome pattern which, coupled with the ennui of doing nothing, works in a maleficent manner on the mental sanctity of the narrator. The ... ...horne suggests in his writing that Brown fell victim to the latter. "Often, awakening suddenly at midnight,", Hawthorne says of Goodman Brown, "he shrank from the bosom of Faith; and at morning or eventide, when the family knelt down at prayer, he scowled and muttered to himself, and gazed sternly at his wife, and turned a Many, I am sure, could interpret or acquisition other sources of conflict for each of the three given stories, as could I. However, I have shown that the ultimate inception of discord must be attributed to the husbands in these stories. Though with varying degrees of distinctness, John's inability to truly understand his wife's needs in "The Yellow Wallpaper", Bobinot's apathy towards Calixta in "The Storm", and Brown's want of faith in "Young Goodman Brown", each act as the kindling used to incite the flame of conflict within these writings.   

Composed Upon Westminister Bridge Essay

This poem is all about the poets epiphany-like realisation about London’s beauty while crossing Westminster bridge. He opens the poem with a hyperbole, designed to grab the attention of the reader. He continues this with almost an accusation: â€Å"Dull would he be of soul who could pass by†. This is basically challenging the reader to read on, as he or she would be ‘dull of soul’. In the next line, the word â€Å"now† shows that it is not just this place, but this time that adds to the atmosphere. This is supported where Wordsworth describes the beauty of the morning as a garment that the city wears. This shows that the city is not always this beautiful, but with the morning being ‘worn’ it is. The next two lines show that the beauty is added to both by human creations and by nature, in a serene confluence that astounds Wordsworth. The volta (transition between octave and sestet) is subtle, but the sestet starts with another hyperbolic statement: â€Å"Never did sun more beautifully steep†. In the third line of the sestet, he describes that the atmosphere is making him feel â€Å"a calm so deep†. This is counter-intuitive, as London is a busy, bustling, and hectic place. The fact that it is calm emphasises that it is the time more than the place which creates the feeling. In the fourth line, Wordsworth writes â€Å"the river glideth at his own sweet will†. The word ‘glide’ implies that the river is taking its time- it is in no rush. Also, he uses of the word â€Å"glideth† instead of ‘glide’ because the ‘-th’ sound is softer then the ‘-s’ sound, adding to the mood of calm. The poet ends saying that the city is so unusually calm and quiet, and that at this time all of the energy and madness of city life is not yet there- and he loves it.

Free Essays on A Bend in the Road

Miles Ryan's life seemed to end the day his wife was killed in a hit-and-run accident two years ago. Missy had been his first love, and Miles fervently believes she will be his last. As a deputy in the North Carolina town of New Bern, Miles Ryan not only grieves for Missy, but also longs to bring the unknown driver to justice. Then Miles meets Sarah Andrews. The second grade teacher of his son, Jonah, Sarah had left Baltimore after a difficult divorce to start over in the gentler surroundings of New Bern. Perhaps its her own emotional wounds that make her sensitive to the hurt she first sees in Jonah's eyes, and then his father's. Tentatively, Sarah and Miles reach out to each other. Soon they are both laughing for the first time in years. . . and falling in love. Neither will be able to guess how closely linked they are to a shocking secret one that will force them to question everything they ever believed in. . . and make a heartbreaking choice that will change their lives forever.... Free Essays on A Bend in the Road Free Essays on A Bend in the Road Miles Ryan's life seemed to end the day his wife was killed in a hit-and-run accident two years ago. Missy had been his first love, and Miles fervently believes she will be his last. As a deputy in the North Carolina town of New Bern, Miles Ryan not only grieves for Missy, but also longs to bring the unknown driver to justice. Then Miles meets Sarah Andrews. The second grade teacher of his son, Jonah, Sarah had left Baltimore after a difficult divorce to start over in the gentler surroundings of New Bern. Perhaps its her own emotional wounds that make her sensitive to the hurt she first sees in Jonah's eyes, and then his father's. Tentatively, Sarah and Miles reach out to each other. Soon they are both laughing for the first time in years. . . and falling in love. Neither will be able to guess how closely linked they are to a shocking secret one that will force them to question everything they ever believed in. . . and make a heartbreaking choice that will change their lives forever....

Technology Addiction Presentation Essays

Technology Addiction Presentation Essays Technology Addiction Presentation Essay Technology Addiction Presentation Essay It is to the point where this pungency is so strong that without having our cell phones on us at all times, we feel anxious and disconnected. Students have actually admitted to feeling depressed, anxious and craving their devices. In a study interviewing individuals between 17-23, 1 in 5 said that they experienced feelings Of withdrawal. Technology addiction is being compared to drug addiction since there are many similar symptoms for both addictions. We, the Backbone generation, are actually suffering from information withdrawal syndrome. The same way alcoholics experience withdrawal when they stop drinking. I also read on The Telegraph, that some children as young as four year old require psychological treatment because of their addiction to smartness and pads. According to helped. Org, Internet and computer addiction can cause individuals to Isolate themselves from friends and family. Spending so much time online can cause your social life to suffer and can cause you to neglect the real people in your life. Global post explains that internet addiction has proven to weaken verbal and written skills. Technology addiction distorts human social interactions for anyone who cant put their phone down while engaging in a conversation. If you try to have a conversation with someone who has a smartened in hand, chances are the eye contact will be zero and the listening abilities will be nonexistent. In particular, Face-to-face verbal skills in teens is also affected by technology overuse. Since teens are socializing more online, they are getting less practice speaking to people face-to-face. Not only does this have a negative affect on ones interactions skills in a social setting it is also a potential long- term effect that can impact these teens when they are applying and getting interviewed for universities and future jobs. Other long-term effects of technology addiction include psychological problems such as insomnia, irritability and depression. As well, watching too much TV has been associated with an increase in diabetes and obesity. FOR MY GAME: According to Psychologically, video games can activate the brains pleasure circuits and can cause rapid release of dopamine just as cigarettes do. This is definitely an explanation for why technology is so addictive. Also, we can develop a dopamine release for many types of addictive behaviors like checking your email. Even if you dont actually spend extended periods of mime on your email, you probably think about checking it pretty often. Another reason technology has become an addiction is because we did not have portable computers in the past, and not only portable computers but ones that fit in your pocket and could be carried around wherever you go like we have today. We are now given more opportunities to interact with information at all hours of the day. The temptation that comes with having all that information at hand, just sitting in your pocket often gets in the way. I am sure many of you have sat at a restaurant on your phone completely owned out of whats happening around you.

Surprise! Youre Always on a Job Interview!

Surprise! Youre Always on a Job Interview! According to Nance Rosen over at The Personal Branding Blog, 85% of hiring comes down to personality and attitude and as little as 15% might be dependent on skill, since you can be trained to do practically anything on the job. One way to prepare for a job interview is imagining you’re being interviewed all the time. I don’t mean when you’re at home or with family or in the shower (although I do practice my interviewing spiel in the shower on a daily basis, to my husband’s bemusement), but if you’re working in a field where you interact with the public, keep in mind that any individual you interact with could someday be on the other end of a job posting.Employers want good people who are committed and engaged in whatever job they’ve found for themselves. The kinds of people who make hiring decisions are evaluating every salesperson, customer service rep, receptionist, VP, sales director, and barista they encounter- if you think about your int eractions in an intentional, deliberate way, you have dozens of chances to make a great impression every day.We all have lousy days of course, when we don’t feel like talking to anyone and putting on a public face feels too difficult to endure. But the more often you rev up for an invisible interview, the more familiar the process will be when it’s time to actually suit up. From making eye contact to being generous with your time and expertise, it all has a way of paying itself forward to your next big opportunity.

