Phillipine Literary Periods - 3839 Words

INTRODUCTON Philippine literature is the literature associated with the Philippines and includes the legends of prehistory, and the colonial legacy of the Philippines. Most of the notable literature of the Philippines was written during the Spanish period and the first half of the 20th century in Spanish language. Philippine literature is written in Spanish, English, Tagalog, and/or other native Philippine language. DEFINITION OF LITERATURE The word literature is derived from the Latin term Litera which means letter. It has been defined by various writers. Because literature deals with ideas, thoughts and emotions of man, literature can be said to be the story of man. Man’s loves, griefs, thoughts, dreams, and aspirations coached†¦show more content†¦The most popular was â€Å"Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Cristong Panignoon Natin† by Aguino de Belen b. Senakulo – dramatization of the pasyon, it shows the passion and death of Christ 2. Secular (non-religious) Literature a. Awit - colorful tales of chivalry made for singing and chanting Example: Ibong Adarna b. Korido – metrical tale written in octosyllabic quatrains Example: Florante at Laura by Francisco Baltazar c. Prose Narratives – written to prescribe proper decorum i. Dialogo iii. ejemplo ii. Manual de Urbanidad iv. tratado Examples: Modesto de Castros Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at si Feliza and Joaquin Tuasons Ang Bagong Robinson (The New Robinson) in 1879 III. NATIONALISTIC / PROPAGANDA AND REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD (1864 – 1896) A. Characteristics 1. Planted seeds of nationalism in Filipinos 2. Language shifted from Spanish to Tagalog 3. Addressed the masses instead of the â€Å"intelligentsia† B. Literary Forms 1. Propaganda Literature - Reformatory in objective a. Political Essays – satires, editorials and news articles were written to attack and expose the evils of Spanish rule i. Diariong Tagalog – founded by Marcelo del Pilar ii. La Solidaridad – whose editor-in-chief is Graciano Lopez-Jaena b. Political Novels i. Noli Me Tangere andShow MoreRelatedStarbucks Entry to China10678 Words   |  43 Pagesfor one reason: They loved coffee and tea and wanted Seattle to have access to the best.†5 Starbucks stood not only for good quality coffee, especially dark-roasted coffee, but also sought out to educate its customers about their product. Jerry, a literary lover, named the company Starbucks, after the first mate in Moby Dick, because it â€Å"evoked the romance of the high seas and the seafaring tradition of early coffee traders.† The original store did not brew and sell coffee by the cup, but instead offeredRead MoreStarbucks Entry t o China10685 Words   |  43 Pagesfor one reason: They loved coffee and tea and wanted Seattle to have access to the best.†5 Starbucks stood not only for good quality coffee, especially dark-roasted coffee, but also sought out to educate its customers about their product. Jerry, a literary lover, named the company Starbucks, after the first mate in Moby Dick, because it â€Å"evoked the romance of the high seas and the seafaring tradition of early coffee traders.† The original store did not brew and sell coffee by the cup, but instead offered

Analysis Of Shakespeare s Oedipus Rex - 1442 Words

Most people who have had a classical education or ever ingested any media in their lifetime have likely heard the name, Shakespeare. A true mogul of the Elizabethan Theatre era, Shakespeare has written 37 plays and over 154 sonnets that are still performed on stages today. Similarly, anyone who has ever picked up a book has read about Sigmund Freud or some of his theories. Freud established many of the modern practices used in psychiatry and taught in psychology classes worldwide. Freud is a pioneer of psychology just as Shakespeare is to literature and theatre. They are two of the greatest minds our world knows, but how are these vastly different scholars related? Freud’s theories are not always held in high regard, specifically, The†¦show more content†¦Perhaps Hamlet prefers if it was him in his uncle’s place. With all the evidence, it is almost as if Shakespeare was hinting at Hamlet’s oedipal maternal desires. His attitude and state of mind througho ut the story can be attributed to how he feels about his mother remarrying. For example, Hamlet is sulking around in a black cloak as he questions why ``[Gertrude] would hang on [Claudius]/ As if increase of appetite had grown/ By what it fed on† (I.ii.347-348). He is very clearly expressing verbally how upset he is when pondering his mother and her new lover, but he is also expressing it physically by wearing black even though his father is â€Å"But two months dead† (I.ii.342). Hamlet’s grieving period is over and therefore has no need to wear black anymore. He is wearing black and sulking now because he is grieving his mother s love. For she has moved on and found a new man to bed, thus jealousy ensues. This is something that happens frequently when a new alpha male enters a relationship dynamic, parental or sexual. More evidence of his inappropriate maternal love is shown by the way he treats Ophelia. It is said by Freud and other psychologists that the relat ionship you have with your lover mirrors the relationship you have with your parental figures. It is no coincidence that the way he batters her with his word and destroys her conscious relates more to the relationship with his mother than that with Ophelia. â€Å"The power of beauty willShow MoreRelated A Freudian Reading of Hamlet and Titus Andronicus Essay2542 Words   |  11 Pagesslips of the tongue) and jokes, and it is evident that psychoanalysis asks us to pay a lot of attention to language, in puns, slips of the tongue etc. This suggests how psychoanalysis is directly related to literary criticism, since both kinds of analysis focus on close readings of language. Therefore, by understanding Freudian theory, we can gain a deeper understanding of literature. This essay attempts to discover how Freud’s psychoanalytical accounts of human nature can bring us to a deeperRead MoreSeminar: Literary Theory Applied to H.P. Lovecraft-Notably â€Å"the Beast in the Cave†6821 Words   |  28 PagesBuena VistA university | A Theoretical Analysis of H.P. Lovecraft’s â€Å"Beast in the Cave† | Senior Seminar | | Cory J. Dahlstrom | 7/28/2012 | H.P. Lovecraft has been called â€Å"one of the best, worst authors of our century.† In the following paper, I will explore his earliest work, â€Å"The Beast in the Cave,† a story written when he was around fifteen years old. I will explore its meanings and context through the lenses of reader response, deconstructionism, newRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore

Informative essay/Weight training free essay sample

Informative Essay Overtraining Do you like the saying of no days off? Ever heard the statement rest is for the weak? You might have even heard that the more you work out the better results youll get. You may push your self to the limit every time you work out, but ever think of giving your body a rest week to recover? Most athletes know that getting enough rest after exercise is essential to high-level performance, but many still over train and feel remorseful when they take a day off. People need to know that that rest is important. They need to discover how beneficial rest is for your body when training. There is even a proper rest period between sets when weight training. The body repairs and strengthens itself in the time between workouts, and through rest days. Continuous training without rest can actually weaken the strongest athletes. Rest is more important than you think. We will write a custom essay sample on Informative essay/Weight training or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page According to Shape. com there are nine main reason why sometimes skipping your workout could actually be Just as important as going to the gym that day; its time to take a workout timeout. While its important to work your muscles and stimulate muscle-building proteins, its equally as important o give your body enough time to recover. The main reason is why a rest day is the best day is lifting weights creates tiny tears in your muscles. You break down your body when you train. miour energy stores are depleted, your muscles and other tissues are broken down and your body is in a worn-out state. (Rest and Recovery) When you give your body a day to rest and recuperate your muscles repair and heal during that rest period. This repair process is what makes your muscles stronger. It allows your body and mind to recapture what it has lost when working out. Rest days llow your body to rejuvenate mentally, physically and psychologically. Each muscle you exercise needs a certain type of rest. Your whole body needs rest in general; if rest for the entire body does not happen large amounts of stress can build up and leading the body into an over-trained state. Some ways to make sure your body gets enough rest are to schedule rest weeks. One whole week of rest every 4-5 weeks is great for your body. Youll gain more strength by scaling back your lifting routine one week each month. In the 3-month study, men who halved their training volume the inal week of each month boosted their strength by 29 percent. (Shape Magazine) If you absolutely have to go to the gym, take it easy, do fewer reps in your workouts, and preform less intense workouts this will leave your body feeling more refreshed and awake after your workout. Rest between sets in your workout is Just as important as taking a week off in your training. The amount of time you rest between sets can have a major impact on the exercise youre doing affects your body. Re st too long and your workouts lose intensity; rest too little and you burn out too quickly. Lippincott Williams Wilkins studies have found that testosterone are produced in higher levels when you allow your body to rest for a short interval of time during sets to get the boost you want. There are many theories on how much rest is recommended between weight lifting sets and the different time allowed to focus on the purpose of your workout. The amount of rest right after your first and last rep for some is all a matter of preference. It depends on what your concentration is on in your workout. For example short period of time, 30 seconds, allow your body minimal time to rest but ncreases the intensity of your workout. Short time will focus on high velocity workouts, fat burning and muscle memory. Other theories are letting your body have a full 60 seconds of rest between sets for more powerful heavy lifting training to increase, size, strength and power rather than muscles endurance and stamina. Some myths about rest weeks; days off, and in-between set resting have a lot of people believing incorrect facts of the issue at hand. Ideas such as there is no such thing as a day off or you have to continuously go from exercise to exercise to get the esults you want are some of the basic myths that people perceive to rookies in the weight room today. Incorrect information would be that you have to constantly workout to see any type or results; it is assumed that if hard training builds muscle, then training as hard as humanly possible must build the most muscle. These are all myths about weight lifting. There are many things about weightlifting that people are uninformed about. It is important to know correct information, so you can do what is best for your body, and not injure yourself. It is vital to let your body rest and epair itself for its next workout. Dont over-do it, and be conscious of what your body is telling you.

