Monday, December 23, 2019

Social Psychology And Its Effects On Children s Mental...

People learn and gain knowledge through different experiences and these become our guidelines in interpreting future life and unfamiliar situations. These experiences help people to organize the world around them which then also influences their thinking and behaviors on controversial topics such as gender. However, how much are people aware that their attitudes are maybe more automatic than rather voluntary. Is it possible for them to get past their broad assumptions about others based on their limited experiences? There are different fields looking into this subject one of them is social psychology. Researchers have put together a test, Implicit Associations Test, which purpose is to gain more knowledge about people’s mental outlook on categorical associations. I personally wanted to see if I had unknown biases with gender and so I completed the Gender-Science IAT test. It took me around 20 minutes to finish this test and it should reveal if a person associates a particular gender more with science or liberal arts. The test was computed out of three parts. In the first part I needed to answer personal questions about myself such as gender, age, and ethnicity. Anyways, the second part of the test wanted me to answer question about how strongly I associated the different genders with science and liberal arts. Furthermore, it wanted to know my own personal standpoint with these two different fields. For instance, question would be similar to how much I liked studying forShow MoreRelatedPer son Centered Theory7387 Words   |  30 Pagesnot grow without sunlight and water. Rogers believed that every person can achieve their goals, wishes and desires in life. When, or rather if they did so, self actualization took place. This was one of Carl Rogers most important contributions to psychology and for a person to reach their potential a number of factors must be satisfied. Self Actualization The organism has one basic tendency and striving - to actualize, maintain, and enhance the experiencing organism† (Rogers, 1951, p.487). CarlRead MoreAbnormal Psychology. Classification and Assessment of Abnormal Behavior20707 Words   |  83 Pagesthink was going on? Jerry: I had no idea. Interviewer: You just knew you were . . . Jerry: I thought maybe I was having a heart attack. Interviewer: Okay. Source: Exerpted from â€Å"Panic Disorder: The Case of Jerry,† found on the Videos in Abnormal Psychology CD-ROM that accompanies this textbook. T⠝‘ F⠝‘ Some men in India have a psychological disorder characterized by anxiety over losing semen. (p. 74) T⠝‘ F⠝‘ Although it is not an exact science, the measurement of the bumps on a person’s head can beRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesand permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturersRead MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 PagesEvolution of marketing management 3.2. The Role of Marketing 3.3. Marketing concepts 3.4. The Marketing Mix (The 4 P s Of Marketing) 3.5. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Ethics in Marketing 4. Have you understood type questions 5. Summary 6. Exercises 7. References 1. INTRODUCTION: The apex body in United States of America for the Marketing functions, American Marketing Association (AMA) defines marketing as â€Å"Marketing consists of those activities involved in the flow of goods and services fromRead MoreMba Solved Assignment Papers52670 Words   |  211 Pagesresearch, the more effective and efficient you can be  in your research, the shorter the time it will take you and ultimately the less it will cost you. Manager’s role in research programs of  a company: Managing people is only a fraction of a manager s responsibility - they have to manage the operations of  the department,  and often  have responsibilities towards the  profitability  of  the organization. Knowledge of research can be very helpful  for a good manager. The manager, while managing people, productsRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pagesa time of dramatic change in UK management accounting practice. These textbooks contributed to the UK management accounting transformation from the costing clerk credo to strategic management proper. In 1999, he was voted the British Accounting Association Distinguished Academic. His contributions extend outside academe. Bromwich is a past president of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and has advised many commercial and public sector organizations. He is an outstanding scholar

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Horrors of War Free Essays

|Explain how R. C Sherriff conveys the horrors of war to the audience of â€Å"Journey’s End† | | | |English | | | |2/28/2010 | | | |Chloe Archer | Explain how R. C Sheriff conveys the horrors of war to the audience of â€Å"Journey’s End† Journey’s End† is a play written by R. We will write a custom essay sample on Horrors of War or any similar topic only for you Order Now C Sheriff, who had fought during the First World War. This enabled him to bring his experiences into the play which adds to the realism of the French trenches in 1918. First premiered in the year 1928 (10 years after the end of WW1), the audience would have been sensitive to the play because there was a real possibility that they’d lost friends and family in the war. The entire action of â€Å"Journey’s End† does not leave the dugout where the men are based; which allows the audience an insight of how life was for British companies during WW1 and how they coped with war. Although Sheriff did not intend his play to be focused on the horrors of war, his depiction of a realistic setting and characters convey this. We are given information about the war and the men’s way of life by the setting. ‘Through the doorway can be seen the misty grey parapet of a trench and a narrow strip of starlit sky. ’ This shows that the dugout was claustrophobic and frightening since they were so close to no man’s land where so many lives were lost like Raleigh’s. During Raleigh’s death scene, R. C Sheriff uses the stage directions to metaphorically describe Raleigh’s gradual death. The solitary candle burns with a steady flame†¦.. The shock stabs out the candle flame. ’ The stage directions help to describe what is happening outside of the dugout such as ‘The shelling had risen to a great fury’. The writer has personified the shelling for the effect that war has a life of its own which cannot be contr olled by the men, ‘stretcher-bearers’ can be heard by the audience off stage, this shows that people are being injured by the ‘fury’ of the shelling. Hardy and Osborne’s handover lists facts to explain to the audience what happened previously when ‘a dug-out got blown up and came down in the men’s tea. They were frightfully annoyed. ’ R. C Sheriff has used dark humour to show how the men cope with the war. Also Hardy gives important information on the artillery â€Å"We’ve got a Lewis gun just here-â€Å". To deter away from the uncontrollable war the men would talk about the things that could be altered or controlled; for instance Trotter enjoys controlling what they eat ‘Keep ‘em and use ‘em for dumplings next time we ‘ave boiled beef. ’ This helps the men feel secure knowing that there are some things that are controllable and that they have a future albeit only in the short term. A few of the characters are deeply affected by the war; one of them being Hibbert who attempts to use ‘neuralgia’ as an excuse to be discharged from the frontline. This is deemed cowardice by the rest of the soldiers ‘Better die of the pain than be shot for deserting. ’ This is said by Stanhope when Hibbert tries to leave before the German attack. This quote also shows how cowardice was dealt with during the First World War and why it drove other men to cope with war in different ways. For example, Stanhope, turns to drink (alcohol) and soldiers are heard saying that he ’gets a reputation out here for drinking’. This quote shows that most of the men know Stanhope drinks and accept it even though he is a commanding officer. As an audience we are told that he didn’t drink before he joined the war. This is shown by the conversation Osborne has with Raleigh, in which he says Stanhope ‘caught some chaps in a study with a bottle of whisky. Lord! The roof nearly blew off. ’ This quote shows the irony of the situation because when Raleigh knew Stanhope he used to confiscate alcohol off of students but now he has found comfort in drinking it. However Raleigh himself realised the horror of war when Osborne was killed post raid, ‘How can I sit down and eat that-when-when†¦. -when Osborne’s†¦ ’ this quote shows that Raleigh does not know how to cope with Osborne’s death. As Stanhope hasn’t mentioned Osborne after the raid Raleigh thinks that he doesn’t care but he has ‘to forget’ so that he can bear to carry on fighting in the futile war. One of Journey’s End’s main themes is the futility of war; we are shown the uselessness of it when the raid-men returned 7 fewer than when they left. Including Osborne, the fallen men had sacrificed their lives for important information from a German officer which they never got as the German was only ‘a bare headed German boy†¦. ’ who told them what they already knew. So the raid was wasted as the only new information they discovered was that a German soldier carries a pocket knife as well as other ‘oddments’. Stanhope emphasizes this when he ‘speaks in a dead voice’ after the general celebrated ‘how awfully nice- if the brigadier’s pleased. ’ These quotes also indicate that the soldier’s actions are at the general’s whim. The audience saw the war transform Raleigh from a strong eager boy, who was clearly inexperienced as he was unsure of how to address other officers ‘Good evening (he notices Osborne’s grey hair and adds:)sir. ’ Another example of his inexperience is when he states ‘how frightfully quiet it is†¦.. i thought there would be an awful row here’ this shows that he has no concept of the reality of war. However, as time moves on and the play progresses we see Raleigh develops in maturity. We see this when Raleigh and Osborne are having their last drink before the raid; ‘I wonder what the Boche are doing over there now?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. I don’t know. D’you like Coffee†¦? ’ the author shows here that Raleigh is keen to know as much as possible about the raid whilst Osborne is trying to put it off for as long as possible as he is worried about the ‘millions of bullets’. We, as an audience, see Raleigh become deeply affected by the war, succeeding the raid, (when he had left Osborne dead, in no man’s land). His appearance is more rugged and dismal in comparison to his previous shining uniform this could be a reflection of his emotions as well as just war worn; this would be seen as a landmark in Raleigh’s life in the trenches. The audience is taken through Raleigh’s experience of war and his relationship with his fellow men and officers. He became a steadfast part of the story with which the audience could relate and he formed a connection between the characters and action taking place. It is therefore a loss when he dies that is felt by everyone absorbed in the play. His and the play’s final scene portrays a young man alone in a dark place, with a solitary candle burning for company but is extinguished in a raid that collapses the men’s shelter and snuffs out his life just like the candle. The men’s way of life in the trenches was isolated and boring, which left them to find ways of entertaining themselves: from the opening conversation between Hardy and Osborne we are told one of the ways that they amused themselves, ‘Ever had earwig races?†¦ We’ve had ‘em every evening. ’ Mason is seen as a main source of humour and light relief for the men a good example of this is when he has an ‘unpleasant surprise’ which is a tin of apricot chunks labelled pineapple chunks. This light humour helps the men to cope with the dire way of life; this is in contrast to the dark humour. The men have to live with ‘about two million’ rats which they have to shoot otherwise they ‘gnaw at your boots’ rats also carried many lice and fleas which then infected the men so personal hygiene was hard to maintain. Stanhope talks about imagination ‘He doesn’t see into the earth beyond – the worms wandering about round the stones and roots of trees’. This quote was about Trotter and his lack of imagination which ‘sharpens the mind’ the quote also adds to the claustrophobic living conditions knowing that they are at the same level as worms in the earth. The men also told stories to keep themselves occupied whether from war life or home life, ‘I spent all the time in the garden making a rockery. In the evenings I used to sit and smoke and read – and my wife used to knit socks and play the piano a bit. ’ This was said by Osborne who is known to be the ‘family man’. We are given several images of war throughout the play, Osborne the family man who passed his belongings onto Stanhope to give to his wife before the raid with the possibility that he mightn’t return. This shows his love for his family giving them his personal belongings as a reminder of him and his compassion. Raleigh is seen as stereotypical, eager to fight for his country, recruit. ‘full of guts’ which was one of the reasons why he was selected for the raid. Also he idolised Captain Stanhope from his school memories and was eager to meet him again. The audience are prepared for tragedy at the end of the play because a main character had already died, who was likeable so it showed that no matter how popular the character was he could still be killed. Also when R. C. Sheriff personified the stage directions to give the shelling a life of it’s own from ‘the lighter â€Å"crush† f the smaller shells, there comes the deep resounding â€Å"boom† of Minenwerfer. ’ The noise created from the booms and crushes would also create tension. In conclusion I believe that R. C. Sheriff best shows the horrors of war through the character Raleigh because i feel that he represents war because war starts with an innocence and as the play progresses it is slowly lost this his character could also be representitive of the human race starting with innocence and as the play pshows the affect war can have on a person and the gradual burden of it. The stage directions are a main factor as well because you can not see further than the dug-out, which isolates you away from the ‘front-line’ and the stage directions show war itself with the crashing and booming of bombs and bullets; they also tell the story and help set the scene. I personally feel that war is useless How to cite Horrors of War, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Sports Management and Sports Organization

