Using The Handmaids Tale Essay Topics

Using The Handmaid's Tale Essay Topics The Downside Risk of the Handmaid's Tale Essay Topics When it has to do with the facet of crime and drug abuse, it is wise to see or watch as opposed to try to experiment with dangerous things. It is crucial to remember that Offred's loss of her family due to their effort to escape from Gilead plays a substantial part in the methods she chooses to apply within her rebellion. It is clear that no other things would have so drastic consequences in the event the religious fundamentalists did not take the ability in the usa and produced a theocratic Republic of Gilead instead. Explain the factors for this resentment and talk about its final effect. Well, you could get an infection. Older folks are more inclined to experience balance disorders. Lies You've Been Told About the Handmaid's Tale Essay Topics But the Commander is dissatisfied with the official arrangement. You've got to lose yourself to be able to get there. It's been modified and updated to reflect the newest relevant info. It still does, if it is possible to secure a physician to order it. You will have to change doctors and try again to find proper therapy. So that the doctor solicitously supplies you with an antidepressant. The Ultimate Handmaid's Tale Essay Topics Trick These 3 characters do non move as they are suppose to. The absolute most basic elements that form the crux of the allegations are clearly contrived. Perhaps it's time to come up with a similar guideline for comparisons to chattel slavery. The show has seemingly taken a different stance on the subject. The situation is quite a bit worse in the event the youth don't have any gainful pursuits that occupy them since they will likely get started experimenting with various substances. You weren't created to become an extra in your life. All these slights and indignities are supposed to maintain a segment of the populace in what's believed to be their proper location. It more frequently appears at or close to the end of the very first paragraph. Shooting it's good times. But watching the show can be very stressful. But at the close of the day, it's a feminist story. Plaited stories which are progressively clear yet at the very same time fascinating are the indications of the TV plan of action. In the beginning, religion appears to be the central element of Gileadean society, defining all facets of life. She was able to convert to Christianity. Conclusion hence, the religious motifs are extremely strong in the Atwood's novel. Traditionalism and conservative views formed the mainstream of politics around the world, not just in the usa. the Handmaid's T ale Essay Topics - the Story If it dies, the King makes the decision to skin it. Thus, so as to ensure she doesn't lose herself, she holds on to her memories of her previous life and the former regime. Lady Shalott understands life by means of a mirror. That which we are left with, essentially, is a significant family drama. The Secret to the Handmaid's Tale Essay Topics You're likely to see lots of that. A feeling just like you or the things around you're spinning is called vertigo. In every one there's a particular thing that brings excitement. We are so active on social networking, but we're a ton less social in actual life. As you learn your worth, you will be able to set up standards and make healthful boundaries. If you realize that you are developing new relationships the very same or similar to past ones, you're in a cycle. The quality is quite good because it's not re-encoded. It is incredibly fantastic since it isn't re-encoded. The New Fuss About the Handm aid's Tale Essay Topics You will be sure to love fiddling with this exact modern and superior tech gadget since it has a number of features that are guaranteed to interest people. Sometimes people aren't always searching for the best interests of individuals. Sometimes they are just evil. The way that people think becomes different.

The Importance Of Error Analysis And Failure Mode Effects...

Introduction In every work environment, there are various continuous quality initiatives in place to improve organization’s product or service quality. For instance, in the United States, many patients have been losing lives due to serious and avoidable medical errors or safety events (Muething et al., 2012). For this reason, it is crucial to understand how these avertable medical errors or safety events can be prevented or eliminated. There are factors involved in the process of analyzing particular errors in an organization. This paper focuses on two processes of error analysis (Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA)) to address unnecessary medical errors (Serious Safety Events (SSE)). SSE in a healthcare†¦show more content†¦These encounters make it cumbersome to classify alleviate primary causes of harm. Therefore, it affects the ability of the society to identify and prove the efficacy of patient safety risk management solutions that decrease medic al errors and preventable serious safety events. Measures push for improvement, inform patients and effect payment. Both public and private payers apply measures to make a decision on the health providers they should contract and to enhance improvements in healthcare. Hence, describing, categorizing and emphasizing on harm prevention is critical for any practical risk management program. To prevent or eliminate numerous deaths related medical errors. American Society for Healthcare Risk Management has come up with Getting to Zero. Getting to Zero is a Serious Safety Events initiative, which emphasizes on event investigation stages. The core part of the investigation process is to establish harm-score. This always prompts an organizational response and risk management. Therefore, without proper and accurate harm-score examination, the chances for applying operational response may be wanting. American Society for Healthcare Risk Management developed Harm Classification Tool to help risk managers and health care leaders to group an event when deviation happens. Additionally, the tool aids them to ascertain what actions are suitable for a particular event. The tool supports the American SocietyShow MoreRelatedRISK MANAGEMENT Essays1345 Words   |  6 Pagesstaff lose Medical Error It is the failure of a planned action to be completed as intended (i.e. error of execution e.g. error of drug dose calculation) or the use of wrong plan to achieve an aim (I.e. error of planning e.g. wrong lab result leading to wrong management) Medical errors have the potential for physical, emotional and financial burden on the patient. Types of Medical Errors 1) Diagnostic errors: e.g. use of outdated tests resulting in false diagnosis 2) Treatment errors e.g. giving intramuscularRead MoreA Brief Note On The System Safety Engineering2272 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction 3 Analysis techniques 3 SWIFT 3 Concept of SWIFT 3 Suitable situations 4 Application of SWIFT 4 FMEDA 5 Concept of FMEDA 5 Suitable situations 6 Application of FMEDA 6 THERP 6 Concept of THERP 6 Suitable situations 7 Application of THERP 8 Conclusion 9 Reference 10 â€Æ' Introduction: In this review, three different analysis techniques will be discussed, including Structured What If Technique (SWIFT), Failure Modes, Effects, and Diagnostic Analysis (FMEDA) and Technique for Human Error-rate PredictionRead MoreWgu Rtt1 Task2 Essay2880 Words   |  12 PagesTask 2 Never events are serious medical errors that are often preventable. When such events transpire, it is necessary to fully assess the situation so that these errors can be prevented in the future. Root cause analysis (RCA) is a tool employed by healthcare facilities to analyze adverse events and the systems that lead to them. A. Root Cause Analysis â€Å"A central tenet of RCA is to identify underlying problems that increase the likelihood of errors while avoiding the trap of focusing on mistakesRead MoreFeasibility Of Preventive Maintenance On The Oil Pipelines1801 Words   |  8 PagesABSTRACT Oil spills have devastating effects wherever it occurs like damage to aquatic, aerial and terrestrial life. Most of NNPC’s oil spillage is largely due to pipeline corrosion. This paper will explore the feasibility of preventive maintenance on the oil pipelines which will aid in the prevention and early detection of oil leakages. The major causes of pipeline spillages are corrosion, stress, etc. Preventive maintenance practices on the oil pipelines consists of actions that will improve theRead MoreRoot Cause Analysis : Root Causes Analysis1853 Words   |  8 Pages ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS Root cause analysis process will utilize a systematic step-by-step approach to help identify all causative factors leading to this sentinel event. The main purpose of the Root Cause Analysis is to understand how the event happened, why did it happen, and what can be done to prevent an event from happening again. The first step, collect all necessary data associated with this event such as: current policy and procedures, incident report, Mr. B’s health history, environmentalRead MorePreventing Errors, Training And Track And Reduce Risks1567 Words   |  7 Pagesprevent errors, training to improve safety and track and reduce risks to patient were low with a score of 14.55/40 and 80/129. The preventive measures to reduce infection for handwashing was 30/30 and steps to prevent ventilator problem was 11.67/20. Communication in order to prevent medication errors was 35/35. The hospital has a Never Events policy, in the event of errors or adverse event the hospital takes respon sibility to apologize to patient, report to external agency, perform a root causeRead MoreRisk Management : Term Project1616 Words   |  7 Pages5. Triple Contrain 6. Topic Specific vs. All Inclusive 7. Conclusion 8. References 1. Introduction Risks are an inherent part of everything in life, but it is how we plan and prepare for them that determines the ultimate effect they have on us. We invest money in health insurance plans for when we get sick and invest time in preparing for exams should we encounter any difficult problems, so it definitely makes since to account for risk when it comes to construction projectsRead MoreFault Tree Analysis6823 Words   |  28 Pages1 FAULT TREE ANALYSIS 1. Introduction FTA is a deductive, failure-based approach. As a deductive approach, FTA starts with an undesired event, such as failure of a main engine, and then determines (deduces) its causes using a systematic, backward-stepping process. In determining the causes, a fault tree (FT) is constructed as a logical illustration of the events and their relationships that are necessary and sufficient to result in the undesired event, or top event. The symbols used in a FT indicateRead MoreImportance Of Strategic Planning Essay1196 Words   |  5 PagesImportance of Strategic Planning Strategic planning has a focus on stabilizing the current environment, and it also support the organizations business plans and goals. Strategic planning helps to implement new projects, new technology, consolidation of data centers, data warehouses, exponential data growth, cost of ownership, and resources available in an organization to assess the future requirements. Strategic planning analyzes the business plan, potential blockage or other issues in the currentRead MoreImportance of Strategic Planning1247 Words   |  5 PagesImportance of Strategic Planning Strategic planning has a focus on stabilizing the current environment, and it also support the organization s business plans and goals. Strategic planning helps to implement new projects, new technology, consolidation of data centers, data warehouses, exponential data growth, cost of ownership, and resources available in an organization to assess the future requirements. Strategic planning analyzes the business plan, potential blockage or other issues in the current

Reaction Paper Ten Commandments Essay Example For Students

Reaction Paper: Ten Commandments Essay I cant totally comment on the hole movie because we are not able to finish watching it due to limited time. But I can still remmember when I saw this movie since I was a kid, because were fun of watching this kind of movie during holy weeks, and this was also played in televisions in that time. The Ten Commandments is an incredible epic drama based on the Book of Exodus from the Old Testament. Although Im not at all religious in the traditional sense, I love this movie for the storyline, acting, and even special effects, which seem primitive by todays standards but are nevertheless quite impressive. The Ten Commandments is a moving tale of how the Hebrews escaped slavery in ancient Egypt and went on to form their own nation. Thus, this movie is mainly about the struggle for freedom as well as the price of maintaining it. Although the story is thousands of years old, The Ten Commandments, which is basically just a movie adaptation and expansion of the Book of Exodus, is still quite relevant. There are still parts of the world where peoples are being exploited by other peoples, and The Ten Commandments should be an inspiration to those oppressed to strive toward freedom. This freedom always comes at a price, however. For the ancient Hebrews, the price was to follow the Ten Commandments, which became adapted into Judeo-Christian law and custom. Nowadays I think that only four or five of the Ten Commandments actually apply to modern society because people today are evolving and liberating thus, others don’t follow The Ten Commandments maybe because of ignorance, though the other four still seem to serve us well. In any case, we will always need a law to govern ourselves, and Im pretty happy with our constitution now.