Ricardo`s Theory Of Value Essays - Value Theory, Economic Theories

Ricardo`s Theory Of Value One of the enduring questions of economics is "Where do profits come from?" One of the ways in which economic philosophers have tried to answer it is by first answering the question of value. At the center of most economic paradigms is a Theory of Value. The classical political economists found value to be determined in production; since most of the cost of production could be reduced to labour, this approach was refined into The Labour Theory of Value. Neoclassical economists looked for value in the market act of exchange and developed the Marginal Theory of Value. Both of these theories are currently under challenge by the post-Keynesians with their Sraffian Theory of Value, which, like the labour theory of value, is based on production rather than exchange. Any theory of value in economics is an extremely abstract formulation: in fact, value theory is the major intersection between economics and philosophy. For millennia, literally, scholars and theorists have tried to deduce how items attained their 'value'. From pre-Christian to pre-Keynesian times, various strands of thought have proposed (often divergent) explanations for this phenomenon. For instance, economists sometimes use the term "theory of value" to mean quite different things. Here, the term is used to denote a theory that attempts to explain long-run prices in a capitalist economy. But there are also theories of value which attempt to explain what prices should be. Medieval scholars used the concept of just price, which was the price that would allow the producer to earn a living appropriate to his social position. Some Institutionalists have introduced similar concepts - such as normative value or reasonable value. Whatever their explanations, theories of value are at the heart of two of the major themes: i-) the distribution of wealth and income; and ii-)the maintenance of microeconomic order. A Brief History of Value Theory The debate on the theory of value, which was initiated in Ancient Greece and which became inactive during the Middle Ages, later re-emerged at the close of the seventeenth century to dominate economic thought for the next 200 years. Even today its primary importance is such that Schumpeter claimed that "the problem of value must always hold the pivotal position, as the chief tool of analysis in any pure theory that works with a rational schema." Similar hypothetical solutions varied from time to time. Considering that this piece is hyperbolic in scope, shall, I would narrow down the analysis to the following structure. Firstly, I would try to overview sketching Aristotelian, Scholastic and Mercantilistic views on value. Secondly, I will follow an analysis of the contribution of pre-classicalist writers like Petty, Cantillon, Galiani and Law to the debate. Thirdly, the supply oriented theory of value put forward by classical economists like Smith, Ricardo, Marx and Mill shall be examined. Fourthly, Jevons and Mengers' neo-classical attempt to replace the classicalists with their demand-oriented theory of value will be considered. Finally, both Walras' and Marshall's respective resolution to the conflict shall be investigated by individually accommodating the interactions of both supply and demand as determinants of value within their overall economic framework. Early Economic Thought The first great landmark in the long and tortuous intellectual struggle with the riddle of value, was laid by the philosophers of the Athenian Academy in the 4th century BC. It was Aristotle (384-322) who held that the source of value was based on need, without which exchange would not take place. Originally, it was he who distinguished between value in use and value in exchange- "Of everything which we possess, there are two uses; For example a shoe is used for wear and it is used for exchange". While the Scholastics later adopted and accommodated these views to Christian thought, like the Aristotelian philosophers before them, economics was not regarded as an independent discipline but merely as an integral part of ethical and moral philosophy. As a result, the debate on value was centred and henceforth retarded by a normative approach - what value should 'justly' be, instead of what actually is. During this period, utility was widely held as the determinant of value with only a minority of theorists such as St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) and John Duns Scotus (1265-1308) taking note of the cost of the production side. The search concerning value was continued in the direction of utility by early mercantilists during the 16th and the first half of the 17th century. The supremacy of this argument was highlighted in 1588 when Bernardo Davanzati unsuccessfully attempted to construct a utility theory of value in Lecture On Money.

Case Study Ziba Design Essay Example

Case Study Ziba Design Essay It may all come down to Gibbs unique approach to new product development, an intricate process that is entered on understanding consumers in a deep and profound way. New products dont start in the RD lab, before any product development or design work even begins theres a tremendous amount of deep consumer research. People are in search of meaning these days. We have enough stuff to choose from, we have enough companies that give us whatever we desire or what we want. It is now what does it mean to me, its got to be meaningful, and to be meaningful you have to understand your consumer. Discuss what Occurs before Saba Develops a Design or Advertising Program So how do Slabs teams begin to understand customers Through extensive research that In turn Is formulated Into customer Insights. Its a process of uncovering Information Like an archeologist. What makes a product great Great Products dont ask their customer what they should be, great products say this Is what they are. They basically anticipate customer needs, they dont wait for the customer to tell them what they should be and that they delight customers in new and interesting ways. It May all come down to Gibbs unique approach to new reduce development. An intricate process that is centered around understanding consumers in a deep and profound way. When Saba takes on a new client they start the process by asking if they know there customer, a simple question that many cant answer, do they know what motivates them, drives them. We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study Ziba Design specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study Ziba Design specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study Ziba Design specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Do they know their strategic customer Then they ask, what do you stand for What are your values How are your values manifested in the messages you send out And they are firm about any design being In line with the brand, In really speaking to that targeted customer. Ask a question what subject Is here, what are we trying to do here, what Is the best thing to do here and what is right for the customer, what is right with the brand that makes you understand really well how to put it together. They dont try to create something different that is not going to get you anywhere. They are going to create something meaningful that the consumer authenticates with the brand. Saba Effectively contributes to Brand Recognition for Product Promotions in the Marketplace The definition of Brand Recognition is the extent to which the general public (or an organizations target market) is able to identify a brand by its attributes. Brand recognition is most successful when people can state a brand without being explicitly exposed to the companys name, but rather through visual signifier like logos, slogans and colors. (Investigated) Calla does more than designs products, their efforts contribute to brand recognition. One of Its most recent challenges Involved creating an Integrated experience for consumers for Portland south water front, a thriving urban neighborhood that didnt yet exists. They had to help people

Improve Team Review Processes With Task Approvals In CoSchedule

Improve Team Review Processes With Task Approvals In Imagine how much easier your life would be if you could bring your entire workflow process (including approvals) into ONE centralized location. Eliminate convoluted email threads, gaps in communication, pointless delays  AND maintain control over all your team’s projects. s task approvals will eliminate the tedious reminders, pleading AND empower you and your team to get top notch projects done on time! Watch This: How To Improve Your Teams Review Process With Task Approvals   With task approvals, you can: Get approval FASTER! Eliminate the need for constant email reminders, in person pleading, and messenger notifications! With ’s task approvals (built directly into your team’s workflow) the right folks get notified at the right time when a task is ready for review. Keeping your team’s projects on track, transparent and moving forward. Maintain control of ALL your projects + brand. Every social campaign, every blog post, every press release is a direct reflection on you (and your company). With s built-in task approvals, nothing goes live without a second set of eyes, ensuring brand consistency and peace of mind on everything you publish.

Woman and Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Woman and Human Rights - Essay Example It was acclaimed in New York on18 December 1979 (Haan, 2010). This document proclaims that women should be protected by the government against discrimination. Numerous aspects connected with gender discrimination are considered in this document. Another regulative document is Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict acclaimed on 14 December 1974 (Haan, 2010). This document guarantees protection of women and children rights in armed conflicts. Thus inhuman acts violating the rights of women and children are considered to be destructive in this document. Very often civilians suffer from armed conflicts for liberation or a struggle against an enemy. This issue is considered in the document in detail. Another document is Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women acclaimed by General Assembly resolution 48/104 on 20 December 1993 (Haan, 2010). This document propagates that â€Å"the rights and principles with regard to equality, s ecurity, liberty, integrity and dignity of all human beings† are practically and legally applied to women. Basically, the violence against women is understood as violation of rights and basic freedoms of women. As far as this document propagates non-violation against women it can be claimed that this document would practically help a ‘full advancement’ of women.... In accordance with world’s analysts, â€Å"unless we empower and render justice to women we stand little chance of making a dent on the problems of conflicts, underdevelopment and injustice† (Women Gaining Voice). Therefore there is a need to focus attention of the International Commission on human rights and other related organs on the necessity to centralize women interests and rights. On their behalf, Women’s organizations around the world should proclaim their rights and appeal to the society to support all women in the world. The situation is better in EU and America, but the countries of the Third World experience even greater complexities connected with women’s rights regulations (Pillai et al, 1999). For example, in Africa there is a fast development of women’s movement directed on development of women’s partnership with media, educational and training institutions etc. Thus, it is evident that hindering factors of promotion and prote ction of human rights in Africa are facilitated by active participation of women’s organizations in that country. The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) is a non-governmental organization though it has a strong goal: â€Å"to participate effectively the development of our continent and †¦ensuring that African women voices influence decisions made at different levels that impact of their lives† (Women Gaining Voice). Therefore it is evident that a struggle against oppression of human rights in Africa conducted locally is a sign of advancement of ‘women’s empowerment, development, equality and peace in Africa’ (Women Gaining Voice). Basically, reforms of women’s attitudes to their rights

Summarize chopin's The Story Of An Hour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summarize chopin's The Story Of An Hour - Essay Example On the list of people who were killed in the accident, he saw Brently Mallard, Mrs. Mallard’s husband. He went to the house to tell her. Although Josephine and Richard’s feared that the news would kill Mrs. Mallard, the news made her happy. The more Mrs. Mallard thought about her husband being dead, the better she felt. She relished the idea and was getting used to it. Just as she was feeling free, she looked out her window and saw many images that were also a sign of freedom. For example, Mrs. Mallard observed the impending spring rain, the songs of the birds, and the blue sky. Mrs. Mallard was happy for the first time in her life. She would not be under the thumb of her husband anymore and she would be able to live as she wanted. â€Å"Free, Free, Free† (par. 10) she exclaims, as a rush of that freedom washed over her while she sat in the chair. She was giddy from the thought of this wonderful freedom. Mrs. Mallard felt so happy that she cried and laughed at th e same time. She, nor her family thought that perhaps Mr. Mallard had not been on the train. When Mr. Mallard walks through the door, as though nothing had happened, Mrs. Mallard felt a sudden sense of shock and disappointment. As a result, Mrs. Mallard’s heart gave out and she died of

Empirical Data Analysis of UK Companies Coursework

Empirical Data Analysis of UK Companies - Coursework Example inability has been recognized by the companies operating globally, but the performance to purely be integrated into the strategy and operations as per the standard requires embedment of the standards and principles of the primary governance systems. Successfully embedding sustainability into the governance of a company requires selection of a right mix of issues, and placing the strategic direction of an organization with strategic social and environmental goals, and ensuring that the mechanisms taken by the government understand and perform well so as to reach the focus. So as to create sustainability a company tries to focus on risk and legal issues, individual competencies, finances, management structures, independence, and leadership. Boards of Directors are a significant component of governance structures and with the help of other governance mechanisms helps to bring about sustainable development (Mullerat, 2011, p-6). Boards have the ability to lead all the decisions taken wit h integrity; they possess the appropriate skills to undergo any difficult decisions and manage risks undertaken (Tayan and Larcker, 2011, pp. 8-9). Proper Implementation and maintenance of good governance facilities help in making decisions and improves the strategy taken by the organization, improves compliance, performance, and accountability, and is often characterized by evaluation, analysis, and monitoring. Effective and efficient corporate governance helps an organization to achieve its desired outcomes and objectives, and accomplish its obligations through the following- Successful corporate Governance also helps to provide a framework for establishing responsibility to the people served by the organization, i.e., its members, clients, and different stakeholders (Grobfeld and Luttermann, 2012, p. 331). Clear strategy- Good Corporate Governance starts with an apparent strategy for the organization.