Question: Discuss about the Sports Management and Sports Organization. Answer: Introduction The ASC or Australian Sports Commissions Integrity guidelines are applicable for all National Sports organization of Australia. The report is an analysis of the integrity guidelines for the sports organization of National basketball league. The various guidelines like, anti doping, member protection, sports science medicine, and different policies like illicit drugs, match fixing policies are beneficial for integrated and effective operations of the NBL or national basketball league. Reviewing ACSs Integrity Guidelines for National Basketball League The NBL is the sports organization of Australia that is dedicated to organization and activities of basketball in Australia (Ausport.gov.au 2016). The Australian team of basketball has to abide by the rules of NBL and the integrity guidelines of the ASC. Role of Directors for Integrity guidelines of National Basketball League The role of directors and leaders for guidelines of integrity consist of: 1. Responsibility for informing others about the activities of the NBL and taking care of the integrity outline of ASC. 2. Looking after the practices and policies of the integrity guidelines for the process of risk management in NBL. 3. Ensuring all the responsibilities and operations are abided by respective members in NBL (Ausport.gov.au 2016). Review of Policy Sports Science and Sports Medicine in National Basketball League The policy of Sports Science and Sports Medicine in NBL covers aspect of the organization and their operations like, clearly assigning roles of individuals, maintaining high performance by the staff involvement, and recruiting qualifies and best supporting staffs for NBL (Parent and Chappelet 2015). The medicinal issues like medication, injection, supplementation protocol, and listing team physician/doctor in NBL are also to be followed by the ACS guidelines. Analysis of Anti-Doping and Illicit drugs This policy in NBL would implement the non usability of drugs by the team members and anti-doping practice approval in the organization (Authority 2014). The Therapeutic use Exemption medicines must be practiced in NBL in accordance to the guidelines of integrity of ACS. The violation of this policy would result in banning the culprit player. Review of Match fixing policy in National Basketball League The team members of NBL should be strictly prohibited from the match fixing as per the guidelines of the ACS (Haberfeld and Sheehan 2014). It would be helpful in understanding the extent of the international and domestic market, betting market for sub elite and lower tier and capacity of identifying the personal issue of the player. Review of Member protection policy in National Basketball League The NBL would have to ensure the complaints of the members received and offer complaints handling for the staffs and volunteers. It would help in ensuring the staffs, players and coaches relevant education and committed to their safety. Conclusion The member protection, anti doping, match fixing, illicit drugs and medication policy of Integrity guideline of ASC would help in forming an organization that is capable and well structured. ACS is committed to form the integrated team and members in Australia with the help of their guidelines. References Ausport.gov.au.(2016). [online] Available at: https://www.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/649201/34435_ASC_Integrity_Guidelines_for_NSO_Board_Directors_FA.pdf [Accessed 21 Jul. 2016]. Authority, A.S.A.D., 2014. Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority 201314 Annual Report.Canberra: ASADA. Haberfeld, M.R. and Sheehan, D., 2014.Match-fixing in International Sports. Springer. Parent, M.M. and Chappelet, J.L., 2015.Routledge Handbook of Sports Event Management. Routledge.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

THE SHORT ESSAY ON WASTE MANAGEMENT free essay sample

A large number of interrelated waste management tasks and their high complexity require a systematic approach to sweepings management. Waste management essay is an integral part of the overall stewardship system. The structure, responsibilities, practices, procedures, and processes should be coordinated with work in other areas, for example, in production and economic activities, in the field of public health, etc. Ending the waste management essay introduction, it is necessary to say that this structure alone can not exist, therefore, it should be included in the environmental stewardship system.Stages of the Amplification of a Sweepings Management System in the Second Half of the 20th Century Disposal of waste in small landfills; The end of the 70s: construction of landfills engineering structures with wastewater filtrate purification systems and biogas utilization; 80-is. amplification of a separate collection system for SHW, amplification of the secondary market; 90-is. Processing of solid sweepings with the separation of organic component and its subsequent composting. We will write a custom essay sample on THE SHORT ESSAY ON WASTE MANAGEMENT or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The current scheme of waste processing is the sorting of sweepings to remove secondary raw materials, separation of the organic part for composting and solid fractions to be burned or buried. The New Approach to Waste Management The main promise of any speech on waste management is in the fact that the transition from the landfilling of the entire mass of solid domestic sweepings to industrial processing to 50-60% of its weight is the main trend in solving the problem of waste in world practice. It should be understood that the practical solution of industrial sweepings processing is associated with large capital investments, so the construction of industrial waste processing facilities is rather slow.Waste stewardship begins with a change in the look at what household sweepings are. A well-known expert on the waste problem, Paul Connett, has a formulation expressing this new view: Rubbish is not a substance, but the art of mixing together different useful things and objects, thereby determining their place in a landfill.Traditional approaches to the sweepings problem focused on reducing the hazardous impact on the environment by isolating the landfill from groundwater, cleaning emissions from incineration p lants, etc. The basis of the concept of waste management is that the sweepings consist of various components that must not mix with each other, but be disposed of separately from each other in the most economical and environmentally acceptable ways.The system assumes that in addition to traditional methods, waste reduction, recycling and composting (reduce reuse recycle approach) should become an integral part of sweepings management. It is assumed that the combination of several mutually complementary programs and activities, rather than one technology, even the most modern one, can contribute to an effective solution of the waste problem.For each specific region, it is necessary to choose a certain combination of approaches that take into account local experience and local resources. The plan of measures in the sweepings stewardship system is based on the study of the flows of waste generated in different industries (including households), the evaluation of available options, and includes the implementation of small pilot projects that allow gathering information and gaining experience. At present, sweepings management is regulated by separate provisions of laws, regulations, and rules in the field of environmental protection and waste management. A lot of useful information can also be found in the scientific essay on waste disposal. The modern structure of the system of environmental law combines legal regulation of nature stewardship for facilities with functional regulation of environmental protection and environmental safety.Thus, the use of a set of different methods for processing sweepings, focused on regional and sectoral applications, is a waste management system. It should be built in the form of a hierarchical structure in which priority is given to methods that reduce the generation of sweepings , their reuse, and recycling, thereby reducing the volume of waste to be buried or destroyed. Waste Management System Hierarchy The hierarchy begins with the diminution of sweepings at the source. This implies a diminution in the total amount of waste and a decrease in their toxicity and other harmful properties. The diminution of sweepings is achieved by reorienting producers and consumers to products and packaging, resulting in less waste. The next level is recycling. This makes it possible to make full use of materials and reduce the amount of sweepings generated, and also significantly reduce the amount of waste that is consumed in landfills or incineration plants. The third level of recuperation is the processing of materials, including composting of organic matter, melting glass, metal, plastic and other forms of recuperation of useful materials, preventing their disposal. At the same time, recycling is the return of sweepings to the same technological process that led to their formation, and the recuperation is the use of waste after processing, or without it, in other technological processes or to generate energy. The fourth level is the extraction of energy. Incineration reduces the amount of sweepings that enters landfills and can be used to generate electricity. Modern incineration plants are equipped with emission cleaning systems, power generators used in combination with other methods. The fifth level is a burial on polygons. This remains necessary for wastes that are not recyclable, fireproof or combustible with the release of toxic substances. Modern sanitary polygons that meet environmental requirements do not closely resemble the landfills that are familiar to everyone: they are the most complicated engineering structures equipped with water and air pollution control systems that use methane generated during the rotting process to produce heat and electricity. The use of various combinations of recyclization, processing, composting and diminution of sweepings volumes leads to the most efficient functioning of the system and, ultimately, to a diminution in the amount of waste generated. At the same time, the sweepings stewardship structure should be organized in such a way that it has the opportunity to adapt to changing conditions in the economic and technological sphere, that is, to develop and improve as the approaches to management and methods of processing materials change. Elements of flexibility, mobility, and consistency that ensure the amplification of a waste stewardship system based on the results and experience of previous stages of its amplification and operation represent the conditions for its self-development.The concept of creating a sweepings   management system provides for the amplification of a set of related organizational, managerial, legal, regulatory, technical, and economic tools for sweepings management, waste m onitoring, and the implementation of promising scientific developments aimed both at improving the technical level of sweepings processing and on the creation and implementation of low-sweepings   technologies. One of the main directions in this area is the improvement of information support and training of specialists in sweepings management. Objects and Management Methods in the Waste Stewardship System When developing a system of state (and regional) sweepings management, one should proceed from the fact that management objects are all sources of sweepings   generation and their consumers and the controlled impact must be carried out in three strategic areas: creation of conditions for reducing the amount of waste; maintenance of growth of volumes of use of sweepings; creation of ecologically safe conditions of storage and a burial place of a waste. In a market economy, priority should be given to legal, regulatory and economic methods of management, that is, it is possible to use both economic incentive methods and economic impact methods. However, at present, sweepings producers do not bear the full economic and social burden of their destruction, shifting it to society. Therefore, the sweepings producer must compensate for the full social cost of handling waste. Main Principles of Waste Management Systems The basic principles of economic regulation in the field of sweepings stewardship are the following. Reducing the amount of sweepings through the introduction of low- and non-sweepings technologies and the involvement in the economic circulation of waste generated during the production process. However, the recycling of certain types of sweepings is economically unprofitable for one enterprise, since it requires certain efforts to collect and store special technologies and production facilities for their processing. Waste disposal costs. The payment for sweepings disposal is a form of compensation for damage to the environment. Funds are accumulated in the accounts of environmental funds and are used to finance environmental activities. Economic stimulation of activities in the field of sweepings management. The main levers of economic incentives should be tax and credit benefits to those users of natural resources who implement measures for resource saving and transition to clean production.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Segnaletica e arredo nel design dellospitalitagrave;