Performance Appraisal System free essay sample

Performance Appraisal System Antronette S. Hancock Axia College of University of Phoenix A performance appraisal system is a very important part of any successful organization. Both employees and organizational management and leaders benefit from a well-structured performance appraisal system. These systems offer feedback and rewards to employees who perform well, while at the same time holding employees accountable for their performance. The following report will describe the purpose, benefits, and elements of a good performance appraisal system, and outline a unique performace appraisal system for a human service organization. The purpose of a performance appraisal system is to provide an evaluation and feedback on an employees performance. Most organizations perform appraisals yearly and may call the appraisal by other terms-such as a review. Even if appraisals are performed annually, management should have weekly consultations or meetings with staff to ensure each employee is kept up-to-date with policies and each employee knows what is expected of him or her. We will write a custom essay sample on Performance Appraisal System or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A manager should not wait until the end of a year to let an employee know that there has been a performance problem for the last eight months. Problems should be addressed as they arise to prevent any surprises during the appraisal process. The evaluation portion of an appraisal system is normally performed by management. During this portion, management evaluates an employees performance to determine if there are any areas that need improvement. Ideally, all employees should be meeting or exceeding organizational standards. If an employee is not meeting standards, or has not met standards at some point within the previous year, his or her appraisal may have suggestions for improvement or there may be other consequences as a result of poor performace. The feedback portion of an appraisal system normally takes place between management and the employee who is being appraised. According to Caruth and Humphreys, appraisals should be formalized according to organizational procedure (2008). Feedback should be conducted in a private setting to ensure that the information being passed on is confidential. The manager should thoroughly explain the employees appraisal and encourage the employee to ask questions. The manager should also be attentive to what the employee says so the the employee does not feel like his or her comments or concerns are not important. From an employee viewpoint, the purpose of a performace appraisal is very different than that of the organization. According to Cash, the employee wants to know four things: what do you want me to do, how well have I done it, how can I improve my performance, and reward me for doing well (1993). These are the questions and expectations an employees need to know in order to perform his or her job well. Managers should make sure employees are aware of expectations each and every day while working. From the organizational viewpoint, one of the main purposes of an employee appraisal system is accountability. Employees need to be held accountable for their performance at all times. A good appraisal system outlines each employees responsibilities and performance rates to show accountability. This is especially important in organizations that have areas with overlapping responsibilities. Each employee needs to know specifically what he or she is held accountable for. There are many benefits of a good performance appraisal system. One of the benefits is that the appraisal process allows managers to have one-on-one time with employees that they may not get to have on a daily basis. Another benefit is that any existing problems can be addressed and, hopefully, solutions can be made so that the problem can be corrected. Appraisals also encourage employees to perform better in the future so that the next appraisal will be positive. Consider the following unique appraisal system for a human service organization. Each employee will be evaluated yearly. The evaluation will be based on three areas: work performance, attendance, and innovation. Work performace will acquire the biggest portion of the appraisal score because there are many factors involved. Work performance will be based on organizational standards, accuracy rates, timeliness standards, and customer satisfaction. Attendance scores will be based on the employees attendance history for the previous year. And Innovation scores will be given based on any ideas the employee has come up with to improve organizational processes or cut organizational costs. Once the scores are determined, a final appraisal score is given to the employee. Employees can compare these scores from year to year to see if his or her performance is acceptable for the organization. Employee appraisal systems are very beneficial for both employees and the organization. Appraisals provide feedback to employees concerning their performance and also holds each employee accountable.

Out of Shadows Essays

Out of Shadows Essays Out of Shadows Essay Out of Shadows Essay Change and racism evidently aids the characterisation and the development of the text because these significant themes help the portrayal of the characters as they are relatable in society. The text being explored is out of the Shadows by Jason Wallace. Change reoccurs throughout the text which helps to develop Roberts character. Similarly, the major connotation of racism also engages readers to relate to the changes of Roberts and Ivans character. Change is evident in the development of Roberts character as he experiences his journey with Ivan and his friends.At the beginning of the text, Out of the Shadows by Jason Wallace, Robert has an awkward confrontation with his ex-friend Nelson when he was with Ivan. Knowing how Ivan would react, Robert harshly told Nelson to leave him alone and not to mind his business. This is demonstrated in the quote, I dont know why I felt surprised, wasnt that what Id been after? The use of the soliloquy creates an impression t hat Robert is realising he is changing into to someone he isnt. He is questioning why he was having doubts as that was what he had wanted to achieve in the first place.This obscurity in how Robert feels about becoming a new self helps the idea that change is a recurring theme throughout the text. In another scenario, Robert is responding to his dad why he has not been playing or hanging around with Nelson anymore. In this quote, Hes not really a friend anymore. Robert replied with a tone that seemed he was trying to tell himself how he felt instead of his father. The doubt he is experiencing emphasises he is trying to turn over a new leaf in order to fit in, and hence Robert deals with change throughout the text. Another significant theme recurring through the text is racism.This is shown in the quote, Hes using his colour to his advantage. The metaphor used suggests that the author is putting out the fact that racism was still a major issue in those times and needed to be viewed d ifferently. Ivan is disgusted by Nelson, who he says is using is colour to his advantage because blacks in those time were viewed as the unfortunate. The harsh meaning behind this racist comment, gives people an urge to change and make a difference in racial equality. Ivans character persists to tell the readers he does not appreciate the blacks and always finding a reason to hate on them. This is shown in the line No, special.Hes black. The italics used for the word, special emphasises racial equality is not evident in this text. The composers use of a metaphor shows the scorn and harsh personality of Ivan and thus engages the audience in the relevant issues of society. In conclusion, change and racism are significant themes in the text which are sadly still relevant now in our society. The change in Robert’s character gives the reader’s a personal insight on how these relevant ideas involving post-colonial Zimbabwe, affect people negatively. It is responsible for t he portrayal of all the characters in ‘Out of Shadows’.

A Biography of Roger B. Chaffee, NASA Astronaut

A Biography of Roger B. Chaffee, NASA Astronaut Roger Bruce Chaffee was born on February 15, 1935. His parents were Donald L. Chaffee and Blanche May Chaffee. He grew up with an older sister in Greenville, Michigan until the age of 7 when the family relocated to Grand Rapids for Donald Chaffees job with the Army. Fast Facts: Roger B. Chaffee Name: Roger Bruce ChaffeeBorn: February 15, 1935 in Grand Rapids, MIDied: January 27, 1967, in the Apollo 1 fire at Kennedy Space CenterParents: Donald Lynn Chaffee, Blanche May ChaffeeSpouse: Martha L. HornChildren: Sheryl Lyn and Stephen.Career: Served in the Navy until his selection as a NASA astronaut in 1963  Education: Air Force Institute of Technology, Purdue UniversityHonors: Congressional Medal of Honor and Navy Air Medal (both posthumous) Chaffee entered the Illinois Institute of Technology as a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) candidate and transferred to Purdue University in 1954, where he studied aeronautical engineering. While there, he entered flight training and qualified as an aviator. Upon graduation, Chaffee finished his Navy training and entered the service as an ensign. He married Martha Louise Horn in 1957 and they had two children. While in the Navy, Chaffee continued flight training in Florida, first at Pensacola and later at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville. Throughout his time there, he logged 2,300 hours of flight time, with much of that occurring in jet aircraft. He was awarded a Navy Air Medal for his work in photographic reconnaissance during his Navy career. Chaffees Career at NASA Early in 1962, Roger Chaffee applied to the NASA astronaut program. Accepted initially, he worked on a masters degree at the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson in Ohio while waiting for the final determination. Chaffees area of study was in reliability engineering, and while there he also continued adding to his flight log. In 1963 he was selected as an astronaut and began training as part of the third group of astronauts ever chosen.   Portrait of Astronaut Roger B. Chaffee. NASA Johnson Space Center (NASA-JSC) Chaffee was assigned to the Gemini program and worked as the capsule communications specialist (CAP com) for Gemini 4. He worked on deep space instrumentation equipment and its use. While he never flew a Gemini mission, he was an essential part of the team. Eventually, Chaffee was assigned to Apollo 1, which was then called AS-204 (for Apollo-Saturn). It was scheduled to fly early in 1967.   The crew of Apollo 1 at Launch Complex 34, Virgil I. Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. NASA The Apollo 1 Mission The Apollo program was the series of flights that would eventually lead to astronauts landing on the Moon. For the first mission, the astronauts would test all the spacecraft systems, along with ground-based facilities for tracking and communications. Chaffee, who was familiar with all the Gemini systems, began training with the Apollo engineers in order to understand the capsules capabilities. This included a long series of simulations that led up to what the team called a plugs-out countdown demonstration. This simulation included the astronauts being fully suited up and in the capsule as if it were in flight configuration. This took place on January 27, 1967, and Chaffees role on the mission would be as chief communications expert with the engineers and team members in the mission blockhouse.   All went well until several hours into the mission, when a power surge created an electrical short inside the capsule. That ignited a fire in the capsule materials. The blaze was so intense and hot that it overcame the astronauts while they were trying to escape. Roger Bruce Chaffee and his teammates Gus Grissom and Edward White were all killed in the space of a minute. Later investigation showed that the bare wires and the oxygen-rich atmosphere inside the capsule contributed to the strength of the blaze. It was a huge loss for the space program and focused the nations attention on astronauts and the dangers they face, leading to a major revamp of the capsule interior and hatch for future missions. Apollo 1 and the aftermath of the fire. NASA Headquarters - GReatest Images of NASA (NASA-HQ-GRIN) Honors for Roger Chaffee Roger Chaffee was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, along with teammate Gus Grissom. Edward White was buried at West Point.  Chaffee was honored with a second Air Medal by the Navy after his death, along with the Congressional Medal of Honor. He is memorialized in the International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo, NM, as well as the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in Florida. His name appears on a school, a planetarium, and other facilities, and there is a statue of him in Grand Rapids at the Childrens Museum.   Sources NASA, NASA, www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/chaffee-rb.html.NASA, NASA, history.nasa.gov/Apollo204/zorn/chaffee.htm.Voskhod 2, www.astronautix.com/c/chaffee.html.