Family sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Family sociology - Essay Example Sociological theories and concepts help in providing a concrete base for this understanding of the role of family life in society. Moreover, analyzing different aspects of family life using different perspectives of sociological themes and concepts help in better understanding of the concept of family ideology and its structural changes in the current society. Even though contemporary society has seen many social changes in the aspect of family ideologies and its contributions to the society, it still occupies a central role in the lives of individuals. Thus, studying the role of family from the sociological perspective can provide an insight about how a family functions within a society, and helps influencing the lives of the individuals in promoting socialization, economic contribution and cooperation. According to Anthony Giddins (2006), family is defined as a group of persons who are linked directly through blood relationships or marriage, with the adult members assuming responsibility for children and family care. By this definition, family is regarded as a social institution and also the central unit of socialization, which shares values and commitments towards one another. Of all the social institutions, marriage plays a fundamental and vital role in creating a society. Marriage is bound to have preceded society; and made it possible by binding together. It is considered to be the basis of social order and improvement, along with providing the chief support of law, morality, and religion. (Booth, Crouter and Landale 2002, p.48). The extended family was a most common family structure; however, it started to decline because of many social and economic factors. Typically, in the 1940s and 1950s, a traditional family structure comprised of a man and woman along with their one or more offspring, and was widespread in the society as an

Increasing tuition in university of arizona Essay

Increasing tuition in university of arizona - Essay Example In fact, universities across the U.S. were forced to preclude some programs and departments from their educational curriculum (Hendley, â€Å"Arizona Ballot Initiative†). However, the economy is recovering and it is expected that the government should gradually revert its expenditure on education since the taxpayers revenue is pouring back in. It has not been the case since the Arizona State is undertaking further cuts on expenditure on higher education, something which has led to an increase in tuition. In the future, a lot of jobs will require college education; however, with the current inadequate support from the government in regards to higher education, many students, including myself, will not be able to foot the pricey tuition at UA. As a consequence, a crisis of deficiency of qualified and skilled workers is anticipated thence the urgent need to conduct an in-depth research on the issue. There has been a heated debate about whether it is justified to increase tuition for universities or to seek alternative ways of meeting the costs of school administration without compromising the quality of university students. Therefore, the issue at hand is only to be addressed by answering the question: is it warranted to increase tuition fees at the UA? In an article authored by Andrea Smiley in the UA News, the perspective of the student leadership at UA on the issue of increasing tuition is highlighted. Smiley presents the sentiments of Ann Weaver Hart, UA President, in relation to the increase of tuition whereby she suggests that the increase in tuition, with the exception of law school, is justifiable and for a good cause provided that a Guaranteed Tuition Plan follows the increase. Hart says, â€Å"I understand how critical it is to keep education affordable† (par.3). However, she points out that in order to achieve the goals of

Ruth Frankenberg Reseach Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ruth Frankenberg Reseach - Research Paper Example We begin to get a glimpse of Frankenberg’s life in her first book and perhaps the book which she is known the most for, â€Å"White Women, Race Matters: The Social Construction of Whiteness†, which was published in 1993. It is telling that Frankenberg begins with the admission that she had at first considered race far removed from her work as a Marxist Feminist. To quote her, â€Å"I saw racism as entirely external to me, a characteristic of extremists or of the British State, but not a part of what made me or what shaped my activism.† (1993: 53). Her race consciousness was triggered by the observation that unlike those she campaigned in the All-Cambridge campaigns who were whites like her, those she worked alongside in the feminist movement in the United States were â€Å"lesbian women of color and white working class women† (1993: 54) – bringing forth a heterogeneity that demonstrated the unities and linked experiences of women from all over. Blac k writers like Patricia Collins (1995) saw the import and contribution of this kind of literature. B. Choosing Career From this early experience, Frankenberg developed a critical perspective towards race and saw whiteness as a category that bestows â€Å"structural advantage† and â€Å"privilege† (55) and as a â€Å"place from which to look at oneself, others and society.† In her work at looking at white women’s childhoods, Frankenberg saw how race was used as an organizing device to bestow or deny privilege; to include or exclude. In a way, therefore, it becomes inextricable with class – particularly when race becomes the determinant of conferring economic benefit. The criticism that "'whites' in the United States historically have been extraordinarily good at not looking inward† (Durso, 2002) appears to be a valid one. C. First Book Ruth Frankenberg then takes off her discourse in her first book, â€Å"White Women, Race Matters: The Social Construction of Whiteness† where she began with the provocative observation that â€Å"any system of differentiation shapes those upon whom it bestows privilege as well as those it oppresses.† (Frankenberg: 1993: 131). This is a critical starting point in beginning to understand the complex ways with which the color of one’s skin – whiteness – impacts on race, gender, and class. It can therefore be seen that Frankenberg is critical of, rather than apologetic for, white racism and her work in fact is a scathing indictment of the structures of dominance that have resulted from skin color differentiations. Looking deeper and unpacking her work more, Frankenberg explores the themes of race, gender and class vis a vis whiteness not as independent from each other, but as overlapping structures of oppression and exploitation that must be addressed and resisted together. She surfaces, to paraphrase May (1999:4) the hegemonic processes that lead to the univ ersalization and normalization of whiteness and the â€Å"othering† of non-whiteness. Frankenberg’s critical – as opposed to apologetic – perspective on race and whiteness becomes even more apparent when she reveals how the subjects of her study, the white middle-class women who she had asked to describe their childhoods, had managed to render invisible the black people who they had lived with or encountered within their communities. And when these black people are summoned to memory, it is always in the

Similarities and differences Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Similarities and differences - Assignment Example (Wagner ) That said research continues to be pursued to determine how beneficial animal therapies are in treating a multitude of disorders, ailments, and other unpleasant issues of the human condition. One of the current uses of animals in therapy is in treating children you have a fear of reading. Such fears can develop due to several different causes. Individuals with legitimate disabilities or difficulties reading may fear the judgment and criticism of their peers, which can manifest in them suffering low self-esteem. Animals, however, unlike people, never pass judgment and can be a comforting and encouraging presence on children, particularly dogs. Multiple reading programs have been developed that involves matching children with dogs and asking these children to read to the dogs. This can, not only improve, their desire to read, but, also, provides them a sense of comfort and relaxation. Ideally such a program’s overall goals are to associate reading with positive experiences and animals can participate in that in unique and endearing ways. ("TDI: Therapy Dogs International") Children are not the only ones that benefit from the inclusion of animal therapy in their live s. The elderly, particularly those that live in institutionalized settings, are occasion to very high rates of loneliness, depression, and a huge detachment, very often, from the world around them. For both alert and non-alert patients, distinct differences are apparent in their behaviors. The physical contact and gentle interaction and companionship of an animal grants these individuals that sense of necessary comfort.(Ptak 10) One of the most saddening side-effects suffered from the brave men and women who serve in this country’s military is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is a very serious condition that can have hugely negative effects on the psychological, emotional, and physical day to day existences of our veterans. Research is showing that

Capstone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Capstone - Essay Example When promoting their products, they make extensive use of celebrities as product ambassadors, which lends to their products and hence their consumers a sense of glamour and makes the consumer’s feel like some part of the celebrity’s skills rub off on them with the product usage. Nike target’s the common man who is interested in sports and fitness and banks on his skills and has a winning attitude. The brand also promotes hard work and competition and this is reflected through their promotional advertisements. Nike’s vision is â€Å"to  carry on the legacy of innovative thinking, whether  to develop products that help athletes of every level of ability reach their potential, or to create business opportunities that set Nike apart from the competition and provide value for our shareholders†. According to Nike’s vision for the future, they keep introducing innovative products in the market. Like, recently, they are going to launch the Nike à ¢â‚¬Å"Studio Wrap† in 2013, which are fashionable ‘barely there’ shoes, designed for people who are more into modern studio workouts like dance, Pilates and yoga. These shoes are the picture perfect mix of innovation, style and athletic requirements. Products like these by Nike help everyday and professional athletes the support and motivation to stick to a healthy lifestyle and to excel in their chosen field of sports. Nike products create additional value for its customers by adding style to the equation; all Nike products are aesthetically pleasing, yet high quality, innovative sportswear. 2. Analyze the five (5) forces of competition to determine how they impact the company. A big job to be done by the company’s strategists is to deal with its competitors; however that’s not all that their duties encompass. According to Porters’s theory there are four other forces that need to be taken into consideration. Following is a diagram outlining t he relationship between these five forces of competition. (Harvard Business Review Magazine, 2008) Originally published in 1979, Porter’s article talks about external forces that a company has to consider when planning competitive strategy. Namely, these include the bargaining power of producers, the bargaining power of consumers, indirect competition by substitute products, threat of new entrants due to barriers of entry and the rivalry between the existing players in the market in the specified category. (Harvard Business Review, Magazine, 2008). In Nike’s specific case, the business is lucrative and highly profitable and thus new entrants are common. This would reduce market share and profit levels but Nike stays on top of its game due to its immense goodwill in the market, its reputation, product quality and innovative techniques. However strategists have to remain on their toes to make sure that the company’s strategy doesn’t lag and allow new entran ts to gain on Nike’s expense. This requires them to continually innovate product design, establish strong customer relationships and loyalty, invest in research and development, invest in employee training, improve distribution and most importantly patent their designs and products to protect them from competitors. Using these precautions will mostly eliminate the threat of new market entrants. Threat from substitutes is low, because Nike provides essential gear for athletes and sports men and women which cannot really be substituted by other product, especially in the shoe category. Other sports gear