Segnaletica e arredo nel design dellospitalitagrave; SEGNALETICA E ARREDOElena TurazziniPOLITECNICO DI MILANOFACOLTA' di DISEGNO INDUSTRIALE A.A. 2002-2003Molto di quello che si dice e si scrive ÂÆ' inquinamento. (Marshall McLuhan)SEGNALETICA: serve a segnalare, a far riconoscere, ad informareSEGNALE: segno convenzionale per indicare o far conoscere qualcosaINDICARE: far vedere o far capire con cenni, parole o segnalisuggerire, consigliare, prescrivere, rivelare, lasciare intendere, manifestareLa segnaletica come comunicazione e orientamento ha bisogno di un'efficiente organizzazione e progettazione;richiede di coniugare cempetenze tra loro diverse: bisogna tenere conto delle nuove tecnologie, delleconvenzioni, della progettazione grafica, di sociologia e psicologia. Deve informare (letteralmente significa"formare" , dare una forma a qualcosa di nuovo, che seppure esistente, non ? ancora stato definito).in grado di facilitare agli utenti un pronto e sicuro orientamento, e perch? no, anche un miglioramento estetico.esigenze di leggibil it , di durata, di intercambiabilit e di design, di modularit , flessibilit , robustezza eantimanomissioneUn sistema comprende segnavia principali e intermedi, segnaletica di sicurezza, di avvertimento, di divietoe di emergenza, in particolare si possono elencare: posatavoli, moduli informativi su piedistallo, targhe aporta e a muro, pittogrammi, ecc.Extraordinary Canadians: Marshall McLuhanMolte ditte producono sistemi di segnaletica completi per esterni e per interni che rispondono a qualsiasiesigenza, con un ampio assortimento di segnali standard, studiati appositamente per alberghi, hotels e centricongressi. Sono realizzati in alluminio, con finitura oro o argento a specchio e nei colori standard di verniciatura,nel classico "in stile" tipico degli alberghi, a imitazione di quello del grande albergo internazionale dei primidel XX secolo.Alcuni tipi di alberghi invece, come i design hotels, creano su misura la propria segnaletica. In un primomomento perch? la ricerca estetica dei prodotti in commercio non corrisponde con l'attuale ricerca del design,(ma come detto prima...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Analysis Of A Modern China Family English Literature Essay

Analysis Of A Modern China Family English Literature Essay Pa Chin’s Family is a historical, semi-autobiographical narrative of the hardships endured by the members of an aristocratic family during the massive transformation in Chinese social and political order that took place during the early 20th century. The central conflict that is embodied in the novel is the inability of the individuals portrayed in the narrative to move past the often oppressive traditional social constructs that prevent them from moving forward in light of the new revolutionary paradigm that was sweeping the country. Three brothers, Chueh-hui, Chueh-min and Chueh-hsin, are the central figures in this narrative, and the struggle to balance the responsibilities imposed upon them by the traditional order and their desire for radical change defines the essential subject matter of the novel. These conflicting desires tear them apart and force them to either adapt or be left in the past. The work embodies the voice of a nation that was steeped in contradiction, an d demonstrates throughout its passages strong underlying themes of societal disillusionment and unrest. By offering a unique insight into the most personal aspects of life during this tumultuous period of Chinese history, Family offers the historian a critical perspective on the psychological underpinnings of a society undergoing fundamental changes in structure. The increasingly pronounced dichotomy between old and new is critical to the understanding of the narrative in this story. This is represented at numerous avenues, but is revealed most blatantly in a sequence where Chueh-hui’s ponders upon his grandfather’s sleeping body and through careful analysis comes to the realization that the old man ultimately represents â€Å"not his grandfather, but an entire generation† and that he himself was similarly the representative of his own generation. Reflecting further upon this observation leads him to the conclusion that â€Å"they could never see eye-to-eyeâ₠¬ . (Chin 64). This conclusion is important, and foreshadows the inability of China to reconcile the two radically divergent world-views; there would be an ultimate clash between traditionalism and socialist progressivism that tears apart not only the country, but all the bonds that are held within. This antagonism between the old and the new similarly crosses historical lines, with historical texts demonstrating a fundamental disconnect between the traditional constructs that served as the guidance of China’s actions on the world stage for generations and a powerful need for reform that threatened to sweep away these traditional systems. In Madame Sun Yat-Sen’s public address concerning the political left, she opens with the following: â€Å"if China is to survive as an independent country in the modern struggle of nations, her semi- feudal conditions of life must be fundamentally changed and a modern state created to replace the medieval system which has existed fo r more than a thousand years. This task needs to be done by the method of revolution† (Cheng & Lestz 267). Statements such as these reflect a growing animosity towards traditional social constructs, in this instance painting them as â€Å"medieval†. This attitude is indicative of an unwillingness to compromise with the past in order to move forward – it must be burned away to make room for the new.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

My Career Goals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Career Goals - Essay Example In developing career goals we require two basic types of information i.e. knowledge about self and about career options that are compatible with our interest, values, and skills. Professional acumen, financial obligation, and physical requirements also play a major part in deciding career goals. Being a manager in a public sector Bank, which has already a well-charted career, plans for recruiting manager. Therefore our career goals have already been decided. But the Bank has certain provisions for flexible career growth through internal examinations. So eyeing on those provisions I set my career goal as to reach into the core top management team so that I could be the part of the strategic decision-making process. Changes in the Banking sector are very thick and fast. Adoption to information technology, geographical expansion of business, customer's requirement, new product, and services make it a challenging job. Global exposure and implementation of strict financial norms put our jobs at stake. Technology has changed the complete picture of today's banking. New orientation towards customer's services, facilities of net banking, automation of day-to-day activities of the banks has changed the role of the manager which ultimately results into the change in career goals both short term as well as long term. To accommodate the changes in the short term we have to reorient ourselves through short term training on soft and hard skills. For the long-term perspective, we have to take a comprehensive look at the technological changes, which may occur in the future and analyze our future requirements and then equip ourselves with relevant knowledge and skills. Setting clear cut career goals we have to follow certain well-defined path i.e. state the problems and objectives clearly and define goals, prepare temporary action plan containing every essential step and get ready for several alternatives and choices. Finally, develop a solid action plan to achieve that career goal. We have to be prepared to change the plan midway to suit any changes and setup midterm appraisals to check any deviation so that career goals could be achieved. Â  Accountants who want to catch the latest technology may have found themselves auditing information system, consulting business owners or even be a part of the system software development team. Today's accountants not only understand complex tax laws, accounting principals, business laws and information technologies, but they also have to know how to apply that knowledge in a business environment that is growing and changing rapidly. Â  

