Compare how feelings are presented in two of the poems Harmonium and Brothers Essay

Everyone experiences feelings; they cannot be ignored as we have no control over them. In ‘Harmonium’, Simon Armitage explores the feelings of the relationship between himself and his father, using the extended metaphor he presents the instrument ‘harmonium’ to test his feelings that exists between the father and son. The name itself ‘harmonium’ immediately highlights the connection or ‘harmony’ between them. Armitage also underlines the feeling of regret throughout the poem, as the harmonium is â€Å"gathering dust†, which means by protecting the instrument, he can retain memories from his life. In ‘Brothers’ feelings are also explored by Andrew Forster, the poem underlines the childhood experiences, and the unbalanced relationship with siblings. Forster presents a nostalgic part of a childhood memory, which consists of emotional significance, where relationships change between two brothers. The little brother is considered inferior, as the older brother does not enjoy his â€Å"spouting† conversation, he takes advantage to neglect his little brother so that he can be with his friend doing â€Å"what grown-ups do†. In similar, this poem also identifies regret, the older brother expresses guilt that the ‘distance’ he has created between them, and the little boy with his ‘hand holding out’ showing desire for connection with his older brother. Feelings are presented differently throughout the poems. In ‘harmonium’, Armitage uses colloquialisms which shape the speech patterns of Yorkshire dialect, and also showing discomfort between the feelings of father and son. At the start of the poem, Armitage begins with ‘for a song’, which explores the idea of memories of the past ‘struck a chord’. Armitage also highlights his father’s vulnerability, as he is a ‘dead weight’ which may suggest that he is a burden to his son as he gets older, where they have formed feelings of regret. Similarly, in ‘Brothers’, Forster also uses colloquialisms ‘saddled with you’ or ‘me and Paul’ to represent the speaker’s voice as more realistic. Forster explores the feelings through using monosyllabic language such as ‘said you should go and ask Mum’ which is clearly suggesting childhood and an emotional tone, also showing regret in their feelings. In ‘Harmonium’, Armitage uses personification to identify the metaphorical link between his father and the harmonium, such as ‘the case is ‘aged’, its keys are ‘yellowed the fingernails’, it has ‘lost its tongue’. These suggest that Armitage is describing his father as old, no longer needed. Contrastingly, in ‘Brothers’, Forster uses verb forms to underline the feelings of the two brothers, as the older brothers are considered ‘ambled’ and ‘strolled’, whereas the younger brother ‘skipped’ and ‘windmilled’ which suggests that he is at ease. However, his brothers fear unassertiveness due to being in their teens. This suggests that they hold feelings for each other, but don’t want to expose them in front of their friends. Imagery is used to express the uselessness and vulnerability of the father in ‘Harmonium’. As the instrument itself is ‘gathering dust’, old and is rusty, the father is also ‘aged’, showing that he is no longer needed and is a burden. ‘Bundled off to the skip’ and ‘laid on its back’ suggest his uselessness. However, Armitage also emulates on the harmonium’s positive past, by describing it as ‘under the sunlight, through stained glass’, and the voices to be singing like ‘glided finches’. This positivity of his father’s is shown as the last words in the final stanza, where the use of sibilance, imagery and strong rhyme suggests whispering of the ‘phrase’ contained in rhyming couplet which creates regretful tone and feeling, which could suggest that Armitage cannot bring himself to speak. On the other hand, in ‘Brothers’, the tone becomes regretful as he describes his little brother from a distance when ‘holding out a coin’. This suggests that the brother is regretful for neglecting and abandoning his little brother for being with his friends and ignoring his existence, and this is shown at the end of the poem where the older brother realises the ‘distance’ he created between them both. Hence, the love for his little brother is a realisation of guilt through the description of his carefree playfulness and him ‘holding hand out’ for a coin. The repentance makes his feelings for his little brother come across and their relationship alter over time. Both poems present strong, feelings of emotional pain and regret. Harmonium’ where Armitage discovers the vulnerability of his father at the end and through the instrument itself, where he feels something has been lost which is unable to recapture. Which suggest that he later wanted his father to be a part of his life. ‘Brothers’ where the poet underlines the difficult relationships between siblings and how they chan ge overtime, as for the older brother feeling regretful for neglecting his younger brother who was ‘holding up a coin’. Both poems suggest and express regret for a missed opportunity to communicate the feelings with the close ones.

Isolationism Vs Internationalism Essay

Isolationism is generally a policy of nonparticipation in the international political and economic relations. It basically combines non-intervention in military policies and economic protectionism. Isolationism is a belief that originated from the United States’ opposition in war intervention, allowing alliances and organizations. On the other hand, internationalism is a call for stronger economic and political cooperation, theoretically for the benefit of the international community. Isolationism The isolationism in US was anchored on the basis of neutrality. Neutrality, in international law is a policy that adheres to the non-engagement in wars. The first doctrine of Neutrality was issued by George Washington. However, this rule of neutrality was viewed with two â€Å"deceptive† assumptions as being neither a judge nor party in conflicts which doesn’t employ biased opinions; and that belligerents do not respect sovereignty of neutral states. However, the role of neutralism broke down at the event of the two world wars, which reflected the changes of interdependence among the states. Aside from economic targets, military targets also covered every nation, thus rejecting the tenets of neutrality at hand. Moreover, World Wars has underpinned isolationism by the end of nineteenth century. America’s isolationism broke down in the twentieth century when they started entering into treaties to strengthen commercial supremacy. The Spanish American War pushed US to acquire alliances and commitments in the Far East and the Caribbean. Following this course, isolationists in the US have started to decline its power and influence, when the US government started supporting their Allies amidst the First World War (Jonas, 1966). After the World War I, US, under the regime of Woodrow Wilson entered the League of Nations. Entry to the League of Nations is a means of entry towards collective security, thus challenging the political position of isolationists. The League served as bridge for international alliance – arbiter for territorial disputes brought by the war, and served as international police to avoid another war breakout. Though the League failed in containing the Second World War and was finally disbanded in 1946, it brought about the birth of United Nations in the international scene. That by 1930s, internationalism has finally reached America, rooted from their goal to contain rising dictatorships in the global arena. The interval between the two world wars developed a sense of â€Å"commitment† among the American government to world law, collective security and a sense of policing the international arena, thus forming internationalism. Rise of Internationalism The Great Depression in America has caused people to be more concerned in reviving the economy. And as if seeing another war performance could bring in dictatorship in US, citizens still favored isolationism. Though, the Depression still has pushed countries particularly US and Britain together to boost their withering economies. The Japanese militarism gave them opportunities to commit aggressions in the South East Asia, uniting with Germany and Italy. Japan also signed a neutrality pact with the USSR to protect its borders. The continuing aggressions of Japanese military and government, and pursuing of certain territories created hostilities between Japan and United States, which led to American oil embargoes. American protectionism in Eastern Asia had caused further friction with Japan. Japanese attack on the Pearl Harbor, marked the end of classic isolationism in US. The simultaneous Japanese attacks against US allies intensified and prompted both sides to form alliances against each other. When US became a member of the United Nations, and the America First Committee was broken up. It followed that US also agreed to engage in the military alliance, North Atlantic Treaty Organization. And in 1950s and 1960s, US intervened in wars against the Koreans and Vietnamese, respectively. The US emergence as superpower after the Second World War, marked the start of internationalism. The war and downfall of France, prompted American president Roosevelt to become more linked towards other countries by sending aids to the Allied powers. US became more and more involved in foreign relations, as they were active participant for the NATO, and they instigated the Marshall Plan. Their efforts to contain the spread of communism has gotten them more indulged in global expansion. (Cole, 1983). The Post World War and the Nazis The effects of the World War 1 prompted the rise of Hitler into power and lead the Nationalist Socialist Party in Germany. This reorganization in the German government was a direct opposition to the rising internationalism trend set by the United States. As the Nazi government has changed their policies from the old Bolshevik ways towards centralization of power and hierarchal constitution. At the brink of 1930s totalitarian control of the state was employed and leadership of the government were attributed to loyal Nazis and pure German bloods. Hitler eliminated all liberal democratic opponents in the government as a policy of his reorganization of the German Society, thus promoting centralization of the State. The effects of Nazism in the international order is employed in the remilitarization of the Rhine Island, formation of the Italo-German Fascist Axis that opposed the US led alliance, intervention into the Spanish Civil War, non aggression pact with the Soviet and the invasion of Poland which resulted in the outbreak of the Second World War. Laws and Treaties Effected in 1926 – 1941 †¢ Versailles Treaty – although the Versailles Treaty was founded in 1919, it was an important benchmark in peace keeping vis-a-vis the grounds for isolationism and internationalism. After the World War I, borders were redrawn and new political ideas were bounded, thus each ethnicity now vying for their own national interests. It brought communism to consolidate powers, and prompted anit-communist countries such as the US to promote containment of such. †¢ Washington Conference of 1921 – a treaty signed towards respect for Pacific possessions and to guarantee and open door and Chinese independence. †¢ Rogers Act of 1924 – this act merged diplomatic and consular services to create Foreign Services. This is viewed as the imperial legacy of 1898 war. †¢ Good Neighborism of 1927 – Hoover and Coolidge sought an end for military interventions. Marines were pulled back, although they were also returned after two years in Nicaragua. †¢ Clark Memo of 1928 – it repudiated â€Å"police power† notion of US doctrines, but still reserved the right for intervention as defense in case of wars. †¢ Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 – this was signed by 64 nations including Japan and Germany. It says: â€Å"to outlaw war as an â€Å"instrument of national policy† but more an â€Å"international kiss† with no means of enforcement †¢ Stimson Doctrine of 1931 – this one abolished the Black Chamber in 1929. it was considered as the high tide of isolationism, though Japan was given no sanctions when it invaded Manchuria. †¢ 1936 Neutrality Pact – forbid US loans to nations at war †¢ 1937 Pittman Resolution – prohibited Americans to travel on ships of belligerent powers †¢ 1939 Neutrality Pact – allowed US vessels to convoy war materials to Britain †¢ 1941 Lend-Lease Act – appropriated $7 billion as aid for the Axis foes Robbins, Bruce. (1999) Feeling global: Inernationalism in Distress. Cole, Wayne S. (1983) America, Roosevelt, and the Isolationists, 1932–1945. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. Manfred Jonas. (1966) Isolationism in America, 1935–1941.