Can Security Countermeasures be Overdone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Can Security Countermeasures be Overdone - Essay Example Iraq sans UN approval, to choking off funds-flow to terrorist elements, compulsory screening, finger printing, strip & search of all non-nationals or even suspect nationals at all points of entry and exit, installation of electronic eavesdropping devices / phone tapping / mail interception, passing of draconian laws in the face of strong opposition from Human Rights activists, etc. and a myriad of other methods. Orwellian ‘Big brother is watching you’ (Orwell, 1949) has become a fact of life. All these signify the hard line, no nonsense approach, led especially by the governments in the USA and UK. They were primarily intended to assuage the injured American pride in the name of ‘war on terror’. Institutions, businesses and citizens did not lag far behind in this era of panic and paranoia. Overdoing ‘hardware intensive’ and ‘legislative’ countermeasures seem to be only partly effective in containing terrorism. Afghanistan and Iraq, in dà ©jà   vu, will testify this premise. The sweeping actions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ) and other investigation agencies on the one hand, and the poor record of conviction secured by them, point to the limited effectiveness of the countermeasures. That is not to say that there has been no success at all. On the contrary, some of the administrative countermeasures like enactment of The USA Patriot Act or the creation of the DHS certainly enabled putting a check on terrorist activities. â€Å"The USA PATRIOT Act equips federal law enforcement and intelligence officials with the tools they need to mount an effective, coordinated campaign against our nation’s terrorist enemies. The Act revised counterproductive legal restraints that impaired law enforcement’s ability to gather, analyze, and share critical terrorism-related intelligence information. The Act also updated decades-old federal laws to account for the technological breakthroughs seen in recent years. For example,

Target Company - Sprint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Target Company - Sprint - Essay Example The corporate structure and the organizational culture are the backbones of the company’s success (Ante 54). This is demonstrated by the value that the company leadership and management have for the employees and all stakeholders of its business operations and activities. The organizational culture and behavior of the company is however determined by the various forces and variables within the business environment. The economic environment within Sprint’s business activities is characterized by increased competitiveness from its major business rivals and new entrants into the wireless telecommunication industry (MarketWatch 284). It is due to the company’s need for staying competitive that its core corporate values are designed to demonstrate and achieve maximum integrity in the provision of wireless telecommunication services and products to its customers. Integrity is achieved through both the words and actions of the management and employees (Curran 30). Integ rity means that the company endeavors to remain competitive by becoming the most reliable internet provider within the business environment. Additionally, economic forces have caused the company to provide its customers with competitive prices for its telecommunication services. ... ocial and cultural forces within the telecommunication industry and business environment in general have mandated the company to adhere to its corporate responsibility. Additionally, the company values its ethical responsibility to all of its stakeholders (Ante 55). It is in this regard that the directors of Sprint are drawn from diverse cultures to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders with all their differences are effectively met. The company’s directors and management value good relationship with the employees through effective leadership approaches, enhanced communication and collaboration. More importantly, the leadership and company management focuses on gaining the confidence of the investors (MarketWatch 288). In this sense, the interests of the company’s stakeholders are taken into due consideration by the decisions of the directors. Furthermore, the company’s ethical responsibility has been embedded into the company’s business behavior which is characterized by well compensated and motivated employee. As a result of this, the company’s work force is creative and innovative in the design and production of various telecommunication services. The political and legal environment has led to the company’s adherence to the regulations and policies of the government in all its operation (Curran 30). The behavior of the company’s directors and the management team is thus influenced by the regulatory environment within the legal and political business environments. The election of directors is through a majority vote as required by the legal framework. Additionally ethical practice in the presentation of financial statements is highly valued by the company. More importantly, the company has adhered to the regulations on taxation (Ante 56). The

Critically evaluate Kelleys ANOVA model of attribution Essay Example for Free

Critically evaluate Kelleys ANOVA model of attribution Essay Attribution theories involve the use of social and psychological research to explain how we interpret the events and behaviours we see around us. When observing behaviour, our own or other peoples, we attempt to provide explanations for its occurrence, these explanations are usually situational or dispositional. Thus, attributions are personal expressions about causal factors of events or behaviours. Theories have offered important insights into the ways in which people explain their own actions and the actions of others. Many theoretical models have been suggested; they usually involve a search for the cause of the behaviour, and an attempt to determine whether this is internal or external, followed by a decision as to whether the behaviour is logical or rational. Some of the most prominent theories are initially Heiders (1948) Model, which highlighted the fact that all behaviours have both internal and external causes. There is also Jones and Davis (1965) Correspondent Inference Theory that is concerned with how we move from observing behaviour, to understanding the intention of the actor, to concluding the disposition which caused the intention. There is also Kelleys (1967) ANOVA model, which is concerned with what information we use to arrive at a causal attribution. In this essay, I shall attempt to further discuss and evaluate Kelleys model, as it is one of the most recent and widely discussed. Inevitably, all of these theories have been further formalized and extended by later psychologists. The key question for Kelley (1967) was what type of information does the person use in order to make a causal attribution? (Scott and Spencer, 1998). He saw the person as a nai ve scientist who weighs up several pieces of information before arriving at an explanation for events causes. Kelly believes that in order to determine the origins of a behaviour, for example Nicola argued with her dad, we need three types of information; distinctiveness, consensus and consistency. Distinctiveness refers to information we require about the stimulus, which in this case is Nicolas dad. If Nicola only argues with her dad the distinctiveness is high, however, if she argues with everyone the distinctiveness, of her dad, is low. The second type of information that is needed is consensus details about Nicola herself. There is high consensus for Nicolas argumentative behaviour if many people argue with her dad and low consensus if it is only she. Finally, consistency information, about the circumstances surrounding the argument, needs to be considered. For example, there is high consistency if Nicola argues with her dad in many situations, but low consistency if Nicola has only argued with her father on this specific occasion. When all of this information has been obtained we use the principle of covariation, deciding what factor is always present with this behaviour, to determine what was the cause of the argument.

Green Architecture Essay -- Environmental Ecology Essays

Green Architecture Green Architecture began with the first Earth Day in 1970, and has grown in popularity as awareness of the earth’s many ecological problems become more wide spread. Professor Rocky Brittain states "I’ve been teaching this subject for twenty years and have watched interest grow. Now I could say there is some element of sustainability taught in just about every architecture school in the country."(Talarico, 1998) Economic factors have also helped the green movement by causing changes in building materials, and technology. This is most notable in changes to heating and cooling systems, and improvements in insulation and window construction which decrease heat loss and therefore decrease heating and cooling costs. Also, "Alternatives including engineered lumber, made from wood chips or strands laminated together have become commonplace†¦[this is a consequence]†¦the rise in wood prices and decline in wood quality due to the lack of properly managed forests." (http: //www.reddown.com/featartll.html.) Not only are these materials more cost efficient, they also often outperform solid wood. Affordability is of vital importance if green architecture is going to become wide spread in a capitalistic economy. Gail Lindsey, chairman of the AIA Committee on the Environment states: "Until recently, being green was something of a luxury, reserved for homeowners who had enough money to buy triple-pane argon-filled glass windows or wool wall-to-wall carpeting. But with the growing availability of less expensive green materials, this is no longer true. Sustainable design is a balancing act, a matter of concentrating the architect’s time and the client’s resources on choices that will do the most good. We’ve learned that a house... ...bie, 1995) In conclusion, the last twenty years have seen quite an improvement in the popularity and use of green architecture. Green architecture continues to grow as society begins to understand the importance of preserving the environment. Technology is improving, lowering the cost and increasing the quality of green building products. Professionals are working to set and implement standards for the quality of green products and buildings. All these factors seem to point to a promising future for green architecture. Works Cited Crosbie, Michael J. "A Maturing Green Architecture". Progressive Architecture.January 95 Talarico, Wendy. "The Nature of Green Architecture". Architectural Record. April 98. Volume 186 Issue 4. Green Architecture In the 21st Century. Residential Environmental Design Featured Article. http://www.reddawnb.com/featart11.html

