Animal Cruelty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Animal Cruelty - Essay Example are passive acts in which animals are left ignored due to the very absence of proper care which may harm the animal seriously, such as, starving the animal. Here, we will discuss an active act of cruelty- abuse with dairy cows in factory farming. For a dairy cow to be able to produce milk, she must give birth frequently. In today’s farming industry, the dairy cows are forcefully made pregnant by artificial insemination so that they are able to give birth to calves every year. The pregnancy duration for a cow is the same as humans, that is, nine month. Thus, giving birth every year is a very tedious job for a cow. Even after birth while the lactation is going on, insemination is done and cows are again made pregnant for the reason that they may be able to carry out producing milk and never stop. Moreover, now with the use of technological means, cows are made to produce milk much more than they can naturally. This keeps their bodies under constant stress and tension which can bring hazardous problems to their health. They are kept in â€Å"windowless sheds, wire cages, gestation crates, and other confinement systems† (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).Feeding them high energy diet, so that they can pr oduce copious quantity of milk, causes â€Å"metabolic disorders including ketosis, which can be fatal, and laminitis, which causes lameness† (Factory Dairy Production). Mastitis, Bovine Leukemia Virus and Johne’s disease are getting commoner in cattle day by day. When the production of milk is greater than the quantity of calcium made in the cows’ body, it causes calcium deficiency. Furthermore, these cows are also slaughtered for human consumption just after very few years of their lives when they can live longer in natural conditions. Newly born calves are also abused. Male calves are beaten and forcibly drawn toward slaughter houses while female calves are supposed to replace the older cows. Male calves are slaughtered also for veal production for

Dubliners Themes and Motifs Essay Example for Free

Dubliners Themes and Motifs Essay In what concerns Joyce’s style of writing we can observe that he balances the objectivity – the attitude of â€Å"scrupulous meanness â€Å" and sympathetic understanding of characters with the help of the stream of consciousness and epiphanies Scrupulous meanness ‘Scrupulousness’ is a crucial element both in Joyce’s use of language, and in the structure and form of the stories. ‘Scrupulous meanness’ refers to a most complex and heavily allusive style that determines the reading of Dubliners. From the minimum of words Joyce succeeds to extract the maximum effect. Joyce puts this style forward as a means to express his moral intent The Sisters * â€Å"sensation of freedom as if [he] had been freed from something by the priest’s death â€Å" * â€Å"desired to confess something. I felt my soul receding into something pleasant and vicious region [†¦] I too was smiling feebly as if to absolve the simoniac of his sins† * â€Å"†¦I wouldn’t say he was exactly†¦but there was something uncanny about him. I’ll tell you my opinion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (incomplete sentences of aunt) * â€Å"one of those †¦peculiar cases† * â€Å"scrupulosity in the Catholic Church is a very real, potentially paralyzing, mental disease†(Bremen) Stream of consciousness Depicts the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind. Eveline * â€Å"She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to weigh each side of the question. In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about her. Of course she had to work hard, both in the house and at business. What would they say of her in the Stores when they found out that she had run away with a fellow? Say she was a fool, perhaps; and her place would be filled up by advertisement. Miss Gavan would be glad. She had always had an edge on her,especially whenever there were people listening.† Araby * â€Å"What innumerable follies laid waste my waking and sleeping thoughts after that evening! I wished to annihilate the tedious intervening days. I chafed against the work of school. At night in my bedroom and by day in the classroom her image came between me and the page I strove to read. The syllables of the word Araby were called to me through the silence in which my soul luxuriated and cast an Eastern enchantment over me. I asked for leave to go to the bazaar on Saturday night. My aunt was surprised, and hoped it was not some Freemason affair. I answered few questions in class. I watched my masters face pass from amiability to sternness; he hoped I was not beginning to idle. I could not call my wandering thoughts together. I had hardly any patience with the serious work of life which, now that it stood between me and my desire, seemed to me childs play, ugly monotonous childs play.† Epiphany an experience of sudden and striking realization. Eveline * â€Å"Derevaun Seraun! Derevaun Seraun! â€Å"She stood up in a sudden impulse of terror. Escape! She must escape! Frank would save her. He would give her life, perhaps love, too. But she wanted to live. Why should she be unhappy? She had a right to happiness.Frank would take her in his arms, fold her in his arms. He would save her† A painful case * â€Å"As he sat there, living over his life with her and evoking alternately the two images in which he now conceived her, he realized that she was dead, that she had ceased to exist, that she had become a memory. He began to feel ill at ease. He asked himself what else could he have done. He could not have carried on a comedy of deception with her; he could not have lived with her openly. He had done what seemed to him best. How was he to blame? Now that she was gone he understood how lonely her life must have been, sitting night after night, alone in that room. His life would be lonely too until he, too, died, ceased to exist, became a memory − if anyone remembered him.† The dead * His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead. Themes General/ Contextual themes themes surrounding the entire narrative discourse giving it homogeneity .They deal with Dublin biggest issues that have a great influence in every character behaviour.In relation with each individual story they can be central themes or hidden after a detail ,an action ,an answer or a thought. * Poverty * Paralysis * Irish politics and religion issues Central/Characteristic themes * Mortality * Escape * Isolation * Powerlessness * Alcoholism

