Recipe for Me free essay sample

â€Å"Today,† the theatre arts teacher began, â€Å"you will create a recipe for yourself, listing things about you in specific quantities as your ingredients, like ‘2 cups of smiles’ for example. At least five ingredients must be used, and you must list them on a poster that you’ll decorate, which you will present to the class. This ‘Recipe for Me’ project will help your classmates and me get to know you better and will allow you to work on your presentation skills. The project is due this Friday, but you have today and tomorrow to work on it in class. If you don’t finish, it becomes homework. So, begin!† she exclaimed to the class, full of twelve year olds who would soon spend the entire period trying to come up with the perfect five ingredient combinations that would accurately portray them; I was one of those twelve year olds. To this day, I still have trouble immediately answering the question, â€Å"What makes me, well, me? † Is it my curiosity? Stubbornness, perhaps? An excellent sense of humor? Or even intellectual oomph? Maybe it’s a little of everything under the sun? Well, just as the â€Å"Recipe for Me† project served to give my teacher and classmates a sense of who I was, this essay will give my readers a sense of who I am today. We will write a custom essay sample on Recipe for Me or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My parents came to America from Vietnam during the war, had to leave their home to start life anew in a country whose language they could barely understand. The academic success that they achieved in Vietnam could open few doors for them in the U.S., but they know that it will be different for me, one who will probably never move to another country, much less another state. Because my doing well in school is so important to my parents, it is, in turn, important to me. I believe my desire to achieve academic success to have been inborn as well as the result of my parents’ encouragement. They’ve always expected me to do my best, and I’ve always been one to please them, perhaps rendering my academic success to be a self fulfilled prophecy. Well, self fulfilled prophecy or not, I do love to learn and have a strong work ethic, the latter of which I attribute to the determination and diligence my parents have put forth to give me the comfortable life that I have as w ell as the chance to go to a reputable university. I wish neither my parents’ efforts nor the opportunities that I am offered to go to waste, and knowing how important academic success is in this world, especially for an aspiring physician, I have vowed to always make the most of my educational opportunities, no matter where I may find them, be they in the forms of classroom experiences, internships, or even events in my daily life. Naturally, Rice would be no exception. Of course, with yin, one has to have yang. There definitely is a fun ¬ loving side to my personality, and that side makes an appearance when I’m with my friends. I work hard, and I deserve to play hard. Nonetheless, I am not the kind of girl who would enter a bar or a nightclub. My idea of pleasure is not comparable to a wildfire in the West but rather, the blue fire of a distant star. I would love to attend a musical or listen to a symphony orchestra after having dinner with friends on a Friday or Saturday night (I took piano lessons as a child and have loved music ever since). To eat with friends is, in my opinion, one of the greatest pleasures that life can offer; I have never been one to resist a stimulating conversation and contagious laughter over a delicious meal. Furthermore, I have a passion and knack for writing poetry, which has been a hobby of mine since middle school, and in college, I do see myself still churning out poems, which I hope to offer to its literar y magazines. Perhaps that poem might be a Dante esque piece in terza rima, written one spring morning while sitting underneath a large oak or perhaps a free verse poem during an autumn evening†¦.O, the possibilities! While my pleasures are simple and could possibly belong to another century, I do find them quite satisfying, as I hope to find my college years†¦. A longing to learn a little of everything, two cups†¦the strength to succeed, one pound†¦a liking for laughter, a dash†¦a fondness for friends, three tablespoons†¦a penchant for poetry, a pinch†¦and a love of life, one quart†¦.With such ingredients, this â€Å"Recipe for Me† would give you a fun loving, hard working, liberal arts education seeking seventeen year old, a girl who certainly has a different blend of qualities to offer to Rice, a place that she would more than happily call her second home.

ERIN BROCKOVICH essays

ERIN BROCKOVICH essays ERIN BROCKOVICH The movie ERIN BROCKOVICH is like a modern day David vs. Goliath. . Directed by Steven Soderbergh and stared Julia Roberts is based on a true story about a large corporation deliberately poisoning an entire town with the chemical Hexavalent Chromium 6. Erin, a single mother of three, does a lot of investigation and finds some very incriminating documents, and almost single-handedly exposes the company. Its disturbing to think a company worth over 30 billion dollars with all the power and technology at their finger tips, could be so negligent. I dont know why they think they could have gotten away with it. . There was green dirt found all around the Pacific Gas water supply. Hexavalent Chromium 6 is a very toxic chemical because it oxidizing potential is high and is easily penetrates biological membranes. Repeated exposure to toxic levels can cause anything from liver, kidney and heart failure, respiratory disease, a ny type of cancer, bone and organ deterioration, and just as harmful to all the farm animals. The majority of electrical power plants use some form of Chromium in the water that cools engines to prevent rust and Order that the gas corrosion. The legal limit for Hexavalent Chromium 6 is .05 parts per millions, this green dirt tested at .58 parts per millions. Documents from a regional water quality control board states in a Cleanup and Abatement and electric company was ordered to cleanup and dispose of waste discharge of Hexavalent Chromium 6 to a safe hydrologic unit. That it has caused groundwater contamination, which extends over one mile from the gas and electric company. Statements from former employees reveals that the holding ponds at th...