Managing Customer Relations Essay

This helps them to gather customers feedback by collating the responses and discussing about them during meetings, to see if there is an alternative, or a solution to the problem. However, not all feedbacks can have a solution as there are shortages of certain resources such as manpower, turnover rate and space in shop area. Overall, Food For Thought is a successful organisation despite not having a CRM system. They are able to generate high profits every month due to loyal customers and customers who frequent that area. Company’s Background Food for Thought is a Food and Beverage Restaurant (F&B) that sells western-styled food. It started out as a cafe in North Bridge Road. After a few years of establishment, the company decided to open another outlet at a nearby location of a larger space and closed down the cafe. Currently, there are 2 outlets (Queen Street and Botanical Gardens). They sell a variety of foods including salads, pastas, pancakes, cakes and desserts. The company has 2 selling points that differentiate them from other restaurants. First, the ambience provides a good place for customers to relax and hang out with family or friends. The overall layout emits a homely touch. Using recycled items, they decorate the restaurant with 540 jars of emptied pasta sauce. Secondly, they practice societal marketing concept by giving back 10% of their yearly profit to charity organizations. Their 5 missions include ‘Give clean water, ‘Feed good food, ‘Make poverty history ‘, ‘Teach them all’ and ‘Inspire kind acts’. (Refer to appendix A) CRM Planning Process Through the interview conducted, we found out that Food for Thought have yet to implement CRM system. However, they are considering implementing it after the organization is stable. Food for Thought connects with their customers through the use of Facebook and Twitter by learning customers’ needs and wants. Their target markets are the SMU students and the people working around the area of their location. In order to increase the awareness of their organization, they place their advertisement on the SMU daily newsletter and provide promotions for the students. Food for Thought staffs focuses on creating customer’s experience in order to build relationship with the customers. The staffs recognize their loyal customers and create a personal friendship with them. Likewise for new customers, the staff will create a customer relationship as they exercise relationship marketing. CRM Implementation Process In our opinion, Food for Thought has the basic foundation for implementing CRM system as they focus on managing customer’s experience. They start out by creating a Facebook page in order to encourage feedbacks from the customers. The management then analyzes the comments before deciding appropriate measures that should be carried out. Even though Food for Thought doesn’t have a CRM system, they collect their customers’ name card and sent out emails to update them on various promotions and competitions. They initiated the use of smart-phone apps such as chope. com or hungrygowhere. com to provide customers the convenience of making a reservation online. On the other hand, they are able to track their customers’ spending and number of times of reservation made. When queried on why they have yet to implement CRM system, Mr. Pala stated that the organization will only consider implementing a proper CRM system when the organization faces the situation whereby there is a need to analyze customer’s needs and wants to an extent. Impact of CRM on Sales and Marketing Strategy Food for Thought sales strategy focuses on the need to develop solutions to meet customer’s specific needs. The management team conducts a meeting every two weeks to review on the feedbacks mentioned through email, Facebook and Twitter (as mentioned above) to analyze on the customer’s needs. They collect verbal feedback from different customers and inform them about their menu recommendations based on customer’s individual needs and preferences. While they are collecting payments from the customers, the staffs will focus on being dialogue-oriented by engaging in small talks with the customer to understand their needs better before stating the feedback of the food to the head chef. The head chef will then make alternative recipe to meet and satisfy the customer’s needs. Through the use of sales forces, Food For Thought is able to process customer information quicker to meet customers’ need. They focus on sales force automation by using key account management such as the POS system to tabulate monthly and yearly sales. The sales activities allow them to identify the most favorable and least favorable items, via this method; they will up-sell the most favorable item to the customer while considering removing the least favorable items. The use of social media has provided the staffs with information to identify and differentiate their customers. By using this method, the staff will then be able to create a different marketing strategy to interact and customize various offerings to suit the needs of individual customers. For example, premium seating (bar table) are provided to their loyal customers, this allows the customers to not only observe the chef’s method of cooking but also engage in small talks with the staffs. Food For Thought focuses in building relationship. They believe in gaining true loyal customers by creating strong relationships through exchanging information while engaging  in dialogues with the customer. Through this method, customer knowledge will increase and therefore strengthening the relationship with the customer. Most of the loyal customers are under the undivided loyalty. They come from the workplace located nearby and only dine at Food for Thought. Loyal customers are more profitable as they help to spread positive word-of-mouth about the organization. Food For Thought implements retentio n strategies to the customers. One of which would be by rewarding loyal customers – for example, SMU students are entitled to 5% discount. This develops effective acquisition strategies to encourage word-of-mouth referrals for the customers. Loyal customers are entitled to preferential treatment as the organization treat loyal customers like family and refer to them by their name. Outcome of CRM implementation With limited resources, Food For Thought has to identify their desirable customers. Without CRM system, it is difficult to analyze customer from the restaurant. Food For Thought is currently in the stage of developing comprehensive CRM; therefore they do not have a fixed answer of the success or failure in implementing CRM in this restaurant. The current CRM implementation process has help gain customer knowledge, customer satisfaction and help building up the relationship with the customers. As Food For Thought is a developing business, there are rooms for improvement in the CRM implementation. They measure the effectiveness of CRM program through customer feedback. Using the feedbacks provided, the management is able to know the satisfaction of customers regarding the service or food of the restaurant. Unlike other restaurant that focuses on being profit-orientated, Food For Thought is customer-orientated. This implies that customer’s experience is more important than the profit gained. Moreover, customer interaction provides a measurement for the effectiveness of program. This shows that restaurant should improve on their service to retain existing customers. The increase in customer touch point will lead to an increase in opportunity in gaining customer’s knowledge thereby creating a learning relationship between the organization and the customers. Conclusion and future plans of company’s CRM strategy We have concluded that Food for Thought is a successful organization, where  they focus on building customer relationship rather than being profit-oriented. When there is a relationship built with the customers, trust will be built, and because Food for Thought believes in being customer-oriented, they never fail to recognize their loyal customers, which in turn would make the customers feel recognized and good, therefore bringing returned business. Not only do th ey build and strengthen the relationship with their external customers, Food for Thought has also built and strengthened the relationship with their internal customers, namely their co-workers. Food for Thought has also place customer satisfaction as their upmost priority, which is also another factor whereby they are successful in retaining their existing customers or acquiring new customers. Food for Thought currently has no plans to implement CRM yet as it is still a small organization. However, according to Mr. Pala, he has claimed that when the time comes when the organization faces the situation whereby there is a need to analyze customer’s needs and wants to an extent, it is then they will implement CRM, for now, they want to focus more on relationship building with their customers. Lesson Learnt Food for Thought and many other organizations faces the same problem which is the lack of manpower. Such situations are unavoidable and the turnover rate is usually higher in the F&B business as most locals prefer other lines of job than F&B. One way to overcome this problem is to have some employees, mainly the supervisor, to be on standby. Another method to overcome this problem would be to implement self-service in the outlet. However, Mr. Pala has claimed that this method may hinder the process of building relationship with the customers. Being customer-oriented, they value their loyal customers by treating them as a part of their family. Through this strategy, Food for Thought is able to build customer relationship and strengthen the bond between the organization and the customers. They gain customer’s trust by providing service beyond expectation by getting close to the customers and engaging small talks with the customer, proving that they value the relationship with each individual customer. â€Å"All customers are equal, regardless of them being loyal and long-term or new,† quoted from Mr.  Pala. They practice building customer relationship through breaking the ice by engaging in small dialogues with the customers either when they order food or upon settling the bill. When queried on how each and every staff managed to practice building customer relationship, Mr. Pala replied with the answer indicating that practice comes from the inner heart. They believe that by strengthening the bonds with ever y staff and treating them like a family will naturally bring out the courage in each and every staff to build a relationship with the customers.