Acid rain

Acid rain An introduction to the Acid rain Acid rain is a major problem for our health and even our existence. Human started poisoning the atmosphere with acid gases since 1730, at the height of the Industrial Revolution. Although, it was first recognized in 1872, approximately one hundred years after the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, when an English scientist, Robert Angus Smith (1817-1884), pointed out the problem. In 1962, the Swedish scientist Svante Oden brought the acid rain quandary to the attention of the press, instead of the less popular scientific journals. He compiled records from the 1950s indicating that acid rain came from air masses moving out of central and western Europe into Scandinavia. In 1984 it was reported that almost half of the trees in the famous black forest in Germany had been damaged by acid rain. In 1988 United nations agreed to reduce the emissions of these acids into the atmosphere. In 1990 changes to the Clean Air Act set rules to cut down the release of sulfur dioxide from power pl ants down to 10 million tonnes by January 1, 2000 The Meaning and Creation of Acid Rain Acid rain is a term that describes the fall of the quantity of acids, staying in the atmosphere. We can use the term â€Å"Acid deposition to be more specific. Acid deposition separates in two parts: wet and dry. Wet deposition refers to the acidic rain, fog, and snow. As the high-acidized water flows over and through the ground, affects badly most of the earths flora and fauna. The danger of this effect depends on many factors like the acidity of water, the capacity of the soil and the types of flora and fauna that depend on water. Dry deposition refers to the acidic gases and their particles. It is known, that most of these acidic gases falls from the atmosphere to the earth through this procession (dry deposition). After that, the wind blows these dangerous particles on trees, cars, buildings etc. Trees are also infected due to the rainstorms, because they absorb the water from the storm. When this fact happens the high-acidized water adds these acids to the acid rain, which makes it more acidic than the rain that already falls. Prevailing winds blow these chemical compounds, which cause both wet and dry deposition, across the lands (hundreds of miles). The most important and harmful compounds are sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) which are created mostly from electric power generation made through the burning of fossil fuels like coal. The acidity of acid rain is made through the following reactions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides with the oxygen from the atmosphere and the water from the rains S + O 2 → SO 2 SO 2 + O 3 → SO 3 + O 2 SO 3 + H 2 O → H 2 SO 4 SO 2 + H 2 O → H 2 SO 3 2NO 2 + H 2 O → 2HNO 3 + NO2 NO + O 2 → 2NO2 Natural effects Nature also harms herself. Acid gases, produced by emissions from fires, volcanic eruptions, bacterial decomposition and lightening, are released in the atmosphere, increasing the amounts of nitrogen oxide. The major biological source of sulfur containing compounds is Dimethyl sulfide. Gas Phase chemistry Sulfur Sulfur dioxide reacts with the hydroxyl radical. Then the product reacts with the oxygen from the atmosphere and creates sulphur trioxide. Sulfur trioxide, when water is present, reacts and produces sulphuric acid. (See reaction table No1) Now, sulphur dioxide, like carbon dioxide, reacts with water, when clouds are present, through the procession of Hydrolysis. It dissolves in water in a series of equilibrium reactions (See reaction table No2) SO2 + OH · → HOSO2 HOSO2 · + O2 → HO2 · + SO3 SO3 (g) + H2O (l) → H2SO4 (l) NO2 + OH · → HNO3 SO2 (g) + H2O SO2 ·H2O SO2 ·H2O H+ + HSO3− HSO3− H+ + SO32− Nitrogen Oxide Nitrogen oxide reacts with OH to form nitric acid NO2 + OH · → HNO3 Oxidation There is a large amount of reactions where sulfur is oxidized from S(IV) to S(VI) that leads to the formation of sulphuric acid. The most important oxidation reactions are with ozone, hydrogen peroxide and oxygen (reactions with oxygen are catalyzed by iron and manganese in the cloud droplets). Measure and effects To measure the acidity of acid rain, we use the pH scale. Pure water has a pH of 7.0. Normal rain has a pH of 5.5 due to the dissolve of carbon oxide into it. The most acidic rain was fell in USA in the year 2000. It had a ph of 4.3 This acidity affects every living thing on the planet. The following tasks explain exactly this affection: 1st Effect: On Plant life Roots of flowers and trees are destroyed, such as nutricients, which are very important for their lives. Useful microorganisms, which release nutrients from decaying organic material, are killed. Acid rain also damages the waxy layer of the plants, which makes the plant vulnerable to diseases. Plants that survive are weak and without the ability to survive through tough conditions such as a short dry period, a heavy rainfall or a strong wind. The reproduction is also affected. 2nd Effect: On soil The decrease of pH damages or kills some microbes, which produce important enzymes. These enzymes, after the damage of microbes, change shape and lose the ability to function. Also cation exchange creates a serious problem. The ions of some metals (magnesium, potassium, and other metals) are attached to the clay and humus particles in the soil. The attractive forces of positive metal ions to the negatively charged clay particles are strong enough to hold the metal ions in the soil despite the passage of water through the soil. Hydronium ions from acid rain mobilize toxins like aluminium and leach away nutrients like magnesium. 3rd Effect: On animals, humans, and aquatic life Humans depend on food (animals, fishes). Fishes on the lakes and the seas are poisoned or infected by aluminium and mercury, that is leached from soil and rocks. Soil and water have the ability to neutralize the acidity of the rain water. But as the acidity becomes stronger, the pH goes lower. pH 5.5- Plankton population begins to die pH 5.0 Fish population begins to die pH lower than 5.0- All the fishes have died This effect is called ‘Acid Shock† and prevents also the reproduction of the population. Animals, like all the living organisms, interdependent on each other. The habitants that depend on plants and fishes begin to extinct. Other animals that depend on the animals, who depend on fishes and plants, begin to extinct. The food chain is affected dangerously. 4th Effect: Corrosion of buildings and sculptures. The sulfur dioxide reacts with limestone and marble. This reaction creates a black crust on buildings and sculptures, composed by gypsum. Gypsum is composed by the reactance of calcite, water and sulfuric acid. It may be white, but in the crystals of the network of its composition, dirt and pollutant are trapped, so it looks black CaCO3 (s) + H2SO4 (aq) CaSO4 (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O Acid rain also increases the oxidation rate of metals, especially copper and bronze One good result Researches have resulted that Acid rain restricts global warming by reducing methane emissions from wetland areas. This study also showed that sulfur in the acid deposition limits global warming by counteracting the natural production of methane gases by microbes in wetland areas. Heating these microbes increases the speed of producing more methane, which is mitigating by the sulphur pollution from the industries. This fact is happening because of the sulphur-eating bacteria, which are living in wetlands, and compete the methane-eating microbes. Experiments have shown, that releasing the sulphur deposits causes decrease of methane by 30%, due to the activation of sulphur-eating bacteria Acid rain: Problems and solutions An important solution is the remove of sulphur from the stack gases, made from coal-burning power plants of the industries. This will be able to be done with the use of FGD (flue gas desulfurization). This plan is commonly uses in the U.S.A and many other countries. An example of FGD is the wet scrambler. Wet scrambler is a reaction tower equipped with a fan that extracts hot smoke stack gases from a power plant into the tower. Lime or limestone in slurry form is also injected into the tower to mix with the stack gases and combine with the sulfur dioxide present. The calcium carbonate of the limestone produces pH-neutral calcium sulfate that is physically removed from the scrubber. That is, the scrubber turns sulfur pollution into industrial sulfates. In some areas, where he purity of calcium sulphate is high, the sulfates are sold to chemical companies as a gypsum. In other areas they are placed in landfill. However, the effets of acid rain can last for generations, due to the change of the pH level. Chemicals continue leaching in water, killing off all the living organisms and blocking the restore of life. Another solution refers to the trading of emissions. Industries can then install pollution control equipment, and sell portions of their emissions allowances they no longer need for their own operations. This plan saves the economy and decreases the capital cost for these equipments. The intention is to give operators economic incentives to install pollution controls. Prevention Step 1 · Reduce emissions from mining, smelting and generating electrical power. Consumers can help by using fewer mined resources and reducing electrical power usage, as well as campaigning for government regulation of emissions in their area. Step 2 · Reduce emissions produced by oil operations and oil-fueled transportation. Consumers can help reduce emissions produced by oil operations by buying less oil, buying from companies with higher emissions regulations and driving cars with lower emission rates. Step 3 · Reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides produced by reducing use of coal and wood burning as well as natural gas. Step 4 · Cut back on your use of products that produce chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs. Air conditioning, refrigeration and many aerosol products use or contain CFCs. Reduce the use of air conditioning by using fans and use a single, energy efficient refrigerator per household. Conserve cooled air by not leaving doors open when the air conditioning is on and by not leaving the refrigerator open for extended periods of time. Step 5 · Reduce production of sulfur dioxide by conserving paper. Sulfur dioxide is produced in paper production, so read newspapers online rather than buying a newspaper everyday, use the front and back of paper and use recycled paper. Step 6 · Reduce the emissions produced by your car by car pooling, planning ahead to combine long trips, biking or walking for short trips and keeping your car well maintained to be sure nothing is leaking. Step 7 · Increase energy efficiency in your home by using fluorescent lights, turning lights off when not in use, shutting down utilities when youre on vacation, closing off vents to rooms that are not in use and operating large appliances like dishwashers, washers and driers only when full. Step 8 · Reduce your use of manufactured materials such as packaging and other disposable products and recycle as much as you can. Producing new materials and disposing of waste materials are responsible for a large number of the pollutants that cause acid rain.