The Importance Of The Political Philosophy For The State And Society Essay

The Importance Of The Political Philosophy For The State And Society - Essay Example States have long used enemies as a justification for their existence (IE population will support them for supposed protection from an enemy). Hardt and Negri’s book Empire, argues that the modern state has shifted its definition of the enemy from traditional ones, such as ideology (IE Communism) or state (for instance during European wars), to a violator of law - states manufacture the enemy as a sort of criminal (83). States have thus maneuvered themselves into a situation where any opposition to the state represents a deviant nature and something that the state has an obligation to address. In Hardt and Negri’s understanding, the enemies of the state are no longer extramural – they are in fact by definition within the state, a part of the state structure. This differs from classical neoliberal understandings of Empire, which address Empire building through expansion beyond borders, especially in an economic sense. In interpreting the quotation â€Å"Hitherto the philosophers have only interpreted the world: the point, however, is to transform it,† it is important to remember the origin of philosophy as a tradition of knowledge. Philosophy started as a form of ancient science – before standards of experimentation, testability and so on were developed, philosophers attempted to use reason to form a better understanding of the world around them. Modern science has since taken up much of the challenge of interpreting the world, by using a structured system of logic and experimentation to build causal relationships between physical phenomenon. Science has thus continually eroded the traditional realm of philosophy, especially once it started addressing the state of the human mind through neuroscience.

Distance Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Distance Learning - Essay Example I have also made use of the popular website YouTube to watch video clips from all across the globe. I have used my email address to send and receive emails to my friends, family members and business networking associates. The advantages of pursuing a distance learning environment include the fact that a person can learn so many new things without actually being present on the location where the subject is being taught. This is indeed virtual learning which has helped students and professionals alike in the time and age of today. However the distance learning environment has a disadvantage in the ideology that it is not really education in the sheer sense of the word. If the student is not present virtually on the location, it would be very difficult for him to decipher the exact meaning of what is being taught to him. Thus he can miss out on a number of areas as well as the technical issues happening over the distance learning environment, in the form of internet and connectivity regimes can pose as serious troubling matters (Zhang 2005). I do not have an experience with distance education as such; however I perceive it to be a good learning regime, which can induce students into acquiring the education that they have been unable to get their hands on (Bradley 2003). They can explore different areas and tangents which have remained unexplored to date and thus seek better returns for their own selves in the future. Also distance education can cut down on their cost issues and budgets which they would have had to undertake once they were a part of the education processes happening within the universities and institutions at far flung areas or even different countries. The challenges or barriers that can arise in the wake of distance learning education remain the adoption and choosing of courses which are aptly modified with the needs and requirements of the students. This would mean that

Journal Article Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Journal Review - Article Example In the secondary school setting, the major elements of stereotyping were assumed to come from teachers and peers in the school. Universities and colleges have opened their doors to people with LD’s. This is with the overall aim of ensuring that they provide the equal opportunities that are needed by people with LD’s to expand their horizons. At this stage, the intelligence of people with LD’s is highly questioned by their peers. Many people wonder whether people with LD’s can effectively adapt to the mechanisms present in the institutions of higher learning. According to them, the system is created in such a way that it would prove a herculean task for people with LD’s to adapt and perform effectively. Their overall ability to contribute to the set educational and cultural standards is observed as no mean fete. The external, self perception creates issues in the overall journey of improving and settling in for people with LD’s in the institut ions of higher learning (May & Stone, 2010). It could be observed that the characteristic of stereotyping should be an element of yester years. This is because people with LD’s have come full circle. ... cation from the Journal of Special Education Many programs have been introduced and practiced with the sole aim of ensuring that each and every child has an effective chance at a career. Career development is a crucial stage in each and every person’s life, and it should be treated with the significance that it deserves. In many areas and regions, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation has taken effect (Blowe & Price, 2012). This is with the sole aim of ensuring that all children, including those with special needs, acquire training and get active career chances. The adoption of this legislation offers a prominent step in the right direction as it reduces the overall perception that careers are a privilege of the selected few. Technical education in any curriculum aims to ensure that the varied skills and competencies could be effectively adopted into the economy. This is by ensuring that they are focused on by the selected people in society who are interested in the tech nical subjects, in the curriculum. Special education relies on the creation and adoption of varied skills and competencies that would best equip students with exceptional needs. The technical subjects provide feasible alternatives and options for people with unique needs. This is not to say that all other subjects are not vital or crucial. The technical subjects offer tangible alternatives for students who may be interested in the technical aspect of education. The technical subjects should be adopted, and they should be examined like all other subjects (Blowe & Price, 2012). This is with the realization that they play a momentous task in the apprehension of talents, capacities and likes that could translate to individual sustainability. Agriculture, computer and business applications, industry

Topic 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Topic 3 - Essay Example Consumer behavior is what the whole marketing theory and concepts are based on. By studying consumer behavior, marketers hope to find the reason why the consumer wants to buy a certain product. It aims to help and identify how people make their buying decisions and also the factors that influence those decisions. There are usually two kinds of buyers, organizational buyers and consumers. We are only concerned with the consumers who are the ones who buy services and products for use by themselves. They buy things that serve their need for living and the basic requirements of life. They also buy products to make the world know about their personalities and reveal their attitudes and their roles in the society. In other words they not only cater to the physiological needs but also the psychological aspect as well. Individuality is a characteristic that a man develops due to the nature and the surrounding environment he spends that life in. the behavior of a person towards buying a certain product will therefore be different for everybody. They might have different tastes, likes and dislikes, attitudes and values and their decision making process will differ according to that. The three major things that influence the consumer's social environment are individual circumstances, personal psychology and the social environment. All these above mentioned factors have a lasting impact on the individuals buying behavior. Factors Social environment in which an individual lives his or her life helps greatly in shaping the life of people and their preferences. The culture that they are prevailing in, the reference groups to which they belong and cater too and the social class they exist in or the one in which they want to exist in. There can be an informational influence over them for example when they are told about the authenticity of a certain product's working. A customer can also be influenced by the type of reference groups that he or she relates too. A marketer needs to identify the needs and influences of the reference groups of his target market in order to understand their consumer behavior and plan out their offer in such a way that coincides with the needs and wants of the customer and caters to his or her influence. A customer can be influenced by the 'family of orientation' which is the basic family or the parental family that a customer has; a daughter might end up using the same washing detergen t her mother uses. Another kind of reference group is the family of procreation that is more of the extended family; a customer's buying decision might be influenced with the house of his or her in-laws and he or she might to carry out different tasks and buy certain kinds of products in the presence of their extended family. Secondary groups are the less formal groups which the customer doesn't end up meeting everyday and therefore they don't pose a lot of influence over the buying decision behavior of the customer. Individual characteristics tend to stem from demographics characteristics. The gender of the person, the age group with which he or she is belonging to, the stage of the lifecycle the customer is catering to and the customer's

