The Host Chapter 33: Doubted

Another splash. Kyle's weight tortured my arms. â€Å"Wanda? Wanda!† â€Å"Help me! Kyle! The floor! Help!† I had my face pressed against the stone, my eyes toward the cave entrance. The light was bright overhead as the day dawned. I held my breath. My arms screamed. â€Å"Wanda! Where are you?† Ian leaped through the door, the rifle in his hands, held low and ready. His face was the angry mask his brother had worn. â€Å"Watch out!† I screamed at him. â€Å"The floor is breaking up! I can't hold him much longer!† It took him two long seconds to process the scene that was so different from the one he'd been expecting-Kyle, trying to kill me. The scene that had been, just seconds ago. Then he threw the gun to the cave floor and started toward me with a long stride. â€Å"Get down-disperse your weight!† He dropped to all fours and scuttled to me, his eyes burning in the light of dawn. â€Å"Don't let go,† he cautioned. I groaned in pain. He assessed for another second, and then slid his body behind mine, pushing me closer to the rock. His arms were longer than mine. Even with me in the way, he was able to get his hands around his brother. â€Å"One, two, three,† he grunted. He pulled Kyle up against the rock, much more securely than I'd had him. The movement smashed my face into the pillar. The bad side, though-it couldn't get much more scarred at this point. â€Å"I'm going to pull him to this side. Can you squeeze out?† â€Å"I'll try.† I loosened my hold on Kyle, feeling my shoulders ache in relief, making sure Ian had him. Then I wriggled out from between Ian and the rock, careful not to put myself on a dangerous section of the floor. I crawled backward a few feet toward the door, ready to make a grab for Ian if he started slipping. Ian hauled his inert brother around one side of the pillar, dragging him in jerks, a foot at a time. More of the floor crumbled, but the foundation of the pillar remained intact. A new shelf formed about two feet out from the column of rock. Ian crawled backward the way I had, dragging his brother along in short surges of muscle and will. Within a minute, we were all three in the mouth of the corridor, Ian and I breathing in gasps. â€Å"What†¦ the hell†¦ happened?† â€Å"Our weight†¦ was too†¦ much. Floor caved in.† â€Å"What were you doing†¦ by the edge? With Kyle?† I put my head down and concentrated on breathing. Well, tell him. What will happen then? You know what will happen. Kyle broke the rules. Jeb will shoot him, or they'll kick him out. Maybe Ian will beat the snot out of him first. That would be fun to watch. Melanie didn't really mean it-I didn't think so, anyway. She was just still mad at me for risking our lives to save our would-be murderer. Exactly, I told her. And if they kick Kyle out for me†¦ or kill him†¦ I shuddered. Well, can't you see how little sense that would make? He's one of you. We've got a life here, Wanda. You're jeopardizing that. It's my life, too. And I'm†¦ well, I'm me. Melanie groaned in disgust. â€Å"Wanda?† Ian demanded. â€Å"Nothing,† I muttered. â€Å"You're a rotten liar. You know that, right?† I kept my head down and breathed. â€Å"What did he do?† â€Å"Nothing,† I lied. Poorly. Ian put his hand under my chin, pulled my face up. â€Å"Your nose is bleeding.† He twisted my head to the side. â€Å"And there's more blood in your hair.† â€Å"I-hit my head when the floor fell.† â€Å"On both sides?† I shrugged. Ian glared at me for a long moment. The darkness of the tunnel muted the brilliance of his eyes. â€Å"We should get Kyle to Doc-he really cracked his head when he went down.† â€Å"Why are you protecting him? He tried to kill you.† It was a statement of fact, not a question. His expression slowly melted from anger to horror. He was imagining what we had been doing on that unstable shelf-I could see that in his eyes. When I did not answer, he spoke again in a whisper. â€Å"He was going to throw you in the river†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A strange tremor shook his body. Ian had one arm around Kyle-he'd collapsed that way and seemed too tired to move. Now he shoved his unconscious brother away roughly, sliding farther from him in disgust. He slid into me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. He pulled me close against his chest-I could feel his breath go in and out, still more ragged than normal. It felt very strange. â€Å"I should roll him right back in there and kick him over the edge myself.† I shook my head frantically, making it throb in pain. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Saves time. Jeb made the rules clear. You try to hurt someone here, there are penalties. There'll be a tribunal.† I tried to pull away from him, but he tightened his grip. It wasn't frightening, not like the way Kyle had grabbed me. But it was upsetting-it threw me off balance. â€Å"No. You can't do that, because no one broke the rules. The floor collapsed, that's all.† â€Å"Wanda -â€Å" â€Å"He's your brother.† â€Å"He knew what he was doing. He's my brother, yes, but he did what he did, and you are†¦ you are†¦ my friend.† â€Å"He did nothing. He is human,† I whispered. â€Å"This is his place, not mine.† â€Å"We're not having this discussion again. Your definition of human is not the same as mine. To you, it means something†¦ negative. To me, it's a compliment-and by my definition, you are and he isn't. Not after this.† â€Å"Human isn't a negative to me. I know you now. But Ian, he's your brother.† â€Å"A fact that shames me.† I pushed away from him again. This time, he let me go. It might have had something to do with the moan of pain that escaped my lips when I moved my leg. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"I think so. We need to find Doc, but I don't know if I can walk. I-I hit my leg, when I fell.† A growl strangled in his throat. â€Å"Which leg? Let me see.† I tried to straighten out my hurt leg-it was the right one-and groaned again. His hands started at my ankle, testing the bones, the joints. He rotated my ankle carefully. â€Å"Higher. Here.† I pulled his hand to the back of my thigh, just above the knee. I moaned again when he pressed the sore place. â€Å"It's not broken or anything, I don't think. Just really sore.† â€Å"Deep muscle bruise, at least,† he muttered. â€Å"And how did this happen?† â€Å"Must have†¦ landed on a rock when I fell.† He sighed. â€Å"Okay, let's get you to Doc.† â€Å"Kyle needs him more than I do.† â€Å"I have to go find Doc anyway-or some help. I can't carry Kyle that far, but I can certainly carry you. Oops-hold on.† He turned abruptly and ducked back into the river room. I decided I wouldn't argue with him. I wanted to see Walter before†¦ Doc had promised to wait for me. Would that first dose of painkiller wear off soon? My head swam. There was so much to worry about, and I was so tired. The adrenaline had drained, leaving me empty. Ian came back with the gun. I frowned because this reminded me that I'd wished for it before. I didn't like that. â€Å"Let's go.† Without thinking, he handed the gun to me. I let it fall into my open palms, but I couldn't curl my hands around it. I decided it was a suitable punishment, to have to carry the thing. Ian chuckled. â€Å"How anyone could be afraid of you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he mumbled to himself. He picked me up easily and was moving before I was settled. I tried to keep the tenderest parts-the back of my head, the back of my leg-from resting on him too hard. â€Å"How'd your clothes get so wet?† he asked. We were passing under one of the fist-sized skylights, and I could see the hint of a grim smile on his pale lips. â€Å"I don't know,† I muttered. â€Å"Steam?† We passed into darkness again. â€Å"You're missing a shoe.† â€Å"Oh.† We passed through another beam of light, and his eyes flashed sapphire. They were serious now, locked on my face. â€Å"I'm†¦ very glad that you weren't hurt, Wanda. Hurt worse, I should say.† I didn't answer. I was afraid of giving him something to use against Kyle. Jeb found us just before we hit the big cave. There was enough light for me to see the sharp glint of curiosity in his eyes when he saw me in Ian's arms, face bleeding, the gun resting gingerly on my open hands. â€Å"You were right, then,† Jeb guessed. The curiosity was strong, but the steel in his tone was stronger. His jaw was tight beneath the fan of his beard. â€Å"I didn't hear a shot. Kyle?† â€Å"He's unconscious,† I said in a rush. â€Å"You need to warn everyone-part of the floor collapsed in the river room. I don't know how stable it is now. Kyle hit his head really hard trying to get out of the way. He needs Doc.† Jeb raised one eyebrow so high it almost touched the faded bandanna at his hairline. â€Å"That's the story,† Ian said, making no effort to conceal his doubt. â€Å"And she's apparently sticking to it.† Jeb laughed. â€Å"Let me take that off your hands,† he said to me. I let him have the gun willingly. He laughed again at my expression. â€Å"I'll get Andy and Brandt to help me with Kyle. We'll follow behind you.† â€Å"Keep a close eye on him when he wakes up,† Ian said in a hard tone. â€Å"Can do.† Jeb slouched off, looking for more hands. Ian hurried me toward the hospital cave. â€Å"Kyle could be really hurt†¦ Jeb should hurry.† â€Å"Kyle's head is harder than any rock in this place.† The long tunnel felt longer than usual. Was Kyle dying, despite my efforts? Was he conscious again and looking for me? What about Walter? Was he sleeping†¦ or gone? Had the Seeker given up her hunt, or would she be back now that it was light again? Will Jared still be with Doc? Mel added her questions to mine. Will he be angry when he sees you? Will he know me? When we reached the sunlit southern cave, Jared and Doc didn't look like they'd moved much. They leaned, side by side, against Doc's makeshift desk. It was quiet as we approached. They weren't talking, just watching Walter sleep. They started up with wide eyes as Ian carried me into the light and laid me on the cot next to Walter's. He straightened my right leg carefully. Walter was snoring. That sound eased some of my tension. â€Å"What now?† Doc demanded angrily. He was bending over me as soon as the words were out, wiping at the blood on my cheek. Jared's face was frozen in surprise. He was being careful, not letting the expression give way to anything else. â€Å"Kyle,† Ian answered at the same time that I said, â€Å"The floor -â€Å" Doc looked back and forth between us, confused. Ian sighed and rolled his eyes. Absently, he laid one hand lightly on my forehead. â€Å"The floor crumbled by the first river hole. Kyle fell back and cracked his head on a rock. Wanda saved his worthless life. She says she fell, too, when the floor gave.† Ian gave Doc a meaningful look. â€Å"Something,† he said the word sarcastically, â€Å"bashed the back of her head pretty good.† He started listing. â€Å"Her nose is bleeding but not broken, I don't think. She's got some damage to the muscle here.† He touched my sore thigh. â€Å"Knees sliced up pretty good, got her face again, but I think maybe I did that, trying to pull Kyle out of the hole. Shouldn't have bothered.† Ian muttered the last part. â€Å"Anything else?† Doc asked. At that moment, his fingers, probing along my side, reached the place where Kyle had punched me. I gasped. Doc tugged my shirt up, and I heard both Ian and Jared hiss at what they saw. â€Å"Let me guess,† Ian said in a voice like ice. â€Å"You fell on a rock.† â€Å"Good guess,† I agreed, breathless. Doc was still touching my side, and I was trying to hold back whimpers. â€Å"Might have broken a rib, not sure,† Doc murmured. â€Å"I wish I could give you something for the pain -â€Å" â€Å"Don't worry about that, Doc,† I panted. â€Å"I'm okay. How's Walter? Did he wake up at all?† â€Å"No, it will take some time to sleep that dose off,† Doc said. He took my hand and started bending my wrist, my elbow. â€Å"I'm okay.† His kind eyes were soft as he met my gaze. â€Å"You will be. You'll just have to rest for a while. I'll keep an eye on you. Here, turn your head.† I did as he asked, and then winced while he examined my wound. â€Å"Not here,† Ian muttered. I couldn't see Doc, but Jared threw Ian a sharp look. â€Å"They're bringing Kyle. I'm not having them in the same room.† Doc nodded. â€Å"Probably wise.† â€Å"I'll get a place ready for her. I'll need you to keep Kyle here until†¦ until we decide what to do with him.† I started to speak, but Ian put his fingers on my lips. â€Å"All right,† Doc agreed. â€Å"I'll tie him down, if you want.† â€Å"If we have to. Is it okay to move her?† Ian glanced toward the tunnel, his face anxious. Doc hesitated. â€Å"No,† I whispered, Ian's fingers still touching my mouth. â€Å"Walter. I want to be here for Walter.† â€Å"You've saved all the lives you can save today, Wanda,† Ian said, his voice gentle and sad. â€Å"I want to say†¦ to say good-goodbye.† Ian nodded. Then he looked at Jared. â€Å"Can I trust you?† Jared's face flushed with anger. Ian held up his hand. â€Å"I don't want to leave her here unprotected while I find her a safe place,† Ian said. â€Å"I don't know if Kyle will be conscious when he arrives. If Jeb shoots him, it will upset her. But you and Doc should be able to handle him. I don't want Doc to be on his own, and force Jeb's hand.† Jared spoke through clenched teeth. â€Å"Doc won't be on his own.† Ian hesitated. â€Å"She's been through hell in the past couple of days. Remember that.† Jared nodded once, teeth still clamped together. â€Å"I'll be here,† Doc reminded Ian. Ian met his gaze. â€Å"Okay.† He leaned over me, and his luminous eyes held mine. â€Å"I'll be back soon. Don't be afraid.† â€Å"I'm not.† He ducked in and touched his lips to my forehead. No one was more surprised than I, though I heard Jared gasp quietly. My mouth hung open as Ian wheeled and nearly sprinted from the room. I heard Doc pull a breath in through his teeth, like a backward whistle. â€Å"Well,† he said. They both stared at me for a long moment. I was so tired and sore, I barely cared what they were thinking. â€Å"Doc -† Jared started to say something in an urgent tone, but a clamor from the tunnel interrupted him. Five men struggled through the opening. Jeb, in front, had Kyle's left leg in his arms. Wes had the right leg, and behind them, Andy and Aaron worked to support his torso. Kyle's head lolled back over Andy's shoulder. â€Å"Stars, but he's heavy,† Jeb grunted. Jared and Doc sprang forward to help. After a few minutes of cursing and groaning, Kyle was lying on a cot a few feet away from mine. â€Å"How long has he been out, Wanda?† Doc asked me. He pulled Kyle's eyelids back, letting the sunlight shine into his pupils. â€Å"Um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I thought quickly. â€Å"As long as I've been here, the ten minutes or so it took Ian to carry me here, and then maybe five more minutes before that?† â€Å"At least twenty minutes, would you say?† â€Å"Yes. Close to that.† While we were consulting, Jeb had made his own diagnosis. No one paid any attention as he came to stand at the head of Kyle's cot. No one paid any attention-until he turned an open bottle of water over Kyle's face. â€Å"Jeb,† Doc complained, knocking his hand away. But Kyle sputtered and blinked, and then moaned. â€Å"What happened? Where did it go?† He started to shift his weight, trying to look around. â€Å"The floor†¦ is moving†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kyle's voice had my fingers clenching the sides of my cot and panic washing through me. My leg ached. Could I limp away? Slowly, perhaps†¦ â€Å"‘S okay,† someone murmured. Not someone. I would always know that voice. Jared moved to stand between my cot and Kyle's, his back to me, his eyes on the big man. Kyle rolled his head back and forth, groaning. â€Å"You're safe,† Jared said in a low voice. He didn't look at me. â€Å"Don't be afraid.† I took a deep breath. Melanie wanted to touch him. His hand was close to mine, resting on the edge of my cot. Please, no, I told her. My face hurts quite enough as it is! He won't hit you. You think. I'm not willing to risk it. Melanie sighed; she yearned to move toward him. It wouldn't have been so hard to bear if I weren't yearning also. Give him time, I pleaded. Let him get used to us. Wait till he really believes. She sighed again. â€Å"Aw, hell!† Kyle grumbled. My gaze flickered toward him at the sound of his voice. I could just see his bright eyes around Jared's elbow, focused on me. â€Å"It didn't fall!† he complained.