Similarities and differences Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Similarities and differences - Assignment Example (Wagner ) That said research continues to be pursued to determine how beneficial animal therapies are in treating a multitude of disorders, ailments, and other unpleasant issues of the human condition. One of the current uses of animals in therapy is in treating children you have a fear of reading. Such fears can develop due to several different causes. Individuals with legitimate disabilities or difficulties reading may fear the judgment and criticism of their peers, which can manifest in them suffering low self-esteem. Animals, however, unlike people, never pass judgment and can be a comforting and encouraging presence on children, particularly dogs. Multiple reading programs have been developed that involves matching children with dogs and asking these children to read to the dogs. This can, not only improve, their desire to read, but, also, provides them a sense of comfort and relaxation. Ideally such a program’s overall goals are to associate reading with positive experiences and animals can participate in that in unique and endearing ways. ("TDI: Therapy Dogs International") Children are not the only ones that benefit from the inclusion of animal therapy in their live s. The elderly, particularly those that live in institutionalized settings, are occasion to very high rates of loneliness, depression, and a huge detachment, very often, from the world around them. For both alert and non-alert patients, distinct differences are apparent in their behaviors. The physical contact and gentle interaction and companionship of an animal grants these individuals that sense of necessary comfort.(Ptak 10) One of the most saddening side-effects suffered from the brave men and women who serve in this country’s military is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is a very serious condition that can have hugely negative effects on the psychological, emotional, and physical day to day existences of our veterans. Research is showing that

Kants Ethical Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kants Ethical Theory - Essay Example He rejects the belief of dogmatic philosophers like Leibniz and his followers that human reason could acquire knowledge of supersensible entities. Kant was more comfortable with the notion of secular morality and eschewed the idea propounded by Leibniz that religion was essential to establishing social order. Metaphysics, according to Kant, could not provide empirical evidence of the supersensible, like God. Kant’s disciples, such as Fichte, used his work as a springboard for German idealism, and he quickly condemned such for being too radical. The difference between autonomy and heteronomy is that an autonomous will is self-legislating while a heteronomous will is one where the acts of the self are directed by external rules. According to Kant, if an action is to be considered as genuine, then it should emanate from the self, or should be the result of autonomous will. Kant’s formulation of the categorical imperative is as follows: â€Å""Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law." This means that when an individual decides to act a certain way as dictated by his autonomous will, he must aspire that such action will be the universal norm and that he is setting a rule for others to follow in the future.

Torture in the United States Essay Example for Free

Torture in the United States Essay Torture has existed all over the world for millennia but what is torture in America today? The C. I. A. and the F. B. I. have recently used torture against terrorists who were suspected to have vital information concerning American safety. Since torture is illegal in the United States, most of this torture took place at Guantanamo Bay in the southeastern corner of Cuba. Detainees at the detention camp were not entitled to any of the protections of the Geneva Convention due to the fact that Guantanamo Bay is not considered to be within legal jurisdiction of the United States. Captives at the camp were subject to horrendous â€Å"enhanced interrogation† techniques such as waterboarding, hypothermia, stress positions, and sleep deprivation. Martin describes torture as â€Å"†¦ a stain on our great country. † Even though torture has been known to produce answers and in return save lives, it is still an immoral act. The point of torture in Guantanamo Bay is to extract information from prisoners of war to aid the war effort in Afghanistan and Iraq. Waterboarding is an â€Å"enhanced interrogation† technique used by the C. I. A. and other military groups. When one is water boarded, water is poured over the face to simulate the effects of drowning. Waterboarding can cause extreme pain, damage to the lungs, brain damage, and lasting psychological effects. Molin describes how waterboarding works: â€Å"The individual is bound securely to an inclined bench, which is approximately four feet by seven feet. The individual’s feet are generally elevated. A cloth is placed over the forehead and eyes. Water is then applied to the cloth in a controlled manner. As this is done, the cloth is lowered until it covers both the nose and mouth. Once the cloth is saturated and completely covers the mouth and nose, air flow is slightly restricted for 20 to 40 seconds due to the presence of the cloth. This causes an increase in carbon dioxide level in the individual’s blood. This increase in the carbon dioxide level stimulates increased effort to breathe. This effort plus the cloth produces the perception of ‘suffocation and incipient panic,’ i. e. , the perception of drowning† (Molin). â€Å"Cold cell† torture is another torture technique used by government officials. Also known as hypothermic torture, Bardes tells us, â€Å"Government operatives praised hypothermic torture as the most effective of all the techniques they employed. † Inmates are put in an air conditioned cell that blasts cold air until they are forced to shiver for hours. The body temperature of the captives drops and can cause brain damage and heart failure. A stress position, or submission position, places the human body in such a way that a great amount of weight is placed on just one or two muscles. For example, a subject may be forced to stand on the balls of his feet and then squat so that his thighs are parallel to the ground. This creates an intense amount of pressure on the legs, leading first to pain and then muscle failure. Sleep deprivation, another commonly used technique, has been used to keep prisoners awake from twenty-four hours up to six days. Houk explains, â€Å"It’s a primary method that is used around the world because it breaks people. It is effective because it induces severe harm. † Enhanced interrogation is ineffective at producing reliable information. The most common technique, waterboarding, does not yield reliable information on a regular basis. Extreme pain and stress can actually impair one’s ability to tell the truth. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a torture subject connected to Al-Quada at Guantanamo Bay, was water boarded more than 150 times. He was thought to have known the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden or his courier. During his torture sessions, Mohammed gave false names and places just to end his torture. Mohammed was also witnessed counting seconds until the torture ended on his fingers because he memorized how long it would last. While Khalid Sheikh Mohammad did eventually talk to interrogators, the information he gave was deemed unreliable. Extreme pain and stress can actually make it harder for a victim to tell the truth. Punishing duress can affect the brain’s ability for cognitive function and memory processes, therefore doing the opposite of that intended by â€Å"enhanced interrogation. † Some people say that torturing prisoners of war is acceptable because it can save lives of soldiers and citizens alike. This is simply not true. The opposition or enemy is more likely to be outraged when they find out that their friends and fellow combatants are being tortured. For example, one reason many Iraqis despise Americans is because the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib. Abu Ghraib was a prisoner of war camp in Iraq in which American soldiers tortured and abused suspected combatants and terrorists. Captives were electrocuted, beaten, put in stress positions, sexually abused, and deprived of sleep in order to force information out of them. Pictures taken of this abuse showed captives were forced to stack on top of each other naked, creating a pile of living bodies. In another instance at Abu Ghraib, a prisoner had his hands bound and hung from the ceiling with a bag over his head. He eventually suffocated and his body was destroyed, leaving his family with no body to bury. This infuriated the community when the pictures were released. An American citizen contracted to work in Iraq was captured by insurgents and was decapitated on video as a direct result of the mistreatment at Abu Ghraib. In the video, masked men explain that they would not stop slaughtering Americans until the torture at Abu Ghraib had been redeemed with blood and souls. It is time to end torture. Some torture leads to more torture. Torture in China has spread like wildfire and has been subjected to almost 4 million people in â€Å"re-education† camps. Watts elaborates on Chinese torture, â€Å"†¦brutality and degradation are common in Chinese prisons. † One thinks of Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, and Rwanda when he thinks of crimes against humanity. If the United States wishes to avoid such company, it must completely reject the crimes against humanity rather than defending or rationalizing them. Americans must realize that torture is unacceptable, immoral, and cannot be justified by war.