Leadership That Gets Results Essay

The article Leadership That Gets Results by Daniel Goleman provided an interesting view on leadership in the workplace. In a recent study by consulting firm Hay/McBer, data was gathered from a random sample of 3,871 executives from a database consisting of 20,000 executives, taking the mystery out of effective leadership. The study revealed that effective leadership is composed of six distinct styles – all draw from components of emotional intelligence. The six style of effective leadership are: Coercive, Authoritative, Affiliative, Democratic, Pacesetting, and Coaching. Coercive demands immediate compliance; it is a â€Å"Do what I tell you† style. Authoritative mobilizes people towards a vision, a â€Å"Come with me† style. Affiliative creates harmony and builds emotional bonds; it a â€Å"People come first† style. Democratic forges consensus through participation: â€Å"What does the group think?† Pacesetting sets high standards for performance, as in â€Å"Do as I do, now.† Finally, Coaching develops people for the future; it is â€Å"Try this† style. The study found an effective leader uses each one of these styles at the right time for the right reason. An example of this right time – right reason ideology is most often seen in golf. A good golfer knows how and when to choose the right club for the hole. Additionally, the study showed that a combination of styles could be used in effective leadership. However, the study did confirm there are a few styles that are more effective than others. Authoritative ranked the highest among the six leadership styles. Affiliative was ranked second followed by Democratic ranking third. In contrast, Coercive and Pacesetting were ranked the lowest and produced a negative effect when not used in the right context. In summary, the study did take the mystery out of effective leadership. It concluded that there are six leadership styles and each one can be used individually or in a combination to achieve maximum results. Throughout the article I was able to determine my personal style leans towards Affiliative; however, I would like explore the vision of the Authoritative and collectiveness of the Democratic leadership styles.

Apple’s Supply Chain Management Essay

Abstract The paper explores Apple and its past, background, brand loyalty, problems, decline of product, and suggested solutions. Apple was started on April 1, 1976. It was established by three men; Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. On January 10, 2006, Apple released the MacBook Pro and iMac which was the first Apple computer to use Intel’s Core Duo CPU. Apple’s customers fly in from all over the world to see the opening of products and stores. They even propose outside the stores. Their fan base is because they have a good product. Not so much the price because you can basically get the same product at a lower price form one of Apple’s competitors. The problems that Apple is having is getting their product to the customer on time. Which many say is the result of bad supply chain management. The paper goes over how they got to the problems that they are having and some solutions to those problems. Keywords: Monopsony, Brand Loyalty Apple’s Supply Chain Management Background Apple is a very big company, and is a company that everyone knows. Apple was started on April 1, 1976. It was established by three men; Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. On January 3, 1977, Apple was incorporated without Wayne; he sold his shares back to Jobs and Wozniak for $800. A multimillionaire delivered the essential business knowledge and funding for the incorporation of Apple. By the end of the 1970’s Apple have a good sized staff of bother computer designers and a production line. The Macintosh was made well-known by the 1.5 million dollar commercial â€Å"1984† released on the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984. The Macintosh at first sold well, but it soon withered off because of the high prices and limited choice of software titles. The Macintosh Portable was presented in 1989 and was designed like a desktop and weighed 17 pounds. In 1998, Apple’s iMac was introduced by a design team that was led by Jonathan Ive and he was also the man who designed the iPod and the iPhone. Apple’s sales improved from that moment. On January 10, 2006, Apple released the MacBook Pro and iMac which was the first Apple computer to use Intel’s Core Duo CPU (Lashinsky, 2011.) On January 17, 2011 Jobs announced in a memo that he would take a medical leave for an indefinite period. It has been said that because of Apple’s effective supply chain the company operates as a monopsony, which where one buyer has many sellers. Brand Loyalty Apple’s brand loyalty from customers runs deep in its consumers. It is very unusual for any product to have the kind of brand loyalty that Apple does. Apple Store opening can draw crowds of thousands with people waiting in line as much as a day before the event. People also fly in from all over the world to see the opening of products and stores. Some people say that it is the marketing and advertising is the reason that draws the kind of loyalty that Apple has. The loyalty of the customers goes as far as when people are waiting in line some of the fans use the opportunity to propose marriage. Problems After Jobs announced his medical leave, he appointed Tim Cook to his job. Tim Cook was the chief operating officer. He was the person who over saw the supply chain. When he assumed Jobs position he took on more work than he was used to. Therefore his work started to decline, he stopped focusing on the supply chain and started working on the advances of technology (Spence, 2012.) Decline of Product After the death of Steve Jobs, the company stock declined because of the products. There was problems with the shipping of the iPhone 5 because there was not enough made. When the iPad Minies reached the customers, they sold out in time for the press released. But when more orders came in for the iPad Minis the customers experienced longer wait time. This might have been due to the supply chain not working properly. Also the iPad Minis release date has been pushed pack. When Apple made the promises of an October event and missed the date. The other things that has been un-Apple-like was Siri, it was not the way that Steve Jobs would have liked it to be. He wanted it to be consistently amazing and it is not it had to be concern with an update. The Maps app in iOS6 lead to the discharge of two Apple employees and a public apology from Cook (Maisto, 2012.) Conclusion The conclusion to most of the Apple consumers would be to work more on their supply chain. Working closer with their suppliers will help with the overall product. It might be a faster shipping or faster assembly. But one thing is certain about working closer with their suppliers, it can never be a bad thing. The better relationships that you have with the people supplying you the product the better the product will be (Maisto, 2012.) Suggested Solutions Apple needs to fix a few things to get back on the money making wagon, so to say. They have a good product but it needs to be texted more. If Apple feels the need to release an iPhone every three months the customers will think why I should buy this one when it will be obsolete in about another three months. Another thing that Apple needs to work on is their supply chain. Since Tim Cook moved up in the in the corporation he has not been looking over the supply chain as well as he should be. I believe that he should be hiring more people to manage the supply chain and less people to engineer Apple’s products. They might come to realize that they will save money in the long run if they have better relationship with their suppliers and treat their workers better (Spence, 2012.) Future The future of Apple is not clear. Cook wants to bring more jobs to the United States. He says that more parts of the Mac will be brought over to the United States so that it will bring more jobs to the United States, an estimate of 600,000 jobs. Cook also wants to get in to the television market. He says that, â€Å"it is an area of intense interest to us (Maisto, 2012.)† References Spence, E. (2012, November 18). Apple’s supply chain issues reflected in stock pricing. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2012/11/18/apples-supply-chain-issues-reflected-in-stock-pricing/ Maisto, M. (2012, December 7). Ceo tim cook on apple’s future: Don’t bet against us. Retrieved from http://www.eweek.com/mobile/ceo-tim-cook-on-apples-future-dont-bet-against-us/ Lashinsky, A. (2011, August 25). How apple works: Inside the world’s biggest startup. Retrieved from http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/08/25/how-apple-works-inside-the-worlds-biggest-startup/

Avro Arrow essays

Avro Arrow essays The Avro Arrow was one of the greatest things that happened in Canadian history, but it was not allowed to accomplish its mission. The Arrows role was to replace the CF-100 Canucks as a supersonic which would intercept in any weather. The reason that the Avro Arrow did not continue its development was that it was too costly, there were no foreign investments, and was poorly designed. The Avro Arrow was too costly. Although it was an expensive program, the company knew that there goal was achievable even in the armed forces. The cancellation of this program was also a very expensive option. It was estimated that the cancellation fees the government had to pay Avro, development could have been completed. The program was definitely troubled because of the four new systems. Avro was going to build the Arrows airframe, the Orenda engine, the Sparrow missile, and the Astra fire control system. Ultimately, the costly missile and fire control system was abandoned, which caused the drop in the aircrafts price, but it was too late for the Avro company to sell the aircraft at a high rate. The important thing was that the Avro Arrow was built without a prototype; it had been constructed in a way that made early development more expensive, but the following productions were cheaper. The parts for the first model were tooled on the assembly line and were constructed using machinery instead of custom made parts. This was supposed to speed the Avro into production. If the government had given the airplane more time to get foreign sales, the cost per plane would have gone down drastically. Its also important to remember that cost was never given as an official reason for the cancellation of the airplane. Another key factor was that the Arrow had no foreign investments. Its true that America and British sales were not on the horizon. It was also clear that these countries hardly bought foreign aircrafts ...

Right To Live essays

Right To Live essays Physician-assisted suicide presents one of the greatest dilemmas tothe medical profession. Should someone who is mentally competent, but deemed terminally ill, be allowed to engagein physician-assisted suicide? According to the First Amendment of The Constitution of The United States, one hasthe freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The Fourteenth Amendment states, The Statecannot deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny any person within itsjurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The group believes that a terminally ill patient has the Constitutionalright to decide whether or not to end his or her life with the help of a licensed medical doctor. There have been many cases overthe years where a terminally ill patient who is mentally competent has made the choice to either partake in physician-assistedsuicide or euthanasia. Physician-assisted suicide occurs when the physician provides thepatient with the means and/or knowledge to commit suicide(Death and Dying,91). Euthanasia is when the physicianadministers the death causing drug or agent(Death and Dying,92). The most recent case is that of The Stateof Florida v. Charles Hall. Charles Hall is dying of AIDS and challenged the State of Florida to let him die bya self-administered lethal injection without fear of prosecution(rights.org/ deathnet/open.html). On January31, 1997, a Judge ruled that Charles Hall could take his own life with the aid of a doctor. Senior Judge S. JosephDavis, brought in from Seminole County, found that Floridas strict privacy law and the equal protection clause in theU.S. Constitution entitled Hall, 35, and Dr. McIver to carry out an assisted death without fear of prosecution (Sun-Sentinel,1A). On February 11, 1997, Charles Halls ...

Discourse community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discourse community - Essay Example There is a certain universality in the language that transcends national boundaries and specific dialects. It is a language that is used very strongly in social exclusion which also implies a strong bond for those who benefit from the reverse which is inclusion. Discourse within the military organization can be regarded as the formalized way of thinking about important matters related to war, discipline, hierarchy, loyalty, courage and love of country that has been manifested through specialized language its members know of. Military discourse is designed exclusively to maintain cohesion within the organization but quite often, the discourse also affects other sectors of society. In this paper, I will talk about the different and unique aspects of military discourse with regard to certain matters in life. Obedience – military discourse does not discount the possibility of confrontation. In fact, military men are trained in the art of war and are expected to resolve issues by force if necessary. However, much of military discourse, especially those used during their training, is geared towards obedience and respect for authority. The reason for this is quite obvious which is to maintain the rigid hierarchical structure in a military organization. The need to maintain a strict discipline is the reason for using this discourse (Bartle & Heinecken 81). Discipline is the backbone by which the hierarchy is being reinforced daily through total obedience. Exclusion – due to the very nature of their task which is to defend the country against external threats, the military by tradition, necessity and practice is discriminatory. What this means is that the military leadership uses language and policies to exclude some groups or individuals which it deems as unfit to render military service. These groups can include homosexuals, transsexuals, so-called conscientious objectors who resist the draft, convicted felons, handicapped people and persons who do

This is a medical law problem question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