ATM systems

ATM systems One of the most important part to designing the ATM usage is to make it as use r-centred as possible. According to Benyon, 2005, the PACT which is stand for People, Activities, Contexts, and Technologies as a useful framework for thinking about a design situation in relation to an interactive system. Performing a PACT analysis would be useful for both analysis and design activities, understanding the current situations, seeing where possible improvements can be made and envisioning future situations. The results of the PACT analysis are presented below. People The users groups for this technology include all people with bank accounts, especially UMS students, staff and lecturers. In the established user group, age and sex are not a factor. The technology does assume some previous knowledge and its functions could prove difficult for first time users. Most ATMs translate all signs and button into braille, making it usable by those without eyesight. This specific machine could create difficulties for those with disabilities because of the height of the keypad and its relatively flat orientation on the machine. People with children could also find the placement of the machine inconvenient, as its location is directly next to a main entrance. In addition, the machine have many language options, it is easier for users to use the machine. Activities Based on the study, the verification of banking details and the removal of money from ones account. The sub activities include inserting a credit card, entering ones pin number, selecting the amount desired, checking account balances and retrieving receipts. We observed the machine being used often, with one person using it every five minutes. It is important to this system works quickly, as it is meant to be a quick stop and there are often a line of people waiting to use the machine. Besides that, for security purposes, it is unsafe for a user s account information to stay up too long, as it could be target for theft. The machine is used by individuals, who must be aware of their surroundings, protect their pin number as they enter it. The ATM itself is designed so that important account information that might be printed on a receipt or shown on screen is obscured or not written out in full. If someone wrongfully inputs their pin number, for example, the transaction will be cancell ed and they will receive their card back. In some cases, a user could forget their card in the machine, which could result in theft if the card is taken immediately after the user leaves. Otherwise, the machine will retract the card and store it. Also, if a user somehow forgets to take their money, it could be stolen. The current machine performs the basic activities and sub activities well. It works quickly and efficiently to dispense users money. The functions, however, are very basic and only the simplest functions can be performed. The location and design of the machine do pose some security risks. The machine is also in a high-traffic area and is open on all sides. Contexts An ATM machine location could prove to be a significant factor in the ease of its use. If a machine is located outside, there is the potential for distraction if there is heavy rain, posing security risks. Also, bright sunlight could obscure the display, making it more difficult to use. ATM use tends to be in an open, public area, which goes against the general context and use of banking; it is generally considered to be a private activity. It could include a more private space for the machine. It should also be installed indoors if possible to reduce the potential for distraction and thus reduce security risks. The current system does not take privacy into account; the machine is located directly next to a main entrance. There are also bright lights that cause glare on the display, making it more difficult to read. Technologies The input mechanism in the form of a key pad and either a touch screen or buttons adjacent to options on screen are the easiest ways for users to input information, and is the setup of most ATMs. Banking options should be easily visible to users once their identity is verified by the machine. The key pad should be more obscured so that when users input information, privacy is not compromised. ATMs in general, are used by those standing up. However, this poses issues for those in wheelchairs and thus a design idea is to place an additional screen and keypad down lower for those with disabilities. In terms of output, we cannot see any flaws with the current use of a screen to display information. However, one innovation that could be helpful to users is to have receipts e-mailed to them instead of receiving paper receipts that tend to be discarded immediately. Communication is a big factor for ATMs, which need to be able to connect with banks to verify users, account balances, and so o n. The content central to this function is the account information being traded between user and machine, as well as between the machine and the banks. Based on the observation, the ATM does not have ideal key pad placement, possibly creating security concerns. Besides that, instructions about card insertion are unclear, the sign above the card slot says to insert the card with the numbers up, while the computer screen asks the user to insert the card with the magnetic strip up. The screen performs the necessary functions, and is convenient for most users, who use the machine standing up. It is not ideal, though, for those with disabilities as the key pad and card slot are a bit too high. The machine communicates with the banks quickly and easily, making money retrieval from this machine a rapid and simple task. As conclusion, in implementing a new ATM system, the current system employed by most machines is functional and effective. However, there are some concerns with its ease of use when it comes to those with disabilities; many are meant for users standing up, while those in wheelchairs would struggle with the horizontal orientation of the key pad and its height. Additionally, the placement of ATMs should be a key factor when implementing the system. Their ideal location is indoors where distractions like sunlight, weather and noise are mitigated. It is also important for users to have a sense of privacy or enclosure while they conduct their banking. The language a machine employs is also vital to its successful use; limited language capabilities make it difficult for a wide swath of the population to use the system.

Health care laws and how it affects working nurses Research Paper

Health care laws and how it affects working nurses - Research Paper Example Three types of laws govern the Public Health Law as previously discussed: Legislation, Regulations and Judicial Law. The legislative bodies of state, federal and local government, formulate the Legislative laws that have a considerable impact on the way nursing is practiced in the United States. Regulations are specific set of rules pertaining to individual while the legislation and Judicial law is based on the court’s and jury’s’ decision (Stanhope and Lancaster 124). Stanhope and Lancaster illustrate the impact of Regulations and the Judicial Law on nursing practice by stating that the state legislators will enact laws governing the board of nursing and will coin technical terms such as ‘licensed registered nurse’ and ‘nursing practice’, the board of nursing on the other hand will enforce the laws that will bring into existence a licensed registered nurse and recognized nursing practice procedures by stating all the requirements and pr erequisite (124). The writers express that in case of judicial law, courts take into consideration previous cases and give sentences in conformity with them except during the instances when the judge or the jury thinks that the old laws have become obsolete and a more valid form of it is needed. Everything that is done in a health agency has a basis in law and is subject to legal sanction of one type or another (qtd. in Maurer and Smith 124). This statement implies to health care workers and more particularly community oriented nursed since they have direct, face-to-face relationship with the patients. Rules and regulation in addition with those associated with the upheaval of the health industry; predominantly laws that pertain to the maintenance of discipline in the health sector and allotting punishment related to malpractice are applicable to nurses to a great extent. Nurses are regarded, as learned individuals with sound knowledge of the profession that they practice for their living, consumers are totally reliant on this particular knowledge for their treatment. If any patient is harmed in any way due to the nurses’ malpractice that according to a source Hall and Hall (2001) cited in Maurer and Smith (124), includes: Provision of unsafe environment, inadequate assessment, failure to follow physician’s order, erroneous medication and treatment, usage of defective technology and products, inadequate infection control and poor communication with the patient, the nurse would be held accountable for her actions and lawsuits can be filed against her. Nurses should be well aware of the laws and legislation pertaining to their legal practice of the state they are professionally working in, and should be well familiar also with any changes that might be introduced in the legislation of not just nursing but also in related professions such as those of medicine and pharmacy (Lancaster and Stanhope 125). These writer demonstrate the importance of inter disciplinary knowledge for the nursing profession by stating the example of a community oriented nurse who has reviewed the pharmacy act would be able to ascertain whether to question the right to dispense medication in the local family planning clinic or not. According to The Nurse Practice Act of New York, 1970 nursing is defined as: The practice of the profession of nursing†¦. is defined as diagnosing and treating human responses to actual or potential health problems through such services