Economic Repercussions of Tourism in the Caribbean Essay -- Economics

Economic Repercussions of Tourism in the Caribbean The tourism industry is one of the largest contributors to the world GDP. It employs millions worldwide and provides a livelihood for nations and individuals alike. Focussing on a more specific economy - the economy of the Caribbean - a similar picture emerges. Much of the population has found employment in industries directly related to tourism and many more have done so in industries indirectly related to tourism. Albeit, there lurks a reality that defies this rosy illusion. The adverse effects of tourism on the economy are many and significant. In the long run, few clear advantages are visible. For countries of the Caribbean, that support their total national revenue figures primarily with tourism dollars, many challenges confront them. Commercialization of the local culture is probably the most visible change imposed by tourism. In an attempt to cater to the needs of the tourist culture, higher priority has been awarded to the capitalistic pursuits of wealth. All in exchange for age-old customs rich in heritage and traditions, they have replaced liquid assets for one that made the locals unique among all others in the world, their identity. Encouraging Americanized methods have rendered many of these ways of life obsolete. Tradition with regards to clothing styles, food, music, religion, and many other customs have begun to disappear from the lives of the people, all in the interest of the economy. There is no economy in the world that can claim to be immune from the occurrences of the natural elements. Droughts, floods, storms any many other natural disasters constitute as only one factor that incur profound impacts on the economies. The shock m... ...Asia, enjoys tremendous newly attained prosperity, and possesses a capitol that is regarded as an urban financial hub of the highest caliber. The tourist sector has developed as a result, especially business tourism. But these tourists do not come to take advantage of the weather and natural sites; rather they come to admire the accomplishments of the Malay. This tourism acts as a simple boost to the economy, not a lifeline. Changes in the volatile market of tourism will not adversely impact the country. The Caribbean nations should take example of the success of the Asians in transforming their countries into booming developing countries from their poverty stricken and technologically impaired plight only decades ago. Domestically owned corporations and far greater emphasis on technological and other industrial fields is vital to their successful future.

surrender :: essays research papers fc

Evaluate the wisdom of American insistence on the â€Å"Unconditional Surrender† of Japan. Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States of America is a warrior nation. To pretend otherwise ignores a national history colored in red blood and gun smoke. Despite this, the American national conscience seeks forever the moral high ground. This national need extends to America’s ability to wage and sustain war. World War II was no exception. The Call to Arms came only after Japan’s killing of unprepared men in Pearl Harbor. The nation did not see the attack as an attack on a legitimate target but as an immoral attack. Giving in to its warrior spirit, the nation looked for retribution. Unable to shake a conscience developed and tempered by its early religious heritage, though, the nation needed more justification than mere revenge for the coming actions it would take. America’s policy of â€Å"Unconditional Surrender† provided this justification. Implied in Unconditional Surrender was the concept of Unconditional Warfare – total war. Further implied in the concept of total war was the justification for a fully violent and vengeful response. America needed the moral justification implied in the policy of Unconditional Surrender. Elegant Violence: Japanese v. American views on Warfare   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To the Japanese, the concept of Unconditional Surrender was a nightmare. The Japanese government had instilled in its people the idea that Unconditional Surrender to American forces would involve horrendous tortures and degradations. Whether or not the Japanese government actually believed their own war propaganda, there was concern among the Japanese leadership that Unconditional Surrender would mean the end of Japan as a nation-state due to the expected American dismantling of the Japanese Imperial system (Freedman 201).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American public’s perception of Unconditional Surrender was not necessarily the perception of the nation’s leaders, though. In fact, most post-war planners in Washington saw America’s Unconditional Surrender policy as flexible (James 725) . However, the President did not choose to share his actual views on Unconditional Surrender with the public. To do so, would have been to negate the violent imperative behind America’s total war against Japan. Japanese and American perceptions of total war were much more in accord. Both the Japanese and American military cultures had strange and sometimes conflicting ideas about legitimate actions and targets. Both cultures could justify outrageous carnage and destruction in the pursuit of victory. That being said, the Japanese military’s almost fanatic devotion to Mahanian warfare mixed with their own Samurai code meant that, many times during the war, Japanese commanders passed up incredible targets of opportunities deeming them not worthy enough.

Basic Computer Memory Types Essay

Random Access Memory (RAM) RAM is a location within the computer system which is responsible for stacking away data on a temporary basis, so that it can be promptly accessed by the processor. The information stored in RAM is typically loaded from the computer’s hard disk, and includes data related to the operating system and certain applications. When the system is switched off, RAM loses all the stored information. The data remains stored and can be retained only when the system is running. When the RAM gets full, the computer system is more likely to operate at a slow peed. The data can be retrieved in any random order. Generally, there are two types of RAM; namely Static RAM (SRAM) and Dynamic RAM (DRAM). When many programs are running on the computer simultaneously, the virtual memory allows the computer to search in RAM for memory portions which havent been utilized lately and copy them onto the hard drive. This action frees up RAM space and enables the system to load different programs. Read Only Memory (ROM) This type of memory is active, regardless of whether the system is turned on or is switched off. It is a kind of permanent non-volatile storage memory. As the name ‘read only’ suggests, the contents in it cannot be changed or modified. It is an integrated circuit which is pre-programmed with important data that should necessarily be present for the computer to carry out its normal functionalities. Cache Cache is a kind of RAM which a computer system can access more responsively than it can in regular RAM. The central processing unit looks up in the cache memory before searching in the central memory storage area to determine the information it requires. This rules out the need for the system to search for information in larger and bigger memory storage areas, which in turn leads to a faster extraction of data. Computer Hard Drive These devices are important data storage components that are installed in the CPL]. Their memory ranges widely, and a user may choose the memory depending on the data needed to be stored and accessed. Nowadays, hard drives having a memory capacity of 120 gigabytes to 500 gigabytes are normally used. Flash Memory This is a non-volatile kind of memory which is intended to contribute to portable torage and a convenient transfer of data from one computer to another. The data in it can be erased and re-programmed as per the user’s requirements. It only has a specific number of erase and write cycles that it can withstand, after which it creates a tendency to lose out on the stored information. Memory cards and USB flash drives These are Just the common and main computer memory types which facilitate memory and data storage. However, there are many subtypes which are sorted out according to the memory-related functionalities they perform and the requirements they serve.

