Monday, December 30, 2019

The Importance Of Homeland Security - 1703 Words

The Importance of Homeland Security When we think of our jobs as emergency responders, we think of the good days and the bad days, but mostly we just think about the impacts that we have made on so many people’s lives. The job is difficult, and only getting harder as the world continues to become more violent and quite honestly, more unpredictable. Living in the United States is a privilege due to our freedoms and rights that our citizens hold, and people from all over the world strive to become a citizen here in our beautiful country. Now with the glory, comes the target. We are a nation that is willing to help other nations that need help and are under attack, and we have aggressive strategies when it comes to counter terrorism and†¦show more content†¦Steven Brill wrote a September 2016 article titled Is America any safer? In this article, Brill writes â€Å"Suddenly, we were vulnerable. Not just to disease, tornadoes, accidents, or criminals, but to the kinds of enemies that had always threatened others but never us.† (p. 1) This article coming 15 years after the attacks was focused on the efforts that the United States government has made to further prevent future attacks and keep our borders safe. Now as we already stated, Homeland Security was founded in 2002, and was a great start for the future here in the United States and cleaning up and tightening our borders. The government has spent billions and billions of dollars on the topic of terrorism. That money was used to investigate, create counter terrorism units, allow for more resources to be focused on terrorism, recovery efforts from 9/11, and of course the â€Å"War on Terror† with Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. There is no doubt about the fact that we have come a long way, but have we come far enough? We must continue to become stronger as a nation as a whole, and continue to put more money and resources into our borders and security. It is unacceptable to becom e complacent when it comes to our nation’s security and strong borders. Using nonprofit agencies such as RAND, which is a research and analytical based group and is explained as â€Å"The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improveShow MoreRelatedThe Importance of Emotional Intelligence at Homeland Security636 Words   |  3 PagesCapstone Project My topic concerns a journey of inquiry into how important emotional intelligence is for personal and professional success and how emotional intelligence can be an asset to Homeland Security as a whole. While I currently realize the obvious value in emotional intelligence, Id like to determine how important it is overall: for example, even though the benefits that emotional intelligence can provide interpersonally are clear to me, I dont fully realize if its such a professionalRead MoreHomeland Security Department and the Importance of Speaking in English686 Words   |  3 PagesHomeland security is a state agency that is entrusted with ensuring that the local population within the USA borders is all safe at all times and this includes adequate preparation for any emergency, safety of each member of the community during and after an emergency. The jurisdiction of the Homeland security is quite wide, ranging from border security, aviation safety, emergency response, cyber security as well as chemical facility safety among many others. There are a wide range of duties withinRead MoreRisk Management And Homeland Security1309 Words   |  6 PagesRisk Management and Homeland Security The nation’s homeland security is a very multifaceted environment which must be controlled to effective function at its highest potential. â€Å"The safety, security, and resilience of the Nation are threatened by an array of hazards, including acts of terrorism, manmade accidents, and natural disasters† (DHS., 2011). All together, homeland security agencies must manage risks at all levels connected with an array of components. Collectively, these external andRead MoreHomeland Security And Homeland Terrorism1206 Words   |  5 PagesHomeland security can be seen as a loosely based term as it is still a relatively new area of the United States strategy. Since its creation, post September 11, 2001, there has been a plethora of additions and revisions. The homeland mission lies not only within a specific agency, but demands collected participation from U.S. agencies and foreign entities to remain strong, efficient and innovative. One can examine homeland security as h aving the responsibility of maintaining and protecting the UnitedRead MoreThe Ethics Of The Homeland Security1116 Words   |  5 PagesAs we move into a new era were a more robust and urgent homeland security program is needed, it is important to talk about how officials are managing all of the risk. There are a multitude of threats; from terrorism, where tactics are all the more unconventional an unpredictable, to climate change, with extreme weather conditions causing severe droughts or other catastrophic storms. The risk accepted by federal officials must be weighed and prioritized in a manner that is conducive to the longevityRead MoreOverview of the US Department of Homeland Security925 Words   |  4 PagesDepartment of Homeland Security: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was formed more than a decade ago with a very significant mission of safeguarding Americas homeland from hazards, threats, and national disasters. This department conducts its mission through securing the countrys borders, preventing terror attacks, and responding to incidents or threats to its citizens (Miller, n.d.). Generally, the most important roles of the Department of Homeland Security are to lead a concerted nationalRead MoreThe Threat Of Emergency Response Operations1604 Words   |  7 PagesThe quote; â€Å"Threats and Vulnerabilities emanating from man-made and natural disaster are the crux of the U.S. all-hazard approach to homeland security (HS), but this approach appears to be inherently flawed.† is not true. This essay will argue that emergency response operations are at the crux of the U.S. all-hazard approach to homeland security and that this approach is not inherently flawed just not all encompassing. This is because the emergency response operations such as crisis and consequenceRead MoreRole Of Risk Management Within The Homeland Security Enterprise1271 Words   |  6 Pagesability of the Department of Homeland Security to effectively manage risk is vital to national security. Risk in general, is something that is permanent but because this is known, strategies can be used to mitigate situations as they present themselves. Government managers must manage risk in a complex environment taking into consideration the diverse missions and multiple objectives of public agencies (Hardy, 2014). The role of risk management within the homeland security enterprise was managed byRead MoreHomeland Security1085 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ AMERICAN MILITARY UNIVERSITY HOMELAND SECUIRTY Brittany Staley HLSS302: Paper #2 May 11, 2014 In the years since 9/11, homeland security has turn out to be frequently and generally identified as both a word and as a Federal department. However, a large amount has been learned since 9/11 concerning the array of further challenges we face. Hurricane Katrina strongly illustrates the general impact of weak preparedness andRead MoreLong Term National Security Policy1423 Words   |  6 PagesLong-term national security issues do not garner the same attention that headline grabbing, short-term national security issues such as an air strike a high value target associated with a terrorist act does. But the importance of having a strong long-term national security policy is important to the safety of Americans and the security of its interests at home and abroad. US geostrategy and that of her adversaries should be analyzed and taken into account. Adverse effects from geopolitical turmoil

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Christian Crisis Trauma Essays - 1238 Words

Ashley Meadows Essay Question: Response Liberty University – CRIS 605 Crisis counseling is an aspect of crisis resolution in which emphasis is placed on the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral consequences within a particular crisis. Psychotherapy is a tool that uses a helping process in order to change a person’s feelings as well as patterns of thought and behaviors. This can take place over short, brief periods or long term if determined is necessary. Both utilize concepts in order to help those in need; however, each takes a different approach as seen above (Hoff, 2009). According to Segun, psychotherapy can only be carried out by a trained professional and allows patients to gain†¦show more content†¦The female decides, with the help of the crisis team, that she will stay with some friends. The crisis team assists with getting her suitcase, clothing, and any other things that are outside of the room. Once the female is on her way to her friend’s house, the crisis team ensures they set follow-up dates with the female to ensur e she gets the help she needs. The research viewed that under the circumstances that the female encountered, crisis counseling strategies needed to be implemented instead of psychotherapy due to this not being just a mental adjustment for the female. The female watched her own mother take her life in her home which devastated her entire life and daily routine. This particular female needed a support team, psychological help, and an everyday plan to move forward with her life (Young, 2008). When considering the range of â€Å"dangers† that a full-blown crisis could impact a person, it is important to seek out the similarities and differences between both crisis intervention and psychotherapy to determine the level of assistance a victim needs. When looking at the above example, it was important for a crisis team to understand what would work for the female. While both psychotherapy and crisis counseling work to help people throughout their traumas, there are more differences b etween the two than similarities. It is important to see that psychotherapy is utilized by certified professionals only; however, crisis counselingShow MoreRelatedCrisis Intervention and Counseling: A Case Study1006 Words   |  4 PagesMoreover, Beckett has failed to be truthful about his lifestyle. He has been lying to his associates at the law firm in which he works. 2. Identify the type of crisis (Situational, Developmental, Existential). (10 pts.) Although there are situational and developmental variables at stake, ultimately, Beckett is dealing with an existential crisis. He is coming face to face with his own mortality, and in so doing, confronts moral and ethical issues related to his relationship with his law firm and colleaguesRead MoreTherapy Vs Crisis Intervention1410 Words   |  6 PagesCrisis Counseling vs. Psychotherapy Essay With an example, consider the differences between crisis counseling strategies and psychotherapy. In considering the differences between crisis counseling strategies and psychotherapy Cisney, (2007) goes back to discuss the roots of Crisis Intervention for soldiers on the frontline in 1919 who were diagnosed with psychoneurosis before PTSD existed. It was found then that multi-components of critical incident stress management did in fact work forRead MoreBiblical Principles Of Crisis Ministry And Counseling1931 Words   |  8 PagesSummary Wright’s (2011) book is the product of many years in the ministry. For Wright (2011), life is a â€Å"series of losses, crises and, in some cases, traumas† (p. 9). No matter how experienced and well trained the minister or counselor; all will encounter challenges that overwhelm them. For the Christian, Jesus is always our model for ministry and counseling. He accepted people, gave them worth, and met their needs. Jesus used the right words and exhibited godly behavior always. He encouragedRead MoreCrisis in Movies Essay1508 Words   |  7 PagesCOUN 604 – Crisis in Movies Assignment #1 (Module 2) Shane Sutherland 1. Identify precipitating event(s). (10 pts.) The movie I chose to watch is Courageous. The precipitating event in this movie is the car accident that takes the life of Emily Mitchell. Her father, Adam Mitchell, and the rest of her family are traumatized by the sudden death of their 9 year old daughter/sister. In thinking about information that would be gained in the first contact with Adam Mitchell, one thing that standsRead MoreCrabb Theory Critique1057 Words   |  5 PagesCrabb and Hawkins Theory Critique Sherrie Miller Liberty University COUN 507 201220 B03 January 29, 2012 Dr. Timothy Heck January 29, 2012 Introduction/Summary The integrative Christian perspective of Lawrence Crabb in his book, Effective Biblical Counseling is enlightening on the simplest level. The overall presentation and concept creates much introspection of motives, which threaten ones biblical thinking and behavior patterns that create relationship and personal problems. ThereRead MoreThe Mental Health Counseling Is A Field Of Great Opportunity And Great Responsibility1672 Words   |  7 Pagescapacities. My freshman year, I was the vice president of my college’s pro-life club, and as such I was responsible for research and community outreach. Over the past few years I have also had the opportunity to volunteer in a clerical position at my local crisis pregnancy center. These experiences have helped me appreciate the need for counseling, because as important as providing for the needs of the new baby, I saw opportunities for the church to also help meet the spiritual and emotional needs of the newRead MoreEvaluation Of A Psy chiatric Treatment1610 Words   |  7 Pages1.) I would recommend that she undergo psychiatric treatment as well as crisis counseling. Hospitalization would be required as she has expressed current suicidal thoughts to kill herself. Since Brandy has had a suicidal plan already attempted, I would recommend to her family that I be allowed to refer her to be immediately hospitalized for a minimum of 48 hours under the psychiatric care of her psychiatrist. I would require that she is placed on a one-to-one suicide watch either by a RN or mentalRead MoreWhat I Became A Christian Woman s Life938 Words   |  4 PagesIn general, due to my upbringing, I became emotional damaged from my parents’ divorces and sworn I would never allow my children to go through such trauma; therefore, well-intended and stupidly, I stayed in the confusion, trying to count off the years. Thus, I continued to struggle with what I assumed existed as a Christian woman’s life; yet, always yearning and praying for a sincere loving relationship with my husband. Notwithstanding, through this extensive journey (eighteen years) I read booksRead MoreSex and Media around the World813 Words   |  3 Pageshopelessness found in sexual add iction. Dr, Laaser knows there is a lot of misinformation or misconstrued information about sexual addiction and sought to clarify much of this information by writing Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction. There is a sexual crisis happening all around our modern society and no one is immune. Sexual addiction is an act of â€Å"sin† and like addiction â€Å"sin is uncontrollable and unmanageable† (Laaser, 2004, p.24). Sexual addiction is about â€Å"trying to control behaviors-and failing†Read MoreOutline : Racism And Children s Health1130 Words   |  5 Pages Enable participants to understand the adverse effects of racism on children s health. 2. Encourage participants to think health care policy for racial and ethnic groups. 3. Challenge participants to consider the right role of the churches and Christians for our children who faced racism. Objectivities Participants will 1. Share their experience of racism in a small group that they may have as the racial and ethnic groups. 2. Explore the biblical interpretation or scriptural tradition of rational