Policy Brief Addressing The Issue Of Offender Recidivism Essay

Policy Brief Addressing The Issue Of Offender Recidivism - Essay Example It has been noted that there is a widespread inequality in the treatment of people in various institutions including the courts. There are allegations and reports that the minorities are being treated more strictly by court officials than the whites. They tend to receive harsher treatment for their crimes, are believed to be more predisposed to crimes and are likely to re-offend, especially the youths. Bridges and Steen (1998) explain that the perceptions of court officials towards the various categories of youths based on racial backgrounds influence their assessment of these youths. This impairs their ability to correctly assess the dangerousness of these youths.Although there is high rate of recidivism among the racial minorities especially the blacks, it should also be noted that it has turned into a stereotype. This can foster unequal treatment of white and minority offenders in dealing with criminal and juvenile cases and the administration of justice. Consequently, it can trig ger high offense and re-offense rates among the blacks as a reaction to the unfair perception given to them and the racial unfairness they witness in courts. It also opens a loop for recidivism by white offenders since they are not likely to receive a harsh treatment for their crimes. Drug offense is the main cause of rise in prison population in the United States. The percentage of people imprisoned for drug offenses has also risen dramatically and a high population of re-offenders is drug offenders. Spohn and Holleran (2002) state that people will keep way from crimes if they are sure to receive a severe penalty and immediately they commit the crime. People also commit crimes if the benefits obtained from them are higher than the costs. The state therefore needs prescribe tough disciplinary measures for drug offenders such as long prison sentences to deter the present and prospective drug offenders. This will make the cost of offending to be higher than the benefits received from the crime. The state should also remove fines levied on drug offenders because they could pay the fine from proceeds from the same crimes Administration of tough legal measures in based on severity of crime and past criminal record If people who find their way back to the prison for a second time receive a harsher punishment than first time offenders of the same crime, more offenders will be discouraged from reoffending. When administering the harsher punishment, considerations should not be

Week 5 chapter 13-15 questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 5 chapter 13-15 questions - Assignment Example The origins of this concept is traced by to 1845 when journalist John OSullivan first used the United States Magazine, and Democratic Review, where he expressed the need to annex Texas to ensure the expansion of the American territorial boundaries. At the time, the journalist was reportedly protesting that England and France were meddling too much in the American affairs, something that he did not like. The term then grew in popularity and became a political word after that (Brands et al., 2012). The 1850s Compromise was the legislations that were proposed to help resolve the dispute that arose regarding slavery and the territorial boundaries just after the Mexican-American war. Some of the key provisions of the Compromise include the proposal that California be admitted as a free state to the Union. The second provision was that the part of Mexican that had not seceded be subdivided into two territories namely Utah and New Mexico and that these territories be free of slavery. Thirdly, the Compromise proposed complete abolition of the slave trade in the District of Colombia. Fourthly, the Compromise contained the Fugitive Slave Act, which required all Americans to assist the slaves that had returned. Lastly, the Compromise had a provision requiring Texas to give up parts of the western land which it had earlier claimed and received approximately $10 billion to help settle the national debt (Brands et al., 2012). Following the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford in which Scott sued for his freedom after the Missouri Compromise had prohibited slavery, Justice Taney ruled against Scott arguing that not American regardless of whether slave or free could be an American citizen. In fact, the judge continued to argue that Scott could still not have won even if he were to be a legal plaintiff. This ruling favored the sectionalism in the sense that it meant that slavery would still be practices in Missouri despite having been outlawed by the Compromise (Brands et al.,

The Construction of New York City's Subway System Essay

The Construction of New York City's Subway System - Essay Example The New York City subway system disperses in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and Bronx (Ruhl Web). Most significantly is the fact that the New York City subway system is not all-underground as only a few tracks run underground with the rest manifesting some levels of elevation (Range 19). The Times Square stands out as the busiest station of the New York City Subway. The City of New York owns the New York City Subway system with further leasing to the New York City Transit Authority for management. Many lines in the subway offer both express and local services where fare payment is usually through the Metro card. However, children and the disabled enjoy free rides and reduced fare respectively. As stated herein, the subway system proves to be cost-efficient in US where the Citizens Budget Commission reported in 2011 affirmed its effectiveness where it records the lowest cost per passenger. This paper will address the construction of the New York City subway system in details. It will eq ually consider the significant inventions and renovations that have taken place since its first inception. The construction of the New York City subway system entailed a lot of engineering work, masonry, electrical, human and machine labor. As such, apart from requiring well-trained engineers, the construction equally consumed huge capital investment. Indeed, since it was one of its kinds in New York a lot of lobbying, prior planning, legislation, and objective design was necessary in serving the intended purpose of effective transportation. As such, various subsections under the mandate of variant subcontractors undertook the construction of the New York City subway system. The construction process involved excavations, support of railway tracks, and tunnel work. It also included masonry work, plastering, construction, reconstruction of sub-surface structures, restoration of street surface, erection of steel, and painting of tunnel walls (Deyo Web). Consequently, the construction o f the NYC subway system adopted five types of construction (The Interborough Transit Company 35-40). This included the construction of the typical subway close to the surface with steel bulb-angle columns supporting the tacks and flat roof and "I" beams for supporting the roof. Then there was the construction of the flat roof typical subway where steel bulb-angle columns support the concrete construction. Additionally, there was the construction of the elevated road on steel viaduct and the concrete lined tunnel that involved concrete lined open cutwork and rock tunnel work. Lastly, the construction of the NYC subway system also encompassed the cast-iron tubes. These modes of construction took place in various sub sections (New York City subway Web). For a fact, the construction of the NYC subway system took many years to come to fulfillment. Notably, the talks on building an underground rail system in New York started as early as 1863. However, the main stakeholders shelved this th ought for some time, as it was until later in 1868 that Alfred E. Beach had to rely on the New York City Central Underground Company charter to build a test section of tunnel 350 feet long under Broadway. Subsequently, the Commodore Vanderbilt mandated the New York City Rapid Transit Company to initiate the sub-surface railroad construction in 1872. However, this plan had to wait for the passing of the referendum in 1894 to generate financial