Free Essays on An Interesting Outlook On The Age Of The World

An Interesting Outlook on the Age of the World In â€Å"Physics, Chapter VIII,† Aristotle presents the argument that motion is eternal. I will begin by explaining the argument. I will then develop my objections against this, consider a possible response, and then discuss which view I believe to be right. The argument that Aristotle presents explains why he believes motion to be eternal. It follows as stated: 1. Motion exists. 2. By having motion, there has to be something that moves it. 3. Through motion, the world moves. 4. Something that moves is eternal. 5. Therefore, motion is eternal. I have presented Aristotle’s argument in the standard form by using Modus Ponens. He acknowledges the fact that motion exists. He also says that in order to have motion, you have to have something that is capable of being moved. In this, meaning- in order to have motion, there has to be something that moves it. The world moves through motion and something that moves is eternal. Therefore, Aristotle is able to say motion is eternal by means of movement of the world. Although Aristotle presents a valid argument, I would have to disagree with the fourth premise. If something that moves is eternal, one can raise the question of an object such as a basketball or baseball being applied to this premise. A basketball is something that is capable of being moved when a force is applied to it. However, this does not mean that a basketball is eternal. Not everything that moves may be eternal. The wind, for example, is a particular kind of motion. Although it moves, there is not always a necessary element that accompanies it. However, with a basketball, there must be a force applied to it in order for it to move. I cannot ignore that a basketball does in fact move. Keeping in mind its movement, we must conclude that it is eternal. However, if a basketball lost all of its air, it might not be eternal anymore. A possib... Free Essays on An Interesting Outlook On The Age Of The World Free Essays on An Interesting Outlook On The Age Of The World An Interesting Outlook on the Age of the World In â€Å"Physics, Chapter VIII,† Aristotle presents the argument that motion is eternal. I will begin by explaining the argument. I will then develop my objections against this, consider a possible response, and then discuss which view I believe to be right. The argument that Aristotle presents explains why he believes motion to be eternal. It follows as stated: 1. Motion exists. 2. By having motion, there has to be something that moves it. 3. Through motion, the world moves. 4. Something that moves is eternal. 5. Therefore, motion is eternal. I have presented Aristotle’s argument in the standard form by using Modus Ponens. He acknowledges the fact that motion exists. He also says that in order to have motion, you have to have something that is capable of being moved. In this, meaning- in order to have motion, there has to be something that moves it. The world moves through motion and something that moves is eternal. Therefore, Aristotle is able to say motion is eternal by means of movement of the world. Although Aristotle presents a valid argument, I would have to disagree with the fourth premise. If something that moves is eternal, one can raise the question of an object such as a basketball or baseball being applied to this premise. A basketball is something that is capable of being moved when a force is applied to it. However, this does not mean that a basketball is eternal. Not everything that moves may be eternal. The wind, for example, is a particular kind of motion. Although it moves, there is not always a necessary element that accompanies it. However, with a basketball, there must be a force applied to it in order for it to move. I cannot ignore that a basketball does in fact move. Keeping in mind its movement, we must conclude that it is eternal. However, if a basketball lost all of its air, it might not be eternal anymore. A possib...

Andrea Bocelli Essays - Music, Singing, Entertainment, Free Essays

Andrea Bocelli Essays - Music, Singing, Entertainment, Free Essays Andrea Bocelli is well - known around the world for his unique voice and performing with the songs from classical style to pop. Andrea Bocelli was born on September 22, 1958 in the Italian province of Pisa, in Lajatiko , and from an early age was very gift ed with musical talents. In 1970, Andrea won her first singing contest, Margherita d'Oro in Viareggio, performing the song "O sole mio " and 1994 , Bocelli produced his first disc, "Il Mare Calmo Della Sera", which was released, becoming the Golden Disc. Andrea performs Mattinata by Leoncavallo and sings a duet with maestro Pavarotti, " Notte e Piscatore " Morante . He also performs in the finale of Brindisi from La Traviata along with Nancy Gustavson , Georgia, Andreas Vollenweider and Brian Adams. Andrea was awarded many awards, including the Luciano Cirri Prize in Rome for his achievements and as a representative of Italian culture in the world. For the same reason, he is honored with the Caruso Award, as well as the national award for merits in the field of music as the best classical performer, the award in America as the best performer in the world.