The Postmodernism Of The White Noise English Literature Essay

The Postmodernism Of The White Noise English Literature Essay While the cultural and sociological landscape of White Noise is situated primarily in a postmodern world, the town of Blacksmith, the city that the Gladneys call home, seems to occupy a space between modernism and postmodernism. The intrusion of technology, a factor which is often attributed with the end of modernism and the beginning of postmodernism, in Blacksmith is described by Jack when he says Babette and I and our childrenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦live at the end of a quiet street in what was once a wooded area with deep ravines (4). Here, technology has transformed the physical and historical landscape of the town in such a way that makes the notion of progress, in regards to the progress of nature, a trope for society, impossible, a defining characteristic of postmodern existence. Old Man Treadwell is yet another example of the tension between modernity and postmodernity within Blacksmith. Treadwell, symbolic of the towns history, its modernity, has Babette read tabloids to him once a week. Within White Noise, tabloids represent the postmodern certainty of information and it is only through Babette, an interpreter of sorts, that Treadwell is allowed access to the new world and the new language of information. Understanding Blacksmiths transformation from a seemingly pastoral town to a modern city full of shopping malls, homes, and a host of other technological advancements is important in that it helps, in part, to understand how Jacks historical sense of self, possibly an extension of the town in which he has lived in for twenty-one years, is at odds with the new postmodern world. More so than any character within White Noise, Jack, much like Blacksmith, exists between the cultural divide of modernism and postmodernism. While he maintains an acute awareness of the eternal and the immutable (HARVEY #), the greater forces at work outside the sphere of existence, he is also overly infatuated with the object rather than the subject, that is to say, his sense of identity is the product of consumerist behaviors and goods. After Wilder, Jack and Babettes youngest, suddenly stops crying after a seven-hour long fit, Jack says It was as though hed just returned from a period of wandering in some remote and holy placeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a place where things are said, sights are seenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦of the most sublime and difficult dimensions (79). Here Jack is acknowledging the existence of otherworldly, interpersonal realities, a strong indicator of his modern sentiments given that one fundamental characterization of modernism is the power it bestows on the individual to crea te, improve, or reshape his or her environment, a la Wallace Stevens. During the Airborne Toxic Event, Jack describes the sight of the chemical plume as an enormous dark mass that moved like some death ship in a Norse legend (127). Later, when speaking of Babette, he says When she shoveled snow, she wore a furry headbandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it made me think of the fifth century A.D. men standing around campfires speaking in subdued tone in their Turkic and Mongol dialects (171). In both instances, Jack, lending himself to the modernistic value of looking to the past to understand the present, seems to suggest that he is aware that life, and all of the images, situations and occurrences that comprise it, existed, in some fashion, before him, an idea that directly contradicts the shallow, superficial sense of time and place associated with postmodernism. However, this notion of Jack as strictly a modernist is complicated early in the novel by his addiction, in every sense of the word, to ob jects and goods. When Jack and Babette run into Murray at the supermarket, Jack immediately begins to list the contents of Murrays shopping cart. He mentions the generic food and drink, the nonbrand items, the white packaging and simple labeling (18). His fixation on the objects that Murray is buying is directly related to his own sense of identity, one that is enveloped in a matrix of material goods, and so he searches for clues relating to Murrays identity, Murrays character, not within Murray himself but from the objects associated with Murray. While Jack is aware of the utter shallowness which constitutes his identity, and subsequently everyone elses, saying I am the false character that follows [my] name around (17), he is unable to remove himself from the depths of consumerism. This obsession, in large part, is due to Jacks struggle and overwhelming desire to participate in the emerging postmodern world. Another characteristic of Jacks which highlights his modernist sensibilities is his understanding that certainty, or the notion of absolute knowingness, is subjective, and as such, should be questioned and critically examined whenever it is presented as entirely established. For example, when Babette is reading horoscopes aloud to the family, which, like tabloids, operate within the novel as mediums of absolute certainty, Jack thinks to himself I tried not to listen when she got to mine (18), implying that he does not worry himself with trivial information that has become so pivotal, so meaningful, in the new era of postmodernity. However, Jack and his subjective notion of certainty are constantly at odds with the emerging culture and society of the novel. Throughout White Noise the most emblematic illustration of Jacks struggle to maintain his opposition to the idea of total certainty while trying to become an active participant in the new postmodern world is through various interactions between Jack and his son, Heinrich. Heinrich, in both his youth and his vast array of knowledge, represent the first generation of the postmodern world. While the other children, like Heinrich, have grown up in a hermetically sealed environment comprised entirely of technological and mass-media influences, Heinrich is old enough to understand the postmodern world around him and as such he rebels against the notion of modernism. While, for instance, Jack and his family gather to watch the sunset, one that occurred before the Airborne Toxic Event (after which point the sunsets are described as being postmodern), Jack says Only Heinrich stayed awayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦he believed there was something ominous in the modern sunset (61). Jack is aware of the disco nnect between his son, a product of postmodern life, and himself, someone who still appreciates modern sunsets. While it may be read as an attempt by a father to connect with his son, Jacks numerous attempts at communication with Heinrich within the novel serves as a microcosm to Jacks attempt to communicate in the new cultural plane of postmodernism. In a conversation with Heinrich regarding the weather, the two banter back and forth about whether or not it is currently raining. After a series of sharp counters between the two, Jack taking the subjective position (look at the windshieldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Is that rain or isnt it), Heinrich taking the objective position, or the idea of a media controlled collective subjectivity (Im only telling you what [the radio] said), the two arrive at the root of Heinrichs postmodern ideology. Jack, obviously frustrated by his failed attempt to participate in Heinrichs world, tries to coax Heinrich into admitting that it is in fact raining by presen ting a situation in which a gun-toting man demands the truth to which Heinrich replies What truth does he want? (23). The preceding conversation centers around Heinrichs notion of language and relativity in regards to the notion of truth, or reality, in which the text seems to convey the notion that mass-media derives its power in the postmodern world by being acclimated to an individuals immediate desire for knowledge. Heinrich exudes information, Jack actively seeks it; the tension here exemplifying one of the largest barriers standing between Jack and Heinrich and, more importantly, between Jack and the new postmodern world. As Jack progresses within the novel it becomes increasingly evident that while he recognizes the allure of objectness and the materialized notion of identity, in other words, postmodernism, he seems unable to wholly participate in it. More so than any other character, Jack is sensitive to the friction between the worlds of modernism and post-modernism. While he grasps the motives of the postmodern man to exist within the collective social network, saying to become a crowd is to keep out death. To break off from the crowd is to risk death as an individual, to face dying alone (73), he also constantly questions the role of the new social ideology in regards to truth, knowledge, certainty, and simulation, notably observed in his interactions with SIMUVAC personnel where he questions the importance placed on simulations rather than subjective reality, or experienced reality. However, as momentum builds in his urges to break free from the understanding of postmodernism and exist within in it while maintaining his modernist awareness, his interactions with Vernon Dickey, his father-in-law, complicate his attempts to be a passive member of the object-centric, postmodern culture. From the idea that an individual has the power to create, improve, and reshape their environment to the importance of creative destruction, or the notion that in order to make something new, the old must be abandoned, destroyed, or disassembled, Vernon, in stark contrast to Jack, embodies modernism. Saying that he is shingling here, rustproofing there, his hands described by Jack as scarred, busted, notched and permanently seamed with grease and mud, his attention fixed on trying to spot something that needed replacing or repair (245), Vernon is very much in control of his environment; reshaping it, building it, creating it. Jack, however, views himself against Vernon as fundamentally useless, mentioning that it put Vernon at an advantage to talk about gaskets and washers, about grouting, about the things that built the world (245). Vernon, of course, recognizes the difference between himself and the postmodern world, asking Jack were people this stupid before television? (249). Whil e Jack, to some degree, shares this sentiment, his desire to participate in the postmodern separates himself from Vernon, from modernism. Of creative destruction, Vernon, again contradictory of Jack, is not afraid of death. In fact, Jack notices that Vernon takes on a sardonic pleasure in his own hacking and spasms, chronic coughs that, either from smoking or old age, or both, suggest a progression towards death, a progression towards something new: the afterlife. In these instances, Jack realizes that his previous notion of existing within postmodernity as a passive modernist is unattainable given the fact that in the face of modernism, Vernon, he does not recognize the image of himself that is reflected. This realization propels him towards his decision to be what Murray calls a killer rather than a dier, that is to say, someone who acts in the world instead of simply being acted upon; in other words, he refuses to be an object within the postmodern world who simply succumb, accep t, and absorb. Jack, while no longer the fragmented modernist he once was, maintains his ability to examine and scrutinize, thus deciding for himself that the path of surrender and inaction required in the postmodern world is unacceptable and so, in what will lead to the climatic encounter with Willie Mink, Babettes sexual liaison, he decides to become a subject, a killer, and heads to Iron City with the purpose of murdering Willie. Jacks encounter with Willie Mink, the physical embodiment of post-modernism itself, is an allegory which speaks to Jacks resolve to overcome, with respect to himself, the seemingly impenetrable and nonparticipatory nature of the postmodernist world. However, Jacks interaction with the insensible, lobotomized Willie ultimately undermines his meaningful resolve to defeat postmodernism due primarily to the fact that Willie proves to be too strong in his objectness. Adorned with Budweiser shorts, the first indication of his physical personification of post-modernism, Willie drones out TV phrases and indecipherable riddles, saying some of these sure-footed bighorns have been equipped with radio transmitters (306) and the pet under stress may need a prescription diet (307). Like the diers described by Murray, Willie simply disarms and absorbs Jacks attempts at communication and dispatchment. The postmodern aura, or the collective unity of information, materiality, technology and knowledge, proves too powerful to be measurable and overcome by Jacks common standard of logic, reason, and discernment. So overwhelming, in fact, was the realm of postmodernism which existed within both Willie Mink and the motel room itself that it began to consume Jack. He says things began to glowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the air was rich with extrasensory materialà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[Willie] appeared to grow more vividà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦things in their actual stateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦white noi se everywhere (309-310). Overwhelmed and frightened, Jack puts into action his meticulously overstated plan to kill Willie, the last-ditch effort to obtain the subjectness and authenticity that he felt would be realized by surmounting postmodernism. However, Willie, and the aura of postmodernity, again dispels Jacks attempts by literally absorbing the gunshot in his gut. Jack, overcome with disappointment and frustrated in the face of the inevitability of defeating Willie, then recognizes the fundamental impossibility of bridging the gap between subject and object, between modernism and postmodernism, between himself and the new world. Instantly, Jack, for the first time in the novel, sees the world as it truly is: The extra dimensions, the super perceptions, were reduced to visual clutter, a whirling miscellany, meaningless (313). Ultimately, Jack learns that the most important aspect of existence is being able to step back from the cultural frays of modernism and postmodernism, of subject and object, of reflection and criticism and certainty, in order to understand the rationality which gave rise to them in the first place. When one exists outside the realms of either movement, as Jack does at the end of White Noise, the beauty of being reveals itself in the mysteries of not knowing what comes next, what came before, or what forces drive our existence. Certainly there is awe, it is all awe, it transcends previous categories of awe, but we dont know whether we are watching in wonder or dread, we dont know what we are watching or what it means, we dont know whether it is permanent, a level of experience to which we will gradually adjust, into which our uncertainty will eventually be absorbed, or just some atmospheric weirdness, soon to pass. (324-25)

