Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Ethical Behaviors in an Academic Field Research Paper

Ethical Behaviors in an Academic Field - Research Paper Example The research paper "Ethical Behaviors in an Academic Field" discusses the ethical behaviors in an academic field and the problem of plagiarism which refers to the approach or act of copying and taking the works of someone else and then using such work as if they belonged to the person who has copied them. It includes integrating the thoughts, ideas, and opinions of another scholar or scholar and then passing or including such ideas, thoughts and opinions into the works of one without giving any recognition or appreciation to them. In the academic, scholarly and research cycles, it happens when the author or a person copies information from books of the internet word by word with the intention or aim of pretending that one was the owner and original author or initiator of such. In some other instance, people paraphrase, rewrite, take words or summarize the ideas and thoughts of other scholars and thinkers without recognizing or appreciating the source of the information. This would be acceptable avoided by factoring in internal or in text citation where the person quotes the ideas and thoughts of another person but then acknowledges the author by mentioning their names immediately after such words or quotes. Self-plagiarism is the notion where a student uses his or her previous works for future or subsequent assignments. This is so when a student or a person tries to use his or her previous thoughts and ideas or opinion so as to answer questions or do research in future assignments and academic works.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Modern technology Essay Example for Free

Modern technology Essay Technology has become a very important part of our lives nowadays. During the past few years, technology has evolved in many ways and is probably without a doubt better than ever before. People are always trying to find something new that will improve our lives dramatically. Some of the creations that have really changed our lives are the computer, telephone, internet and electronic mail, television, cell phone and voice mail. Everything has a positive and a negative effect on our lives and so does technology. Technology may be very helpful but it can sometimes be very harmful. In our modern society, people cant see themselves without computers. Computers have evolved so much during the past years. They used to be bulky, expensive and not very reliable machine but nowadays there are fast, small and affordable and nearly every family has a computer. With computers you can browse over the internet and look for information about a subject instead of having to do read books at the library or read the newspaper. Nowadays mostly everything is available on the internet. You can even do your Christmas shopping over the internet instead of having to spend a long time waiting at the malls. Electronic mails can be sent over a network and its much faster and takes up less time than to have to write a letter and then send it and the person would have to wait a day or more to get your letter. Cell phones are also very useful gadgets as people can reach you wherever you are. In case of emergency people can contact you even if youre not at home. When you have a computer you can just store your files on your hard drive and it can be retrieved at any time. Its also much easier to type something than to handwrite as if you make a mistake white-out doesnt have to be used as you can edit your whenever you want before printing it. Machines can also be programmed to answer the phone for you whenever youre not here or you dont want to take the call because youre too tired to do it. Technology has helped the NASA in various ways. They have discovered new planets, found out interesting facts about them like what are they made of or is there air and water on that planet. As you can see technology does have various advantages and it would be pretty much impossible to live without technology nowadays. Ever since the beginning, technology always had disadvantages. Although  computers are very useful machines, hackers can enter your computer and access private information for example your bank account without you even noticing it. They can copy your password and later on use it to take money from your account without any permission. Computer viruses are also very dangerous as it can destroy your data completely and you may even have to buy a new computer afterwards as the damage cant be repaired. People are starting to lose their communication skills because most of the things are now done on the computer. People who dont have enough knowledge in computers are having more and more trouble to find a good job even if they have other qualifications. In chat rooms, older people usually make young teenagers believe that theyre the same age as them and sometimes ask them to meet them at some place before kid-knapping them or doing something else that will harm them. These things show that technology has some disadvantages if it is used in a harmful way. Technology has some advantages and disadvantages. People should know what theyre doing and they should know how to protect themselves from hackers and harmful programs. Anti-viruses should be used as well as firewalls for protection. Before actually meeting someone that youve talked to over the internet you should be completely sure that he/she didnt lie to you because it could end up very badly for you. Teenagers should not always listen to the media because sometimes the media only tells you something so that they can make money out of it and in return you hardly gain anything. Technology has become part of our daily lives and the question is how far will technology go?

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Domestic Violence Essay -- Violence Against Women Essays

There is no question that domestic violence directed against women is a serious problem. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop has called it women’s number-one health problem. The statistics reported in the popular press are staggering: Nearly one third of women in hospital emergency departments are there due to domestic violence, three out of four female homicide victims are killed by their husbands or lovers, and 6 million women are victims of abuse by people they know each year (Journal of the American Medical Association June, 1992).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Let us begin by first defining what abuse is: abuse is the use or threat to use physical, sexual, or verbal behavior to coerce the partner to do something one wants; to degrade or humiliate; to gain or maintain a sense of power or control; to act out ones anger inappropriately. Abusive behaviors may include subtle or covert harm as well as life threatening acts of violence. Yet, it seems to be that violence against an intimate partner does not seem to be as serious as other crimes. We know this, because less than half of our states view marital rape as a crime (History of Governor’ Commission on Domestic Violence, 2001). The Governor’s Commission on Domestic Violence was established by the Weld/Cellucci administration in April 1992, shortly after domestic violence was declared a public health emergency in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Governor’s Commission on Domestic Violence leads the nation in its comprehensive and innovative appro ach to addressing the crime of domestic violence. Some of its many accomplishments include:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  State funding for domestic violence prevention and intervention initiatives including: resources for district attorney’s offices, battered women’s programs and emergency shelters, legal services, school based teen dating violence programs, certified batters intervention programs, and judicial training. For FY01, state funding totaled over $23.4 million dollars.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The publication of the Annual Prevention and Intervention Plan (House 1 budget) detailing domestic violence initiatives.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The support of progressive domestic violence legislation including Chapter 209A, stalking law, firearms legislation, and uniform enforcement of out of state restraining orders.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first state wide Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Guidelines.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The publication of... ... get the help they need. We are only failing our communities and ourselves by looking away from this social problem and leaving it to the family’s alone to solve for themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The violence will not simply stop, and it will not get better. Once it starts, it will happen more often and it will get progressively worse. No matter how much a battered woman loves her partner, she should know that she is in real danger. She has to ensure her own safety. Battered women’s centers, crisis intervention services, and family crisis centers have names like Counsel for Abused Families, Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Crisis Intervention Service, or Family Help Place. Family crisis centers provide hotlines that are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If she cannot find a crisis center, she can call the police, sheriff, district attorneys, public library, or Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has kind and caring people who will help her without regard to her color, religion, or ethnic background. They can put her in touch with the people who can give her exactly the help she needs. A battered women must not stop until she finds that help. Her life depends on it!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Thursday, October 24, 2019

lots of words :: essays research papers

Why should we build up a Start-up vocabulary quickly? Draft v1.1. August 4, 2002 Rob Waring This page is at http://www1.harenet.ne.jp/~waring/vocab/principles/early.htm ?@ Abstract This article will examine the reasons why it is important both linguistically and psychologically to build a vocabulary quickly when learning a foreign language. The article asserts that very little can be achieved or learned in a foreign language with a small vocabulary and that by building a sizable vocabulary quite quickly one can soon be able to function adequately. You may also wish to look at http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/files/95/feb/meara.html ?@ Introduction ?@ It is obvious that in order to learn a foreign language one needs to learn many many words. But how many? Educated English native speakers have a vocabulary of about 20,000-25,000 word families (A 'word family' refers to a group of words that share the same basic meaning e.g. create, creation, creating, created, creative etc), foreign learners of English need far fewer[1].The speaking vocabulary is usually said to be half of the reading and writing vocabulary. Foreign learners of English only need about 3000-5000 word families to be quite competent in speaking and listening to English. This is great news for learners of English because their task is much easier than that of native speakers! ?@ One of the reasons for this seemingly small number is the nature of words and the frequency with which they appear in a language. Not all words are equal because some words such as time, the, come, make, and so on are very common whereas others such as parasol, bombastic and edifice are relatively rare and not met everyday. It therefore seems clear that these frequent words should be among the first words to learn because they will be met most often and will be needed frequently in speech or writing. Thus the pay off for learning them is higher than for an average rare word. These words are often called a General Service Vocabulary because these words are found in many kinds of situations and domains. This is a vocabulary of about 2000 word families. The best list (although it is a bit dated is Michael West's 1954 list called the General Service Word List.) These General Service words are found a very very wide range of contexts such as in the medical world, in novels, in scientific reports, on web pages, in daily conversation, in politics and so on. Because these words appear in so many contexts they are extremely useful to almost all learners.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Shadow Kiss Chapter 12