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business law - Essay Example In essence, this plan draws funding from the employers of the employees registered under the plan where they pay premiums of up to a hundred and two percent (Andersen, Rice & Kominski 2011). Therefore, this health plan serves as a temporary reprieve for employees to continue accessing health care until they find another avenue for paying their premiums in the event that any of the above occurs. However, as much as the plan is the right of the employees, it is a mandatory that they make prior notification so as to make the act work for them (Andersen, Rice & Kominski 2011). In this regard, Fran’s Fries is a community located eatery that serves a greater fraction of the community. In essence, the eating joint’s location is on the central part of town where heavy trading and interaction occurs. Fran’s Fries boasts of matching up to big names like Mc Donald and Steers because of the level of service and products on offer. Sequentially, the brains behind this strategi cally placed is Fran who couples as the joint’s owner and manager. Fran has vast experience in the hospitality industry because of previous work engagements with a number of five star hotels. Therefore, the business is one that draws success from passion and remarkable inter employee relationship. Fran’s Fries has created employment for twenty employees who work in the kitchen and also in the front service. Before the economic recession of 2008, the business entity was at the top of the fast food market in the region, which necessitated the need for the management to make their employees live with comfort. According to Fran, business took a turn for the worse when the recession occurred as many of the eatery’s consumers lost their jobs and others opted to carry light foods from their homes rather than eat take-outs. Essentially, fast foods led to the popularity of the eating joint where management also incorporated health care plans for their employees and their families. Moreover, the COBRA policy also followed suit to which the manager did not foresee the occurring of the event. With the recession in sight, Fran had to lay off some workers periodically because the profits realized could not sustain the entire work force. In this regard, the challenge of having to pay for the premiums of the laid off employees faced the business the profit generation was not sufficient for the cause. Therefore, Fran had to battle with ensuring that the business stays afloat and also ensuring that the business complies with the COBRA act. Lucky for the business, they took up a policy that allowed the business to only pay the extended premiums for employees for a period not exceeding four months. However, the manager says that this was also strenuous for the business as the laying off occurred in phases rather than in one stride. This made the incurrence of loses a part of the business until the time that the business stopped the process. By the time the re cession was over, the business owner says that the business had slashed the work force by half, which almost brought Fran’s Fries to the knees. However, Fran insists that the employees that lost their work at Fran’s Fries benefitted from the COBRA policy because four months was enough time for them to find other means of maneuvering. For Fran, the process of ensuring that Fran’s Fries did not crumble was a humbling experience because the business learnt how to survive on

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Machiavelli, Plato, Aristotle Essay Example for Free

Machiavelli, Plato, Aristotle Essay Machiavelli in his book â€Å"The Prince† seems to sap the very foundations of morality and stops at nothing short of capsizing the entire edifice of religion. His thoughts resonate with a loathing of true virtue and propagate corrupted politics. Actually, today the term Machiavellianism is used to refer to the use of deceitfulness to advance one’s goals or desires. In ‘The Prince†, Machiavelli breaks from the classical view of virtue as represented by his philosophic predecessors Plato and Aristotle. Whereas his predecessors held virtue in an ideal environment (idealism), Machiavelli defined virtue in a real environment where one is judged by his actions and not by the way his actions ought to be (realism). According to Plato and Aristotle good life only exists in total virtue where a person will be most happy. Plato places emphasis on the extinction of personal desires through love so that one can achieve happiness (Barker, 1959). Aristotle on the other hand believes that an ideal or perfect state brings out the virtue in all men. A person will gain happiness when all their actions and goals are virtuous. This implies that according to Aristotle happiness is a group goal and not an individual goal (Barker, 1959). Plato equally in bringing out the essence of love which must be shared among people suggests that happiness is a group goal. However, virtue in the Machiavellian sense seems to lack a moral tone. By virtue, he alludes to personal qualities needed for the achievement of one’s own ends (Machiavelli, 1998). His view seems to be directed at self interests and not a common goal. In pursuing personal interests, one is not careful about the means by which he does so and therefore is not bound by a moral imperative. In â€Å"The Prince† Machiavelli describes two types of principalities. One is hereditary and the other is acquired. He observes that though no virtue is required to attain a hereditary principality, it takes virtue to acquire and maintain a new principality. The basis of his views does not entirely contradict the classical view on morality, however, he goes on further to illustrate and make allowances for evil, and this is what brings about the contradiction. For example Machiavelli states, â€Å"When a new territory does not share the same language and culture as the prince’s original territory, the prince must have the wisdom and ability to assimilate the new territory† (Machiavelli, 1998). This view wholly concurs with Plato’s on the need for wisdom as a virtue. On ability however, Machiavelli alludes to the use of force or violent means which defies views on classical morality. In the same chapter, he goes on to say that a prince ought to protect his weaker neighbors and prevent the powerful ones from gaining more power. The virtue of courage here echoes the principle virtues as outlined by Plato, courage being one of them. However, Machiavelli encourages the prince not to hesitate in using force to enforce this (Machiavelli, 1998). This goes against the grain of conventional virtue as it encourages people in power to use whatever means, even ruthless, to preserve their power. Machiavelli suggests two ways by which a private citizen can become a prince, either by fortune or by ability. Among those who became princes through ability, Machiavelli cites Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, and Francesco Sforza among others. He gives the example of Borgia who inherited power and later lost it to dissuade princes from depending on fortune but rather to use their abilities to attain success. He makes it clear that virtue or ability is more related to statecraft and less related to morality. In undermining morality, he allows for the use of force to gain and preserve power. He says â€Å"A prince who comes to power by evil means is said to have neither fortune nor ability. Such a prince may gain power, but not glory† (Machiavelli, 1998). By â€Å"evil means,† he refers to the use cruelty in proper and improper ways. He explains that if cruelty is utilized to achieve a necessary goal, then it is proper. However, if it is used to achieve no purpose but to instill f ear into the citizens, it is improper. Consequently, the proper use of force according to Machiavelli is a virtue. This contradicts the virtue of moderation as outlined by Plato which puts restrictions on the use of extreme means such as the use of force to achieve goals. One can infer that Plato would advocate for diplomacy rather than force if a prince aimed at achieving allegiance from his subjects. According to Plato, good life is only attained through perfect love which comes about by a submersion of personal desire. According to Machiavelli, â€Å"a prince does not have to be loved by the people, though still he must not be hated† (Machiavelli, 1998). He goes further to explain that history has revealed that men who were not loved but feared were more effective leaders. A ruler who brings mayhem to his state because of his imprudent kindness should not be considered a good leader. For Machiavelli, the virtue a prince should pursue is â€Å"fear from his subjects and not love (Machiavelli, 1998). Such a prince, he explains, will be able to sustain the morale of his subjects, which takes both wisdom and courage. Therefore according to Machiavelli the prince is better of being feared than loved which contradicts the earlier views of Plato, who placed a great emphasis on the pursuit of love as a major virtue. In chapter eighteen of â€Å"The Prince† Machiavelli argues that total honesty is only practical in an ideal world. However, since the world is characterized by dishonest men, a prince cannot be expected to keep all his pledges. Therefore he should endeavor to use deception to his benefit. Machiavelli uses the analogy of the fox and the lion to encourage the prince to be both cunning and courageous. He explains that whereas â€Å"the fox can recognize snares but cannot drive away wolves, the lion can drive away wolves but cannot recognize snares† (Machiavelli, 1998).In this he means that a prince does not need to possess good qualities but should just appear to possess them, since subjects are only interested in outward appearances if they lead to a favorable end. It is from this view that the term ‘Machiavellianism† has been coined to in today’s usage to mean the use of cunningness to achieve undue advantage over one’s subjects. In comparison to the classical view of virtue, Machiavelli’s view lacks a moral sense. Machiavelli’s work on the prince has received wide criticism from a large front including the Catholic Church. As the devil’s advocate, he seems to break away from the conventional virtues of his predecessors Plato and Aristotle openly deriding the church and its fundamentals. Whereas Plato and Aristotle relate living virtuously to godliness, Machiavelli’s virtue involves lying and subordinating atrocious means to practical ends. Realism, which Machiavelli subscribed to, has been defined as a cynical view to politics devoted to furthering personal interests with no regard to moral or religious structures (Schaub, 1998). This view implies that a prince can be at odds with the moral virtue, a contradiction to the classical concept of virtue postulated by both Plato and Aristotle. At a glance of Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince†, we largely infer that he goes all out to ill advice the prince against the classical virtues of his predecessors. He seems to herald the triumph of evil over good. However, taking a critical look at the work, one cannot help but notice gaps and disjunctions in the text. For example the characters he picks to illustrate his case. In showing the proper and effective use of cruelty in chapter seventeen, he uses Hannibal and compares him to Scipio as compassionate and therefore ineffective. This is violently at odds with the truth and is ironic at the same time because Scipio accused of compassion defeats Hannibal at the battle of Zama (Machiavelli, 1998). Also, Machiavelli writes in Italian and not Latin, the language of the scholars of whom the princes are. This leaves the question as to who exactly was his target audience. Was he really advising the princes who already knew how to be cruel or was it the subjects, and if the subjects then for what purpose. Therefore, just as much as we have illustrated how Machiavelli strays from the classical virtue, it rests upon the attentive reader to ingest and make a personal judgment as to what Machiavelli really intended to put across.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Executive Summary of Burbank Boards Essay -- Burbank Boards Business M