Dissertation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dissertation - Essay Example In addition, each of the three major articles is assigned three minor literature sources that compare and contrast the main ideas presented in the major articles. These articles are analysed below focusing on their value for achieving the objectives of the proposed study. The first article is that of Siddhanta and Roy (2010). The specific article focuses on the relationship between employee engagement and productivity. The examination and the evaluation of this relationship is one of the study’s objectives. The article has been considered as important for the proposed study because of the following reasons: a) it helps to explore one of the study’s objectives, meaning especially the involvement of employee engagement in enhancing productivity in institutions; b) it presents a thorough analysis of the role of engagement within modern organizations. Also, engagement, as a concept, is explained in the context of its relationship with different aspects of the organization, such as ‘productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction’ (Siddhanta and Roy, 2010, p. 172). In all institutional settings, performance measure is specifically important because it is the direct reflection of what the turnover, output or productivity levels of the institution would be. Again, human resource managers and other leaders of institutions and organisations find it prudent to measure performance because it is the only means by which they can assess whether or not they are having the needed returns made in the investments they make in enhancing human capital. Again as reflected in the topic, employee engagement is a very important means of achieving performance. It is therefore a step in the right direction that an index such as the employee engagement index be used in measuring performance. Once this balance is done, the implication is that there will be the avenue to assess each employee as a singular stakeholder for growth and development for the organ isation. The index could thus be considered effective because it offers individualised assessment on employee performance. Barret (2012) puts forth an argument that sharply disagrees with the notion elucidated by Siddahanta and Roy (2010), which puts much emphasis on short term turnover profitability and productivity as the best way to judge the effectiveness of the employee engagement model. In his opinion, employee engagement should be seen as a medium term or a long term strategic change plan rather than a short term one. To this end, the author strongly hold the view that there are many companies who have failed to realize the essence and individual talents of their employees because they dismiss them after one or two years of engagement with no massive returns on the financial books. Contrary to such an attitude, the writer posits that the whole system of organizational change the leads to fatter turnovers grinds slower and so Siddahanta and Roy (2010) cannot be right in their judgment of the output of employee engagement as short term turnover profitability. On their parts, Stringer (2007) and Ulrich (2004) refuse to welcome the debates of the first two writers whether the debate is taken from a short term basis or from a long term basis. Together, the two new writers hold the idea that as much as employee engagement index could be an excellent way to measure performance it is totally out of place to make financial turnover the major focus of the resulting index. In the

Evolution of Skyscrapers Essay Example for Free

Evolution of Skyscrapers Essay 1.Historical Development In High-Rise Buildings Ancient Skyscrapers The Great Ziggurat of Babylon Perhaps the most impressive structure in the ancient Middle East, the Great Ziggurat of Babylon was built over a span of several decades in the Sixth Century BC. Its seven stories, built upon a square foundation, stretched 300 feet into the sky. Some think it was the inspiration for the infamous Tower of Babel in the Book of Genesis. In this illustration, King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled Babylon from 604 to 561 BC, is seen overlooking his capital The towers of Bologna The towers of and were built in Europe, or together until Bologna are slender, as much as 60 meters (150 feet) tall, by the rich for defense and as status symbols. No other site perhaps the world, had so many tall structures crowded the coming of skyscrapers in the late 19th century. Fig. 1 The great Ziggurat of Babylon As many as 180 towers, of many different heights, are thought to have been built in Bologna during the 1100s and slightly later; now there are barely 20. The two most prominent (seen here) are the symbols of the city and have long been known together as the Two Towers. Fig. 2 The towers of Bologna The First Safety Elevators In this period illustration, shoppers ride the elevator in the new Lord Taylors department store on Broadway in New York City sometime during the 1870s. Around the same time, the first-ever elevator in an office building was also installed in New York. It was designed by Elisha Otis, whose company became synonymous with the new contraption. Elevators revolutionized office buildings, literally turning them upside down. Prior to their invention, the lower floors of a structure were the most valuable rental property because of the difficulty and inconvenience of climbing the stairs. But the elevator made it possible for elite tenants to enjoy the view from the upper floors and allow buildings to rise higher and higher. Fig. 3 The first Safety Elevators Great Chicago Fire In this illustration, Chicago residents flee the terror of the Chicago fire which devastated their city over a three-day period in October 1871. The fire caused nearly $200 million in damage, killed some 300 people and left another 100,000 homeless. Despite this toll, the destruction cleared the way for Chicago to build scores of modern steel-framed office towers and to become one of Americas most architecturally striking cities. Fig. 4 Great Chicago Fire The First skyscraper Chicagos 10-story Home Insurance Building, built in 1884 and designed by William Jenney, was arguably the first true modern office tower. It was the first building to use structural steel at least partially in its frame, and was the first tall building to be fireproofed both inside and outside. It was torn down in 1931 but its legacy lives on in thousands of steel-framed and fireproofed buildings around the world. Fig. 5 Home Insurance Building The Tribune Tower Pedestrians walk past the ornate entrance and lower floors of Tribune Tower, home of the Chicago Tribune newspaper, which was built in 1925. The 36-story Gothic Revival structure was designed by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood, who won a contest held by the newspaper company to create the most beautiful and distinctive office building in the world. Fig. 6 The Tribune Tower The Chrysler Building With its majestic spire, New York Citys Chrysler Building is perhaps the most famous Art Deco structure in the world. Built in 1930, the 77-storey structure was briefly the tallest building in the world. The sculptures at the top and around the edges are actually inspired by Chrysler hubcaps and hood ornaments. The buildings tapering profile is perhaps the best example of form follows zoning by taking New York Citys setback requirements from 1916 zoning laws requiring new structures to leave more open space around them and turning them into an stunning archetype Fig. 7 The Chrysler Building The Empire State Building survives a hit This photo shows the spot where a B-25 bomber struck the Empire State Building in July 1945. The aircraft was ferrying servicemen from Massachusetts to New Yorks La Guardia Airport when pilot William Smith veered disastrously off course in heavy fog. Fourteen people including Smith were killed when the bomber hit the skyscraper. The buildings 79th floor caught fire, and New York City firefighters bravely rushed up into the building to rescue occupants and put out the blaze. The buildings structure and fireproofing both proved strong enough that the New York landmark reopened the following week. Fig. 8 The Empire State Building World Trade Centre The famous twin towers of the World Trade Center were built by the Port Authority in the 1960s as part of an effort to revitalize lower Manhattan. The structure was derided by critics as boring. One wag likened it to a giant pair of filing cabinets, but in time it became a popular New York landmark. The original WTC was the first to use sky lobbies where people would change from express to local elevators, a setup inspired by the New York subway system. It also had wide-open, column-free spaces that were ideal for Fig. 9 The World Trade Centre the cubicles then becoming popular in office design. The towers were destroyed in the 2001 terrorist attack that killed more than 2,700 people Sears Tower When the Sears Tower, later renamed the Willis Tower, opened in 1973, the 108-story structure became the tallest building in the world and held that title until Malaysias Petronas Towers claimed the distinction in 1998. This skyscraper was able to achieve that height through a spectacular engineering innovation that introduced the bundled tube structure the Sears Tower is really nine square towers bundled together. It was the start of a revolution in structural design that permitted higher and thinner towers than had ever been built before Fig. 10 The Sears Tower The Citicorp Building Skirts Disaster The 59-story Citigroup Center building, completed in 1977, had to undergo a costly strength upgrade the following year after it was discovered that the structure was dangerously vulnerable to strong diagonal winds hitting the buildings corners. This weakness was a consequence of the placement of the main support columns at the centre of the sides rather than on the corners because the building had to float over a church that owned the property. This bold design did win praise for the architect but he subsequently had to suffer the consequences largely in secret lest panic break out of experimenting with untested structural elements. If strong dangerous winds had actually toppled the Citicorp building, it is estimated that it might have taken 16 blocks of Manhattan with it. Fig. 11 The Citicorp Building The Petronas Tower Tourists have their picture taken outside the soaring spires of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 88-story towers, which were completed in the mid-to-late 1990s, were for several years the worlds tallest buildings. The project was the harbinger of a global shift in skyscraper building in which Middle Eastern and Asian countries have been racing to erect the tallest and most majestic towers Fig. 12 The Petronas Tower The Gherkin, London One of the more unusual sights in the London skyline is 20 St. Mary Axe, a 41-story office tower opened in 2004, which is nicknamed The Gherkin because of its resemblance to a pickle. Though odd-looking, the structure is a prototype for a new generation of innovative, super energy-efficient buildings. Vertical gaps in the building create a natural ventilation system that allows warm air to rise out of the structure. These openings also allow the interior offices to use more Fig. 13 The 20 St. Mary Axe natural light to greatly reducing electrical consumption The Marina Bay Sands Singapores Marina Bay Sands, a casino and resort complex which opened in 2011, cost an astonishing $8 billion to build. Architect Moshie Safdies unorthodox design, with its trio of 55-story towers, reportedly was inspired by card decks on gaming tables. The three towers are connected by a giant terrace that supports the worlds longest elevated swimming pool. The steel for the pool weighs 191,416 kilos (422,000 pounds) and the water it can hold weighs an additional 1,424,098 kilos (3,139,600 pounds). The towers are constructed to allow movement in the wind up to 50 centimetres and longer-term settling in the soil. Fig. 14 The Marina Bay Sands Burj Khalifa Dubais 160-storey Burj Khalifa, which opened in 2010, is by far the worlds tallest building. Its startling, rocket ship-like appearance, seen in this photo, seems intended to get attention more than anything else. As architectural critic Paul Goldberger has written, You dont build this kind of skyscraper to house people you do it to make sure the world knows who you are. The tall, tapering design is reminiscent of skyscrapers like the Chrysler Fig. 15 The Burj Khalifa and Empire State buildings although you could put the two New York skyscrapers one on top of the other and they still would not be as tall. The New World Trade Centre One World Trade Center (also known as Tower One) rises over lower Manhattan on the site of where the twin towers destroyed in 2001. When completed in 2013, it will have a spire thats precisely 1,776 feet tall (541 meters), making it the third tallest building in the world and the highest in the Western Hemisphere. The new WTCs base is enclosed in thick concrete, steel panels and blast-resistant glass, making it one of the toughest skyscrapers ever built, but security concerns have caused the buildings cost to soar, reaching the vicinity of $4 billion. Fig. 16The New World Trade Centre Fig. 17 Height Comparison of Noticeable Tall Buildings 2. Classification of Tall Building Structure System In 1969 Fazlur Khan classified structural systems for tall buildings relating to their heights with considerations for efficiency in the form of â€Å"Heights for Structural Systems† diagrams Fig. 18 Classification of Tall Building Structure System by Fazlur Khan. Left : steel; Right: Concrete He developed these schemes for both steel and concrete. Khan argued that the rigid frame that had dominated tall building design and construction so long was not the only system fitting for tall buildings. Because of a better understanding of the mechanics of material and member behavior, he reasoned that the structure could be treated in a holistic manner, that is, the building could be analyzed in three dimensions, supported by computer simulations, rather than as a series of planar systems in each principal direction. Feasible structural systems, according to him, are rigid frames, shear walls, interactive frame-shear wall combinations, belt trusses, and the various other tubular systems. Structural systems of tall buildings can be divided into two broad categories: interior structures and exterior structures. This classification is based on the distribution of the components of the primary lateral load-resisting system over the building. A system is categorized as an interior structure when the major part of the lateral load resisting system is located within the interior of the building. Likewise, if the major part of the lateral load-resisting system is located at the building perimeter, a system is categorized as an exterior structure. It should be noted, however, that any interior structure is likely to have some minor components of the lateral load-resisting system at the building perimeter, and any exterior structure may have some minor components within the interior of the building. This classification of structural systems is presented more as a guideline and should be treated as such. It is imperative that each system has a wide range of height applications depending upon other design and service criteria related to building shape, aspect ratio, architectural functions, load cond itions, building stability and site constraints. For each condition, however, there is always an optimum structural system, although it may not necessarily match one of those in the system’s tables due to the predominant influence of other factors on the building form. The height limits shown are therefore presumptive based on experience and the authors’ prediction within an acceptable range of aspect ratios of the buildings, say about 6 to 8. On occasions, an exterior structure may be combined with an interior one, such as when a tubular frame is also braced or provided with core-supported outriggers and belt trusses, to enhance the building’s stiffness 2.1 Interior Structures The two basic types of lateral load-resisting systems in the category of interior structures are the moment-resisting frames and shear trusses/shear walls. These systems are usually arranged as planar assemblies in two principal orthogonal directions and may be employed together as a combined system in which they interact. Another very important system in this category is the core-supported outrigger structure, which is very widely used for super tall buildings at this writing. The moment-resisting frame (MRF) consists of horizontal (girder) and vertical (column) members rigidly connected together in a planar grid form. Such frames resist load primarily through the flexural stiffness of the members (Kowalczyk, Sinn, Kilmister, 1995). The size of the columns is mainly controlled by the gravity loads that accumulate towards the base of the building giving rise to progressively larger column sizes towards the base from the roof. The size of the girders, on the other hand, is controlled by stiffness of the frame in order to ensure acceptable lateral sway of the building. Although gravity load is more or less the same in all typical floors of a tall building, the girder sizes need to be increased to increase the frame stiffness. Likewise, columns already sized for gravity loads need to be slightly increased to increase the frame stiffness as well. MRFs can be located in or around the core, on the exterior, and throughout the interior of the building along grid lines. Table 1 Interior Structures Braced frames are laterally supported by vertical steel trusses, also called shear trusses, which resist lateral loads primarily through axial stiffness of the members. These act as vertical cantilever trusses where the columns act as chord members and the concentric K, V, or X braces act as web members. Such systems are called concentric braced frames (CBF). Eccentric braced frames (EBF) have, on the other hand, braces which are connected to the floor girders that form horizontal elements of the truss, with axial offsets to introduce flexure and shear into the frame (Popov, 1982). This lowers stiffness-to-weight ratio but increases ductility and therefore EBFs are used for seismic zones where ductility is an essential requirement of structural design. EBFs can also be used to accommodate wide doors and other openings, and have on occasions been used for non-seismic zones (Corrin Swensson, 1992). Braced frames are generally located in the service and elevator core areas of tall buildings. The frame diagonals are enclosed within the walls. Reinforced concrete planar solid or coupled shear walls have been one of the most popular systems used for high-rise construction to resist lateral forces caused by wind and earthquakes. They are treated as vertical cantilevers fixed at the base. When two or more shear walls in the same plane are interconnected by beams or slabs, as is the case with shear walls with door or window openings, the total stiffness of the system exceeds the sum of the individual wall stiffnesses. This is so because the connecting beam forces the walls to act as a single unit by restraining their individual cantilever actions. These are known as coupled shear walls. Shear walls used in tall office buildings are generally located around service and elevator cores, and stairwells. In fact, in many tall buildings, the vertical solid core walls that enclose the building services can be used to stabilize and stiffen the building against lateral loads. Many possibilities exist with single or multiple cores in a tall building with regard to their location, shape, number, and arrangement. The core walls are essentially shear walls that can be analyzed as planar elements in each principal direction or as three-dimensional elements using computer programs.