TWELVE IF YOU'D ASKED ME six months ago, I would have said there was no way I'd be happy to run into Mia Rinaldi at the Royal Court. She was a year younger than me and had held a grudge against Lissa since freshman year – a grudge so big that Mia had gone to great extremes to make life miserable for us. She'd done a good job. Jesse and Ralf's rumors about me had been a result of her efforts. But then Mia had gone with us to Spokane and been captured by the Strigoi. And, just like for Christian and Eddie, that had changed everything. She'd seen the same horrors the rest of us had. In fact, she was the only one of my friends who had witnessed Mason's death and me killing Strigoi. She had even saved my life then by using her water magic to temporarily drown one of the Strigoi. In the great Moroi argument about whether or not they should learn to fight with the guardians, she was firmly on the fighting side. I hadn't seen Mia in almost a month, ever since Mason's funeral. In studying her, I felt like it'd been a year. I had always thought Mia looked like a doll. She was short compared to most Moroi and had young, round-cheeked features. The fact that she'd always curled her hair in perfect ringlets had sort of reinforced that image. But today, she hadn't gone to nearly that much trouble. Her golden blond hair was pulled into a ponytail, its only curl coming from a slight, natural waviness. She wore no makeup, and her face showed signs of having been outdoors a lot. Her skin looked chapped from the wind, and she had a very, very faint tan – almost unheard of for Moroi, with their aversion to sunlight. For the first time ever, she actually looked her age. She laughed at my shock. â€Å"Come on, it hasn't been that long. You look like you don't even recognize me.† â€Å"I almost don't.† We hugged, and again, it was hard to believe that she'd once plotted ways to ruin my life. Or that I'd broken her nose. â€Å"What are you doing here?† She beckoned us out the door. â€Å"We were just about to leave. I'll explain everything.† We went to a neighboring building. It wasn't like a mall or anything, but it did have a few businesses that the Moroi who worked and visited here needed – a handful of restaurants, some small stores, and offices that offered all sorts of services. There was also a coffee shop, and that was where Mia led us. A coffee shop seems like an ordinary thing, but I rarely got to go to them. Sitting in a public place (or semi-public) with friends, not worrying about school†¦ it was great. It reminded me of when Lissa and I had been on our own, when our entire lives hadn't been contained within a school and its rules. â€Å"My dad works here now,† she told us. â€Å"And so now I live here.† Moroi children rarely lived with their parents. They were sent off to places like St. Vladimir's, where they could grow up safely. â€Å"What about school?† I asked. â€Å"There aren't many kids here, but there are some. Most of them are rich and have personal tutors. My dad pulled some strings and set it up so that I can go to them for different subjects. So I'm still studying the same things, just in a different way. It's actually pretty cool. Less teacher time – but more homework.† â€Å"You've been doing more than that,† said Eddie. â€Å"Unless your classes are outside.† He'd noticed the same things I had, and in looking at her hands as they held her latte, I could now see calluses. She wiggled her fingers. â€Å"I made friends with some of the guardians here. They've been showing me a few things.† â€Å"That's risky,† said Christian, though he sounded like he approved. â€Å"Since there's still a debate about Moroi fighting.† â€Å"You mean about Moroi fighting with magic,† she corrected. â€Å"That's what's controversial. No one's really talking about Moroi fighting hand-to-hand.† â€Å"Well, they are,† I said. â€Å"It's just been overshadowed by the magic controversy.† â€Å"It's not illegal,† she said primly. â€Å"And until it is, I'm going to keep doing it. You think with all the events and meetings that go on around here that anyone even notices what someone like me does?† Mia's family, in addition to being non-royal, was also pretty lower class – not that there was anything wrong with that, but she had to feel the effects of that around here. Still, I found her whole situation cheering. Mia seemed happier and more open than she had during the entire time I'd known her. She seemed †¦ free. Christian spoke my thoughts before I could. â€Å"You've changed,† he said. â€Å"We've all changed,† she corrected. â€Å"Especially you, Rose. I can't quite explain it.† â€Å"I don't think there's any way the five of us couldn't have changed,† Christian pointed out. A moment later he corrected himself. â€Å"Four of us.† We all fell silent, thoughts of Mason weighing us down. Being with Christian, Eddie, and Mia stirred up that grief I always tried to hide, and I could see from their faces that they continually fought the same battle. Conversation eventually turned toward all of us catching up on what had happened here and at the Academy. Yet I kept thinking about how Mia had said that I had changed more than the others. All I could think about was how out of control I'd felt lately, how half the time my actions and feelings didn't seem like my own. Sitting there, it almost seemed like Mia was controlled by all of her positive traits now – and I was controlled by my negative ones. Conversations with Adrian replayed through my head, reminding me about how I supposedly had such a dark, dark aura. Maybe thinking about him summoned him, but he and Lissa eventually joined us. Their bar was probably in the same building, I realized. I'd been blocking her out and not paying much attention. Adrian hadn't completely gotten her drunk, thankfully, but she'd agreed to two drinks. I could feel a slight buzz through the bond and had to carefully shield it out. She was as surprised as we'd been to see Mia but gave her a warm welcome and wanted to catch up. I'd heard most of this already, so I just listened and drank my chai. No coffee for me. Most guardians drank it the way Moroi drank blood, but I wouldn't touch the stuff. â€Å"How'd your thing with the queen go?† Christian asked Lissa at one point. â€Å"Not so bad,† she said. â€Å"I mean, not great either. But she didn't yell at me or humiliate me, so that's a start.† â€Å"Stop being modest,† said Adrian, putting his arm around her. â€Å"Princess Dragomir totally stood her ground. You should have seen it.† Lissa laughed. â€Å"I don't suppose she mentioned why she decided to let us come to the trial?† Christian asked stiffly. He didn't look very happy about the bonding that was taking place here – or about Adrian's arm. Lissa's laughter faded, but she was still smiling. â€Å"Adrian did it.† â€Å"What?† Christian and I asked together. Adrian, looking very pleased with himself, stayed quiet for a change and let Lissa do the talking. â€Å"He convinced her that we needed to be here. He apparently harassed her until she gave in.† â€Å"It's called ‘persuasion,' not ‘harassment,'† Adrian said. Lissa laughed again. My own words about the queen came back to haunt me. Who's she? Just another Ivashkov. There are a ton of them. There were indeed. I eyed Adrian. â€Å"How closely are you guys related?† The answer popped into my head from Lissa's. â€Å"She's your aunt.† â€Å"Great-aunt. And I'm her favorite great nephew. Well, I'm her only great nephew, but that's not important. I'd still be her favorite,† he said. â€Å"Unbelievable,† said Christian. â€Å"I'll second that,† I said. â€Å"None of you appreciate me. Why is it so hard to believe that I could make a real contribution in these dark times?† Adrian stood up. He was trying to sound outraged, but the smirk on his face indicated that he still found all of this pretty funny. â€Å"My cigarettes and I are going outside. At least they show me respect.† As soon as he left, Christian asked Lissa, â€Å"Were you getting drunk with him?† â€Å"I'm not drunk. I only had two drinks,† she said. â€Å"Since when did you get all conservative?† â€Å"Since Adrian became a bad influence.† â€Å"Come on! He helped us get here. No one else was able to do it. He didn't have to, but he did. And you and Rose are sitting there, still acting like he's the most evil person on the planet.† That wasn't exactly true. I was mostly sitting there like I had been hit in the head, still too dumbstruck to react. â€Å"Yeah, and I'm sure he did it out of the kindness of his heart,† muttered Christian. â€Å"Why else would he do it?† â€Å"Oh, gee, I wonder.† Lissa's eyes widened. â€Å"You think he did it for me? You think there's something going on with us?† â€Å"You guys drink together, practice magic together, and go to elitist events together. What would you think?† Mia and Eddie looked like they wanted to be somewhere else. I was starting to share the feeling. Anger burned through Lissa, hitting me like a wave of heat. She was utterly outraged. Her fury didn't even have that much to do with Adrian, really. She was more upset at the thought of Christian not trusting her. And as for him, I needed no psychic powers to understand how he was feeling. He wasn't jealous simply because she was hanging out with Adrian. Christian was still jealous that Adrian had the kind of influence to pull this off for her. It was just like what Jesse and Ralf had described, about how the right connections could open the right doors – connections that Christian didn't have. I kneed Christian's leg, hoping he'd get the hint that he really should stop talking before things got worse. Lissa's anger was intensifying, muddled with embarrassment as she began to doubt herself and wonder if she had been getting too close to Adrian. The whole thing was ridiculous. â€Å"Christian, for the love of God. If Adrian did this for anyone, it was because of me and his crazy obsession. He bragged awhile ago that he could do it, and I didn't believe it.† I turned to Lissa. I needed to get her calm and diffuse those dark feelings that could cause so much trouble for her when they ran out of control. â€Å"Liss, you might not be wasted exactly, but you need to chill out for an hour before having this conversation. You're going to say something as stupid as Christian, and I'll be the one who has to deal with the mess – like always.† I'd gotten worked up and expected someone to tell me how bitchy I sounded. Instead, Lissa relaxed and offered Christian a smile. â€Å"Yeah, we should definitely talk about this later. A lot's kind of happened today.† He hesitated, then nodded. â€Å"Yeah. Sorry I jumped all over you.† He returned her smile, fight patched up. â€Å"So,† Lissa asked Mia, â€Å"who have you met here?† I stared at them in amazement, but no one seemed to notice. I'd fixed their fight, and there'd been no acknowledgment. No Thank you, Rose, for pointing out how idiotic we're being. It was bad enough I had to endure their romance day after day, with no consideration for how I felt. Now I was salvaging their relationship, and they didn't even realize it. â€Å"I'll be right back,† I said, interrupting Mia's description of some of the other teenagers here. I was afraid if I sat there, I was going to say something I'd regret or maybe break a chair. Where had this rage come from? I went outside, hoping a gulp of cold air would calm me down. Instead, I got a face full of clove smoke. â€Å"Don't start in about the smoking,† warned Adrian. He was leaning against the building's brick wall. â€Å"You didn't have to come outside. You knew I was here.† â€Å"That's actually why I'm here. Well, that, and I felt like I was going to go crazy if I stayed inside another minute.† He tilted his head to look at my face. His eyebrows shot up. â€Å"You aren't kidding, are you? What happened? You were fine a few minutes ago.† I paced across the ground in front of him. â€Å"I don't know. I was fine. Then Christian and Lissa started having this stupid argument over you. It was weird. They were the ones who were mad – and then I ended up madder than both of them.† â€Å"Wait. They were arguing over me?† â€Å"Yes. I just said that. Weren't you paying attention?† â€Å"Hey, don't snap at me. I haven't done anything to you.† I crossed my arms over my chest. â€Å"Christian's jealous because you hang around Lissa so much.† â€Å"We're studying spirit,† said Adrian. â€Å"He's welcome to join in.† â€Å"Yeah, well, no one ever said love was reasonable. Seeing you come back together kind of set him off. And then he got upset because you pulled rank with the queen for Lissa.† â€Å"I didn't do it for her. I did it for all of you – but, well, you especially.† I came to a halt in front of him. â€Å"I didn't believe you. That you could do it.† He grinned. â€Å"Guess you should have listened to my family history in that dream after all.† â€Å"I guess. I just thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I couldn't finish. I'd thought Dimitri would be the one who came through for me, the one who – despite what he said – could make almost anything happen. But he hadn't. â€Å"Thought what?† Adrian prompted. â€Å"Nothing.† With much effort, I managed to utter the next words. â€Å"Thank you for helping us.† â€Å"Oh my God,† he said. â€Å"A kind word from Rose Hathaway. I can die a happy man.† â€Å"What are you saying? That I'm normally an ungrateful bitch?† He just looked at me. â€Å"Hey! Not cool.† â€Å"Maybe you could redeem yourself with a hug.† I glared. â€Å"A small one?† he begged. With a sigh, I walked over and put one arm around Adrian, leaning my head lightly against his arm. â€Å"Thanks, Adrian.† We stood like that for a heartbeat. I felt none of the crazy electricity or connection I did with Dimitri, but I had to admit that Lissa had been right about something. Adrian was annoying and arrogant at times, but he really wasn't the bastard I often made him out to be. The doors opened, and Lissa and the others stepped outside. They understandably looked surprised, but I didn't care just then. Besides, they probably all thought I was pregnant with Adrian's love child, so what did it matter? I backed away. â€Å"Heading out?† I asked. â€Å"Yeah, Mia's got more important things to do than hang out with us,† joked Christian. â€Å"Hey, I just told my dad I'd meet him. I'll see you guys before I leave.† She started to walk away, then abruptly turned around. â€Å"God, I'm so out of it.† She reached into her coat pocket and handed me a folded piece of paper. â€Å"This is half the reason I found you guys. One of the court clerks wanted me to give this to you.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said, puzzled. She headed off to see her dad while the rest of us strolled back to our accommodations. I slowed my pace as I opened the note, wondering who in the world here would want to contact me. Rose, I was so happy to hear about your arrival. I'm sure it'll make tomorrow's proceedings that much more entertaining. I've been curious for quite some time about how Vasilisa is doing, and your romantic escapades are always an amusing diversion. I can't wait to share them in the courtroom tomorrow. Best, V.D. â€Å"Who's it from?† asked Eddie, coming up beside me. I hastily folded it up and shoved it into my pocket. â€Å"No one,† I replied. No one indeed. V. D. Victor Dashkov.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Describe the Different Stakeholders Who Influence the Purpose of Two Contrasting Organisations Essays