Creation :: essays papers

Creation Isaac Newton, Johann Kepler, Blasie Pascal, Galileo, Michael Faraday, Samuel Morse, George Washington Carver, Gregor Mendel and Louis Pasteur were all scientists who believed in the Biblical Theory of Evolution. I am writing about the Biblical Theory of Evolution because I grew up hearing this theory and I have always wondered exactly what it was and what it all meant. This paper is meant to explain the Biblical Theory of Evolution. The Biblical Theory of Evolution begins with the first book of the bible. The following is what the bible says about creation according to Genesis 1. â€Å"(1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, let there be light: and there was light. (4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. (5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. (6) And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. (7) And God made the firmament, and divided the waters, which were under the firmament from the waters, which were above the firmament: and it was so. (8) And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. (9) And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it Was so. (10) And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. (11) And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. (12) And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in Itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (13) And the evening and the morning were the third day. (14) And God said, let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for Signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:(15) And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

Latinos in Baseball :: essays research papers fc

I chose this topic because I thought that it was important to highlight the recent successes of the Latino baseball players to show how minority groups can prosper in America. Latino atheletes have gain notoriety and riches through the sport of baseball. These are things that they couldn’t have dreamed about achieving without Major League baseball. Major League Baseball has given Latin Americans the opportunity to better their economic and social situation. Many Latin American children dream about playing baseball in the Major Leagues. One reason for this is because to them playing in the Major Leagues is a way out of their current situation. There is poverty in many Latin American countries. Many children dream of being rich and famous like their Latin American heroes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Their heroes include Sammy Sosa. Sammy Sosa, because his homerun race with Mark Maguire has become a household name. To many Latinos he represents the opportunity to succeed. He has opened doors for many Latinos to play in the Major Leagues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many Latinos have taken advantage of this opportunity. Latinos now make up almost thirty percent of Major League Baseball players. There are currently almost two hundred Latino baseball players in the Major Leagues. Many of these Latino baseball players have experienced much success.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Juan Gonzalez was the 1998 American League MVP. Sammy Sosa won the 1998 National League MVP award. Bernie Williams was the 1998 American League batting champion. Ivan Rodriguez won the 1998 America League MVP award. Pedro Martinez was the 1999 Cy Young Award winner. Rafael Palmiero won the American League Gold Glove Award in 1999. These are just a few of the outstanding Latino baseball players currently in Major League Baseball.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The highest paid baseball player in Major League Baseball history is a Latino. Alex Rodriguez signed a seven-year contract for two hundred and fifty-six million dollars in 2000. This not only made him the richest baseball player ever, but also the richest Latin American athlete in history. The signing of Alex Rodriguez proved that Latin American athletes deserved to sign big money contracts just like the other players.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teams are taking are taking advantage of the abundance of talent in Latin America. All major League teams are active in the Dominican Republic. The Dodgers, the first team to move into the Latin American market, scout the area’s talent closely. About one hundred and four of the two hundred and thirty-seven minor-leaguers they had under contract at the start of the year were from that region.

Admission Questions

There is a Quaker saying: †Let your life speak.† Describe the environment in which you were raised–your family, home, neighborhood or community–and how it influenced the person you are today. (200 words, 2000 characters)I live in a family of four which includes my mom, my grandparents, and I. My mom worked long hours, so my grandparents looked after me and gave me all love and care. I took over the challenging responsibility of regularly giving him eye drops. He hated receiving them and made my job more challenging when he wouldn’t cooperate, but I never gave up. Today I am more confident with all the challenges faced so early in life.I now have a new perspective of my family and self. I have learned to embrace the reality and the facts of leading a positive life. Looking back, I realize that I am lucky to have shared the relationship I have with my grandparents. Instead of turning away from them, I stood by them and coped with them, often setting asi de my personal interests. The unbreakable connection I have with my grandparents is truly unique.I have deep respect and care for the elderly because I have learned that every second spent is precious and there is no end to learning. At the end, I learnt that my perception of an incomplete family just never existed and it changed my perception.2. College of Arts and Sciences: What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way?I like mathematics because it is challenging to me and I enjoy it. I actively seek and investigate its profound mystery. I feel exciting sense of achievement in solving complicated calculus questions and also obtain imagery recognition of a matter from analyzing it quantitatively. Mathematics’ charms and challenges are found in the fact that it is the spirit of all kinds of science.People can conclude the physic principle by studying calculus and can build a program by using mathemati cs formula. I am confident to continue exploring, studying and challenging mathematics and emerge as a better surprising research associate.