Multi-Layered Security Plan Essay Example for Free

Multi-Layered Security Plan Essay Protecting sensitive or confidential data is paramount in many businesses. In the event such information is made public, businesses may face legal or financial ramifications. At the very least, they will suffer a loss of customer trust. In most cases, however, they can recover from these financial and other losses with appropriate investment or compensation Having information of different security levels on the same computer systems poses a real threat. It is not a straight-forward matter to isolate different information security levels, even though different users log in using different accounts, with different permissions and different access controls (Red Hat, Inc. 2006). Below I have listed the IT infrastructure of Richman Investments along with recommendations in each infrastructure on levels of security that should be implemented for a more secure network. IT Infrastructure Affected 1. User Domain: The people who access an organization’s information system. * The first thing that should be implemented is a mandatory Computer Security training session to educate the users on the proper use of work computers. 2. Workstation Domain: Users (most) connecting to the IT infrastructure. * The workstation domain comes with its own problems such as unauthorized access to the system, the way to fix this problem would be to implement access policies and guidelines. 3. LAN Domain: A collection of computers connected to one another or to a common connection medium. * Implement second or third level identity check to gain access to sensitive systems, applications, and date. Keep all hardware in a secure location with access only with proper ID. 4. LAN-to-WAN Domain: Link between the Wide Area Network (WAN) and the Internet. * Conduct post configuration penetration tests of the layered security solution within the LAN-to-WAN Domain. Test inbound and outbound traffic and fix any gaps. Also, apply e-mail server and attachments antivirus and e-mail quarantining for unknown file types. Stop domain-name Web site access based on content-filtering policies. 5. WAN Domain: Wide Area Network (WAN) connects remote locations to the Local Area Network (LAN). * Encrypt confidential data transmissions through service provider WAN using VPN tunnels. 6. Remote Access Domain: Connects remote users to the organization’s IT infrastructure. * Remote Access Domain, Being that the users are off site it is hard to say that the users password information has not been compromised. In such cases when abnormalities are spotted or data is accessed without proper authorization, data should be completely encrypted to prevent any sensitive materials from being sold or presented to the open market. 7. System/Application Domain- Holds all the mission-critical systems, applications, and data. * Develop a business continuity plan for mission-critical applications providing tactical steps for maintaining availability of operations. Perform regular rigorous software and Web-application testing and penetration testing prior to launch.