Executive Summary of Burbank Boards TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 PROBLEM DEFINITION 4 NEW SYSTEM OBJECTIVES 6 NEW SYSTEM CONSTRAINTS 7 NEW SYSTEM PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 8 TEXAS INSTRUMENT - COMPOSER 9 ENTITY-RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAMS 10 ACTIVITY HIERARCHY DIAGRAMS 11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction Current System New System  · objectives  · recommendation  · advantages of new system  · how it will solve problems  · implementation  · tools used to document the new system ie.. ERD PROBLEM DEFINITION The main problem at Burbank Boards: Management has not continued to use an out-dated computer based system without realizing the importance of using efficient information systems to gain a competitive edge. Symptoms of the problem at Burbank Boards: 1. Redundacy of effort  · Telemarketing operators enter order data on sales order forms and then key much of the same data into their terminals.  · Buyers fill out Purchase Order Requisition forms and then data entry operators key in the same data.  · Manufacturing orders are placed using paper forms and this data is then keyed into the computer. 2. Poor responsiveness of the system  · Customer orders are not filled as they are received. Instead they are held until the order batches are processed by the order entry, inventory, and billing systems.  · Buyers are notified of the need of raw material replenishment the day after the computer detects that the reorder point has been reached. 3. High credit risks  · The current credit classes have resulted accepting several poor credit customers and in turn, several bad debts have been incurred. 4. Lack of production standards and controls  · Production workers often do not accurately record start and completion times for their jobs sheets.  · The production schedule prepared by production planning and control is only a close approximation to what can be expected. 5. High buyer turnover  · It is extremely difficult to train new buyers who need to be highly skilled at negotiating. Lack of sufficient information may lead to poor purchases.  · Low morale could be contributing to the high turnover. Loss of a buyer leads to loss of valuable experience and expertise that is hard to compensate for. 6. Delayed deliveries by suppliers  · Late delivery dates have caused the company to reschedule... ... will be listed in this report. This type of report is important when the structure of the entities are being developed, and later when they are being coded. Heavy documentation of those areas is necessary to ensure cohesion and consistency throughout the use of the entities. Activity Hierarchy Diagrams Activity Hierarchy Diagramming (AHD) identifies the lowest-level processes of interest to the business through decomposition. AHD shows levels of increasing detail for each function and process until activities decompose to the lowest level (elementary processes). A process is a defined business activity whose executions may be identified in terms of the input and output of entities of specific types. Analyzing business activities independently of data helps you understand:  · The activities of the business  · The nature of information required and produced by these activities, independent of the organizational structure and the existing information systems An accurate and complete activity model lays the foundation for subsequent system design and implementation efforts. More specifically, the upcoming phases require this information in one form or another.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Application of Computer Essay

Computers play a great role in the society. Whether at home, in school, at the mall or in the office, computers significantly help in the accomplishment of various tasks. Be it at work or at play, computers have undeniably been utilized to perform general or specific activities that enable life to be more convenient and worry-free. Computers in Business In the field of business, computers are very useful. They are used in keeping records of daily sales and profits. Computers are also used to prepare materials to promote the products of the business establishments. Computers in Engineering Engineers use computers to create the design of a complex object using a computer program for Computer-Aided Drafting. Computers in the Government Computers are used to keep records of the people that the government serves. Several government agencies use computers to facilitate the task they are required to give to the people. Computers at Home Computers are used at home for recreational purposes. You can listen to music, watch movies and play games. Children use their computers at home to do their schoolwork. Parents use computers to assist them in doing their daily tasks. If your computer at home has internet access, then you can explore the amazing features of the Internet in the comfort of your home. Computers in Manufacturing Computers are used in manufacturing to manipulate machine that perform dangerous tasks or tasks that are repeatedly done. Computers in School Computer Education is one subject taught in schools today. Teachers use computers in classroom instruction, in computing grades and in preparing visual aids. Students use computers to study various computer applications. Libraries are connected to the Internet and students access the internet to do research.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Horses of the Night Notes Essay

Vanessa was 6 years old, and Shallow Creek was a very cold environment o†No leaves grew†¦breath of seals and polar bears snuffled out steamily and turned to ice† – IMAGERY †¢Chris was fifteen when Vanessa met him †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦let him stay at the Brick House.† ïÆ'Ÿ significance? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦high low-sweeping spruce trees shutting out the sun with their dusky out-fanned branches.† (pg 283) – IMAGERY †¢Ã¢â‚¬ At last the front screen door was hurled open and Grandfather Connor strode into the house, followed by a tall lanky boy.† (page 283) – IMAGERY †¢Chris’s physical appearance – â€Å"Grey eyes were slightly slanted, and his hair the colour of couchgrass at the end of summer when it has been bleached to a light yellow by the sun.† (pg 284) †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦warmly but shyly.† – irony/oxymoron †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦,looking as granite as a statue in the cemetery.† – SIMILIE †¢Ã¢â‚¬ He’d been lucky to get it, if you ask me anything, Wilf’s family hasn’t got two cents to rub together†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg 285) – grandparents are extremely judgemental of Chris’s family, shows that Chris isn’t the same â€Å"social† class as them †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦curled into the bay window like a black giant seashell.† – SIMILE †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ just as though he had not heard a word my grandfather was saying.† – shows that Chris had high tolerance †¢Ã¢â‚¬ He simply appeared to be absent.† ïÆ'Ÿ significant? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ The trees were still growing, and the leaves were firmly and greenly on them. The branches has been coaxed into formations of towers and high-up nests where you could look out and see for a hundred miles or more.† – IMAGERY †¢The lake was full of fantasy creatures – water monsters, creatures with necks like snakes, rooster’s comb, hard leather tough. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Two riding horses† & â€Å"He missed the horses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ïÆ'   any significance/reference to title of story †¢Story takes place during The Great Depression †¢Vanessa was nine when Chris left Manawaka, mentions Brick House again †¢Ã¢â‚¬ he was not at Shallow Creek. He has not gone abck†¦ northbound train at the first stop after manawaka, cashed his ticker and thumbed a life with a truck to Winnepeg† – shows Chris’s ambition †¢Aunt Edna – unemployed because insurance company cut down staff, moved back to Manawaka †¢Vanessa’s brother, Roderick was born the year Grandmother Connor died o†The strangeness , the unbelievability, of both these events took up all of me.† page 291 †¢When Vanessa was eleven, Chirs returned to Manawaka oChris’s appearance did not change – â€Å"the same knife-boned face with no flesh to speak of† †¢Chris was a travelling salesman who sold vacuums – tried to sell Vanessa’s mother a vacuum, but failed (they couldn’t afford one) †¢Chris then sells magazines, and said he would earn $100 in a month if every sixth person subscribed †¢Chris then produces wool products (socks) with an old-fashioned sewing machine oThinks he hit jackpot – |I think this thing could be quite a gold mine.† †¢Vanessa’s father dies †¢Chris is unemployed again because there were no jobs on the market †¢Ã¢â‚¬ The grass that shone like green wavering light while the horses flew in the splendour of their pride.† ïÆ'   significant? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ He looked different, not only thinner†¦ face and neck were tanned red-brown†¦ wearing denims, farm pants, and a blue plaid shirt.† – Chris became a farmer †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe limousine’s over here.’ It was a wagon and two horses† – IRONY †¢ â€Å"Youngsters swam in and out of the house like shoals of nameless fishes.† – SIMILE †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ hardly see the food for the iridescent-winged blue-black bodies squirming all over it.† – IMAGERY †¢ â€Å"The lake was not lonely or unthreatened†¦ I looked at the grey reaches of it and held threatened. It was like a view of God which I had held since my father’s death.† page 296 †¢ â€Å"‘How much brighter the stars are when you’re completely away from any houses?’ †¦ ‘I guess most people don’t give them much thought at all, except maybe to say – very pretty – or like that †¦ They’re gigantic†¦Ã¢â‚¬  – page 297 †¢Chris was 21 and was sent to the army – â€Å"Chris left Shallow Creek some months after the war began.† (page 299) †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ my mother heard from Aunt Tess. Chris had been sent home from England, discharged from the Army because of a mental breakdown. He was now in the provincial mental hospital.† p.299 osignificant because Chris loses his mind †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Animation gone from his face.† †¢Ã¢â‚¬ All his life’s choices had been grown narrower and narrower† †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Only to be a turmoil which appalled him and which he dreaded†¦Ã¢â‚¬  †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Useless strokes of fantasy against a depression that was both the world’s and his own† ïÆ'   SIGNIFICANT †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Slowly, slowly, horses of the night-† – TITLE †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Night must move like this for him †¦ land he journeyed through was inhabited by terrors, the old monster-kings of the lake, or whether he had discovered at last a way for himself to make the necessary dream perpetual† ïÆ'   SIGNIFICANT *** ________________________________________ Vocab – detested, sweltering, cameo, equanimity, simpleton, bludgeoning, wisecrack, malevolent, chivvying, illicitly, jubilant, spiel, overshoes, pronouncements, subterraneon oracle, utterances, engrossed, torrent, fortnight, pallid-eyed, monosyllabic, saurian, perpetual View as multi-pages