Describe the Different Stakeholders Who Influence the Purpose of Two Contrasting Organisations Essays Describe the Different Stakeholders Who Influence the Purpose of Two Contrasting Organisations Essay Describe the Different Stakeholders Who Influence the Purpose of Two Contrasting Organisations Essay Typical stakeholders in a organisation might include Customers: customers want value for money which involves providing the highest quality products at competitive prices. Employees: Their stake is that the company provides them with am livelihood. They want security of employments, good rates of reward and also promotional opportunities. Suppliers: They want to feel valued by the company and want frequent orders with prompt payments. Owners: In a company it would be the shareholders. Owners are often thought to be the most important stakeholders because they have set up the business and give a lot of time into the company to make it successful. Owners like to see their share of profit increasing, and the value of their business rising. Trade Unions: This is for groups of employees who seek to secure higher wages and better working conditions for their members. Employer associations: This is the same as trade unions but for the employers, representing the interests of employers in specific industries. Local and National Communities: The actions of business can have a dramatic effect on communities. E. g. The oil Giant Shell has built vast pipelines in Nigeria, which runs through the lands of various tribal peoples. The pipelines can be very dangerous and causes local pollution. Community leaders therefore represent important interest groups Governments: The government wants businesses to become successful, to create jobs and to pay taxes. They want to see good businesses that take a full responsibility on looking after the welfare of society. Influence of stakeholders on organisations A business needs to take account of the interests of all its stakeholder groupings. These interests are linked together. For example if Richard Branson decides to run his virgin trains using greener fuels, this means that the cost of journeys on Virgin trains increases. This may be a bad thing because: Customers may have to pay higher fares Shareholders may get lower profits Virgin buys from new suppliers rather than the old ones Some jobs may be a risk The government may lose taxes However, it may be seen as a good thing because: It is better for the environment More people may want to travel by train because its greener Employees feel better about working for a greener transport company The company may increase sales and make more profits.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Too Connected to Social Media Essay Example

Too Connected to Social Media Essay Example Too Connected to Social Media Essay Too Connected to Social Media Essay Essay Topic: Social Media Are we too connected? Last Monday was just an average Monday. My friend sent out a tweet about her new art show and so I wall posted her via facebook about the time and location in which she replied via a comment saying that she would give me a call. She followed up with a voicemail message and an invitation email, sent to my personal account of course. I then texted her telling of my availability and keenness to see her recent work. At the end of my Monday something occurred to me; actually it was more like I was slapped in the face by the hand of modern technology. I had seemingly been communicating all day and yet somehow connected with nobody. I myself am an avid enthusiast of the joys of modern technology so you can see why I did not absorb this epiphany with composure. Speaking as an 18-year-old girl whose middle school years were marked by the likes of MySpace I feel as if I am very well educated on the topic of digital communication. I have experienced first hand the infectious, consuming nature of social media sites. The internet allows me to instantly connect with my overseas relatives and at the same time sucks me into a vortex of procrastination. It would appear that somewhere between windows 98 and the ipad3 we as a society have manipulated ourselves into a constant state of flux; endlessly devoted to the idea that we must always be connected. Digital Libraian and fournder of the Internet Archive Brewster Kahle explains, â€Å"A lot of our brain, a lot of our worth to the world, a lot of our memories, are actually not in our heads anymore. Theyre actually in the Web, in the weave, in the interconnections, the friends that we can touch at a moments notice. Thats who makes us powerful. â€Å" It would appear that for most of us technology is no longer just a tool. It is a family photo album, it’s our workspace, it’s dinner with friends at six. Teenagers change their profile page to reflect their ever-changing adolescent identities. Mothers are swapping recipes and parenting advice online. Singles are reaching out, exposing who they are in search for love. Businessmen are uploading their resumes virtually in order to climb the corporate ladder. Technology has become inherent to the way in which we function daily. As this urgency to contact one another grows so to does the need to disconnect. Things are not as intimate as they once were. It would seem that we’re almost always in a public space even from the privacy of our homes. This idea that we are always connected is in reality a false problem. You can turn the switch off, unplug, shutdown and so on. When is the last time you went without a piece of technology? Why we do rely on technology like an emotional crutch, supporting our need to interact? Technology will continue to rapidly grow and so too will knew and wonderful ways to connect globally. With this we must train ourselves. It is a hard truth, but we do not need to know what everybody is doing at every point of the day. It is a matter of quality vs. quantity. Sometimes you have to step away from the faceless monitor, let your IPhone run flat, stop sharing life so candidly and instead enjoy the simplicities

Sunday, October 20, 2019

strong people essays

strong people essays Do you admire strong people? What about people who you wish you could be like? Or, are you someone who likes a real man who treats a girl right? Debbie Maccomber puts all of these elements in Navy Brat. Erin MacMamera is a hard working woman whos strong, and Brandon Davis is a charming man, who every girl would dream to have. I highly recommend that this book be read. First of all, Brandon Davis is a good guy, and every girl would dream to be with him. Brandon is a very gorgeous looking person. Most good looking guys dont even give girls a chance, unless they are perfect. This is because most men are jerks and only care about looks. They dont try to see inner beauty. Brand is different. Even though hes drop dead gorgeous, he falls for Erin. Erin isnt the prettiest woman. She is described as a sophisticated and distinctively Irish. The author says shes pretty but shes not even close to being strikingly beautiful. Brand sees past this and treats her like a woman should be treated. To him, she was the most beautiful woman in the world. What girls wouldnt want a guy like that? When Brand was away at sea because he was in the navy, he wrote Erin a letter every single day. No matter what, he made it a point to write to her. If thats not sweet, then I dont know what is. He was very persistent with Erin because he wanted to be with her. But if she wante d him to stop pushing her he did. He never forced her to do anything she didnt want to, and he backed off when she needed space. Quite clearly, Brand is an extremely wonderful man. Not all men are like that. A lot get bored, give up easily, or treat girls poorly. Brand is totally different. Hes definitely a dream guy that any girl would want! Second, the character of Erin MacNamera is an extremely admirable one. Shes a very strong, well educated, and caring individual. She picked her life up on her own and moved...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Investgation(Human Resource Management) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Investgation(Human Resource Management) - Essay Example The term 'Human Resource Management' is not very new to people all over. The growths of policies following this particular property have proved to be very successful. It is very affective in carrying out an individual's quality to enhance his job skills. These policies have been able to succeed because of human resource management. Based on theoretical work in the field of organizational behavior; human resource management is defined as: "It is a set of policies designed to maximize organizational integration. It comprises of a set of policies which are employee commitment, flexibility and quality of work."1 The purpose of this research was to study and evaluate the importance of Human Resource Management. Human Resource Management has moderated the relationship between turnover and manufacturing performance. Employees related to human resource management jobs help in understanding the psychology of the top managers as well as the subordinates. Congruencies in the set of policies and rules have boosted up the progress reports of a number of organizations. The problems concerning the different level workers are carried to the managers or top management through human resource managers. They are of great assistance in making things work smoothly in the organization and help in providing solutions to different problems. The first results of the research have become apparent and all that needs to be done is to apply these strategies in the organization. It will be ensured that careful and well planned measures are taken to guarantee the embedding. Measuring of results: An HRM employability portfolio will be maintained to evaluate the results of the applied strategies. This research will be carried out by RAO. Innovation of approach to recruitment and selection: A new rend will be introduced and according to this employees will be hired for a career at UM for a more diversified job. The job will not be related to only their qualification in educational qualities. Emphasis will be laid on the leadership and management qualities. Competence management: Competence management means building up a strong relationship between the qualities and capabilities of the employees to cope up with the ambition, strategy and objective of the organization. Strategic training policy: This policy emphasizes that all the training activities that will be conducted in UM, be registered. HRM tools will be used for this purpose. One of them includes the competence profile which will be developed on national level. Teaching career: Search will be conducted to examine the desirability of training and