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Will We Save the Earth in Time Free Essays

The Earth’s atmosphere has changed from the beginning of time. Just over the most recent 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of chilly development and withdraw, with the sudden end of the last ice age around 7,000 years back denoting the start of the advanced atmosphere period — and of human progress. While different planets in Earth’s close planetary system are either searing hot or intensely frigid, Earth’s surface has generally placid, stable temperatures. We will write a custom essay sample on Will We Save the Earth in Time? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Earth values these temperatures on account of its environment, or, in other words layer of gases that shroud and ensure the planet. The atmosphere has changed when the planet got too much daylight because of unobtrusive moves in its circle, as the climate or surface changed, or when the sun’s vitality shifted. However, in the previous century, another power has begun to impact Earth’s atmosphere: mankind. The vast majority of these atmosphere changes are ascribed to little varieties in Earth’s circle that change the measure of sun-based vitality our planet gets. The present warming pattern is of specific caliber in light of the fact that the vast majority of it is to a great degree likely to be the after effect of human action since the mid-twentieth century and continuing at a rate that is extraordinary over decades to centuries. â€Å"Earth-orbiting satellites and other technological advances have enabled scientists to see the big picture, collecting many different types of information about our planet and its climate on a global scale. This body of data, collected over many years, reveals the signals of a changing climate† (Callery). Raw data collected over the years and we can tangibly see. One is the data in which the NASA representative, Sellers, shows Leonardo DiCaprio at one hour and eighteen minutes. He’s shows DiCaprio a model simulation of the earth via satellites that have taken renders of the Earth over the years in different aspects. Clouds, sea surface temperature, carbon dioxide. All of these plugged into seeing the change in climate of the Earth as a whole. The warmth catching nature of carbon dioxide and different gases was shown in the mid-nineteenth century. Their capacity to influence the exchange of infrared vitality through the environment is the logical premise of numerous instruments flown by NASA. There is no doubt that expanded levels of ozone depleting substances must be the reason for the Earth’s warming. The trading of approaching and active radiation that warms the Earth is frequently alluded to as the greenhouse effect in light of the fact that a greenhouse works similarly. The documentary talks about the rain forests and the way they are being burned and destroyed, causing harm to our climate and our planet. Lindsey Allen, at forty-six minutes, explains what happens to trees when they are burned. The carbon that they gather from other creatures such as humans is stored within the tree and when those trees burn, all of the carbon is released into the atmosphere, setting off a chain reaction of greenhouse gases. At forty-six minutes and twenty seconds she states, â€Å"It acts like a carbon bomb and releases massive carbon emission back into the atmosphere† (Monroe). The greenhouse effect, joined with expanding levels of ozone harming substances and the subsequent an unnatural weather change, is relied upon to have significant ramifications, as indicated by the close general agreement of researchers. â€Å"Currently, some scientists are investigating how to re-engineer the atmosphere to reverse global warming. For example, theories published in the journal Science in July 2017 by lrike Lohmann and BlaÃ… ¾ Gasparini, researchers at the Institute of Atmospheric and Climate Science at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, proposed reducing cirrus clouds that trap heat.† (Lallalina) During the conversation that DiCaprio had with President Barack Obama he states at one hour and twelve minutes that the Paris treaty is creating the architecture that allows us to finally start dealing with this problem in a serious way. However, it does not matter if every country does not actually do it and within the slim time limit that the earth has. Numerous researchers concur that the harm to the Earth’s air and atmosphere is past the final turning point or that the harm is close to the final turning point. â€Å"I agree that we have passed the point of climate change,† Josef Werne, a partner teaching at the division of geography and planetary science at the University of Pittsburgh disclosed to Live Science. The impact of accrued surface temperatures is critical in itself. However, heating can have further, comprehensive effects on the earth. Warming modifies downfall patterns, amplifies coastal erosion, lengthens the season in some areas, melts ice caps and glaciers, and alters the ranges of some contagious diseases. A number of these changes are already happening though. that of Greenland’s top layer melting away completely. The guide and representative that showed DiCaprio around the surface of Greenland states at eighteen minutes, â€Å"This was a hose that went down thirty feet, and now it’s melted out† (Monroe). All within five years an entire thirty-foot layer melted away from Greenland as a whole. The climate isn’t the sole factor global warming will impact: rising ocean levels will erode coasts and cause a lot of frequent coastal flooding. Some island nations will vanish. The matter is severe since up to ten percent of the world’s population lives in defenseless areas less than ten meters higher than sea level. â€Å"Between 1870 and 2000, the sea level increased by 1.7 millimeters per year on average, for a total sea level rise of 8.7 inches. And the rate of sea level rise is accelerating. Since 1993, NASA satellites have shown that sea levels are rising more quickly, about 3 millimeters per year, for a total sea level rise of 1.89 inches between 1993 and 2009.† (Levy) As temperatures rise, ice will soften all the more rapidly. Satellite estimations uncover that the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets are shedding around 125 billion tons of ice for every year—enough to raise ocean levels by 0.01 inches every year. In the event that the liquefying quickens, the expansion in ocean level could be altogether higher. How to cite Will We Save the Earth in Time?, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Beloved Essay free essay sample