Nurse Prof Essay

Nurse Prof Essay Nurse Prof Essay HLTEN- Work in the nursing profession Assessment Task 2 CPD is the means by which members of the professions maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge, expertise and competence, and develop the personal and professional qualities required throughout their professional lives. CPD is defined as the education of health care professionals following completion of formal training. CPD consists of any educational activity which helps to maintain, develop or increase knowledge, problem-solving, technical skills or professional performance standards all with the goal that nurses can provide better health care. CPD includes 'formal' activities, e.g. courses, conferences and workshops, as well as self-directed activities .seminars, checking notice boards at work and ongoing research skills.Nurses are required to participate in at least 20 hours of continuing nursing professional development per year. One hour of active learning will equal one hour of CPD. It is the nurse responsibility to calculate how many hours of active learning have taken pl ace. The CPD must be relevant to the nurse context of practice. Nurses must keep written documentation of CPD that demonstrates evidence of completion of a minimum of 20 hours of CPD per year. Documentation of self-directed CPD must include dates, a brief description of the outcomes, and the number of hours spent in each activity. All evidence should be verified. It must demonstrate that the nurse has: Identified and prioritised their learning needs, based on an evaluation of their practice against the relevant competency or professional practice standards B) Developed a learning plan based on identified learning needs C) Participated in effective learning activities relevant to their learning needs D) Reflected on the value of the learning activities or the effect that The Board’s role includes monitoring the competence of nurses; the Board therefore conducts an annual audit of a number of nurses registered in Australia. The board also makes sure that they check the nurses’ criminal history for the protection of patients and their families. The Criminal history registration standard set out the factors the National Board will consider in deciding whether a health practitioner’s criminal history is relevant to the practice of their profession under the Health Practitioner Regulation. The standard has ten factors that they use when considering the outcome. The nature and gravity of the offence or alleged offence and its relevance to health practice. The more serious the offence the greater its relevance to health practice, the more weight that the Board will assign to it. The period of time since the health practitioner committed, or allegedly committed, the offence. The Board will generally place greater weight on more recent offences. Whether a finding of guilt or a conviction was recorded for the offence or a charge for the offence is still pending. In considering the relevance of the criminal history information, the Board is to regard to the type of criminal history information provided, the considered types are: Convictions Findings of guilt Pending charges The sentence imposed for the offence. The weight the Board will place on the sentence will generally increase as the significance of the sentence increases, including any custodial period imposed. The ages of the health practitioner and of any victim at the time the health practitioner committed, or allegedly committed, the offence. The Board may place less weight on offences committed when the applicant is younger, and particularly under 18 years of age.. Whether or not the conduct that constituted the offence or to which the charge relates has been decriminalised since the health practitioner committed, or allegedly committed, the offence. The Board will generally place less or no weight on offences that have been decriminalised since the health practitioner committed, or allegedly committed, the offence. The health

Giddens Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Giddens Sociology - Essay Example As the discussion stresses the obsessive concern about dieting and life-threatening forms of anorexia are spreading like epidemics in western societies. Astonishingly they are connected with social factors, experiences and the ‘inter-connections between social life and the body,’. Giddens says ‘sociology of the body’ depends on two major themes, one, ‘the effects of social change on the body’ and another, ‘the increasing separation of the body from nature,’ and hence, is connected with the reproductive technologies, which was referred to as social technologies by Foucault, meaning our intervention in the regular functioning of the body. Wide spreading of anorexia could also be caused by globalization and acceptance of western culture. This paper declares that Gidden feels that every British is dieting all the while, not only by eating less, but also by being decisively choosy about the right food. Advertisements, scientific and medical constant information and recent discoveries coming through a bombarding media, regarding cholesterol and its connection with heart disease, and calorie content of different foods influence people’s decisions. Today, we are able to design and shape our own bodies by exercising, dieting and making constant decisions about food habits, even though the situation causes enormous stress and tension. If women embark into exercising regime for attaining ‘body beautiful’, men are concerned about the careful cultivation of muscular bodies.

Jean Yip International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Jean Yip International Marketing - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  Jean Yip group started as a Jean Yip Salon Limited in the year 1982, and Ms. Jean Yip was its founder. Through her exemplary leadership, the company has outspread from a single outlet in Katong Plaza to more than 60 hairdressing, beauty and slimming outlets today. The outlets in key locations all over Singapore. The company has also expanded regionally in cities of Malaysia, Indonesia and China. The group has a brilliant team of more of more than 800 creative hairstylists and professional beauty therapists making it the leading hair and beauty group in Singapore.   This study declares that  Jean Yip provides a wide range of hairdressing services with a little bit over 400 gifted and professional artistic hairstylists who can provide; super shine hair treatment services, super silk hair treatment services and amber duo color services. The company also provides face treatment services. Jean Yip has qualified employees who can perform skin lighten ing, black spot removal, pimple control among many others. The employees of this company are well equipped to perform R6 skin revolution facial treatment.  In terms of boy treatment, Jean Yip can conduct a series of treatments that include; Slimming, permanent hair removal and stretch mark removal services.  Nail care is another service that Jean Yip offers. The company produces brands that are top notch service such as manicured and pedicured nails are some.  