How could leadership be effective Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How could leadership be effective - Assignment Example The importance of communication cannot be avoided in cases when there is team work and multiple units involved in the progress and project. Lack of communication can cause havoc and failure of the entire project. The goals achievement was made possible through reliable, and in time communication. Delay in communication or slight miss communication can cause serious disturbances in the entire process and project. Communication is the back bone of any project and process. They can either halt the progress or initiate absolute progress and wonders in the project. The secret to success of any project is its level of communication. In this case the success can also be attributed to the good level of communication. Path and task clarity allowed providing clear direction. Implementing it enables practical demonstration of work that will work as an example and hence help the followers and team mostly achieving the objectives. Only knowing where to go ahead can lead us to destination, going a t random with no specific direction in might and sight leads the unit, the project and individuals nowhere. It is the utmost priority of the leader to ensure that the path is determined, and so are the members aware of the path. IN case of leader member exchange, productivity and creativity is highly probable since this theory and concept of work is loosely based on exchange of ideas between the top head, which is the leader himself and the members who work underneath the leader but for same purpose. Hence leader member exchange method was also of great use in the entire process. For the principle of leadership ethics, it is the element of morality introduction inside the working unit. This helps enabling the workers to work on pure professional lines, with utmost honesty and sincerity. Leaders lead by example in every discipline of the team and task, most important of them all is the ethical aspect. Ethical aspect fulfillment helps keeping the entire accounts and details in check a s well as ensuring good practices in the unit. Team leadership is a collective approach. Using this helps in many ways, firstly each of the member holds equal responsibility, if not equal at least some proportion of responsibility and answering at the end of the project and task. Transformational leadership involves incremental progress. Adopting it in an organization requires time because the leaders try to bring the best out of individuals in an ascending manner. †¢ Describe how your view of leadership evolved as a result: Leadership is a developmental process. No one can become a leader in a fortnight; instead these qualities creep into an individual with time. There is a concept of born leaders, however in modern times this trend and concept is slightly modified. With so many developmental processes, mechanical approaches and industrial frame works, there is always a need for nurturing, training and guiding. Leadership is a interesting journey and a challenge in its own. Be ing in the shoes of leader brings about many responsibilities with itself as well as perks and privileges. The sense of leading, followed by delivering the goals is one of those special feelings that an individual can experience. The entire process gave an insight into the concept of leadership and the personality of leader. Though not singly but leader is highly responsible for the success and failure of the project. A good leader can bring the project out of nowhere and make it a success, while an average leader or one

The Role of Alfred von Tirpitz in the Anglo- German Naval Race Essay Example for Free