NSA: National Security or National Stalkers? Essay

In 2010, it became legal for the National Security Agency (NSA) to access private email logs, social media accounts and other internet databases (Risen & Poitras, â€Å"N.S.A. Gathers Data on Social Connections of U.S. Citizens). Risen and Poitras (2013) explain that the intention of this change was to help protect the United States (U.S.) from future terrorist attacks and was for the general purpose of national safety. It is unclear how many terrorist attacks all of this new intelligence has actually prevented, however, it is very clear that the NSA’s actions are violating the privacy of not only American citizens, but everyone who lives on American soil. With the internet as a resource, this means that they can not only listen in to conversations, but access virtually any data that is entered via the internet. This includes credit card numbers, GPS coordinates, flight destinations, contact information for family members, personal pictures and much more. The NSA not only vio lates the constitutional rights of American citizens, it puts everyone in the country at great personal risk for crimes such as fraud and discrimination. One of the greatest issues with the access the NSA has is that it violates the constitutional privacy laws. The fourth amendment to the Bill of Rights, protects the American people â€Å"†¦against unreasonable searches†¦ but upon probable cause†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"The Bill of Rights: A Transcription†). Risen and Poitras (2013) reveal that the NSA is not even required to check that the individuals they gather information about are foreigners or have anything to do with foreign relations. This extensive access to all personal data including bank accounts, GPS coordinates and insurance information is the definition of an unreasonable search without probable cause. Everyone’s information is collected and stored before there is any reason for the government to search for it. This is in direct violation of the people’s constitutional rights. Of further concern is the deceit with which the NSA continues to address its capabilities. â€Å"Jon Stewart Slams Obama’s Domestic Spying Program† explains that although President Obama claimed that emails and phone calls of the general public were not being tracked, it later became evident that this was not the case. It turns out that the internet has become just one more tool for the government to use to spy on its resi dents. Yet the lies divulged by the NSA demonstrate that not only are  Americans being spied on, they have no way of truly knowing which of their personal information is at risk. As a result, it becomes even more difficult to protect oneself from privacy breaches and indicates the NSA, itself, is not an entity that can be trusted. After all, if they are lying about what they are collecting, there is no way of guaranteeing that they are not also lying about other aspects of their operation, including the way in which the personal information is used. Those close to NSA staff members are particularly vulnerable to internet privacy violations. In â€Å"Jon Stewart Slams Obama’s Domestic Spying Program† a news clip shows that NSA workers have been known to use their capabilities to spy on their loved ones. Clearly the private internet information collected by the NSA can and is misused on a regular basis. According to â€Å"The NSA’s New Spy Facilities Are 7 Times Bigger than the Pentagon† the agency has thousands of employees who are apparently able to use their resources to spy on anyone they are personally interested in. This could lead to the destruction of personal relationships and very dangerous behavior such as stalking or even murder. Another large group of vulnerable individuals are those who bank online. Anyone who uses the internet to make purchases or even view their banking information becomes at an increased risk of fraud. Not only does the NSA have access to all of their information, the mere existence of it means that it can be hacked into or even leaked. Persons of all socioeconomic backgrounds are now vulnerable to theft of their hard earned money as a result of the NSA’s alleged attempt to prevent terrorism. Furthermore, the bank information can be used in such a way that it not only deplete funds, but permanently destroys credit backgrounds and entire identities. According to Risen and Poitras (2013) all foreigners are at a greater risk for being monitored online. This includes both groups that are legally and illegally present in the U.S. and even those who have obtained citizenship. Although the purpose of spying on foreign residents more heavily appears to address the need to prevent terrorism, many (if not most) of these individuals have done nothing to warrant a search of their virtual belongings. It is as if the NSA presumes that everyone could be guilty unless they are proven innoce nt, which is the exact opposite of the way in which the U.S. judicial court operates. In fact, such tactics are a blatant form of discrimination. Mental health patients are also at particular risk. Although their  information is supposed to be confidential and kept strictly between a patient and doctor, the NSA is able to view these communications when they occur online. Such access essentially vetoes the doctor-patient confidentiality agreement. A potential result is the decrease in trust within these delicate relationships and, furthermore, a decline in treatment success. Kaiser patients, for example, are able to email their doctors to access their services more quickly and conveniently. Since these emails can be viewed by the NSA, patients may resist using this valuable resource. Some patients may refrain from revealing information altogether, even via a face-to-face appointment, since medical records are now often published within internet systems for the purpose of more efficient care. Finally, innocent children are put at risk by the NSA’s monitoring of private internet information. Whether parents want to share photographs of their pride and joy with family or tweens are exploring their social relationships, the NSA is watching. For any parent is uncomfortable to think that a stranger, whether or not they work for the government, can view pictures or information about a child with the click of a button. This group may also be the least protected online because they may not know that their information can secretly be seen. Although parents can try to safeguard their youngsters from the general public via computer restrictions and monitoring, they cannot protect them from the capabilities of the NSA. In conclusion, the NSA may be causing more harm than good with their legalized privacy breaches. Everyone is at risk, whether they are aware of it or not. It appears that the potential harm to society is not being weighed properly against the desired gain. There is not denying that it is in the best interest of all American residents that terrorism be prevented, however, the current tactics being used seem inefficient and costly to our society. Innocent people are being persecuted while criminals find ways around this flawed system of spies. If the public is aware that they are being monitored, terrorists are aware as well. It would be in the best interest of the NSA to find alternate, and more sophisticated ways to identify potential hazards instead of surveying the entire U.S. population via the internet. In fact, it is likely that the dangerous persons we seek will be the first to remove relevant communications from the internet, given the circumstances. By creating paranoia and destroying the U.S. quality of  life, we may be creating exactly what terrorist parties are working to achieve. Works Cited â€Å"The Bill of Rights: A Transcription.† National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 31 Aug. 2014. . â€Å"The Constitution.† The Constitution. Web. 01 Sept. 2014. . â€Å"Jon Stewart Slams Obama’s Domestic Spying Program.† YouTube. YouTube. Web. 01 Sept. 2014. . â€Å"The NSA’s New Spy Facilities Are 7 Times Bigger Than the Pentagon.† Defense One. Web. 02 Sept. 2014. . Risen, James, and Laura Poitras. â€Å"N.S.A. Gathers Data on Social Connections of U.S. Citizens.† The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Sept. 2013. Web. 02 Sept. 2014. .