Study of Document Layout Analysis Algorithms

Study of Document Layout Analysis Algorithms Relative Study of Document Layout Analysis Algorithms for Printed Document Images Divya Kamat, Divya Sharma, Parag Chitale, Prateek Dasgupta ABSTRACT In the following survey paper, the different algorithms that could be used for document layout analysis have been studied and their results have been compared. For the removal of image mask, Bloomberg’s algorithm and CRLA have been described. For the purpose of text segmentation, we have studied the Recursive XY Cut algorithm, RLSA and RLSO algorithms. Introduction Physical layout analysis of printed document images is the first step of the OCR conversion. For the OCR to work effectively, we need to provide an input wherein no images are present in the document i.e. the image contains only text. If this is not done properly, the OCR will return garbage values. To avoid this, we have discussed two algorithms, Bloomberg’s Algorithm and CRLA that could be used for the removal images from the document images. The next step is the text segmentation wherein we find the text blocks inside the document. The coordinates of these text blocks are then passed as input to the OCR. To perform this segmentation, we have discussed the recursive XY cut algorithm, the RLSA and RLSO algorithms. Removal of Image from Document The first step in the document layout analysis is to remove the images present in the original document. We will be discussing the Bloomberg’s algorithm along with its variations and the CRLA algorithm for image removal. Bloomberg’s Algorithm The Bloomberg’s algorithm is primarily used to find the image mask of halftone images. The implementation of this algorithm uses basic morphological operations. The algorithm has the following steps: In the first step, the binarization of the input image is performed. Next, 41 threshold reduction is performed twice using threshold T=1. 41 threshold reduction is performed using T=4. 41 threshold reduction is performed using T=3. Opening the image with a structural element of size 55. Next, 14 expansion of the image is performed twice. Next the union of overlapping components of the seed image obtained from step 6 with the image obtained from step 2 is performed. Dilation with structural element 33 followed by 14 expansion which is performed twice. The halftone mask obtained from step 8 is then subtracted from the binarized input image. The main issue with Bloomberg’s algorithm is that it is unable to distinguish between text and sketches (i.e. line drawings) in a printed document image. Enhanced CRLA Algorithm CRLA stands for Constraint Run Length Algorithm. In this algorithm we apply horizontal and vertical smoothening to the document image to get a clear separation between text and images in the document. Enhanced CRLA is used to smooth out only the text part in the image and avoid smoothening of non-textual part of the document image. Algorithm: Label the connected components in the document image. Classify the components with respect to their heights as follows: Height less than or equal to 1 cm, label it as 1 Height between 1 and 3 cm, label it as 3 Height greater than 3 cm, label it as 3 Apply horizontal smoothening to the components with label 1 only. Apply vertical smoothening to the components with label 1 only. Logically AND the two images obtained previously. Apply horizontal smoothening to the output image of AND operation. Calculate Mean Black Run Length Calculate the Black Run Length (BRL) row-wise for the region under consideration. Maintain a Black-White Transition Count (TC) for the region. Calculate Mean BRL as MBRL= (BRL/TC). Calculate Mean Transition Count Maintain a Black-White Transition Count (TC) for the region. Calculate W, the width of the region. Calculate Mean TC as MTC=(TC/W) Extract the components from the image with label 1 having values of MBRL and MTC in the acceptable range for the typical document image. Apply horizontal smoothening to the components with label 2 only. Apply vertical smoothening to the components with label 2 only. Logically AND the two images obtained previously. Apply horizontal smoothening to the output image of AND operation. Calculate MBRL and MTC. Extract the components from the image with label 2 and 3 having values MBRL and MTC in the acceptable range for the typical document image. At step 9 we extract the text part of the document image and at step 15 we extract the non-text part of the document image. The main advantage of the CRLA algorithm is that clear separation of text and non-text part of the document image. It also works for sketches as well as halftones effectively. It has considerably less complexity as selective smoothening is done. However, after the removal of the non-textual part of the document image, some stray pixels remain the image. The connected components in the halftone image whose height is less than 1cm are assumed as text elements in the algorithm. This results in presence of unwanted components in the final image. Text Segmentation The next step in the document layout analysis is the segmentation of text into text blocks that could be provided as input to the OCR. The following algorithms have been studied for this: Recursive XY Cut algorithm The recursive XY cut algorithm is used for obtaining text blocks from an image that does not contain any images from the original printed document. The XY cut algorithm works in the following way: The bounding boxes of the image are calculated. Next we calculate the horizontal and vertical projections of the image. After calculating the projections, we then perform X cuts on all the valleys in the horizontal projections which have a value greater than the threshold th. Next we perform Y cuts in between these X cuts at all the valleys in the vertical projections which have a value greater than the threshold tv. We repeat the steps 3 and 4 until there are no further X or Y cuts possible in a region. One of the problems with XY cut algorithm is that there is no method to find a threshold that will work for all the documents. Instead, a new threshold needs to be determined for each document and this cannot be done without manual intervention. Another major issue with the recursive XY algorithm is the time complexity. The recursive XY cut algorithm requires a large time to complete execution. Despite these disadvantages, this algorithm successfully separates the text blocks provided that a manual threshold is provided. RLSA The Run-Length Smoothing Algorithm (RLSA) works on black white scanned images of documents. It finds runs of white pixels and converts them into black pixels whenever they are less than a given threshold. The RLSA works in four steps: In the first step, we perform horizontal smoothing. For this, we scan the image row-wise and then replace lengths of white pixels by black pixels if they are less than a threshold th. In the second step, we perform vertical smoothing. For this, we scan the image column-wise and then replace lengths of white pixels by black pixels if they are less than a threshold tv. Next, we perform logical ANDing of the images obtained from the first and second steps. Then we perform horizontal smoothing on the image obtained from step 3 with a threshold ta. RLSO A simplified version of the RLSA, RLSO (Run-Length Smoothing with OR) works as follows: In the first step, we perform horizontal smoothing. For this, we scan the image row-wise and then replace lengths of white pixels by black pixels if they are less than a threshold th. In the second step, we perform vertical smoothing. For this, we scan the image column-wise and then replace lengths of white pixels by black pixels if they are less than a threshold tv. Next we perform a logical OR operation on the images obtained from the first and second step. The RLSA algorithm returns rectangular frames of documents with Manhattan Layouts. On the other hand, RLSO algorithm also works well with non-Manhattan layouts. The problem with both RLSA and RLSO is that the threshold for smoothing needs to be determined manually. Also the threshold required for each document image is different and it is almost impossible to be determined manually. Conclusion We have compared the above given algorithms for the document layout analysis. During our research we found that, while Bloomberg’s algorithm faces problems for images that contain sketches, CRLA faces problems for images that contain extremely small non-textual elements. We also observed that the recursive XY Cut algorithm and RLSA both do not work on printed documents having non-Manhattan layouts. On the other hand, the RLSO algorithm gives comparatively better results for Manhattan as well as non-Manhattan layouts. However, all three algorithms mentioned above face the common problem of manual threshold determination which is document specific. References Syed Saqib Bukhari, Faisal Shafait and Thomas M. Bruel, â€Å"Improved Document Image Segmentation Algorithm using Multiresolution Morphology† Jaekyu Ha and Robert M. Haralick, Ihsin T. Philips, â€Å"Recursive XY Cut using Bounding Boxes of Connected Components† , Third International Conference on Document Analysis and Recognition, ICDAR, 1995 Stefano Ferilli, Teresa M.A. Basile, Floriana Esposito, â€Å"A histogram-based Technique for Automatic Threshold Assessment in a Run Length Smoothing-based Algorithm†, ACM, 2010. Hung-Ming Sun, â€Å"Enhanced Constrained Run-Length Algorithm for Complex Layout Document Processing†, International Journal of Applied Science and Engineering, 2006