Friday, October 18, 2019

Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example My personality assessment results define me as being emotionally intelligent, and socially responsive. My emotional intelligence allows me to accurately understand and express emotions effectively. My social responsiveness makes me excel in interpersonal and social relationships. On combining these personality traits, I stand a chance of making a successful entrepreneur. Part II â€Å"Working with Others† Individuals with different personality traits gather up to make organizations. These individuals may be rooting from diverse social backgrounds. Someone’s social background determines most part of his personality. Therefore, I acknowledge the fact that in any given social setting, one meets people from diverse backgrounds who should work together as one community. This brings up the issue of working with others within the same social setting. My assessment sheet shows that I am good at communication (Edward, 2009 p.82). This entails both my speaking and listening skill s. I am a good public speaker as well as well as an attentive listener. On the aspect of leading others, I learned that many could trust me. I also have the capability of coordinating task activities by being able to articulate matching individuals into work structures. I have a manipulative personality. I can persuade other members of a society to adopt my convictions and principles. When I encounter individuals with opposing beliefs, I accommodate their views and opinions. In a case where we demonstrate conflicting ideas with my colloquies, I am always ready to reach a compromise. All these traits help me to predict my outcome when working with individuals from a diverse background. I have learned that I can build good professional relationships with my... From this research it is clear that organizational behavior comprises of other academic fields, which include psychology, management, sociology, anthropology, and communication. The interrelationship of these independent disciplines constitutes organizational behavior. As one of the elemental disciplines making up organizational behavior, psychology involves the scientific study of individuals’ minds by studying their mode of social conduct. Psychology aims at establishing an understanding of individuals within a social context. It entails the major concepts of human behavior like emotions, perception, personality, and interpersonal relationships. One can comprehend that this aspect of psychology gives organizational behavior its’ typical characteristics. It is psychology that brings about the study and application of knowledge on how individuals and groups act within any given social setting. Apart from understanding individuals, organization behavior also analyses the concept of leadership in organizations. It highlights the typical characteristics of ideal leaders based on their personality and behavior. Organizational Behavior achieves its objective of understanding individuals with self-assessment inventories. It is through these inventories that individuals get to know their psychological and sociological make-up. The biblical scripture asserts the importance of understanding ourselves as individuals before starting to understand other members of the society.

Target Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Target Corporation - Essay Example Target Corp. used credit lending as a form of ensuring there is return and profit from the credit. However, this happened at a time when there was an ongoing credit crisis. What comes out, therefore, is a possible scrutiny of the customers who were offered the credit that made the company so confident that there would be a return even if the general economic status was not friendly (Palepu & Healy, 2012). Second, is the issue of getting rid of credit defaulters in a corporation? For quite sometimes, the company has been engaged in a defaulter eradication process that has left Target dealing with only trusted clients with whom it was easy and safe to trust the credit. The third point that comes out from the article is the credibility of the company’s evaluation system that was able to predict returns on lending for a second time at a time when the credit market is in crisis. This reduced the losses because of client’s payment problems as well as renegotiations of terms of receivable because of customer’s difficulty. The fourth point to reflect on is the future of a risky process like this. Although Target showed considerably good profits from the process, there are concerns about the company’s sales, which have been on credit rather than on cash. When a company keeps adding on the bad-loans reserve, the losses are sure to catch up with the credit losses that will make the process unsustainable and lead to failure (Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield,

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Cold War Movies of 1960s and 1980s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cold War Movies of 1960s and 1980s - Essay Example A medium that, while being consumed by millions throughout the world, would play a factor in distinguishing ideological differences between nations, whatever those may be. In the case of this time in history, "The Cold War was characterized by mutual distrust, suspicion, and misunderstandings by both the United States and the Soviet Union, and their allies. At times, these conditions increased the likelihood of a third world war. The United States accused the Soviet Union of seeking to expand Communism throughout the world. The Soviets, meanwhile, charged the United States with practicing imperialism and with attempting to stop revolutionary activity in other countries," ("Cold War", p.1). Such mistrust would greatly impact how each nation was viewed on the part of the other. By the 1980s, "In 1987, Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed a treaty to eliminate many of the ground-launched, nuclear missiles of both nations. The treaty went into effect in 1988. In 1988 and 1989, the U.S.S.R. withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. Also in the late 1980's, the Soviet Union began to reduce its conventional military forces in Eastern Europe. In the U.S.S.R., Gorbachev worked for a more decentralized economic system and allowed more democracy and freedom of expression. He also encouraged similar actions in Eastern Europe," ("Cold War", p.1). In the 1960s, two movies produced, which would best exemplify the present views held about the Soviet Union, would have been, 'The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!' & 'Dr. Strangelove'. In the case of "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!", the movie would have to do with a Russian submarine that would approach the American coastline. A Russian gentleman that was seeking to get a better look at America. A group of 9 men, lead by a Russian gentleman, is given the task of taking care of the submarine. These men head to a house, where they seek to convince the inhabitants that they are Norwegians, but are unsuccessful. One of the Russian gentleman points a gun at the man who lived in the house and requested his assistance in finding a boat so that the Russian crew could leave. As for 'Dr. Strangelove', Director Stanley Kubrick uses his movie to show what could very well occur, if when the time came, the decision to initiate a nuclear attack occurs. While doing this, Kubrick would take a more comedic approach to the broader issue at hand. In the movie, a US bomber is going about completing the mission they are involved in, when they are told by their command to attack the Russians. A chance for some in the American military to flex their muscle, they are later informed by representatives of the Russian government that they too have in their possession a weapon of great magnitude. On that, if fired, would create massive destruction that would be felt throughout the world and would be used if they were attacked. With the 1980s came a change in political policy, as well as the movies that would be produced. In 'Moscow on the Hudson', Robin Williams stars as a young Russian man that arrives in the United States looking for opportunities, which he felt he didn't have in his home country. After going to a major department store, Williams' character makes it known that he desires to become an American

Psychology-Interview Profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Psychology-Interview Profile - Essay Example Tell me about yourself. Paulo Antonio: I’m Paulo Antonio, 31 years old and a graduate of BA Psychology. I may be getting married this year to my girlfriend of three years. I have two younger siblings; my brother is a marketing agent while my sister is a nurse. My mother works as a company consultant, and my dad is a businessman. He left us when I was in college, and he has another family now; we see each other every now and then. I’m usually optimistic, and I take a time out from work and other stressors when I feel that it gets hard to breathe, figuratively. C.I.: How does a person’s race, gender, or ethnicity contribute to his personality and attitudes? P.A.: Well, race, gender, or ethnicity always contribute to an individual’s wholeness. They do not necessarily solely ground the person’s attitudes and personality, but they do play their parts, especially when you consider the society. Take for example, gender. Although the present times are more open to equal gender roles, it cannot be denied that there are still several stereotypes that men are more dominant, and women, let’s say, are more emotional. Another, race. I am a Hispanic, and you are an African-American. We have different cultures and backgrounds that mold our personalities, making us who we are today. Usually Hispanic families have two parents in the household, but look at us, we have a single parent since years ago. That, for example, has changed how I act and perceive things, specifically in line with family values. C.I.: Personally speaking, what is the strongest influence on your attitudes? P.A.: As mentioned, I tend to have a positive attitude. I think my mother has influenced me a lot. She is a really strong woman. She has taught me, both directly and indirectly, that every problem that comes is accompanied by a hidden solution you have to uncover yourself so you can learn things in life that cannot be found in books. She sees light in little things , and she is very spiritual, which I believe has helped her a lot in her struggles. Observing her, and watching her, I believe that my optimism is something I owe her for passing on to me. C.I.: Do you self-monitor, or look back at yourself, with regard to your attitudes? How so? P.A.: Of course, I think everyone basically does. Although I am generally optimistic, there are times when I feel like the world is on my shoulders, and I fall back to being negative. Being a Psychology major has helped me, though. It’s now easier to detect when I’m being too hard on myself, so I snap out of those morbid thoughts. Sometimes I see myself implementing a â€Å"self-cognitive behavioral therapy!† *laughs* C.I.: Good for you. They say a man’s personality sums up his characteristics from different aspects. What experiences most contributed to the development of your personality? P.A.: I think it was when dad left us. Although I was in college already, my siblings were young, then. And taking into consideration our usually conservative culture, I felt ashamed that we had to go through such experience. Our relatives back home had strong family bonds and generally stayed with traditional gender roles. It seemed like everything had to change quickly. Mom had to find a better-paying job, and I felt the urge to stand as the man of the house. My thinking changed, and I was emotionally vulnerable but I had to learn how to deal with it. Dad leaving was a blessing in disguise - I learned how to take care of myself and my family better. C.I.: Have you taken the Myers-Briggs test? How