Groth issues of Aconex company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Groth issues of Aconex company - Essay Example In fact this is part of our strategic management process. 11. What % of sales do you export Majority of our sales are for the overseas market. About 51-80 percent is the export market share in the revenues 12. Is your company taking advantage of the growth of the economies in China or India Yes. These two nations are the fastest growing economies today. With each country having more than a billion consumers, both having strong presence in the IT and ITES sector and availability of quality services with cheaper labor, these two countries are the obvious choice for such a venture. 13. How We have staff (sales and support) directly employed in both China and India. This way we are able to leverage the economies of scale. 14. Are changing demographics affecting your business strategy No. Compatibility with global environment is a prerequisite for survival in today's context. Therefore, companies are supposed to be ready for such diversities. 15. Is your company preparing for an economic slowdown in Australia No. With signals of a thaw in the global slowdown, and some sort of stability in the global financial markets we don't expect such a scenario anytime soon. 16. What are your best tips in a slump Adopting austerity measures in these times of slowdown will help us in remaining better prepared for the uncertain future. One of the quick fire solutions to wade through the slump is cutting down the salaries and being focused and aggressive in our marketing approach. 17. What is your principal aim in expanding the business The principal aim is to build a globally successful and competitive business 18. Did you plan your exit before you started...These days the online platform has bridged those distances. It order to exploit fullest potential of the company we intend to put daylight between us and second place of operation viz. New York and Sydney; Washington and Melbourne etc. We have a set of criteria to determine which markets we should enter next, based on size of market, availability of broadband, and the level of competition. In fact this is part of our strategic management process. Yes. These two nations are the fastest growing economies today. With each country having more than a billion consumers, both having strong presence in the IT and ITES sector and availability of quality services with cheaper labor, these two countries are the obvious choice for such a venture. Adopting austerity measures in these times of slowdown will help us in remaining better prepared for the uncertain future. One of the quick fire solutions to wade through the slump is cutting down the salaries and being focused and aggressive in our marketing approach. We know that the human resource is key to the success of any venture. We try our best to keep the workforce motivated enough to work in sync with the mission nd objectives of the company. Share plans, bonuses, flexible work practices, above average salaries, Volunteer leave are some of the features of our HR policy. In order to sustain the team spirit amongst the workforce, the management is always on th

Reducing Construction Accidents in the UK Dissertation

Reducing Construction Accidents in the UK - Dissertation Example Elizabeth Paton explores courses of action undertook by the UK to respond to high-profile injury cases recorded in the construction industry. The article cites recent accidents reported in construction sites within London’s financial district. Statistics included in the report include the demise of over 50% of construction workers because of falling, the hiring of inexperienced workers, communication barriers, and highly demanded equipment. Paton considers this combination a recipe for â€Å"fresh hazards† that the UK, along with construction unions need to check and decrease (Paton, 2015). In 2014, the UK’s HSE (Health and Safety Executive) published a document that outlined the state of health and safety in the construction sector. An overview of the injuries reported from this industry noted that that this sector made up for 5% of injured UK workers. Out of 31% of all serious accidents, only 10% were reported, and 6% of over-a-week old accidents injured contra cted construction site workers (HSE 2015). An inquiry conducted by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions outlined approaches that could lower accidents in the UK’s construction sector. The inquiry’s report indicated that approaches that tackled the macro, mezzo, and micro aspects of accidents in the construction industry was necessary (HSE, 2013). This report is highly valuable for his project because it offers a systematic point of view of the precise way that strategies devised by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions could lower accidents in the construction sector.

European Convention on Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

European Convention on Human Rights - Essay Example However, the legal precedent regarding the applicability of human rights to aliens and immigrants in deportation hearings largely excludes Article 6 from applicability based on the rulings that these are administrative hearings and not criminal trials or charges. Despite the fact that fundamental human rights are being decided and discussed in immigration and alien extradition proceedings, the courts have allowed little extension of the ECHR in this realm of legal practice. Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights additionally sets requirements for a public hearing and announcement of the verdict, while accepting that this can be retrained in certain instances of â€Å"the interest of morals, public order or national security in a democratic society, where the interests of juveniles or the protection of the private life of the parties so require, or the extent strictly necessary in the opinion of the court in special circumstances where publicity would prejudice the inte rests of justice.†2 The procedural safeguards found in this section of Article 6 have been determined to be not applicable to administrative decisions, based not on any of the reasons stated therein, but rather in the jurisdiction of the proceedings for the expulsion, deportation or extradition of aliens. In this regard, the current state of the law can arguably be said to be based in outmoded aspects of identity that are inconsistent with globalized society and modern forms of mass-transportation. Populations and economies are much more dynamic in the 21st century than in the early era of modernity when the rights of sovereignty of nation-states and the fundamental rights of individuals were first developed into human rights accords. Human rights are designed to protect fundamental liberties of the individual against intrusion by the State in recognition of the inalienability of the stated rights. Thus denying them by fact of the temporary â€Å"alien† status of the pe titioner or a jurisdictional element of law seems to point to the circumvention of the intent of the founders in this instance. Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights also states that, â€Å"everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law. Everyone charged with a criminal offence has the following minimum rights: (a) to be informed promptly, in a language which he understands and in detail, of the nature and cause of the accusation against him; (b) to have adequate time and the facilities for the preparation of his defence; (c) to defend himself in person or through legal assistance of his own choosing or, if he has not sufficient means to pay for legal assistance, to be given it free when the interests of justice so require; (d) to examine or have examined witnesses against him and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses on his behalf under the same conditions as witnesses against him; (e) to have the free assistance of an interpreter if he cannot understand or speak the language used in court.†

Ethics in Public Administration and Policy Research Paper

Ethics in Public Administration and Policy - Research Paper Example In fact, public administrators and policymakers that share common values, practice ethical behavior and have a sense of purpose enjoy a competitive advantage. Ethics applies in both public and private organizations in offering services and leadership with an aim of promoting public interest, integrity, and accountability. This paper will thus discuss the history and importance of ethics in public administration and policy. It will equally address a good, clear research question based on ethics in public administration and policy. Ethics in public administration and policy refers to the determination of the right and wrong human behaviors in course of offering public services and leadership. The modern world is a witness to questions of fraudulent practices, inequality, mismanagement of funds, and other unethical behaviors in public administration and policy. As such, this has led to the need for addressing ethical standards in public administration and policy (Lawton, 2010). Actually, there is a dire need for ethical problem solving and decision-making in public administration and policy-making. Therefore, the public administrators have a mandate to establish and implement ethical standards in an organization. Ideally, every organization adopts a code of ethics that defines how the public administrators and other stakeholders should behave in making policies and offering leadership. Moreover, Ethics in public administration and policy relates to social commitment, ethical leadership, and organizational cultur e. Indeed, the importance of ethics in public administration and policy is unquestionable. Ethics helps in restoring discipline, ensuring accountability, integrity, compliance with standards, and better leadership for purposes of public leadership. Through the code of ethics, we can avoid various frauds errors, and unethical behaviors like corruption in public administration and policy. Actually, where anti-corruption laws and codes of conduct fail in preventing unethical behavior, international bodies like the United  Nations seek to establish a code of ethics that promotes good public administration and policy.  