Discuss the Role of Benjamin and the Sheep in Animal Farm

Discuss the role of Benjamin and the Sheep. In the novel ‘Animal Farm’ written by George Orwell both Benjamin the donkey and the sheep are introduced on page two, â€Å"Benjamin was the oldest animal on the farm, and the worst tempered† and â€Å"the sheep and cows lay down behind the pigs. † This is the first introduction of the animals on the farm and it immediately gives the reader an indication about how important they will be in the novel as the sheep have not even been described all the reader knows is where they lay and gives the reader an idea on their status compared to the other animals.Benjamin’s next appearance is on page eighteen when he expresses his attitude towards the rebellion, â€Å"about the rebellion and its results he would express no opinion†. This tells the audience that Benjamin is a bad â€Å"tempered† character but not this it hints to the reader that he has a pessimistic attitude towards life. Benjamin is ver y important in terms of his opinions towards the rebellion as he helps to foreshadow the rebellion reverting backwards as â€Å"donkeys live a long time. † This tells the reader that he has seen it all happen before and that nothing every stays right for long.Despite Benjamin being a miserable character, he still fought in the batter of the cowshed, â€Å"Snowball now launched his second line of attack. Muriel, Benjamin and all the sheep†. This shows how Benjamin just does what he is told, and that he isn't an argumentative character this could be because of his cynic attitude as he knows everything is going to go wrong anyway because â€Å"donkeys live a long time†. This helps the audience to question whether or not the rebellion will be successful or not as Benjamin is always used to help lower the optimism of the animals throughout the book.Benjamin and the sheep show a good contrast as they are both very similar in the ways that they are controlled and order ed. However the sheep do not have the knowledge which Benjamin knows as they have not seen things come and go. The sheep are in the same line of attack as Benjamin and I think this shows that the animals in this line of attack are very similar. This infers to the reader that if the rebellion was to revert backwards they would all be equally powerless and hopeless.Benjamin’s cynic attitude is maintained throughout the novel and is again shown to be a miserable character, â€Å"only old Benjamin refused to grow enthusiastic about the windmill, though as usual, he would utter nothing beyond a cryptic remark that donkeys live a long time†. This was said on page forty three and it reminds the reader about the possibility of the windmill going wrong and this is playing a big role in the prefiguring of the windmill failing to be built successfully as he has seen many things go wrong in his lifetime.Even thought Benjamin is the â€Å"worst tempered† animal on the farm h e still shows a lot of affection towards Boxer, â€Å"without openly admitting it, he was devoted to Boxer. † This was said in his character description on page two and it helps to show Benjamin as a human and it makes the audience think about him in society and the impact that he has. By looking at him like this we are able to start to understand the lack of power these animals have compared to the other human beings in society.This plays a huge role in our understanding of status and higherarky around the farm as we are able to interpret the farm animals as human beings. Benjamin is character that does not like to get involve because he knows something is always going to go wrong, â€Å"Clover asked Benjamin to read her the sixth commandment, and when Benjamin, as usual, said that he refused to meddle in such matters. † This was said on page fifty-six and it shows Benjamin’s pessimistic attitude as he does not want to take any interest into what is going on ar ound him as he knows what is eventually going to happen through his life experiences.Benjamin can sometimes come across as a smug character due to his knowledge and this helps to reinforce to the reader that things are not going to work out on the farm, â€Å"slowly, and with an air almost of amusement, Benjamin nodded his long muzzle†. The word â€Å"amusement† portrays Benjamin to be smug at this moment in the book because he knew that the windmill was going to go wrong. This makes the audience think that every cynical statement that Benjamin says it likely to be true making his function very important as it helps the reader to understand what is going to happen in the following chapters.Benjamin is also seen again on page sixty-eight and we know again that something is going to go wrong again, â€Å"except old Benjamin, who nodded his muzzle with a knowing air, and seemed to understand, but would say nothing. † The reader is now starting to see a trend in Ben jamin’s senses, â€Å"with an air almost of amusement† and â€Å"with a knowing air† (page 68) these very similar sentences tell the reader that Benjamin could see all of this happening and that he knew everything was going to go wrong. The role of Benjamin is to help prefigure what is going o happen, so when he urges boxer to slow down on page sixty-nine, â€Å"Benjamin urged Boxer to work less hard† the reader knows straight away that Boxer is going to get seriously hurt. This is very shocking for the reader because his death is prefigured on page five, â€Å"Boxer, the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will sell you to the knacker. † This shows how close Benjamin and Boxer are but also prefigures the death of Boxer which is done using the knowledge which boxer has retained from his long life.Benjamin has a family like relationship with Boxer, â€Å"Benjamin, who lay down at Boxer’s side, and, without spea king, kept the flies off him with his long tail. † On page seventy-five audience see Benjamin showing his compassion towards Boxer and it helps use see Benjamin as a real person and this plays a big role in how we feel when we read on as when Boxer does get taken away to the knackers we see Benjamin and Boxer as people and it makes it more distressing and more heart breaking for the reader. After Boxer’s death Benjamin becomes more miserable and quiet and his attitude gets worse, â€Å"more morose and taciturn than ever. (page 80) Suddenly Benjamin has become even more cynical possibly because life has got worse than he expected. Benjamin’s role in the novel is to now express the lack of hope there is on the farm especially as Boxer was symbolic of hope and now all hope has gone Benjamin is there to symbolise that to the audience so they are able to understand how bad things are getting on the farm. Benjamin plays a big role on page eighty-four when he reads out the last broken commandment for Clover, â€Å"for once Benjamin consented to break his rule and he read out to her what was written on the wall. This is very striking because Benjamin knew that â€Å"some animals are more equal than others† all along and it is very upsetting for the reader as all hope is lost for the animals and all the animals know that now through the breaking and changing of the commandments. The sheep are used to heckle other farm animals so that it is impossible for any opinions to be raised. The sheep are often heard when Squealer is talking to the other farm animals about changes which have taken place on the farm, â€Å"of late the sheep had taken to bleating ‘four legs good, two legs bad’ both in and out of season†.The sheep are very easily manipulated because of their lack of intelligence and Napoleon was keep to take advantage of this to use it in his favour so Snowball would get interrupted during his speeches, â€Å"especia lly liable to break into ‘four legs good, two legs bad’ at the crucial moments in Snowball’s speeches. † This was due to Napoleon training them like he did with the dogs. The role of the sheep is to interrupt Snowball so that Napoleon is able to get his own way. The sheep have little knowledge and power on the farm which is why they are the animals to be manipulated to work in Napoleons favour.On Pages twenty-nine, thirty-two, thirty-four and forty the sheep either interrupt Snowball whilst he is talking, â€Å"occasionally interrupted by bleating from the sheep† or they are heard to prevent any discussion developing so that Napoleon is able to get his way, â€Å"tremendous bleating of ’four legs good, two legs bad’ which went on for nearly a quarter of an hour which out an end to any chance of discussion†. The sheep are used to stop the farm animals from asking any questions which could possibly cause the rebellion to progress t his allows Napoleon to take charge and to take what the animals work for without questions.The sheep are also potentially used to scare the other farm animals, because the sheep are very easily manipulated it is quite possible that Napoleon had forced them to confess to a crime which that had committed, â€Å"then a sheep confessed to having urinated in the drinking pool – urged to do this, so she said† (page 53). More sheep continued to confess to various crimes and their role is to sacrifice themselves so that the other farm animals would be too scared to stir up a rebellion against Napoleon.The sheep are seen again on page fifty-six carrying out the same role of heckling so that the other animals do not get a chance to protest, â€Å"some of the animals might possibly have protested, but at this moment the sheep set up with their usual bleating of ‘four legs good, two legs bad’†. This ensured that Napoleons decision of the abolishment of ‘B eats of England’ did not get argued against as the moment which they could have possibly said anything had already passed.This role which the sheep undertake is very important in terms of the rebellion reverting backwards as if they didn’t interrupt the positive ideas the Snowball came up with they could be living better lives. Not only this but if they didn’t bleat out ‘four legs good, two legs bad’ after Napoleon makes a change the animals may have been able to rebel to Napoleon’s ideas resulting in a better life for the farm animals. The sheep are very easily manipulated and when they get taken away by squealer on page eighty-three we know something bad is going to happen, â€Å"squealer ordered the sheep to follow him†.We know something bad is going to happen as Napoleon did the same thing with the young puppies from Jessie and Bluebell. The sheep had been taken to convince the other farm animals that walking on two legs was good, â€Å"four legs good, two legs better†. This shows how the pigs are better than the farm animals as they are now walking on their â€Å"hind legs†. The sheep repeat this so much that the animals do not get a chance to protest, â€Å"it went on for five minutes without stopping. And by the time the sheep had quieted down, the chance to utter any protest had passed. This is the sheep’s’ main role so that the pigs are able to do what they want without the other animals protesting allowing the rebellion to revert further and further backwards. Overall, the main role of Benjamin is to prefigure the failure of the rebellion through his pessimistic attitude and through his life experiences as donkeys live a long time. And the sheep are used to help manipulated the animals into thinking that what the pigs are doing is a good thing but also to prevent them from protesting so that the pigs are able to maintain their power and carry on doing what they want like a d ictator would.

Citing Primary Sources in OSCOLA Referencing

Citing Primary Sources in OSCOLA Referencing Citing Primary Sources in OSCOLA Referencing citation systems as well. In the UK, the most common form of legal referencing is OSCOLA (or the Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities). And in this post, we look at how to cite primary sources with OSCOLA. First, though, what exactly is a primary source? Primary and Secondary Sources OSCOLA classes sources as either â€Å"primary† or â€Å"secondary.† Primary sources are legal sources, such as cases and legislative documents. Secondary sources cover everything else, including books, journal articles, and websites. In either case, you will use superscript numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3) to indicate a citation, with details of the source given in a footnote. But the information you give here will depend on the source in question. For primary sources, this usually means either a case report or a legislative act. Citing Case Reports in OSCOLA When citing a UK case with a neutral citation, you will need to provide the following information in the accompanying footnote: Case Name | [Year] | Court | Number,| [Year] | Volume | Report Abbreviation | First Page However, you only need to include the case name in the footnote if it is not used in the text. And as shown, the neutral citation should be separated from the law report citation by a comma. Cases from before 2001 will not have a neutral citation, so footnotes for older cases should only include the following details: Case Name | [Year] | Volume | Report Abbreviation | First Page | (Court) Examples of the above would thus appear as follows in footnote citations: Neutral Citation: PI vs Walls [2008] UKHL 15, [2008] 4 AC 1284 No Neutral Citation: GM vs Nissan [1983] 1 AC 154 (UKHL) Citing Legislation in OSCOLA Other than cases, the main primary sources in OSCOLA referencing are legislative acts and statutory instruments. When citing a UK legislative act, all you need is the short title and year. For instance: Act of Supremacy 1558 To reference a particular section, meanwhile, simply add it after the year: Human Rights Act 1998 s 7 The â€Å"s† before the â€Å"7† above is short for â€Å"section.† However, the correct abbreviation here may depend on what you’re citing: part/parts pt/pts section/sections s/ss subsection/subsections sub-s/sub-ss paragraph/paragraphs para/paras subparagraph/subparagraphs subpara/subparas schedule/schedules sch/schs You may also need to cite a statutory instrument at some point. To do this, the footnote should include the title, year and the SI number (after a comma). So, for instance, we could cite a statutory instrument as follows: The Deregulation Act 2015 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2015, SI 2015  2074 (C.  130) Cases and Legislation in an OSCOLA Bibliography As well as footnote citations, you will need to list all primary sources in a bibliography at the end of your document. For primary sources, the general rules in an OSCOLA bibliography are: Provide full information for each source. Divide primary sources into a Table of Cases and a Table of Legislation (you may also want to separate acts of legislation from legislative instruments). Sort cases/acts into separate sections by jurisdiction (unless you have not cited many sources, in which case they can be combined). List sources within their categories alphabetically by case name/title. List secondary sources separately under the heading â€Å"Bibliography.† This will make it easy for readers to find the various primary sources you have used in your work. And if you’d like someone to double check your referencing when youve finished writing, we’re always happy to help.