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Cold War Movies of 1960s and 1980s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cold War Movies of 1960s and 1980s - Essay Example A medium that, while being consumed by millions throughout the world, would play a factor in distinguishing ideological differences between nations, whatever those may be. In the case of this time in history, "The Cold War was characterized by mutual distrust, suspicion, and misunderstandings by both the United States and the Soviet Union, and their allies. At times, these conditions increased the likelihood of a third world war. The United States accused the Soviet Union of seeking to expand Communism throughout the world. The Soviets, meanwhile, charged the United States with practicing imperialism and with attempting to stop revolutionary activity in other countries," ("Cold War", p.1). Such mistrust would greatly impact how each nation was viewed on the part of the other. By the 1980s, "In 1987, Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed a treaty to eliminate many of the ground-launched, nuclear missiles of both nations. The treaty went into effect in 1988. In 1988 and 1989, the U.S.S.R. withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. Also in the late 1980's, the Soviet Union began to reduce its conventional military forces in Eastern Europe. In the U.S.S.R., Gorbachev worked for a more decentralized economic system and allowed more democracy and freedom of expression. He also encouraged similar actions in Eastern Europe," ("Cold War", p.1). In the 1960s, two movies produced, which would best exemplify the present views held about the Soviet Union, would have been, 'The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!' & 'Dr. Strangelove'. In the case of "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!", the movie would have to do with a Russian submarine that would approach the American coastline. A Russian gentleman that was seeking to get a better look at America. A group of 9 men, lead by a Russian gentleman, is given the task of taking care of the submarine. These men head to a house, where they seek to convince the inhabitants that they are Norwegians, but are unsuccessful. One of the Russian gentleman points a gun at the man who lived in the house and requested his assistance in finding a boat so that the Russian crew could leave. As for 'Dr. Strangelove', Director Stanley Kubrick uses his movie to show what could very well occur, if when the time came, the decision to initiate a nuclear attack occurs. While doing this, Kubrick would take a more comedic approach to the broader issue at hand. In the movie, a US bomber is going about completing the mission they are involved in, when they are told by their command to attack the Russians. A chance for some in the American military to flex their muscle, they are later informed by representatives of the Russian government that they too have in their possession a weapon of great magnitude. On that, if fired, would create massive destruction that would be felt throughout the world and would be used if they were attacked. With the 1980s came a change in political policy, as well as the movies that would be produced. In 'Moscow on the Hudson', Robin Williams stars as a young Russian man that arrives in the United States looking for opportunities, which he felt he didn't have in his home country. After going to a major department store, Williams' character makes it known that he desires to become an American

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Media and its Representation of Islam and Muslim Women Term Paper

The Media and its Representation of Islam and Muslim Women - Term Paper Example in Munro). Anti-Muslim movement or sentiment in western media in general and American media in particular is an inevitable repercussion of Soviet disintegration. After utilizing Soviet Union as scapegoat for decades, westerners seeking for a new enemy soon found fundamentalist or most frequently used as synonymous to Muslims through their media. This scenario led to the anti-Arab and anti-Muslim racist attitude which is continuously reinforced in the minds of general public in west. Media imagery, western ethnocentrism, and American geographic isolation added to American insularity. Moreover, World Trade Centre bombings stamped on the fears and self righteousness of western mind. It led to racial hatred, violence against Muslims, vandalizing mosques, and targeting Muslim businesses. Media contributed profoundly in negative representation of Islam and Muslims. Muslims laws and customs are always not only reported out of context but constantly reinforced through images and text in news papers, television, and films. Arabs are portrayed as terrorists in particular while Muslims are represented to be fundamentalists (Goren). Media shapes and reshapes the cultural identities and perspectives in people’s mind. Shaheen refers Hollywood as an effective teacher for young minds who are taught from 1896 that Muslims are Arabs and they are insensitive, brutal, fanatics, uncivilized, and greedy. They are only involved in killing and oppressing weak in their society and civilized foreigners (2).Islam is generally perceived as a Middle East phenomenon while Pakistan is also considered in for good measures. However, this is not recent trend because similar negative interpretations and representations tainted media reports about Iran and Lebanon in past as well (Goren). When esteemed international news magazine, such as Newsweek’s reporting a cover story on the rise of â€Å"militant Islam† without noticing other dimensions of the faith under-discussion, it registers as a persistent image in viewer and readers. It is highly unlikely to find articles and reports in mainstream media on Islamic art, poetry, philosophy, or architecture. There is little or no acknowledgment of the diversity of Muslim culture all over the world. Muslims may have their roots in Middle East, Bosnian Muslims are white, Indonesian and Malaysians are Orientals, and Senegalese and Sudanese or Africans are blacks. Initially, â€Å"Muslim fundamentalist† were either â€Å"Shiite† geographically residing in Iran, Lebanon, or Pakistan with some exceptions in other areas. Today the fear is beyond boundaries, it belongs to religion. A Pakistani news paper â€Å"The News† observes in its editorial that western media counters Islam in a terrified, unaware, and aggressive manner. Rather than representing Islam in derogatory manner, they should dig in-depth and try to understand the diverse history and tradition which will give them the opportunity to l earn and appreciate countless positive aspects of Islam and Muslim culture (qtd. in Goren). Ahmed explains the role of western media in prevailing and upholding negative image of Islam and attributes it as, â€Å"The evil demon: the media as master† (qtd. in Bennett 9).Edward Said also explore this media discrimination extensively in his book

Lampara Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC) Essay Example for Free