To prevent and weaken the strength of racial tension, the citizens of the United States must be educated about racial problems before being released into the real world. The best approach towards racial equity begins in the classroom and through literature which is where the book Beloved comes into the picture. Beloved fits ideally into the UCLA principles of community one being â€Å"We acknowledge that modern societies carry historical and divisive biases based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and religion, and we seek to promote awareness and understanding through education and research and to mediate and resolve conflicts that arise from these biases in our communities. † The first standard of the Critical Race Theory is the critique of liberalism. Critique of liberalism claims that the liberals have not done enough to aid the African Americans in the fight for equal rights since racism continues to exist in the American society. This can be seen through the Garners, who are owners of a plantation called â€Å"Sweet Home† in Beloved. â€Å"In Lillian Garner’s house, exempted from the field work that broke her hip and the exhaustion that drugged her mind; in Lillian Garner’s house where nobody knocked her down (or up), she listened to the white woman humming at her work; watched her face light up when Mr. Garner came in and thought, It’s better here, but I’m not. The Garners, it seemed to her, ran a special kind of slavery, treating them like paid labor, listening to what they said, teaching what they wanted known. And he didn’t stud his boys. Never brought them to her cabin with directions to ‘lay down with her,’ like they did in Carolina, or rented their sex out on other farms† (Morrison 165) As seen in this quote, the Garners were kinder to their slaves compared to many other slave owners. However, the Garners refused to give up slavery and continued o participate in the slavery industry. Just because the Garners are pleasant to their slaves does not justify the righteousness to own and dehumanize another person. Another example would be when Baby Suggs was required to work for the Bodwins in order to be able to stay in House 124. â€Å"’She’s the best cobbler you ever see,’ said Mr. Garner. ‘Cobbler? ’ Sist er Bodwin raised her black thick eyebrows. ‘Who taught you that? ’ ‘Was a slave taught me,’ said Baby Suggs. ‘New boots, or just repair? ’ ‘New, old, anything. ‘Well,’ said Brother Bodwin, ‘that’ll be something, but you’ll need more’† (171) The Bodwins put on a kind front by offering a house of theirs to Baby Suggs. However, by asking Baby Suggs what jobs she can fulfill, the Bodwins expose a bit of their own selfishness of requiring Baby Suggs to provide a service at her own expense in order to be able to live in the â€Å"given† House 124. This shows that even with purchased freedom and the â€Å"help† from liberals, Baby Suggs still struggled as a â€Å"free† African American in society. Speaking of the Bodwins, the abolitionist siblings provide yet another example of why liberals are critiqued. †¦ Denver left, but not before she had seen, sitting on a shelf by the back door, a blackboy’s mouth full of money. His head was thrown back farther than a head could go, his hands were shoved in his pockets. Bulging like moons, two eyes were all the face he had above the gaping red mouth. His hair was a cluster of raised, widely spaced dots made of nail heads. And he was on his knees. His mouth, wide as a cup, held the coins needed to pay for a delivery or some other small service, but could just as well have held buttons, pins, or crab-apple jelly. Painted across the pedestal he knelt on were the words ‘At Yo Service’†Ã‚  (300) Even though the Bodwins are helping Denver find a job, having a statue of a black boy erected in their home goes to show the reader how hypocritical the Bodwins were in that they did not see African Americans as true equals to whites. Especially with the phrase â€Å"at yo service,† it implies that the Black boy statue represents Blacks are those who are always serving; if the Bodwins really wanted to help abolish slavery and move closer to racial equity, they would not have had that degrading statue in the first place. The second standard of Critical Race Theory is Interest Convergence. Interest Convergence is defined as an illusory â€Å"improvement† towards racial equity which means that those who helped the African Americans did not do so out of pure kindness, but because of other motives that were fueled by selfish intentions. In the beginning of Beloved, an instance of interest convergence appears when Mr. Garner brags about his slaves on Sweet Home plantation. â€Å"‘Y’all got boys,’ he told them. ‘Young boys, old boys, picky boys, stroppin’ boys. Now at Sweet Home, my niggers is men every one of em. Bought em thataway, raised em thatway. Men every one’† (12). By bragging about his slaves, Mr. Garner fools his slaves into thinking that he is bragging because he is genuinely proud of his slaves; however, Mr. Garner’s true intention for bragging about his laid-back treatment for his slaves is that Mr. Garner wants to present himself as a friendly and generous man to those outside of his plantation which would raise his status. Mr. Garner displays interest convergence once again when he teases other slave owners about their style of treatment. â€Å"‘Beg to differ, Garner. Ain’t no nigger men. ’ ‘Not if you scared, they ain’t. ’ Garner’s smile was wide. But if you man yourself, you’ll want your niggers to be men too. ’ ‘I wouldn’t have no nigger men round my wife. ’ It was the reaction Garner loved and waited for. ‘Neither would I,’ he said. ‘Neither would I,’ and there was always a pause before the neighbor or stranger, or peddler, or brother-in-law or whoever it was got the meaning. Then a fierce argument, sometimes a fight, and Garner came home bruised and pleased†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (12) This quote shows that by gloating about the less harsh treatment his slaves receive compared to other slave owners, Mr. Garner attempts to justify himself as a man. Mr. Garner puts down other slave owners not because Mr. Garner cares about his slaves as human beings, but to protect his masculinity through the less violent treatment he gives to his slaves on Sweet Home. Another instance of interest convergence would be when Baby Suggs was given the House 124 which was formerly owned by the Bodwins. â€Å"It was too big a house for Jenny alone, they said [†¦] but it was the best and the only thing they could do. In return for laundry, some seamstress work, a little canning and so on (oh shoes, too), they would permit her to stay there. Provided she was clean† (171). The reason why the Bodwins had no hesitance to give House 124 to Baby Suggs is because they had bad memories about it; found on page 305, all of Mr. Bodwin’s female family members have died in House 124 like his mother, grandmother, aunt, and older sister. On the outside perspective, one may think that the Bodwins are just being supportive and thoughtful because they just gave a house to a stranger, but they are actually selfish, as the siblings are looking at this opportunity as a way to get rid of their unwanted property by giving it to someone else which in this case happens to Baby Suggs. The third standard of the Critical Race Theory is whiteness as property. Whiteness as property states that those who are white possess more privileges than those of color. These privileges can be sold, shared, or given according to the decisions of those who are white. A scene where whiteness as property is prominent is when Halle purchases his mother, Baby Sugg’s, freedom. â€Å"When Mr. Garner agreed to the arrangements with Halle, and when Halle looked like it meant more to him that she go free than anything in the world, she let herself be taken ‘cross the river. †¦] What does a sixty-odd-year slavewoman who walks like a three-legged dog need freedom for? † (166) In America’s days of slavery, only whites got to enjoy the freedom as written in the American Constitution. It took Halle’s bartering to buy his mother’s freedom because she was a colored woman, something that belonged to the whites was being bought and in this case it was Ha lle’s blood and sweat that purchased Baby Sugg’s â€Å"freedom. † Another scene that illustrates whiteness as property occurs on Sweet Home plantation when Schoolteacher measures Sethe’s body and gives her animal characteristics. Schoolteacher’d wrap that string all over my head, ‘cross my nose, around my behind. Number my teeth. I thought he was a fool. And the questions he asked was the biggest foolishness of all† (226) and â€Å"No, no. That’s not the way. I told you to put her human characteristics on the left; her animal ones on the right. And don’t forget to line them up† said school teacher (228). Through these quotes, one can see that one of the privileges held by slave owners, all being whites, was the measuring of another human’s body. By giving Sethe â€Å"animal characteristics,† Schoolteacher dehumanizes her which is also part of the white â€Å"privileges† during the era of slavery. Whiteness as property is also prevalent in the scene where Paul D. has a flashback to the days where he was a slave. â€Å"Shackled, walking through the perfumed things honeybees love, Paul D. hears the men taking and for the first time learns his worth. He has always known, or believed he did, his value—as a hand, a laborer who could make profit on a farm—but now he discovers his worth, which is to say he learns his price. The dollar value of his weight, his strength, his heart, his brain, his penis, and his future† (267) The job of marking values onto the African slaves was also owned by white slave drivers. By setting a price on Paul D. ’s body parts, this counts as dehumanizing since giving worth to body parts is what butchers do to the animals they slaughtered in this case, the animals were humans being controlled by other humans because of differences in color. The fourth and fifth standards of Critical Race Theory are permanence of racism/ incremental changes and counter-storytelling. These can be linked together because through counter-storytelling, permanence of racism/ incremental change is revealed. An occurrence of this would be the scars that Sethe received from a brutal beating in Sethe’s days as a slave. â€Å"Whitegirl. That’s what she called it. I’ve never seen it and never will. But that’s what she said it looked like. A chokecherry tree. Trunk, branched, and ever leaves. Tiny little chokecherry leaves. But that was eighteen years ago. Could have cherries too now for all I know† (18) and â€Å"After I left you, those boys came in there and took my milk. That’s what they came in there for. Held me down and took it. I told Mrs. Garner on em. She had that lump and couldn’t speak but her eyes rolled out tears. Them boys found out I told on em. Schoolteacher made one open up my back, and when it closed it made a tree. It grows there still† (20) Counter story-telling is seen by Sethe telling the story of how she got her back scars and the back scars represent thew mark racism, explaining why the white slave owners beat their slaves. The scars are for life which signifies the permanence of racism and how racism will never really disappear because it is so deeply engraved into society’s mindset. One other occurrence that illustrates permanent racism/incremental change and counter story-telling very well is when Sethe is telling her tale of having to sew her own wedding dress. â€Å"I never saw a wedding, but I saw Mrs. Garner’s wedding gown in the press, and heard her go on about what it was like. [†¦] Well, I made up my mind to have at the least a dress that wasn’t the sacking I worked in. So I took to stealing fabric, and wound up with a dress you wouldn’t believe. [†¦] Seem like I couldn’t find a thing that wouldn’t be missed right away. Because I had to take it apart afterwards and put all the pieces back to where they were† (70) Through Sethe’s story, Sethe proves to be resilient and determined against the unjust economics of slavery. Slaves were not allowed to have weddings or any types of luxury which illustrates the mark of racism. Another occurrence of both permanence of racism/ incremental change and incremental change would be when Stamp Paid reveals a part of his life about having to give up his own wife to a white man slave driver. â€Å"I never touched her all that time. Not once. Almost a year. We was planting when it started and picking when it stopped. Seemed longer. I should have killed him. [†¦] I never touched her and damn me if I spoke three words to her a day. [†¦] She got rosy then and I knowed she knowed. He give Vashti that to wear. A cameo on a black ribbon. She used to put it on every time she went to him† (275) In Stamp Paid’s narrative, Stamp tells Paul D. that he had to sacrifice his wife Vashti to the white slave driver’s will which is a sign of racism. The white man got what the white man wants while the one of color, Stamp Paid, was forced to give up someone dear to him. The content, story-telling techniques and thematic message Toni Morrison makes use of in Beloved aids in the understanding of the Critical Race Theory. First off, Beloved pertains to African Americans in the era of slavery which instantly brings up the topic of racial equity and is bound to include points of analysis for the Critical Race Theory. Secondly, the story-telling technique challenges the reader to be able to put themselves into the shoes of another. â€Å"Beloved, she my daughter. She mine. See. She come back to me of her own free will and I don’t have to explain before because it had to be done quick. Quick. ] Paul D ran her off so she had no choice but to come back to me in the flesh† (236) is an internal monologue of Sethe and then, â€Å"It was a tiny church no bigger than a rich man’s parlor† (257) the story converts back to third person. By switching from internal monologues to a third person point of view, the author makes it known that the story is being told by a person who experienced racial inequity themselves which helps the reader grasp a better idea of the issues that the African American people had to deal with. This also allows the reader to formulate a well-structured position in racial topics and nderstand the Critical Race Theory because the reader will be able to recognize qualities of the Critical Race Theory through the perspective of the African Americans. â€Å"How else except by becoming a Negro could a white man hope to learn the truth. . . . The best way to find out if we had second-class citizens, and what their plight was, would be to become one of them . . . † This quote was stated in the article called White Like Me Race and Identity Through Majority Eyes by Tim Wise; the quote enforces the idea that one must dive deep into the experiences another endured to derive any substantial understanding. The thematic message of Beloved is how the past will always linger and affect one’s mind for a lifetime especially if the event is very traumatic like slavery. The thematic message emphasizes the Critical Race Theory point â€Å"permanence of racism and small incremental changes† through flashbacks and interactions the characters have. The character Beloved is enough to represent the thematic message because she symbolizes the past. Beloved is a past memory that grips Sethe’s mind since she is the ghost of the Sethe’s daughter in which Sethe killed due to the arrival of slave catchers. So by inserting Beloved’s appearance in the storyline, the author metaphorically hints that she, Beloved, is the past resurfacing in Sethe’s life which is permanence of racism. Some may argue that Beloved is not an excellent choice because â€Å"typical† high school students lack the intelligence to understand the context presented in Beloved. That accusation is insufficient because this novel is very mind engaging and is an excellent choice to use as an education tool for high school seniors on the topic of race. Beloved may be a difficult read at first because of the prominent usage of flashbacks in the novel. This can make the storyline a bit jumbled and confusing to the reader since Morrison dishes out the story line in bits and pieces. However, Morrison uses transitions, whether they be abrupt or subtle, that provide hints which let the reader know that the story has transitioned into a flashback for example, â€Å"Once before (and only once) Paul D had been grateful to a woman. Crawling out of the woods, cross-eyed with hunger and loneliness, he knocked at the first back door†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (154). In this excerpt, Toni Morrison uses a time reference phrase â€Å"once before† to alert the reader of a flashback in which she goes into elaborating the flashback. The reader should be able to realize he or she is reading a flashback due to a shift in setting and (possibly) different characters. One should not disregard a novel due to the language because with guidance, an effective teacher can help his or her students comprehend the message that Toni Morrison is conveying through Beloved. Toni Morrison offers plenty of valuable examples on racial tensions that would be a shame to pass up just because the novel may be complicated to fathom. The novel Beloved by Toni Morrison provides that sense of racial awareness which is why the novel should be in UCLA’s high school book selection. Beloved is rich with examples of all five principles of the Critical Race Theory that are easily absorbed by high school students with the assistance of Beloved’s content, story-telling technique, and thematic message. When students learn about Critical Race Theory and the experiences of those who encountered extreme racial hostilities, students will have a more broad perspective. Students will have a new outlook on situations that deal with race and know that one must put themselves into another’s shoes in order to genuinely understand the hardships and feelings of the other. Work Cited Keating, Catie. Race Analysis of Toni Morrisons Beloved. Yahoo! Contributor Network. News Network, 3 Nov. 2010. Web. 19 Feb. 2013 Martinez, Inez. Toni Morrison’s Beloved: Slavery Haunting America. rd ed. Vol. 4. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. The Jungian Society. 2009. Web. 2 Mar. 2013. Monique. The Pulitzer Project.   Beloved by Toni Morrison (1988) Review by Monique. Blogger, 5 Feb. 2009. Web. 2 Mar. 2013. Morrison, Toni. Beloved: A Novel. New York: Knopf, 1987. Print. Smith, Valerie. Chapter 3 Beloved.   Toni Morrison: Writing the Moral Imagination. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. N. pag. Google Bo oks. Web. 1 Mar. 2013. Supernatural Realism.   Tripod. N. p. , n. d. Web. 2 Mar. 2013. UCLA.   Mission amp; Values. N. p. , n. d. Web. 1 Mar. 2013

Thursday, November 28, 2019

John Keats La Belle Dame Sans Merci Essays - Gothic Fiction

John Keats' ?La Belle Dame Sans Merci? SPeech is where you make speeches. La Belle Dame sans Merci In La Belle Dame sans Merci, John Keats stresses the idea that beauty is only skin deep and also lies in the eye of the beholder. Through the use of two speakers, Keats is able to portray his theme by means of a story. As the poem begins, the reader meets the first speaker. As we read on, we come to find out that this is a passer-by. We also find out the state of the other speaker, wretched Wight. Sounds so full of life. We also find out the setting. The sedge is witherd from the lake, /And no birds sing. Again, the reader sees the lack of life in the setting. As the first speaker continues, he starts to interrogate the other man. what can ail thee? He describes the man as a lily on thy brow, with anguish moist and fever dew. This translated more than likely indicates that the man is sad. He has also lost the color in his cheeks by stating, on thy cheek a fading rose. Now, it is time for the other speaker to respond. His fir st remark is the route of his problemI met a lady. Wow, cut, print, we have ourselves the beginning of the majority of problems men face. He has met a woman. He then starts to describe her as if in a trance Full beautiful, a faerys child. The woman is made out to be a goddess. He furthers his description with Her hair was long, her foot was light, /And her eyes were wild. Through stating her attributes in past tense, the second speaker is relaying that she is no longer there. Now the second speaker (for the sake of understanding, we shall call him Sark), Sark is describing what they did together. [Sark] set her on [his] pacing steed. And she sat like a true lady and they were merry. She took him into her elfin grot and the laid together. She lookd at [Sark] as she did love him. By this saying, it can be presumed that she did not really love him, but only acted like it because of the gifts he was bestowing upon her. As he fell asleep, Sark had a dream. He dreamt that [he] saw pale ki ngs, and princes too, /Pale warriors, death-pale were they all. These men can be presumed as others who had fallen for this woman and had come to the same misery as him. Sark wakes up and finds himself alone On the cold hillside. He then continues to explain that is why the passer-by found him where he is, where the sedge is witherd from the lake, /And no bird sings. This is a true story of falling in love with the beauty and not the person. The man fell for her like a rock in water. He gave up everything for her and she left him. But in retrospect, when the title of the poem is translated, it turns out she is the beautiful woman without pity. Speech and Communcations