Grain of Hope in Breakfast of Champions :: Breakfast of Champions Essays

Grain of Hope in Breakfast of Champions â€Å"I think I am trying to clear my head of all the junk in there...the flags...I’m throwing out characters from my other books too. I’m not going to put on any more puppet shows.† This proud exclamation is made in the introduction of Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions. It caught my attention and drew me to continue reading. The book continues to take the reader on a bizarre journey through the human mind. Our mental trip is made easier through Vonnegut’s childlike â€Å"artwork,† which mostly consists of underwear, guns, cows, and other odds and ends. Finishing the introduction I was instantly fed a synapse of the plot. The story follows the mental decline of a rich Pontiac dealer, Dwayne Hoover, and the rise of an unknown science fiction writer, Kilgore Trout, who is to become one of the most beloved and respected human beings in history. All this is revealed on the first page. In my closed mind, I figured that I already knew the plot, so there was no point in continuing. On a whim, I flipped through the book and saw the picture of a gravestone. On the gravestone was written, â€Å"Not even the Creator of the universe knew what the man was going to say next-perhaps the man was a better universe in its infancy.† For some reason this rather simple line hooked me and so I went back to page one and decided to read a bit more. To be honest, I’m glad I did. As soon as I finished the first chapter, I was really hooked. It was one of the few novels I had ever read straight through from beginning to end in one all-night sitting. I’ll admit-so far this essay has been more of a narrative telling of my exploits with this novel, but I felt it necessary to explain a little about my initial feelings. This book is pregnant with symbols. Many of the mechanics of the book (including the chapters) became symbols in Vonnegut’s hands. The first chapter goes into American culture in depth. It explains that in our country color means everything.   â€Å"The sea pirates were white. The people who were already on the continent, who were already living full and imaginative lives, were copper-colored. When slavery was introduced, the slaves were black.

\Napster Case :: Napster Music Download

. Introduction: Amidst the hot debate about whether or not music should be free, there are ethical and moral considerations as well. MP3 music downloading has become the latest fad for computer owners. One computer site where users can download MP3 songs is Napster. The emergence of digital entertainment, whether an MP3, Liquid Audio book, or streaming video, has caused an inevitable shift in the entertainment market from a commodity base to a service base. One reason is that the digital medium eliminates acquisition cost for the consumer. A perfect copy of the original good is automatically created upon request. Using open platforms and formats, new companies in the entertainment sector have literally bypassed traditional production and distribution channels to reach the consumer. Napster is the perfect example of this new paradigm, turning every member’s computer into an audio server and distributing an individualized playlist. However, this trend seriously limits a content owne r’s ability to restrict the supply of his/her intellectual property on a large scale and thus control it. In response, the music industry has resorted to litigation and restrictive usage rules on licensed or retailed digital products. 2. Analysis the Economics of the music recording business The music industry continues to be characterized by commodity pricing. This is largely due to the fact that major label revenues are predominately derived from CD sales. As such, the focus of the industry’s online strategy has been to prevent CD sale cannibalization through control of online product supply and distribution. In the absence of this control, copyright owners would be unable to maintain pricing control. As a result, the industry has taken the lead in defining new rules for online digital distribution that would replicate conditions existing for off-line digital distribution. ï  ¶ Copyright infringements (excluding the effect of Internet) - bootlegging, piracy and counterfeits - are costing the music industry approximately $5 billion per year ï  ¶ sales in the music industry's five biggest markets (USA, Japan, Germany, UK and France) are growing slowly, if not stagnating 3. Analyze the company’s history, development, and growth. James Breyer (venture capitalist): â€Å"Napster is truly revolutionary- and it will be a precursor of some of the most important web applications over the next several years.)† 3.1. History Napster Case :: Napster Music Download . Introduction: Amidst the hot debate about whether or not music should be free, there are ethical and moral considerations as well. MP3 music downloading has become the latest fad for computer owners. One computer site where users can download MP3 songs is Napster. The emergence of digital entertainment, whether an MP3, Liquid Audio book, or streaming video, has caused an inevitable shift in the entertainment market from a commodity base to a service base. One reason is that the digital medium eliminates acquisition cost for the consumer. A perfect copy of the original good is automatically created upon request. Using open platforms and formats, new companies in the entertainment sector have literally bypassed traditional production and distribution channels to reach the consumer. Napster is the perfect example of this new paradigm, turning every member’s computer into an audio server and distributing an individualized playlist. However, this trend seriously limits a content owne r’s ability to restrict the supply of his/her intellectual property on a large scale and thus control it. In response, the music industry has resorted to litigation and restrictive usage rules on licensed or retailed digital products. 2. Analysis the Economics of the music recording business The music industry continues to be characterized by commodity pricing. This is largely due to the fact that major label revenues are predominately derived from CD sales. As such, the focus of the industry’s online strategy has been to prevent CD sale cannibalization through control of online product supply and distribution. In the absence of this control, copyright owners would be unable to maintain pricing control. As a result, the industry has taken the lead in defining new rules for online digital distribution that would replicate conditions existing for off-line digital distribution. ï  ¶ Copyright infringements (excluding the effect of Internet) - bootlegging, piracy and counterfeits - are costing the music industry approximately $5 billion per year ï  ¶ sales in the music industry's five biggest markets (USA, Japan, Germany, UK and France) are growing slowly, if not stagnating 3. Analyze the company’s history, development, and growth. James Breyer (venture capitalist): â€Å"Napster is truly revolutionary- and it will be a precursor of some of the most important web applications over the next several years.)† 3.1. History

netherlands :: essays research papers

Netherlands Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643sqkmArea - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km bordercountries:Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km Coastline: 451 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, arable land Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 8% other: 39% (1996 est.) Irrigated land: 6,000 sq km (1996 est.) Natural hazards: flooding Environment - current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Geography - note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde) Netherlands People Top of Page Population: 15,981,472 (July 2001 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.38% (male 1,501,925; female 1,436,017) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,518,575; female 5,333,442) 65 years and over: 13.72% (male 899,052; female 1,292,461) (2001 est.) Population growth rate: 0.55% (2001 est.) Birth rate: 11.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) Death rate: 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) Net migration rate: 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) Infant mortality rate: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.43 years male: 75.55 years female: 81.44 years (2001 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.19% (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000 (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (1999 est.) Nationality: noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch Ethnic groups: Dutch 91%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 9% (1999 est.) Religions: Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998) Languages: Dutch total population: 99% (2000 est.

Clinical Governance

Principles of clinical governance:Working in a critical care department with a 150-bed capacity was challenging for me as aclinical nursing manager. One of the struggles was controlling the infection rate in thedepartment it is need to be minting and working to reduce the high rate so is not easy toachieve. For example, the report for one of the infraction control indicators showed that therate of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) was high. Clinical governance plays an important role in improving healthcare systems by enhancing and maintaining the continuity of the healthcare provided, creating an evidence-based framework for managing the healthcare provider, refining professional performance by providing scientific resources, and minimising the risk to the patient. It is also important to guarantee patient satisfaction (Kapur, 2009).Working with the clinical governance department lead to the idea for reducing the high rate of CLABSI by using bundles to monitor staff members during insertion of the central line and to make sure that is the blood instruction with the clean producer. The care bundles are providing the evidence based interventions by collecting the interventions in one protocol, that will help to get an excellent outcome (Fulbrook & Mooney, 2003). The result of implementing bundles was excellent, and the rate of CLABSI went down by 50% in the first month, and within three months the rate had dropped by more than 80%. Staff role in ensuring quality and safety:the quality of the nurses' work and safety of patients is essential toproviding excellent care to patients. nurses are the major part of health care providers andit is essential that they take care of preventing medical errors and maintain patient safety. The clinical manager has the role to ensure that bundles were properly implemented and supervised by using one staff member in each shift to check the bundles to verify that all of the health care providers were committed to the bundles instructions. This helped to ensure consistency in the quality of care provided to the patients.(Barbara et al., 2014) Empowering consumers:empowering nurses to take a more active role in their healthcare experience canlead to providing better healthcare. I believe that requiring continuing education allows thenurses to improve their expertise. Furthermore, having nurses share their knowledge isimportant because it helps them to become role models. Nurses must belief in their value andmake sure they apply what they belief in realty to provide better care for patients. Also,creating a positive communication environment is crucial to improving the relationshipbetween patients and nurses, which is reflected in the healthcare outcome. Improving thepersonal – central can have a significant impact on delivering excellent healthcare.The prerequisites for a professional nurse focus on the nurse's attributes and include beingprofessionally competent, having developed interpersonal skills, being committed to the job,being able to demonstrate clarity of beliefs and values, and knowing oneself (Tanya V.McCance, 2006). The empowerment is most successful when it is internal, ratherthan external. Therefore, nursing students must be taught how to empower themselves a supported. Empowering nurses can lead to promote health care and that will reflect in patient health.

