Thursday, October 31, 2019

System Access Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

System Access - Essay Example It should include database dump if applicable. Having a backup will ensure that the end users have certainty in accessing data anytime even when the agency server refuses to give permission for access or when their server fails. If the company providing hosting services refuses to grant access to data to the firm or the end users of the website, the project manager should opt to review the agreement or cancel it as soon as he can. Lastly, it is important for the project manager to have access to the control panel. It is also appropriate to configure the website manually without the use of a control panel. It can guarantee better performance and security because it can allow for customization at a lower level (Ahmed & Boutaba, 2014). If the project manager gets the rights to configure the server, he may know what is running and why the applications are running. Therefore, the end users of the social media website can have an assurance about the accessibility of the social media

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Taxation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Taxation - Assignment Example Charles’s language of correspondence is English even though he understands a little bit of French having studied French as a subject in school. Charles Antoine’s Social Insurance Number (SIN) is 193-456-787. Latesa Kiki, who is Charles’s wife, works as a Social and Health Care Service provider in a local Health and Social Care facility in Montreal Quebec. Latesa’s net income for the year 2013 after claim after credits is $80,000. Her Social Insurance Number is 193-567-674.The amount of Universal Care Benefit (UCCB) from line 117 of Latesa’s income is $1200 while the amount of Universal Child Benefit repayment from the line 213 of her return is $800 Charles Antoine is paid $9000 per month as his salary by the bank He works for. Apart from this income, he received $150,100 from a rental property he had but sold it in 2013.Charles also runs a personal business in his neighborhood where his younger works for him as the operator of the venture. Fro the personal business, he is able to earn an average of $2000 per month in terms of income. Charles is a staunch member of his church and every month, he gives $300 to his church which is a registered charity in Canada under the federal and territory laws. From his income, several deductions are normally made per month. Charles contributes towards the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and towards the Employment Insurance benefit. Apart from his church contribution, he also contributes $150 every month towards the social and service health acre facility where his wife works. This facility is also a registered charity organization which helps the elderly and the underprivileged in Montreal. To calculate the RRSP, it is important to know what Charles earned in the previous year in order to determine his RRSP deduction limit (Canadian Tax Calculator, 2014). Earned income includes the employment earnings (t4), rental income, net business income and alimony received and any other benefit.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Study On The Tangshan Earthquake

Study On The Tangshan Earthquake Throughout history there have been various natural disasters that have caused great destruction. One of these very disasters includes the Tangshan earthquake on July 29, 1976, below Tangshan City in the Hebei Province of northern China. The earthquake, measured at a magnitude of 7.5 lead to 242,400 deaths, with many severely injured. In addition, the city of Tangshan and surrounding regions faced infrastructure damages, including complete destruction of 97% of residential areas, 78% of industrial buildings and additional damage to railways, bridges, and roads. Statement of Aim This report will discuss the role of plate tectonics in the Tangshan earthquake. In addition, this report will cover the details of the earthquake pre-cursors, the main quake and aftershocks. Finally, this report will discuss the occurrence of destruction, casualties, relief response and response to similar events in the future. Plate Tectonics of North-East China It is important to develop some general knowledge what causes earthquakes, in order to gain a better understanding about the Tangshan event. Earths crust is broken into major tectonic plates that move towards and away from each other in different directions. Debated driving forces behind this movement includes Earths rotation, gravity related forces and mantle dynamics. Generally, it is accepted that tectonic plates are able to move because of the relative density of oceanic lithosphere and the relative weakness of the asthenosphere. While these plates are moving, they can collide or slide past each other creating high energy phenomena such as volcanoes and earthquakes. Specific to earthquakes, the edge of one plate is forced under another. This process is called subduction and results in intense vibrations in Earths crust. More specifically to Northeast China, the tectonic environment is driven by collisions between the Indian and Asian plates, and Pacific and Asian plates. An important component of the Tangshan earthquake is the role of an extensive strike-slip fault system, known as Tancheng-Lujiang, or Tan-Lu. This system extends in a north-northeast direction for more than 3,200 miles from the north bank of the Yangtze River in eastern China to the west across the Russian border. It is an intertwined zone of faults 5000km long and 1000km wide, neighbored by other sub-faults. These collectively played a significant part in what resulted in the Tangshan earthquake. In fact, the Tangshan earthquake sequence has been explained as the result of sequential ruptures of the Tangshan fault produced by NNE extensive faulting and associated NE-SW regional compression. The earthquake sequence then initiated at the bending region (near Tangshan City) due to continued tectonic stress that had been increasing for a long time. The relationship between the rupture geometries of the Tangshan earthquake sequence and the regional compression stresses. The Tangshan Event Pre-cursors Earthquakes have occurred in the surrounding area in the past, including 22 earthquakes of magnitude 4.75 or greater since 1485. Despite these previous activities, there were no foreshocks or clear precursory phenomenon prior to the Tangshan earthquake. However, there had been a series of abnormal signals observed in the regions of Beijing, Tianjin, Tangshan, Bohai and Zhangjiakou. Tangshan indicated that there was a consistent drop in the pumping rate (and hence groundwater levels) in the years before the event with a sharp increase in the days prior to the earthquake. Additionally, survivors interviewed following the earthquake noted that well water levels changed abruptly in the hours before the event e.g. with rises of over a meter in at least on village in the region. There was also strange animal behavior reported, including city dwellers from the downtown area who had fish discovered that the fish were restless, jumping out of the aquarium as if wanting to escape. Unfortunate ly the anomalous precursory phenomena were widely scattered and inconclusive. The main quake The main quake struck Tangshan at 3:42 am on July 28, 1976, and lasted approximately 23 seconds. This short lived quake was at an intensity of XI (out of XII), according to the State Seismological Bureau report, with a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter magnitude scale. Although the epicenter was located in the city of Tangshan, the earthquake was felt in fourteen provinces of China, and as far as Xian, in Beijing and in Tientsin. The stress of the Tangshan quake was caused by the compression along the plate boundaries of the Indian and Asian plates, as well as the compression along the boundaries of the Pacific and Asian plates. The quake ruptured a five-mile (8 km) section of a 25-mile long fault that passes through the city Tangshan. In addition, along the west side the ground moved laterally for about five feet, in a north/northeast direction sub parallel to the major axis of the meizoseismic zone with some areas with horizontal ground displacements of up to 7 meters. On the eastern side of the rupture, the ground block tipped upward near the south end and downward at the northern end. Although the earthquake was a shallow focal depth of 15 kilometers, it created both horizontal and vertical movement, causing the ground to rent apart by several feet, cave in to form craters, previously flat agricultural land being undulated, and soil liquefaction. Aftershocks Following the main earthquake, the many aftershocks also had devastating effects. There were two major aftershocks which caused additional damage to the region. On July 28, 1976 at 6:45 pm local time an Mw 7.0 earthquake struck, centered in Shangjialin Luanxian to the northeast of Tangshan. This caused 50 km (31 mi) rupture along the Luanxian-Laoting fault. The second major aftershock of Mw 6.4 struck on November 15, 1976 at 9:53 pm local time, centered south of Lutai to the southwest of Tangshan. This aftershock ruptured 20 km (12 mi) of the Jing Canal fault. In all, over 850 aftershocks occurred through the end of 1978 and were distributed throughout an area approximately 140 km (87 mi) in length and 50 km (31 mi) in width along a northeast trend, indicating the Tangshan fault as the main fault rupture. Destruction and Casualties The destruction of the earthquake included 242,400 deaths; 164,600 people severely wounded; 3,800 people disabled; 360,000 people suffering minor injuries; and various damages to residential areas, industrial areas, roads, railways and sewage systems. Here, the report will examine what effects the earthquake had on infrastructure and casualties. Infrastructure Before the 1976 earthquake, scientists did not believe Tangshan was susceptible to a large earthquake. Thus, the seismic design code for the area was zoned an intensity level of VI and the buildings in Tangshan were not built to withstand such a large earthquake. Furthermore, the city of Tangshan is located in the center of an area surrounded with major faults, where many of its structures had been built on unstable, alluvial soils. The 7.8 earthquake that hit Tangshan was given an intensity level of XI and left hundreds of thousands of buildings destroyed. The infrastructure damage affected many different areas. Ninety-three percent of residential buildings and 78 percent of industrial buildings were completely destroyed. Eighty percent of the water pumping stations and fourteen percent of the sewage pipes were seriously damaged. In addition, the foundations of bridges gave way, bridges collapsed, railroad lines bent, closed roads were covered with debris, highway bridges and at least two dams collapsed, all telephone and radio communications systems stopped functioning and almost all of the irrigation wells became inoperative. The seismic waves of the earthquake spread the damage to various regions, such as Qinhuangdao and Tianjin, and a few buildings as far away as Beijing. As was the case in Tangshan city, earthquake resistance was not generally considered in the design of buildings in these other regions. Newer buildings with seismic capacity and any buildings strengthened after the 1975 Haicheng Earthquake performed much better during the Tangshan Earthquake than those designed without seismic design considerations. Casualty Along with infrastructure damage, there were devastating amounts of casualties. As mentioned earlier, the earthquake struck just before 4 am, when many people were asleep and unprepared. Before the earthquake, the total population of Tangshan city was approximately 1.2 million, with 2 million within 40 km (25 mi) of the epicenter. As mentioned earlier, the official death count from the earthquake was 242,400; however, other sources have cited the death toll to be as high as 655,000 to 779,000 people. Contributing to the high number of casualties was the structure of residential buildings. Most residential structures in Tangshan and surrounding rural regions consisted of older, single-story brick or stone wall homes with only few newer multi-story brick apartment buildings built in the 1960s. Due to this structure, many buildings collapsed because of the lack of proper connections between the walls and roof, as did many reinforced concrete and masonry industrial buildings with heavy roofs, weighing as much as 400 kg (890 lbs). Finally, another contributing factor to the high death toll was the density of buildings and population in Tangshan city being extremely high. This concentration contributed to the seriousness of the loss in particular because the source of the earthquake was directly beneath the city. Relief Response The earthquake disaster required both short-term and long-term response. To begin, the Chinese government refused to accept international aid from the United Nations, and insisted on self reliance. This required rescue workers accompanied by appropriate equipment in order to rescue people from the collapsed buildings, as well as a pre-established plan to coordinate the effort, which was made difficult since vehicular traffic brought the few clear streets to a standstill. Also, since most of the population lost their homes due to the infrastructure destruction, there was a great need for temporary shelters. Clearing of the debris did not begin in earnest until September 1981, leaving the vast majority of the population not being able to live in permanent housing until 1985. In addition, there was the need for long-term strategic planning. Much of this had to do with future design codes for the city. The Tangshan Earthquake led to a major update to the seismic design code, released in 1978. The study of the Tangshan Earthquake and its tectonic setting also resulted in the reclassification of hazard zonation of the Hebei province (particularly the Tangshan region). Updates to the code included performance criteria increases with the raising of expected ground shaking intensity, the introduction of a new understanding of how the liquefaction of underlying soils impacts building foundations, and the inclusion of increased vertical forces from seismic loads good building practice from the collapsed buildings in Tangshan. The earthquake also highlighted the requirement for redundancy in the provision of lifelines, accompanied by the assessment of the appropriate design standards to guarantee the minimum necessary function of roads, bridges, or utility supplie s which were greatly affected by the earthquake. The relief responses resulting from the Tangshan Earthquake created the opportunity to build and incorporate increased earthquake resistance for future seismic events. Moreover, the layout of the city was planned to reduce both the number of casualties and injured, in addition to increasing the efficacy of emergency relief and disaster rehabilitation. The 2008 Sichuan earthquake had the same measurement on the Richter scale at 8.0 in magnitude. It, however, occurred in a mountainous region where relief efforts were noticeably hampered by the geographical makeup of the land nearby. The Sichuan earthquake also had a much quicker and more organized response system than Tangshan, as the political, social and technological environment was different. Discussion Conclusion In summary, this report has presented many important concepts to gain an understanding about the Tangshan Earthquake. It has examined the underlying driving forces, such as the Tancheng-Lujiang fault system and Tangshan fault; the various effects from the precursors, main quake, aftershocks; the destruction and casualties from the disaster, including factors that lead to an increased death toll and infrastructure damage; the relief response to the disaster and how it affected future earthquake responses; and a discussion of how amateur seismologists and professionals made predictions about the Tangshan Earthquake. Discussing these topics brings awareness on the importance of understanding natural disasters, and how a population can learn and prepare itself for future natural disasters.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Edgar Allan Poe - A Complicated and Disturbing Author Essay -- Edgar A