The Role of Alfred von Tirpitz in the Anglo- German Naval Race Essay What role did Alfred von Tirpitz play in the Anglo-German naval race of World War I, 1890-1914? For almost a century historians have been arguing over the causes of the First World War. One of the factors regularly discussed is the Anglo-German naval race, which involved the competing construction of the British and German navies between 1897 and 1914. Much of the blame for the consequential building of navies has fallen on the shoulders of the German state secretary of the navy office, Alfred von Tirpitz. The purpose of this internal assessment is to find out what roll Tirpitz played in the Anglo-German naval race. I will research my investigation with some of the many books published about the origins of World War I, including some of Tirpitzs speeches, letters, and propaganda as well as other key figures of the naval race. The investigation will cover how Tirpitz financed the naval construction, his building strategy, and finally Tirpitzs naval laws. B Summary of evidence How Tirpitz financed the naval construction Tirpitzs entire building strategy relied heavily on his belief that he could build his great fleet without raising taxes or putting any burden on the budget.2 He planned to achieve this with an intensive propaganda campaign, supported by industry and many middle class people. Tirpitz, being an adroit politician and manipulator of men, successfully promoted the navy and created effective pressure groups, like the Flottenverein, whose views had to be taken seriously by the government.3 After a lengthy depression, German industry was looking for large investments that were continuous and predictable. To accomplish this, Tirpitz tried to establish constant yearly shipbuilding rates in order to keep factories operating at capacity. He could then argue in the Reichstag that German industry would suffer a crisis unless it got new ship orders.4 However, it was the Kaisers support that gave Tirpitz the freedom to spend a large portion of the budget on the navy.5 Tirpitzs naval building strategy Tirpitz insisted that he be able to implement a plan of steady expansion, where ships were to be built and maintained regardless of cost.6 His plan had three major components: risk theory, alliance value, and danger zone. Risk theory was the idea that the German navy would be strong enough that if Britain risked battle, Tirpitz believed, the defeat of a strong German fleet would so substantially weaken the enemy that, in spite of a victory he might have obtained, his own position in the world would no longer be secured by an adequate fleet.7 Thus, Britain would be willing to make diplomatic concessions rather than take the risk of a naval conflict. Therefore, Germany only had to build a navy in proportion to England, of about 2:3, or 5:8.8 Danger zone was the period of time when the German fleet was not yet strong enough to deter the British fleet, and might be destroyed in a preventative blow. This led Tirpitz to advise cautious diplomacy towards Britain until the fleet was ready.9 Finally, Alliance value was the notion that a strong fleet would make Germany an attractive ally for other rivals of Britain, and maybe even for the British themselves.10 Therefore, Tirpitz believed that the constant building of the navy was an important asset if Germany wanted to become a threat to Britain, and consequentially gain allies. Tirpitzs naval laws Tirpitz believed that only by building the navy by law would ensure continuous and consistent fleet building.11 In 1898 the first naval law was created, calling for the construction of nineteen battleships, eight armored cruisers, and twelve large and 30 small cruisers, all to be built within six years. Tirpitz took advantage of international situations, such as the impact of the Spanish-American War, sentiment against Britain for an incident during the Boer War, and the Boxer Rebellion in China, and introduced the second naval law in 1900. The law doubled the size of the projected navy to a total of, 38 battleships, 20 armored cruisers, and 38 light cruisers, all to be built within 20 years. This was a direct challenge to the British home fleet that had approximately 32 battleships.12 It also threatened Britain because since 1889 the British navy had been governed by a two-power standard, by which their navy had to be stronger than the combined fleets of the next two naval powers.13 The second naval law also threatened Britain because it did not set a cost limit, therefore Germany needed no new legislation to build dreadnoughts.14 Tirpitz again used international crises, like the Moroccan crisis and Britains stern response to Germany at Agadir, to pass supplementary German naval laws in 1906, 1908, and 1912.15 C Evaluation of sources Two of the sources used were: Ferguson, Niall. The Pity of War. New York: Basic Books, 1999. The English historian, Niall Ferguson, wrote this book in 1999, acquiring most of his knowledge from primary sources and other historians books. The purpose of the book is to inform readers of Fergusons argument, that the Great War was solely Englands fault, but at the same time, the book is meant to be controversial, and to sell copies. This is one of the main limitations of the book, that the author may have misconstrued some of the details in order to make England look guiltier, and thus sell more copies. In general the book is valuable because it is a secondary source written long after the actual events, so he was able to form an opinion after looking at all different types of information and viewpoints. On the other hand, it is limiting because it is not a primary source; he did not write the book during the event, therefore some of the information could be misconstrued. Terraine, John, ed. The Great War, 1914-1918. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1965. This book, written by John Terraine in 1965, gives an overview of the events leading up to and during World War One. The author argues, in the introduction, that it was the German militarism that made the war inevitable. The book is very valuable because instead of the author writing his opinion on the events, he informs readers using primary sources throughout the entire book to tell the story. This is valuable because it displays the events when they happened. On the other hand it is limited because it does not have the benefit of using historiography, and the documents could be misrepresentative. There are many photographs used that are also valuable because they capture moments in history in vivid detail, simulating a first-hand experience. However, they could be limiting because certain details could be excluded, which would affect the view of the event. D Analysis Importance of investigation in its historical context The Anglo-German naval race was a significant event that ruined any possible relationship between the two nations before the start of World War I. Although many historians, for instance Ferguson or Fay, do not attribute the naval race to causing the Great War, it is a consensus among historians that by Germany building up their navy and destroying any relationship with Britain, they were simply pushing England into an alliance with France.16 The Entente Cordial simply meant that if Germany was trying to start a war in order to gain more colonies, they had dragged another enemy into the war to fight with. The naval race also caused extreme financial difficulties for both nations, but more specifically, if Germany had given most of its naval funds to its army, it would have had a much greater chance of achieving a land victory in France.17 Analysis of the Evidence Tirpitzs acquired his fleet by using intense propaganda, and played off of international crises to acquire more money in order to implement naval laws. He had soon built a fleet that was in direct competition with Britain; however it was never clear what his objectives with the fleet were. Different historians have interpreted the intention of this fleet differently. Ferguson and Fay both argue that the fleet was intended to compete with the British navy in order to have the power over Britain to demand colonies.18 However, Scheck more so argues that the fleet was being built in order to attract any of Britains enemies as allies or even Britain as an ally. 19 It is obvious that with both opinions the navy was directed at Britain. This proves that Tirpitz was the aggressor in the Anglo-German naval race, and that he was building the navy to discourage Britain from any direct conflict, and thus would have a stronger voice that could make demands. In addition, the naval construction would attract allies, and be able to support Germany in the coming war. However, Tirpitzs plan may have contributed to various British proposals for limiting the navy, it did not intimidate them or cause them no make concessions. On the contrary, it created the atmosphere of suspicion and antagonism that would lead to a naval race.20 It is obvious that Germany was the aggressor in the naval race; however, many historians have debated over what event it was that triggered the Anglo-German naval race. Herrmann argues that it was Germanys persistent defiance of Britain over a period of time that set-off the naval race, but it was not one particular event.21 However Tucker argues that it was specifically Tirpitzs second naval law that initiated the naval race.22 The latter is a very valid point, since it was this law that put Tirpitzs fleet in direct competition with Britain. Beforehand, the British new that the Germans were beginning to put a navy together, but it did not concern them. Immediately after the passage of the law, the British began to feel pressure from Tirpitz, and responded by building their navy as well. Without Tirpitzs second naval bill, Britain would not have felt threatened, and therefore would have had no reason to enter a naval race. Tirpitz undeniably was a key player in the naval race. He pushed the propaganda, founded the Navy League, designed the naval construction strategy, drafted the naval laws, and most important, would not slow down the building process. However, historians have disputed how large a role Tirpitz played. Scheck and Tucker have put complete blame on Tirpitz, saying that he was the man manipulating the Kaiser, Reichstag and the German people, in order to support and fund his naval plan. 23 Contrary to this, Kennedy and Fay believe that Tirpitz and the Kaiser are equally to blame for the naval race.24 They argue that Tirpitz and the Kaiser were the two men who most supported the navy, and that it was the Kaisers support of Tirpitz that allowed him to get the funding and support necessary to construct his fleet. The former is a more accurate opinion since it was Tirpitz, and Tirpitz alone who designed the building strategy, and manipulated the government in order to raise funds. It was his aggressive policy that built up the German navy to the point where it posed a threat to Britain, giving them no choice but to retaliate through their own naval construction. E Conclusion Tirpitz is solely to blame for the Anglo-German naval race. As Scheck and Tucker have agreed, he was the man manipulating the Kaiser, Reichstag and the German people by using international crises to push propaganda, and implement naval bills. Tirpitzs naval strategy was directed at defeating Britain with his risk navy, in order to make available the necessary colonial property for the central European states which needed to expand.25 It was precisely Tirpitzs Second Naval Bill that competed directly with Britain, thus threatening her imperial position, forcing Britain to increase the rate of her own naval construction. If it were not for Tirpitzs aggressive naval policy, Germany and Britain would not have been thrown into a costly and dangerous naval race. It was made obvious that Tirpitz was solely to blame, when British War Minister Haldene attempted to negotiate a naval agreement, but Tirpitz made it clear he was opposed to any reductions, and negotiations failed.26 1 Peter Quennell, History Today, November 1968, 53. 2 James Joll, The Origins of the First World War (New York: Longman Group, 1984), 62. 3 Joll, 112. 4 Rafael Scheck, Alfred von Tirpitz and German Right-Wing Politics, 1914-1918 (Boston: Humanities Press, 1998), 3. 5 David Herrmann, The Arming of Europe and the Making of The First World War (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1996), 162. 6 The European Powers in the First World War: An Encyclopedia, 1996 ed., s.v. Alfred von Tirpitz, by Spencer Tucker. 7 John Terraine, ed., The Great War, 1914-1918 (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1965), 226. 8 Sidney Fay, The Origins of the World War (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1930), 235. 9 Scheck, 6. 10 Scheck, 5. 11 Jonathan Steinberg, Yesterdays Deterrent (London: Macdonald and Co., 1965), 126. 12 Tucker, 688. 13 Joll, 63. 14 Scheck, 5. 15 Tucker, 688. 16 Niall Ferguson, The Pity of War (New York: Basic Books, 1999), 70; Fay, 39. 17 Tucker, 688. 18 Ferguson, 84; Fay, 235. 19 Scheck, 5. 20 Fay, 235. 21 Herrmann, 226. 22 Tucker, 688. 23 Scheck, 8; Tucker, 688. 24 Paul Kennedy, The Rise of the Anglo-German Antagonism: 1860-1914 (New Jersey: Unwin Ltd., 1980), 224; Fay, 243. 25 Fay, 235. 26 Joll, 65