Lampara Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC) Essay I. INTRODUCTION: Lampara Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC), registered with the Cooperative Development Authority on June 12, 2007 with Registration No. D-623-6240 has been organized to help people maximize their potentials to live a healthy, productive life and in the process become responsible members of Society. LMPC educates its members to earn and save the cooperative way. LMPC has recently sourced out an exclusive Systems Provider for healthy, nutritious and highly oxygenized Anti-Oxidant Pi Water originally researched and developed in Japan and enhanced in Korea. This newly structured Pi Water Systems Provider has upgraded its Pi Water System with US-made 16-stages Synergy machine that makes the Pi water an anti-oxidant water and with the German Technology oxygen-generating machine developed by the Department of Science and Technology. The Pi water produced by the system has been tested to have an even higher effect than any of the Pi Waters introduced in the Philippines to date due to its unique qualities and characteristics presented below. LMPC is now ready to distribute domestically and internationally the AQUAPORIN PI WATER SYSTEM equipped with the latest technology in Pi Water System. The investors in the Aquaporin Anti-Oxidant Pi Water Refilling Station will be assured of a profitable, unique, and healthy business venture. II. QUALITIES OF THE AQUAPORIN PI WATER: Aquaporin Pi Water has been synergized by the Bio-Nano technology to produce an even reduced water molecule clusters for greater absorption and interaction by the cells of the body, higher water-based mineral contents because of its mineral enhancer cartridge that produces a stable alkaline water with pH 7.8 on the meter, greater energy enhanced by its far infrared cartridges and higher oxygen content with its DOST-developed oxygen generating machine. It has been further powered by a Synergy machine that makes the water an anti-oxidant water. These qualities of the Aquaporin Pi Water will ensure that the water we drink is healthy, nutritious, energized and contains higher level of oxygen like no other. III. ADVANTAGES OF PURCHASING AN AQUAPORIN ANTIOXIDANT PI WATER REFILLING STATION: 1. The Aquaporin Antioxidant Pi Water Refilling System aims to optimize return of investment employing the marketing strategies adopted by LMPC. Once established, the Aquaporin Pi Water Refilling Station (APWRS) becomes a branch of LMPC to serve as the center of operation and marketing service for its members. Page 1 2. The Systems’ flagship (Aquaporin Antioxidant Pi Water’s) characteristics are: 3.1 It has the most minimal piping problems with 50 years warranty on parts. The materials used are guaranteed to survive ageing, cracking, breakage from pressure and bumps, and many more; 2.2 It employs commercial filtration and machineries in processing alkaline, mineralized and Synergized Bio-Nano Pi Waters that is capable of producing an anti-oxidant water; 2.3 It incorporates the latest technology called OPS or Oxygen Processing System that was  Department of Science and Technology (DOST) tested to have high beneficial health effect; 2.4 Its system-parts passed all standards for safe-drinking water; 2.5 Each system installed is registered in the Bureau of Health Devices and Technology (BHDT) of the Department of Health for system certification and validation of quality and functionality; 2.6 The system produces super fine water because of its nano-tech filters that renders water clusters smaller and full of energy; 2.7 The systems use the highest quality materials to ascertain quality production; 2.8 All system parts are brand new. Not a single part is reconditioned or second hand. These parts are not available cheap unless reconditioned. Beware of companies that offer very cheap systems; 2.9 System parts and labor has ONE (1) YEAR WARRANTY 2.10 Special technologies applied are exclusive and are not available in other systems; 2.11 The Aquaporin Pi Water business put up by the investor is not just a profit entity, rather, its business is banking on a mission to help share better health and MAKE A DIFFERENCE in the lives of people. 2.11 When the investor decides to put up the Aquaporin Anti-Oxidant Pi Water Refilling Station he is practically creating a niche in the market resolving any potential direct competition. 2 We offer maximum training of business standardization and operations to make sure that the Aquaporin Anti-Oxidant Pi Water Refilling Station (AAPWRS) owners are well equipped to operate, manage and run his business like a professional water refilling station operator. 3 Investor may opt to make his AAP Water Refilling Station fully automated and computerized with a minimal additional cost (see Feasibility Study/ROI attached); 4 The Systems Provider of APPWRS is composed of a team of professional engineers and exclusive contractors whose expertise comes from years of water treatment experiences aimed to GUARANTEE quality products, services and installations. IV. SERVICES TO ASSURE INVESTORS OF A â€Å"PROFITABLE, UNIQUE AND HEALTHY BUSINESS VENTURE†: 1. Consultancy and Planning (1 month Management Program) 1.1 Conduct a research and feasibility of the business in the specified area of operation; 2.2 Assist in the design of the Station renovation, engineering specifications, like floor plan, electrical plan, appearance and imaging, etc.; 2.3 Assist in business registrations, legal documentations of the company and accounting services; Page 2 2.4 Assist in the design of business concepts, logo, marketing materials, advertisements and other business forms; 2.5 Manage and teach the business for one month to make sure that all systems go smoothly and correctly. 2. Standardization: 2.1 Documentation of business operations; 3.6 Forms and compliances 3.7 Business software and programming 3. Training: 3.1 Technical training – operation of the system, maintenance, basic trouble Shooting proper handling of waters, etc.; 4.8 High standard operations and qality management 4.9 Basic bookkeeping, accounting and compliances 4.10 Sales and marketing strategies and operations 4.11 Quality assurance management 4.12 Manpower and hiring 4.13 Quality servicing and customer services management 4. 24/7 on-line helpdesk and assistance. V. APPWRS will be the LMPC BRANCHES AND SATELLITE OFFICES: The Aquaporin Anti-Oxidant Pi Water Station (APPWRS) shall become LMPC’s branches and/or satellite offices in the area. Only one (1) APPWRS will be established in a Municipality /or District in big cities and Provinces. The LMPC program with its diversified sources of livelihood that are synergistically integrated to achieve a healthy, productive and responsible members of Society using the cooperative system of relationship will be implemented in all the areas of operation of APPWRS. VI. AQUAPORIN ANTI-OXIDANT PI-WATER SYSTEM COMPONENT: 1. The 3-in-1 Pi Filtration System – the complete Commercial Pi-producing Water System fully automated and computerized * Production machineries (cartridges and filters) to yield three (3) types of waters: (details of these machineries will be presented and discussed during the business meeting/s prior to signing of contract) * Oxygenated Ultra Fine Mineral Water * Oxygenated UF Sterilized Alkaline Synergized Water * Oxygenated UF Sterilized Bio-Nano Alkaline Antioxidant concentrated (Oz3) synergized Water. * High-end, Long-lasting Piping System * Initial Bottle Inventory Page 3 * Station Filling Equipment * Station Signage * 3-monthMaintenance Inventory * 1-month business management program * Down Payment for the cost of 1 unit of van for delivery. * Assistance in all aspects of services defined in Item IV. * Fully Automated filter-change indicator and computerized cleaning system * And many more . . . 2. 3-in-1 Pi Filtration System – the Standard Commercial Computerized Pi-producing Water System. * Production machineries (cartridges and filters) to yield three (3) types of waters: (details of these machineries will be presented and discussed during the business meeting/s prior to signing of contract) * Oxygenated Ultra Fine Mineral Water * Oxygenated UF Sterilized Alkaline Synergized Water * Oxygenated UF Sterilized Bio-Nano Alkaline Antioxidant concentrated (Oz3) synergized Water. * Fully Automated filter-change indicator * High-end, Long-lasting Piping System * Initial Bottle Inventory * Station Filling Equipment * Station Signage * 3-monthMaintenance Inventory * 1-month business management program * Down Payment for the cost of 1 unit of FB van for delivery. * Assistance in all aspects of services defined in Item IV. * And many more . . . 3. Basic Home Pi Filtration System which may be used for personal and home  purposes producing 2 types of waters (details to be presented and discussed during the business meeting/s prior to signing of contract for the APWRS) – this Personal Unit Aquaporin Pi Water System will exclusively be distributed by the APWRS. * Production machineries (cartridges and filters) to yield two (2) types of waters: * Super Fine Mineral Water * Highly Oxygenized UF Sterilized Alkaline Synergized Pi Water * High-end, Long-lasting Piping System * Assistance in all aspects of services defined in Item IV. Page 4 * 24/7 on-line helpdesk and assistance * Basic Pi Filtration System owners may opt to become satellite servicing office for LMPC * And many more . . . VII. PRICES 1. Aquaporin Antioxidant Pi Water Refilling Station with the 3-in-1 Complete Fully Automated and Computerized commercial Pi Filtration System with components described in Item VI-1 and services stated in Item V, costs ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P1,750,000.00) only, exclusive of site/location renovation/construction and 12% VAT. 2. Aquaporin Antioxidant Water Refilling Station with the 3-in-1 Pi Filtration standard commercial Pi-producing Water System with components described in Item VI-2 and services stated in Item V, costs ONE MILLION SIX HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P1,650,000.00) only; 3. Aquaporin Basic Home Pi Filtration System for personal or home use with the 2-in-1 Pi Filtration System and with components described in VI-2 would cost ONE HUNDRED TWENTY THOUSAND PESOS (P120,000.00). VIII. INSTALLATION: 1. Investor must have signed the Memorandum of Agreement for the Installation of the machines at the site or location of the business and payment of at least THIRTY PERCENT (30%) of the total contract price; 2. Water sample taken from the site/location of the Station must be submitted for analysis and potability; 3. Prior to installation, the site/location of the Station would have been inspected by an engineer from the Systems Provider. 4. One (1) week before the date of Installation, additional TWENTY PERCENT (20%) of total contract price must be remitted to LMPC, another TWENTY PERCENT (20%) upon installation and full payment within one (1) month after installation. 5. Faà §ade of the Aquaporin Antioxidant Pi Water Refilling Station must conform with standard appearance prescribed by the Systems provider.