Blackbeards Last Stand - the Death of Blackbeard

Blackbeard's Last Stand - the Death of Blackbeard Edward Blackbeard Teach (1680? - 1718) was a notorious English pirate who was active in the Caribbean and coast of North America from 1716 to 1718. He made a deal with the governor of North Carolina in 1718 and for a time operated out of the many inlets and bays of the Carolina coast. Locals soon tired of his predations, however, and an expedition launched by the Governor of Virginia caught up with him in Ocracoke Inlet. After a furious battle, Blackbeard was killed on November 22, 1718. Blackbeard the Pirate Edward Teach fought as a Privateer in Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713). When the war ended, Teach, like many of his shipmates, went pirate. In 1716 he joined the crew of Benjamin Hornigold, then one of the most dangerous pirates in the Caribbean. Teach showed promise and was soon given his own command. When Hornigold accepted a pardon in 1717, Teach stepped into his shoes. It was about this time that he became â€Å"Blackbeard† and started to intimidate his foes with his demonic appearance. For about a year, he terrorized the Caribbean and the southeastern coast of the present-day USA. Blackbeard Goes Legit By mid-1718, Blackbeard was the most feared pirate in the Caribbean and possibly the world. He had a 40 gun flagship, the Queen Annes Revenge, and a small fleet captained by loyal subordinates. His fame had become so great that his victims, upon seeing Blackbeards distinctive flag of a skeleton spearing a heart, usually simply surrendered, trading their cargo for their lives. But Blackbeard tired of the life and intentionally sank his flagship, absconding with the loot and a few of his favorite men. In the summer of 1718, he went to Governor Charles Eden of North Carolina and accepted a pardon. A Crooked Business Blackbeard may have wanted to go legit, but it certainly didnt last long. He soon entered into a deal with Eden by which he would continue to raid the seas and the Governor would cover for him. The first thing Eden did for Blackbeard was to officially license his remaining ship, the Adventure, as a war trophy, therefore allowing him to keep it. On another occasion, Blackbeard took a French ship laden with goods including cocoa. After putting the French sailors on another ship, he sailed his prize back, where he declared that he and his men had found it adrift and unmanned: the Governor promptly awarded them salvage rights†¦and kept a little for himself, too, of course. Blackbeard’s Life Blackbeard did settle down, to an extent. He married the daughter of a local plantation owner and built a home on Ocracoke Island. He would often go out and drink and carouse with the locals. On one occasion, pirate Captain Charles Vane came seeking Blackbeard, to try and lure him back to the Caribbean, but Blackbeard had a good thing going and politely refused. Vane and his men stayed on Ocracoke for a week and Vane, Teach and their men had a rum-soaked party. According to Captain Charles Johnson, Blackbeard would occasionally let his men have their way with his young wife, but there is no other evidence to support this and it appears to simply be a nasty rumor of the time. To Catch a Pirate Local sailors and merchants soon tired of this legendary pirate haunting the inlets of North Carolina. Suspecting that Eden was in cahoots with Blackbeard, they took their complaints to Alexander Spotswood, Governor of neighboring Virginia, who had no love for pirates or for Eden. There were two British war sloops in Virginia at the time: the Pearl and the Lyme. Spotswood made arrangements to hire some 50 sailors and soldiers off of these ships and put a Lieutenant Robert Maynard in charge of the expedition. Since the sloops were too large to chase Blackbeard into shallow inlets, Spotswood also provided two light ships. Hunt for Blackbeard The two small ships, the Ranger and the Jane, scouting along the coast for the well-known pirate. Blackbeards haunts were well known, and it didnt take Maynard too long to find him. Late in the day on November 21, 1718, they sighted Blackbeard off of Ocracoke Island  but decided to delay the attack until the next day. Meanwhile, Blackbeard and his men were drinking all night as they entertained a fellow smuggler. Blackbeard’s Final Battle Fortunately for Maynard, many of Blackbeards men were ashore. On the morning of the 22nd, the Ranger and the Jane tried to sneak up on the Adventure, but both became stuck on sandbars and Blackbeard and his men couldnt help but notice them. There was a verbal exchange between Maynard and Blackbeard: according to Captain Charles Johnson, Blackbeard said: Damnation seize my soul if I give you quarters, or take any from you. As the Ranger and the Jane came closer, the pirates fired their cannons, killing several sailors and stalling the Ranger. On the Jane, Maynard hid many of his men below decks, disguising his numbers. A lucky shot severed the rope attached to one of the Adventures sails, making escape impossible for the pirates. Who Killed Blackbeard?: The Jane pulled up to the Adventure, and the pirates, thinking they had an advantage, boarded the smaller vessel. The soldiers came out of the hold and Blackbeard and his men found themselves outnumbered. Blackbeard himself was a demon in battle, fighting on despite what was later described as five gun wounds and 20 cuts by sword or cutlass. Blackbeard fought one-on-one with Maynard and was about to kill him when a British sailor gave the pirate a cut on the neck: a second hack severed his head. Blackbeards men fought on  but outnumbered and with their leader gone, they eventually surrendered. Aftermath of Blackbeard’s Death Blackbeards head was mounted on the bowsprit of the Adventure, as it was needed for proof that the pirate was dead in order to collect a sizeable bounty. According to local legend, the pirates decapitated body was thrown into the water, where it swam around the ship several times before sinking. More of Blackbeards crew, including his boatswain Israel Hands, were captured on land. Thirteen were hanged. Hands avoided the noose by testifying against the rest and because a pardon offer arrived in time to save him. Blackbeards head was hung from a pole on the Hampton River: the place is now known as Blackbeards Point. Some locals claim that his ghost haunts the area. Maynard had found papers on board the Adventure which implicated Eden and the Secretary of the Colony, Tobias Knight, in Blackbeards crimes. Eden was never charged with anything and Knight was eventually acquitted in spite of the fact that he had stolen goods in his home. Maynard became very famous because of his defeat of the mighty pirate. He eventually sued his superior officers, who decided to share the bounty money for Blackbeard with all crew members of the Lyme and Pearl, and not only those ones who had actually taken part in the raid. Blackbeards death marked his passing from man to legend. In death, he has become far more important than he ever was in life. He has come to symbolize all pirates, which in turn have come to symbolize freedom and adventure. His death is certainly part of his legend: he died on his feet, a pirate to the very last. No discussion of pirates is complete without Blackbeard and his violent end. Sources Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag. Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996, New York. Defoe, Daniel. A General History of the Pyrates. Edited by Manuel Schonhorn. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1972/1999. Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. The Lyons Press, October 1, 2009. Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down. Mariner Books, 2008.

Knowledge Management and Organisational Learning Essay

Knowledge Management and Organisational Learning - Essay Example The fundamental role of knowledge management is to extract tacit knowledge and make it available for others to use2. Explicit knowledge exists in the form of words, documents, data, computer programs or software and other explicit forms. Knowledge management involves planning, organizing, motivating and controlling of workers and arrangements in the firm to make sure that knowledge related assets are improved and effectively employed. By motivating the creation, dissemination and application of knowledge, KM initiatives help organizations embed knowledge and learning into organizational processes so that it can improve its practices and behaviors to achieve its goals. Organizational learning helps the organization sustainably improve its utilization of knowledge. OL is the capability that enables organizations to practice the most suitable and precise management practices, structures and actions to facilitate and encourage learning. Recruitment and Selection Recruitment is the proces s of hiring a pool of people who are capable of working in an organization. Selection involves the use of specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants the persons who are most likely to excel in a job relative to the management’s goals and legal requirements3. ... When organizations hire workers who possess relevant knowledge, skills and aptitudes, the process plays a pivotal role in shaping an organizations effectiveness and performance. The organization recruitment process should be modified to accommodate knowledge management practices. The most innovative organizations in knowledge management select individuals with the appropriate skills and attitudes as such employees have the ability to assimilate knowledge from various sources.4 Traditional approaches to selection may be revised to capture unpredictable knowledge flows especially in innovation projects. This is because it may be difficult to specify the requisite knowledge and expertise in advance for such projects. The social process model of recruitment and selection derived from social psychology has been adopted by different firms. This model assumes that people change constantly in the course of their careers and that subjective self-perceptions are critical to their work motivati on and performance. Self-perceptions are influenced by assessment selection procedures, and that modern jobs involve interaction, negotiation and mutual influence, which take place in multi-skilled, flexible and self-directed work teams.5 Firms use the social model to recruit persons who are most likely to share and acquire knowledge. Some researchers have argued that traditional recruitment and selection practices obstruct knowledge sharing among groups or departments in firms organized in accordance to the functional principle. For instance, in one pharmaceutical company, the assessment centers for selection of graduates were functionally focused with sales assessment centers and marketing assessment