Poe is a very complicated author. His literary works are perplexed, disturbing, and even grotesque. His frequent illnesses may have provoked his engrossment in such things. In 1842 Dr. John W. Francis diagnosed Poe with sympathetic heart trouble as well as brain congestion. He also noted Poe's inability to withstand stimulants such as drugs and alcohol (Phillips 1508). These factors may have motivated him to write The Tell-Tale-Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Black Cat. All of these stories are written in or around 1843, shortly after Poe became afflicted. His writing helped him to cope with his troubles and explore new territory in literature. Poe's interest in the supernatural, retribution, and perverse cause them to be included in his burial motifs; therefore sustaining his interest. There is a common thread laced through each subject, but there is variation in degrees of the impact. The supernatural is the phenomena of the unexplained. With this comes an aura of mystery and arousal of fear. Death in itself is the supreme mystery. No living human being can be certain of what happens to the soul when one dies. It is because of this uncertainty that death is feared by many. These types of perplexing questions cause a reader to come to a point of indifference within one of Poe's burial motifs. One is uncertain of how the events can unfold, because a greater force dictates them. Reincarnation in The Black Cat is a supernatural force at work. There is some sort of orthodox witchcraft-taking place. The whole story revolves around the cat, Pluto, coming back to avenge its death. One can not be sure how Pluto's rebirth takes place, but it is certain that something of a greater force has taken hold. The cat's appearance is altered when the narrator comes across it the second time. There is a white spot on the chest "by slow degrees, degrees nearly imperceptible†¦it had, at length, assumed a rigorous distinct outline†¦of the GALLOWS" (Poe 4). Forete lling the narrator's fate a confinement tool appears on the cat's chest. This also foreshadows the cat's confinement in the tomb. It reappears like a disease to take vengeance on a man that has committed horrid crimes. "I was answered by a voice within the tomb! --By a cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of a child, and quickly swelling into one long, loud and continuous scream, utterly anomalous an... ... successful in incorporating the supernatural, perverse, and retribution into his work. He maintains his interest as well as the reader's by including subjects that are not prevalent. It is shocking, disturbing, and challenging to read. Some of Poe's literature has obvious relations to his own life, and how he coped with the problems that faced him. Having problems in ones life can escalate the soul to accomplish great things. Poe's lifestyle is very much a part of style. Works Cited Mankowitz, Wolf. The Extraordinary Mr. Poe and his Times. New York: Summit Books, 1978. Phillips, Mary E. Edgar Allan Poe-The Man, Volume II. Chicago, IL: The John C. Winston Co, 1912. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Black Cat. Online. Personal Computer. Simpatico. Internet. 18 March 1999. Available http://www.gothic.net/poe/works/black_cat.txt Poe, Edgar Allan. The Cask of Amontillado. Online. Personal Computer. Simpatico. Internet. 18 March 1999. Available http://www.literature.org/Works/Edgar-Allan-Poe/amontillado.html Poe, Edgar Allan. The Tell-Tale-Heart. Online. Personal Computer. Simpatico. Internet. 18 March 1999. Available http://www.gothic.net/poe/works/tell-tale_heart.txt

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Social Media Academic Essay

English 1020 October 31 2011 Menial Media: Employees Waste Hours of Time on the Internet Many people agree that social networking in the workplace is just asking for disaster and loss of productivity. Having different types of social networks in the workplace could also lead to uncomfortable situations between coworkers that could be bad for business. However, some disagree and believe that these sites can bring coworkers closer together. Not only do they believe it would bring coworkers together, they also say that this could increase business due to the ‘family-like' style that the given office has.Although this may be true in some cases, studies show that the majority of the time, social networking is one of the downfalls of a company because of websites such as Wiki Links, Facebook and Twitter that cause disturbances in the workplace and may even cause some of the company's private information to be leaked. Because social networking sites are such a distraction and cause ti me to be taken away from productivity, they should be banned from the workplace for employees. Bringing social networking into the workplace is sometimes risky for one who is applying to get a job.Employers can research future prospects and see what their online life is like. Although a person may not be able to be completely understood solely by their social networking site, an employer might judge them based off of it. For example, had someone had a picture of themselves tagged online for the public to see, an employer might deem that bad publicity for the company and decide not to hire this person. However, those who apply for jobs have options to set their accounts on private and social networking companies are not held responsible for the material posted. When joining either MySpace or Facebook [or Twitter], the user must agree to the terms of service and to the Web sites privacy policies† (Elzweig and Peeples â€Å"Using Social†). If anything negative happens in t he line of a person not being hired for a job due to a social networking site, that site will not be held accountable. In a few cases this does work out to the benefit of the applier. â€Å"A CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,500 employers, released in August of this year, indicated 35 percent of respondents use social media to promote their companies†(Hunt â€Å"Finders Keepers†).This means that there are endless opportunities for people to find jobs on advertisements of social networking sites. However, a company can also use these sites to see past jobs and responsibilities and check up on their background. Again, this is good for some people, but for others it is a nightmare having to go through their networking site and clear up their information. It is absurd for businesses to meddle in affairs that do not concern them. As long as an employee is doing his job right, then employers should mind their own.Employers who use social networking sites to ‘check u p' or ‘review' their employees are not being considerate to the personal lives of their workers. If, perhaps, an applier has made it past the stage of being handpicked and selected through the unfair means of social networking, he should not be allowed to access his personal networking site during work hours. This is a major distraction that could cause hours of work and productivity to be put off so that employees can update statuses, tweet, and check personal emails. Most business workers admit to spending at least one hour of their work time on a social networking site.Should companies be responsible for paying employees for this hour of free time? Only 10% of business allow their workers to be on social networking sites whenever they please (Schiller â€Å"Employers Crack†). Some argue that these sites are simply ‘mind refreshers' for employees. However, many others make an even more valid point that if a worker really needed a ‘mind refresher', then he should go on a ten minute walk outside: less productivity lost, and much more healthy. Social networking sites cause too much distraction in the workplace and should not be allowed.If the distraction of checking the website a few times a day is not enough, then consider the possibility of cyberfights. Employees upsetting each other over these sites is begging for disaster. Disgruntled employees lead to an unhappy workplace, so why allow the possibility of that to happen? Yes, it could be said that these social networks could lead to a ‘family-like environment', however the possibility for the latter is much more probable. Coworkers disagreeing with each others' personal lives is a major hazard to the stability of the workplace and could potentially lead to an employee being fired or suspended.Embarrassing, childish, and shameful arguments happen over the internet every day. One lawyer speaks,†I don't need the world knowing every time I make a comment [. . . ] there's a l ot that you can do to tweak your settings† (Schaffer â€Å"Online Networking†). What would stop these arguments from happening between coworkers in a workplace? Even ‘friending' coworkers is a potential problem, especially if the operator of the account does not like work or does not like the people at work and forgets the fact that they have been ‘friends'.This occupational hazard could easily be avoided by not allowing social networking sites in the workplace. Social networks are meant for ones personal life; work is not ones personal life, so one shouldn't mix the two. It is a bit of a gray area for most people because they do not know whether they should add coworkers onto their sites or not. Workers should work during work time and play during play time. The two should never be mixed. It is simply unprofessional to have a Facebook page up while at a work desk.There is a right time for everything, and the right time for social networking and communicatin g is for spare time , not working. Social Networking sites waste time and resources for the company. â€Å"If one employee spends one hour of company time on Facebook everyday, it potentially costs his or her employer more than $6,200 per year† (â€Å"Facebook Costs†). This time spent playing on social networking sites is losing businesses money, companies are better off just letting employees go home an hour early without pay while banning social networking sites, than allowing workers to waste this money.Another hazard of allowing personal lives to clash with work lives, is the material that is posted. It is almost too much energy to make sure that the boss cannot see when, â€Å"Called in sick to work- Fishing Day! † is posted as a status. This could end a current career. Once, I worked in a clothing store where a girl called in sick, only to post on twitter a few hours later that she and her friends were having a sleepover. This seems pretty harmless, and al though I did not care, my boss was very upset.She left a memo on the board the next day saying that if people were not going to be smart about what they posted on their social networking sites, then they would be fired. It is also quite a hassle to make sure that no unflattering pictures that shouldn't be seen by a boss, are not seen. â€Å"If an applicant or employee demonstrates a lack of discretion and judgment by posting spring break photos showing himself or herself apparently intoxicated on a [social networking] page, an employer who finds these photos online may consider the photos when deciding [. . . ] to retain the employee† (Baker â€Å"How Far†).Some say that people who are this careless should be fired anyway, but most people are completely forgetful of who they have accepted as their Facebook friend and sometimes just don't think before they post. This scenario could be completely avoided if work and social media were not mixed. The ‘Basic Informati on' section on social networking sites is a factor that could ruin many relationships at work. At work, coworkers probably do not know the entire background detail of many of their colleagues. Easy research could lead to uncalled for prejudices against others.Social networking sites are taken out of context when they are brought to the work place. That is not what they were meant for. Judgmental coworkers may read a fellow workers information and automatically decide not to like them because of the information put. The hasty generalization that is caused by these types of sites are negative because it is hard to get to know someone unless time has been spent with them. Social networking sites allow for the ‘time spent' factor to be taken away and hasty generalization on character to be in place. Even though the benefits of networking are obvious, the process of meeting new people, establishing regular contact and building meaningful relationships, is consistently challengingâ €  (Crappell â€Å"Preparing for Professional†). These sites make it easier to avoid face to face conversation with a person, and just assume that a person is exactly like their online profile. Accidentally talking bad about a ‘friended' colleague on a social networking site might be one of the most horrifying things a worker could do, unless this worker was talking bad about his boss.This isn't considered cyber-fights or cyber-bullying because it was purely an accident, and the gossiped about colleague knows that. For example, posting on Facebook that the man in the cubicle to the right smells bad is not a good idea; especially due to the face that he is bored and on Facebook as well. He sees this and does not want confrontation, so he picks the alternative: The Silent Treatment. Social networking sites cause grown adults to act like children. People argue that this can be prevented by simply paying attention.That, however, doesn't factor in the fact that people for get names every day and could very easily forget the name of the person that sits in the cubicle to the right. Social networking sites are not the places for colleagues to mingle and these sites should definitely not be brought in the workplace if they have the potential to cause this many problems. The viruses that these networks could bring in are often overlooked. Many focus on the loss of productivity, the arguments and the mixture of the office and the home. However, not many workers realize the threats that they could be causing their companies. A recent FBI report indicates that phishing scams are becoming more common on social networking sites through a combination of viruses, hacked accounts, and decoy messages† (Schiller â€Å"Phishing Scams†). Personal information and company information may be accessed through these sights and that is a major hazard for these companies. At a local restaurant, one of the employees got on Facebook and was sharing information w ith a friend. Little did this employee know that the computer was being hacked. She let out way too much personal information about herself and ended up having to get a new credit card and change her Facebook password.The dangers of these sites are unbelievable and the risk factors should be left outside of the workplace. Social networking is a distraction in the workplace that hinders work and can cause dangerous viruses to come through the computer. It causes workers to lose sight of their work while allowing them access to look at other coworkers online. It also allows room for dangers such as company secrets and personal information to be leaked. Social networking is not a good thing for the work place because of the extreme loss of productivity and money that is caused primarily by these sites.It may appear beneficial to the bonding of the company, but socializing time for coworkers should be set up at breaks from work and by voice only, not by a social networking site. Ones wo rk and ones personal life should not be intermingled by these sites. By banning these sites from the workplace, offices will be more efficient, and businesses will be better protected from hackers and spammers. Works Cited Baker, Natasha J. â€Å"How Far is Too Far? Employers and the Use of Online Searches. † Young Lawyer. Feb. – Mar. 2008: 4+. Academic OneFile. Web. 9 Oct. 2011. Crappell, Courtney. Preparing For Professional Relationship Building. † American Music Teacher. June-July 2011: 10+. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. Elzweig, Brian, and Donna K. Peeples. â€Å"Using Social Networking Web Sites in Hiring and Retention. Decisions. † SAM Advanced Management Journal Autumn 2009: 27+. Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. â€Å"Facebook Costs Employers More Than $5 Billion A Year; Security firms warn that Facebook use on the job could be putting a company's network at risk. † InformationWeek 20 Aug. 2007. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. Hunt, Kristin Gunderson. Finders keepers: Social Media Strategies Help Find Top Talent. † Journal of Property Management Nov. -Dec. 2010: 36+. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. Schaffer, Noah. â€Å"Online Networking: Some Lawyers Sing Praises of Twitter and Facebook, WhileOthers Warn of Perils. † Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly 27 Apr. 2009. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. Schiller, Kurt. â€Å"Employers Crack Down on Social Networking. † Information Today Nov. 2009: 21. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. Schiller, Kurt. â€Å"Phishing Scams Edge into Social Networks. † Information Today Nov. 2009: 46. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Oct. 2011.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Aspects of Psychology in Flannery