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Dialogue Writing Tips

Dialogue Writing Tips Dialogue Writing Tips Dialogue Writing Tips By Ali Hale Some writers love dialogue. They find that they have a natural ear for how different characters speak, and that the dialogue races along, carrying the story with it. Others struggle over every word of a dialogue-heavy scene, feeling that the characters sound stiff and unlifelike. Fortunately, there’s a huge amount of great advice on writing dialogue; I’m going to be quoting from three authors and books: Nigel Watts – Teach Yourself Writing a Novel (and Getting Published) Elizabeth George – Write Away: One Novelist’s Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life Robert Graham – How to Write Fiction (and Think About It) The function of dialogue I’m sure you know what dialogue is – spoken words between two or more characters. What I want to look at here is what purpose the dialogue serves within a story. Watts writes that all dialogue should accomplish at least one of the following three things: Moving the story forwards Giving information Contributing to characterisation George agrees that â€Å"in the most basic kinds of writing, dialogue serves the interests of moving the story forwards.† She believes, too, that better writing involves dialogue that contributes to characterisation, where â€Å"what [a character] says and how he says it tell us as much about who he is as do his actions†. For George, however, really good dialogue goes far beyond this. She suggests that it can: Foreshadow events which are to come Make these events more vivid when they do arrive Give characters, and the relationships between them, life Both Watts and George agree that dialogue shouldn’t only exist to give the reader information. This sort of speech invariably sounds clunky and unnatural, as characters often end up telling one another things that the reader knows they’d already be aware of. (â€Å"Your wife, who you married ten years ago†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) Making dialogue sound natural? One of the major struggles which many writers have is writing natural sounding dialogue. Characters often end up sounding stilted, wooden and unreal. George suggest that a good author â€Å"gives [dialogue] the look and sound of natural speech even while he knows he cannot make it a reproduction of natural speech.† Here, George is saying that dialogue should have a certain verisimilitude – it should seem real to the reader, but it shouldn’t have all the umms, errs and false starts of real speech. Try taping two or more people talking, or reading a verbatim transcript of a live show. You’ll find that the result is almost unintelligible. You don’t want your dialogue to be this true to life, though; unless, as George writes, your character â€Å"has a speech impediment, low-wattage brain power, synapses misfiring, or psychological problems, and the dialogue is being used to define his natural limitations.† To make dialogue seem natural – without boring the reader to tears or making them think that all the characters are blathering idiots – try some of these tips: Use contractions (â€Å"don’t†, â€Å"shouldn’t†, â€Å"can’t†) unless a character is very stuffy or speaking in a very formal context. Let characters break off sentences, or speak in phrases rather than sentences. (You might think of these as verbless sentences – they’re great for dialogue.) Have characters interrupt one another. Use the occasional â€Å"um† or â€Å"er†, if a character is being particularly hesitant. Giving characters distinct speech patterns When writing dialogue, it’s important not only to make the words sound natural but to distinguish (and characterise) your characters by the way in which they speak. Graham writes that â€Å"dialogue is characteristic of the person speaking it†, and emphasises that the words a character says must seem â€Å"in-character† for the reader to accept them as real. Watts emphasises that â€Å"as your characters have different physical and emotional characteristics, so too should they speak differently.† Some factors to consider when finding each character’s â€Å"voice†, as well as their personality, are: What sort of educational background does the character have? Where are they from (geographically)? How old are they? What do they do for a living? All of these will affect whether your character is terse or long-winded, whether they use technical terms or layman’s ones. They’ll also determine the sort of slang that your characters use (none at all? Out-of-date slang? Offensive slang?) One area to be cautious about – something which Graham, Watts and George all mention – is the use of dialect. If your character has a very strong regional accent, the reader will quickly get tired (or confused) if you attempt to spell everything out phonetically. As Graham says, â€Å"You don’t want your story to grind to a halt while readers work out syllable by syllable just exactly what has been said.† Try using a couple of regional words to give the dialogue the right flavour: a Scottish character, for instance, would use words like â€Å"wee† (meaning â€Å"small†) and â€Å"bonnie†. Do you find dialogue easy to write, or is it one of your weak areas? Do you have any tips on writing realistic speech that reveals character, moves the story along and makes characters come to life? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)Dawned vs. Donned9 Forms of the Past Tense

Monday, November 4, 2019

Positivist legal theory offers a coherant account of law as a system Essay

Positivist legal theory offers a coherant account of law as a system of legal rules. This allows legal questions to be categorically distinguished from question - Essay Example This allows clear distinguishing of matters of law from matters involving morality, where a higher divine mandate may be invoked. Questions involving morality may create disparities and difficulty in a precise application of the law, since individual and group moral beliefs may differ from place to place and may not allow for the uniform application of the law. However, by clearly specifying that the law and morality are separate questions, the positivist theory allows legal questions to be clearly distinguished from questions involving morality. The salient aspect of the positivist legal theory that was put forward by Hart, is that it offers a comprehensive set of rules, both direct rules as well as secondary meta rules that help to specify how the primary rules will operate. According to Austin, â€Å"a law may be defined as a rule laid down for the guidance of an intelligent being by an intelligent being having power over him.†3 Austin also supports Bentham’s views4 in that every legal norm needs to constitute a threat that is backed up by a sanction; therefore coercion is an essential feature of the law. However, when there is too much of rigid adherence to the rules, the scope for judicial interpretation may be seen to be limited. Therefore Hart fiercely opposes the predictive interpretation of law based upon its coercive aspect on the grounds that such interpretation â€Å"obscures the fact that, where rules exist, deviations from them are not merely grounds for prediction that hostile reactions will follow.... but are also a reason or justification for such reaction and for applying the sanctions.†5 The law viewed as a set of rules therefore also involves the social learning aspect, which Raz has emphasized, applying a test of behavioral guidance to determine that a person could have come to accept the rules without actually deciding to do so, or questioning the original justification for the

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Discuss the main causes and effects of gun crime in the USA Essay - 2

Discuss the main causes and effects of gun crime in the USA - Essay Example Subsequently, the following paper makes an insight into most widespread causes and effects of gun violence. One if the factors the most commonly blamed for gun crimes is availability of firearms. The debate over the right of the general population to bear firearms has been among the actively and commonly debated ones. From one side, opponents of gun control argue that any law denying such right would be a violation of the Constitution that allows one to protect property and life from criminals, who would still have a gun, regardless of the prohibition. Although the following position may contain the grain of logic, it, in fact, leads to more crimes, research shows. A recent study that compared data from developed countries on gun ownership and subsequent deaths clearly concluded that more guns mean more gun-related deaths. †There was a correlation between guns per head per country and the rate of deaths with Japan being on one end of the spectrum and the US - on the other† (Boseley, 2013) Subsequently, availability and easy access to guns can be regarded as one of the essentia l causes of gun crimes in the U.S. Another possible cause of gun violence in the United States has been called social conditions that allow the existence of risk factors most commonly associated with gun violence. According to Walker (2014), one of the recent strategies that proved its effectiveness for alleviating the rates of gun crimes has been a mentoring program, focusing on the at-risk population and preventing it from the involvement in felonious situations and aggressive behavior. Success of the program in reducing crimes occurrence proves that unfavorable social conditions are associated with gun crimes. The commonly cited risk factors are unemployment, poverty, and poor education. (Walker, 2014; "Gun violence prevention,") Therefore, the low quality of life should be regarded as a predictor of gun crimes. Apart from that, it is argued that the lack

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Design the telecommunications network to support a new multi-location Essay

Design the telecommunications network to support a new multi-location practice - Essay Example The use of latest networking tools has transformed the overall world particularly business areas. At the present, organizations have much faster, accurate and enhanced ways for business and corporate management. This paper presents communication network specification for a Dental Office. In this scenario I will recommend a new network technology and data sharing method for better management of the corporate areas. Requirements for the Network I have presented below some of the requirements for new network technology implementation at corporation: Offering better communication services at corporation Establishment of effective data sharing environment Offering secure data access points for communication Establishment of better communication facility Offering remote access to network Offering remote data transfer and access mechanism Implementing new and enhanced data communication framework Offering better data safety and access points Implementing enhanced capability of data handling Developing better data handling mechanism Suitable data backup and recovery mechanism Superior data transfer speed Effective user management Tight security login and access methods Network Information and Data Need Security In this network establishment main sensitive data that we have is about the Dental Clinic clients (patients). This data needs to be secured for superior management and corporate security and privacy. This link of data can include: Patient name Patient address Patient content Patient financial details Patient medial details Patient medical history Patient personal and sensitive information Patient funds transfer information Besides we also have some of the important information regarding doctors and other clinic staff. In this scenario we have a lot of details regarding staff working and financial information that can be extremely sensitive: Staff Person name Staff Person address Staff Person content Staff Person financial details Staff Person job details Staff P erson working history Staff Person personal and sensitive information Staff Person salary and financial transfers details In addition, this new corporate network and database will also keep some sensitive information regarding Dental Clinic itself. I have outline below some of the important aspects that will be kept by network database for the business: Business financial information Business staff details Business tax details Business revenue information Business assistants details Business daily working schedule Network Specification For analyzing the needs and requirements of Dental Clinic business and operational capabilities required by corporation I would suggest a new and effective network arrangement for the business. For this network development, I would suggest the implementation of VPN (virtual private network). In this scenario, a virtual private network (VPN) is a network arrangement that makes use of a public telecommunication arrangement, like that internet, to offer remote offices or individual clients through protected access to their organization's communication network. In addition, the basic goal of a VPN is to offer the business the similar potentials however at a much lower cost

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Critically evaluate the role counseling and psychotherapy theory and Essay