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Labelling Theory

The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Labelling Theory Labelling theory and its theorists focus on the groups and/or individuals who were deemed to be criminal and labelled thus by society. Labelling theorists studied the various interactions between the criminal groups and individuals and the conformist society. Labeling theory was quite popular in the 1960s and early 1970s, but then fell into decline-partly as a result of the mixed results of empirical research. This essay will go on to show the origins of labelling theory, the theory itself and will show its strengths and weaknesses using various case-studies and examples. Tannenbaum (1938) is widely regarded as the first labelling theorist. His main concept was the dramatization of evil. He stated that if a person is described as being a criminal then he automatically becomes one. Erwin Lamert (1951) founded the societal Reaction theory. This theory is widely credited to be the forerunner of the present day labelling theory. His theory basically states that a person experiences social deviance in two phases. The first phase is known as the Primary deviance phase. The second is known as the Secondary deviance phase. According to Lemert, the primary deviance phase begins with a criminal act. He or she is then labelled criminal but has yet to accept the label. The main point of view is whether he or she has accepted the criminal label. If the person views themselves as a criminal then the secondary deviant phase has begun. The object of whether a person views himself or herself as a criminal is what differentiates between the primary and secondary devian t phases. Lemert states that there are exceptions and people continue to stay in the primary phase, an example would be someone who rationalizes that the so called criminal act is legal as it is necessary for them to survive and earn money (an exotic dancer would be an example). The secondary deviance phase usually begins when a person has accepted the criminal label. They then accept themselves as being criminal as use it to counter (either by moving with similar peer groups or by other means) societys reaction to the initial act. Howard Becker (1963) is held to be the architect of the modern labelling theory. He is also responsible for coining the term moral entrepreneur which is a term used to describe law making officials who get certain criminal behaviour illegal. Becker proposed that criminal behaviour is dynamic in nature and changes throughout time. He therefore suggested that the actual act is impertinent to the theory. What matters was the type of people going through the criminal justice system. Therefore Becker says that personal motives and the influence by society has nothing to do with criminal behaviour. This is the most debated part of the labelling theory brought about by him. Becker pays particular attention to how people and society react and operate with others who have the criminal label. He mentions that once a person has the label of criminal associated with him or her; it becomes stuck with them and acts as a constant label. This effect is so profound that Becker states that individuals with this label begin to be associated with the word criminal. All their other associations and labels such as that of parent, employee, and so on take a back seat. It becomes so extreme that it becomes their one and only status. Foster et al, 1972 say that in certain unique cases, the label of criminal may force an individual to integrate back into society and try and try and show them that the criminal act he or she committed was a mistake and will not happen again (cited in Labelling theory). Although in most cases secondary deviance will be accomplished in which the person accepts the label of criminal and begins to associate with similarly branded people, losing contact with friends who conform to societies rules (Becker, 1963 cited in Labelling Theory). It has occurred only when both the society and individual consider him or her to be a criminal or a deviant. Labelling theory however has many inherent drawbacks. Firstly, according to Wellford (1975) the theory states that no acts are inherently criminal, and states that acts are only criminal when society considers them to be so. There are clearly some acts considered wrong in almost all the societies and nations in the world, murder, arson are a few such examples (cited in labelling theory). Secondly is the process of self-labelling. Hagen (1973) brings about the concept of self-labelling, in which he states the example of a murderer who has avoided all suspicion (the act is not criminal if no one is around to witness it or label him). He goes on to say that the murderer may have a conscience which will cause him to label himself or herself as a murderer. This goes against the labelling theory, which states that labelling must come from a third party. Thirdly, labelling theory is supposed to cover all criminal activity and has an effect on everyone irrespective of their race, social clas s, sex and age (Becker, 1963). Other criminologists have been doubtful of this part of the theory and hold that a persons race, social class and so on do have an effect. They mention that the above mentioned factors can either enhance or mitigate the effects of labelling theory. There is however no scientific study on the effects of the above factors. Marshall and Purdy (1972) stated that the studies conducted reflected actual behavioural differences that were reacted to differently by different people. Fourthly, it matters on who the audience is comprised of, as the level of denouncement an individual feels depends on the audiences reaction to the act. As the labelling theory states, the first is the audience learning about the act that is considered criminal and not the act itself. As it has already been explained, if the audience doesnt know about it then it is not a crime. Different audiences may have different reactions to a crime and thus the punishment and the labelling will vary even though the same crime is being committed. The last drawback of the labelling theory is that the personality of the individual matters. This can cause problems. The level of stigmatization an individual gets varies on whether or not he cares about his label. Studies have come across certain individuals that have personality traits which makes them resistant to the labels conferred on them by society. The biggest drawback one may say that affects labelling theory is that it has not yet been empirically validated. Some studies found that being officially labeled a criminal (e.g. arrested or convicted) increased subsequent crime, while other studies did not. Although there are many studies that validate it, there are none that can offer significant data in its support. Labelling also involves both a wrong or deviant act and a deviant person. There are however several things that are wrong with the drawbacks. The first one mentions that murder, arson and so on are all criminal in most of the nations and societies. That is not a drawback but merely a statement of facts. It merely states what society currently thinks. In the future the mindset of society may change and acts that were previously considered to be criminal may be legalised. History has shown that society has and will change to accept criminal behaviour or to make legal behaviour illegal. An example would be that of homosexuality. In the early times, it was illegal. Now it is legal. The smoking of marijuana is another example, although it is illegal in most of the societies and nations it is now slowly being tolerated in some and even being legalised in others. One of the other drawbacks also mentions the aspect of self-labelling. But as mentioned before, the individual or group may seek to rationalize their behaviour, thus avoiding the prospect of self labelli ng. An example would be a person stealing to satisfy his hunger. He would not label himself as a criminal as it was a necessary for him to do so. Thus most of the drawbacks can be explained. Lemert (1967) brought out the connection between social reaction and deviance through his studies and research of a number of Indian tribes in British Columbia. He noticed that in some tribes, stuttering occurred among their members and their language mentioned stuttering. Other tribes however had no mention of stuttering in their language and had no members of their tribes stuttering. Lemert could not establish a clear reason as to why that was so. He then went on to find that tribe that had stuttering, placed a very high meaning and emphasis on storytelling and oratory skills. Children of those tribes that placed a very high emphasis on storytelling were often brought up in a culture that placed a high value on not stuttering and having good oratory skills. Those that were not able to conform to the rest of the tribe i.e. had bad storytelling and oratory skills were mocked. Lemert concluded that the pressure placed on the members of the tribe to have good skills and the subsequent mockery and social exclusion if they didnt posses the oratory skills led to the development of stuttering. He said that in tribes where good oratory skills were not expected, there was no negative reaction and hence there was no deviance of the above type. He thus said that such type of labelling leads to more deviant behaviour. Thomas Scheff (1966) published Being Mentally Ill, was the first instance of labelling theory being applied to the term of Mentally Ill. Scheff said that mental ill was the product of societal influence, going against the common perceptions of the time. When society finds some act criminal or deviant, they usually place the term of Mental Illness on those who show that behaviour so that society can understand the reason for the behaviour and come to terms with it. According to him, society then places certain behavioural expectations on the individual and the individual subconsciously changes his behaviour to suit the expectations of society. He said that there are no different types of the mentally ill with just one type who conform to what society has labelled them to be. Walter Grove on the other hand was vehemently opposed to the theory proposed by Thomas Scheff. Grove argued the opposite point. He said that labelling theory and the mentally ill have no influence on one another. He said that people are said to be mentally ill, when they display behaviour that makes them to be so. Grove said that society has no influence whatsoever on mental illness. He said that due to their illness, they behave differently most of the time and are hence treated as such. There have been studies to show how after being diagnosed with a mental illness labelling has taken an effect, such as not being offered houses and jobs, but there is very little to show that labelling was the cause of mental illness in the first place. Thus we can say that labelling does have a profound effect but has yet to be shown that it was labelling that caused the illness in the first place. Labelling can have different aspects as well. An example would be drugs. Marijuana for example is tolerated in Amsterdam and is legal in other parts of the world (Mexico allows four grams for personal use). In those societies, soft drugs and their users are accepted and are not labelled as deviant or criminal. In these societies we see limited drug use and little or no overdoses and or drug abuse. In other societies however, soft drugs are illegal and the people who use them are labelled as deviant. It is in these societies that the policing organisations have trouble controlling the abuse of drugs. This is due to the fact that people with low self esteem or a different/weak personality trait takes these drugs to show that they can handle it and want to rebel against society. Becker (1953) wrote in his book, the Marijuana user, that the drug does not produce any addiction and that it has no withdraw sickness or any sort of substance that makes the user crave for the drug. The most fr equent use would be recreational. He questioned fifty of those users and found that they did not have any pre-dispositional behaviour towards it. They would be able to smoke it at one time and at others, they wont be able to. Thus the quality of deviance does not reside in the behaviour itself, but is rather the outcome of responses to that behaviour by various social audiences (Tierney). The daily mail ran an article which stated that some people were more likely to smoke if they saw Smoking Kills on it. This was due to the fact the these people had low self esteem and by doing something that brings them close to the edge makes them feel like a rebel. Thus we see that labelling though introduced to help society and make it a better place can actually make it worse. This part of the labelling theory has many policy implications. Intervention may make things worse. Labelling theory supports the idea of radical non-interventionism, in which policy dictates that certain acts are decrim inalised and the removal of the social stigmata surrounding the acts. The effect of labelling theory on juvenile behaviour is a bit more pronounced and clear. Youths are especially vulnerable to labelling theory. Once they start to believe in their negative labels, self rejection occurs which plays a major role in the social rejection theory. This self rejection attitude leads to the rejection of the norms of society and gives them a motive to deviate from conventional values of society. They then form bonds with like minded deviant peers. These youths then go on to reject those that have labelled them and tend to set up their own criminal lifestyles consisting of criminal behaviour. In schools, those that come from a working class family or a lower class, the youth gangs are seen as trouble makers compared to the middle class gangs who are labelled as pranksters instead. Research has shown that many of the youth gangs who come from the lower class get arrested and are labelled further as criminals. Gouldner (1968) argued that labelling theorists made the individual look innocent by the application of labels by control agents such as the police and society. He pointed out that deviance was created entirely on the whims of authority. An example to this would be the issue of homosexuality. Early in the century, authorities labelled it criminal and illegal. Those that were caught were persecuted as such. But now, homosexuality is an accepted fact in society and there are little or fewer stigmas and or labelling attached to it. Thus as shown in the above essay, labelling theory has many strengths and weaknesses. Those are, no acts are inherently criminal, there can be a process of self-labelling, it covers or is supposed to cover all criminal activity, depends on the members of the society or those that do the labelling and finally it depends on the personality of the individual. However, there are already inherent drawbacks with the drawbacks given by various individual sociologists. Those are that society changes, and so does labelling. Individuals can rationalize their deviant behaviour. In spite of these, the major drawback of the labelling theory is the lack of empirical data to support it. We can thus conclude that labelling theory does have an effect, but is not the primary cause for most of the acts committed.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

?Vincent is not a hero? Discuss :: essays research papers

â€Å"Vincent is not a hero† Discuss Andrew Niccol has created a character that is portrayed as being a struggler from the moment he was born, he was destined to play this role as soon as he was conceived naturally as he was to wear the label of â€Å"God child† for the rest of his life , this label determines they life style and quality of life he will lead and the prospects are not good -â€Å"They used to say that a child conceived in love has a greater chance of happiness. They don't say that anymore†. Niccol leads us to believe that Vincent is a man who has overcome the odds in order to achieve his dream in a society where individuality is an unrequited trait and the ability to conform plus right DNA is all a person needs to succeed. What can easily be missed is the reality that in order to achieve his dreams he had to become a criminal which raises the question, is this man who is seen as a hero defiant of his opposition, worthy for our admiration considering the un-admirable form he had to take on t o gain it?. The measures Vincent goes to, to achieve his dream of becoming an astronaught make him seem less of a hero than he is portrayed as, The idea of changing your identity from an â€Å"invalid† with problems that prevent one from leading a normal life, to taking on the identity of a â€Å"Valid† with a physical make-up so perfect that â€Å"you could go anywhere† with his â€Å"helix tucked under your arm†, again lowers the opinion of his character and makes it difficult to separate his true identity to the false one he has taken on, Throughout the film Niccol makes it hard to distinguish which parts of Vincent’s personality actually are, we see many instances where Vincent shows admirable qualities such as him romantically letting go of a strand of Irene’s hair and saying â€Å"the wind caught it† . But this incident could also psychologically be a way of ensuring if Irene ever had a piece of him, that she would do the same and his identi ty would be protected. His personality as we knew it before he took on Eugene’s identity portrayed him as lonely dreamer. He was the stereotypical outcast down to finest detail. He sat by himself, ate by himself , dreamt of great things and in true Hollywood style left home and took on the job that all people take when they have nothing left, a cleaner.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Dead Essay -- Essays Papers

The Dead 1) Symbolic meaning of snow†¦ a. Beginning when first enters Aunts house (warmth) he is out of the snow = coldness, isolation and inhumanity. But when enters the home he is surrounded with warmth and acceptance. Pages 10-11 b. Page 25 Gabriel was nervous about presenting his speech and sought comfort at a window. Looking outside at the falling snow, Gabriel he received a form of release, escape and feeling that he is unknown. c. At the end of the story, when Gabriel is with his wife Gretta, snow symbolizes a â€Å"new awareness†. He realizes that he looks too heavily upon himself and should look towards others and become more compassionate. 2) Characteristics of Gabriel†¦. a. Pages 12-13 When contemplating speech he considers changing it because he feels that nobody... The Dead Essay -- Essays Papers The Dead 1) Symbolic meaning of snow†¦ a. Beginning when first enters Aunts house (warmth) he is out of the snow = coldness, isolation and inhumanity. But when enters the home he is surrounded with warmth and acceptance. Pages 10-11 b. Page 25 Gabriel was nervous about presenting his speech and sought comfort at a window. Looking outside at the falling snow, Gabriel he received a form of release, escape and feeling that he is unknown. c. At the end of the story, when Gabriel is with his wife Gretta, snow symbolizes a â€Å"new awareness†. He realizes that he looks too heavily upon himself and should look towards others and become more compassionate. 2) Characteristics of Gabriel†¦. a. Pages 12-13 When contemplating speech he considers changing it because he feels that nobody...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Deception Point Page 98