Psychology has been a part of literature since the beginning of its existence. Its references in the Bible which affirm that mankind is separated from the animal kingdom and also show us the normal pattern to lead an effective and rewarding Christian life are parts of psychology in the foundation of life's meaning. We see these writings as truth as we have them instilled within us at an early age when attending church and reading the bible.Psychology works the same way in every type of material one reads. One is subject to psychology and the part it plays in each of the short stories, novels or poems one reads. However one may have not be fully aware of how it affects our perception of the material. It is what keeps us interested in the story. The psychological appeal that comes with certain styles of writing and peaks the interest of the reader who is waiting to see the conclusion. As Thomas Kellogg states, â€Å"for the act of writing exemplifies to me the very essence of what it means to be human. Psychology is represented in each writing by the relationships that are created teens the authors and its readers. In Flannels O'Connor â€Å"Good Country People† her cognitive approach is easily understood, â€Å"cognitive psychology differs from other models in that it focuses on the human cognitive activity of structuring and interpreting one's world. † In this story we relate because we see Helga who believes in nothing and has seen what she believes to be evil since losing her leg. Her mind is so engrossed in negativity that she cannot get past the past.When she finally does she is left in the barn thinking to herself that she was right all along. We also see the DOD as her mother still believes in the bible and its meaning. She sees almost everyone as â€Å"good country people† or â€Å"the salt of the earth. † O'Connor uses a written psychological approach in the names of the characters. Mrs.. Freeman who works at the farm is a g ossip who freely repeats the stories she is told. Mrs.. Hopeful is theoretically a hopeful and positive person who is always accepting of people, the story suggests it is because she is a Catholic.The phrases of â€Å"Everybody is different† and â€Å"It takes all kinds to make the world† implies that she accepts and likes all kinds f people. When she says â€Å"people who looked on the bright side of things would be beautiful even if they were not† shows her positive side of thinking. Manley Pointer is just that, a man in a story with all female characters. His Manley ways seduce the immature Helga who loses herself because of a need for the affection she is lacking. â€Å"Brewer's ‘structural affect theory was the first model in discourse psychology that seriously attempted to integrate plot, agency, and emotions† into literature.This story has done Just that by having smaller parts that lead to the suspenseful end where Manley takes her artificia l leg and leave's her stranded or even the quick reference where Helga thinks he may have stood her up. That is what keeps each reader interested in the plot and makes one want to know the outcome. â€Å"The psychology of literature is therefore unique in its treatment of psychological matters because words are used to express and communicate information. † â€Å"Furthermore, writers are like psychologists in being interested in the mind, emotions and behavior. † In cautiously picking each word of the story they convey a message.In this story Mrs.. Hopeful describes her feelings for the new name of Helga for her daughter Joy. She thought â€Å"broad blank hull of a battleship,† it angered her so much that she refused to call her anything but Joy. â€Å"In the study of human nature, literature, a product of our evolved human brains, is a bountiful source of data on human desires and dispositions, drawing attention to what is really important in our lives. † This is shown in the way Helga both longs for a companion but is also a bit weary at the same time. Or how the mother is portrayed as a Christian, but cannot be proud of her daughter and the degree she received from college.When reading this story one can relate to he loneliness, happiness, lack of confidence masked by anger and utter disappointment felt by its characters. It is a truly outstanding story that shows the dynamic between the mother and her daughters, Helga and her mother, Helga and Manley as well as the mother and Mrs.. Freeman. Theses inner intricate stories can easily relate to everyday people and the trials and tribulations of society.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

SMOKING KILLS essays

SMOKING KILLS essays Smoking is bad for your body and your overall health. There are many side affects that can hurt and even kill your body. It also can harm your lungs and make it hard for you to breathe. When you look at the statistics I dont understand why people do smoke. Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States. It accounts for about 430,700 of the more than 2 million annual deaths. Cigarette manufacturers spend millions of dollars every year to convince you and your children that smoking will make you exciting, athletic, important, sophisticated, and sexually attractive. They carefully avoid mentioning the intense addictive qualities of nicotine and the well-documented, serious health risks involved. Quitting smoking is the best preventive medicine: Experts estimate that stopping smoking is about 10 times more cost-effective at saving lives than even the best medical screening tests. The benefits are enormous. Your heart, lungs, and blood vessels have an amazing capacity to heal themselves when given the chance. When you stop smoking, your body starts repairing itself almost immediately. And with proper nutrition and activity, you can usually regain normal lung and heart functioning within a few years, regardless of how long you've been smoking. The risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer starts dropping immediately. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, including 43 known cancer-causing (carcinogenic) compounds and 400 other toxins. These include nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, as well as formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, and DDT. Most of the chemicals inhaled in cigarette smoke stay in the lungs. The more you inhale, the better it feels-and the greater the damage to your lungs. As a cigarette is smoked, the amount of tar inhaled into the lungs increases, and the last puff contains more than twice as much tar as the first puff. Carbon monoxi ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Mac And PC Essays - Personal Computers, IMac, Mac OS, Macintosh