This is a medical law problem question - Essay Example She breached that duty of care by acting in a manner inconsistent with the reasonable standard of care which caused Paulo to suffer injury as a result of her breach of the duty of care. She knows that it is mandatory to obtain the valid consent of the patient before any medical or surgical treatment is performed on the patient. Hence, she must also be made liable for the damages, together with the doctor for the injury sustained by Paulo. The hospital also has a vicarious liability for the tort of battery and negligence committed by their doctor and nurse. As their employers, the hospital can be sued in the event their employees cannot compensate Paulo for the damage caused to him. Under the law, Paulo has the right to sue the hospital, and in return, the hospital has the obligation to compensate Paulo for the unsafe medical practice committed against him. Paulo should also file a case for negligence and damages against Doc Torr for his failure to warn him of the risks and side-effec ts of the surgical treatment before the actual operation. Clearly, there was a breach of duty on the part of the doctor for failure to inform his patient that there is a 0.5% possibility that he will lose his voice. Such material fact should be made known to the patient since the doctor knows that the patient is an opera singer by profession. Paulo has the right to request for his health record, â€Å"which consists of information relating to the physical or mental health or condition of an individual made by a health professional in connection to his care†( BMA Ethics). Before a medical practitioner examines and/or treats a patient, a valid consent must be given by the patient. If the said doctor proceeds with the examination without obtaining consent from the patient, whether express or implied, and done against that person’s will and without any statutory authority to do so, that surgeon may incur civil liability for violation of the tort of trespass against the per son and criminal liability in accordance with the provisions of Offences Against the Person Act of 1861. The truth is that most cases covered by this area are brought about due to negligence as the cause of action in the tort or damage committed by the doctor. However, in order for the action to prosper, the claimant must show proof that a valid consent from the patient to allow the medical treatment was absent. In this case, no valid consent was obtained by Dr. Torr from his patient Paulo. Thus, the doctor is liable for negligence. The term â€Å"consent† was best described in the case of Cardozo J, Schoelendorff v New York Hospital which provides: â€Å"Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his own body.1† While in the case of F V West Berkshire Health Authority, Lord Goff has stated that: â€Å"Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his own body†. 2 In the case at bar, Paulo is an adult who has the capacity to give consent to the medical treatment that will be done to his own body. The requirement of consent to treatment reflects the basic right to self-determination. The act of Doc Torr makes him liable for two things: 1.) Failure to obtain a valid consent from his client; and 2.)Non-disclosure of the vital information of inherent risk

Textual Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Textual Analysis - Essay Example Victor’s father’s death is the central event that unites Victor and Thomas. Without this death, in Phoenix, Arizona, both men would have continued to live their lives unchanged. As the trip begins, Victor wants only money from Thomas to make this trip alone. When Thomas stipulates that Victor can only have money for the trip, if he is allowed to come along, Victor reluctantly agrees. As the journey unfolds Victor finds that Thomas is worth much more than the money for the trip. Although it is no exaggeration to say that the trip is the most important event to accomplish in the beginning, in the end the trip itself was the important event. The use of flashback in this story helps the reader understand the past between Victor and Thomas. Without the understanding of Victor and Thomas’ past, the reader would be unable to grasp the importance of the trip for Victor’s father’s ashes. Since they are both Native Americans, death and life are perceived differently on the reservation, than in the white community of Spokane, Washington. Thomas’ storytelling relates the foundation of both young men in order for the reader to understand the importance of the trip. Not only Victor, but Thomas had a special relationship with Victor’s father as well. Thomas told Victor of the remembrance with his father during the long journey. He was thirteen years old, having a dream to get to Spokane. He stood there for awhile to have a vision at the falls waiting for the vision all Native American men have around that age. Instead of a vision, when he opened his eyes Victor’s father appeared. He took Thomas to a Denny’s restaurant, fed him and drove him home to the reservation. And then Thomas realized Victor’s father was his vision and dream that people are living under taking care of each other. He almost thought his dream betrayed him before that, but he was salvaged

William Cowper Essay Example for Free

William Cowper Essay I am writing to tell you all about my misfortunes I had last month upon my wedding day. My wife decided that after 10years of marriage that it was time to go on holiday for the first time. As you know, she is very conscious about money and extremely proud, so she brought a carriage for herself, our 3children, her sister and her child, and so I had to ride upon horseback behind them but no-one was able to know. So once the morning arrived, I kissed her goodbye and we set off. The horse was misbehaving; I could not control him at all, all the time he was bucking, trotting and galloping when it wasnt necessary and especially on stony roads, so I fell off about twice. Then Betty came running back to me and said that we had left the alcohol behind and so I tied it to my belt, one on each side so I was balanced and so I could try to not fall off of the horse. Once on my way for the second time, I finally got to some smoother road which became easier for the horse to ride upon. But instead of the easiness I believed this road would be it was the complete opposite, the horse got faster, he began trotting. I tried to get him to slow down but he wouldnt and the trot soon turned into a gallop, even though I pulled the reins and demanded him to stop. It was terrifying, I was holding onto the reins for dear life. He continued to do this for miles, even through the towns. The towns people even believed I was racing and so cheered me on. I was confused and it scared the horse so it again galloped off leaving me holding on for dear life. I finally reached where I was meant to be and where my wife and the rest of my family were waiting for me. We went past them and they shouted after me to stop as they were all hungry and wanted to rest but the horse kept going and wouldnt stop. We kept going until we reached the horses owners horse, and finally the horse stopped! I got off the horse and spoke to its owner. He offered me dinner at his home, but I declined his request as it felt stupid to be having dinner in a different town to my wife, especially on our wedding evening. We were about to set off again, when suddenly a donkey made a noise and the horse set off yet again. We went racing on again, and once more we passed straight through the town I was meant to be staying. This time my wife saw me going past and told a messenger boy that if he caught up with me and brought me back safely then she would give him half-a-crown. So the boy set off after me and tried to stop my horse three times by pulling at the reins. Unfortunately that didnt work, and the horse got more scared and so galloped faster and faster. We then went past some other people who thought I was a highwayman as I was riding away and the boy was chasing after me. They kept shouting at me stop thief and as I didnt they all joined in, in the chase. When we arrived at the town I was meant to being staying at they thought I was still racing and so cheered me on even more, as they thought I had won. Was indeed a very bizarre way to spend my wedding day, and although I regret being away from my wife on that day I do not regret anything that happened that day!

The Real World Of Technology B Essay -- essays research papers fc

In her book, The Real World of Technology (1999), Ursula M. Franklin argues that technology has a disruptive effect on humanity. If left-unchecked technology will eventually destroy society as we know it. Franklin illustrates her point by focusing on the effects technology has had on society and cultures in the past. She uses examples from China before the Common Era to the Roman Empire, with a majority of examples coming form the last one hundred and fifty years. Such as the Industrial Revolution and the invention of electronic mail. Franklin contends that for society's sake, people must question everything before accepting new technologies into their world. In the book, Franklin's argument urges people to come together and participate in public reviews and discuss or question technological practices that lead to a world that is designed for technology and not for society. The Real World Of Technology attempts to show how society is affected by every new invention that comes onto th e market and supposedly makes life more easy going and hassle free while making work more productive and profitable. The lectures argue that 'technology has built the house in which we live'; (Franklin, p.1) and that this house is continually changing and being renovated. There is very little human activity outside of the house, and all in habitants are affected by the 'design of the house, by the division of its space, by the location of its doors and walls.'; (p.1). Franklin claims that; rarely does society step outside of the house to live, when compared with generations past. The goal for leaving the house is not to enter the natural environment, because in Franklin's terms 'environment essentially means what is around us… that constructed, manufactured, built environment that is the day-in-day-out [sic] setting of much of the contemporary world of technology.'; (p.89). Nature today is seen as a construct instead of as a 'force or entity with its own dynamics.'; (p.85). Th e book claims that society vies nature the same way as society views infrastructure as 'something that is there to accommodate us, to facilitate or be part of our lives, subject to our planning.'; (p.85). Franklin writes in-depth about infrastructure and especially technological infrastructure. She claims that since the Industrial Revolution, corporations as well as governments using public funds... ... to realize that the influx of technology and society's greater dependence of it may just be another step of evolution. Just as humans grew out of the ape and the hammer out of the twig, so to may the children and their tools of tomorrow grow to become something greater than even we can imagine. The Real World of Technology presents a lot of relevant issues with today's world. The points made about the environment illuminate a serious problem and the use of Franklin's redemptive technologies are what is needed if there will be any correcting of the damage done. While The Real World of Technology provides useful insights into technology's past and the role it has had on shaping our current way of being. The glimpses into the future are less useful. Franklin can not help but have a biased view of the world to come because she only has the world that she has lived in to use as a comparison and model. The society of the future however, cannot and should not be used to make comparison s, for it will be a society like no other-one that the people of today could not even imagine. Works Cited Franklin, Ursula M. The Real World of Technology. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Limited, 1999 ed.