Sensationalism - Sensation Novels of the Nineteenth Century Essay

Sensationalism - Sensation Novels of the Nineteenth Century The "sensation novels"  began to appear during the mid-to-late 1800's.   The term first used by W. M. Thackeray, in his own Cornhill Magazine, was in reference to "a particular literary or dramatic phenomenon."  Ã‚   Courtroom scenes, corpses, secrets, adultery, insanity and prostitution were all staples of the novel's plot that would offer the many unexpected twists and turns of the story.   The author's goal was to have the reader feel basic sensations-shock, disbelief, horror, suspense, sexual excitement, and fear.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are several reasons why sensation novels became so popular with Victorian society, and especially women, during this time period.   Urbanization and industrialization were changing the face of the countryside by creating more and more big cities.   This type of   novel was a welcomed escape from the emergence of industry and capitalism in England and America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even though the times were changing, women were still expected to be subservient to men.   They did not enjoy the freedom to vote or to own property.   Because it is the Victorian era, they are still expected to control their emotions in front of men and to be supportive at all times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As women started to shun this role, it was reflected in the sensation novel.   The female became a strong character in these books.  Ã‚   Female sexuality was used to show strength, rebelliousness and evil.   They were often portrayed as seductresses and villains who would be punished by the ending of the book.   Females were no longer the victim waiting to be rescued.   The sensation novel reversed male and female roles with the man many times being victimized.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These novels with thei... ...the strong female characters, his name was associated with both the male and female groups of authors. Sources Law, Graham.   Serializing Fiction in the Victorian Press.   London:   Palgrave, 2000. Hughes, Winifred.   The Maniac in the Cellar.   New Jersey:   Princeton University Press, 1980. Miller, D.A.   The Novel and the Police.   Los Angeles:   University of California Press, 1988. Boyle, Thomas.   Black Swine in the Sewers of Hampstead.   New York:   Viking Penguin, 1989. James, Henry.   Notes and Reviews.   Cambridge:   Dunster House, 1921. Gaskell, Elizabeth.   Mary Barton.   Oxford:   Oxford University Press, 1987. Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism, Vol. 80. Mansel, Henry. "Sensations Novels." Quarterly Review 113 (April 1863):   251-68.    Websites http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/english/Clayton/318biblio.htm http://www.indiana.edu/~victoria/

Edmunds Corrugated Essay

1. Analyze the issues faced by Edmunds and describe what lead the company to this situation. Edmunds Corrugated Parts & Services are a company based in Virginia, U.S. owned by Larry Edmunds; who provided precision machine parts and service for the domestic corrugated box industry. About two years ago, Larry’s grandfather loaned him the money to start the business. It is Larry’s first factory; in a barn on what had been the family’s Shenandoah Valley farm. He operates from a 50,000 square-foot factory located near I-81 just a few miles from that old barn (Daft, R., 2010). However there are some issues that Edmunds has faced with the quarterly earnings. They simply were not as they had been in the past. Firstly, the company was capable of employing about one hundred employees who were mostly neighbors. They were as hard-working and loyal employees. However, many of employees were going to retire. The company was suffering from the issue of replacing the current employees. The other issue the company was holding market share at 75 percent but the market share lately has reduced significantly. It was due to the number of the companies that had appeared manufacturing the same product. This had made it possible for the company to diversify their production with products such as the more flexible plastic films and reusable plastic containers. The last issue faced by Edmunds is losing industries mainly in U.S. due to the consolidation that was done by the paper industry. Some industries that survived opening other branches oversea as joint ventures. This issue had bought Edmunds to the crossroads of what he should do to bring the company revenues back to where they used to be. 2. Create and describe a strategy for addressing the situation at hand. From the issues the company had faced; the competition was changing, external rules and regulations were changing, and suppliers were changing as well. The strategy that worked well in the past is no longer producing the results company would like. Therefore; the company demanded a strategy would make sure it will recover; by way of strategic management, it is efficient to ensure that the company is capable of returning back to the way of its business. The strategic management is the comprehensive collection of ongoing activities and processes that organizations use to systematically coordinate and align resources and actions with mission, vision and strategy throughout an organization (â€Å"Management Study Guide,† 2008). The requirements for an ongoing process in strategic management are environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation and strategy evaluation. The first process of environmental scanning or situation analysis; refers to the process of amassing, studying and providing information for strategic proposes. It would help the company analyze the internal and external factors that impact an organization. The company can define strength and weakness; with these two, they can find future risk and opportunities as well (BE Business Education, 2011). This will show Edmunds the opportunities and threat; for example, the ones that had made most other companies go overseas. The second strategy formulation is the process of designing and selecting the most suitable course of action for the achievement of organization goals and objectives and thereby achieving the organization vision (Bushman, M., 2007). This strategy should ensure the company regains it competitive edge. The third strategy implementation implies making the strategy work as intended or putting the organization’s chosen strategy into action including developing steps, methods and procedures to execute the strategy (Bhasin, H., 2010). The company management should ensure that the implementation of the strategy is cost effective, not disruptive and acceptable by all stakeholders. The final process of strategic management is strategy evaluation. These activities are evaluating internal and external factors that are the root of current strategies, measuring performance, and corrective actions. These processes will give Edmunds some great opportunities; for an example, making quality goods can be used to ensure that they increase their market share and customers will be loyal to their service. 3. Assess which element in the strategy you just described would be the hardest to implement and explain why. The part that would be the most difficult state in strategic management is the strategy implementation. This is because it involves change. It will require the management to fit the resources, the competencies and the opportunities that the company has in the market. The support of employees and managers are needed in order to successfully implement a strategy. When people do not proactively make the changes that are needed to adapt to the strategy, this will be one of the large difficulties. Moreover, if there is no follow-up to the strategy implementation, this will be one of the largest difficulties. The strategy implementation is hard and risky if it does not well carry on. All the resources that have been put in place can be wasted if any hitch happens in the process. It may lead to complete closure of the company as well if they will waste their time. 4. Describe what strategies Edmunds could use in the future to reduce potential crises before they happen. There are different methods that Edmunds could use in the future to ensure that the company does not entangle in the potential crises. The first strategy that the company would use is development of research department that will be looking at innovation for the company to guarantee that it is at a competitive edge at all the time. The second strategy is the training to the employees. This will ensure that the employees have the upcoming technology skills and the productively level will increase as well. The last strategy is the employee recruitment. The company has to make sure the employees are ready and competitive; which means the employees are capable of rising upon all challenges. These will be good methods for the company to ensure that they will not complicate any of the crises that it is in today. References Daft, R.S. (2010). Management. 9th Ed. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Management Study Guide. (2012). Step in Strategy Formulation Process. Retrieve Feb. 8, 2013, from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/strategy-formulation-process.htm BE Business Education. (2011, September 6). Importance of Environment Scanning. Retrieved Feb. 8, 2013 from http://business.svtuition.org/2011/09/importance-of-environment-scanning.html Bushman, M. (2007, April 7). The Major Elements of the Strategic Management Process. Retrieved Feb. 10, 2013 from