Managing the workforce and organisational change assignment Essay

Managing the workforce and organisational change assignment - Essay Example Since most organizational changes are aimed at improving the overall improvement in the products and services offered by an organisation, it therefore means that most employment or hiring carried out during organizational change is normally for skilled and appropriately qualified individuals. The question that should be asked is "Is it advantageous to seek qualifications that are well beyond the immediate requirements of the jobs, so that the organisation will not have to spend much on staff development future" As earlier said, overall organisational change as used here is more than the smaller change that occurs in an organisation. In most cases, it affects all aspects of the organisation. Some of these changes include change in mission and vision of the organisation, restructuring operations - like laying off some workers and employing some, adopting of new technologies, mergers, franchising, "rightsizing", complete new programs, re-engineering, etc. Organisational change can also be said to mean organisatonal transformation as it has to do with the transformation of the organisation. Organisational change does not just happen for the sake of change, in most cases; it is done as a result of some factors like funding, government rules, market-related issues etc. For instance, there might be the need for a particular kind of product in the market. An organisation, on sensing the potentials that the market has to offer, may then decide to re-enact their mission and tilt towards the direction of tapping into the potentials the market has to offer. This can be done by way of producing or importing the much sought after goods. MANAGING ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE: When changes are to be done There are some difficulties that may be encountered. For instance people may be afraid of the unknown, some may be cynical; and also there may some organisational conflicts when change is about to occur. Certain strategies may be against the long termed known norms of those involved in an organisation. These things have to be taken into consideration and ways of handling them should be thought of. Edgar F. Huse and Thomas G. Gummings in their book Organization Development and Change talked of three steps of Lewin's Change Model. These are: 1. Unfreezing: This first step involves the factors that maintains he organization's present state. This can be achieved by introducing information that contradicts the ones presently

Structural Equation Modelling and Logistic regression Assignment

Structural Equation Modelling and Logistic regression - Assignment Example While card payments were the main cashless mode of payment up to the beginning of the last decade, mobile money payments have also emerged as a likeable payment method, mainly in fairly underdeveloped regions (Dahlberg, Mallat & Oorni, 2008). Other non-card payment methods include virtual money carriers, including Google Wallet, Skrill, and PayPal (Ayodele, Ayo & Adeyibi, 2013). Among the factors that appear pertinent towards adoption of any of these payment methods are ease of use, importance/ usefulness, risk/ security levels, and accessibility (Ayodele, Ayo & Adeyibi, 2013; Abubakar & Ahmad, 2013). According to Abubakar and Ahmad (2013), higher levels of awareness towards cashless payments correspond to higher uptake levels. Ease of use is an important factor for adoption of cashless payments. Users (and potential users) with better knowledge of the cashless payment modes available in a particular region catalyse uptake levels. To them, usage of the methods is relatively easy (Ayodele, Ayo & Adeyibi, 2013). Similarly, knowledge of usefulness/ importance of such payment modes underscores their higher acceptability among persons with such knowledge (Ayodele, Ayo & Adeyibi, 2013). The sample comprised 320 respondents who were served with questionnaires to indicate their level of agreement with assertions made regarding ease of use of cashless payments system, trust in the cashless payments system, and usefulness of the same. The three variables used several questions for each, which were then aggregated to find each individual’s average rating of each variable. That is, the variable usefulness was obtained by averaging the ratings given per individual across the four questions underlying the variable; the four responses denoting ease of use were averaged to obtain the variable; and the ratings to the five questions underlying

Performance Analysis of Algorithms on Shared Memory

Performance Analysis of Algorithms on Shared Memory Performance analysis of algorithms on shared memory, message passing and hybrid models for stand-alone and clustered SMPs INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Parallel computing is a form of computation that allows many instructions to be run simultaneously, in parallel in a program. This can be achieved by splitting up a program into independent parts so that each processor can execute its part of the program simultaneously with the other processors. This can be achieved on a single computer with multiple processors or with number of individual computers connected by a network or a combination of the two. Parallel computing has grown outside of the high-performance computing community due to the introduction of multi-core3 and multi-processor computers at a reasonable price for the average consumer. Recent desktop and high performance processors provide multiple hardware threads technically realized by hardware multithreading and multiple processor cores on a single chip. Programmers will be faced with hundreds of hardware threads per processor chip as exploitable instruction level parallelism in applications is limited and the processor clock frequency cannot be increased any further due to power consumption and heat problems exploiting thread level parallelism becomes unavoidable if further improvement in processsor performance is required and there is no doubt that our requirements and expectations of machine performance will increase further. This means that parallel programming will actually concern a majority of application and system programmers in the foreseeable future even in the desktop and embedded domain. A model of parallel computation consists of a parallel programming model and a corresponding cost model . A parallel programming model describes an abstract parallel machine by its basic operations such as arithmetic operations spawning of tasks reading from and writing to shared memory or sending and receiving messages. Their effects on the state of the computation the constraints of when and where these can be applied and how they can be composed in particular a parallel programming model also contains at least for shared memory programming models a memory model that describes how and when memory accesses can become visible to the different parts of a parallel computer. The memory model sometimes is given implicitly a parallel cost model that associates a cost which usually describes parallel execution time and resource occupation with each basic operation and describes how to predict the accumulated cost of composed operations up to entire parallel programs A parallel programming model is often associated with one or several parallel programming languages or libraries that realize the model Parallel algorithms that are usually formulated in terms of a particular parallel programming model. OpenMP (Open Multi-Processing), Message passing Interface (MPI) and Hybrid OpenMP/MPI is a parallel programming model where communication between processes is done by interchanging messages. OpenMP is an API that supports multi-platform shared memory multi-processing programming in C,C++ and Fortran on most processor architectures and operating systems, including Solaris Linux,, AIX, HP-UX, Mac OS X and Windows platforms. MPI is a model for a distributed memory system where communication cannot be achieved by sharing of variables. The Message Passing Interface (MPI) is the de-facto standard for programming distributed memory systems as it provides a simple communication API and eases the task of developing portable parallel applications. Hybrid OpenMP+MPI facilitates cooperative shared memory programming across clustered SMP nodes. MPI provides communication among various SMP nodes whereas OpenMP manages the workload on each SMP node. MPI and OpenMP are used in tandem to manage the overall concurrency of the application. MOTIVATION As individual processors are not capable of solving the most significant computational problems because of their inherent complexity, the idea of putting multiple processors to work on a single program came into existence thus motivating the idea of parallel computing. Parallel computing is the use of a parallel computer to reduce the time needed to solve a single computational problem. it is a multiple-processor computer system supporting parallel programming. Two categories of parallel computers are multi-computers and centralized multiprocessors. Multi-computer is a parallel computer constructed out of multiple computers and an interconnection network where the processors on different computers interact by passing messages to each other. Centralized multi-processor( also called as symmetrical multiprocessor or SMP) is one where all the CPUs share access to a single global memory. EXISTING SYSTEM AND ITS LIMITATIONS Applications were designed to run on a single systems. But individual systems are not capable of solving the significant problems efficiently because of their inherent complexity. The limitation is that it cannot harness the capacity of a multi-core processor. Hence multi-threading the applications must be done. PROPOSED SYSTEM Parallel programming combines the distributed memory parallelization on the node interconnect with shared memory parallelization inside each node. The challenges and the potentials of the dominant programming models on hierarchically structured hardware is described : Pure MPI (message passing interface), pure OpenMP (with distributed shared memory extensions) and hybrid MPI+OpenMP in several flavors. We identify few cases where the hybrid programming model can indeed be the superior solution because of memory consumption or improved load balance and reduced communication needs. Hybrid programming introduces OpenMP into MPI applications makes more efficient use of the shared memory on SMP nodes, thus mitigating the need for explicit intra-node communication. Introducing MPI and OpenMP during the design/coding of a new application can help maximize efficiency, scaling and performance. At the recent time, the hybrid model has begun to attract more attention, for at least two reasons. The first is that it is relatively easy to pick a language/library instantiation of the hybrid model: OpenMP plus MPI. While there may be other approaches, they remain research and development projects, whereas OpenMP compilers and MPI libraries are now solid commercial products, with implementations from multiple vendors. The second reason is that scalable parallel computers now appear to encourage this model. The fastest machines now virtually all consist of multi-core nodes connected by a high speed network. The idea of using OpenMP threads to exploit the multiple cores per node (with one multithreaded process per node) while using MPI to communicate among the nodes appears obvious. Yet one can also use an â€Å"MPI everywhere† approach on these architectures, and the data on which approach is better is confusing and inconclusive. PROBLEM STATEMENT AND OBJECTIVES Multithreading of applications on a clustered system using hybrid methodology. The objective is to increase the performance of application on clusters using Hybrid methodology. APPLICATIONS Network intrusion detection, cryptography, multiparty computations are some of the core users of parallel computing techniques. Embedded systems increasingly rely on distributed control algorithms. A modern automobile consists of tens of processors communicating to perform complex tasks for optimizing handling and performance. conventional structured peer-peer networks impose overlay networks and utilize algorithms directly from parallel computing.