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 4

Chapter 4 HAVE YOURSELF A NASTY LITTLE CHRISTMAS Josh wiped the tears off his face, took a deep breath, and headed up the walk to his house. He was still shaking from having seen Santa take a shovel in the throat, but now it occurred to him that it might not be enough to get him out of trouble. The first thing his mom would say was, Well, what were you doing out so late anyway? And dumb Brian, who was not Josh's real dad but Mom's dumb boyfriend, would say, â€Å"Yeah, Santa would probably still be alive if you hadn't stayed so long at Sam's house.† So, there on the front step, he decided to go with total hysteria. He started breathing hard, pumping up some tears, got a good whimpering sob going, then opened the door with a dieseling back sniffle. He fell onto the welcome mat and let loose with a full fire-truck-siren wail. And nothing happened. No one said a word. No one came running. So Josh crawled into the living room, trailing a nice fiber-optic string of drool from his lower lip to the carpet as he chanted a mucusy â€Å"Momma,† knowing that it would completely disarm her temper and get her all fired up to protect him from dumb Brian, for whom he had no magic manipulation chant. But nobody called him, nobody came running, dumb Brian was not sprawled across the couch like the great sleepy slug that he was. Josh wound it down. â€Å"Mom?† Just the hint of a sob there, ready to go full bore again when she answered. He went into the kitchen, where the memo light was blinking on Mom's machine. Josh wiped his nose on his sleeve and hit the button. â€Å"Hi, Joshy,† his mom said, her cheerful overtired voice. â€Å"Brian and I had to go out to eat with some buyers. There's a Stouffer's mac and cheese in the freezer. We should be home before eight. Do your homework. Call my cell if you get scared.† Josh couldn't believe the luck. He checked the clock on the microwave. Only seven-thirty. Excellent! Latch-keyed loose like a magic elf. Yes! Dumb Brian had come through with a business dinner. He grabbed the Stouffer's out of the freezer, popped it – box and all – into the microwave, and hit the preset time. You didn't really have to peel the plastic back like they said. If you just nuke it in the box, the cardboard will keep it from exploding all over the microwave when the plastic goes. Josh didn't know why they didn't just put that in the instructions. He went back into the living room, turned on the TV, and plopped down on the floor in front of it to wait for the microwave to beep. Maybe he should call Sam, he thought. Tell him about Santa. But Sam didn't believe in Santa. He said that Santa was just something the goys made up to make them feel better about not having a menorah. That was crap, of course. Goys (a Jewish word for girls and boys, Sam had explained) didn't want a menorah. They wanted toys. Sam was just saying that because he was mad because instead of Christmas they had snipped the tip of his penis off and said mazel tov. â€Å"Wow, sucks to be you,† said Josh. â€Å"We're the Chosen,† said Sam. â€Å"Not for kickball† â€Å"Shut up.† â€Å"No, you shut up.† â€Å"No, you shut up.† Sam was Josh's best friend and they understood each other, but would Sam know what to do about a murder? Especially a murder of an important person? You were supposed to go to an adult in these situations, Josh was pretty sure of it. Fire, an injured friend, a bad touch, you were supposed to tell an adult, a parent, a teacher, or a policeman, and no one would be mad at you. (But if you found your mom's boyfriend lighting a giant chili-dog-and-beer fart in the garage workshop, the police absolutely did not want to know about it. Josh had learned that lesson the hard way.) A commercial came on, and Josh's mac and cheese was still surfing the microwaves, so he debated calling 911 or praying, and decided to go with the prayer. Like calling 911, you weren't supposed to pray for just anything. For instance, God did not care whether or not you got your bandicoot through the fire level on PlayStation, and if you asked for help there, there was a good chance that he would ignore you when you really needed help, like for a spelling test or if your mom got cancer. Josh reckoned it was sort of like cell-phone minutes, but this seemed like a real emergency. â€Å"Our Heavenly Father,† Josh began. You never used God's first name – that was like a commandment or something. â€Å"This is Josh Barker, six-seventy-one Worchester Street, Pine Cove, California nine-three-seven, five-four. I saw Santa tonight, which was great, and thank you for that, but then, right after I saw him, he got killed with a shovel, and so, I'm afraid that there's not going to be any Christmas and I've been good, which I'm sure you'll see if you check Santa's list, so if you don't mind could you please make Santa come back to life and make everything okay for Christmas?† No, no, no, that sounded really selfish. Quickly he added: â€Å"And a Happy Hanukkah to you and all the Jewish people like Sam and his family. Mazel tov.† There. Perfect. He felt a lot better. The microwave beeped and Josh ran to the kitchen, right into the legs of a really tall man in a long black coat who was standing by the counter. Josh screamed and the man took him by the arms, picked him up, and looked him over like he was a gemstone or a really tasty dessert. Josh kicked and squirmed, but the blond man held him fast. â€Å"You're a child,† said the blond man. Josh stopped kicking for a second and looked into the impossibly blue eyes of the stranger, who was now studying him in much the same way a bear might examine a portable television while wondering how to get all those tasty little people out of it. â€Å"Well, duh,† said Josh. The Christmas tree took a wide left onto Cypress Street. Finding that somewhat suspicious, Constable Theophilus Crowe pulled in behind it as he dug the little blue light out of the glove compartment of his Volvo and stuck it on the roof. Theo was relatively sure that there was a vehicle under the Christmas tree somewhere, but all he could see right now were the taillights shining through the branches in the back. As he followed the tree up Cypress, past the burger stand and Brine's Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines, a pinecone the size of a Nerf football broke loose and rolled off to the side of the street, bouncing and thumping into one of the gas pumps. Theo hit the siren one time, just a chirp, thinking he'd better stop this before someone got hurt. There was no way that the driver under the Christmas tree could see the road clearly. The tree was driving trunk first, so the widest, thickest branches were covering the front of the vehicle. The tree's tires chirped with a downshift. It killed the lights and screeched around the corner on Worchester Street, leaving a trail of rolling pinecones and pine-fresh exhaust. Under normal circumstances, if a suspect tried to elude Theo, he would have called it into the county sheriff's immediately, hoping a deputy in the area might provide backup, but he'd be damned if he was going to call in that he was in hot pursuit of a fugitive Christmas tree. Theo turned the siren onto full shriek and took off up the hill after the fleeing conifer, thinking for the fiftieth time that day that life had seemed a lot easier when he'd smoked pot. â€Å"Boy, you don't see that every day,† said Tucker Case, who was sitting at a window table at H.P.'s Caf, waiting for Lena to come back from freshening up in the rest-room. H.P.'s – a mix of pseudo Tudor and Country Kitchen Cute – was Pine Cove's most popular restaurant, and tonight it was completely packed. The waitress, a pretty redhead in her forties, glanced up from the tray of drinks she was delivering and said, â€Å"Yeah, Theo hardly ever chases anyone.† â€Å"That Volvo was chasing a pine tree,† Tuck said. â€Å"Could be,† said the waitress. â€Å"Theo used to do a lot of drugs.† â€Å"No, really – † Tuck tried to explain, but she had headed back to the kitchen. Lena was returning to the table. She was still in the black tank top under an open flannel shirt, but she had washed the streaks of mud from her face and her dark hair was brushed out around her shoulders. To Tuck she looked like the sexy but tough Indian guide chick in the movies, who always leads the group of nerdy businessmen into the wilderness where they are assaulted by vicious rednecks, bears gone mutant from exposure to phosphate laundry detergent, or ancient Indian spirits with a grudge. â€Å"You look great,† Tuck said. â€Å"Are you Native American?† â€Å"What was the siren about?† Lena asked, sliding into the seat across from him. â€Å"Nothing. A traffic thing.† â€Å"This is just so wrong.† She looked around, as if everyone knew how wrong it was. â€Å"Wrong.† â€Å"No, it's good,† Tuck said with a big smile, trying to make his blue eyes twinkle in the candlelight, but forgetting where exactly his twinkle muscles were located. â€Å"We'll have a nice meal, get to know each other a little.† She leaned over the table and whispered harshly, â€Å"There's a dead man out there. A man I used to be married to.† â€Å"Shh, shh, shh,† Tuck shushed, gently placing a finger against her lip, trying to sound comforting and maybe a little European. â€Å"Now is not the time to talk of this, my sweet.† She grabbed his finger and bent it back. â€Å"I don't know what to do.† Tuck was twisted in his seat, leaning back to relieve the unnatural angle in which his finger was pointing. â€Å"Appetizer?† he suggested. â€Å"Salad?† Lena let go of his finger and covered her face with her hands. â€Å"I can't do this.† â€Å"What? It's just dinner,† said Tuck. â€Å"No pressure.† He had never really dated much – gone on dates, that is. He'd met and seduced a lot of women, but it was never over a series of evenings with dinner and conversation – usually just some drinks and vulgarity at an airport hotel lounge had done the trick. He felt it was time he behaved like a grown-up – get to know a woman before he slept with her. His therapist had suggested it right before she'd stopped treating him, right after he'd hit on her. It wasn't going to be easy. In his experience things went a lot better with women before they got to know him, when they could still project hope and potential on him. â€Å"We just buried my ex-husband,† Lena said. â€Å"Sure, sure, but then we delivered Christmas trees to the poor. A little perspective, huh? A lot of people have buried their spouses.† â€Å"Not personally. With the shovel they killed him with.† â€Å"You may want to keep it down a little.† Tuck checked the diners at the nearby tables to see if they were listening, but they all seemed to be discussing the pine tree that had just driven by. â€Å"Let's talk about something else. Interests? Hobbies? Movies?† Lena tossed her head as if she didn't hear him right, then stared as if to say, Are you nuts? â€Å"Well, for instance,† he pressed on, â€Å"I rented the strangest movie last night. Did you know that Babes in Toyland was a Christmas movie?† â€Å"Of course, what did you think it was?† â€Å"Well, I thought, well – now it's your turn. What's your favorite movie?† Lena leaned close to Tuck and searched his eyes to see if he might be joking. Tuck batted his eyelashes, trying to look innocent. â€Å"Who are you?† Lena finally asked. â€Å"I told you.† â€Å"But, what's wrong with you? You shouldn't be so – so calm, while I'm a nervous wreck. Have you done this kind of thing before?† â€Å"Sure. Are you kidding? I'm a pilot, I've eaten in restaurants all over the world.† â€Å"Not dinner, you idiot! I know you've had dinner before! What, are you retarded?† â€Å"Okay, now everybody is looking. You can't just say ‘retarded' in public like that – people take offense because, you know, many of them are. You're supposed to say ‘developmentally disabled. â€Å" Lena stood up and threw her napkin on the table. â€Å"Tucker, thank you for helping me, but I can't do this. I'm going to go talk to the police.† She turned and stormed through the restaurant toward the door. â€Å"We'll be back,† Tuck called to the waitress. He nodded to the nearby tables. â€Å"Sorry. She's a little high-strung. She didn't mean to say ‘retarded. † Then he went after Lena, snatching his leather jacket off the back of his chair as he went. He caught up with her as she was rounding the corner of the building into the parking lot. He caught her by the shoulder and spun her around, making sure that she saw that he was smiling when she completed the turn. Blinking Christmas lights played red and green highlights across her dark hair, making the scowl she was aiming at him seem festive. â€Å"Leave me alone, Tucker. I'm going to the police. I'll just explain that it was just an accident.