Bloodlines Chapter Sixteen

I EXPLAINED AWAY my chemistry experiment by saying that it was just a substance I had on hand from when I received my tattoo, in the event I had an allergic reaction. I certainly didn't let on that I'd mixed it myself. I think they would've bought that cover story, if not for the fact that a few days later, I was able to get ahold of a formula that helped treat the chemical burns on Kristin's skin. The mixture did nothing for the ink stain – that seemed to be permanent, barring some tattoo laser removal – but her welts did fade a little bit. After that, word got around that Sydney Melrose was the new on-site pharmacist. Because I had extra left over from Kristin, I gave the remainder of the skin cream to a girl with severe acne since it worked on that as well. That probably didn't do me any favors. People approached me for all sorts of things and even offered to pay me. Some requests were pointless, like cures for headaches. Those people I simply told to buy some aspirin. Other requests were out of my power and nothing I wanted to deal with, like birth control. Aside from the weird requests, I actually didn't mind the increase in my daily social interaction. I was used to people needing things from me, so that was familiar territory. Some people just wanted to know more about me as a person, which was new and more enjoyable than I'd expected. And still others wanted†¦ different things from me. â€Å"Sydney.† I was waiting for my English class to start and was startled to see one of Greg Slade's friends standing over my desk. His name was Bryan, and although I didn't know much about him, he'd never come across as obnoxious as Slade, which was a point in Bryan's favor. â€Å"Yes?† I asked, wondering if he wanted to borrow notes from me. He had shaggy brown hair that seemed to be purposely grown unkempt and was actually kind of cute. He ran a hand over it as he picked his words. â€Å"Do you know anything about silent films?† â€Å"Sure,† I said. â€Å"The first ones were developed in the late nineteenth century and sometimes had live musical accompaniment, though it wasn't until the 1920s that sound become truly incorporated into films, eventually making silent ones obsolete in cinema.† Bryan gaped, as though that was more than he'd been expecting. â€Å"Oh. Okay. Well, um, there's a silent film festival downtown next week. Do you think you'd want to go?† I shook my head. â€Å"No, I don't think so. I respect it as an art form but really don't get much out of watching them.† â€Å"Huh. Okay.† He smoothed his hair back again, and I could almost see him groping for thoughts. Why on earth was he asking me about silent films? â€Å"What about Starship 30? It opens Friday. Do you want to see that?† â€Å"I don't really like sci-fi either,† I said. It was true, I found it completely implausible. Bryan looked ready to rip that shaggy hair out. â€Å"Is there any movie out there you want to see?† I ran through a mental list of current entertainment. â€Å"No. Not really.† The bell rang, and with a shake of his head, Bryan slunk back to his desk. â€Å"That was weird,† I muttered. â€Å"He has bad taste in movies.† Glancing beside me, I was startled to see Julia with her head down on her desk while she shook with silent laughter. â€Å"What?† â€Å"That,† she gasped. â€Å"That was hilarious.† â€Å"What?† I said again. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Sydney, he was asking you out!† I replayed the conversation. â€Å"No, he wasn't. He was asking me about cinema.† She was laughing so hard that she had to wipe away a tear. â€Å"So he could find out what you wanted to see and take you out!† â€Å"Well, why didn't he just say that?† â€Å"You are so adorably oblivious,† she said. â€Å"I hope I'm around the day you actually notice someone is interested in you.† I continued to be mystified, and she spent the rest of class bursting out with spontaneous giggles. While I became an object of fascination, Jill's popularity fell. Part of it was her own shyness. She was still so conscious and worried about being different that she assumed everyone else was aware of her otherness too. She continued holding back from connecting with people out of fear, making her come across as aloof. Surprisingly making this worse, Jill's â€Å"doctor's note† had finally come through from the Alchemists. The school wouldn't put her into a different elective that was already in progress. Freshmen weren't allowed to be teacher's aides like Trey. After consultation with Miss Carson, they'd finally decided that Jill would participate in all indoor PE activities and do â€Å"alternate assignments† when we were outdoors. This usually meant writing reports on things like the history of softball. Unfortunately, sitting out half the time only managed to isolate Jill more. Micah continued to dote on her, even in the face of adversity. â€Å"Lee texted me this morning,† she told me at lunch one day. â€Å"He wants to take me out to dinner this weekend. Do you think†¦ I mean, I know you guys would have to go too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She glanced uncertainly between Eddie and me. â€Å"Who's Lee?† asked Micah. He had just sat down with our group. A few moments of awkward silence fell. â€Å"Oh,† said Jill, averting her eyes. â€Å"He's this, um, guy we know. He doesn't go here. He goes to college. In Los Angeles.† Micah processed this. â€Å"He asked you on a date?† â€Å"Yeah†¦ we actually went out before. I guess we're, well, kind of dating.† â€Å"Not seriously,† piped in Eddie. I wasn't sure if he was saying this to spare Micah's feelings or if it was some protective way to stop Jill from getting too close to anyone. Micah was good at hiding his emotions, I'd give him that. After a bit more thought, he finally gave Jill a smile that only seemed slightly forced. â€Å"Well, that's great. I hope I can meet him.† After that, the conversation turned to the upcoming football game, and no one mentioned Lee again. Finding out about Lee changed how Micah acted around Jill, but he still hung out with us all the time. Maybe it was in the hopes that Lee and Jill would break up. Or it could've simply been because Micah and Eddie spent a lot of time together, and Eddie was one of Jill's few friends. But the problem wasn't Micah. It was Laurel. I didn't think Micah would've been interested in Laurel even if Jill hadn't been in the picture, but Laurel still saw Jill as a threat – and went out of her way to make her miserable. Laurel spread rumors about her and made pointed comments in the halls and during class about Jill's pale skin, height, and skinniness – Jill's biggest insecurities. Once or twice, I heard the name vampire girl whispered in the halls. It made my blood run cold, no matter how many times I reminded myself it was a joke. â€Å"Jill isn't what's keeping Laurel and Micah apart,† I remarked to Julia and Kristin one day. They were amused by my continued efforts to apply logic and rationality to social behaviors in the school. â€Å"I don't understand. He just doesn't like Laurel.† â€Å"Yeah, but it's easier for her to think Jill's the problem, when really, Laurel's just a bitch and Micah knows it,† explained Julia. Ever since the awkward encounter with Bryan, she and Kristin had taken it upon themselves to try to educate me in the ways â€Å"normal† humans behaved. â€Å"Plus, Laurel just likes having someone to pick on,† said Kristin. She rarely spoke about the tattoo but had been serious and sober ever since. â€Å"Okay,† I said, trying to follow the logic, â€Å"but I was the one who called her out about dying her hair. She's hardly said a word to me.† Kristin smiled. â€Å"No fun picking on you. You talk back. Jill doesn't defend herself much and doesn't have many people to stick up for her either. She's an easy target.† One positive thing did happen, at least. Adrian was staying on good behavior after the Los Angeles mishap, though I had to wonder how long it would last. Based on what I gathered from Jill, he was still bored and unhappy. Lee's schedule was erratic, and it wasn't his job to look after Adrian anyway. There didn't seem to be any good solution for her, really. If Adrian gave in to his vices, she suffered the effects of his hangovers and â€Å"romantic interludes.† If he didn't, then he was miserable, and that attitude slowly trickled into her as well. The only hope they had was that Jill would eventually learn the control to block him out of her mind, but from what Rose had told her, that could take a very long time. When the next feeding came around, I was disappointed to see Keith's car parked in Clarence's driveway. If he wasn't going to actually do anything active to help this assignment, I kind of wished he'd just stay away from it altogether. He apparently thought these â€Å"supervising† visits counted as work and continued to justify his presence. Except when we met up with Adrian in the living room, Keith was nowhere in sight. Neither was Clarence. â€Å"Where are they?† I asked Adrian. Adrian was lounging on the couch and put down a book he'd been reading. I had a feeling reading was a rare activity for him and almost felt bad for the interruption. He stifled a yawn. There was no alcohol in sight, but I did see what looked like three empty cans of energy drink. He shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. Off talking somewhere. Your friend's got a sick sense of humor. I think he's feeding Clarence's paranoia about vampire hunters.† I glanced uneasily at Lee, who had immediately begun talking to Jill. Both were so caught up in each other, they didn't even realize what the rest of us were discussing. I knew how much the vampire hunter talk bothered Lee. He wouldn't appreciate Keith encouraging it. â€Å"Does Clarence know about the killing in LA?† asked Eddie. There was no reason Keith wouldn't, since it was open Alchemist knowledge, but I wasn't sure if he would've made the connection to Clarence or not. â€Å"He hasn't mentioned it,† said Adrian. â€Å"I swear Keith's just doing it because he's bored or something. Even I haven't sunk that low.† â€Å"Is that what you've been doing instead?† I asked. I sat down across from him and pointed at the energy drinks. â€Å"Hey, it's not vodka or brandy or†¦ well, anything good.† Adrian sighed and upended one can, drinking the last few drops. â€Å"So give me some credit.† Eddie glanced at the cans. â€Å"Didn't Jill say she had trouble sleeping last night?† â€Å"Adrian,† I said with a groan. Eddie was right. I'd noticed Jill tossing and turning constantly. Vicarious caffeine would certainly explain it. â€Å"Hey, I'm trying,† Adrian said. â€Å"If you could get me out of here, Sage, then I wouldn't be forced to drown my sorrows in taurine and ginseng.† â€Å"She can't, Adrian, and you know it,† said Eddie. â€Å"Can't you†¦ I don't know. Find a hobby or something?† â€Å"Being charming is my hobby,† said Adrian obstinately. â€Å"I'm the life of a party – even without drinking. I wasn't meant to be alone.† â€Å"You could get a job,† said Eddie, settling into a corner chair. He smiled, amused by his own wit. â€Å"Solve both your problems – make some money and be around people.† Adrian scowled. â€Å"Careful, Castile. There's only one comedian in this family.† I straightened up. â€Å"That's actually not a bad idea.† â€Å"It's a terrible idea,† said Adrian, glancing between me and Eddie. â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"Is this the part where you tell us your hands don't do manual labor?† â€Å"It's more like the part where I don't have anything to offer society,† he countered. â€Å"I could help you,† I offered. â€Å"Are you going to do the work and give me the paycheck?† Adrian asked hopefully. â€Å"Because that actually could help.† â€Å"I can give you a ride to your interviews,† I said. â€Å"And I can make you a resume that would get you any job.† I eyed him and reconsidered. â€Å"Well, within reason.† Adrian stretched back out. â€Å"Sorry, Sage. Just not feeling it.† Clarence and Keith entered just then. Clarence's face was exuberant. â€Å"Thank you, thank you,† he was saying. â€Å"It's so nice to talk to someone who understands my concerns about the hunters.† I hadn't been aware that Keith understood anything except his own self-serving nature. Lee's face darkened when he realized Keith was furthering the old man's irrationality. Nonetheless, the Moroi withheld the comments he undoubtedly wanted to make. It was the first time I'd seen any sort of dark emotion on Lee's face. Looked like Keith could bring down even the most cheerful person. Clarence was happy to see us, as was Dorothy. Humans who gave blood to vampires weren't just disgusting because of the act itself. What was also appalling was the addiction that resulted. Vampires released endorphins into those they drank from, endorphins that created a pleasurable sort of high. Human feeders who lived among Moroi spent their entire days in that high, becoming heavily dependent on it. Someone like Dorothy, who had lived only with Clarence for years, hadn't experienced enough bites to really get addicted. Now, with Jill and Adrian around, Dorothy was getting an increased amount of endorphins in her daily life. Her eyes lit up when she saw Jill, showing she was eager for more. â€Å"Hey, Sage,† said Adrian. â€Å"I don't want an interview, but do you think you could give me a ride to get some cigarettes?