Jesus Christ. The controller looked back at the deck. Delta-Two still hung in the Triton's claws, but now the sub was suspended over a gaping hole in the deck. His feet dangled over the void. All Tolland had to do was release the claws, and Delta-Two would be next. â€Å"Okay,† the controller barked into the CrypTalk. â€Å"Hold on. Just hold on!† Rachel stood below on the deck and stared up at the Kiowa. Even from this height the controller sensed the resolve in her eyes. Rachel raised the CrypTalk to her mouth. â€Å"You still think we're bluffing?† she said. â€Å"Call the main switchboard at the NRO. Ask for Jim Samiljan. He's in P A on the nightshift. I told him everything about the meteorite. He will confirm.† She's giving me a specific name? This did not bode well. Rachel Sexton was no fool, and this was a bluff the controller could check in a matter of seconds. Although the controller knew of no one at the NRO named Jim Samiljan, the organization was enormous. Rachel could quite possibly be telling the truth. Before ordering the final kill, the controller had to confirm if this was a bluff-or not. Delta-One looked over his shoulder. â€Å"You want me to deactivate the jammer so you can call and check it out?† The controller peered down at Rachel and Tolland, both in plain view. If either of them made a move for a cellphone or radio, the controller knew Delta-One could always reactivate and cut them off. The risk was minimal. â€Å"Kill the jammer,† the controller said, pulling out a cellphone. â€Å"I'll confirm Rachel's lying. Then we'll find a way to get Delta-Two and end this.† In Fairfax, the operator at the NRO's central switchboard was getting impatient. â€Å"As I just told you, I see no Jim Samiljan in the Plans and Analysis Division.† The caller was insistent. â€Å"Have you tried multiple spellings? Have you tried other departments?† The operator had already checked, but she checked again. After several seconds, she said, â€Å"Nowhere on staff do we have a Jim Samiljan. Under any spelling.† The caller sounded oddly pleased by this. â€Å"So you are certain the NRO employs no Jim Samil-â€Å" A sudden flurry of activity erupted on the line. Someone yelled. The caller cursed aloud and promptly hung up. Onboard the Kiowa, Delta-One was screaming with rage as he scrambled to reactivate the jamming system. He had made the realization too late. In the huge array of lighted controls in the cockpit, a tiny LED meter indicated that a SATCOM data signal was being transmitted from the Goya. But how? Nobody left the deck! Before Delta-One could engage the jammer, the connection from the Goya terminated on its own accord. Inside the hydrolab, the fax machine beeped contentedly. CARRIER FOUND†¦ FAX SENT 121 Kill or be killed. Rachel had discovered a part of herself she never knew existed. Survival mode-a savage fortitude fueled by fear. â€Å"What was in that outbound fax?† the voice on the CrypTalk demanded. Rachel was relieved to hear confirmation that the fax had gone out as planned. â€Å"Leave the area,† she demanded, speaking into the CrypTalk and glaring up at the hovering chopper. â€Å"It's over. Your secret is out.† Rachel informed their attackers of all the information she had just sent. A half dozen pages of images and text. Incontrovertible evidence that the meteorite was a fake. â€Å"Harming us will only make your situation worse.† There was a heavy pause. â€Å"Who did you send the fax to?† Rachel had no intention of answering that question. She and Tolland needed to buy as much time as possible. They had positioned themselves near the opening in the deck, on a direct line with the Triton, making it impossible for the chopper to shoot without hitting the soldier dangling in the sub's claws. â€Å"William Pickering,† the voice guessed, sounding oddly hopeful. â€Å"You faxed Pickering.† Wrong, Rachel thought. Pickering would have been her first choice, but she had been forced to choose someone else for fear her attackers had already eliminated Pickering-a move whose boldness would be a chilling testimony to her enemy's resolve. In a moment of desperate decision, Rachel had faxed the data to the only other fax number she knew by heart. Her father's office. Senator Sexton's office fax number had been painfully engraved into Rachel's memory after her mother's death when her father chose to work out many of the particulars of the estate without having to deal with Rachel in person. Rachel never imagined she would turn to her father in a time of need, but tonight the man possessed two critical qualities-all the correct political motivations to release the meteorite data without hesitation, and enough clout to call the White House and blackmail them into calling off this kill squad. Although her father was most certainly not in the office at this hour, Rachel knew he kept his office locked like a vault. Rachel had, in effect, faxed the data into a time-lock safe. Even if the attackers knew where she had sent it, chances were slim they could get through the tight federal security at the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building and break into a senator's office without anyone noticing. â€Å"Wherever you sent the fax,† the voice from above said. â€Å"You've put that person in danger.† Rachel knew she had to speak from a position of power regardless of the fear she was feeling. She motioned to the soldier trapped in the Triton's claws. His legs dangled over the abyss, dripping blood thirty feet to the ocean. â€Å"The only person in danger here is your agent,† she said into the CrypTalk. â€Å"It's over. Back off. The data is gone. You've lost. Leave the area, or this man dies.† The voice on the CrypTalk fired back, â€Å"Ms. Sexton, you do not understand the importance-â€Å" â€Å"Understand?† Rachel exploded. â€Å"I understand that you killed innocent people! I understand that you lied about the meteorite! And I understand that you won't get away with this! Even if you kill us all, it's over!† There was a long pause. Finally the voice said, â€Å"I'm coming down.† Rachel felt her muscles tighten. Coming down? â€Å"I am unarmed,† the voice said. â€Å"Do not do anything rash. You and I need to talk face-to-face.† Before Rachel could react, the chopper dropped onto the Goya's deck. The passenger door on the fuselage opened and a figure stepped out. He was a plain-looking man in a black coat and tie. For an instant, Rachel's thoughts went totally blank. She was staring at William Pickering. William Pickering stood on the deck of the Goya and gazed with regret at Rachel Sexton. He had never imagined today would come to this. As he moved toward her, he could see the dangerous combination of emotions in his employee's eyes. Shock, betrayal, confusion, rage. All understandable, he thought. There is so much she does not understand. For a moment, Pickering flashed on his daughter, Diana, wondering what emotions she had felt before she died. Both Diana and Rachel were casualties of the same war, a war Pickering had vowed to fight forever. Sometimes the casualties could be so cruel. â€Å"Rachel,† Pickering said. â€Å"We can still work this out. There's a lot I need to explain.† Rachel Sexton looked aghast, nauseated almost. Tolland had the machine gun now and was aiming at Pickering's chest. He too looked bewildered. â€Å"Stay back!† Tolland yelled. Pickering stopped five yards away, focusing on Rachel. â€Å"Your father is taking bribes, Rachel. Payoffs from private space companies. He plans to dismantle NASA and open space to the private sector. He had to be stopped, as a matter of national security.† Rachel's expression was blank.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Bighorn Sheep

~ The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for it‘s large horns. ~ Their horns can weigh up to 30 pounds , while the sheep themselves weigh up to 300 pounds. ~ Ovis Canadensis is the scientific name of the bighorn sheep. ~ Male bighorn sheep or â€Å"rams† are easily identified by their large spiral horns which grow throughout their lives. An adult ram's horns may measure over 30 inches each in length and reach 15 inches in circumference at the base. Female bighorn or â€Å"ewes† have slender, straighter horns that grow throughout their lives to lengths of 8-10†³ for Rocky Mountain bighorn ewes and 12-17†³ for desert bighorn ewes. Young bighorn that are less than 1 year of age are referred to as lambs. ~ At the beginning of the nineteenth century, bighorn sheep in North America were estimated to number between 1.5 and 2 million, but today less than 70,000 remain. In the late 1800's, hunting, competition from livestock grazing, and diseases introduced by domestic livestock devastated bighorn populations. Although problems with domestic livestock are subsiding, they still exist and are now accompanied by accelerating habitat loss and human disturbance. Habitat loss and fragmentation are recognized as the most significant threats facing bighorn sheep today. Natural predation from mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats also pose a risk to bighorn populations that have dwindled to low numbers. ~ An entire subspecies of bighorn sheep, the Audubon bighorn, which inhabited parts of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska was extirpated by 1925. At various times in the early 1900's, bighorn sheep were extirpated from the states of Washington, Oregon, Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila.Fortunately, many populations have been re-established through transplanting bighorn sheep from healthy populations to vacant habitat ~ Rams typically live 9-12 years, while ewes usually live 10-14 years ~ Although the diet of bighorn sheep varies according to the habitat and season, bighorn primarily eat grasses, shrubs, and forbs. Some favorite shrubs for desert bighorn sheep are acacia or catclaw, encelia, sweetbush, and krameria. Generally, bighorn sheep are opportunistic feeders that adapt their diet to the forage available. ~Mountain lions, wolves, bobcats, coyotes and golden eagles are predators of bighorn sheep. Eagles have been known to prey upon lambs, but they are unable to kill adult bighorn. Predation is usually not a problem for healthy bighorn populations; however, when bighorn are supressed by other factors, predation can limit recovery and potentially drive a population to extinction ~ The breeding season, or rut, generally extends from August-November for desert bighorn sheep and October-January for Rocky Mountain and California bighorn sheep. It is during this time that rams clash heads to fight for dominance. In each band of rams there is a dominance order, and the higher ranking rams do most of the breeding. Genetic studies are currently underway to determine the percentage of breeding completed by dominant and subordinate rams. Bighorn sheep have an approximately 6 month gestation period and most ewes give birth to one lamb per year.