Mac And PC Essays - Personal Computers, IMac, Mac OS, Macintosh Mac and PC Due to the competition between Mac and PC, inventions of computers has been more rapid than at any other period of time. Microsoft?s Windows has monopolized the entire personal computer industry with their operating system and that goes same for the Mac OS 8.5. Since Mac couldn?t attract customers to buy their computer systems through their optimum operating system they just put out another computer named iMac to help improve their sales performance in the computer industry. ?Let's state the obvious: the iMac looks incredibly cool, is mindlessly easy to set up, and at $1,299 doesn't cost an arm and leg. But what's not obvious about Apple's futuristic design is that it leaves the past behind,? said my friend Illysa. You get no floppy drive, no parallel port, no serial port, and no internal card slots (older types of connections used to connect external peripherals). What you do get is a built-in K56flex modem, two USB (universal serial bus) ports, a 10/100BaseT network connection, and an infrared port. A universal serial bus is a new input connection that is trying to get rid off all the other older connections. A 10/100BaseT network connection is a type of modem capable of downloading up to 100 times faster then a regular modem. So for all the hype about the iMac being the next big thing for home PC users, people are left wondering how in the heck is someone going to print a page or swap a file with another computer. You'll have to take your files to the Net, or else build a home-based network to share data with other Macs and PCsunless you have a PowerBook, since most models can interact with the iMac via its infrared port. As for peripherals, such as printers, it's USB or nothing, which keeps your options to a minimum, although there will probably be adapters for certain traditional peripheral devices soon. And since there are no internal slots, you can forget about adding anything like a video capture card or an internal ISDN modem. Apple isn't kidding when it pronounces its mantra (slogan), "Think different." On the upside, the all-in-one iMac can design grab most of the customers attention, drawing curiosity seekers from all over world who wanted to see somethinganythingdifferent than a beige tower or desktop box. The smooth, triangular shape and translucent, aqua-colored top made everyone say oohs and aahs, while the simplicity of the iMac's built-in 15-inch display (13.8-inch viewable area) and carrying handle drew fond memories of the old Mac SE and Classic boxes. The included hockey puck-like mouse also demands a double-take. However, you'll need time to get accustomed to using it because of the new operating system and the mouse. Everyone is impressed with Apple's flawless setup. Novices can consult the fold-out card illustrating the six steps to get up and running (put on desk; plug in power, keyboard, mouse, and modem; and turn it on). If only setup for all PCs could be this easy. On the other hand, the iMac boasts a G3 pedigree, but it's the runt of an award-winning performance litter. Although the iMac runs with a PowerPC 750 233-MHz CPU (computer processing unit), 512K of secondary cache, and 32MB of SDRAM, it finished behind all other G3 desktops and PowerBooks, and it was even slower than the discontinued 604e-based 9600/350 Power Macintosh (slowest Macintosh every built). One culprit is the iMac's 4GB IDE Quantum Fireball SE hard drive, which spins at 5,400 revolutions per minute and contributes to the sluggish results. The built-in speakers deliver somewhat tinny sound akin to an old AM transistor radio. To get the maximum sound level, an owner has to set two different volume levels in the software. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't provide an external thumbwheel for volume. Someone might experience uncommon twitches with the display settings, as well: to get usable brightness and contrast levels, to get the best results both sliders has to be pushed to the maximum. When the sliders are in the middle settings, the screen was somewhat dark. Is the iMac attractive? Looks-wise, without question. Is it a good machine? That depends on what you need. If you want an affordable, somewhat slow, space-conscious Internet and network

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Analytic Philosophy Is Not A Systematic Philosophy Essay -- Education, L

â€Å"The use of analytic philosophy in education has some direct bearing on students, but perhaps it is most useful for educators in helping clarify what they propose to teach† (Ozmon Craver, 2008, p265). While the idea is well intentioned, the problem in today’s society is that teachers do not have much academic freedom and they are not well trained in analyzing their own curriculum. Today’s educational system is very much entrenched in standards and rote memorization of concepts. Teachers are expected to achieve certain scores on standardized tests or suffer from scrutiny from government entities or their school administrators. This need to teach an overabundance of standards has resulted in a system where teachers are con... ... middle of paper ... ... Craver, 2008, p267). One could argue that the analytic is exactly what our students are missing in order to become the best they can be. We are producing students who lack the skills to think critically. The focus on learning how to use language and understand it is essential to creating the mind that is capable of dissecting all the messages they encounter in a meaningful way. In the classroom, analysts are concerned about materials and methods and believe that both need to be scrutinized. Unfortunately, as long as our public education institutions are dependent upon government funding to offer their programs, the restrictions and constraints that come along with accepting that money will hinder the analytic process. While the analytic philosophy could have a profound effect on our educational system, our current structure just will not allow it to take hold.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 39

Summary - Essay Example There is an emphasis on Catholic culture, using examples of the Jesuits, who adapted to the local culture in China and Japan, while others in the Philippines and elsewhere remained aloof from the local traditions. Pictorial evidence of statues and carvings is shown to demonstrate both the skills and the styles of Indian craftsmen, and the overlap between the best European sculptures of the holy family, and the Indian statues of the Buddha. The Islamic non-pictorial adornment of furniture is also mentioned, as evidence of a different area of overlap. Images of Christian figures such as Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier are shown alongside exotic figures such as peacocks and elephants (Jaffer and Jackson 109) as evidence of the â€Å"hybrid† hypothesis. A very interesting and convincing case is made for the combined influence of art and religion in forging early international collaboration in trade and industry, or indeed in the case of Japan, becoming the focus of persecution. Christian missionaries became a â€Å"conduit for European art and science† (Jaffer and Jackson 122) which went far beyond the original religious ideological content. This is a point that readers may have been vaguely aware of but this text spells out how extremely important these connections were for art in both East and West and what the wider implications were for both sides of the

Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 42

Journal - Assignment Example However, it is not possible without reference to other ethical and religious values​​, such as the purity of the soul and the mind. I strongly believe that everyone should strive to live an honest and righteous life without harming anyone. In addition, my religious beliefs have been influenced by the religious values ​​of people of other religions such as Buddhism and Islam. Buddhism attracts me with its special emphasis on harmony with the outside world, which is perceived as a living organism. In turn, in Islam, I drew attention to the religious conviction of the need to maintain a modest life. My personal experience as well as acquaintance with representatives of other religions allowed me to choose the most valuable religious values ​​that are the basis of my daily life, namely, modesty, honesty, willingness to help another person, and self-improvement. Making an integral part of my everyday life, they are my spiritual reliable

Health Education Leaflet Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Health Education Leaflet Critique - Essay Example For this purpose some of these policies are based on providing relevant information to the health care individuals, such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists etc. Various modes of promoting health services and knowledge programs have been conducted by a range of community centers and hospitals over the past few years. Although, Verbal communication between a patient and a doctor can never be substituted by any other information channel, but through various studies it has been proven that informative leaflets and brochures provide a satisfactory increase in knowledge of the patient (Harvey & Plumridge; Hawkey &Hawkey, 1989). If the content of the leaflet is relevant then it has its own advantages over verbal communication between patient and doctors. For example, it can provide information on various perspectives of a disease or a treatment regimen in one or two pages. Furthermore, a leaflet or a brochure can be kept for future reference and easily remembered by the patient, if he is able to read the content once or twice (Secker, 1997; Bernier & Yasko, 1991; Dixon, 1992). Gal & Prigat (2005) argues about it, although the affectivity of leaflets in promoting health is undeniable, a variety of these leaflets still fail to provide relevant information to the target audience. This may be because a lay man reading such professionally written leaflets is unable to grasp the content or writing style (Payne et al.,2000). In the paper, critical appraisal of a leaflet will be discussed. The chosen Leaflet will be critically evaluated in context of its design, writing style, organization, illustrations, aim or purpose, information provided, and its ethical agenda. The leaflet that is chosen for this critical appraisal is about COPD that is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It is the most common and chronic lung disease that results in narrowing of the airway (such as bronchi or bronchioles) and damage to the lungs (Barnes & Godfrey, 2000; Stockley, 2007). There are

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Advanced Fire Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Advanced Fire Administration - Essay Example The chief of police recognized and respected me over the years due to the services I led my unit to offer. It started with frontline supervision and rose to command with many daring rescues. The team leadership I provided with the support and trust of my unit led to effective decisions in a hard and demanding environment. I started as an active firefighter in 1983 where I held the ranks of lieutenant and captain by the year 1989. In 1989, my administrative duties began after my election as the departmental third assistant chief by my colleagues. By the year 1989 to 1991 I had risen to the first assistant chief of the department, it was, therefore, a pleasant surprise when in 1992, my colleagues saw me as best suited for the position of fire chief. I held this position for four years before serving as the vice president and fire ground safety officer to the fire company between 1996 and 2009 (Randy 56). In 2010, I became president to the fire company, this company which is the C.E.O for the fire organization. Its responsibilities were to offer detailed plans, procedures, and standards for implementation at a volunteer fire department serving a unique population comprised of large and small businesses, single-family homes, high buildings, and municipal facilities. My duties as president were to offer expert technical knowledge, to train and safely lead approximately 50 volunteer firefighters and engage in controlling and extinguishing fires to protect property. I also aided in rescuing people endangered by fire, reducing and trying to eliminate potential fire hazards, controlling hazardous materials incidents, coordinating emergency medical services, training volunteers in fire protection and prevention, operating and maintaining fire communications equipment, and advising on improvements to structures for better fire prevention.

Concepts of Irish Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Concepts of Irish - Essay Example It cannot be denied that the Vikings invasions throughout Western Europe played a role in the shaping of society, both politically and socially in the ninth and tenth centuries. In his book, Kings and Vikings, Sawyer notes that although the Vikings were disruptive and destructive when raiding, they made a positive contribution to society as conquerors and colonists.(Sawyer, 1994).This is a revised view of Vikings, where previously they were thought to be plundering and murderous villains and is more accurate if we are to take the evidence of the social development due to the Vikings into account. Ireland was affected strongly by the impact of the Vikings. Before the invasions of the Norse, the Irish were a race of cattle farmers, living mainly inland and there was little commerce or trade within Ireland or between Ireland and the rest of Europe. After the Norse had settled the Irish concentrated on the coastal areas and a rich system of trade developed. This shows that the Vikings had a significant impact on the culture and society of the Irish, without which they would not have developed so quickly. It is the attitudes of these Normans towards the Irish that is particularly interesting, however. Gerald of Wales describes the Irish people as uniformly barbaric, with only a talent for music to recommend them. Gerald of Wales was born in about 1147 at Mamobier Castle, Pembrokeshire. His father was a Norman knight, and his mother a Welsh princess. After his studies he became a teacher in Paris. Later he was appointed Court Chaplain to King Henry II. In 1185 Henry ordered Gerald to accompany Prince John to Ireland. He wrote about these experiences in his books, The Topography of Ireland and The Conquest of Ireland. Gerald was particularly interested in the military tactics used by both sides. Although Gerald was critical of the Irish his book shows concern for the way they were treated by John's army. In The Topography of Ireland, Gerald of Wales writes in great length of the beauty of the land, all the while keeping it in perspective to Britain, which the author obviously feels is superior in many ways to Ireland. After the beautiful description of the land and its resources, however, Gerald speaks about the rudimentary cultures of the people. "This people are not tenderly nursed from their birth, as others are; for besides the rude fare they receive from their parents, which is only just sufficient for their sustenance, as to the rest, almost all is left to nature. They are not placed in cradles, or swathed, nor are their tender limbs either fomented by constant bathings, or adjusted with art. For the midwives make no use of warm water, nor raise their noses, nor depress the face, nor stretch the legs, but nature alone, with very slight aids from art, disposes and adjusts the limbs to which she has given birth, just as she pleasesBut although they are richly endowed with the gif ts of nature, their want of civilization, shown both in their dress and their mental culture, makes them a barbarous people. For they wear but little woollen, and nearly all they use is black, that being the color of the sheep in this country. Their clothes are also made after a barbarous fashion, " (Cambrensis, 2000). It is apparent that Gerald of Wales did not have high respect for much of Irish culture. In Contrast, Bede the Venerable seemed