† I started to tell him I wasn't going to help with such a filthy habit and then noticed him looking meaningfully at Dorothy. Was he trying to get me out of here? I wondered. Give me an excuse to not be around for the feeding? From what I understood, Moroi normally didn't hide their feedings from each other. Jill and Dorothy just usually left the room for my comfort. I knew they'd probably do it again but decided I'd take the opportunity to get away. Of course, I glanced at Keith for confirmation, expecting him to protest. He merely shrugged. It looked like I was the last thing on his mind. â€Å"Okay,† I said, standing up. â€Å"Let's go.† In the car, Adrian turned to me. â€Å"I changed my mind,† he said. â€Å"I'll take you up on helping me get a job.† I almost swerved into oncoming traffic. Few things from him could have surprised me more – and he said pretty surprising things on a regular basis. â€Å"That was fast. Are you serious?† â€Å"As much as I ever am. Will you still help me?† â€Å"I suppose so, though there's only so much I can do. I can't actually get you the job.† I ran down my mental list of what I knew about Adrian. â€Å"I don't suppose you have any idea of what you'd actually like to do?† â€Å"I want something entertaining,† he said. He thought some more. â€Å"And I want to make lots of money – but do as little work as possible.† â€Å"Lovely,† I muttered. â€Å"That narrows it down.† We reached downtown, and I managed a flawless parallel-parking job that didn't impress him nearly as much as it should have. We were right in front of a convenience store, and I stood outside while he went in. Evening shadows were falling. I was off campus all the time, but so far, my trips had all been to Clarence's, mini-golf courses, and fast-food joints. It turned out that the city of Palm Springs was really pretty. Boutiques and restaurants lined the streets, and I could've spent hours people-watching. Retirees in golfing getups strolled alongside young glamorous socialites. I knew a lot of celebrities came here too, but I wasn't in tune enough with the entertainment world to know who was who. â€Å"Man,† said Adrian, emerging from the store. â€Å"They raised the price on my normal brand. I had to buy some crappy one.† â€Å"You know,† I said. â€Å"Quitting would also be a really great way to save some – â€Å" I froze as I spotted something down the street. Three blocks away, through the leaves of some palm trees, I could just barely make out a sign that read Nevermore in ornate Gothic lettering. That was the place. The source of the tattoos running rampant through Amberwood. Ever since Kristin's incident, I'd wanted to delve into this more but hadn't been sure how. Now I had my chance. For a moment, I remembered Keith telling me not to get involved with anything that might raise attention or cause trouble. Then I thought about the way Kristin had looked during her overdose. This was my opportunity to actually do something. I made a decision. â€Å"Adrian,† I said. â€Å"I need your help.† I pulled him toward the tattoo parlor, filling him in on the situation. For a moment, he seemed so interested in high-inducing tattoos that I thought he'd want one. When I told him about Kristin, though, his enthusiasm faded. â€Å"Even if it's not Alchemist technology, they're still doing something dangerous,† I explained. â€Å"Not just to Kristin. What Slade and those guys are doing – using the steroids to be better at football – is just as bad. People are getting hurt.† I thought, suddenly, of Trey's cuts and bruises. A small alley separated the tattoo parlor from a neighboring restaurant, and we stopped just before it. A door opened inside the alley, on the parlor side, and a man stepped out and lit a cigarette. He'd taken only two steps when another man stuck his head out the side door and called, â€Å"How long are you going to be gone?† I could see shelves and tables behind him. â€Å"Just running down to the store,† said the man with the cigarette. â€Å"I'll be back in ten.† The other guy went back inside, shutting the door. A few moments later, we saw him through the window at the front of the store, tidying up something on the counter. â€Å"I have to get back there,† I said to Adrian. â€Å"Into that door.† He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"What, like sneaking in? How very black ops of you. And oh, you know – dangerous and foolish.† â€Å"I know,† I said, surprised at how calm I sounded as I admitted that. â€Å"But I have to know something, and this may be my only chance.† â€Å"Then I'll go with you in case that guy comes back,† he said with a sigh. â€Å"Never let it be said Adrian Ivashkov doesn't help damsels in distress. Besides, did you see him? He looked like some insane biker. They both did.† â€Å"I don't want you to – wait.† Inspiration hit. â€Å"You talk to the guy inside.† â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"Go in the front. Distract him so that I can look around. Talk to him about†¦ I don't know. You'll think of something.† We quickly hashed out a plan. I sent Adrian on his way while I ducked into the alley and approached the door. I pulled the handle and found it – locked. â€Å"Of course,† I muttered. What business would leave a remote door like this exposed and unlocked? My brilliant plan started to crumble until I remembered I had my Alchemist â€Å"essentials† in my purse. My full kit was rarely needed, high school acne crises aside, so it was usually kept at home. But Alchemists were always on call, no matter where they were, to cover up vampire sightings. And so, we always kept a couple of things on us at all times. One was the substance that could dissolve a Strigoi body in under a minute. The other was almost equally efficient at dissolving metal. It was a type of acid, and I kept it in a protected vial in my purse. Quickly, I fished it out and unscrewed the top. A bitter scent hit me and made me wrinkle my nose. With the bottle's glass dropper, I very carefully leaned down and placed a few drops right in the center of the lock. I immediately stepped back as a white mist rose up from the contact. Within thirty seconds, it had all dissipated, and there was a hole in the middle of the door's handle. One of the nice things about this stuff, which we called quickfire, was that its reaction occurred extremely fast. It was now inert and posed no danger to my skin. I pushed down on the handle, and it released. I only opened the door a crack, just to ascertain that there was no one else around. Nope. Empty. I crept inside and quietly shut the door behind me, fastening an inside bolt to make sure it stayed locked. As I'd seen from the outside, the place was a storage room, filled with all sorts of tools of the tattoo trade. Three doorways surrounded me. One led to a bathroom, one to a darkened room, and another to the store's front and main counter. Light spilled in from that doorway, and I could hear Adrian's voice. â€Å"My friend's got one,† he was saying. â€Å"I've seen it, and he said this is the place he got it. Come on, don't play me.† â€Å"Sorry,† came the gruff response. â€Å"No idea what you're talking about.† I slowly began scanning the cupboards and drawers, reading labels and looking for anything suspicious. There were a lot of supplies and not much time. â€Å"Is it a money thing?† asked Adrian. â€Å"Because I've got enough. Just tell me how much it costs.† There was a long pause, and I hoped Adrian wouldn't be asked to show any cash since the last of his money had gone to promoting cancer. â€Å"I don't know,† the guy said at last. â€Å"If I was able to do this copper tattoo you're talking about – and I'm not saying I can – you probably couldn't afford it.† â€Å"I'm telling you,† said Adrian. â€Å"Just name your price.† â€Å"What is it you're interested in exactly?† the man asked slowly. â€Å"Just the color?† â€Å"I think we both know,† said Adrian cunningly. â€Å"I want the color. I want the ‘bonus effects.' And I want it to look badass. You probably can't even do the design I want.† â€Å"That's the least of your worries,† said the guy. â€Å"I've been doing this for years. I can draw anything you want.† â€Å"Yeah? Can you draw a skeleton riding a motorcycle with flames coming out of it? And I want a pirate hat on the skeleton. And a parrot on his shoulder. A skeleton parrot. Or maybe a ninja skeleton parrot? No, that would be overkill. But it'd be cool if the biker skeleton could be shooting some ninja throwing stars. That are on fire.† Meanwhile, I'd still seen no sign of what I needed, but there were a million nooks and crannies left to explore. Panic began to rise in me. I was going to run out of time. Then, seeing the darkened room, I hurried over to it. With a quick glance toward the store's front, I flipped on the light and held my breath. No one must have noticed anything because the conversation continued where it had left off. â€Å"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard,† said the tattooist. â€Å"That's not what the ladies are going to say,† said Adrian. â€Å"Look, kid,† said the guy. â€Å"It's not even about money. It's about availability. That's a lot of ink you're talking about, and I don't have that much in stock.† â€Å"Well, when will your supplier deliver next?† asked Adrian. I stared in awe at what I had found: I was in the room where the tattooing took place. There was a lounging chair – much more comfortable than the table I'd received my tattoo on – and a small side table covered with what appeared to be freshly used implements. â€Å"I've already got some people wait-listed ahead of you. I don't know when there'll be more.† â€Å"Can you call me when you know?† Adrian asked. â€Å"I'll give you my info. My name's Jet Steele.† If not for my own tense situation, I would've groaned. Jet Steele? Really? Before I could think much more about it, I finally found what I'd been looking for. The tattoo gun on the table had its own ink container, but sitting nearby were several smaller vials. All of them were empty, but some still had enough metallic residue of their former ingredients to tip me off. Without even thinking twice, I quickly began recapping them and putting them in my purse. Nearby, I noticed some sealed vials full of dark liquid. I froze for a moment. Carefully, I picked one up, opened it, and took a sniff. It was what I'd feared. I screwed the lid back on and added those vials to my purse. Just then, I heard a rattling behind me. Someone was trying to open the back door. I'd bolted it behind me, however, and it didn't give. Still, it meant my time for snooping was up. I was just zipping up my purse when I heard the store's front door open. â€Å"Joey, why's the back door locked?† an angry voice demanded. â€Å"It's always locked.† â€Å"No, the bolt was on. From the inside. It wasn't when I left.† Cue my exit. I flipped off the light and began hurrying back through the storage room. â€Å"Wait!† exclaimed Adrian. There was an anxious note to his voice, like he was trying to get someone's attention. I had the uneasy feeling that the two guys who worked here were headed back behind the counter to investigate. â€Å"I need to know something else about the tattoo. Can the parrot also be wearing a pirate's hat? Like a miniature one?† â€Å"In a minute. We have to check something.† The voice was louder than before. Closer. My hands fumbled as I unlatched the bolt. I managed it and opened the door, hurrying out just as I heard voices behind me. Without pausing to glance back, I shut the door and ran out the alley and up the street, back toward where I'd parked. I was pretty sure the guys hadn't gotten a good look at me. I think I'd just been a figure darting out the door. Still, I was grateful for the crowds of people on the street. I was able to blend in as I turned my attention to my car and unlocked the door. My hands were sweaty and shaking as I fumbled with the keys. I wanted badly to look behind me but was afraid of attracting the attention of the two men, if they were out searching the street. As long as they had no reason to suspect me – A hand suddenly grabbed my arm and jerked me away. I gasped. â€Å"It's me,† said a voice. Adrian. I breathed a sigh of relief. â€Å"Don't look back,† he said calmly. â€Å"Just get in the car.† I obeyed. Once we were both safely inside, I took a deep breath, overwhelmed by the pounding of my heart. Fear-born adrenaline surged in my chest, so strongly it hurt. I closed my eyes and leaned back. â€Å"That was too close,† I said. â€Å"And you did good, by the way.† â€Å"I know,† he said proudly. â€Å"And actually, I kind of want that tattoo now. Did you find what you were looking for?† I opened my eyes and sighed. â€Å"I did. And a whole lot more.† â€Å"So, what is it? They're putting drugs in tattoos?† â€Å"Worse,† I said. â€Å"They're using vampire blood.†