Psychology of lifespan development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Psychology of lifespan development - Essay Example Discussing these stages, characterized by several general characteristics in physical, cognitive and social/emotional development that the individual must meet and come to terms with, this paper will focus on infancy/early childhood, middle children, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood and late adulthood as well as how specific behavior patterns can be traced through the various life stages. Sensory and motor domain development is most noticeable during the first year of life with physical growth beginning to slow at about one year of age. Parents may notice a decreased appetite at this time as they observe that their children seem to eat virtually nothing comparatively yet continue to grow and are healthy. As children begin to walk, their posture appears as if there may be cause for parental concern but the bow-legged child with their belly sticking out and inward curved back is quite normal for this age. Children are half grown already by the age of two. By age three, the body becomes leaner as the child’s proportion of body fat decreases and muscles increase in tone. By this age, the vast majority of children are physically able to control their bodily functions. Most children follow a predictable pattern of physical growth. Visits to the doctor enable parents to monitor growth in relation to other children of similar age and also allows for comparisons of wei ght gain to height gain. During the preschool years, growth in height and weight is steady. Variations may occur in physical growth during the period of middle childhood, though there is a great deal of predictability. The body continues to change in both height and weight. Weight gain in this period typically varies ranging on average from 3-5 pounds gained annually. Body height may increase by as much as 2-3 inches annually as well. The head of the child remains proportionally larger than the rest

Managing the value chain Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing the value chain - Case Study Example American PC companies, by contrast, generate roughly 40-50 percent of their total production value in East Asia. Seagate, the current market leader for hard disk drives, is estimated to generate around 75 percent of its overall production value in East Asia, primarily in the triangle that comprises Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. European electronics multinationals have fairly high OPRs, but only in the last decade have major European electronics firms discovered East Asia (Lasserre and Schuette 1995). We estimate that during the early 1990s major European electronics firms generated roughly 15-20 percent of their total production value in Asia. The geographical location and other factors such as proximity to low cost labor markets dictate a different value chain for japanese companies. That is the reason why I have decised to focus on Sony and have a closer look on the supply value chain as well as customer value chain creation. The scope for centralized control at Sony diminishes with increasing distance; once Sony extends its value-chain across national boundaries, it is faced with complex coordination problems and the risk of abrupt disruptions.. While production-related disruptions decline with increasing product maturity, demand-related disruptions and abrupt changes in management decisions brought on by financial markets do not. Sony was faced with a very different challenge; they had hesitated too long in moving production of products to East Asia (Ernst and O'Connor 1992). Under the impact of the yen appreciation, Sony risked losing market share in the United States and Europe, especially to the aggressive new competitors from Korea. A quick response on a massive scale was required to roll back these new challengers. Production ramp-up had to occur quickly, and cost and quality had to be tightly controlled. Under such conditions, centralized management control was a perfectly rational choice. Developing local capabilities and linkages through "trial-and-error" would have been a time-consuming process, and thus had to be discarded. It is important to note that specific features of consumer electronics are important for the organization of Sony production networks. Lower end consumer devices have a variety of characteristics that are conducive for the establishment of global export platform mega-plants. They are homogeneous products with large economies of scale in which close interaction with customers is not required. They are characterized by a high divisibility. Different stages in the value-chain can be easily separated, and fundamental changes in design methodology and the shift from metallic to plastic parts have facilitated offshore production, even for relatively complex components such as drums, video heads, and small motors.2 With but few exceptions (such as picture tubes), most components and subassemblies are also characterized by low transportation costs, and can be easily moved between different locations.3 There is ample empirical evidence that Japanese firms in general are laggards in international production compared with their American and European counterparts. A survey conducted byJETRO (the Japanese External Trade Organization) in December 1995 found that the ratio of overseas

Network Security Opening to the World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Network Security Opening to the World - Essay Example Internet based conferencing eliminates the need of a physical meeting place. One can meet people, exchange information and data, and can share files and notes using electronic means. It also saves cost and increase efficiency of the system as a whole. Cisco recently saved more than $1 million on ISO-compliance training by using video-on-demand instead of in-person sessions (Jackson 2004). All the internet conferencing products are inherently dependent upon the bandwidth, networking components and desktop hardware supporting them (McKenzie 2005). If the hardware and network lack necessary support features, internet based conferencing could be an effort in turmoil, and may cause loss of time, productivity, and revenue. An electronic document or file is more vulnerable to unauthorized access. However, the latest software packages that provide internet conferencing facilities have features to provide assurance about the privacy and confidentiality of data. One low cost, and feature rich product is GoToMeeting by Citrix. In addition to the usual features for conferencing, the product offers high security and privacy to the potential customers. The users are provided capability to share only a specific application rather than entire desktop. It helps to make users more confident that they control the software, and not the other way around. Hence, it is similar to a face to face meeting where one can share specific information with other party without having to show the entire knowledgebase to others. Confidentiality and Availability To protect against tapping and data security breaches during transmission, GoToMeeting offers 128 bit encryption of all meeting data, and enforce strong end user authentication procedures. There are software, like Elluminates's server based software, which can detect dropout in audio due to a network glitch and can re-send the missing audio, speeding up the feed slightly until it catches up to the real-time feed. This allows minimal loss of information. Reliability and Flow Control For the purpose of internet based conferencing, the delivery and convertibility of data packets reaching to destination is very important and critical aspect of a good performance versus a failed session. This is the exact problem the Cisco was facing with regard to video streaming over IP to ensure end-to-end delivery of the video traffic. If each desktop isn't properly configured for video, there are no guarantees that a video feed will be delivered. The company solved this glitch by pushing out standard configurations to all sites that made it easier to handshake among varying protocols. References Jackson, K. 2004. Video IP Project Boosts Network's Profile: A Look at Cisco Media Network. Network Computing.com. Online. Available from Internet, http://www.networkcomputing.com/showitem.jhtmldocid=1508centerfold, accessed 12 March 2007. McKenzie, M. Five Web Conferencing Packages: Not Just Conference Calls Anymore. Network Computing.com. Online. Available from Internet, http://www.networkcomputing.com/showArticle.jhtmlarticleID=174403432, accessed 12 March