Analysis of present environments Essay

Other factors that may be included in the analysis would be the presence of other alcoholic beverages in each market that may affect the sales of the possible expansion. We have to take into account that Scotch and wines do not comprise the whole market for alcoholic beverages. If the consumer preference would be as volatile as it poses to be, then the other beverage drinkers may switch from their present beverage to another. The scary part of the situation is, we could not determine as of now, if the possible expansion would gain or spell disaster for the company. Another factor to be considered is the indices in the market. This indices are the indicators whether the public would be able to squeeze the purchase of a whisky in their budget. This simply draws out the in demand products that would be dubbed â€Å"necessities† and the lesser needed products, known as the â€Å"luxuries. † The movement of the product from a luxury to a necessity spells success, but the other way around would be a bad sign for the expansion. Couple this factor with the volatility and the result would be a very risky market with high gains and disaster on the other end. The analysis of the present environments is important for a marketing strategy as this would help us understand the environments under the influence of, and that influences the countries in question. However, the factor of bias takes in, which usually has to be negated. The negation process would take place by as the objective part of judging by criteria, comprising half of the decision and the other half, the subjective decisions. First, before any analysis would be made, certain criteria would have to be in order for the comparisons. Considerable weights should be given to the consumer expectations and preferences (30 points), labeled A. This would help us determine the choices of the consumers that we are trying to serve. This weighs heavily since the consumers are directly related to the profits that the company would generate. Next in line would be the rate of acceptance of the market (30 points), labeled B. This is another heavy criterion since this would determine if the country is really suitable for the operations of the company in question. If the results would be heavily low, then we can conclude already that the company would not thrive in that specific country. This greatly helps in the subjective side of the judgment. Another criterion to be judged is the taxation in their country (20 points), labeled C. Taxation may not weigh as much but it weighs significantly at 20 points out of the 100 point total. This is because taxation affects the rate of the profit that a company generates. A higher taxation rate would then lower the chance that a company should invest in the specified country. And the last criteria to be considered would be the performance of the substitute (20 points), labeled D. These criterions would not only let us see the objective part of the problem by looking at the figures that the criteria would present. However, we have to bear in mind that the decision-making of this marketing strategy would depend not only in its objective part, but should also be considering the subjective part of the problem. Some problems cannot be explained by figures and leaves this part to the analytical and subjective mind of the decision-maker. Further statements from the analysis of the criteria would bear the interpretations of the scores. After which would be the ranking of the scores to determine which country scored the most points in achieving the goal of successful expansion for the company at hand. However, the final decision would lie after the subjective part of the theory. Country A B C D TOTAL RANK Denmark 30 25 20 15 90 1 N. Ireland 30 20 20 10 80 3 Austria 25 25 20 15 85 2 Spain 25 25 10 15 75 4 Points to Ponder:? Denmark’s score was due to the (1) good age distribution as the median of the age of males in the 15-64 bracket is just 38, stating a more diverse markets for the old and young drinkers. (Anonymous 2006f) (2) The market would suit the product just fine. In fact, the market in Denmark, in terms of the raw materials seem to give a very positive sign for Denmark as this could lead to further expansions (Anonymous 2006f)(3) The taxation does not bother this country as shown in here. Denmark seems to be comfortable not to be accommodated by the top four of the Union’s Top Four of Taxes. (Anonymous 2002) (4) Substitutes seem to be performing well, but not enough as the growing demand for Scotch whisky is trying to speed up the development of the local supplier of the product. These ratings have put Denmark in the No. 1 spot. ? Northern Ireland bags the second spot easily for a variety of reasons: (1) the lowest median mark was achieved by this country; with just a median of 33 years old, it generally means most of the male population are below the 40 year old mark, a good sign for the company. The company generally caters more to the male crowd, and the flavors of the Scotch whisky have a specific audience. More drinkers are also available for judgment since the younger drinkers are the ones who prefer the other flavors, unlike the older crowd. An example of this would be, many young drinker’s can be the target for the release of the Monreith Malt. Simultaneously, the market for The Torhousemuir Tawny, would also penetrate the older market, such of the 40 years and above since they still have a part of the market, although they may play the minor role in the profit margins. (2) Generally, this is neither good nor bad since the company can be seen as â€Å"one of the others† or â€Å"a new breed†. Either way, the public would remain in the middle of things, making it hard for the determination of the acceptance of the public The product originated in the same country, Another brand’s addition to the market may be viewed as a mediocre thing for the public. This people would really try your brand, just make a good offer in the initial release, sort of a bargain. (3) Tax problems have never plagued the country after the tax involved issues of before where Kings and Queens reign this land. Nowadays, it seemed like the people of Ireland have learned their lessons from the past events. (4)Market substitutes are on the loose, since this is the origin of Scotch whisky. Generally, substitutes would be of great numbers, which definitely pose a bad sign since your product can be swallowed by the market. ? Austria’s rates were affected by (a) since the people of Austria are known to be of good taste, then the consumer expectations would be high; knowing that The Olde Distillerie is from the country of United Kingdom, the country where the brewers of Scotland have originated (b) acceptance was marked as such since the country is sail to have taste in things that are not really rich in its flavor, but also in history. (c) Demography of the country shows a 40 year old median for the men in an evenly distributed country. This result shows an inclination in the stronger brew of the whisky since it says that the composition of men are said to have evenly distributed age, with older men winning the battle of numbers. Other products would have problems in their sales since the market would only focus on the older men market, since the median age was 40. Added costs for extra marketing strategies would be needed to gain the necessary profits needed by the company for the other products. (Anonymous 2006j) (d) Good taxation brings the country on the top four of the European Union (Anonymous 2002) This is a good sign for Austria as this is viewed as a country with less taxes, therefore, more profits. And this could also open doors to the export market, as this has been a very good opportunity for the company. ? The least attractive of the choices given, Spain does not provide any chance to defend itself due to the factors affecting its market. Some problems to the expansion there include: (1) The demographic distribution of the male population is not as diverse as that of Northern Ireland. (Anonymous 2006i) Although this may prove to be a positive sign, let us not forget the male’s sense of pride that they would not readily exchange the wine for a foreign drink, especially of a new brand in the market. (2) Market acceptance is not a problem as Spain is known to be one of the world’s top consumers of alcohol. However, acceptance may just remain to be accepted and not commended. (Anonymous 2006k)(3) Another issue: tax. Spain has been known to be a country brutal on its taxes in order for them to challenge the substitute market for their wine. As they increase the tax, they tend to lower the market consumption of the substitutes for wine, like scotch whisky (4) Lastly, scotch whisky’s only substitute here would be that of the gin, tequila, and beer. Wines are the primary products, making it look like Scotch whisky is really a substitute for the main product, wine.