Winners Go First Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Winners Go First - Essay Example The setting of the story contains a field which the two brothers enter to play with rocks, cans and bottles. The writer has showed daytime, and has lucidly described that the overall setting through use of imagination and wordy descriptions. The writer has, very skillfully, described the dialogues of the main characters, because the reader comes to know the internal psyche of the two brothers through their conversation. For example, Anthony says to Torrie, â€Å"Boy, you oughta quit. You been reading too many of them king fu books† (Masiki, as cited in McCann & Estess, 2002). This dialogue show the mockery Anthony expresses about Torrie. When he sees Torrie praying, he says, â€Å"I wasn’t praying. I was concentrating.† On this statement, Torrie feels a conflict between his internal conception of character and the reality of the outside world. Torrie says at an instance, â€Å"Look. Just go ahead and throw, and stop clowning,† which shows Torrie’s conflict with his elder brother and his rejection of the latter’s mocking

QUALITY LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW OUTLINE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

QUALITY LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW OUTLINE - Essay Example 2. The response of Mr. Braun to the question on competing in quality is also very unique. It is evident that their service is a ground breaker and a â€Å"first† entrant in the public transport provision sector and that is why they are convincing the public to shift to using bus as compared to automobiles. 3. Mr. Braun’s response to the third question i.e. monitoring competition, I believe it is not really up to the mark. I believe that he has overlooked the fact that Pace South Holland has indirect competition in form of automobiles, car pool services, private contracted bus-van service providers etc. Monitoring competition in this case would be: b) -Another way would be to see what value added features home-pick & drop provider, contracted bus/van carriers and car pool service providers are providing and value adding to Pace South Holland’s current services. c) -Another way would be to estimate the cost the customer is paying by availing the other options and improving their own service in such a way that it is economical and comfortable for the customer to use their bus service as compared to other ways of traveling. 4. Mr. Braun’s response to the question relating to quality process is incomplete in the sense that we understand that benchmarking is necessary and a good move but how can we be sure that the needs of the riders are being satisfied? Another aspect he is vague about is; what exactly are the goals that they are achieving and what goals do they need to improve upon? He also evaded providing reasons of achieving or not achieving the goals. My suggestion would be to include a â€Å"feedback form’ in the pockets of the seats and requesting the riders to fill them up. This process may really determine whether the customers are really satisfied or not? Or what else they may require to improve upon the services. 5. Once again in his response to the question relating to the aspect of quality that is most effective, Mr. Braun refers vaguely

Game scrabble Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Game scrabble - Essay Example Unfortunately for him, he did not know that he will also become deeply engrossed into the game just as other hard-core players. This paper begins by giving a general overview of the book before focusing on individual characters and analyzing their distinctive features relative to the game. Their lives outside the game are also explored and their roles within the text. Stefan Fatsis, author and character in Word Freak, used to play a reasonably mean game of Scrabble-according to what he thought, until that moment when he chose to investigate the game both intensively and extensively for an article he was due to publish. In a twist and turn of events, Fatsis sooner than later found himself obsessed with the game just as other hard-core players he sought to interview. The book revolves around the characters of G.I. (that is from gastrointestinal) Joel Sherman, Marlon Hill, a fervent youthful black nationalist, and Matt Graham, the pill-popping funnyman. These characters spent a great chunk of their time in dictionaries and other sources just to familiarize with new words to use while playing scrabble tournaments. Something what noting is that they all earned their livelihood through the income and prizes from these events. While some of them loved words for their own selves, others did this just as a means to an end. It because of these that Fatsis takes an issue and warns anyone contemplating engaging in competitive Scrabble to come to terms with the fact that it may require them to learn words that may lack outside utility. Eventually, the game demands for mastering the rules of the game, which for this case are the words. Joel Sherman, also called G.I. (from gastrointestinal), is described as a Walking Manual of physical sicknesses. Among the many maladies associated with him include asthma, postnatal drip, and allergic to lactose. Another funny bit about him is that he uncontrollably belches during tournaments

Political Socialization Essay Example for Free

Political Socialization Essay Both my parents are independents; and I used to identify myself as independent. However, I believe school was the political socialization agent that has had the greatest impact in my judgments and decisions related to politics. This process began in my country, Venezuela, there I learned about world and Venezuelan history, patriotism, symbols, basic institutions and values of politics in school. I was always taught to stand for my principles and beliefs. Therefore, from seven to twelve grades I got involved with my schools Student Government Group. At that time, I was able to make a difference in issues related to students and staff interests; I also made a difference in the community by organizing conservationist campaigns, good neighbor activities, and beautification of our city projects, to mention some. Most of the time I felt that I was not bonded to any of the countrys political parties, but shortly after entering college I began to work and there were the opportunities for involvement within the system. Unfortunately, my countrys political situation started to deteriorate with the intended of a military take over. Later on, it was totally crushed with the actual Presidential election of the perpetrator, current President, Hugo Chaves. My trust and faith in a democracy were shattered until I decided to come to the US. Now, I appreciate and love this country very much for all the opportunities existing to me. I also feel that my opinions in American politics, ethics and other subjects are well-informed and once again school has marked and amplified them. On the other hand, I believe that a persons knowledge of politics cannot simply come from their own personal experience or through the lessons learned from others directly. For instance, the mass media influences individuals by what they report and what they do not report; and it does not frequently discuss alternatives to the way society is fundamentally structured. In conclusion, I think much of the political knowledge people have comes from a combination of agents, for me in priority basis are: school, my values, and the mass media. I also think that my family has the least impact on me as political socialization agent because they were never inclined to any political party and this was not an important subject of discussion in my house.