Why Many Malaysian Professionals Prefer Working in Foreign Countries?

wherefore more Malaysian professionals select operative in external countries instead of suffice their bear surface area In new-made years, Malaysian professionals leave the country look for new life in a foreign country. There are many reasons why they prefer to bring ining in separate country such as risque salary, technological radix and chemical equilibrium life. The Malaysian professionals prefer to motion in foreign country because the former(a) country provide juicyer salary to their worker. Malaysian salaries are significantly lower than other country.So, they leave the Malaysia and stay at real countries. They also leave Malaysia because encouragement of their parents. consort to Sherilyn Foong (2010), a private equity manager, has say that many Malaysian drop left-hand(a) to Singapores Asian encyclopaedism programme. After three years, she taken up permanent residence at Singapore. She verbalise she cant find jobs in Malaysia. One reason why Malaysia n prefer to work in foreign country is higher technological infrastructures. They prefer to go to the country that have high technology infrastructure.Similar essay Advantages and Disadvantages of exotic Workers EssayThat technological infrastructure can cooperate them to do their work easily. According to Magladen K (2010), many Malaysian the likes of to work in Singapore. This is because they like the islands environment, healthy infrastructure and efficient establishment. She also like the efficient public transport system in Singapore and the low offensive is another reason she work in Singapore. Besides that, another reason is fit life. The Malaysian prefer to work in balance life between working clipping and time with family. In Malaysia, they have to work overtime every day.According to Aileen Ko (2010), her life is more balanced later she works in London. In London, they stomach flexible working hours. She have time to rest and spend her time with her family. In co nclusion, there are many reasons why they prefer to working in other country such as high salary, technological infrastructure and balance life. So, to attract the Malaysian to work in their own country, the Governmnet should offers higher salary, high technology infrastructure and balance life to the worker who work in Malaysia.

Leadership And Change Management In Businesses Commerce Essay

Change is portion of every organisation. Every decennary informants autumn of a great organisation. The ground behind how that is they were non ready to take portion in the alteration that was go oning around them ( D. Ambani laminitis, Chairman Reliance Group Ltd ) .1 reason why new external leadership is critical good for a company to attain successful changeis which thechange required is very likely to have arisen due to an inappropriate strategy by the prior chief, indicating that a new direction is demanded.2: – Why do we necessitate alter direction?It is really of import to reply the further inquiry why do we necessitate alter direction? Change direction has attributes rather similar to Organizational Development. Than why is at deeds that place a demand to develop a new profession? Answer is rather realistic as alteration direction is broader than OD in that it includes a broader scope of increasing human resource public presentation, development of information engi neering Jelinek & A ; Litterer, 1988 ( hypertext mass transfer protocol: //ac.aua.am/gohar_grigoryan/Public/Fuller/273.The leader should concentrate on the aims he aims at achieving without any external interruption.

2. ‘Royal Mail ‘ Introduction2.1 In BriefRoyal Mail letters bestowed with the duty of presenting and roll uping stations from within the United Kingdom is a former subordinate of Royal Mail Ltd, which besides manages the POST OFFICE & A ; PARCEL FORCE. Attained its separate human individuality in the twelvemonth 1986 ( hypertext transfer protocol: //en.Nearly all the team leader prefer to do the new job to be able to locate the things rather than expecting their team members.uk/1/hi/business/8304722.stm ) .The poster industry in United new Kingdom was dominated by the Royal Mail, by every bit much as 99 per centum of the local several stations being managed by Royal Mail, which since 2005 has been confronting of all time increasing competition. Technological promotion is another later external issue the has reduced the possible market size as The Royal Mail posts 9 million less letters than what it used to in the twelvemonth 2005 ( hypertext transfer protocol: //new s.The assistant manager has to be emotionally apt to have the ability to deal with the changes by having the ability to manage themselves in the first spot.

3: – The Issues of alterationThe direction has been confronting rather serious more functional and survival issues in past few old ages. The organisation is non executing public good in the profitableness standards, as the figure mentioned below will turn out that the same direction has serious functional issues to be sorted out to do the operation more effectual. Ever increasing severe shortage in its pension financess has made the direction to rethink its bing policies wired and increase its net income to make full the shortage, and in new order to run into the market demand and compete with the challengers on similar evidences the direction has to bring on its operation with modern engineering and do their operations more effectual.3.Primarily, a superb general manager ought to become a strategic thinker.stm ) . It faced serious issues associating to its traditional methods of screening and delivering, which were critically evaluated to be the premier cause of its los ingss. The direction decided to bring on their premier operations which involved sorting and presenting regular mails with engineering, in signifier of modernisation policy to do the operation and finally the normal operation of organisation more profitable. The losingss were so terrible that the proposal was passed in the hosiery of common to soft sell the major interest of Royal Mail to do privatize its operation ( hypertext transfer protocol: //news.Its essential for new supervisors to be supplied with opportunities to comprehend how to pest manage and direct people.

3. 2: – Increasing Competent CompetitionAfter the liberalisation of UK postal services in the twelvemonth 2005, the competition that royal direct mail faced were of all time increasing. A really good illustration was confronted to the direction when they lost the contract of 8 million lbs to present the 2nd category mail of Amazon Book a really popular cyberspace shopping same site ( hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.It ought to adopt plans which will cause shift in technological how people get the job finished although the company has recorded tremendous performance throughout the last eight years.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6768983.stm ) .Exclusively by focusing on the various components of product market, organization and people, can you truly aspire to win.

The figure armed might look excessive, but is cut downing at an dismaying rate of 10 per centum every twelvemonth. definite Plus a crisp addition in figure of cyberspace users have reduced the market of Royal Mail, around 70 per centum of places in UK usage Internet and around 87percent of them send electronic foreign mails ( hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.Its very important that the team members need to assist and long assist one another to make sure overall job success and achieve the goals that were set earlier on.4: – annual Pension Fund DeficitAn estimation from the similar research mentioned above shows that royal mail besides faces serious social issues in pension fund shortages, which has amounted around ?8 billion ( hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8304722.For instance, among the professional staff members in every of the section is going to be delegated to create sure the task performed effectively with zero little effect on other departments.

Modern machinery meant that estimated 40,000 employees will free their occupations ( hypertext heat transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8304722.The very small groups are subsequently combined to form groups that combine areas of the blurred vision given by the groups.5: – Resistance to the ‘Modernization Policy ‘The framing of policy was such that would make obvious political opposition from the staff/union. The policy execution estimated around 40,000 occupation cuts, which increased to around 63,000 in the twelvemonth 2010 ( hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.The information shows that they prepared and coordinated all the seven ‘S ‘ within their organisation, including the staff for the slight alteration they wanted to implement by subscribing a contract in 2007 with the CWU saying their consent to implement the modernisation policy ( hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7038899.

Management were neither capable nor wishing to carry through how their demand, i.e.Pay rise that would do their wage equal to the national norm ( which would be about 27 % ) .Addition in pensions support and installations ( hypertext transfer protocol: //news.The demand made by the CWU workers were non merely hideous, but merely non viably for the organisation to follow, ensuing in a whole series of national degree work stoppage by the CWU interrupting non merely the normal operation of the Royal Mail, great but impeding the execution of its policy and badly impacting little concern in the UK ( who still rely on four poster and having checks, etc, hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8277206.uk/1/hi/business/8345643.stm ) . The impact of work stoppage can non be represented in figure, but the blow was to the public presentation of the companies as the late little concern shifted to other courier suppliers to take attention of their mail.6: – Harmonization between Management logical and the Union.In bends, the Union agreed to utilize the modern engineering in their sorting offices, and clear cut down their hours from 40 to 39 ( hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8556487.