Tlaxcallan - Mesoamerican Stronghold Against the Aztecs

Tlaxcallan - Mesoamerican Stronghold Against the Aztecs Tlaxcallan was a Late Postclassic period city-state, built beginning about 1250 AD on the tops and slopes of several hills on the east side of the Basin of Mexico near modern day Mexico City. It was the capital of a territory known as Tlaxcala, a relatively small polity (1,400 square kilometers or about 540 square miles), located in the northern portion of the Pueblo-Tlaxcala region of Mexico today. It was one of a few stubborn hold outs never conquered by the powerful Aztec Empire. It was so stubborn that Tlaxcallan sided with the Spanish and made the overthrow of the Aztec empire possible. A Dangerous Enemy The Texcalteca (as the people of Tlaxcala are called) shared technology, social forms and cultural elements of other Nahua groups, including the origin myth of Chichemec migrants settling central Mexico and the adoption of farming and culture of the Toltecs. But they viewed the Aztec Triple Alliance as a dangerous enemy, and fiercely resisted the placement of an imperial apparatus into their communities. By 1519, when the Spanish arrived, Tlaxcallan held an estimated 22,500-48,000 people in an area of just 4.5 square kilometers (1.3 square miles or 1100 acres), with a population density of about 50-107 per hectare and domestic and public architecture covering about 3 sq km (740 ac) of the site. The City Unlike most Mesoamerican capital cities of the era, there were no palaces or pyramids at Tlaxcallan, and only a relatively few and small temples. In a series of pedestrian surveys, Fargher et al. found 24 plazas dispersed around the city, ranging in size from 450 to 10,000 square metersup to about 2.5 acres in size. The plazas were designed for public use; some small low temples were created at the edges. None of the plazas seems to have played a central role in the life of the city. Each plaza was surrounded by terraces on top of which were built ordinary houses. Little evidence of social stratification is in evidence; the most labor-intensive construction in Tlaxcallan is that of the residential terraces: perhaps 50 kilometers (31 miles) of such terraces were made in the city. The main urban zone was divided into at least 20 neighborhoods, each focused on its own plaza; each one was likely administered and represented by an official. Although there is no governmental complex within the city, the site of Tizatlan, located about 1 km (.6 mi) outside of the city across unoccupied rugged terrain may have acted in that role. Governmental Center of Tizatlan Tizatlans public architecture is the same size as the Aztec king Nezahualcoyotls palace in Texcoco, but instead of the typical palace layout of small patios surrounded by large numbers of residential rooms, Tizatlan is made up of small rooms surrounded by a massive plaza. Scholars believe it functioned as a central place for the pre-conquest territory of Tlaxcala, serving as many as 162,000 to 250,000 persons dispersed throughout the state in about 200 small towns and villages. Tizatlan had no palace or residential occupation, and Fargher and colleagues argue that the location of the site outside of town, lacking residences and with little rooms and big plazas, is evidence that Tlaxcala functioned as an independent republic. The power in the region was placed in the hands of a ruling council rather than a hereditary monarch. Ethnohistoric reports suggest that a council of between 50-200 officials governed Tlaxcala. How Did They Maintain Independence? The Spanish conquistador Hernn Cortà ©s said the Texcalteca kept their independence because they lived in freedom: they had no ruler-centered government, and the society was egalitarian compared to much of the rest of Mesoamerica. And Fargher and associates think thats right. Tlaxcallan resisted incorporation into the Triple Alliance empire despite being completely surrounded by it, and despite numerous Aztec military campaigns against it. Aztec attacks on Tlaxcallan were the among the bloodiest of battles waged by the Aztecs; both early historical sources Diego Muà ±oz Camargo and the Spanish inquisition leader Torquemada reported stories about the defeats that pushed the last Aztec king Montezuma to tears. Despite Cortes admiring remarks, many ethnohistoric documents from the Spanish and Native sources state that the continued independence of the Tlaxcala state was because the Aztecs allowed their independence. Instead, the Aztecs claimed they purposefully used Tlaxcallan as a place to provide military training events for Aztec soldiers and as a source for obtaining sacrificial bodies for imperial rituals, known as the Flowery Wars. There is no doubt that the ongoing battles with the Aztec Triple Alliance were costly to Tlaxcallan, interrupting trade routes and creating havoc. But as Tlaxcallan held its own against the empire, it saw an enormous influx of political dissidents and uprooted families. These refugees included Otomi and Pinome speakers fleeing imperial control and warfare from other polities who fell to the Aztec empire. The immigrants augmented Tlaxcalas military force and were fiercely loyal to their new state. Tlaxcallan Support of the Spanish, or Vice Versa? The main story line about Tlaxcallan is that the Spanish were able to conquer Tenochtitlan only because the Tlaxcaltecas defected from the Aztec hegemony and threw their military support behind them. In a handful of letters back to his king Charles V, Cortes claimed that the Tlaxcaltecas became his vassals, and that they were instrumental in helping him defeat the Spanish. But is that an accurate description of the politics of the Aztec fall? Ross Hassig (1999) argues that the Spanish accounts of the events of their conquest of Tenochtitlan are not necessarily accurate. He argues specifically that Cortes claim that the Tlaxcaltecas were his vassals is disingenous, that in fact they had very real political reasons to support the Spanish. The Fall of an Empire By 1519, Tlaxcallan was the only polity left standing: they were completely surrounded by the Aztecs and saw the Spanish as allies with superior weapons (cannons, harquebuses, crossbows and horsemen). The Tlaxcaltecas could have defeated the Spanish or simply withdrawn when they appeared in Tlaxcallan, but their decision to ally with the Spanish was a savvy political one. Many of the decisions made by Cortessuch as the massacre of the Chololtec rulers and selection of a new noble to be kinghad to have been plans devised by Tlaxcallan. After the death of the last Aztec king, Montezuma (aka Moteuczoma), the remaining true vassal states to the Aztecs made the choice to support them or throw in with the Spanishmost chose to side with the Spanish. Hassig argues that Tenochtitlan fell not as a result of the Spanish superiority, but at the hands of tens of thousands of angry Mesoamericans. Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Aztec Empire, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Carballo DM, and Pluckhahn T. 2007. Transportation corridors and political evolution in highland Mesoamerica: Settlement analyses incorporating GIS for northern Tlaxcala, Mexico. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 26:607–629. Fargher LF, Blanton RE, and Espinoza VYH. 2010. Egalitarian ideology and political power in prehispanic central Mexico: the case of Tlaxcallan. Latin American Antiquity 21(3):227-251. Fargher LF, Blanton RE, Heredia Espinoza VY, Millhauser J, Xiuhtecutli N, and Overholtzer L. 2011. Tlaxcallan: the archaeology of an ancient republic in the New World. Antiquity 85(327):172-186. Hassig R. 1999. War, politics and the conquest of Mexico. In: Black J, editor. War in the Early Modern World 1450-1815. London: Routledge. p 207-236. Millhauser JK, Fargher LF, Heredia Espinoza VY, and Blanton RE. 2015. The geopolitics of obsidian supply in Postclassic Tlaxcallan: A portable X-ray fluorescence study. Journal of Archaeological Science 58:133-146.