Ammonium Dihydrogen Phosphate (ADP) Crystals Structure

Ammonium Dihydrogen Phosphate (ADP) Crystals Structure Ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) crystals are widely used as the second, third and fourth harmonic generator for Nd:YAG and Nd:YLF lasers. It belongs to the tetragonal system with the space group I-42d 1. These crystals are widely used for electro-optical applications such as Q-switching for Ti–sapphire and alexandrite lasers as well as for acousto optical applications2–4. Tris(thiourea)zinc(II) sulphate (ZTS) is a semi-organic nonlinear optical (NLO) material which finds applications in the area of laser technology, optical communication, data storage technology and optical computing because it has high resistance to laser induced damage, high nonlinearity, wide transparency, low angular sensitivity and good mechanical hardness compared to many organic NLO crystals5-8. It belongs to the orthorhombic system with noncentrosymmetric space group Pca21 and point group mm2. Growth, spectral, optical and thermal studies of rare earth neodymium(III) doped ZTS9, cerium(III) doped ZTS10,11 have been reported. We have also investigated the influence of Ce(III)- doping12 effects of ADP crystals. In the present investigation, the effect of La(III)-doping on ADP and ZTS crystals has been studied using FT-IR, XRD, SEM, EDS, UV–vis, thermal and Kurtz powder SHG measurements. ADP (E. Merck) was purified by repeated recrystallization. ZTS was synthesized as reported earlier13. To avoid decomposition, low temperature ( ZnSO4 ·7H2O + 3(CS(NH2)2) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ® Zn(CS(NH2)2)3SO4 After successive recrystallization processes, crystals were grown by slow evaporation solution growth technique (pH = 6.2). Doping of lanthanum (5 mol %) in the form of lanthanum(III)- chloride (Aldrich) was used as such in the aqueous growth medium. The crystallization took place within 10–15 days and the high quality transparent crystals were harvested from the aqueous growth medium. Best quality and highly transparent seed crystals are used in the preparation of bulk crystals. Photographs of the as-grown crystals are shown in Fig. 2.2.1. The FT-IR spectra of pure and doped crystals reveal small shifts in some of the characteristic vibrational frequencies (Table.2.3.1.1.) and it could be due to lattice strain as a result of La(III)- doping. The vibrational patterns of lanthanum doped ADP exhibit slight variations as compared with pure ADP. PO4 stretching and bending vibrations are observed at ~1100, ~910 cm-1 and ~453, ~546 cm-1 respectively. Symmetric stretching vibrations of NH4+ ion are observed in the range of ~1407 cm-1. Vibrational peak at ~1280 cm-1 corresponds to OH bending. Broad peaks observed at ~3234 cm-1, ~3120 cm-1 correspond to N–H ·Ã‚ ·Ã‚ ·O stretching vibrations. A close observation of FT-IR spectra of pure ZTS and doped specimens also reveals that the doping results in slight shifts in some of the characteristic vibrational frequencies. It could be due to lattice strain developed as a result of doping. An absorption band in the region 2750–3400 cm-1 corresponds to the symmetric and asymmetric stretching frequencies of NH2 group of zinc(II) coordinated thiourea. The absorption band observed at ~1620 cm-1 in the spectra of pure and doped specimens corresponds to that of thiourea (~1625 cm-1)14 of about the same frequency and it can be assigned to NH2 bending vibration. The CN stretching frequencies of thiourea (1122 and 1502 cm-1) shifted to higher frequencies for pure and La(III)- doped ZTS crystals (~1128 and ~1500 cm-1). The C-S is stretching frequencies (1398 and 712 cm-1)15 are shifted to lower frequencies (~1394 and ~706 cm-1) for pure and doped samples. These observations suggest that metal coordinate with thiourea through The powder XRD patterns of La(III)-doped samples are compared with that of undoped one (Fig. 2.3.2.1). No new peaks or phases were observed by doping with inner transition metal lanthanum. However, a drastic reduction in intensity is observed as a result of doping. The most prominent peaks with maximum intensity of the XRD patterns of pure and doped specimens are quite different. The observations could be attributed to strains in the lattice. The cell parameters are determined from the single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and the values of pure and doped crystals are given in the Table 2.3.2.1. The ionic radius of the dopant La(III) (117 pm) is very small compared with that of NH4+ (151 pm)16. Hence, it is reasonable to believe that the dopant can enter into the ADP crystalline matrix occupying predominantly substitutional positions without causing much distortion. However, the valance of the dopant is different from the host and hence one cannot expect only the simple substitut ional occupancy leading to inhomogeneous strains in the crystal17. It is also appropriate to mention here that in the case of dopants having a dissimilar valance and size from the substituting element of the host lattice, due to expected strain, even small thermal/ mechanical fluctuations during the growth process lead to easy formation of structural defects18,19. It clearly shows that the crystal undergoes non-uniform strain in the lattice. The cell volume of the La(III)- doped ZTS crystals increased (Table. 2). It could be due to the small ionic radius of Zn2+ (88 pm) in comparison with that of La(III) (117 pm)17. This type of behavior (the unit cell volume of the doped materials not varying regularly with the ionic radius of the dopant) has been explained by the electron-doping effect counteracting the steric effect20. The concentration of absorbing species can be determined using the Kubelka-Munk equation21, The direct and indirect band gap energies obtained from the intercept of the resulting straight line with the energy axis at [F(R)hÃŽ ½]2 = 0 and [F(R)hÃŽ ½]1/2 = 0 are deduced as 5.35 eV and 5.50 eV respectively for ADP:La and 5.37 eV 5.70 eV for ZTS:La (Fig. 2.3.3.1). The effect of the influence of dopant on the surface morphology of ADP crystal faces reveals structure defect centers as seen in SEM images (Fig.2.3.4.1). A plate like morphology with a layered structure is exhibited. The incorporation of lanthanum in the ADP crystal matrix results in cluster of scatter centers and voids than those of the undoped specimen. The flower like morphology is observed in ZTS doped specimens. Pure ZTS contains small defect centers in the plate surface and incorporation of La(III) increases the surface roughness (Fig.2.3.4.1(b)). The incorporation of La(III) into the crystalline matrix was confirmed by EDS performed on ADP and ZTS (Fig.2.3.5.1). It appears that the accommodating capability of the host crystal is limited and only a small quantity is incorporated into the ADP and ZTS crystalline matrix. EDS reveals that the accommodating capability of ZTS is much better than ADP as shown in Fig.2.3.5.1(b). The amount of doping in ADP:La and ZTS:La specimens are estimated using AAS and the foreign metal ion entering into the ADP/ZTS crystal matrix is much smaller but significant. Further, the final dopant concentration within the host lattice is not proportional to the prevailing concentration of dopant in the solution at the time of the crystallization process, since the host crystal can accommodate the dopant only to a limited extent. The AAS data reveal that the La(III) ion concentration in ADP and ZTS crystalline matrix are 7.5 ppm and 11.3 ppm respectively. High incorporation of the dopant takes place in the case of lanthanide doping in ZTS compared to ADP. TG/DTA thermogram reveals the purity of the material. The thermogram curve shows a gradual mass loss and residual mass obtained at 1000 ËÅ ¡C is only 10% Fig.2.3.6.1 (a) An endothermic peak is obtained in the DTA analysis for ADP:La at a higher temperature (200ËÅ ¡C) than the pure ADP crystals (191 ËÅ ¡C). The melting point of the material was confirmed by using Sigma instruments melting point apparatus (200ËÅ ¡C). The investigation shows that there is no physically absorbed water in molecular structure of crystals grown from the solution. The simultaneous TG-DTA curves in nitrogen for ZTS and ZTS:La systems at a heating rate of 20 ËÅ ¡C/min are given in the Fig.2.3.6.1(b). The absence of water of crystallization in the molecular structure is indicated by the absence of weight loss around 100 ËÅ ¡C. The melting point of pure ZTS is 231ËÅ ¡ C. A good thermal stability of ZTS:La is observed up to ~235 ËÅ ¡C and the thermal behavior is not very much altered in the presence of the dopant. The sharp endothermic peak at 235 ËÅ ¡C is may be due to melting point. TG curves show a gradual mass loss and residual mass obtained at 1000 ËÅ ¡C is ~20 %. The sharpness of the peak shows the good degree of crystallinity of the material. No decomposition up to the melting point ensures the stability of the material for application in lasers, where the crystals are required to withstand high temperatures. In order to confirm the influence of doping on the nonlinear optical properties (NLO) of the as-grown crystals, these were subjected to SHG test. The SHG efficiency of the materials was performed by Kurtz powder SHG method22. Input radiation used is 2.5 mV/pulse. The output SHG intensities of La(III) doped ADP and ZTS specimens give relative NLO efficiencies of the measured specimens. The doubling of frequency was confirmed by the green color of the output radiation whose characteristic wavelength is 532 nm and it indicates that the doped material exhibits second order NLO effect. The efficient SHG demands specific molecular alignment of the crystal to be achieved facilitating nonlinearity in the presences of a dopant. Incorporation of La(III) into ADP and ZTS crystalline matrix also enhances the SHG efficiency (Table.2.3.7.1) and hence La(III) is a useful dopant. The efficient SHG demands specific molecular alignment of the crystal facilitating nonlinearity in the presence of dopant or it may be due to the improvement in the crystalline perfection of ADP/ZTS crystals by low level La(III)- doping. The effect of various dopants on the SHG efficiencies of ADP/ZTS has been listed in Table.2.3.7.2. The comparative SHG oscilloscope traces of the powder samples ADP:La (blue) and ZTS:La (red) are displayed in Fig. 2.3.7.1. The influence of La(III) doping on the ADP and ZTS crystal has been systematically studied. The reduction in the intensities observed in the powder XRD patterns and slight shifts in vibrational frequencies in FT-IR indicate minor structural variations in the doped materials. Morphological changes in the doped specimen are observed in the SEM micrographs. The studies indicate that the crystal undergoes lattice stress as a result of doping. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrum reveals the incorporation of La(III)- into the crystalline matrix of ADP/ZTS crystals. AAS studies also confirm the above observations. It is clear that the incorporation of La(III)- is comparatively high in the case of ZTS. The thermal analysis reveals the purity of the material. Enhancement in SHG efficiency is observed in ADP/ZTS as a result of La(III)- doping became of facile charge transfer.

Why Education is Important :: Education

Many students around the world today focus mainly one thing while they are in school; Career and income, but how do you achieve that? How does one get the career they want and the income they yearn? The answer is education several countries are known for their exceptional performance in academics and the pressure related to their education. Among those countries are China, India and Japan. These three countries share a lot in common; exceptionally bright students and a very rigorous education system that showers students with pressure from parents to perform exceptional in school. Anita Desai, who is the author of Studies in the Park, shows us how the much education is important in India. Studies in the Park is about a young man named Suno. Suno is ready to apply for college, but before he goes into college, he must pass the entrance exams for his college. Suno undergoes pressure from his parents to study hard and pass the entrance exams. Suno is always reminded from his pare nts that he expects good results from him and he should just be studying. Suno starts to get fed up with all the talks and his loud home, so he tries and find a new place to go and study; The Park. At the park he meets other students who are just like him; tired of all the noise at home and fed up from their parents nagging at them to study. Anita Desai’s Studies in the Park undoubtedly connects with the importance of education worldwide, pressure placed on students for education and the pressure for incentives offered for education globally. Many students are constantly faced with the same problem everyday: Education. Desai showed emphasis on the pressure that students from India face and how expectations rise every year. Desai’s story may have been a replica of her very own young life because she focused on one’s own belief in education and the freedom to choose for one’s own future career. Firstly, Students that are living in highly populated countries understand the importance of education far greater than students that are living in countries with extra amenities and a lot of neighborhoods. In Desai’s Studies in the Park, the main character Suno was always told by his parents that education was thought that Suno’s parents had is very similar to Obama’s thoughts.

Childhood Memories of Dad :: Descriptive Writing Examples

Cold winters, hot summers, pokey gravel, darkness, inconvenient tools and deterioration of the old hotrods. All of this came to an abrupt hault when a father and son's dream became a reality. A place of our own to operate without distractions. A place to bring our thoughts together and mechanically reconstruct cars and repair them within our own limits. This place that my dad and I started building would be known as "The Shop" or a.k.a. "Hopshop." This shop is the last project that my dad started and I was going to finish it. It all started by excavating the ground that would one-day support this shop. The shop plans had been previously made and were followed exactly. After the concrete was poured and steel beams were secured, it was ready to put the metal siding on. Within the concrete is our handprints and names, which makes it even more special to me. This sturdy architecture was unable to be finished because of the lack of expenses, after my dad's death. After that cold lonely winter, leading to the on coming year flew by very swiftly. I finally overcame my fear and decided that it was time to step up and find the will to complete the project. It took some time and money, but finally it was completed. It included automatic garage doors, sophisticated lighting system, a pellet stove for the cold winters and an air conditioner for the scorching summer. I moved all of our air tools, craftsman wrenches, sockets, vises, grinders, and the vehicles. In addition to the shop, there are things within the shop that have stories to them, making it what it is, such as the toolbox, Mustang, and Bronco. The Mustang was my dad's and it has been his since it was first manufactured. We were going to restore it to its original look that was established from my dad's artistic ability. Designing it with gloss black and flames coming from both fender wells. It had 20 inch racing slicks with a 4:11 positive track pushing 400 horses with its 302 boss engine. I remember how it used to smell, like hot dust leather and it used to suck me back in the seat almost giving me whiplash. We called The "Stang." It has been wrecked but only has a minor dent in its front right fender. The engine is now in my dad's 79 Ford but the