David Tudor and Gordon Mumma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

David Tudor and Gordon Mumma - Essay Example The works of David Tudor was very significant and noted for their utilization of electronic circuits in creating different sounds. His â€Å"quirky† use of electronics has made a great impact on many of the modern day composers. In conversation with David Behrman, Ron Kuivilla stated that â€Å"†¦.the instability of the electronics, the absence of presets and the viewpoint configuration defies the identity of the composition, combine to make it very difficult to distinguish performance from composition.’ (Behrman 14) The circuitry that he made use of for all his compositions was not only original but so very complicated, that it made it very difficult to understand the working of the piece. Only now, so many years after his passing, are colleagues and fans trying to understand the complicated circuitry used by David Tudor. Most of this was due to the fact that Tudor didn’t label any physical parts, and sketched his circuits out on paper. (Adams) It was this pragmatic approach towards music that helped David Tudor earn a prestigious place in the history of experimental music.

What does the customer expect from motor vehicle carrier Essay - 1

What does the customer expect from motor vehicle carrier - Essay Example Then the results will be used in reviewing and producing improvements of the service. As much as possible, the monitoring and the survey should be done on a regular basis to make sure that all the needs and expectations are answered on time. The most important aspect is to make customers feel that they are valuable and their interests are important to the carrier. Motor vehicle carrier is extremely important in every place for this is the most accessible in all modes of transportation. This is the most dominant means of transportation in the U.S. because it has potential access in transporting goods at any point of destination over short and longer places without restrictions (â€Å"Transportation,† n.d.). Currently, the U.S. has 765 motor vehicles that include line haul vehicles for longer destinations and city straight trucks for short distances. The carrier had accounted for an increase in carrier sales of about 5% and a revenue growth of 30% (O’Reilly, 2008). The most dominant among all these vehicles are the passenger vehicles that reported a 97 sales percentage in the U.S. market particularly in local areas. The industry had encountered several changes carried by deregulation and liberalization in the economy with few exceptions that motor carriers under the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (STAA) will have th eir freedom to do business at their own perspectives as long as the rates are also rightful to the passengers (U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, 1988, p. 55). This freedom is governed by STTA and the carriers are still obliged to follow the terms and conditions specified as to the truck routes and vehicle specifications. Customer’s expectation is one of the important features of motor vehicle carriers because this is a prerequisite of being superior (Coyle, Novack, Gibson, & Bardi, 2010, p. 169). â€Å"The customer’s service expectation acts

Tegan elects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tegan elects - Essay Example The most important part of determining whether to outsource or not was cost. But in this case, a better solution points to Hrad because Tegan has worked with them in the past. There are many tradeoffs that would be involved if Tegan elects to have the requirements analysis done by one of the first that was involved in bidding. They would have to start over with a new company and this would mean they would probably pay more. Also, because they did not know the newer company, the bidders would probably inflate their original bids to cover what they did not know about Tegan. Tegan needs the project completed by December and it would take more time for a new company to come up with the information. The beginning of Hrad’s work with Tegan was in 2004 when they were looking for new partners and new business. Tegan was impressed with Hrad and decided to give them a small project that both the companies could use. For Tegan it was a way to understand how Hrad worked and for Hrad it wa s a way to get their foot in the door with this company. This project also allowed them to build a rapport with the sponsor/coach (Upton Staats â€Å"Hrad† 2). Hrad was able to give Tegan what they needed on this pilot project and they were able to move forward and do more work with Tegan. The good news was that the project was able to pass all of the â€Å"customer acceptance tests† (Upton Staats â€Å"Hrad† 2) and the functionality was excellent. Unfortunately the bad news was that the performance speed was a problem. They fixed this problem by having the Hrad technicians work with a Tegan architect so they could better learn the process. Hrad also sent to Tegan’s offices one architect who could help them fix the problem; the performance problems were resolved. One of the challenges for the next part in the development was that the Tegan architect who had worked so closely with Hrad and who had been a bridge between the two companies, decided to leave T egan and this meant that information that was understood between two companies was lost. Several projects were given to Tegan after the first one and they were finally given the project to re-vamp the A/P system. The program was to be finished by December of 2008 (Upton Staats â€Å"Hrad† 2) and Hrad received a fixed price contract. However, Hrad would have to bid on the project as all the other bidders. Tegan awarded the contract to Hrad after they presented a ?900,000 bid and Hrad began work in December of 2007. Hrad worked with Dunnock and with Hrad to develop the project. There were other problems that happened along the way as they developed this project and many challenges began to unravel the project. As an example, after two and a half months, Hrad insisted that Tegan had more than one person review LLDs because there were too many problems with only one person reading them. There was good communication between the two companies and they seemed to iron out the problem s as they came about during the development. Unfortunately as they continued into the project, Hrad found that it would cost another ?400,000 to do the work they needed to do to meet the December deadline; Tegan’s CIO, Winston Smith was not happy with this development because Tegan was on a fixed price contract. At this juncture, there had to be negotiations between the two companies for the extra cost. Once the project commenced, Hrad Technika had

Criminology Case Study - Mass Murder Research Paper

Criminology Case Study - Mass Murder - Research Paper Example This time of murders mostly occur in single locations where victims are killed by the murderer. The aim of this paper will be explaining the crime of mass murder and its relationship with the above three theories. A case in point will be on a mass murder of an individual who shot dead 12 movie goers in a movie theatre in Denver. James E.Holmes is accused of acting alone in the incident. According to Burke (2009), a mass murder can be committed by an individual or by organizations. This type of mass shootings has in recent times increased in number and magnitude. Shootings are occurring in schools and other social places in alarming frequency. Innocent children and adults have lost their lives due to indiscriminate mass shootings. After carrying out investigations, the FBI concluded that Holmes was acting alone. Crimes have a background and objectivity to occurrence (Carole et al, 2010) and this paper will try understanding the crime of mass murders from this perspective. The Crime Th e suspect, Holmesis accuse of indiscriminately shooting 12 victims dead and seriously injuring 58 others in a movie theatre in Denver Colorado. Holmes legally bought guns and ammunition in the Denver area and proceeded to a movie theatre that was screening a movie by the title â€Å"The Dark Knight Rises†. ... According to the law, Holmes faces charges of mass murder among other charges and accordingly faces a life sentence in jail if found guilty. Hagan (2010) explains that crimes are committed by criminals and therefore Holmes could be inadvertently a serialized criminal even though his criminal past only consisted of a single traffic summon.According to Fox & Levin (2012), over 90% Americans of Americans advocate for background checks on individual who purchase arms as a way of controlling who owns arms.Crimes of this nature have and still continue to occur. Mass murders are becoming a common scenario in the everyday life of American Citizens. There has been a gradual increase in use of lethal force during these incidents. The reason behind an individual taking up arms and killing fellow humans according to Brent &Kraska (2013) can be attributed to personality as well social structures around the individual among other factors. In light of these factors, the three theories shed light on the reason behind this crime of mass shootings. Rational Theory Starting with the rational theory that seeks to explain the reason why individuals behave the way they do, especially so for criminal related behaviors. According to (Hagan, 2010), blame is directed toward personal choice as the reason behind crime. An individual like Holmes might have carried out the mass shootings in the movie theatre out of personal choice. The authorities determined that Holmes was working alone and therefore there could be incidents of persuasion on him. Welsh (2008)states that human beings are rational and thus individuals choose behavior, criminal on otherwise, based purely on rationality. The basis of this rational behavior is an analysis on cost versus benefit of choice.