Monday, November 25, 2019

Tyranny vs. monarchy essays

Tyranny vs. monarchy essays One cannot accurately define monarchy versus tyranny. It is a matter of personal opinion. This opinion is based on fundamental ideals and values that an individual has formed throughout his life. monarchy becomes a tyranny when the monarchy has lost the sincere desire for the happiness for the population. Now, the road to achieving happiness is conceptually different in almost every culture. The concept of happiness in America is a big house, fast cars, seventy-two inch plasma flat-screen with the bling-bling. This is not the version of happiness prevalent in many collectivist societies. Radical Muslims loath America for being tyrannical capitalists. At which form of influence on Dahls scale does one label a persuasive action as tyrannical? At what point does imposing a majority view on a minority become tyrannical? These questions have to be gauged by societal and cultural standards. Nations have a penchant for being very narrow-minded when viewing other leaders. Societies tend to judge foreign societies actions based upon an ethnocentric view of the world by relating it to themselves and there own culture and then passing judgement accordingly. For example, many Americans value individualistic ideals and some will see a communist state as tyrannical. If one has formed a set of values that value private property highly, he may feel a socialist government is tyrannical. Many Americans view Islamic states to be tyrannical on the basis that women are subordinated in that society without respecting thousands of years of culture. Here is a brief theoretical case study. The dictator from politically unstable Poptrunkistan massacres a bunch of his own people protesting at a town square. People would be quick to label that leader as tyrannical. However, the dictator may justify his actions, and rightly so, by saying he was motivated by the possibility of saving thousands more from the civil war that may have bec ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The curriculum NZ Early Years Curriculumhas a role in shaping future Essay

The curriculum NZ Early Years Curriculumhas a role in shaping future identities. (Ross, 2000, p.149) - Essay Example Infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers derive much benefit from a play-based curriculum, and under the supervision of knowledgeable and caring adults, it is a powerful method in facilitating the development of children’s identities. This paper will explore one of the definitions of identity as cited in Webber (n.d.) Identity is a socially constructed phenomenon related to the societal context in which individuals live. It is also very much a personal process. Erikson(1980) â€Å"understood that one’s identity is something that is both self-created and bestowed upon the individual by the culture†(p 13) (as cited in Webber, n.d., p. 14) Pedagogical models with strong sociocultural features such as Te Whariki do not leave play to chance but sustains it through complex reciprocal and responsive relationships as well as provision of activities which are socially constructed and mediated (Wood, 2004). Not only do activities promote self-awareness but also incorporate cult ural awareness which strengthens children’s cultural identities. ... Play is a child’s world. It is an avenue where one can be free to be oneself without anyone imposing rules or restrictions to conform to society’s standards. Play offers many benefits that foster children’s learning. It engages the mind to actively imagine various scenarios for fun or for problem-solving. Te Whariki’s strand of Mana Aoturoa (Exploration) encourages children’s active exploration of the environment because in doing so, they learn many strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning as well as developing theories in understanding their world (MOE, 1996). Babies and toddlers play in order to get to know how things work, how people react, etc. They get to explore and discover things that otherwise they will not learn about if they do not actively engage in play. This free exploration is considered Heuristic play by Holland (2003) and encourages it without adult intervention. Adults provide simple materials and allow the childâ €™s imagination to take off. â€Å"The child learns from observing directly what these objects will ‘do’ or ‘not do’, in sharp contrast to much of the ‘educational’ equipment which has a result predetermined by the design which has been devised by the adult maker (Holland, 2003, p. 142). Not only will heuristic play stimulate a child’s thinking, but it also develops his creativity as he will see in his mind endless possibilities in imaginatively transforming ordinary objects into various things with various functions. Young children learn better in play- like settings because they retain concepts better when learned in the spirit of fun. Macintyre (2003) discusses the value of play in all the developmental areas of children. Children love games that stimulate thinking. Such cognitive benefits

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Utilising theory, concepts and tools explored in the module, Essay

Utilising theory, concepts and tools explored in the module, critically evaluate the strategic marketing of a product, service or business offering of your choice - Essay Example nder the segment of beverages is enhancing its brand image and portfolio to a significant extent thereby amplifying their portfolio and reputation in the entire globe. One of such reputed organizations operating successful in the segment of beverage is Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola is one of the reputed organizations, operating in the segment of carbonated soft drinks, since 1886. It is introduced in the region of Atlanta of Georgia, but expanded its wings in the entire globe very quickly and rapidly (Coca-Cola, 2014). It became possible mainly due to the presence of numerous product lines such as Caffeine-free coca-cola, Parsi Cola, Virgin Cola, Coca-Cola-Vanila, Coca-Cola Cherry etc (Coca-Cola, 2014). Due to which, it attained the reward of best global brand in the year 2011. Other than this, within a very small time frame, it enhanced its profit margin by 15.31 percent in 31st March, 2014 (Ycharts, 2014). Along with this, the market share and brand image of the organization of Coca-Cola enhanced with a significant extent that amplified its position and sustainability as well (Coca-Cola, 2014). The rationale of this essay is to analyse critically the strategic marketing policies used by the organization of Coca-Cola in order to promote its product, diet coke in the entire globe among other competing firms. Moreover, the essay also comprises of varied types of marketing concepts, theories and tools in order to evaluate the effective strategies used. Strategic marketing is the procedure to cope up with the policies and strategies of the existing competitors so as to amplify the brand value of an organization. Similarly, the process of strategic marketing is performed for the organization of Coca-Cola, in order to analyse the demands and requirements of its target market so as to fulfil it. Only then, the organization of Coca-Cola might become successful in amplifying its image and reputation in this aggressive market among many other rival contenders (Beall, 2010, pp.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Global Branding Strategies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Branding Strategies - Research Paper Example As the paper outlines, the world is becoming increasingly global. Companies are not just focusing on local markets in their service and product provision. They are now looking for new and more promising markets outside their borders and also need to incorporate market forces coming from their global competitors. The corporate world is now characterized by a fast flow of products internationally, an advertisement is also done across borders and there is a need to ensure that marketing strategies reflect these changes. (Kapfer, 1997)  Brands are a fundamental part of any company's key strategy. This is because brands give firms an identity. Keller (1998) asserts that brands help to strengthen their customer base and also to take away power from retailers alone. Aaker and Keller (1990) go on to add that a brand helps to solidify ones position in any market. However, there are some key questions that arise when dealing with the issue. Firms need to ask themselves whether they would lik e to maintain the same brand name in different countries and locations. Firms who choose to do this could justify their actions by claiming that this allows them to maintain their identity throughout. On the other hand, some firms may decide to take up different brands within the different countries that they will choose to operate. Such firms may believe that brand names need to reflect demand and the needs of a particular country. These questions need to be addressed so as to ensure that a given company take advantage of all the opportunities available in the international market. Some companies may have made quite a name for themselves in the domestic markets. Their products may have such a unique place in their product markets such that they have considerable influence there. It would, therefore, be advisable to maintain the same brand for such companies when venturing into global markets. Caller (1996) asserts that this will go a long way in ensuring that such companies are abl e to leverage their power in the domestic market to international markets. A good example of such a company is Coca Cola. It started with a very strong image in its domestic market and decided to maintain its name throughout its market.  Another aspect that could make certain companies stick to the same brand name is the integration of regional markets. For example in Europe, there are numerous countries that are now operating under the same currency and targeting each other. Consequently, it would be advisable to create brand names that can accommodate numerous countries all at once. The European Union has changed the traditional approach of locally-centered products. There is a need to incorporate brands for the EU markets. (Featherstone, 1990)  Some companies may be dealing with certain products that have relatively equal levels of demand in the target markets they are dealing with. A good example of such a company is Shell. The Company deals with various petroleum products. These are items that are in high demand in different parts of the world.  

Saturday, November 16, 2019

How Cookies Are Used On The Internet Computer Science Essay

How Cookies Are Used On The Internet Computer Science Essay This paper will discuss how cookies are used on the Internet and the risks associated with cookies. The essay will explain what computer cookies are, how they are used, the security issues that are associated with cookies and whether are needed for Internet browsing. Computing cookies are used by many commercial websites to hold variables when you jump through different pages, however, they can be used for more sinister purposes. This is why a browser will allow a user to turn the storing of cookies off. A computing cookie is a file which helps a server recognize who a user is. When a user is browsing the Internet, the server that provides the websites does not know who they are. This is not a problem when the user visits static websites. However, when a user visits an interactive website that requires them to log in or remember a shopping list, the browser does need to remember who you are (Schneier, 2004:171). The reason for this is that, if it could not remember who the user is, then you would have to log in every time you visited a different page within the same companys website and it would not remember a shopping cart when the browser moved from a main page to a checkout page (All about cookies, 2011). The way it remembers this information is by using a cookie. A cookie comes in two forms; temporarily or persistent. A temporarily cookie is stored in the browsers memory and is destroyed when the browser is shut down. This type of cookie is used so the server can remember what activity has taken place throughout a website. This is useful on an e-commerce website where there is a shopping cart because, the website needs to remember what has been placed in the shopping cart when the user moves between pages and then ultimately to the checkout page. If a cookie was not used the shopping cart would appear empty every time a different page that was visited within the same website (All about cookies, 2011). A persistent cookie is stored on the computers hard drive as a file; it could be stored for any amount of time that the server sets (Pfleeger Pfleeger, 2006: 434). It is used for remembering login details and preferences so that every time a user visits a website, the server remembers their selections. An example of this could be the language t hat the user has chosen to view the website in (All about cookies, 2011). The whole idea is to make the browsing experience much more pleasant. Persistent cookies are also used to track the websites a user visits; this is done to target advertisements to specific users. This means that cookies can reduce the chance that a 25 year old single man is served an ad for diapers when he goes on his favourite sports site(ARA, 2005). Many reputable sites including Google, Yahoo and Sesame Street use this method target adverts (Penenberg, 2005). However, the method raises concerns about the privacy of users as profiling software can determine many different aspects of a users identity with fairly good precision, things like: gender, race, age, income, religion, location, marital status, children, pets and sexual orientation. A public outcry followed and for this reason it has been possible to turn cookies of in Internet Explorer since version 3 (Kayne, 2011), which was released in 1996. In 20 09 the European Union passed a law on the way cookies are used within websites based in Europe. The new law means that a cookie will not be allowed to be placed unless the user has been briefed about what it is for and how it works and also given their consent for it to be placed (Chacksfield, 2009), the only exception to this law will be if the cookie is strictly necessary for the service the user has requested like in the case of an e-commerce website (Robertson, 2009). Security issues are associated with the use of cookies, this is because the nature of a cookie is to collect data, although this is normally a username and password, they can be used to collect other data. Cookies can store anything about a client that a browser can determine: keystrokes the user types, the machine name, connection details (such as IP address), date and type, and so forth.(Pfleeger Pfleeger 2006: 434) The reason this can become a security issue is because, cookies are not designed to provide protection so there is no way of confirming a cookies integrity, also, not all companies encrypt cookies. When a company does not encrypt a cookie, an eavesdropper can steal and reuse the cookie, impersonating a user indefinitely.(ibid: 236) Cookie poisoning is another problem that can arise from storing cookies; cookie poisoning is when the data inside the file is modified. This can result in the bypassing of security mechanisms, meaning an attacker can gain unauthorised inform ation about another user and then steal their identity. (Imperva, 2011) Cookie poisoning is a Parameter Tampering attack, a parameter tempering attack is where an attacker will modify the parameters entered into a hidden or fixed field. These fields are the only security measure for certain operations. This makes this kind of attack useful to an attacker because a cookie can hold sensitive information about the user. Other parameter attacks including SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting and Buffer Overflow can be executed using cookie poisoning. (Imperva, 2011) In conclusion if cookies are used for the purpose they were intended they are a good thing. They make the browsing of websites a much more pleasurable experience with the cookies saving the user preferences; this means a website tailored to the users likes. They also provide a good platform for marketers to target adverts to a specific user, meaning they see adverts for things they are much more likely to buy. As with anything over a network there are security risks from cookie poisoning and the privacy concerns, however, with browsers allowing cookies to be switched off the concerns can be overcome.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