Urban planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Urban planning - Essay Example The meeting starts at 5.00 p.m. From my first impression, the meeting was going on smoothly although there are some changes that could be made to ensure that the meeting is more efficient. The chairman was commendable in his role and ensured that order was maintained throughout the meeting. People respected his calls and he was the final authority in regards to all the matters in regards to the meeting. The members of the public who attended the event had also been informed on the need of order during the meeting. One improvement I would recommend is that the meeting be held on Saturdays instead of during the agenda week. This is because of several factors. People might not want to go home late in the night and therefore the meeting can run late into the night and be adjourned. If the meeting is held on a Saturday afternoon, people will have ample time to go through the meeting and also further time to air their contributions. I was surprised to notice various prominent people in the town at the meeting. One that I did not expect was the mayor, John Lewis, who was also in attendance. Most of the time, he was silent and just took down notes, however, when it to the AOB segment he thanked the commission for assisting him in trying to fulfill his election agenda of a better Gilberts Town that would be the envy of the country. He requested that this cordial relationship continue into the future. His presence there was a sign of the importance of this meeting to the community. Initially, I thought that any attendee of the meeting could speak at the meeting but I realized this was not the case. Anyone who wants to speak at the meeting must fill a speaker card. An individual fills the agenda items he wants to speak on and filing it with the clerk before the actual meeting. There are several guidelines that determine the use of speaker cards: When a designated speaker is called to air their views, the speaker shall use the microphone set for public

Personalized Medicine and Biomarkers (Biomedical Informatics) Research Paper

Personalized Medicine and Biomarkers (Biomedical Informatics) - Research Paper Example Biomedical informatics and health informatics is an interdisciplinary field which integrates different fields such as computer science, biology, medicine and health care. It fosters an effective analysis and management of data for its application in health care. Bernstam et al , [1] defines biomedical informatics as a science of information where data is presented together with meaning in finding solutions to biomedical related problems. This makes the field distinct from related fields such as biomedicine, bioinformatics and computer science. Computers provide the interface between the data which they process and humans interpret the meaning of the data, a task the computers are incapable of carrying out appropriately. This field has gained relevance because of the rise in use of electronic health records and the plethora of data emanating from genomics research, [2]. Because of the growth of the data available to professionals in the healthcare, there has been a change in the patte rn of medical decision making towards the requirement of informatics and information technology platform to assist medics in their decision making. Personalized medicine is a form of medicine that makes use of personal information derived from person’s genes, proteins and environment to assist in disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment, [3]. A biomarker is a variable which can be a gene, protein, or chemical which is altered in disease condition. Biomarkers are classified as prognostic, predictive or therapeutic biomarkers. Prognostic biomarkers try to assess the likely cause of a disease whereas predictive ones assess the probability of whether a patient will benefit from a particular therapy. In the recent times, personalized medicine has been ameliorated by a more improved molecular understanding of disease thereby introducing effective