Socrates Essay example -- essays research papers

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the life of Socrates. Central Idea: I plan on telling the audience what Philosophy is, who Socrates was, and the methods he used in teaching his philosophy. INTRODUCTION Attention Getter: "The unexamined life is not worth living." This is the most famous quote of the most popular philosopher of all time: Socrates. Reveal Topic: I plan on telling you what philosophy is and how Socrates viewed philosophy. Credibility: I am able to speak on this topic because I have taken a philosophy course, and I have done extensive research in to Socrates life. Central Idea: I plan on telling the audience what philosophy is, who Socrates was, and tell the way he viewed philosophy in order to better understand his quote. (Connective: First, lets talk about what philosophy is.) BODY I. Philosophy is a term with many meanings. A. Philosophy is the process of thinking through every little question imaginable to try to come up with the most rational explanation or truth. B. It is an attempt to describe "the ultimate and real nature of reality." C. Philosophy also helps us to determine the limits of out knowledge by its source, value, nature and validity. D. It is a continuous thought process searching for the underlying knowledge of all causes or things as they appear to us, finding out why a thing is what it is. (Connective: Now let's learn a little about Socrates life.) II. Socrates's Life A. He grew up in Athens with little schooling. B. He married late in life but did have 3 sons. C. He was a political figure because of his wisdom, but never was interested in running for any type of public office. D. He was a major figure during a war which is where he first gained his recognition. E. He wrote none of his thoughts down. The information we have about him today comes from one of his students, his best, Plato. He recorded several of the dialogs he had with Socrates and put them in a book. F. His main... ...le he was in prison. They had actually devised an escape plan, and also a guard "forgot" to lock the door, but Socrates said he wanted to comply with the law and die for his reason, cause, and beliefs. F. He said he didn't fear death because you can't fear anything you don't have any knowledge of. CONCLUSION Well, I hope everyone can come up with their own interpretation of why the unexamined life wasn't and isn't worth living. According to Socrates, we should be asking questions about everything we see, hear, or think we know. I interpret the quote as having to know yourself inside and out. You have to come up with your own beliefs and values, not the one's of anyone else. I believe to have a happy life, you have to examine and know every little aspect of your life. If your thoughts and beliefs aren't questioned by yourself over and over again, how will you know if they are your thoughts or the ones of others'? If you are living the values and beliefs of your best friend or a group of friends, the values are not your own, so therefor, your life is unexamined and why should you live a life that isn't yours? Socrates Essay example -- essays research papers Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the life of Socrates. Central Idea: I plan on telling the audience what Philosophy is, who Socrates was, and the methods he used in teaching his philosophy. INTRODUCTION Attention Getter: "The unexamined life is not worth living." This is the most famous quote of the most popular philosopher of all time: Socrates. Reveal Topic: I plan on telling you what philosophy is and how Socrates viewed philosophy. Credibility: I am able to speak on this topic because I have taken a philosophy course, and I have done extensive research in to Socrates life. Central Idea: I plan on telling the audience what philosophy is, who Socrates was, and tell the way he viewed philosophy in order to better understand his quote. (Connective: First, lets talk about what philosophy is.) BODY I. Philosophy is a term with many meanings. A. Philosophy is the process of thinking through every little question imaginable to try to come up with the most rational explanation or truth. B. It is an attempt to describe "the ultimate and real nature of reality." C. Philosophy also helps us to determine the limits of out knowledge by its source, value, nature and validity. D. It is a continuous thought process searching for the underlying knowledge of all causes or things as they appear to us, finding out why a thing is what it is. (Connective: Now let's learn a little about Socrates life.) II. Socrates's Life A. He grew up in Athens with little schooling. B. He married late in life but did have 3 sons. C. He was a political figure because of his wisdom, but never was interested in running for any type of public office. D. He was a major figure during a war which is where he first gained his recognition. E. He wrote none of his thoughts down. The information we have about him today comes from one of his students, his best, Plato. He recorded several of the dialogs he had with Socrates and put them in a book. F. His main... ...le he was in prison. They had actually devised an escape plan, and also a guard "forgot" to lock the door, but Socrates said he wanted to comply with the law and die for his reason, cause, and beliefs. F. He said he didn't fear death because you can't fear anything you don't have any knowledge of. CONCLUSION Well, I hope everyone can come up with their own interpretation of why the unexamined life wasn't and isn't worth living. According to Socrates, we should be asking questions about everything we see, hear, or think we know. I interpret the quote as having to know yourself inside and out. You have to come up with your own beliefs and values, not the one's of anyone else. I believe to have a happy life, you have to examine and know every little aspect of your life. If your thoughts and beliefs aren't questioned by yourself over and over again, how will you know if they are your thoughts or the ones of others'? If you are living the values and beliefs of your best friend or a group of friends, the values are not your own, so therefor, your life is unexamined and why should you live a life that isn't yours?

Maida on the Work of O’Connor – Light and Enlightenment

Maida on the Work of O’Connor Jordan Hollowell English 103 Professor Kuzmenkov October 6, 2012 (2) The main idea of Maida’s article is to tie together and explain the common literary devices apparent in Flannery O’Connor’s short stories.There are four reoccurring devices in O’Connor’s work: first, the eyes, which reflect an individuals innermost thoughts and emotions; then the tree-line which symbolizes the division of understanding between the world understood by an individual and the world beyond their comprehension; then the color purple which represents emotional or physical trauma which is often evoked alongside the Sun, which represents divine intervention.In describing these devices Maida also describes the arc of O’Connor’s characters as one in which they begin their journey with a sinful or selfish understanding of life and ultimately are bestowed with an enlightened understanding of life after embracing the love of God , Christian values, or both. (3) Maida’s writing is a brilliant exploration of the subject matter.From the citations given throughout the article it seems apparent that the core idea would not be lost on any reader, but after having been provided with a thorough examination of the O’Connor ‘s symbology her writing can now be appreciated to it’s full extent. For instance, a symbol like the Sun might be mistaken for a moment of clarity to someone unfamiliar with O’Connor’s other works. (4a) Maida (1976) asserts that the Sun is unmistakable as God’s active force, due to its ability to violate the laws of physics concerning its shape and movement (p. -3). However, since it is used as a metaphor its movement or changes could be interpreted as imagined movements that reside only in the mind of the character to whom they apply. The Sun as metaphor would then represent the comprehension of a life lesson as it eludes or is absorbed by the chara cter. This understanding would recast the role of God from one which is shown to be an active participant spurring characters’ ultimate realizations, to one in which the character must grasp the truth of God and life more independently.While the story would still make sense, the nuances of God’s love and patience would be lost. (5) My claim that Maida’s examination of O’Connor’s symbolism enable’s readers to understand the authors writing to it’s full extent stems from my personal reluctance to embrace the idea that God is active in peoples lives. I know that I would miss the message which (4b) Maida continues to stress, â€Å"Although man is thwarted by his lack of vision, the light remains a hovering presence-ready to pursue if necessary, the recalcitrant† (p. ) Were I to read O’Connor’s works I feel that I would choose to believe that the characters have their notions shattered and come to enlightenment through introspection, that they come to their own conclusions about God independently of Him. I would choose to view the Sun not as something that pursues, but rather something which as always been with the character, but never accepted or explored until the time wherein the individual was ready for it. References (1a) Maida, P. D. (1976). Light and Enlightenment in Flannery O'Connor's Fiction.In Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Retrieved from http://www. fofweb. com. proxy1. athensams. net/activelink2. asp? ItemID=WE54;SID=5;iPin= BLTSAR011;SingleRecord=True (1b) Maida, Patricia D. â€Å"Light and Enlightenment in Flannery O'Connor's Fiction. † Sin and Redemption, Bloom's Literary Themes. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2010. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. October 6, 2012. ;http://www. fofweb. com. proxy1. athensams. net/activelink2. asp? ItemID=WE54;SID=5;iPin= BLTSAR011;SingleRecord=True;.

Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Essay

Organizational behavior is the study and application of knowledge about people or groups of people in an organization. It focuses on what people do and why they do it with aim of improving what they do. Since an organization is a collection of people working together in an organized social structure to achieve a common goal, application of theories and concepts of human behavior is imperative to attain the goals of organizations. Organizational behavior covers areas such as human behavior, leadership in an organization, teams, communications, employee relations etc. Clark, 2008). A study of the organization’s behavior helps the management to succeed in business opportunities. Human resource management is a strategic approach to the management of employees in an organization. It includes activities such as planning, selection, recruitment and maintaining employees. To sustain high performing employees, ensuring safe working environments and compliance to rules and regulations in an organization are some of the main objectives of human resource management. These objectives can only be attained through efficient analyses of the employees’ behaviors. Therefore, when human resource management and organization behavior blend together in an organization, they help to bring about strong and active workforce which help the organization meet its strategic goals. Effective policy development in human resources would help management to establish a strong workforce and explore untapped resources and strategies that would improve the organization performance. In order to employ effective policies, the management should make best decisions in a timely manner in a given situation. Human resource managers should be involved in making strategic decisions of the organization such as being informed on the long term plans of the strategic management. To amicably resolve personnel issues and find appropriate solutions to these issues, the management should have proper human resource policies. The policies should incorporate fresh ideas that reflect current situation in the organizations and the current business world in general. Human resources policies ensure that employees receive equal treatment in a wide range of employment issues and in legal matters incase they arise. To effectively develop human resource in any organization, it is necessary to have policies on employees’ benefits such as educational assistance, retirement benefits, health care and medical benefits etc. Another factor to consider when formulating the policies is the safety, health and security of the employees. Issues such as workplace violence, drugs, crisis management, and diseases like HIV/AIDS should be addressed in policy development. In addition it is important to consider employees relations which entail dispute resolutions and grievances, employee’s privacy, employee’s performance management, discipline and the conduct of employees in the organization. Selection, recruitment and placement of employees is a fundamental function in the human resource management. Discrimination in terms of race, religion, sex or in any form should be discouraged in the hiring and recruitment process. In order to improve employees’ skills and their efficiency, there should be a policy on employee training and development. In conclusion, effective policies should seek to motivate employees whereby they feel comfortable and satisfied hence improve their performance. The human resource should operate in a flexible environment. For instance, employees can operate in shifts where different people start and end their workday at different time. The organization should adopt technologies that would enable the employees to work outside the workplace. A study in organizational behavior shows that different people get motivated in different ways and can perform better under different circumstances. The management should therefore, customize their way of rewarding employees to their particular preferences (Marques, 2007).