A Rhythmic History of Hip-Hop Essay -- Hip Hop Music Beat Essays

A Rhythmic History of Hip-Hop Hip-hop, which originally began more than 20 years ago, has undergone many changes during its lifetime. The music has always remained centered in urban landscapes, with most performers of the music rising up from the inner-city neighborhoods. Throughout its history, hip-hop has centered on the rhythm of the beat rather than the melody, which shows the connection between modern hip-hop and traditional African tribal music, often featuring complex polyrhythms and little to no melody. Hip-hop has also featured heavy bass sounds through out its history, with the rhythms hitting the second and fourth beat of each measure hard with either a heavy bass drum or a bass guitar. Hip-hop beats have evolved in many different ways throughout their twenty-year history, yet they are all centered around rhythm and feature heavy, syncopated bass. For my field report, I chose to compose a number of different hip-hop beats, each one emulating a different style of beat from the history of hip-hop. I composed five different beats. The first is an emulation of a beat from the mid-eighties, the second is based on a gangster rap beat from the west coast during the early nineties, the third is based on a beat from New York City during the early nineties, the fourth based on a beat from the south during the late nineties, and the fifth is based on a beat from New York City during the late nineties. For two of the beats I used samples, which is a common practice in the construction of hip-hop beats. The other beats are all originals, yet they are not as long in length as those that contain samples. The first beat is one that is based on the song . South Bronx. by Boogie Down Productions, which was released in 198... ...t, and it does have a sad and reflective tone to it. My song features a sample from the song "Ballad of the Thin Man" by Bob Dylan. The beat is still repetitive, which has proven to be the one constant between all the beats that I chose to emulate. Most of my beats succeeded in trying to capture the feeling of a different time and a different area in music. As is evident by the difference in the beats that came out of New York, Los Angeles, and the South, whatever area the beat comes from has an influence on how those beats will sound. The time from which a beat came also has an influence on how it sounds, with the old school beats sounding quite different from the modern beats. While hip-hop beats have progressed and changed over time, there have also been constants, such as repetition and rhythmic complexity, that remain as similarities between all the beats.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Effective and prefessioanl communication in nursing Essay

Today, nurses and midwives in their professional practice need to communicate in many different ways, maintain an open minded attitude that will allow for superior preparation in nursing assessments and in practice and provide person centred care. They are also required to demonstrate their capacity to think critically about issues, organise ideas logically, take action and reflect on that action to implement continuous improvement in future situations. Emotional intelligence is the foundation for reflective practice; therefore the aim of this paper is to outline the importance of having a clear and concise understanding of the skills mentioned and continuously expanding knowledge throughout studies and ensures this continues into and throughout a career in the health care domain. Verbal communication is the transmitted information from one to another, or to many, in the form of spoken words or written text (Hillege & Groome, 2007). However, there are many other options to transmit information if verbal communication does not benefit the situation. Non-verbal forms such as touch, facial expressions, posture, gait, gestures, sound and a person’s subjective data are also forms of communications which are vital to the medical scope. I feel strongly towards the importance of recognizing all areas of communication and believe non-verbal communication is helpful and can bare more truth despite what the verbal language indicates. Nurse-patient interaction is the pulse of nursing (American Society of Registered Nurses, 2007). Verbal communication is used extensively when providing care, however, when verbal transitions not clear due to language barriers, other avenues of gaining information must be sourced. Awareness of this in nursing practice, together with skilled perception to decipher and piece together a patient’s source of distress by acknowledging what messages the body is convening and what is being said and with that to treat the patient effectively. Lewis & Foley (2010) stated that there are many aspects to conducting a health assessment. Two of these are preparation and collecting data. I feel that the involvement in understanding and performing these assessments correctly is more complicated than I initially thought. The patient’s biographical data, subjective data  and the equipment needed for the nurse to collect such information must all be considered in preparation for the assessment to be precise, paramount and to maintain the person centeredness towards the patient’s own self values. Nurses and midwives need to show respect to the patient’s holistic health (Blackman, 2010). By applying this concept to my nursing practice, it will help me to develop an accurate health assessment. Person-Centered care sees that the patient plays an equal part in planning, developing and assessing their care plan to make sure it is concise with their needs (Dempsey, 2009). It involves considering the patients holistic health and social determinates and putting patients and their families at the center of all decisions. I feel that it is imperative that the patient feels secure and respected by the health care professionals that have instilled trust through their own emotional intelligence. Modern day demands of nursing depend on the skills of emotional intelligence which then achieves person centred care (American society of Registered Nursing, 2007). By applying these concepts in my daily nursing practice I am working towards gaining the most positive foundation for an individuals’ care to take place with positive outcomes. Stance and expression show sincerity towards a patient. Appearance, facial expressions, attitude, ability to listen and remain silent allowing the patient to talk openly indicate professionalism and show a nurses’ demeanor to the patient (Lewis & Foley, 2010). I feel that these are important skills to develop as a health care professional. It is critical as a nurse that we are aware of our non-verbal language and that it portrays a message that complements the verbal communication. Non-verbal interactions play a vital role in nurse-patient perceptions (Blackman, 2011). Displaying neutral expression is not incorrect, rather it can allow for appropriate expression inside the zone of helpfulness. When interacting with patients in the clinical scene I now know the importance of maintaining professional demeanor towards them. Lewis and Foley (2010) stated that through stages of life, consideration and opinion of one’s self is developed through a combination of others’ attitudes and the internalised understanding of ideal self. These factors can have positive or negative effects on the development and stability of self-concept. I feel  that it is important to recognise a persons’ sensitivity to influence on both the care giver and receivers end. Influences are ever changing depending on a person’s faith, socio-economical positioning, interpersonal relationships and emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence has grown in popularity among nurses over the last two decades, generating interest both at a social and professional level (American Society of Registered Nurses, 2007). I, as a nurse, must have emotional intelligence in order to reflect it back on patients, thus stimulating their own positive self-concept and avoiding emotional down scale which could have otherwise caused them to suffer inadequate care. As nurses and midwives we must demonstrate confidence in understanding that the specific data that needs to be collected underpins the decisions and actions in creating a health care plan for on a patient (Dempsey & Wilson, 2009). It is critical to remain free from prejudice in the clinical scene and consistently motivate an individual’s needs and put ethical principles into action. I now feel more aware that my prejudicial judgments can have acute impacts on an individual’s self-concept. Leiniger (1988) stated that nurses must acquire knowledge of the ‘others’ culture in order to provide care that is culturally congruent for the client. Freedom of prejudice enables nurses to seek new information to broaden understanding thus obtaining correct insight to tailor individual action planning that suits the needs of the patient. A nurse’s primary responsibility is conducting a health assessment and collecting patient data (Lewis and Foley, 2010). During data collection, elements of critical thinking establish the determinants for the action to follow. I feel nervous that, my initial assessment on a patient will determine the proceedings of the action plan toward the patients’ treatment and it is expected that nurses demonstrate the knowledge and ability to grow and gain further knowledge through clinical practice and reflection. American Society of Registered Nursing (2007) stated that nurses should develop skills to assess patient’s responses to the illness. Furthermore, every patient differs and has different attitudes on various issues of life and has various levels of understanding and coping capabilities. Knowing the essential elements of critical thinking that underpin nursing assessments and applying them in clinical judgments enables me as a student nurse to  have the confidence to conduct assessments and collect data correctly. Lewis and Foley (2010) pointed out that professional registered nurses or midwives are expected to be able to analyse his or her own practice through reflection. Self-awareness is the foundation of reflective practice thus identifying nurses own needs and seeking supportive networks encourages professional growth and heightened self-awareness. I feel that reflective practice is paramount for any nurse and midwife of any level of experience so that patient’s needs are always met with modern effective treatment and a high quality of care. Today, emotional intelligence is probed as an important characteristic of building successful nursing leadership and enhancing performance (American Society of Nursing 2007) and is now recognised as a requirement for formal authority to practice under the registration, therefore, vitalizing nursing conduct and reducing job related stress. Understanding the importance of reflectiveness, I can implement this practice into my studies and continue practicing into my nursing career. Nurses and other health care professionals must recognise the importance of understanding the fundamentals discussed above and apply them in the health care industry, implementing them precisely to ensure that the focus is on the patient’s holistic health. This ensures that the patient feels informed, empowered by superior communication that places them at the control centre of the decision making of their treatment and ensures that the most positive foundation for an individuals’ care is established, resulting in a positive outcome. Reflecting on that outcome, despite it being positive or negative, constructing continuous improvement and implementing those improvements in future similar scenarios further down ones career line, assists a nurse to ensure effective communication takes place at all times. References American society of registered nurses, (2007). Emotional intelligence in the nursing profession. Journal of nursing. Retrieved from http://asrn.org/journalnursing/202-emotional-intellegence-in-the-nursing-profession.html Blackman, R. (2010). Understanding culture in practice: Reflections on an Australian Indigenous nurse. Contemporary Nurse: A journal  for the Australian Nursing Profession, 37, (1), 31-34. Dempsey, J. (2009) Introduction to nursing, midwifery and person- centred care: Definitions of nursing and midwifery. In J. Dempsey, J. French, S. Hillege & V. Wilson (Eds.), Fundamentals of nursing and midwifery: A person-centred approach to care (p. 6). Sydney, Australia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Dempsey, J & Wilson, V. (2009) Thoughtful practice: Self-awareness and refection. In J. Dempsey, J. French, S. Hillege & V. Wilson (Eds.), Fundamentals of nursing and midwifery: A person-centred approach to care (p. 244-246). Sydney, Australia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Dempsey, J & Wilson, V. (2009) Thoughtful practice: Clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, Actions and the processes of care. In J. Dempsey, J. French, S. Hillege & V. Wilson (Eds.), Fundamentals of nursing and midwifery: A person-centred approach to care (p. 260-262). Sydney, Australia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Hearne, C. (2009). Self-concept. In J. Dempsey, J. French, S. Hillege, & V. Wilson (Eds.), Fundamentals of nursing and midwifery: A person- centred approach to care (p. 440-442). Sydney, Australia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Hillege, S & Groome, M. (2009). Communication. In J. Dempsey, J. French, S. Hillege & V. Wilson (Eds.), Fundamentals of nursing and midwifery: A person-centred approach to care (p. 119-120). Sydney, Australia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Lewis, P., & Foley, D. (Eds), (2011). Collecting subjective data. In P. Lewis & D. Foley, Weber & Kelly’s: health assessment in nursing (1st Australian and New Zealand edition) (p. 10-11). Sydney, Australia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Lewis, P., & Foley, D. (Eds), (2011). The nurses role in health care assessment: Collecting and analyising data. In P. Lewis & D. Foley, Weber & Kelly’s: health assessment in nursing (1st Australian and New Zealand edition) (p. 6). Sydney, Australia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Lewis, P., & Foley, D. (Eds), (2011). Analysing data using critical thinking skills. In P. Lewis & D. Foley, Weber & Kelly’s: health assessment in nursing (1st Australian and New Zealand edition) (p. 51-52). Sydney, Australia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Friday, November 8, 2019