Critically evaluate the role counseling and psychotherapy theory and practice in the application of adventure therapy - Essay Example It is important to note the appropriate role and use of counseling in the context of society and in relation to abnormal psychology. For example, the counselor is primarily dealing with normal, functioning children and adults that may at some point during their life develop psychological or emotional problems with which they benefit from personal and professional assistance. Generally, between 5% to 10% of the population at any time can be expected to display the signs and symptoms of major mental illness as defined in abnormal psychology, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, manias, psychosis, etc., though less than 1% will require clinical hospitalization. (NIMH, 2008, See: Appendix) This leaves counseling as a profession tasked with first separating cases of abnormal psychology from problems of normal development of individuals, and secondly, assisting in the provision of effective treatment to the individuals who are seeking counseling. It is in this context that Adventure T herapy should be understood, as well as its application, for there may be human development problems that are caused by the individual’s relation to modern society that can better be solved by treatments fostering social relationships and exercise activities as opposed to pharmaceuticals or institutionalization. Nevertheless, there may also be instances where a combination of medication and Adventure Therapy can also assist in the treatment of those afflicted with psychological problems and mental illness. Creating the ability to distinguish the causes and treatments for patients is an important aspect of training that the counselor must undertake, including research in a multiplicity of methods and a willingness to experiment in finding the treatment that best suits the unique nature of every individual and effectively promotes positive mental health recoveries. The life of an individual can be viewed on a continuum of functionality related to self-realization with normality at the center, functioning at the highest levels of individual mental and physical operations at one extreme, and the psychoses and neuroses of severe mental illness or insanity at the other extreme. The counselor can expect the range of behavior for most people to stay within the realm of normal operations on usual occasions, straying into psychological crisis through challenges, problems, and obstacles in life or relationship issues that occasionally need to be addressed by the individual. Viewing the counselor’s office as a mixture between a general practitioner’s office and an emergency room highlights the manner that the counselor must prepare for all of the contingencies of not only mental illness, but also for mental health, in the population he or she is tasked with serving. Counseling in this regard can be seen as a tool to help maintain or restore normalcy to individuals based upon their own self-definition of importance and accepted societal standards of fu nctioning. In being able to distinguish between the critical and clinical symptoms of severe mental illness and the factors that are required to build a stronger sense of well-being and mental health, the counselor can begin to serve the diversity of needs that he or she will encounter within a given population, as well as to understand some of the causes that lead people to psycho-spiritual crisis and life

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Unemployment in 1930s Britain

Unemployment in 1930s Britain Examine the problems facing families living in areas of high unemployment in Britain in the 1930s Introduction The inter-war period is truly one of a double-edged transition. On the one hand, this period was to see the beginnings of revolution in many social institutions (such as marriage, family and the Church) that the men and women of the late Victorian era would have taken for granted. The inter-war period (which provided the necessary societal bases for the post-war creation of the Welfare State) also saw economic expansion and an improvement in welfare and living standards; infant mortality steadily decreased during the inter-war period, from 108 per 1000 live births in 1913, to 53 by 1938 (Thorpe, p.57, 1994) and the advent of mass consumerism and the wide-spread potential for leisure and tourism amongst Britons, in other words, hall-marks of a society in the process of modernisation (Stevenson, 1984). On the other hand, there is a darker side to this vision of untrammelled progress. The inter-war period has been characterised sinisterly as â€Å"the devil’s decade† (Stevenson, p.266, 1984). This epithet was bestowed on account of the image this decade has of general unemployment, which led to wide-spread impoverishment and Hunger Marches. The Wall Street Crash of 1929, which halted the American economic upsurge of the 1920s, led to a world-wide economic slump, and is the watershed for the mass unemployment that was to pervade Britain in the 1930s; for the eighteen years between 1921-1938, the official figure for unemployment never fell below one million (Harris, p.203, 1994). Britain’s worst years for unemployment were after 1931, a crisis year, because the disaster of the Wall Street Crash of 1929 had had time to take effect. In the winter of 1932-3, unemployment reached its highest peak, with just under three million workers (representing a quarter of the re gistered workforce) unemployed (Thorpe, p.88, 1994). As with any period of economic stagnation, unemployment brings with it a range of knock-on social problems for the family unit. Structural Unemployment Unemployment can be categorised as either cyclical or structural. The former is the type of unemployment that comes and goes in phases. It is linked with the economic cycle of boom and bust; when the economy is in boom, then unemployment in certain sectors will temporarily reduce, though the converse also holds. In the 1930s, which saw quite a dramatic economic cycle of boom and bust, cyclical unemployment was always a large and difficult problem. However, the problem of cyclical unemployment, being more immediately noticeable, is one that can easily mask an underlying problem of structural unemployment. This is the unemployment that still obtains, despite any periods of high economic activity. For example, even in those years of peak economic activity in the inter-war period, there was still a high level of unemployment in the staple export trades. For example, even before the world-wide economic crisis of 1929-1931, the traditional heavy industries, such as ship-building and coal-m ining, also faced high levels of unemployment. By 1929, a fifth of all coalminers were unemployed, and likewise for those workers in the iron and steel industries (Stevenson, p.269, 1984). The structural unemployment in these kinds of heavy industries, perhaps where a mine was abandoned or disused, for example, brought about the typical pattern of localised unemployment during the 1930s. The era saw depressed regions, where the local economy was dependent on heavy industry. In a region such as the north-east, with a strong and steady history of heavy industry, unemployment hit hard, as can be seen from the emotive Jarrow March to London, organised in 1936 by the local council, to draw attention to the problem of high unemployment, particularly in the heavy industry of ship-building (Thorpe, p.176, 1994). Poverty Contemporary commentators on 1930s Britain regarded the high unemployment of their time as a frightening new development. As a result, their anxieties reveal themselves in the large number of social investigations into the causes of poverty (defined as not having enough income to maintain health) and the impact of unemployment on families, and thence on societies. These studies helped to raise awareness of the plight of the unemployed, and to a large extent, provided the momentum for the social change that dawned after the Second World War (Harris, p.213, 1994). Poverty was not necessarily an immediate consequence of unemployment: some unemployed workers found that their benefits provided a more consistent wage compared to what they used to earn from insecure, seasonal labour. However, this was only a minority. The majority found that unemployment brought with it a drop in income. Thus, in order to supplement their income, many workers relied on their savings, or found themselves inc reasingly reliant on other methods in order to make ends meet. At the same time, it was found that unemployment was the major contributing factor towards the poverty of a household: in 1936, Seebohm Rowntree found that 86.4 per cent of the unemployed families living in York were living below the poverty line (Harris, p.214, 1994). Health and Malnutrition As might be expected, one of the more immediate consequences of living below the poverty line is worsened health and malnutrition. Rowntree also made detailed investigation into the health and diet of unemployed families, and compared them with that of the populace as a whole. His concluded that the families of the unemployed survived on a diet which was to all extents worse than that of those employed (Rowntree, p.182-5, 1941). Other studies of this period showed that unemployment had led to a higher incidence of childhood diseases (Harris, p.214, 1994), though it was difficult to prove conclusively that unemployment was significantly affecting infection rates of poverty-linked diseases (such as TB or anaemia). All in all, it could only be conclusively shown that unemployment did have a profound effect on the standards of nutrition, leading in some cases to severe malnutrition (Stevenson, p.283-4, 1984). Mental Health Though the main focus of much contemporary commentary was on the adverse effects unemployment placed on physical health, the deterioration of the mental health of the unemployed was also noted. At a time when the study of psychology was incipient, commentators still took account of the stark impact being out of work could have on self-esteem, and they also characterised the period following unemployment as falling into stages ranging from optimism that a new job could be found, to pessimism and possible suicidal feelings, when work was difficult or impossible to come by: Home Office Statistics of 1930 showed that two unemployed men were committing suicide every day (Stevenson, p.287, 1984) though care should be taken in attributing unemployment as the sole factor in suicide. No doubt unemployment had a part to play in the decision of a few to commit suicide, though this is only the extreme of a general feeling of malaise, boredom, hopelessness and shame that accompanied the status of unemployed. Many workers, especially the more skilled middle-classes who found themselves unemployed, reported a feeling of shame at finding themselves in that condition. Some men disliked to reveal their unemployment to their wives, and tried to conceal it for a while as best they could (Stevenson, p.286, 1984). Conclusion In dealing with a diffuse social problem such as unemployment, it is imperative not to draw hard and fast historical conclusions. Certainly, generalisations can be made, in that unemployment had a profound and long-lasting effect on those who were forced into this economic circumstance. However, unemployment, and the coping mechanisms used to deal with it, meant different things to different people. It is also the case that the related social problems linked to unemployment, namely those of poverty, malnutrition and depressed mental health, are all relative measures. It is true to say that the effects of unemployment were felt so keenly precisely because living standards had generally been on the increase since the dawn of the twentieth century. It was, however, the shocking social experiences of 1930s Britain that provided the catalyst for the creation of the Welfare State and other social reconstructions after the Second World War, and ignited the post-war aspiration to create a be tter, more equitable, society for all. Bibliography Harris, B., Unemployment and the Dole in Interwar Britain 203-220 in P. Johnson (ed.), 20th Century Britain: Economic, Social and Cultural Change (Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman Ltd., 1994) Rowntree, B.S., Poverty and Progress: A Second Social Survey of York (London, 1941) Stevenson, J., British Society 1914-1945 The Pelican Social History of Britain, J.H.Plumb (ed.), (London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1984) Thorpe, A., The Longman Companion To: Britain in the era of the two World Wars 1914-1945 (London: Longman Group Ltd., 1994)