† â€Å"No. I won't let you. You can't.† â€Å"Why can't I?† â€Å"Because I'm your alibi.† â€Å"If I turn myself in, I won't need an alibi.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Well?† â€Å"I want to spend Christmas with you.† Lena softened, her eyes going wide, the swell of a tear watering up in one eye. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Really.† Tuck was more than a little uncomfortable with his own honesty – he was standing like someone had just poured hot coffee in his lap and he was trying to keep the front of his pants from touching him. Lena held out her arms and Tuck walked into them, guiding her hands inside his jacket and around his ribs. He rested his cheek against her hair and took a deep breath, enjoying the smell of her shampoo and the residual pine scent picked up from handling the Christmas trees. She didn't smell like a murderer – she smelled like a woman. â€Å"Okay,† she whispered. â€Å"I don't know who you are, Tucker Case, but I think I'd like to spend Christmas with you, too.† She buried her face in his chest and held him until there was a thump against his back, followed by a loud scratching noise on his jacket. She pushed him back just as the fruit bat peeked his little doggie face over the pilot's shoulder and barked. Lena leaped back and screamed like a bunny in a blender. â€Å"What in the hell is that?† she asked, backing across the parking lot. â€Å"Roberto,† Tuck said. â€Å"I mentioned him before.† â€Å"This is too weird. Too weird.† Lena began to chant and pace in a circle, glancing up at Tuck and his bat every couple of seconds. She paused. â€Å"He's wearing sunglasses.† â€Å"Yeah, and don't think it's easy finding Ray-Bans in a fruit-bat medium.† Meanwhile, up at the Santa Rosa Chapel, Constable Theophilus Crowe had finally caught up to the fugitive Christmas tree. He trained the headlights of the Volvo on the suspect evergreen and stood behind the car door for cover. If he'd had a public-address system he would have used it to issue commands, but since the county had never given him one, he shouted. â€Å"Get out of the vehicle, hands first, and turn and face me!† If he'd had a weapon he would have drawn it, but he'd left his Glock on the top shelf of his closet next to Molly's old nicked-up broadsword. He realized that the car door was actually only providing cover to the lower third of his body, and he reached down and rolled up the window. Then, feeling awkward, he slammed the door and loped toward the Christmas tree. â€Å"Goddammit, come out of the tree. Right now!† He heard a car window whiz down and then a voice. â€Å"Oh my, Officer, you are so forceful.† A familiar voice. Somewhere under there was a Honda CRV – and the woman he had married. â€Å"Molly?† He should have known. Even when she stayed on her meds, as she had promised she would, she could still be â€Å"artistic.† Her term. The branches of the big pine tree shuffled and out stepped his wife, wearing a green Santa hat, jeans, red sneakers, and a jean jacket with studs down the sleeves. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail that trailed down her back. She might have been a biker elf. She rushed out of the branches as if she were ducking the blades of a helicopter, then ran to his side. â€Å"Look at this magnificent son of a bitch!† She gestured to the tree, put her arm around his waist, pulled him close, humped his leg a little. â€Å"Isn't it great?† â€Å"It certainly is – uh, large. How'd you get it on the car? â€Å"Took some time. I hoisted it up on some ropes, then drove under it. Do you think there'll be a flat spot where it dragged on the road?† Theo looked the tree up and down, back and forth, watched the car exhaust boiling out of the branches. He wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he had to ask. â€Å"You didn't buy this at the hardware store, did you?† â€Å"No, there was a problem with that. But I saved a ton of money. Cut it myself. Completely totaled my broadsword, but look at this son of a bitch. Look at this glorious bastard!† â€Å"You cut it down with your sword?† Theo wasn't so worried about what she had cut it down with, but from where she'd cut it. He had a secret in the forest near their cabin. â€Å"Yeah. We don't have a chain saw that I don't know about, do we?† â€Å"No.† Actually they did, in the garage, hidden behind some paint cans. He'd hidden it when her  «artistic » moments had been more frequent. â€Å"That's not the problem, sweetie. I think the problem is that it's too big.† â€Å"No,† she said, walking the length of the tree now, pausing to jump through the branches and turn off the Honda's engine. â€Å"That's where you're wrong. Observe, double doors into the chapel.† Theo observed. The chapel did, indeed, have double doors. There was a single mercury lamp illuminating the gravel parking lot, but he could clearly see the little white chapel, the shadows of gravestones showing dimly behind it – a graveyard where they'd been planting Pine Covers for a hundred years. â€Å"And the ceiling in the main room is thirty feet tall at the peak. This tree is only twenty-nine feet tall. We pull it through the doors backward and stand that baby up. I'll need your help, but, you know, you don't mind.† â€Å"I don't?† Molly pulled open her jean jacket and flashed Theo, exposing his favorite breasts, right down to the shiny scar that ran across the top of the right one, cocked up like a curious purple eyebrow. It was like unexpectedly running into two tender friends, both a little pale from being out of the sun, a tad humbled by time, but with alert pink noses upturned by the night chill. And as quickly as they appeared, the jacket was pulled shut and Theo felt like he'd been shut out in the cold. â€Å"Okay, I don't mind,† he said, trying to buy time for the blood to return to his brain. â€Å"How do you know the ceiling is thirty feet tall?† â€Å"From our wedding pictures. I cut you out and used you to measure the whole building. It was just under five Theos tall.† â€Å"You cut up our wedding pictures?† â€Å"Not the good ones. Come on, help me get the tree off the car.† She turned quickly and her jacket fanned out behind her. â€Å"Molly, I wish you wouldn't go out like that.† â€Å"You mean like this?† She turned, lapels in hand. And there they were again, his pink-nosed friends. â€Å"Let's get the tree set up and then do it in the graveyard, okay?† She jumped a little for emphasis and Theo nodded, following the recoil. He suspected that he was being manipulated, enslaved by his own sexual weakness, but he couldn't quite figure out why that was a bad thing. After all, he was among friends. â€Å"Sweetheart, I'm a peace officer, I can't –  » â€Å"Come on, it will be nasty.† She said nasty like it meant delicious, which is what she meant. â€Å"Molly, after five years together, I'm not sure we're supposed to be nasty.† But even as he said it, Theo was moving toward the big evergreen, looking for the ropes that secured it to the Honda. Over in the graveyard, the dead, who had been listening all along, began to murmur anxiously about the new Christmas tree and the impending sex show. They'd heard it all, the dead: crying children, wailing widows, confessions, condemnations, questions that they could never answer; Halloween dares, raving drunks-invoking the ghosts or just apologizing for drawing breath; would-be witches, chanting at indifferent spirits, tourists rubbing the old tombstones with paper and charcoal like curious dogs scratching at the grave to get in. Funerals, confirmations, communions, weddings, square dances, heart attacks, junior-high hand jobs, wakes gone awry, vandalism, Handel's Messiah, a birth, a murder, eighty-three Passion plays, eighty-five Christmas pageants, a dozen brides barking over tombstones like taffeta sea lions as the best man gave it to them dog style, and now and again, couples who needed something dark and smelling of damp earth to give their sex life a jolt: the dead had heard it. â€Å"Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah!† Molly cried from her seat astraddle the town constable, who was squirming on an uncomfortable bed of plastic roses a few feet above a dead schoolteacher. â€Å"They always think they're the first ones. Ooooo, let's do it in the graveyard,† said Bess Leander, whose husband had served her foxglove tea with her last breakfast. â€Å"I know, there are three used condoms on my grave from this week alone,† said Arthur Tannbeau, citrus farmer, deceased five years. â€Å"How can you tell?† They heard everything, but their vision was limited. â€Å"The smell.† â€Å"That's disgusting,† said Esther, the schoolteacher. It's hard to shock the dead. Esther was feigning disgust. â€Å"What's all the racket? I was sleeping.† Malcolm Cowley, antique book dealer, myocardial infarction over Dickens. â€Å"Theo Crowe, the constable, and his crazy wife doing it on Esther's grave,† said Arthur. â€Å"I'll bet she's off her meds.† â€Å"Five years they've been married and they're still at this kind of thing?† Since her death, Bess had taken a strong antirelationship stance. â€Å"Postmarital sex is so pedestrian.† Malcolm again, ever bored with provincial, small-town death. â€Å"Some postmortem sex, that's what I could use,† said the late Marty in the Morning, KGOB radio's top DJ with a bullet – a pioneer carjack victim back when hair bands ruled the airwaves. â€Å"A rave in the grave, if you get my meaning.† â€Å"Listen to her. I'd like to slip the bone to her,† said Jimmy Antalvo, who'd kissed a pole on his Kawasaki to remain ever nineteen. â€Å"Which one?† Marty cackled. â€Å"The new Christmas tree sounds lovely,† said Esther. â€Å"I do hope they sing ‘Good King Wenceslas' this year.† â€Å"If they do,† spouted the moldy book dealer, â€Å"you'll find me justly spinning in my grave.† â€Å"You wish,† said Jimmy Antalvo. â€Å"Hell, I wish.† The dead did not spin in their graves, they did not move – nor could they speak, except to one another, voices without air. What they did was sleep, awakening to listen, to chat a bit, then, eventually, to never wake again. Sometimes it took twenty years, sometimes as long as forty before they took the big sleep, but no one could remember hearing a voice from longer ago than that. Six feet above them, Molly punctuated her last few convulsive climactic bucks with, â€Å"I – AM – SO – GOING – TO – WASH – YOUR – VOLVO – WHEN – WE – GET – HOME! YES! YES! YES!† Then she sighed and fell forward to nuzzle Theo's chest as she caught her breath. â€Å"I don't know what that means,† Theo said. â€Å"It means I'm going to wash your car for you.† â€Å"Oh, it's not a euphemism, like, wash the old Volvo. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge?† â€Å"Nope. It's your reward.† Now that they were finished, Theo was having a hard time ignoring the plastic flowers that were impressed in his bare backside. â€Å"I thought this was my reward.† He gestured to her bare thighs on either side of him, the divots her knees had made in the dirt, her hair played out across his chest. Molly pushed up and looked down at him. â€Å"No, this was your reward for helping me with the Christmas tree. Washing your car is your reward for this.† â€Å"Oh,† Theo said. â€Å"I love you.† â€Å"Oh, I think I'm going to be sick,† said a newly dead voice from across the woods. â€Å"Who's the new guy?† asked Marty in the Morning. The radio on Theo's belt, which was down around his knees, crackled. â€Å"Pine Cove Constable, come in. Theo?† Theo did an awkward sit-up and grabbed the radio. â€Å"Go ahead, Dispatch.† â€Å"Theo, we have a two-oh-seven-A at six-seven-one Worchester Street. The victim is alone and the suspect may still be in the area. I've dispatched two units, but they're twenty minutes out.† â€Å"I can be there in five minutes,† Theo said. â€Å"Suspect is a white male, over six feet, long blond hair, wearing a long black raincoat or overcoat.† â€Å"Roger, Dispatch. I'm on my way.† Theo was trying to pull his pants up with one hand while working the radio with the other. Molly was on her feet already, naked from the waist down, holding her jeans and sneakers rolled up under her left arm. She extended a hand to help Theo up. â€Å"What's a two-oh-seven?† â€Å"Not sure,† said Theo, letting her lever him to his feet. â€Å"Either an attempted kidnapping or a possum with a handgun.† â€Å"You have plastic flowers stuck to your butt.† â€Å"Probably the former, she didn't say anything about shots fired.† â€Å"No, leave them. They're cute.†