History of the Domestication of Chocolate

History of the Domestication of Chocolate There is currently some debate as to how many species of cacao (Theobroma spp) exist in the world or ever did. Recognized varieties identified (and debated) include Theobroma cacao ssp. cacao (called Criollo and found throughout Central America); T. cacao spp. sphaerocarpum (called Forastero and found in the northern Amazon basin); and a hybrid of the two called Trinitario. Recent genetic studies suggest that all forms of cacao are simply versions of Forastero. If true, cacao originated in the upper Amazon of Colombia and Ecuador and was brought to central America by human intervention. Ethnographic studies in the northern Amazon revealed that cacao use there was confined to the production of cacao chicha (beer) from the fruit, not from processing the beans. Earliest Use of Chocolate The earliest known evidence for cacao bean use was located outside of the Amazon basin and dates between about 1900-1500 BC. Researchers investigated residues on the interior of several bowls dated to the earliest societies in Mesoamerica using mass spectrometry and discovered evidence of Theobromine within a tecomate at Paso de la Amada, a Mokaya site in southern Chiapas, Mexico. They also found a bowl testing positive for Theobromine from the El Manati Olmec site in Veracruz, dated roughly 1650-1500 BC. Other archaeological sites with early evidence of chocolate use include Puerto Escondido, Honduras, about 1150 BC, and Colha, Belize, between 1000-400 BC. Chocolate Innovations It seems clear that the innovation to plant and tend cacao trees is a Mesoamerican invention. Until recently, scholars believed that, since the Maya word kakaw originates from the Olmec language, the Olmec must have been the progenitors of this delicious liquid. However, recent archaeological studies at Puerto Escondido in Honduras suggest that the original steps towards domestication of cacao happened before the rise of the Olmec civilization when Honduras was in active trade with the Soconusco region. Archaeological sites with evidence for early chocolate domestication include Paso de la Amada (Mexico), El Manati (Mexico), Puerto Escondido (Honduras), Batsub Cave (Belize), Xunantunich (Guatemala), Rio Azul (Guatemala), Colha (Belize). Sources Fowler, William R.Jr.1993 The living pay for the dead: Trade, exploitation, and social change in early colonial Isalco, El Salvador. In Ethnohistory and Archaeology: Approaches to Postcontact Change in the Americas. J. D. Rogers and Samuel M. Wilson, eds. Pp. 181-200. New York: Plenum Press.Gasco, Janine 1992 Material culture and colonial Indian society in southern Mesoamerica: the view from coastal Chiapas, Mexico. Historical Archaeology 26(1):67-74.Henderson, John S., et al. 2007 Chemical and archaeological evidence for the earliest cacao beverages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104(48):18937-18940Joyce, Rosemary A. and John S. Henderson 2001 Beginnings of Village Life in Eastern Mesoamerica. Latin American Antiquity 12(1):5-23.Joyce, Rosemary A. and John S. Henderson 2007 From Feasting to Cuisine: Implications of Archaeological Research in an Early Honduran Village. American Anthropologist 109(4):642-653.LeCount, Lisa J. 2001 Like water for chocolate: Feasting an d political ritual among the Late Classic Maya at Xunantunich, Belize. American Anthropologist 103(4):935-953. McAnany, Patricia A. and Satoru Murata 2007 Americas first connoisseurs of chocolate. Food and Foodways 15:7-30.Motamayor, J. C., A. M. Risterucci, M. Heath, and C. Lanaud 2003 Cacao domestication II: Progenitor germplasm of the Trinitario cacao cultivar. Heredity 91:322-330.Motamayor, J. C., et al. 2002 Cacao domestication I: the origin of the cacao cultivated by the Mayas. Heredity 89:380-386.Norton, Marcy 2006 Tasting empire: Chocolate and the European internalization of Mesoamerican aesthetics. American Historical Review 111(2):660-691.Powis, Terry G., et al. 2008 The origins of cacao use in Mesoamerica. Mexicon 30:35-38.Prufer, Keith M. and W. J. Hurst 2007 Chocolate in the Underworld Space of Death: Cacao Seeds from an Early Classic Mortuary Cave. Ethnohistory 54(2):273-301.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

American Revolution and the Battle of the Chesapeake

American Revolution and the Battle of the Chesapeake The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes, was fought September 5, 1781, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Fleets and Leaders Royal Navy Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Graves19 ships of the line French Navy Rear Admiral Comte de Grasse24 ships of the line Background Prior to 1781, Virginia had seen little fighting as the majority operations had taken place far to the north or further south. Early that year, British forces, including those led by traitor Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, arrived in the Chesapeake and commenced raiding. These were later joined by Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis army which had marched north following its bloody victory at the Battle of Guilford Court House. Taking command of all British forces in the region, Cornwallis soon received a confusing string of orders from his superior in New York City, General Sir Henry Clinton. While initially campaigning against American forces in Virginia, including those led by the Marquis de Lafayette, he was later instructed to establish a fortified base at a deep-water port. Assessing his options, Cornwallis elected to utilize Yorktown for this purpose. Arriving at Yorktown, VA, Cornwallis constructed earthworks around the town and built fortifications across the York River at Gloucester Point.    Fleets in Motion During the summer, General George Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau requested that Rear Admiral Comte de Grasse bring his French fleet north from the Caribbean for a potential strike against either New York City or Yorktown. After extensive debate, the latter target was chosen by the allied Franco-American command with the understanding that de Grasses ships were necessary to prevent Cornwallis escaping by sea. Aware that de Grasse intended to sail north, a British fleet of 14 ships of the line, under Rear Admiral Samuel Hood, also departed the Caribbean. Taking a more direct route, they arrived at the mouth of the Chesapeake on August 25. That same day, a second, smaller French fleet led by the  Comte de Barras departed Newport, RI carrying siege guns and equipment. In an effort to avoid the British, de Barras took a circuitous route with the goal of reaching Virginia and uniting with de Grasse. Not seeing the French near the Chesapeake, Hood decided to continue on to New York to join with Rear Admiral Thomas Graves. Arriving at New York, Hood found that Graves only had five ships of the line in battle condition. Combining their forces, they put to sea heading south towards Virginia. While the British were uniting to the north, de Grasse arrived in the Chesapeake with 27 ships of the line. Quickly detaching three ships to blockade Cornwallis position at Yorktown, de Grasse landed 3,200 soldiers and anchored the bulk of his fleet behind Cape Henry, near the mouth of the bay. The French Put to Sea On September 5, the British fleet appeared off the Chesapeake and sighted the French ships around 9:30 AM. Rather than swiftly attack the French while they were vulnerable, the British followed the tactical doctrine of the day and moved into a line ahead formation. The time required for this maneuver allowed the French to recover from the surprise of the British arrival which had seen many of their warships caught with large portions of their crews ashore. Also, it allowed de Grasse to avoid entering battle against an adverse wind and tidal conditions. Cutting their anchor lines, the French fleet emerged from the bay and formed for battle. As the French exited from the bay, both fleets angled towards each other as they sailed east. A Running Fight As wind and sea conditions continued to change, the French gained the advantage of being able to open their lower gun ports while the British were prevented from doing so without risking water entering their ships. Around 4:00 PM, the vans (lead sections) in each fleet opened fired on their opposite number as the range closed. Though the vans were engaged, a shift in the wind made it difficult for each fleets center and rear to close within range. On the British side, the situation was further hampered by contradictory signals from Graves. As the fighting progressed, the French tactic of aiming for masts and rigging bore fruit as HMS Intrepid (64 guns) and HMS Shrewsbury (74) both fell out of line. As the vans pummeled each other, many of the ships to their rear never were able to engage the enemy. Around 6:30 PM the firing ceased and the British withdrew to windward. For the next four days, the fleets maneuvered within sight of each other. However, neither sought to renew the battle . On the evening of September 9, de Grasse reversed his fleets course, leaving the British behind, and returned to the Chesapeake. Upon arriving, he found reinforcements in the form of 7 ships of the line under de Barras. With 34 ships of the line, de Grasse had full control of the Chesapeake, eliminating Cornwallis hopes for evacuation. Trapped, Cornwallis army was besieged by the combined army of Washington and Rochambeau. After over two weeks of fighting, Cornwallis surrendered on October 17, effectively ending the American Revolution. Aftermath and Impact During the Battle of the Chesapeake, both fleets suffered approximately 320 casualties. In addition, many of the ships in the British van were heavily damaged and unable to continue fighting. Though the battle itself was tactically inconclusive, it was a massive strategic victory for the French. By drawing the British away from the Chesapeake, the French eliminated any hope of rescuing Cornwalliss army. This in turn allowed for the successful siege of Yorktown, which broke the back of British power in the colonies and led to American independence.

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Labour Market Sector UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Labour Market Sector UK - Essay Example From the research it can be comprehended that the demand for labor in the United Kingdom is influenced by the availability of skills, expertise, and knowledge in the country. Different types of labor are required in the country to meet the demand of labour in various sectors. According to HRM in context, a labour market can be described as a mechanism through which labour is purchased and sold as a commodity. Labor demand is the number and types of jobs available in a country, whilst labour supply is the number and types of employees available. Therefore, the labour market of a country consists of a relationship between workers and work. The marketing intelligence of the labor market is important in that, one is able to relate the labor supply and labor demand of a country, and determine how the two aspects correlate with each other. Internal labor market refers to an organization’s internal supply of labour, whereby, employees are assigned specific roles in an organization. T he human resources in that particular firm concerns itself with the needs of employees such as training and development, retention, and job security among others. The external labor market represents the external supply and availability of labour. A country’s eternal supply of labor could be regional or internally, which may involve immigrants relocating into the host country. The main methods that will be used in this report are secondary and primary methods; however, secondary sources are most preferred, as they give accurate data, which cannot be found in primary sources. They are also less expensive compared to primary data that involves questionnaires and interviews. Secondary data already exists, for instance, Euromonitor and UK government statistics will offer genuine information regarding the labour market for several years. It also saves on time and assists in improving primary data by making it more specific; such sources include Euromonitor, keynote, national statistics, and the guardian and other academic sources, which will be applied to this report. According to FAO (N.d), secondary data availability contributes to the fast way of reaching to conclusions due to the quality of information these sources contain. In addition, secondary data is effective in solving problems by assisting the researcher to understand the actual problem. Reid and Bojanic (2006 p209) argue that the advantages of using secondary data sources include less cost, timeliness whereby an individual can access information very fast as opposed to waiting for weeks for the data to be collected and analyzed. In addition, frustration is reduced as the researcher can access the required information from appropriate sources. Primary data collection sources are advantageous, as data is collected straight from the population, for instance, with the use of questionnaires and interviews, hence providing original data and unbiased information. According to Goeldner and Ritchie (2009), primary data sources are original as they involve the actual collection of data; however, secondary data needs to be collected first before collecting primary data. Therefore, secondary data should be exhausted first before opting for primary data collection. According to Weinreich (2006), quantitative research techniques produce quantifiable reliable data especially when generalizing larger populations. Therefore, quantitative research provides a clear picture of the expectations of a research. This