Leadership Program Case

I had spent about 3 months in my new Job at JP Morgan, Singapore, as a business analyst in the clearing and settlement project management team. I was handling a critical and high-budget project spanning over 4 different locations. Pleased with my work and the team player attributes I had shown in the few months, my Executive Director called me into his cabin and offered me an additional responsibility. He said that he had started an â€Å"Offshore Test Centre (ETC)† initiative and he felt that it deed a manager and a leader to get it streamlined and functioning well.In addition to my work as an analyst in my project, I would be given the manager position for the ETC team. Thinking that it would be a great opportunity to hone my team leadership skills, I accepted. The ETC or the Offshore Test Centre was a team of consultants from Polaris who were working for JP Morgan. The team comprised of 4 people from Iambi and 3 people from Hydrated, in India, 1 person in London, I-J and 2 people in North America. I was situated in Singapore. When, I officially took over, I was made aware of the problems immediately.The person who was leading the team before me had little experience in the clearing and settlement technology area and was not able to provide the required level of expertise. He was let go and I was the replacement manager. The main issues I encountered were: 1 . ) It was a new team and until now there had been no one to structure it or establish any guidelines. There was no team cohesion and feeling of camaraderie within the am was absent. 2. ) The members had not received any training or formal knowledge sessions related to technology and business. . ) There was no recognition for the team as it hadn't been able to carve a niche for itself. The technology team did their own quality testing as there was no trust and hence no dependency. 4. ) They already had a team leader at offshore who was handling the administration activities for Polaris, and he hand led the leaves, appraisal and allocation for the team members. I started off by making a formal introduction via email and video conferencing to ensure that everyone in different time zones was included.We had a good initial knowledge transfer session where I shared my knowledge in the areas of work and my vision for the team. The team members gave me an idea of the kind of work they had been doing in the past and the processes and flows and also what their goals and expectations were. During the week, I set up one-on-one meetings with every individual and spoke at length. I kept the tone informal and lowly but steadily, people opened up and spoke about the issues they encountered and offered solutions as well.I established a weekly reporting process, where I consolidated the tasks completed by each member and sent it to the senior management. This improved the visibility of our team. I made sure, with the help of my director that the process was more streamlined and all the enhance ments and change releases went through our team first for quality assurance. This not only created a healthy dependency between the technology, management and the test team, but also helped open dialogues between the teams making the collaboration stronger.Most importantly, I set up training sessions every alternate day and made sure I received feedback and summarization on the sessions from the members. I initially did face some negative reactions to the changes from some of the team members, especially from the offshore leader. But eventually, as we made progress and the positive implications became clear, I started receiving positive feedbacks and my team claimed that it was much happier with their radioactivity.We started catering to diverse teams and technology, and in the process I had learn the new business and technology as well for the order matching and celebration team. Best part was, that the team was now recognized among the top management as one of the efficient qualit y assurance team as our delivery defects were substantially reduced by over 40%. My Executive director was happy as the both technology and management team both felt that the entire system was now benefiting from this step.

Early Years Foundation Stage for Childminding Essay

The EYFS is set to ensure all children in early year’s settings including children with disabilities and special needs have the best possible start in life which they deserve. A child needs to not only have a safe, secure and happy childhood but also one which is rich in positive parenting and high quality learning. These will provide the foundations and tools a child needs to reach their full potential. The EYFS must be followed by all early years’ providers to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. The EYFS is set to help prepare children for school, physically and emotionally and set a foundation for a positive progress through school and life. Children develop at a raid rate between birth-5 years and experiences between this time have a dramatic impact on their future. Key Points of the Early Years Foundation stage †¢ Good quality and consistent care within all early years’ settings to ensure every single child makes good progress. †¢ A secure foundation through learning and development opportunities which are planned around the needs and interests of each individual child and are assessed and reviewed regularly †¢ Partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers †¢ Equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported. EYFS requirements for learning and development †¢ All Early year providers must help children work towards the early learning goals, the knowledge, skills and understanding a child should have by the end of the academic year in which they turn five. †¢ Shape activities and experiences within the setting to enable every child to have the best chance of reaching these learning goals. †¢ Set in place assessment arrangements and requirements for measuring progress and for reporting to parents and/or carers. EYFS requirements for safeguarding and welfare Early years providers must set in place requirements to ensure a child’s safety and promote their welfare taking into account the following points. †¢ Every child is different and unique and children who are constantly learning will become more confident, independent, and grow in self-esteem. †¢ Positive relationships enable children to be strong and independent †¢ A nourishing environment which responds to a child’s individual needs will enable them to learn and develop well. This will also be the case through a good strong partnership between parent/care and care giver. †¢ Children learn and develop in different ways and at different speeds.

Porsche in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Porsche in China - Essay Example Ing. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft and later altered its name to Porsche Automobile Holding in November 2007. Porsche vehicle investment has its headquarters in Germany, Stuttgart. Porsche investment was founded to operate as business umbrella of the Austrian Porsche apprehension. Furthermore, Porsche Austria was set up as Volkswagen importer, which destined that, with the advanced progress of the sales system, the competitiveness of the Volkswagen allocation organization enhanced significantly. At the same time, producers from the distant East additionally strengthened the location of the Volkswagen exhibition area in spite of the dramatically rising pressure. Once Porsche had selected the state or states to enter, it required to agree on the suitable mode of entrance. Every corporation making this progress faces a range of choices: It can attain an accessible player, build an association with an obtainable player or begin Greenfield actions, alone or in joint venture with another p layer. Wilkinson, (2009) affirms that Porsche entered China through an acquirement. This was a reasonable move for three reasons. First, China is an established market, an unattractive condition for Greenfield actions, as adding new-fangled stores will just strengthen an already high quantity of confined competition. Next, because there is considerable revenue and cultural similarities between Germany and Chinese markets, Porsche faced comparatively little call for new knowledge. Thus, inflowing through a strategic association was needless. Third, a feebly performing company, Subaru was available, and the company saw it better to take advantage of this fact. Moreover, Porsche's production model was what Subaru required to transform itself into a feasible and strong organization. Porsche Entry to China As the main heavily inhabited nation in the world, China is a chief potential market for retailers. Retail sales in China rise at a yearly rate of ten percent between 2007 and 2009, bo osted by economic liberalization and a whopping pent-up order for customer goods. The Chinese market also throws up unique challenges as regulations, management policies are regularly unpredictable, and China's infrastructure is not properly urbanized. In addition, middle-class throwaway income is severely lower in China than in Germany so that even discount-minded Porsche ought to reinvent its corporation model to operate within the access of key inhabitants groups. Finally, Porsche had to admit that most Chinese tend to purchase in hire form and that language differences needed tailored selling approaches for merchandise labeling and product names. Porsche’s development in China is perhaps the most motivating case of how Porsche has had to transform, and adapt its German methods in order to gratify its Chinese clients. Porsche entered this state in the year 2009, and did so confidently that it could gratify client demands. One of the customs it was sure it could conform cus tomer desires were through client service, something that Porsche prided itself on in Germany. Porsche became sure that overhaul was going to be a significant matter following an article published, before Porsche’s entry into the market. The report exposed that retailers in China were the slightest accommodating of all European states in terms of client service. China was already properly equipped with concession retailers like Subaru and Mercedes Benz thus; client service became one of the

Are legislatures always weaker than executives Essay

Are legislatures always weaker than executives - Essay Example Fundamentally, the legislative arm of the government has had two inherent contradictory roles: sustaining the executive and holding them to account between electoral cycles. Even though the legislative role of sustaining the executive is not in doubt, parliamentary oversight seems to be a poorly coordinated task that often lets the executive off the hook. Noteworthy, the nexus between sustaining the government and the task of challenging it and holding it to task opens a Pandora box full of fallacious fantasies – a fallacious inequity that, no doubt, tilts the balance of power towards the executive. Despite the wide adoption of democratic principles of governance across nations, an understanding that has significantly strengthened accountability and transparency mecha ­nisms with regard to promotion of evidence-informed policy processes, legislatures remain comparatively weaker in relation to the executive in terms of raw power necessary to effect immediate leadership challe nges. The Executive and Parliament: A Historical Perspective The impact of constitutional structures with regards to their political behavior and performance is central in the study of comparative governments. In particular, understanding the balance power between the executive and the legislature in either the parliamentary or presidential systems has been an area of focus in political research (Mustapic, 2002). Structured governmental control stems much from the historical politics of the mid- and late nineteenth century. Designed at a time when the role of government was limited in scope, the convention of superiority of the executive power over the legislature indeed antedates the modern presidential and parliamentary systems of governments. From inception to the present day politics, there is no pretense that executive autonomy bears much capacity and capability to remedy or compensate for social ills on its own without parliaments’ approval. In his submission on the sub ject, Bagehot, a British economist and journalist, referred to the convention of executive authority as the ‘buckle’ and the lynch-pin in the Whitehall-Westminster model (Flinders, 2002). Though modest in both size and ambition at the time, it was reasonable for a competent minister to have a personal control over small departmental portfolios in the mid-Victorian state. Strikingly similar, governmental administration in the first quarter of the nineteenth century fell under ministerial responsibility. But even then as is it to date, the powers vested in a ministerial mandate were highly doubtful in terms of usage. Supporting the foregoing, Cobbett (1823) wrote: â€Å"Ankle-pinching socks are like ministerial powers; a thing to talk about but for no use; a thing to laugh over; and a mere mockery at those whom real power is vested†. Constitutions the world over are molded around the concept of responsible executive authority for strong and stable leadership. Nothi ng services this claim better than a two-branch debate that culminated in the creation of the United States Constitution – a model constitutional debate that has since served as a roadmap to numerous constitutions around the world. While the federalists such as Alexander Hamilton rooted for ‘