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

First Solar Turns Sunshine into Profits Case Study

First Solar Turns Sunshine into Profits - Case Study Example Key Marketing Issues As a new entrant to some of Europe’s and North America’s markets, First Solar has some crucial marketing issues to consider. Three of these key marketing issues can be identified as: Identification of marketing forces that would be of greatest advantage to the entry that the company is seeking to undertake Identification of key market competitors and how to develop long term competitive advantages over these competitors How to integrate the advantages of technology into the marketing strategy of the company; so as to have the full benefit of the paradigm shift being created with advanced technology. 1 Which marketing environment forces are likely to have the greatest impact on First Solar? The generalized marketing environmental forces that are likely to affect the competition that First Solar brings on board has to do with external forces that generally inform the decision making cycle of consumers (Marshall, 2008). By this, reference is being made to such factors or forces as economic situation and environmental impacts. First, it would be noted that First solar is operating in a globalised market that is fast becoming concerned with the need to raising market product and service that are highly affordable. This is because of the increasing hardship that the global economy seem to be recording. Experts believe that there continues to be economic hardships among most consumers of energy products as an auxiliary effect of the global economic crunch that was experienced some few years back (The Gleaner, 2008). Because of this, consumers and clients of various products and services are always looking for value for money. With this situation in mind, there is certainly going to be an environmental phenomenon whereby buyers are going to opt for First Solar’s line of product as they are comparatively cheaper to existing sources of energy such as non-renewable energy. Again, there is an environmental impact that is largely go ing to impact on First Solar in a positive way. 2 What types of organizations are most likely to exert the strongest competitive forces on First Solar? Energy companies that introduce products that have alternative resource raw material are likely to face strong competitive force from existing competitors who use the alternative resource raw materials (Baxter, 2005). There is therefore going to be the threat of substitute products or services. In the case of First Solar, it would be realized that their major resource raw material is the use of solar energy. Meanwhile, there are alternative sources of resource raw materials in the renewable energy production industry. Dominant among these resource raw materials is the use of wind energy. Therefore, there is going to be a competitive force from existing competitors who are into the production of wind based renewable energy. Secondly, new entrants have always acted as major competitive forces to existing competitive who might have had long history of doing business such as First Solar (Marshall, 2008). This is because new entrants have a number of factors that pull consumers to them. For instance consumers who are on existing companies would like to compare service and product quality and so may opt for new entrants for a while. Again, new entrants come in with new sources of capital and so often have an economic advantage (Brown, Steven and. Sauder, 2008).

Concepts of Irish Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Concepts of Irish - Essay Example It cannot be denied that the Vikings invasions throughout Western Europe played a role in the shaping of society, both politically and socially in the ninth and tenth centuries. In his book, Kings and Vikings, Sawyer notes that although the Vikings were disruptive and destructive when raiding, they made a positive contribution to society as conquerors and colonists.(Sawyer, 1994).This is a revised view of Vikings, where previously they were thought to be plundering and murderous villains and is more accurate if we are to take the evidence of the social development due to the Vikings into account. Ireland was affected strongly by the impact of the Vikings. Before the invasions of the Norse, the Irish were a race of cattle farmers, living mainly inland and there was little commerce or trade within Ireland or between Ireland and the rest of Europe. After the Norse had settled the Irish concentrated on the coastal areas and a rich system of trade developed. This shows that the Vikings had a significant impact on the culture and society of the Irish, without which they would not have developed so quickly. It is the attitudes of these Normans towards the Irish that is particularly interesting, however. Gerald of Wales describes the Irish people as uniformly barbaric, with only a talent for music to recommend them. Gerald of Wales was born in about 1147 at Mamobier Castle, Pembrokeshire. His father was a Norman knight, and his mother a Welsh princess. After his studies he became a teacher in Paris. Later he was appointed Court Chaplain to King Henry II. In 1185 Henry ordered Gerald to accompany Prince John to Ireland. He wrote about these experiences in his books, The Topography of Ireland and The Conquest of Ireland. Gerald was particularly interested in the military tactics used by both sides. Although Gerald was critical of the Irish his book shows concern for the way they were treated by John's army. In The Topography of Ireland, Gerald of Wales writes in great length of the beauty of the land, all the while keeping it in perspective to Britain, which the author obviously feels is superior in many ways to Ireland. After the beautiful description of the land and its resources, however, Gerald speaks about the rudimentary cultures of the people. "This people are not tenderly nursed from their birth, as others are; for besides the rude fare they receive from their parents, which is only just sufficient for their sustenance, as to the rest, almost all is left to nature. They are not placed in cradles, or swathed, nor are their tender limbs either fomented by constant bathings, or adjusted with art. For the midwives make no use of warm water, nor raise their noses, nor depress the face, nor stretch the legs, but nature alone, with very slight aids from art, disposes and adjusts the limbs to which she has given birth, just as she pleasesBut although they are richly endowed with the gif ts of nature, their want of civilization, shown both in their dress and their mental culture, makes them a barbarous people. For they wear but little woollen, and nearly all they use is black, that being the color of the sheep in this country. Their clothes are also made after a barbarous fashion, " (Cambrensis, 2000). It is apparent that Gerald of Wales did not have high respect for much of Irish culture. In Contrast, Bede the Venerable seemed

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Internal public relations action plan at Burt’s Bees Inc Essay Example for Free

Internal public relations action plan at Burt’s Bees Inc Essay The objective of the Burt’s Bees Inc is quite simple â€Å"Practicing what we preach. † Concerning the philosophy, I recall what Koran, Moslem’ Holy Qur’an, says about the countless benefits of honey, which is also created by bees. Since the company aims at manufacturing products from natural ingredients, the company decides to put the idea of earth-friendly on the company’s packaging. Natural also underlies the company business philosophy, saying that sustainable business practices are keys to successful business since it promotes best practices. The company says that this philosophy is reflected in its ingredients and packaging designs that carefully take pay attention to environmental preservation including all living things on the planet Earth. In terms of industry leadership Burt’s Bees is still a small player in personal product sector. In 2003, the company generated revenue $50 million. Although this number was considerably huge for the 20-year old company, I see that the revenue achievement of Burt’s Bees was not noteworthy if we compare it to the company’s three main competitors; they are Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc, Procter Gamble, and Wyeth. Unlike communication to customers or other external entities, internal public relations do not use television as communication media. This is because television target wide level of audience except in the company there is restricted internal television station that only broadcast within the company’s facilities. This condition suggests that in developing internal public relation action plan, a company needs to assess what communication media is appropriate to communicate an event or a program and at what time the company should deliver the information. Therefore, a company will provide careful plan so that their message in internal magazine/newspaper, web site, and internal television will convey similar message. Table 1 Internal Communication Action Plan at Burt’s Bees Inc in 2007 Issues Action Accountability Delivery Date Measurement Comm. Medium 1. Distribute Information Regarding New Products/Offerings Compile documents regarding new program/products and distribute them to all employees Vice President of Marketing Once every one week and every time new programs are commercialized ? The number of employees response (read the distributed message) reaches minimum of 100% of total employees ? Vast Participants/Audiences Feedbacks ? E-mail ? Corporate Website ? Internal Magazine 2. Employees are unsure the benefits of beeswax and other natural ingredients 1. Invite health scientists regarding the benefits of natural products for our health 2. conduct product demo showing the benefits of natural products 1. Vice President of Marketing 2. Vice President of Research and Development December 2006 and June 2007 Participants understand the benefits of natural ingredients for health care industry and become marketing spokespeople to customers (family, neighbours etc) ? Employee Gathering ? Seminars ? E-mail ? Corporate Website †¢ Internal Magazine 3. Corporate e-mail is full of viruses attack Create regulation regarding the use of Internet for business purpose only Vice President of Information Technology Every employee logs into corporate network ? The number of viruses attack decreased ? Network resources are used efficiently ? E-mail ? Corporate Website? Internal Magazine 4. Employees do not known Burt’s Bees strategic position Informing the comparison with competitors of Burt’s Bees Vice President of Marketing Every Quarter ? Compare products from competitors (Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc, Procter Gamble, and Wyeth) ? E-mail ? Corporate Website ? Internal Magazine 5. Salespeople do not know the approach to customers Setting sales session that teach the strategy to market Burt’s Bees products Vice President of Sales Every Month ? Salespeople understand the strategy to approach customer in selling natural-ingredient products ? Training session (role play) The action plan shows that Burt’s Bees may employ different type of communication media and events in order to inform internal entities (employees) regarding current products, program, and offerings. The brief explanation of each communication medium highlighting the benefits and its audiences is as following: ? Web Si te The key points when conducting promotion via online media is that the message should clearly describe and inform about what Burt’s Bees is offering and had better to provide some links to close the deal (e-commerce ready) for employees who want to but products at a special prize. In Burt’s Bees web site (http://www. burtsbees. com) there should not be overwhelming applications such as Flash Media or pop up. Since not all employees are equipped with have high-speed computers that can access the flash media quickly. In my experience, opening a web site that are equipped with flash media like www. habitat. net can provide guests with dullness since it takes much time to see the animation appear in my screen. ? Print Media. It includes internal magazine/newspaper, poster, and brochures. Since Burt’s Bees are associated with natural ingredients that are safe for human beings, therefore, in the communication message, the company must clearly convey message that employees understand the benefits of natural ingredients like beeswax compared to chemical products. ? Seminars or discussion. In this communication media, Burt’s Bees invite health physicians, celebrities that use natural ingredients products so that employees are confident to communicate the benefits of Burt’s Bees natural products to their families, neighbours, and friends, to name a few. Bibliography Burt’s Bees Inc. (2005). Company Profile. Retrieved November 6, 2006 at: http://biz. yahoo. com/ic/104/104522. html Douglas, Susan P. and Craig, C. Samuel. (1995). Global Marketing Strategy. McGraw Hill, New York. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION ACTION PLAN. Retrieved November 5, 2006 from www. campus. manchester. ac. uk/medialibrary/internal-comms/comms-audit-action-plan. pdf RD Marketing. (2006). Creating an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan. Retrieved November 5, 2006 from http://www. rd-marketing. com/communications-plans. htm.