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Writing in the Visual Age Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Writing in the Visual Age - Research Paper Example While some emphasize the need to essentially teach rhetorical analysis of images to the students of a writing class, others advocate the importance of aural or textual messages by claiming that no matter how skillfully designed, pictures or images should not be considered to be more capable both emotionally and informatively in comparison to words. Those favoring the newly introduced development of visual rhetoric stress on the importance of photographs and deem them as elements significantly capable of providing more obvious evidence to the public. This paper is basically an attempt to explain why visual rhetoric should be taught as part of a writing class while also acknowledging the opposing ideas put forward by critics weighing the credibility of visual rhetoric in a writing class. This paper will also include some suggestions about how effective actions could be made to enhance the position and validity of visual rhetoric in context of composition studies. This is important beca use though some people might be able to institute change on some levels, it again leaves many educationists and teachers to deal with depressing frustration when visual communication fails to stick for long. I... isually demonstrate how Europe brought the light of literacy and humanity to the dark land of Congo, she filled the star in the flag with very meaningful images of slavery and explorers and the blue field around it with several though-provoking and informative images of old African art. Such useful incorporation of visual rhetoric not only must have delivered more inspirational, interesting, informative, and emotional lesson to the class but it also must have made the whole class remember the logic behind the flag’s design for a longer period. This is understandable as in contrast to a teacher who likes to simply stand behind the rostrum sticking to very conventional and orthodox teaching strategies is certainly much less likely to convey a deeper understanding of a subject to his/her students than a teacher who prefers to institute change and benefit from strategies like using visual rhetoric to demonstrate the meaning and logic behind a concept. Majority of the researchers a t the Wharton School of Business concluded after comparing verbal presentations to visual presentations that â€Å"presenters who combined visual and verbal components were more persuasive† (MacroVU, Inc.). Students are much more likely to reason with a complex dilemma which might be puzzling them when teachers feel motivated to visually explain the confusing parts which is why visual rhetoric should be taught as part of a writing class. It is claimed by Williams in support of the visual mode of communication that this mode literally challenges the people to both see and perceive an image in many different new ways unlike verbal or textual messages (18). Visual communication is the name of a very reasonable and self-evident strategy which should not be underestimated. The research stresses that

Thursday, October 31, 2019

How the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline would affect the Term Paper

How the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline would affect the United States - Term Paper Example The current US energy policy allows Canada to ship oil to main refineries in the US; the congress should reject any attempts to authorize the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline (Alperrovitz and Speth 164). Geothermal power, coal and hydroelectric energy are friendlier to the ecosystem. Coal has some negative impacts like air pollution but it can be exploited cheaply. Hydroelectric energy is more reliable and sustainable to produce since the US has many rivers and dams. The US energy policy should aim at enhancing biodiesels energy since it does not damage the environment and encourages recycling of waste. The government should invest heavily in geothermal power exploitation in order to meet the current energy needs and ensure sustainability of the energy supply (Fickling and Schott 67). Statement of the purpose Keystone XL pipeline will cover about 1661 miles from Alberta through Oklahoma and finally terminate in Texas. The pipeline is intended to ship Canada oil sands to US refineries in the Gulf coast. TransCanada, which is the company behind the pipeline proposal, has made plans of constructing the pipeline using thinner steel in order to avoid instances of oil spillage. If plans of the pipeline proceed, the pipeline will increase the level of toxic tar to the US ecosystem and jeopardize national goals of achieving renewable and clean energy sources. The pipeline will transport approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil daily to the US refineries. Keystone XL pipeline construction has both positive and negative consequences to the US economy (Rapier 237). The debate of the pipeline project has become a major political weapon especially in the current election year, where several politicians have taken opposing views on whether the US congress should permit Keystone XL pipeline constru ction. The pipeline will boast the staggering economy through additional jobs in construction sites and refineries. The pipeline will adversely affect the climate policy since heavy and poisonous gas emissions are expected from the refineries (Alperrovitz and Speth 173). The pipeline will destroy water resources since it will cut through several rivers that supply safe drinking and agricultural water to the communities living near the pipeline (Fickling and Schott 69). There have been numerous public concerns and heated debate on dirty oil emissions and oil spillage that may damage the US ecosystem. Introduction On November 4th 2011, TransCanada announced its support for the Keystone XL pipeline. The State of Nebraska supports the development of the pipeline. If the proposed pipeline is approved, the pipeline will avoid sand hills since Nebraskans will give their decisions on the pipeline root (Rapier 270). The proposed pipeline will expand the current TransCanada Keystone pipeline network. It will have the capacity to deliver the Canadian oil sands up to 100,000 barrels per day from the production in North Dakota and Bakken formation (Rapier 237). The production of oil from North Dakota has shot up in the past few years from the initial 100,000 barrels per day to the current 450,000 barrels per day (Rapier 277). According to the US law, cross border pipeline projects should receive Presidential permit and the authority is delegated to the State Department. Under the current North American Free Trade Agreement