Answer PhD Application Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answer PhD Application Questions - Essay Example I am privileged to have graduated with a degree in Master of Sciences of Management on January 2010 at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, United States of America where leadership courses focusing on contemporary theories and applications in leadership in organizations were highlighted. As a masteral student, my skills in leadership were enhanced through training on negotiation, conflict resolution, and motivation, among others. As a graduate of a degree in Education from the Taiba University, Medina, Saudi Arabia in 2007 I have gained competent qualifications in Educational Novelties, Ecology and Pollution, Clinical Psychology for Children, Islamic Ethics, and Developing Language Skills for Children, among others. Being a recipient of a full scholarship from King Abdullah Graduate Studies Scholarship for both the master degree and doctorate degree, the most important contribution so far is sharing the theoretical knowledge learned through applications as volunteer in the Madinah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Saudi Arabia. If accepted for the PhD in Educational Leadership at University of Wyoming, significant research made in the field of education and leadership would be instrumental in updating practices in my native country and enhance policies in this field of endeavor, concurrently in both private and public organizations in Saudi Arabia, as

Analysis of the Position of Female Entrepreneurs in the Middle East Essay

Analysis of the Position of Female Entrepreneurs in the Middle East - Essay Example In the West, most women compete on equal footing with men. This is because there are laws that are enshrined in the legal codes of most nations in North America and Europe that guarantee the rights of women. It must however, be pointed out that women were also oppressed in the West until the process of emancipation was initiated gradually in the early 21st Century (Stevenson, 2010). Also, the world order has sought to initiate changes and equalities in gender matters since the formation of the United Nations in 1945. However, this appears to be moving at a gradualist pace rather than in a revolutionary patter. In the Middle East though, Nazir and Tomppert identify that there is systematic discrimination that is entrenched and inherent in law, criminal justice, economy, heath care and education that keep women oppressed and limited in what they do (2005). It is identified that the communities in the MENA region maintain a strict patriarchal status (Moghadam, 2007). This is a system wh ereby a woman is seen as weak and as such, the society deems it a necessity for men to protect women from what they perceive to be against the honor of women. Typically, a girl is under the protection of her father. When she becomes a woman, she evolves to the care and protection of her husband. When she raises her children and they grow old, the male children have the duty of protecting their elderly mothers. As such, the progression of women is overshadowed by the fact that they have a unique and different role from men. Although this is often seen by most people in the Middle East and North Africa to be in the best interest of women, it stands in the way of gender equality and promotion of the interests of women and their ability to exercise their free will. Currently, globalization is forcing people in all parts of the world to make changes and harness equality and similar patterns in all aspects of life (Moghadam, 2007). This means that there is the need for women to be given e qual rights and fairness. The king of Saudi Arabia, who by default requires to exercise the highest levels of Islamic purity [his title is the Custodian of the Two Holiest Sites of Islam: Mecca and Medina] has acknowledged that the kingdom's approach to issues like women's right need to change since the world around them is changing gradually (Ramady, 2010). However, for changes to occur meaningfully, there is the need for the financial emancipation of women in the Middle East (Keddie, 2007). This will require a degree of guaranteeing the rights of women to get an earning capacity (Keddie, 2007). Female entrepreneurship is therefore an important and crucial element that needs to be attained through the financial emancipation of women. This is one of the most important ways through which the women of the Middle East and North Africa can catch up with their male counterparts and hasten the move towards the emancipation and equality of women that has been proposed through the current r eforms in Arab and Islamic nations. Based on this background, this research will examine important elements and aspects of female entrepreneurship in the Middle East. This will attempt to diagnose the status quo of female entrepreneurship in the Middle East and figure out the important aspects and elements that has led to these trends. The paper will also examine critical solutions to the issues that would be raised in the study. In attaining these

Pre-modernism and visuals from Harry Potter Research Paper

Pre-modernism and visuals from Harry Potter - Research Paper Example The essay "Premodernism - Epic Harry Potter Tribute" analyzes video "Epic Harry Potter Tribute" in the context of postmodernism. The video is created by Barney Barnicle. It starts with the depiction of the Diagon Alley with all its magic – plenty of wizards, owls and all the atmosphere. Then all fades out to show the Great Hall just after. There are many candles in the air that shed light on the multitude of magicians sitting; it is the first time Harry and his friends are in Hogwarts. Then other locations, the corridor and the Gringotts bank inside – its hidden hall, located deeply under the ground with its great poster and famous statues. Transformed heroes meet bad people, including Dolores Ambridge. The next shot show the joint photo of the members of Order of Phoenix; it provides closer view to show Harry’s parents and his godfather Sirius Blake, Remus Lupin and the betrayer Peter Pettigrew. Further the viewer may see the gathering of the Dumbledore’s Army – which is a kind of direct consequence from the Order of Phoenix. First we see the leaders, Harry is in the middle, of course. Then there are other people shown; Cho Chang is in the focus of attention – she was the first love of Harry Potter. Then we see Tom Riddle’s appearance – and his Voldemort attraction. The diary, bright artifact of the second film about the Chamber of Secrets is shown with the first message from Tom Riddle to Harry Potter. After that we see horcruxes and the voice speaks about their importance.

Introduction to Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Business - Essay Example Whistle-blowers now commonly refers to those who firmly believe that the unchecked conduct of their organization will do more harm than good, and so exert efforts to speak up. The act of whistle blowing is necessary to rectifying problems in society, yet whistle blowers are often punished severely for their moves (Matthews, 2003). Obviously, whistle-blowing can be a tangled and legally dangerous event. Lawyer Taylor (2006) who had found herself whistle-blowing along with two other colleagues said one had to be ready for any form of retaliation, to expect them and to combat them. In Diana Heil's (2004) reports, a whistle-blower can experience continuing retaliation even when one backs down. Whistle-blowing is said to justifiable only where certain minimal conditions have been met (What is, 1997). Accordingly, a justifiable disclosure must meet four conditions: 1) The disclosure does more good than harm; 2) It serves some purpose in correcting or preventing the wrongdoing concerned; 3) It is made in a responsible manner; and 4) It follows upon the exhaustion of internal channels of complaint and redress. Whistle-blowing is the smoke signal according to Parthasarathi (2003), that there is corruption happening; therefore, government should act. During the Nixon era, it is said that $800 toilet seats were discovered at the Pentagon, and people began to realize the service that whistle-blowers provided at the risk to themselves (Taylor, 2006). There are now laws that protect these employees of courage and a group dedicated to their interests (Current Program, GAP, 2006). Sirshar Quereshi (2006) who specializes in fraud investigations wrote that whistle-blowing can be an effective early warning system. He said employees "in the front line" know better than anyone what is happening in their area of activity so that it is beneficial to listen to them, otherwise a local difficulty may grow into a crisis. Taylor (2006) who works closely with whistle-blowers said the primary goal that whistle-blowers usually seek is accountability for mis-behaviour and correction of the problems they see in the work place. Most whistleblowers realize that their actions will cost them money, wear away privilege and generate negative publicity, Taylor said. Yet, they persist, desiring honesty in government and wanting an end to infringements of law. In the beginning, a whistle-blower is said to be often faced with a plethora of ethical dilemmas, the most fundamental of which is whether to do the "right thing" or not. According to Reese (2002), multiple organizational variables inhibit one from doing the right thing within an organization, one of which is threat to one's career. Tom Carpenter of The Government Accountability Project (GAP) who has represented numerous whistle-blowers said he tells people who are contemplating blowing the whistle not to do it if they cared for their career. But then "Most people decide to go forward anyway" (Heil, 2004). Despite all the anguish, a whistle-blower said he had no regrets about the stand he took. "Is it worth it'" he was asked. "Yes, absolutely; I would do it again. I truly believe that some people have lives and others have destinies," he said. Whistle-blowing is not only

Second Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Second Life - Essay Example No doubt, it has a significant meaning for businesses and economy today. Second Life is more user centred, where the user is no more a person operating and navigating from outside but can get in and be themselves yet control the environment in SL. It is built on Web 2.0 which a decade old technology that still getting the attention of developers. It brought about major changes in the website development and World Wide Web. For example, wikis and blogs would not have been possible without this technology. They allow their users to create their own content, and to customize the page (O’Reilly, 2005). In Second Life, teens can create and customize a digital self called an "avatar," fly through an ever-changing 3D landscape, chat and socialize with other teens from all over the world, and build anything from skyscrapers to virtual vehicles. It’s a boundless world of surprise and adventure that encourages teens to work together and use their imaginations (Teen Second Life, n.d.) Also, SL depends on â€Å"user –created content†; the software is â€Å"open source† (Watte & Macedonia, 2009). Second life has similar attributes like any other synthetic learning environment with a few improvements like enabling the users to create their own content, edit and control the environment. Web 2.0 technologies are about participation, convergence, interaction, usability and data driven (Kemp, 2009). These are just a speck of the whole lot of features of Web 2.0 that SL exploits to create a virtual world. This new technology addresses the growing requirement for more open and interactive online virtual worlds. SL is a successor of one of the popular virtual worlds of the 90’s- Active Worlds. With the help of Web 2.0 technologies, SL offers user controlled options and allows the user to get immersed in the virtual world. This is the