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Background Of Korean Peninsula Crisis History Essay

The Background Of Korean Peninsula Crisis History Essay CHAPTER 2 2.1 Introduction The Korean Peninsula with the issues of North Koreas nuclear remains one of the worlds main concerns that pose a potential threat to regional security.  [16]  The relationship between the two Koreas has worsened considerably during the recent years due to lack of trust and confidence, as well as the contrasting ideas on reaching a solution on the nuclear issues. After the end of the Cold War, few attempt to change the situation in Korea and to end the confrontation failed, mainly because of mutual distrust and of lack of contacts among its people. A new round of cautious approaches has started after Kim Dae-jung became president of South Korea in 1998. The historical June 2000 summit meeting between the top leaders of the two Koreas has brought hopes for unification and a peace process. Since then, there is increasing official interaction, but still only limited and controlled contacts among the people of the two countries. 2.2 Origin of the Unresolved Conflict After being under the Japanese occupation for the last four decades, there was hope for the Korean people to regain their full sovereignty at the end of the World War II. In August 1945, Japan was forced to surrender after atomic bombs were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The liberation of the Korean Peninsula started by Soviet troops from the north and later by American troops from the south, with the 38th parallel line became the line of demarcation between the two allies. But instead of becoming a free and sovereign country, the Korean Peninsula was once again put under pressure. This time, it was the upcoming rivalry between the Soviet Union and the U.S, which would shape Koreas history. Thus, Korea came to be divided into two temporary zones of occupation that, as the Cold War deepened, became two separate Korean regimes with opposed principles and sponsors.  [17]   In 1948, the Korean Peninsula was divided into two sovereign states due to political infiltration from the two so-called liberators, that is, Soviet Union and the U.S, and the increasing radicalisation of Korean civil society and its leaders. The two Koreas, notably the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea) or DPRK, started their new life in dependence of their military and political protectors, the U.S, the Soviet Union, China and in an atmosphere of the growing tensions between East and West. When the U.S and Soviet withdrew their troops from Korea in 1949, South Korea wanted to restore the lost land and DPRK wanted to liberate the southern half of the Republic.  [18]  The economically and militarily stronger DPRK decided to solve the problem of non-recognition and of the division by military means. Its leader, Kim Il-sung went to Moscow in April 1950 to convince Stalin, and in May to China to obtain the approval of Mao. In Moscow, he could secure Stalins support in return for political as well as some material gains for DPRK. At the beginning, Stalin was cautious and against the plan, but was convinced by Kim Il-sung that the war could be won quickly without U.S intervention. As the DPRK troops launched a surprise attack against South Korea in the early morning of June 25, 1950, U.S President Henry S Truman responded quickly by sending troops from Japan to Korea and mobilised the UN to undertake its first-ever international military action. Unfortunately for DPRK, the Soviet Union was not present to veto during the UN Security Council session at that time. However, on the same day, the UN Security Council condemned the invasion and called for immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of the troops to the 38th parallel. When DPRK refused to withdraw from South Korea, the U.S decided to intervene in Korea, and on June 27, 1950, the Security Council called for members to support the U.S intervention. 2.3 The Korean War On 7 July 1950, the UN Security Council decided to establish a Unified Command for the UN Forces in Korea and mandated a joint military action to repel DPRK troops and to restore the status quo in Korea. The UN military action in Korea, taken by the U.S Eight Army under General MacArthur, was able to accomplish its mission and the war could have ended by 7 October 1950. However, sensing an opportunity to roll back communist expansion and to unify the country by force, General MacArthur and South Korean President Rhee Syng-man, decided to march further into DPRK. They were confronted by unexpected enemy, the Chinese volunteers who had moved into DPRK in massive numbers. Together with North Korean troops, the Chinese started an offensive and pushed back UN forces to below the 38th parallel and recaptured Saigon in January 1951. The conflict had developed into a limited international war involving the U.S and nineteen other nations on one side and China and North Korea on the other. As the military situation developed unfavourably for the Allied forces, General MacArthur asked Truman to authorize the use of nuclear weapons against China and DPRK. Fortunately, although some U.S military leaders favoured the nuclear option, Truman decided not to use the weapons for a number of reasons.  [19]  He discharged General MacArthur over this issue and redefined American policy by abandoning his objective of military reunification of Korea. His aim was now a return to the status quo, even as the Chinese and North Koreans were advancing southward. Truman was unwilling to engage in an all-out war which could have led to a world war involving the Soviet Union. However, instead of no nuclear weapons were used, the U.S resorted to massive air bombings, including the use of napalm. It is quite obvious that not only its government but also the people of DPRK have no good memories of the U.S. Linking the U.S capability to use nuclear weapons in the Korean War and the present debate on the North Korean nuclear program, Michael J. Mazarr stated that: The U.S thus exposed North Korea, during its infancy as a nation, to the fearsome power and enormous political value of nuclear weapons. The lesson was apparently not lost on North Koreas leaders, and early U.S nuclear threats are one important thread in the tapestry of the Norths motives for a nuclear program.  [20]   The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs showed to the world that conflicts in the 20th century could be decided within seconds.  [21]  This experience and the possibility that those weapons could decide a war again left a deep impression on the DPRK regime and its population. Furthermore, the U.S foreign policy on the Korean Peninsula made it almost unnecessary for Pyongyang to spread the impression of a brutal and arrogant America: the behaviour of the U.S spoke for itself. Until today, the sorrows of the Korean War have a special meaning to the North Korean resentments against the U.S. With the American considerations about the use of nuclear force during the Korean War, the nuclear issue touched ground in this region for the first time. As the war reached a new phase with massive intervention of Chinese volunteers, the UN General Assembly formally proposed a ceasefire in December 1950. The representatives of the UN and communist commands began formal truce negotiations in July 1951, but only in 1953, with the death of Stalin and with Dwight Eisenhower as the U.S President, did the bitter fighting come to an end, with heavy casualties on both sides. An armistice agreement between the UN forces, represented by the U.S, and China and DPRK was drawn up and signed. South Korea, however, wanting to unify the country with the help of the U.S, refused to sign the truce agreement.  [22]  Instead, a mutual defence treaty was signed with the U.S in October 1953 and an arrangement for the continued presence of U.S forces in South Korea. The subsequent Geneva Conference on Korea in April 1954 failed to find a political solution to the two Koreas issue. The failure of the two attempts to unify the peninsula only deepened the division, making any contact with each other impossible. The Korean War began with the aim of reunification by military force, but ended with hundreds of thousands of deaths and a nearly totally devastated peninsula in July 1953. The development on the Korean Peninsula has gone through a lot of critical situations since the war ended. In succeeding years, the Cold War seemed to make it impossible for the two Koreas to start a policy of conciliation and to smooth the way for reunification. 2.4 North Koreas Nuclear Program Toward the end of the Cold War, South Korea became one of the major economic powers in the region while DPRK seemed to become totally isolated with political changes. The decline of the Soviet Union, the collapse of former brother-states in Eastern Europe, and the reform process in China, left deep uncertainty in DPRKs leadership. Since the first indigenous North Korean reactor was detected in the early 1980s by U.S spy satellites, the attention of the world community has focused on the question of whether DPRK is using its nuclear facilities to produce military-grade nuclear material. The loss of important economic partnerships and natural disasters has brought Pyongyang into a position where the government was unable to provide food for its own population, it was quite logical that DPRK used the uncertainty of the world community about the status of its nuclear program to broaden its clearance in gaining economic support without losing political control over the country. Indeed, since 1990 and the withdrawal of Soviet support, DPRKs economy has declined sharply, though according to South Korean reports, 1984 was the last time the country achieved economic self-efficiency.  [23]  A central tool in DPRKs efforts to maintain the communist regime has been the use of weapons development in order to gain concessions, aid and favourable treaty outcomes with its prospective adversaries. At a glance DPRKs behaviour might seem to show that it is making threatening acts for no other reason than to disrupt the process of warming relations with South Korea, the U.S, and its other neighbours. However, re-examination shows a careful policy of developing a threatening system or capability, and using that threat to gain attention, and hopefully concessions from negotiating partners. Figure: 1 North Koreas Nuclear Facilities Source: Interactive Map of DPRK Nuclear Facilities (2002).  [24]   DPRK first employed this policy over its nuclear power and weapons program in the early 1990s. An indigenous nuclear program had been underway since the 1970s, but it was only in 1992 that the UN nuclear monitoring body, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was allowed to inspect all DPRKs nuclear facilities as illustrated at Figures 1. After three inspections, the submitted data showed discrepancies which indicate that DPRK might have been concealing enough plutonium to build one or two nuclear weapons.  [25]  After an abortive declaration of withdrawal from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), DPRK has agreed to give up its nuclear program with the condition that modern light-water reactors were supplied to fulfil its energy needs. After a period of crisis, war was averted when this formula was included in the Agreed Framework of October 1994 between the U.S and DPRK.  [26]   The recent confrontation between the U.S and DPRK flared after the country was named as one of the three countries in the Axis of Evil by President George W. Bush in his annual State of Union speech in January 2002. It seems probable now that this was the by-product of a speech intended to justify a war with Iraq.  [27]  However, when publicly labelled an evil state by the worlds only superpower, tensions apparently heightened within the DPRK regime. In any case, when James Kelly, U.S assistant secretary of state, confronted the North Koreans with evidence of a uranium enrichment program in October 2002, they admitted the existence of the program. DPRK then proceeded to remove seals on the reprocessing plant at Yongbyon, and declared its withdrawal from the NPT on January 10, 2003.  [28]   2.5 Summary As discussed, the two Koreas were divided at the 38th parallel at the end of the Second World War. That line became the line of demarcation between the Soviet troops advancing from the north and the American troops coming from the south. It was the beginning of the rivalry between the two major world superpowers. Thus, Korea came to be divided into two temporary zones of occupation that, as the Cold War deepened, became the sites of two different regimes with different principles and ideologies. The problem worsen with the North Korean invasion of South Korea which sparked the Korean War. The conflict had developed into a limited international war involving the U.S and nineteen other nations on one side and China and North Korea on the other. The war ended with the signing of an armistice between the U.S, representing the UN forces, and China and North Korea. South Korea refused to sign the truce agreement, but instead signed a mutual defence treaty with the U.S. In the early 1990s, with the collapse of the Soviet Union which means the withdrawal of Soviet support and the reform process of China, DPRK felt isolated. At the same time, with collapsing economy and widespread famine it had to survive by bolstering its conventional forces and embarking on nuclear program. This was also because DPRK wants respect and security guarantee. Further, DPRK develops nuclear weapons out of fear and to attain a more positive deal in negotiations. That is the more positive view; alternatively, the North Koreans simply see the nuclear program and the bomb as their right and a necessity.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Essay --