Managing the value chain Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing the value chain - Case Study Example American PC companies, by contrast, generate roughly 40-50 percent of their total production value in East Asia. Seagate, the current market leader for hard disk drives, is estimated to generate around 75 percent of its overall production value in East Asia, primarily in the triangle that comprises Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. European electronics multinationals have fairly high OPRs, but only in the last decade have major European electronics firms discovered East Asia (Lasserre and Schuette 1995). We estimate that during the early 1990s major European electronics firms generated roughly 15-20 percent of their total production value in Asia. The geographical location and other factors such as proximity to low cost labor markets dictate a different value chain for japanese companies. That is the reason why I have decised to focus on Sony and have a closer look on the supply value chain as well as customer value chain creation. The scope for centralized control at Sony diminishes with increasing distance; once Sony extends its value-chain across national boundaries, it is faced with complex coordination problems and the risk of abrupt disruptions.. While production-related disruptions decline with increasing product maturity, demand-related disruptions and abrupt changes in management decisions brought on by financial markets do not. Sony was faced with a very different challenge; they had hesitated too long in moving production of products to East Asia (Ernst and O'Connor 1992). Under the impact of the yen appreciation, Sony risked losing market share in the United States and Europe, especially to the aggressive new competitors from Korea. A quick response on a massive scale was required to roll back these new challengers. Production ramp-up had to occur quickly, and cost and quality had to be tightly controlled. Under such conditions, centralized management control was a perfectly rational choice. Developing local capabilities and linkages through "trial-and-error" would have been a time-consuming process, and thus had to be discarded. It is important to note that specific features of consumer electronics are important for the organization of Sony production networks. Lower end consumer devices have a variety of characteristics that are conducive for the establishment of global export platform mega-plants. They are homogeneous products with large economies of scale in which close interaction with customers is not required. They are characterized by a high divisibility. Different stages in the value-chain can be easily separated, and fundamental changes in design methodology and the shift from metallic to plastic parts have facilitated offshore production, even for relatively complex components such as drums, video heads, and small motors.2 With but few exceptions (such as picture tubes), most components and subassemblies are also characterized by low transportation costs, and can be easily moved between different locations.3 There is ample empirical evidence that Japanese firms in general are laggards in international production compared with their American and European counterparts. A survey conducted byJETRO (the Japanese External Trade Organization) in December 1995 found that the ratio of overseas

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Management - Essay Example Competing values framework for psychological states defines appropriate behavior that has to be upheld during negotiations. During negotiations, there is the existence of conflicting cultures that may co-exist due to different characteristics of the management team (Drucker, 2012). This should be appropriately handled during negotiations. Refers to the mastery of the knowledge and skills required to enhance sustained success in the current changing business environment. This means that the leaders of the company in negotiations should carefully highlights and extensively consider the scope of competency they have. The leaders to be chosen during the negotiations should be having immense skills and experience needed to propel their respective companies to greater heights. This wills enhance their business competitiveness in the current times of stiff global competition. (Drucker, 2012). The agenda for personal leadership improvement helps the company to use small innovations that can be proven directly, to come up with products of higher quality faster. This will totally enhance customer advantage as they are currently asking for faster and higher quality products than ever before (Drucker,

Faster Fitness Inc. Case Study Analysis. Essay Example for Free

Faster Fitness Inc. Case Study Analysis. Essay This is bound to be a great breakthrough for faster fitness as a result of the introduction of Body Flex 100 and Body Flex 200. These brands have already commanded interest in many dealers whose orders in the recent trade show have even exceeded our production capability. Faster Fitness Inc. has the opportunity to exploit this new market for these machines that allow users a wide range of motions depending on the exercise performed. Body Flex 200 especially with its unique capabilities should be able to put Faster Fitness in the lead in exercise equipments in future. We have every reason to be sure of making good profits especially because we have a lot of advantages in the production of these machines. First of all, this new technology is patented to Faster Fitness. Patents are an advantage to the company as they protect the technology of the firm from being copied or adopted by other companies. A company that tries to use the technology without permission can be sued (Stim, 2007) under the United States law. This way, we are assured of market for as long as no superior technology overtakes us. The increasing market for home exercising machines in the United States is bound to provide the desired income given the unique capabilities of our machines which are specifically designed for home use. Resources required for the manufacturing of the machines are also available and what needs to be done is to organize for their supplies. Presence of a good workforce is also of great importance to the company. Though not enough at the moment it will work well with the few additions in the painting and finishing. There are challenges in that the production capacity is not adequate to meet the demand currently. The problem may not be solved until after a year due to the resources required upgrading the department. Inventory space is also very limited. The fact that staff needs training before the start of the project may delay production. Other details in this paper include quality control strategy selection, long range forecasts and profit estimates. It analyzes the whole production process for the production of BF100 and BF200 while analyzing profitability and efficiency in production through creating a production schedule. The production schedule helps in organizing the factors of production and ensures that the targets are met (Pinedo, 2005; McKay and Wier, 2004). Designing a production schedule is required in order to organize the production of the machines and also make sure that the customer’s needs are met. A production schedule according to Herrmann (2006) provides a guideline on the daily duties that should be performed so that no detail is left out in the process.   It also guides the employees in the daily duties as it provides for time taken to do each chore. Process and the production schedule. The process involves about seven processes divided into three departments. The machines parts components and other resources will have to pass through the various departments before they can be made into the final product ready for delivery. Production of the machines therefore follows the sequence shown below. The machine parts pass through the machining shop and welding shop for fabrication and welding. These two shops are in the machining and welding departments. They are then taken for finishing and painting before landing in the assembly, testing and packaging departments where they go through the final stage before reaching the consumer. Production of BF100 requires at least eleven hours (a total of 660 minutes) completing while BF200 will take twenty four hours (1440 minutes) due to its complexity and the additional leg press sub assembly. Consider that 300 hours are available for both machining and welding, 450 hours for painting and finishing and 150 hours of Assembly, testing and packaging. The schedule will be made to produce fifteen units of BF100 and fifteen units of BF200.   Out of the three hundred hours available for machining and welding per month, BF100 will take up one twenty hours (120) while B200 will take up 180 hours. Given that there are twelve hours of overtime per week then we can produce four more BF200 machines to make it 19 machines since they are more valuable to the company.