San Diego School System

Question 1: What is the appropriate discount rate for a government agency such as the San Diego City Schools? The appropriate discount rate should be determined from the federal risk free interest rate plus a small risk premium. The federal risk free interest rate in 2002 averaged 5. 4%. Using this as the base, a government agency other than the federal government would need to add a small risk premium to compensate investors for the additionalrisk associated with being a school district instead of the federal government. San Diego would also need to add additional compensation to account for tax factors. With these factors in mind, San Diego should use a discount factor of approximately 7. 8% (5. 4% risk free rate + . 5% risk premium + 1. 9% tax compensation). Question 2: Calculate the ROI for San Diego’s ERP system. How can you quantify the soft benefits of the system and include them in the analysis? The soft benefits can be quantified through creative assumptions. These assumptions can come from experiences others had when implementing similar solutions or from drawing on similarities between other quantifiable benefits. Other principals compared their successful implementation like receiving an additional recruiting team, valued at $320K/year, this can be used as the estimate for Weiman’simproved recruiting due to the HR solution. Likewise, SDCS spent $400k/year on an internal audit team to provide access to HR data, this team could be disbanded with the implementation of an HR solution leading to a $400k/year benefit. Improved employee morale and productivity could be measured by a lower turnover rate, leading to lower training costs and recruitment costs, as well as higher output rates leading to lower clerical demands and improved service. {draw:frame} Question 3: With the information you have access to, what should Weimann present and recommend at the board meeting? Specifically, would you recommend going forward with the HR system implementation? If not, what alternatives would you suggest? Currently, payroll is managed through paper time cards and time sheets, leading to errors and wasted hours for correction. Over twenty eight different forms are used to process various pay actions. With an ERP HR solution, these forms could be simplified, transitioned to paperless and would become more convenient as a result. The ERP HR solution would also result in fewer errors, with employees checking in and out through the system instead of paper cards. Employees would also be able to frequently check their timecard and make payroll aware of any errors, before paychecks were distributed eliminating, or greatly reducing, the need for any out of period paychecks which increased payroll processing costs dramatically. Employee benefits are currently handled by the benefits department which also monitors payments by employees and the benefits status of each employee. With an ERP solution, employees could be held responsible for their own payments and ensure good standing by monitoring their accounts. Question 4: What are the risks associated with the project? Would you advise the school board of these risks? As presenting the program to the school board, risks would be brought up in order to ensure no corners were cut after initial implementation. In would be advised and urged that the risks of implementation are natural and inevitable with any technological system. As with any ERP system, many setbacks will be crossed. However, the benefits clearly outweigh the risks and should implementation succeed, the school board will greatly benefit with long term cost reductions.

General Ambrose Burnside in the Civil War

General Ambrose Burnside in the Civil War The fourth of nine children, Ambrose Everett Burnside was born to Edghill and Pamela Burnside of Liberty, Indiana on May 23, 1824. His family had moved to Indiana from South Carolina shortly before his birth. As they were members of the Society of Friends, which opposed slavery, they felt they could no longer live in the South. As a young boy, Burnside attended Liberty Seminary until his mothers death in 1841. Cutting short his education, Burnsides father apprenticed him to a local tailor. West Point Learning the trade, Burnside elected to utilize his fathers political connections in 1843, to obtain an appointment to the US Military Academy. He did so despite his pacifist Quaker upbringing. Enrolling at West Point, his classmates included Orlando B. Willcox, Ambrose P. Hill, John Gibbon, Romeyn Ayres, and Henry Heth. While there he proved a middling student and graduated four years later ranked 18th in a class of 38. Commissioned as a brevet second lieutenant, Burnside received an assignment to the 2nd US Artillery. Early Career Sent to Vera Cruz to take part in the Mexican-American War, Burnside joined his regiment but found that the hostilities had largely been concluded. As a result, he and the 2nd US Artillery were assigned to garrison duty in Mexico City. Returning to the United States, Burnside served under Captain Braxton Bragg with the 3rd US Artillery on the Western Frontier. A light artillery unit that served with the cavalry, the 3rd helped protect the routes west. In 1949, Burnside was wounded in the neck during a fight with the Apaches in New Mexico. Two years later, he was promoted to first lieutenant. In 1852, Burnside returned east and assumed command of Fort Adams at Newport, RI. Private Citizen On April 27, 1852, Burnside married Mary Richmond Bishop of Providence, RI. The following year, he resigned his commission from the army (but remained in the Rhode Island Militia) to perfect his design for a breech-loading carbine. This weapon used a special brass cartridge (also designed by Burnside) and did not leak hot gas like many other breech-loading designs of the time. In 1857, Burnsides carbine won a competition at West Point against a multitude of competing designs. Establishing the Burnside Arms Company, Burnside succeeded in obtaining a contract from Secretary of War John B. Floyd to equip the US Army with the weapon. This contract was broken when Floyd was bribed to use another arms maker. Shortly thereafter, Burnside ran for Congress as a Democrat and was defeated in a landslide. His election loss, coupled with a fire at his factory, led to his financial ruin and forced him to sell the patent for his carbine design. The Civil War Begins Moving west, Burnside secured employment as the treasurer of the Illinois Central Railroad. While there, he became friendly with George B. McClellan. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Burnside returned to Rhode Island and raised the 1st Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry. Appointed its colonel on May 2, he traveled to Washington, DC with his men and quickly rose to brigade command in the Department of Northeast Virginia. He led the brigade at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, and was criticized for committing his men piecemeal. Following the Union defeat, Burnsides 90-day regiment was mustered out of service and he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on August 6. After serving in a training capacity with the Army of the Potomac, he was given command of the North Carolina Expeditionary Force at Annapolis, MD. Sailing for North Carolina in January 1862, Burnside won victories at Roanoke Island and New Bern in February and March. For these achievements, he was promoted to major general on March 18. Continuing to expand his position through the late spring of 1862, Burnside was preparing to launch a drive on Goldsborough when he received orders to bring part of his command north to Virginia. Army of the Potomac With the collapse of McClellans Peninsula Campaign in July, President Abraham Lincoln offered Burnside command of the Army of the Potomac. A humble man who understood his limitations, Burnside declined citing a lack of experience. Instead, he retained command of IX Corps which he had led in North Carolina. With the Union defeat at Second Bull Run that August, Burnside was again offered and again declined command of the army. Instead, his corps was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and he was made commander of the armys right wing consisting of IX Corps, now led by Major General Jesse L. Reno, and Major General Joseph Hookers I Corps. Serving under McClellan, Burnsides men took part in the Battle of South Mountain on September 14. In the fighting, I and IX Corps attacked at Turners and Foxs Gaps.   In the fighting, Burnsides men pushed back the Confederates but Reno was killed. Three days later at the Battle of Antietam, McClellan separated Burnsides two corps during the fight with Hookers I Corps ordered to the northern side of the battlefield and IX Corps ordered south. Antietam Assigned to capture a key bridge at the south end of the battlefield, Burnside refused to relinquish his higher authority and issued orders through the new IX Corps commander, Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox, despite the fact that the unit was the only one under his direct control. Failing to scout the area for other crossing points, Burnside moved slowly and focused his attack on the bridge which led to increased casualties. Due to his tardiness and the time needed to take the bridge, Burnside was unable to exploit his success once the crossing was taken and his advance was contained by Major General A.P. Hill. Fredericksburg In the wake of Antietam, McClellan was again sacked by Lincoln for failing to pursue General Robert E. Lees retreating army. Turning to Burnside, the president pressured the uncertain general into accepting command of the army on November 7. A week later, he approved Burnsides plan for taking Richmond which called for a rapid movement to Fredericksburg, VA with the goal of getting around Lee. Initiating this plan, Burnsides men beat Lee to Fredericksburg, but squandered their advantage while waiting for pontoons to arrive to facilitate crossing the Rappahannock River. Unwilling to push across local fords, Burnside delayed allowing Lee to arrive and fortify the heights west of the town. On December 13, Burnside assaulted this position during the Battle of Fredericksburg. Repulsed with heavy losses, Burnside offered to resign, but was refused. The next month, he attempted a second offensive which bogged down due to heavy rains. In the wake of the Mud March, Burnside asked that several officers who were openly insubordinate be court-martialed or he would resign. Lincoln elected for the latter and Burnside was replaced with Hooker on January 26, 1863. Department of the Ohio Not wishing to lose Burnside, Lincoln had him re-assigned to IX Corps and placed in command of the Department of the Ohio. In April, Burnside issued the controversial General Order No. 38 which made it a crime to express any opposition to the war. That summer, Burnsides men were key in the defeat and capture of the Confederate raider Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan. Returning to offensive action that fall, Burnside led a successful campaign which captured Knoxville, TN. With the Union defeat at Chickamauga, Burnside was attacked by the Confederate corps of Lieutenant General James Longstreet. A Return East Defeating Longstreet outside Knoxville in late November, Burnside was able aid in the Union victory at Chattanooga by preventing the Confederate corps from reinforcing Braggs army. The following spring, Burnside and IX Corps were brought east to aid in Lieutenant General Ulysses Grants Overland Campaign. Initially reporting directly to Grant as he outranked the Army of the Potomacs commander, Major General George Meade, Burnside fought at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania in May 1864. In both cases he failed to distinguish himself and often was reluctant to fully engage his troops. Failure at the Crater Following the battles at North Anna and Cold Harbor, Burnsides corps entered the siege lines at Petersburg. As the fighting stalemated, men from IX Corps 48th Pennsylvania Infantry proposed digging a mine under the enemy lines and detonating a massive charge to create a gap through which Union troops could attack. Approved by Burnside, Meade, and Grant, the plan went forward. Intending to use a division of specially trained black troops for the assault, Burnside was told hours before the attack to use white troops. The resulting Battle of the Crater was a disaster for which Burnside was blamed and relieved of his command on August 14. Later Life Placed on leave, Burnside never received another command and left the army on April 15, 1865. A simple patriot, Burnside never engaged in the political scheming or backbiting that was common to many commanders of his rank. Well aware of his military limitations, Burnside was repeatedly failed by the army which should never have promoted him command positions. Returning home to Rhode Island, he worked with various railroads and later served as governor and a US senator before dying of angina on September 13, 1881.