All mammalian mothers feed their children breast milk directly from breast to mouth; this act is known as breastfeeding. The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommends early initiation of breastfeeding, within an hour of birth, and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life (Global strategy for infant and young child feeding, WHO 2013). Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as the infant receiving only breast milk without the addition of solid foods or other liquids. The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are numerous, with the most highly recognized being protection against gastrointestinal infections, which have been shown to be a cause of mortality in infants. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2013 Breastfeeding Report Card, approximately 77% of American children are breastfed at all, 40% are exclusively breastfed at three months old, and 16% by six months. Approximately 50% of mothers continue to breastfeed their children past six months, although the child’s sustenance is supplemented with solid foods and other liquids. Lack of breastfeeding has been linked to malnourishment, which is associated with 45% of child deaths globally (WHO 2013). In 2012, close to 100 million children under the age of five were below the healthy weight-to-height ratio as a consequence of malnutrition due to inadequate feeding and multiple infections. Research has shown that the act of breastfeeding not only provides benefits for the child, but also mothers. According to the federal agency on women’s health, breastfeeding has been associated with reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and other women’s health problems. Encouraging women to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of thei... ...initiatives have increased breastfeeding rates from 31% to 51% in a small rural community in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada (Martens, 2000). Increasing educational initiatives to encourage breastfeeding can be further fortified by encouraging the involvement of family and close friends in the decision-making process. The support of family members such as spouses, siblings, and the infant’s grandparents is essential in helping the mother as she decides how the baby will be fed and providing the necessary support once the baby is born. Family members can also serve as mentors to mothers who are considering their infant’s feeding options. The baby’s grandmother, for example, can be a key influence by sharing her breastfeeding experience with her pregnant daughter or daughter-in-law. A mother’s perspective on breastfeeding is greatly influenced by the community around her.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Comparison of British Parliamentary Democracy and American Presidential

Comparison of British Parliamentary Democracy and American Presidential Democracy In declaring independence from Britain, the American Colonies sought to create a democracy that found its roots in Ancient Greece and Great Britain while improving on the flaws of each. The result was a presidential democracy that stood in contrast to the parliamentary democracy of Great Britain. Thus these, the two oldest, continuous democracies in existence present an interesting comparison. At the heart of any government is the constitution, and here we discover the first major difference between the American and British democratic systems. The Constitution has never been written in one conclusive and final document, but depends largely on practices accumulated over the years. â€Å"Its most important features are no part of its formal and legal structure and have little other sanction beyond use and precedent.† (Amery 1) This easily adaptable format differs sharply from the American Constitution, a formal organization written at the start of the Union and which created formal means by which the Constitution could be changed. Because the British Constitution is reliant upon tradition, the means whereby power is distributed has changed significantly since the first democratic customs. Initially power was vested in the monarchy, which relied upon input from the House of Lords to run the nation. As time progressed the power came to fall under the command of the House of Commons, and with no system of check and balances it came to reside in the ruling party. This system is â€Å"the modern embodiment of a fusion of governmental powers which has generally characterized British government.† (Moodie 15) In c... ...cmillan Press. 1993. 92-122 Denham, Andre and Mark Garnett. British think-tanks and the climate of opinion. London: UCL Press. 1998 Holliday, Ian. â€Å"Organised Interests After Thatcher†. Developments in British Politics. Ed. by Patrick Dunleavy, Andrew Gamble, Ian Holliday, and Gillian Peele. Houndmills: The Macmillan Press. 1993. 307-320 . Krieger, Joel. British Politics in the Global Age: Can Social Democracy Survive?. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1999. Marsh, David. â€Å"The Media and Politics†. Developments in British Politics. Ed. by Patrick Dunleavy, Andrew Gamble, Ian Holliday, and Gillian Peele. Houndmills: The Macmillan Press. 1993. 332-349 Moodie, Graeme C. The Government of Great Britain. New York: Thomas U. Crowell Company. 1964. Pilkington, Colin. Issues in British Politics. New York: St. Martin’s Press. 1998