The Design Of Multi Level Car Parks Tourism Essay

The Design Of Multi Level Car Parks Tourism Essay Car sales, close to 8 lakh units a year, are growing at an average rate of 10 per cent while two-wheeler sales at 5 million are expected to grow 14-15 per cent. In order to accommodate the large volume of vehicles, small cities and towns must develop their infrastructure roads, flyovers, car parks and other facilities. Otherwise their arteries are most likely to get clogged like they do in big and mini metros.   One solution may be a multi-level car parking system to maximise car parking capacity by utilising vertical space, rather than expand horizontally. Although at a nascent stage in India, it is one of the options to decongest roads and solve parking problems.   However, with land in metros and A grade cities becoming scarce and dearer, and plots getting smaller, conventional parking is proving infeasible. Sometimes soil conditions rule out excavation for multiple basements, or multiple RCC parking slabs take total building height beyond permissible limits. Sometimes it is found that the ramp or car lifts eat up much parking area that no increase in parking capacity is possible. In such case, mechanised car parking systems make creation of extra parking capacity feasible. So far three types of mechanised car parking systems puzzle, tower and mini have been operating in India. In each of these, the car is always parked or retrieved at one level only, and the stationary vehicle is carried to different levels in steel pallets.   The number of vehicles in metros is approaching one million mark. Mumbai has over 13 lakh vehicles, and up to 200 are added everyday. Suburbia Mall, Kalptaru Builders, and Evershine Builders in Mumbai are equipped with multi-level car parking system. Even towns like Chittorgarh and Jaipur are interested in multi-level car parking (also called elevated car parking system).   The puzzle system is configurable and module capacity can vary. For instance, car parking space meant for two cars can accommodate three cars. The optimum capacity of the tower type system is 50 meant for three. Fully automatic systems generally cater to higher capacities per unit. Since conventional multi-level car parks have a clear height of 9 ft. to 10 ft. above each level, they can accommodate Small Utility Vehicles also.   The mechanised system does not cater to these. It is possible to customise systems to accommodate SUVs, but it has not been done so far. Any decent capacity parking plan invariably has ground parking slots (where no mechanized system can fit), and these usually suffice for the proportion of SUVs, says Rajeev Goel, CEO, Kinetic Escalator Elevator Ltd. Depending on the type of system and order size, the mechanised parking systems installed by Kinetic cost from Rs 2 to 3.5 lakh per car. A semi-mechanised (valet parking) option is also available per car cost under one lakh. Depending on the type, its configuration and position of the pallet, it takes half to two-and-half minutes from the press of a button to an approaching car to the drive way level to park a car on it or drive away the car parked on it.   Parking charges depend on what the user is wiling to pay, and whether he has an option to park nearby without paying. A parking slot may be permanently allotted/sold/leased to the built-up area buyer/lessee. Where an owner can charge parking fees by the hour, the fee depends on demand and supply of parking space, not on the parking system. It can vary from Rs 2 a day to Rs 25 an hour.   Many state governments and civic bodies, and some Central government departments are aware of these systems and are expected to give them push. Some civic bodies have liberalised bylaws to enable builders to maximise parking capacity in their projects. Some civic bodies have also floated BoT or like tenders inviting private investment in maximising public parking capacity, according to Goel. The government shouldnt allow parking on roads, states Shree Gopal Kabra, President, Ram Ratna Group.   Goel is quite confident that the demand for car parks is an integral part of a residential or commercial complex, rather than an independent commercial venture. However, it may take years before parking fees in India reach a level at which the investment in these systems and their maintenance cost can be recovered from parking fees alone. Kabra says that a multi-level car parking system will be a success in commercial layouts. One has to club towers with ad revenues or with some other alternatives like commercial activities so that the revenue keeps flowing to the owners who implement car parking systems. Design Image of the inside of a multi-storey car park Movement of vehicles between floors can be effected by: interior ramps the most common type exterior ramps which may take the form of a circular ramp (colloquially known as a whirley-gig in America) vehicle lifts the least common In locations where the car park is built on sloping land, the car park may be split-level. Many car parks are independent buildings that are dedicated exclusively to that use. The design loads for car parks are often less than the office building they serve (50 psf versus 80 psf), leading to long floor spans of 55-60 feet that permit cars to park in rows without supporting columns in between. The most common structural systems in the United States for these structures are either prestressed concrete concrete double tee floor systems or post-tensioned cast-in-place concrete floor systems. In recent times, car parks built to serve residential and some business properties are built as part of a larger building, and often are built underground as part of the basement. Motorcycle parking inside a multi-storey car park Car parks which serve shopping centres can sometimes be built adjacent to the shopping centre so as to effect easier access at each floor between shops and parking. One example is the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA, which has two large car parks attached to the building at the eastern and western ends of the mall. Another common position for car parks within shopping centres in the UK is on the roof, around the various utility systems, enabling customers to take lifts straight down into the centre. Examples of such are The Oracle