Monday, October 28, 2019

Kudler Fine Foods Service Essay Example for Free

Kudler Fine Foods Service Essay Service Request The manager of Kudler Fine Foods, Kathy Kudler, has requested the development of a system to track customer purchases through a Frequent Shopper Program to award loyalty points for redemption. (Apollo, 2011) Key Stakeholders The key stakeholders are the individuals that are directly involved with Kudler Fine Foods and will have a direct effect on the overall project. These individuals will be the main source of information in the analysis, design, implementation and testing phase of the systems upgrade. Kathy KudlerProject Manager The Frequent Shopper Program for Kudler is specific in addressing current and future customers by rewarding them for shopping with the company. Both business and technical functions will be addressed as well as improved communication between the sales and marketing and purchasing departments. The goal is to provide better response to customer demands while rewarding the customer and accomplishing this in an efficiently fast manner. A marketing plan must be developed to inform current and potential customers of the program and encourage them to participate and take advantage of the benefits offered by the program. In utilizing an outside source for the program, Kudler will be able to provide a good relationship between the IT resources of the outside source and the internal sales and inventory  systems. There is also a need to modify the two different databases and the GUI in order to allow for smooth data transfer and communication. Kudler’s specific goals are to improve customer satisfaction in order to increase brand loyalty, cut costs by increasing supply efficiency, and increase sales which will result in higher revenue and profits for the company. In order to ensure success of this project, certain aspects will be monitored throughout the duration. This will allow Kudler to view what aspects are successful and what aspects are not. The main aspects that will be monitored are: new customer enrollment into the program, tracking of purchases from current and repeat customers, tracking of customer reward points, duration of participation from customers in the program, and total customer redeemed points, and difference in cost of redeemed items versus wholesale/supplier costs. Supporting Measures and Project Feasibility In order for Kudler Fine Foods to continue growth and experience profitability, the design and implementation of a Frequent Shopper Program must be accomplished. The program will need to utilize the best available hardware and software to accomplish their goals and to promote growth as well. The chosen system will need to address both short and long term needs and problems that could arise. This is done through a development phase that will combine all aspects and products that Kudler wishes to incorporate into the program. This phase must address the current budget allocated by Kudler for the implementation of the program while incorporating all needed requirements. Current Business Process Summary Proposed System Requirements The proposed new system must be capable of meeting the requirements set forth by the key stakeholders within the company. This list of requirements will be presented, discussed, and then edited based on what is needed, what is within budget constraints, and what is decided on by the stakeholders. This list of functional requirements proposed to Kudler is below. Functional Requirements System is capable of new customer enrollment System is able to track purchases for all customers System is able to track and store rewards points for individual customers System allows for rewards points to be redeemed System allows for viewing of customer rewards points on POS terminals System allows input changes from POS terminals System will sync with company website for tracking of rewards points System allows for data from each location to be stored and accessed in a central location System must be compatible with current system in place for easy transition. Determine Requirements The determination of the requirements for this system is a key part in the development of the Frequent Shopper Program (FSP). There are many methods that can be used to properly determine the requirements needed for an efficient system. These can range from simple observation of current processes and interviews with employees and management, to Joint Application Design (JAD) procedures. The commonly used methods of observation, interviews, etc., can help analysts pinpoint exact requirements based on user input and business processes. According to Charvat (2003), â€Å"One of the biggest benefits of a proper user requirements specification is that youll be able to plan and estimate your project correctly, decreasing the chance of cost and time overruns.† The analyst must listen to the employees and gain a thorough understanding of all business processes before establishing the new system requirements. The Joint Application Development (JAD) is a newer and more organized means of gathering information to base requirements on. This process is conducted by holding sessions in which key stakeholders and other key members of management are present and work together in the outline of the possible requirements. This allows for input from all levels within the organization and can yield better results than other commonly used methods. While this process can be lengthy, it keeps all key members involved up to date on the status of progress during the development phase and analysis. List of Confirmed Requirements System is capable of new customer enrollment Mandatory System is able to track purchases for all customers Mandatory System is able to track and store rewards points for individual customers Mandatory System allows for rewards points to be redeemed Mandatory System allows for viewing of customer rewards points on POS terminals Mandatory System allows input changes from POS terminals Mandatory System will sync with company website for tracking of rewards points Mandatory System allows for data from each location to be stored and accessed in a central location Mandatory System must be compatible with current system in place for easy transition Optional Proposed System Process View Functional Allocation Modeling This aspect is very important in ensuring all software and hardware utilized for the new system is up to date and current as of the time of this service request. Since technology advancements are made almost every day, it is important to stay on the cutting edge. This is why the use of computer systems with an Intel core i7 processor is being chosen. The hardware that will be used wil1l be purchase directly from Dell. This will give Kudler piece of mind with all hardware and full technical support with the warranty provided from Dell. The systems chosen will have 8GB of RAM (memory) and will include 22† LCD monitors, core i7 processors with 4.5GHz speed, and come preloaded with Windows 7.. Each system will also be equipped with 10/100 ethernet capabilities to meet the standards of the current network in place at Kudler. The current server in place at Kudler will be replaced by Unix servers by SPARC Enterprise Software SAP system for retail environments. The POS terminals will be replaced by NCR RealPOS 82XRT terminals which offer scanners, cash drawers, touch screen displays, and built in printing capabilities. VOIP phone systems and HP M521dn and HP 8015 printers will replace the outdated ones currently in use. Logical Model of System Preliminary Design Model Design Trade-off In order for Kudler Fine Foods to have a successful program, an examination of product roll out methodology must be performed. There will need to be a specific balance in regards to the mixture of cost, schedule and performance. It is understood that a program cannot incorporate all three aspects at once which then leads to deciding what the appropriate trade-offs shall be within the requirements. The following depict possible scenarios of combining two aspects but foregoing a third possible requirement. Cost and Schedule By having a program that is inexpensive and keeps to the specified timelines the company will end up with one that is affordable and able to start up right away. If the schedule is large for integration of the system with the current system then the time to capitalize on the customers data would take time. The downside is that cheap is not always best and can result in a low performance record that is fraught with hardware and software failures. If the program cannot function properly there is a decent chance that it will fail outright due to customers not wanting to take part in it. Schedule and Performance Creating a program that is scheduled to finish on time and functions to specified standards will allow Kudler customers to enjoy the program’s rewards with little to no problems. In this instance the design trade-off is cost. The cost of the new proposed system would be quite moderate to high. The cost to get the correct and reliable information at every instance of time is the biggest challenge over the cost incurred in the infrastructure. Not keeping up with costs for the creation though will result in a project that has a finishing cost much higher than was originally budgeted for. The result can pull funding from other much needed programs or can cause the program to change such as the customer receiving rewards that are of a lower  quality than originally promised. Cost and Performance If the project team is able to create the program at manageable costs while maintaining a high quality performance status the customers will be able to enjoy the benefits of the rewards while allowing the company to stay within appropriate budget levels. All the previous customers ‘ data would be inputted and further processed , which would take time The implementation of the new system would reduce costs of data transfer and catering the customers in a suitable manner. The performance of the system would improve with enhanced ability to track information about customers , their preference pattern and any change in their behavior In addition to all the above , the company can reduce the extra cost of hoarding of goods and can only customers preferences. The possible tradeoff is that the program may not be finished as scheduled. This can result in a backlog for future projects. In addition, if the project takes an exceedingly longer amount of time than originally thought, it may become scrapped so a new plan can come in its place. Detailed Design Process The prototype will drive the design of the forms and reports. The forms need to document predefined data in a clear and concise manner. Forms are typically based on one database record and have a stylized form. Reports are business documents that contain predefined data and data from many unrelated transactions or records used for reading or reviewing information. The forms and reports need to be end user friendly and clear to understand. They should not have simple rows or columns. The forms and reports can be designed using online graphical tools. This will help standardize them with other organizations. The forms and reports should have a transparent human computer interface. In designing a form or report there are some fundamental questions that need to be addressed: who will be the form/report user, the purpose, when will they be needed, who should have access to them, and who does it need to be delivered to? Answering these questions will allow the programmer to produce an effective form/report. The hardware and networks used should be consistent with what is already in use throughout the organization. Kudler Fine Foods uses UNIX operating system, HP blade server system and SAP as their software. The UNIX server needs to be upgraded to UNIX SPARC Enterprise software. The organization should upgrade their current version of SAP Retail SW to SAP for Retail. The HP Blade server should be upgraded to a Dell PowerEdge M620 blade server. The HP blade server is obsolete and this may create problems if future support or maintenance is needed. The CM2320nf printer is obsolete and should be upgraded with the HP M521dn printer. The HP 3015 printers, VOIP phones, APC Smart UPS, POS terminals, 22† screens, and the NAS 10 TB storage server should all remain. If the organization is going to upgrade their software they should upgrade their hardware as indicated. This will allow the organization the ability to use state of the art hardware with state of the art software and get the most out of the system. They will be able to utilize the most current technological features currently available and extend the life of their infrastructure. Human Computer Interface The human computer interface should be designed with Microsoft Visual Basic. Net. Microsoft is a universal program that employees are familiar with. Using Microsoft will allow end users to feel comfortable with the software because the commands for Microsoft can be applied. Training is easier for employees using Microsoft because so many of them are familiar with it. Microsoft reports can also be imported and exported to other mediums making it possible for end users to review the information in detail. They currently use Microsoft Windows 7. Using the most current version of software will extend the life of the system. Using outdated software will hinder the use of the most current applications and can make the program prematurely outdated. The organization should continue using Dell computers but they need to upgrade them to Dell XPS 8700 with an i7 processor, and 4.0 GHz. CD drives are no longer necessary, most information is transferred or stored via a memory stick. Physical System Model What are information architecture diagrams? â€Å"A diagram architecture is not necessary an architecture produced through diagrams. Instead, diagram architecture is an architecture that behaves like a diagram, indifferent to  the specific means of its realization. (Par. 13) When it comes to these diagrams you are taking the knowledge of the architecture and molding it into a visual and understandable aid laid out in sequence like patterns that show direction. And when these diagrams are designed of information architecture the process usually ends up back where it started making a loop back to the requirements. Producing this process of creating an information architecture diagrams can be a bit confusing and people end up getting information confused rather easy. Until a man named Philippe Kruchten came up with a brilliant way to look at the diagram. He introduced the concept of viewing the diagram through the eyes of the stakeholders. This process became known as the 4+1 information view model. The 4 is for the several views in which he describes as the Physical view, Logical view, development view and the process view. And the +1 is added to describe the scenarios. Modeling the architecture of a software system can be presented in two areas known as the High level design and design patterns. High level is the use of the core components who work together for the one mission of fulfilling the requirements. And depending on if the system is large enough it is possible that each component will sustain its own high level setup that will provide descriptions of its smaller parts. Design patterns are used here and there in the particular designs of each of the components. A pattern is a waypoint that will direct you to the end solution of the program in which it is accommodating. If the same pattern is used through the design of separate programs it will act as a money saver as it saves in the purchase of new software and saves time in the design process. Testing Process Summary This phase will be somewhat similar to the installation and implementation phase in some ways. The overall functionality of every aspect within the system must be tested to ensure it meets the requirements of the original project plan. All new software and hardware must go through thorough examination and a system of checks to accomplish this. This phase must be continued throughout the life cycle of the system to continuously check for errors and bugs to keep the system performing at optimum capacity. To properly complete this phase there are guidelines to follow for testing that will cover all aspects of the system. Hardware and Software Installation Process/Training Plan In order to accomplish the implementation of the Frequent Shopper Program Successfully Kudler will need to implement the POS Server database flawlessly into the system in order to avoid data loss or corruption of data. The online Cash Registers and the in-store cash registers will be communicating to the same database and a seamless integration of these three components is crucial during the early implementation phase of the installation. The challenge during this phase of the installation is the software that will be used to bring these three components together. Continuous testing of the POS, The CMS, and the store website are needed to ensure that any bugs in the system are pointed out early. Once this is complete the Kudler will be able to focus on the smaller aspects of the program such as ensuring that all merchandise are coded correctly and the scanners are properly transmitting the data. The timeline for the implementation of this project is 2-3 months. The company should take measures during the implementation and installation regarding marketing to  maintain the competitive edge and afford customers needed time to adjust to the idea of this new system. Time will be needed to train staff on the proper procedures for issuing and Frequent Shopper Cards, and the support teams will need training on how to troubleshoot system errors. The cashiers will need training on methods of marketing the programs and procedures for how to use, issue, and reissue cards to customers enrolling or already enrolled in the program. One of the keys to success of the program is ensuring the cashiers have a clear understanding of how to market the program. Failure to ensure marketing or the cards is upheld and train employees on how to properly process cards will be counterproductive to the program and could lower customer value. Installation Process Installation is the organizational process of change over from the current information system to the new one. â€Å"Managing the change to a new system—whether or not it is computerized — is one of the most difficult tasks in any organization† (George, Hoffer, Valacich, 2012). After system construction, final acceptance tests performed during systems installation and evaluation ensures the development team has completed all tasks for the project. After determination that system operations are fully functional, the system is ready for installation. During the installation process, the old system becomes disabled and subsequently, the new system activated. The project manager and developers assemble the resources required for installation as the work begins. Resources required for installation of the system includes development team members and their various programming tools, including software. Project constraints in this instance have a comparatively narrow degree because of the streamlined and limited changes. The installation team begins by changing the modems over to broadband, and activating broadband connections at each store. At this stage, the installed applications including updates to the Point of Sale system software, the database management system, credit card interface software, and printer applications undergo testing for appropriate functionality. The entire system is then tested, and confirmed successful for use (George, Hoffer, Valacich, 2012). The installation of the Kudler Fine Foods Frequent Shopper Program and related plans for training will correspond with the timeline illustrated. Training Plan The training and installation timeline provides a sufficient and organized schedule for installation and system testing, also providing an expedient finish to the system implementation processes. The project team develops training materials and documentation for training classes. The next step in the implementation phase is training system users, managers, and IT staff. Diagram 1: Installation and Training Timeline User training and training documentation should include an overview of system features, capabilities and limitations, data entry and menu screen options, contents, and processing instructions, and procedures for requesting changes and reporting problems. Other important inclusions are troubleshooting examples and error situations including resolutions, and a section on frequently asked questions (Cashman, Rosenblatt, Shelly, 2013). As illustrated, Frequent Shopper Program System Training, the specific details for training specific groups vary according to employee function and extent. Documentation Plan Summary Documentation needs to be accurate and will also be a determining factor on the software’s success or failure. Documentation needs to include how to work the system, navigate it, its potential, how to use the data, and reporting methods. This should be done early on so the end user has reference materials. The documentation process should begin when developing the system. This will provide supporting material for developers and help develop future training materials. If the end user does not understand how to use the system or recall information for reporting purposes, the software is not serving its purpose. Most systems in place today are for information gathering and storage. If the end user can’t access the collected information, then the software will be rendered useless. The system will need to be maintained so a maintenance manual should be available to guide developers on how to make fixes and update the system. An operational manual should be available for the subject material expert, designers and users. This manual will help when they have questions on a process or how to get a certain part of the program to produce or collect  the proper data. A technical manual will be necessary so the technical writers can refer to the system structure when they have questions. The technical manual should include drawings, flowcharts, and the database structure. The system should have a training manual that has step by step instructions that a user can follow. It should also have a list of any codes, available reports, system outputs, a troubleshooting guide, work a rounds, and be current on updates. The Training manual or user manual will help the user by providing a guide for future reference and for training. The training manual will help decrease questions and improve efficiency. The more information that is available for the user the more proficient they will be at using it. Training end users is very important. This could mean the difference between an efficient and easy flowing system or a cumbersome, difficult to use nightmare. Visuals should be used to make training easier and provide future training material references. If there are inquiries that are not frequently performed, the end user might not recall how to initiate the inquiries and having a visual to refer to, might help the end user be more efficient when conducting these inquires. Support Maintenance Plan It’s not enough to just implement a system and fully integrate it into the new business system. There must be a support system that covers common mistakes and helps people locate answers to their technical questions. And along with the system support there also must be some type of maintenance schedule that keeps the system healthy, like frequent updates to keep the system up to date and as free from bugs as possible. Software Support In order for a system to operate at full potential the software must remain up to date with all of the bug fixes and security issues that comes with having software. Having your software up to date could very well be the lifeline of your company. If your software fails, then the work production conducted on that system will also fail. Hardware Support Just as important as software support is hardware support. Hardware consists of several critical and physical components of an IT system. These components include but are not limited to; servers, systems used to store data, personal computers (PC) and the networks that tie them all together. When it comes to business communication is the key, and this doesn’t exclude the communication of the IT systems. Network Support Like previously mentioned, networks are the communication for IT systems. Keeping your network up and running can be a little difficult to deal with. When a network goes down then every piece of hardware on that network has no communication. Unfortunately network issues usually get dealt with as soon as they happen. What is recommended is to have a preventative maintenance schedule in increments of monthly, bimonthly, semiannually, annually or biannually to periodically check the condition of the network before it fails resulting in a downed network. When software is merged over into a company system there are user manuals and lists of known and unknown bugs for the system. Each member should have been briefed on the new software and also provided the information included in the user manuals and the known and unknown bug reports. For the hardware and network, preventative maintenance is the best way to avoid a downed asset. And a well maintained support system with frequent updates will ensure your software stays up to  date with the latest security and bugs fixes. Conclusion This thorough analysis and all aspects carefully and fully examined, the proposed project will not only meet, but exceed the request of Kudler Fine Foods for implementing a rewards program. The use of cutting edge technology in both hardware and software aspects will ensure a smooth running system for years to come. The incorporation of the rewards program and the system upgrades should not only increase profitability, but brand loyalty from customers as well. The system meets all required needs of Kudler Fine Foods to include time scheduling, budget, and both short and long term goals. References Apollo Group Inc. (2011). Kudler Fine Foods. Service Request SR-kf-013. Retrieved from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/ServiceRequests/index.asp#Kudler Fine Foods Cashman, G. B., Rosenblatt, H. J., Shelly, G. B. (2013). Systems Analysis and Design (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Thomson Course Technology. Charvat, Jason. (June 30, 2013). Determine User Requirements Now to Avoid Problems Later. TechRepublic. Retreived from: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/determine-user-requirements-now-to-avoid-problems-later/ Dennis, A., Wixom, B. H., Roth, R. M. (2012). Systems analysis design (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Federal Bureau of Investigation (2013). The Insider Threat: An introduction to detecting and deterring an insider spy. Retrieved from: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/counterintelligence/the-insider-threat George, J. F., Hoffer, J. A., Valacich, J. S. (2012). Essentials of Systems Analysis and Design. Retrieved from: http://www.bau.edu.jo/in st/hamza/SAbook.pdf Riordan Manufacturing Intranet Website (2014). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Riordan/ (2010, 05). Diagram Architecture. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 05, 2010, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Diagram-Architecture-63657523.html