Friday, October 11, 2019

Poem and Short Story Essay

Mill of the Gods (Estrella Alfon) Among us who lived in Espeleta – that street that I love, about whose people I keep telling tales – among us, I say, there was one named Martha, and she was the daughter of Pio and Engracia. To all of us, life must seem like a road given us to travel, and it is up to Fate, that convenient blunderer, whether, that road be broad and unwinding, or whether it shall be a tortuous lane, its path a hard and twisted mat of dust and stones. And each road, whether lane or avenue, shall have its own landmarks, that only the traveller soul shall recognize and remember, and remembering, continue the journey again. To Martha, the gods gave this for a first memory: a first scar. She was a girl of twelve, and in every way she was but a child. A rather dull child, who always lagged behind the others of her age, whether in study or in play. Life had been so far a question of staying more years in a grade than the others, of being told she would have to apply herself a little harder if she didn’t want the infants catching up with her. But that was so dismal thing. She had gotten a little bit used to being always behind. To always being the biggest girl in her class. Even in play there was some part of her that never managed to take too great a part – she was so content if they always made her â€Å"it† in a game of tag, if only they would let her play. And when she had dolls, she was eager to lend them to other girls, if they would only include her in the fascinating games she could not play alone. This was she, then. Her hair hung in pigtails each side of her face, and already it irked a little to have her dresses too short. She could not help in her mother’s kitchen, and could be trusted to keep her room clean, but she was not ready for the thing her mother told her one night when she was awakened from sleep. It was a sleep untroubled by dreams, then all of a sudden there was an uproar in the house, and she could hear her mother’s frenzied sobbing, and it was not sobbing that held as much of sorrow as it did of anger. She lay still for a while, thinking perhaps she was dreaming, until she could hear her father’s grunted answers to the half – understood things her mother was mouthing at him. Then there were sounds that was clearly the sound of two bodies struggling in terrible fury with each other. She stood up, and like a child, cried into the night. Mother? She wailed the word, in her panic finding a little relief in her own wailing, Mother? And she heard her mother’s voice call her, panting out, saying, Martha, come quickly, come into this room! Martha got up and stood at the door of the room, hesitating about opening it, until her mother, the part of a terrible grasp, said Martha! So Martha pushed in the door, and found her mother and her father locked in an embrace n which both of them struggled and panted and had almost no breath left for words. Martha stood wide – eyed and frightened, not knowing what to do, just standing there, even though she had seen what it was they struggled for. A kitchen knife, blade held upwards in her mother’s hand. Her arms were pinioned to her sides by her husband, but her wild eyes, the frenzy with which she stamped her feet on his feet, and kicked him in the shins, and tried to bite him with her teeth, these were more terrible than the glint of that shining blade. It was her father who spoke to her saying urgently, Martha, reach for her knife, take it away. Yet Martha stood there and did not comprehend until her mother spoke, saying No, no; Martha, your father deserves to be killed. Then it was Martha who realized what she was to do, and slowly, hesitantly, she went near them, her fear of both of them in this terrible anger they now presented making her almost too afraid to reach up for the knife. But reach up she did, and with her child’s fingers, put her mother’s away from the weapon. And when she had it in her hands she did not know what to do with it, except look at it. It wasn’t a very sharp knife, but its blade was clean, and its hilt firm. And so she looked at it, until her father said. Throw it out of the window, Martha and without thinking, she went to a window, opened a casement and threw it away. Then her father released her mother, and once her mother had gotten her arms free, she swung back her hand, and wordlessly, slapped him; slapped him once, twice, three times, alternating with her hands, on alternate cheeks, until her father said. That’s enough, Engracia. And saying so, he took her hands in his, led her resisting to the bed, and made her sit down. And Martha was too young to wonder that her father, who was a big man, should have surrendered to the repeated slapping from her mother who was a very small frail woman. Her father said, â€Å"Aren’t you ashamed now Martha has seen? † And immediately her mother screamed to him, â€Å"Ashamed? Me, ashamed? I’ll tell Martha about you! † Her father looked at Martha still standing dumbly by the window out of which she had thrown the knife, and said, â€Å"No, Aciang, she is just a child. † And to her: â€Å"Martha, go back to bed. † But now her mother jumped up from the bed, and clutched at Martha, and brought her to bed with her. And deliberately without looking at Martha’s father, she said, Martha you are not too young to know. And so, the words falling from her lips with a terrible quiet, she told Martha. The words that were strange to her ears, Martha heard them, and listened to them, and looked from her mother to her father, and without knowing it, wetting her cheeks with her tears that fell. And then her mother stopped talking, and looking at her husband, she spat on him, and Martha saw the saliva spatter on the front of the dark shirt he wore. She watched while her father strode over them, and slowly, also deliberately, slapped her mother on the cheek. Martha watched his open palm as he did it, and felt the blow as though it had been she who had been hit. Then her father strode out of the room, saying nothing, leaving them alone. When her father had gone, Martha’s mother began to cry, saying brokenly to Martha, â€Å"It is that woman, that woman! † And making excuses to Martha for her father, saying it was never completely the man’s fault. And Martha listened bewildered, because this was so different from the venomous words her mother had told her while her father was in the room. And then her mother, still weeping, directed her to look for her father and Martha went out of the room. Her father was not in the house. The night was very dark as she peered out of the windows to see is she could find him outside, but he was nowhere. So she went back to her mother, and told her she could not find her father. Her mother cried silently, the tears coursing down her cheeks, and her sobs tearing through her throat. Martha cried with her, and caressed her mother’s back with her hands, but she had no words to offer, nothing to say. When her mother at last was able to talk again, she told Martha to go back to bed. But it wasn’t the child that entered who went out of that room. And yet the terror of that night was not so great because it was only a terror half – understood. It wasn’t until she was eighteen, that the hurt of that night was invested with its full measure. For when she was eighteen, she fell in love. She was a girl of placid appearance, in her eyes the dreaming stolid night of the unawakened. She still was slow to learn, still not prone to brilliance. And when she fell in love she chose the brightest boy of her limited acquaintance to fall in love with. He was slightly older than herself, a little too handsome, a trifle too given to laughter. Espeleta did not like him; he was too different from the other young me n on the street. But Martha loved him. You could see that in the way she looked at him, the way she listened to him. Martha’s pigtails had lengthened. She now wore her braids coiled on the top of her head like a coronet, and it went well with the placid features, the rather full figure. She was easily one of our prettier maidens. It was well that she was not too brilliant. That she did not have any too modern ideas. The air of shyness, the awkward lack of sparkling conversation suited her Madonna – like face and calm. And her seriousness with love was also part of the calm waiting nature. It did not enter her head that there are such things as play, and a game. And a man’s eagerness for sport. And so when she noticed that his attentions seemed to be wandering, even after he had admitted to a lot of people that they were engaged, she asked him, with the eager desperation of the inexperienced, about their marriage. He laughed at her. Laughed gently, teasingly, saying they could not get married for a long time yet; he must repay his parents first for all that they had done for him. He must first be sure to be able to afford the things she deserved. Well turned phrases he said his excuses with. Charming little evasions. And if she did not see through them while he spoke them, his frequent absences, where his visits had been as a habit; his excuses to stay away when once no amount of sending him off could make him stay away; these but made her see. And understand. And then the way neighbours will, they tried to be kind to her. For they could see her heart was breaking and they tried to say sweet things to her, things like her being far too good for him. And then they heard that he had married. Another girl. And they saw her grief, and thought it strange that a girl should grieve over an undeserving lover or so. She lost a little of the plumpness that was one of her charms. And into her eyes crept a hurt look to replace the dreaming. And Espeleta, with all the good people, strove to be even kinder to her. Watched her grief and pitied her. And told her that whatever mistakes she had committed to make her grieve so, to make her suffer so, they understood and forgave. And they did not blame her. But now that she had learned her lesson, she must beware. She knew her own father as much as they knew about him. And it was in the Fates that his sins must be paid for. If not by himself, then by whom but she who was begotten by him? So, didn’t she see? How careful she should be? Because you could, they said it to her gently, kindly, cruelly, because she could if she were careful, turn aside the vengeance of the implacable fates. And she believed them kind although she hated their suspicions. She believed them kind, and so she started, then, to hate her father. And that night long ago came back to her, and she wished she had not thrown that knife away. Espeleta saw Martha turn religious. More religious than Iya Andia and Iya Nesia, who were old and saw death coming close, and wanted to be assured of the easing of the gates of heaven. Espeleta approved. Because Espeleta did not know what she prayed for. Because they saw only the downcast eyes under the light veil, the coil of shining hair as it bowed over the communion rail. Yet Martha’s mother and father still lived together. They never had separated. Even after that night, when she was twelve years old and frightened, and she had called for him and looked for him and not found him. The next day he had come back, and between her mother and him there was a silence. They slept in the same bed, and spent the nights in the same room, and yet Martha and Espeleta knew he had another bed, another chamber. Espeleta praised Martha’s mother for being so patient. After Martha had fallen in love, when she began hating her father truly then also she began despising her mother. You did not know it to look at Martha. For her coil of braided hair was still there, and the shy way of speaking, and the charming awkwardness at conversation. And Martha made up her earlier lack of lustre by shining in her class now. She was eighteen and not through high school yet. But she made up for it by graduating with high honours. Espeleta clapped its hands when she graduated. Gave her flowers. Her mother and father were there, too. And they were proud. And to look at Martha, you would think she was proud too, if a little too shy still. Martha studied nursing. And started having visitors in her mother’s house again. Doctors this time. Older men, to whom her gravity of manner appealed, and the innate good sense that seemed so patient in her quiet demeanour. Espeleta was now rather proud of Martha. She seemed everything a girl should be, and they cited her as an example of what religion could do. Lift you out of the shadow of your inheritance. For look at Martha. See how different she is from what should be her father’s daughter. But what they did not know was that all of these doctors Martha had to choose someone slightly older than the rest. And where the girl of eighteen that she had been almost a child unschooled, now she was a woman wise and wary. Where the other nurses knew this doctor only as someone who did not like their dances as much as the younger ones, who did not speak as lightly, as flippantly of love as the younger ones, Martha knew why he didn’t. Between the two of them there had been, form the very start, a quick lifting of the pulse, an immediate quickening of the breath. From the very start. And where he could have concealed the secrets of life, he chose the very first time they were able to talk to each other, to tell her that he was not free. He had a wife, and whether he loved her or not, whether she was unfaithful to him or not, which she was, there had been the irrevocable ceremony to bind them, to always make his love for any other woman, if he ever fell in love again, something that must be hidden, something that might not see light. She was a woman now, Martha was. Wise and wary. But there is no wisdom, no weariness against love. Not the kind of deep love she knew she bore him. And as even she him, she found within herself the old deep – abiding secret hate. Against her father. Against the laws of man and church. Against the very fates that seemed rejoiced in making her pay for a sin she had not committed. She now learned of bitterness. Because she could not help thinking of that night, long ago, when her mother had sat on the bed, and in deliberate words told her just what kind of a father she had. It had been as though her mother had shifted on to her unwilling, unready shoulders the burden of the sorrows, the goad of the grief. Espeleta, that was so quick to censure, and to condemn; even Espeleta had taken the situation in Martha’s house as something that could not be helped. And as long as there was no open strife, Espeleta made excuses for a thing that, they said, had been designed by Fate. Martha’s father came home. Acted, on the surface, the good husband. And since he was married to Martha’s mother, so must Martha’s mother bear it, and welcome him home again. Because she would rather he came home, then went to the other one, wouldn’t she? Espeleta cited heavenly rewards. For Martha’s mother. And Martha went to church regularly, and was a good nurse. And still called her father, Father. You have heard that one of course, about the mill of the gods, how they â€Å"grind exceedingly fine, and grind exceedingly slow. † Espeleta hadn’t heard that one, nor had Martha. But Espeleta of course would have a more winded version of it. Anyhow, one day at the hospital, Martha was attendant nurse at an emergency case. A man had been shot. There were three bullets through his chest, but he was still alive. Martha laughed queerly to herself, saying I must be dreaming, I am imagining that man has my father’s face. It was the doctor she loved who was in charge. With a queer dreaming feeling, she raised her eyes to meet his, and was shocked to see him drop his gaze, and over his face steal a twist as of pain, as of pity. They were instantly their efficient selves again, cloaking themselves in the impersonal masks of physician and nurse. It was as if he who lay there beneath their instruments and their probing fingers was any man, the way it could be any man. Not her father. But all while, training and discipline unavailing. Martha said to herself, but it is my father. He died on the table. He never gained consciousness. Martha drew the sheet over his face and form. And watched as they wheeled him out of the room. She still had the instruments to put away and the room to put in order. But this did not take long and when she went out into the corridor, she found her mother weeping beside the shrouded form on the wheeled table. There was a policeman beside her awkwardly trying with gruff words to console the little woman over her loss. Beside the policeman stood also the doctor, who passed an arm around the shoulder of Martha’s mother, saying simply, we tried to save him. Martha joined them, knowing that she should be in tears, yet finding that she had none to shed. It would ease the tightness within her, would loosen the hard knot in her heart to cry. But you cannot summon tears when you feel no grief, and the pain you feel is not of sorrow but of the cruel justness of things. She could not even put her arms around her weeping mother. When the doctor told her that she would be excused from duty the rest of the day, that he would arrange it for her, she did not thank him. She did not say anything for indeed she no longer had any words, nor any emotions that required speech. Or should be given speech. For one cannot say, how right! How just! When one’s father has just died. Her mother and she took a taxi together to accompany the hearse that took her father home. There was a crowd awaiting them. Espeleta in tears. Espeleta crying condolence and opprobrium in the same breath. It was from them – their good neighbours, their kind neighbours – that Martha learned how â€Å"God’s justice had overtaken the sinner. † Colon is not as intimate as Espeleta. For it is a long street and broad street. But where the railroad crosses it, the houses group together in intimate warmth and neighbourly closeness and its families live each other’s lives almost as meddlingly as Espeleta does. And is as avid for scandals as Espeleta is. Among the people in Martha’s house were some from Colon. And it was they who supplied the grimmer details, the more lucid picture. In that other woman’s house – and Martha did not even know the other woman’s name there had existed the stalemate state of affairs that had existed in Martha’s house. Only where in Martha’s house it had been a wife who was patient, in that other woman’s house it had been the husband who had bided his time. And yet the neighbours had thought he had not cared. For indeed he had seemed like a man blind and deaf, and if he raised his voice against his wife, it was not so they could hear it. Yet today, he had come home, after he had said he was going away somewhere. And had come upon Martha’s father in the house, and had, without saying anything, taken out his revolver, and shot at him. Martha heard all these. And thought you know often life seems like an old – fashioned melodrama, guns and all. And yet the gun had not gone off. It had jammed, and Martha’s father had been able to run. And running, even as he seemed far enough from the house to be safe, the gun in the husband’s hand had come right again. The man had gone out in the street, aimed at the fleeing figure. That explained why the bullets had gone in through his back and out through his chest. They said that the street was spattered with blood and where he fell, there was a pool of gory red. The killer had surrendered himself at once. But everyone knew he would not pay with his life he had taken. For the woman was his wife and he had come upon them in his own home. Martha stayed with the kind condolers only a while. She left her mother for them to comfort as best as they could. They would have praises like â€Å"The good God knows best;† they would have words like, â€Å"Your grief is ended, let your other grief commence. † She went to look at her father lying well arranged now in his bier. Already in spite of the manner of his death, there were flowers for him. Death had left no glare in the eyes that the doctor at the hospital had mercifully closed, over the features lingered no evidence of pain. And Martha said, Death was kind to you. In Martha’s room there hung a crucifix. Upon the crossed wood was the agonized Christ, His eyes soft and deep and tender, even in his agony. But as Martha knelt, and lighted her candles, and prayed, in her eyes was no softness, and on her lips no words appealing for pity for him who had died. There was only the glitter of a justice meted out at last, and the thankfulness for a punishment fulfilled. So she gave thanks, very fervent thanks. For now, she hoped, she would cease to pay.