Friday, October 25, 2019

Academic Time Management Essay -- Informative Information

Academic Time Management With every new experience come challenges, and anxieties that can be overwhelming if they are not handled and dealt with in a reasonable way. Beginning college is certainly no exception. Stress takes many forms, most notably in the academic sense, as exams, papers, and various projects and assignments. Making the grade is an important aspect of many college students, and the best way of getting good grades without sacrificing all aspects of a social life is effective time management. Well developed time management skills not only help to organize all the different pieces of a students life it also reduces their levels of stress and anxiety, while allowing them to achieve decent grade point averages. Simply learning and implementing useful time management techniques can help anyone through the turbulent transition to college academic life. Stress College life is filled with academic stressors and anxieties that consume most students. Many of the reported causes and time periods during the school semester in which students experienced heighten angst were similar and consistent among their peers. However, freshman and sophomores students had higher reactions to stress than juniors and seniors (Misra, 2000, 1). This variation is caused by the underclassmen’s’ lack of strong social support networks, and their underdeveloped coping mechanisms needed to deal with college stress due to demanding school work and tasks. Academic stress not only stems from the physical workload of classes, exams, papers, projects, and assignments, but also from psychological factors. Most of the pressure and stress students face is self-imposed. â€Å"Students’ perception of the extensive knowledge base required and... ...a, 2000, 4). Time management has been a proven stress reducer, by helping break up and spread out workloads so that students can complete assignments with as little anxiety as possible. Using such organizational techniques also allocates ample amounts of study time for each class improving students’ GPA. Time management strategies provide an effective guide for working your way through any college experience and are invaluable to every type of university student. References: Lahmers, Amy. â€Å"Factors associated with academic time use and academic performance of college students: A recursive approach.† Journal of College Student Development Sept./Oct. 2000: 544-554. Misra, Ranjita. â€Å"College students’ academic stress and its relation to their anxiety, time management, and leisure satisfaction.† American Journal of Health Studies 2000: 41-51.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Families and School Programs Essay

The article discusses how important it is that families, especially parents, get involved in school programs concerning the welfare of their kids. The learning process of these children does not stop in schools. Parents also play a major part with regard to their children’s academic life. Those who make sure that their children go to school and show interest in their child’s performance send the message to their children that education is important (Struck, 1995, p. 1). The Families and Schools Together (FAST) is a program that participates in facing the social issues of youth violence and juvenile delinquency by way of creating a better relationship between the young people and their families, friends, teachers, and school staff. Through this program, the youth will be able to increase their social skills, avoid or decrease school failure, and become more aware of the effects of alcohol and drug abuse. Families who are believed to be in need of help are invited to meetings. The program offers a variety of activities including building a family flag, sharing a family meal, singing, playing communication games or feelings-identification games, engaging in peer activities, and parent networking. A better family life and relationship is recommended for young adults and teenagers so that they are able to express their thoughts and feelings more freely. This is the reason why schools should make parents and families participate more. When a child knows that there are people who support him or her, the child would be more confident in what he or she is doing. As well, proper education regarding substance abuse and other illegal acts is recommended for them to become aware at a certain age. With schools and parents working together for the future of the young people, nothing can go wrong. Reference Struck, D. (1995). Involving Parents in Education: A Handbook for Elementary Schools. Frederick, MD: Aspen Publishers, Inc.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Deception Point Page 58

â€Å"I have an emergency!† The operator was breathless. â€Å"†¦ phone call for the President.† Tench looked incredulous. â€Å"Not now, you don't!† â€Å"It's from Rachel Sexton. She says it's urgent.† The scowl that darkened Tench's face appeared to be more one of puzzlement than anger. Tench eyed the cordless phone. â€Å"That's a house line. That's not secure.† â€Å"No, ma'am. But the incoming call is open anyway. She's on a radiophone. She needs to speak to the President right away.† â€Å"Live in ninety seconds!† Tench's cold eyes stared, and she held out a spider-like hand. â€Å"Give me the phone.† The operator's heart was pounding now. â€Å"Ms. Sexton wants to speak to President Herney directly. She told me to postpone the press conference until she'd talked to him. I assured-â€Å" Tench stepped toward the operator now, her voice a seething whisper. â€Å"Let me tell you how this works. You do not take orders from the daughter of the President's opponent, you take them from me. I can assure you, this is as close as you are getting to the President until I find out what the hell is going on.† The operator looked toward the President, who was now surrounded by microphone technicians, stylists, and several staff members talking him through final revisions of his speech. â€Å"Sixty seconds!† the television supervisor yelled. Onboard the Charlotte, Rachel Sexton was pacing wildly in the tight space when she finally heard a click on the telephone line. A raspy voice came on. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"President Herney?† Rachel blurted. â€Å"Marjorie Tench,† the voice corrected. â€Å"I am the President's senior adviser. Whoever this is, I must warn you that prank calls against the White House are in violation of-â€Å" For Christ's sake! â€Å"This is not a prank! This is Rachel Sexton. I'm your NRO liaison and-â€Å" â€Å"I am aware of who Rachel Sexton is, ma'am. And I am doubtful that you are she. You've called the White House on an unsecured line telling me to interrupt a major presidential broadcast. That is hardly proper MO for someone with-â€Å" â€Å"Listen,† Rachel fumed, â€Å"I briefed your whole staff a couple of hours ago on a meteorite. You sat in the front row. You watched my briefing on a television sitting on the President's desk! Any questions?† Tench fell silent a moment. â€Å"Ms. Sexton, what is the meaning of this?† â€Å"The meaning is that you have to stop the President! His meteorite data is all wrong! We've just learned the meteorite was inserted from beneath the ice shelf. I don't know by whom, and I don't know why! But things are not what they seem up here! The President is about to endorse some seriously errant data, and I strongly advise-â€Å" â€Å"Wait one goddamned minute!† Tench lowered her voice. â€Å"Do you realize what you are saying?† â€Å"Yes! I suspect the NASA administrator has orchestrated some kind of large-scale fraud, and President Herney is about to get caught in the middle. You've at least got to postpone ten minutes so I can explain to him what's been going on up here. Someone tried to kill me, for God's sake!† Tench's voice turned to ice. â€Å"Ms. Sexton, let me give you a word of warning. If you are having second thoughts about your role in helping the White House in this campaign, you should have thought of that long before you personally endorsed that meteorite data for the President.† â€Å"What!† Is she even listening? â€Å"I'm revolted by your display. Using an unsecured line is a cheap stunt. Implying the meteorite data has been faked? What kind of intelligence official uses a radiophone to call the White House and talk about classified information? Obviously you are hoping someone intercepts this message.† â€Å"Norah Mangor was killed over this! Dr. Ming is also dead. You've got to warn-â€Å" â€Å"Stop right there! I don't know what you're playing at, but I will remind you-and anyone else who happens to be intercepting this phone call-that the White House possesses videotaped depositions from NASA's top scientists, several renowned civilian scientists, and yourself, Ms. Sexton, all endorsing the meteorite data as accurate. Why you are suddenly changing your story, I can only imagine. Whatever the reason, consider yourself relieved of your White House post as of this instant, and if you try to taint this discovery with any more absurd allegations of foul play, I assure you the White House and NASA will sue you for defamation so fast you won't have a chance to pack a suitcase before you go to jail.† Rachel opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. â€Å"Zach Herney has been generous to you,† Tench snapped, â€Å"and frankly this smacks of a cheap Sexton publicity stunt. Drop it right now, or we'll press charges. I swear it.† The line went dead. Rachel's mouth was still hanging open when the captain knocked on the door. â€Å"Ms. Sexton?† the captain said, peering in. â€Å"We're picking up a faint signal from Canadian National Radio. President Zach Herney has just begun his press conference.† 68 Standing at the podium in the White House Briefing Room, Zach Herney felt the heat of the media lights and knew the world was watching. The targeted blitz performed by the White House Press Office had created a contagion of media buzz. Those who did not hear about the address via television, radio, or on-line news invariably heard about it from neighbors, coworkers, and family. By 8:00 P.M., anyone not living in a cave was speculating about the topic of the President's address. In bars and living rooms over the globe, millions leaned toward their televisions in apprehensive wonder. It was during moments like these-facing the world-that Zach Herney truly felt the weight of his office. Anyone who said power was not addictive had never really experienced it. As he began his address, however, Herney sensed something was amiss. He was not a man prone to stage fright, and so the tingle of apprehension now tightening in his core startled him. It's the magnitude of the audience, he told himself. And yet he knew something else. Instinct. Something he had seen. It had been such a little thing, and yet†¦ He told himself to forget it. It was nothing. And yet it stuck. Tench. Moments ago, as Herney was preparing to take the stage, he had seen Marjorie Tench in the yellow hallway, talking on a cordless phone. This was strange in itself, but it was made more so by the White House operator standing beside her, her face white with apprehension. Herney could not hear Tench's phone conversation, but he could see it was contentious. Tench was arguing with a vehemence and anger the President had seldom seen-even from Tench. He paused a moment and caught her eye, inquisitive. Tench gave him the thumbs-up. Herney had never seen Tench give anyone the thumbs-up. It was the last image in Herney's mind as he was cued onto the stage. On the blue rug in the press area inside the NASA habisphere on Ellesmere Island, Administrator Lawrence Ekstrom was seated at the center of the long symposium table, flanked by top NASA officials and scientists. On a large monitor facing them the President's opening statement was being piped in live. The remainder of the NASA crew was huddled around other monitors, teeming with excitement as their commander-in-chief launched into his press conference. â€Å"Good evening,† Herney was saying, sounding uncharacteristically stiff. â€Å"To my fellow countrymen, and to our friends around the world†¦ â€Å" Ekstrom gazed at the huge charred mass of rock displayed prominently in front of him. His eyes moved to a standby monitor, where he watched himself, flanked by his most austere personnel, against a backdrop of a huge American flag and NASA logo. The dramatic lighting made the setting look like some kind of neomodern painting-the twelve apostles at the last supper. Zach Herney had turned this whole thing into a political sideshow. Herney had no choice. Ekstrom still felt like a televangelist, packaging God for the masses.