Do Men Mother?: Fathering, Care and Domestic Responsibility by Andrea D

Traditionally, mothers have been assigned to stay in the house to take care of children and perform daily household activities. However in recent years, men are becoming more involved in the house. Men are sharing more of the same responsibilities with women in terms of housekeeping and childrearing. Several fathers are choosing to stay in the house to take care of their children rather than working outside; either because of employment interruption or their wives are earning a higher salary than them. In a modern study, an increased number of working mothers as well as an increase in stay- at- home fathers were observed in Canada (Sutherland 2008). This is where the need to analyze if fathers are competent of rendering nurture and care as well as mothers arises. In her book entitled Do Men Mother?: Fathering, Care, and Domestic Responsibility, Doucet seeks the life of fathering by means of illustrating if fathers are essentially performing a mother’s role or mothering when caring for their children (Doucet 2006). Andrea Doucet, currently on sabbatical, is a Professor of Sociology at Carleton University located in Ottawa, Canada. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from York University and completed her Masters in International Development at Carleton University. Doucet furthered her studies at Cambridge University where she attained her PhD (Carleton University 2011). Besides book chapters, most of her works for the past sixteen years have been scholarly articles which made sense of and clarified, theoretical and experiential understanding of subjects related with care and work, gender issues and lives within the society. A significant number of her works discuss several issues such as responsibility, auto... ...selves as fathers (Doucet 2006: 217). By the use of several theoretical perceptions, the book provides a breakdown on the division of household responsibilities and manliness (Doucet 2006). Furthermore, it also renders literature on parenting as a result of analyzing the role of the fathers by the maternal points of view. Do Men Mother?: Fathering, Care and Domestic Responsibility explores the concerns of men who choose to stay as full time fathers in order to meet the needs of their children rather than to work outside their home (Doucet 2006). The book is tremendously impactful in terms of being able to make readers realize the difference between the roles of the mother, as well as the responsibilities of the fathers while the common objective of providing adequate care and love for their children is shared between both sexes. Do Men Mother?: Fathering, Care and Domestic Responsibility by Andrea D Traditionally, mothers have been assigned to stay in the house to take care of children and perform daily household activities. However in recent years, men are becoming more involved in the house. Men are sharing more of the same responsibilities with women in terms of housekeeping and childrearing. Several fathers are choosing to stay in the house to take care of their children rather than working outside; either because of employment interruption or their wives are earning a higher salary than them. In a modern study, an increased number of working mothers as well as an increase in stay- at- home fathers were observed in Canada (Sutherland 2008). This is where the need to analyze if fathers are competent of rendering nurture and care as well as mothers arises. In her book entitled Do Men Mother?: Fathering, Care, and Domestic Responsibility, Doucet seeks the life of fathering by means of illustrating if fathers are essentially performing a mother’s role or mothering when caring for their children (Doucet 2006). Andrea Doucet, currently on sabbatical, is a Professor of Sociology at Carleton University located in Ottawa, Canada. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from York University and completed her Masters in International Development at Carleton University. Doucet furthered her studies at Cambridge University where she attained her PhD (Carleton University 2011). Besides book chapters, most of her works for the past sixteen years have been scholarly articles which made sense of and clarified, theoretical and experiential understanding of subjects related with care and work, gender issues and lives within the society. A significant number of her works discuss several issues such as responsibility, auto... ...selves as fathers (Doucet 2006: 217). By the use of several theoretical perceptions, the book provides a breakdown on the division of household responsibilities and manliness (Doucet 2006). Furthermore, it also renders literature on parenting as a result of analyzing the role of the fathers by the maternal points of view. Do Men Mother?: Fathering, Care and Domestic Responsibility explores the concerns of men who choose to stay as full time fathers in order to meet the needs of their children rather than to work outside their home (Doucet 2006). The book is tremendously impactful in terms of being able to make readers realize the difference between the roles of the mother, as well as the responsibilities of the fathers while the common objective of providing adequate care and love for their children is shared between both sexes.

A Thai Learner in the Learning Context Essay

1. Introduction The Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), offered by the University of Cambridge (ESOL Examinations), is run in over 120 centers around the world and it is considered by many authorities as the most important form of training in the TELF (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) industry. Between 30th of August and 24th of September 2004 I attended the Cambridge CELTA course at English and Computer College (ECC) from Bangkok. Cambridge ESOL is a not-for-profit department of the University of Cambridge. It is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group, Europe’s largest assessment agency. Cambridge Assessment was established in 1858 as the University of Cambridge local Examinations Syndicate (UCLESS). Cambridge ESOL provides exams and tests covering a large range of subjects and levels with more than 8 million assessments taken every year in over 150 countries. English and Computer College was established in 1990 and is the largest private language school from Thailand, with more than 50 branches spread all over the country. It runs a wide variety of courses from general conversation and grammar to specialized test preparation. It also provides pre-service and in-service teacher training programs for native and non-native speakers of English. During the CELTA course that I attended, the trainers exposed the students (most of them teachers of English themselves) to the principles of effective teaching while the students acquired a range of practical skills for teaching English to adult learners. The course included theory sessions, teaching practice with real students, observation of experienced teachers and completion of a range of practically focused written assignments. The present paper was built upon one of these assignments. It is a case study of a Thai young woman who was a student in my CELTA teaching practice lessons. The paper focuses on the learner in the learning context and identifies specific problems and recommends ways of dealing with the language problems that the interviewed student encountered . The paper ends with the rationale  for the recommended activities and an overall conclusion. 2. Profile of the learner The student I chose to observe and interview was Miss P.R. Her nickname is Nun, and she comes from Thailand. She was 24 years old at the time of the interview in 2004 and graduated from Busayarat Commercial School from Bangkok, with a degree in Computers in 1998. She had been studying English ever since primary school, when she was taught the basics of the English language. In high school, her English teachers focused mainly on vocabulary work, and during her university studies she had a few classes of English every week. She had been studying English by herself and had taken different language courses intensively since 2003. She joined the CELTA English classes at English Computer College in Bangkok on the 30th of August 2004. She attended all the classes, joining her 15 classmates five times a week. Miss P.R. had an outgoing personality. She was always willing to take part in the activities that the teachers prepared for the CELTA English lesson at ECC. The materials used by the teachers during the lessons varied, ranging from visual aids to worksheets, tape recorders, books, and game boards. Each lesson she took part in different writing, reading, listening, or speaking activities, but she also played fun games. When asked, she said that she believed the focus of the English lessons was mainly on speaking skills. She considered the lessons at ECC relaxed, and the students had and wanted to have a lot of fun. She felt that the foreign teachers were friendly and that they all had interesting personalities, which were reflected in their teaching styles. She noticed that the teachers have different accents too. She confessed that some of the teachers talked too fast, and sometimes she had to translate or explain the activities to her classmates. In her opinion, a good teacher should be kind and listen to all the students in the class. She would like teachers to pay more attention to the weak students and have in mind the fact that Thai students are shy and do not like to express their personal feelings. She thought it was a good idea for the teachers to  ³force them [the students] to speak ´ if they [the students] were reluctant to speak up in English. One of the main reasons why she was so outspoken was the fact that she had the chance to speak English outside the classroom with other foreigners too. Her educational background and her motivation were also important factors that built up her confidence. 3. Specific problems Her nationality was also important in her English learning context due to the fact that Thais have a specific mind set regarding languages. During my observations and interview I had noticed that she made frequent mistakes in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary.

Understanding ALS – Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Medical history has been filled with an array of diseases and illnesses, ranging from the common cold to deadly killers. Some are easily treatable and others can be terminal, but some of the worst are those that still remain without a cure; one such disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a degenerative disease affecting the human nervous system. It is a deadly disease that cripples and kills its victims due to a breakdown in the body†s motor neurons. Motor neurons are nerve cells in the brainstem and spinal cord that control muscle contractions. In ALS, these neurons deteriorate to a point that all movement, including breathing, halts. Muscle weakness first develops in the muscles of body parts distant from the brain, such as the hands, and subsequently spreads through other muscle groups closer to the brain. Such early symptoms as this, however, can hardly be noticed. Early symptoms of ALS are very slight and often overlooked. They begin as simple things, such as tripping or dropping things. Twitching or cramping of muscles and abnormal fatigue of the arms and legs may soon follow, causing difficulty in daily activities, such as walking or dressing. In more advanced stages, however, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing and swallowing ensue, until the body is completely taken over by the disease. Intellect, eye motion, bladder function, and sensation are the only abilities spared. Where and how this deadly disease originated is unknown, but it was first identified in 1869, by the noted French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. ALS is not contagious, but research is still vague on the cause of the disease. Today, there are three recognized forms of ALS: genetic, sporadic, and Guamanian. The genetic form of ALS appears to be inherited or passed down within a family, and about ten percent of ALS patients have a family history of the disease. An abnormal gene has been located in about half these families, but the cause of the remaining half is still unknown. The next, most common form, is sporadic ALS. These patients have no family history of disease, and the cause of their coming down with ALS is a mystery. Finally, is Guamanian ALS, called this because a high percentage of cases occur in the Pacific Islands near Guam. One major reason ALS is such a frightening disease is because no cure has been established. Although no effective treatment has been developed, a number of drug trials have been conducted, and there are some devices designed to help ALS patients maintain independence as well as safety as the disease progresses. These devices include ankle or foot braces, cervical collars, and reclining chairs. Since there is no cure, however, the primary treatment is for management of symptoms. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also a difficult disease to diagnose, primarily because no one test can definitely establish if the disease is present. A diagnosis includes most, if not all, of the following procedures: electrodiagnostic tests, blood and urinary study, thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels, spinal tap and imaging, and muscular or nerve biopsy. Most who develop ALS are between the ages of forty and seventy years of age, although cases have been reported of victims in their twenties and thirties. It was once thought to be a rare disease, but studies have shown that about 5,000 people in the United States are newly-diagnosed with ALS each year–about 13 new cases a day! It isn estimated that about 100,000 people who are apparently well in the country today will die with ALS. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also popularly known as Lou Gehrig disease. Lou Gehrig was a famous baseball player in the 1930†³s for the New York Yankees. Once known as baseball†s â€Å"Ironman†, Lou Gehrig was truly a sports legend. His promising career came to a screeching halt, however, when he was diagnosed with ALS. The disease not only took away his career in baseball, but his life; Lou Gehrig died at the young age of thirty-eight. In conclusion, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a deadly and frightening disease; its victims cannot be saved. Someday, hopefully, a cure will be developed, and the suffering this disease is causing will be stopped.