in Reading and Festival Place in Basingstoke. Automated parking Automatic multi-storey car parks provide lower building cost per parking slot, as they typically require less building volume and less ground area than a conventional facility with the same capacity. However, the cost of the mechanical equipment within the building that is needed to transport cars internally needs to be added to the lower building cost to determine the total costs. Other costs are usually lower too, for example there is no need for an energy intensive ventilating system, since cars are not driven inside and human cashiers or security personnel may not be needed. Automated car parks rely on similar technology that is used for mechanical handling and document retrieval. The driver leaves the car in an entrance module. It is then transported to a parking slot by a robot trolley. For the driver, the process of parking is reduced to leaving the car inside an entrance module. At peak periods a wait may be involved before entering or leaving. The wait is due to the fact that loading passengers and luggage occurs at the entrance and exit location rather than at the parked stall. This loading blocks the entrance or exit from being available to others. Whether the retrieval of vehicles is faster in an automatic car park or a self park car park depends on the layout and number of exits. Advantages: The advantages of this can be seen immediately: there is no room to build conventional multi-storey car parks above ground in the areas they are required, and under-street parking is actually more cost effective than other schemes on a per parking space basis. In addition, an automatic system brings significant savings in engineering because elevators, ramps, stairways, lighting and ventilation do not need to be provided to the same extent. The construction, however, also means the transfer of sewer, storm drains and water services from beneath the centre of the road to conduits at the side of the roads. PARKING PROCESS Cars (maximum dimension 5.25m long, 2.2m wide and 1.7m high) must be driven to one of four receiving stations (marked A to D), the entry to which is actuated by a control device which responds to a transponder chip held in the car by the user. On gaining entry the driver proceeds to correctly position / park the car on a transfer ramp and then locks and leaves the vehicle. A combination of laser scanners and light barriers will then examine the car for its positioning and dimensions. The elevator ramp is then actuated and the car is raised to its parking level and stored (cars are parked side by side). In July 2007 the Wà ¶hr Multiparker 740 equipped garage was given the ADAC Award (German Automobile Association) for the best use of space, security and reliability. On returning, the driver comes to the same transfer station (they may pay by credit card at an automated paying station) and the car will be retrieved from its storage level according to the transponder chip still held by the driver. The car is retrieved on its transfer pallet and the driver simply drives away through automated exit gates. The pallet has a lighting system which illuminates the area for two minutes while the driver gets into the car. Customer help is available via an intercom system 24 hours per day in case of breakdowns or unforeseen problems. If a car is not retrieved for its owner within two hours then the owner receives compensation from the parking operator. PROJECT 1: TECHNOLOGY TYPE SIMPARK (Completed in November, 2001) CALCUTTA, INDIA We make Calcuttans proud by introducing the Worlds First Fully Automatic Mechanized Public Multi-Level Car Parking System on a Curve, at the intersection of Park Street-Rawdon Street crossing, in a Joint Venture with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. The ground plus two-storied computer based system, accommodates upto three times more than conventional parking. The system at Rawdon Street has been constructed to provide car-parking facility for around 210 cars on a ground area of 1260 Sq. Mtrs. Each row can individually hold on average 73 numbers of cars. The system is operated from both the ends of the structure. Each lift lobby having its own individually control panel and ticketing system. However, one can park and retrieve his/ her car from either end and vice versa. A steel pallet is designated for every car slot in the system. Whenever a car needs to be parked, the ticketing button is pressed and the entrance gate opens only after a pallet has been delivered. The driver parks his car on the pallet, engages a gear, locks his car (optional as nobody can go inside the system and your car is safe as in a vault), and walks out of the system. The tickets to the system is a simple the magnetic strip cards, which the ticket attendant swipes. From herein onwards, the computer takes over. One must remember not to lose the magnetic card as it contains information on the parked vehicle. Technologies : Simpark The beauty of this Parking system is inherent in its intrinsic simplicity. It is a modular Lego like system and therefore can be adapted to fit any size or shape of plot. Each grid has an independent lift and each floor or array of cars has its independent carrier. For every car to be parked in the system, there is a steel pallet designated when a car is to be parked, on a button being punched the entrance gate opens. The driver parks his car on the pallet, engages a gear, locks his car (optional), and walks out of the system. From herein onwards, the computer takes over. Uniquely designed lift, enables carriers to pass through lift shaft, when lift is not in the specific floor. More than one lift can be placed in each row at either end, or in the middle as required. THE PARKING PROCEDURE The PLC system computer decides, which floor, which and slot the pallet with the car is to be placed is to be parked on. Accordingly, the pallet with the car placed on it is taken up with the help of the vertical elevator system to the desired floor. The next step is that on reaching the particular floor the carrier system picking up picks up the pallet along with the car, and moving it horizontally along the structure over the other vehicles to the place assigned by the computerit slowly lowers it into the slot assigned by the system. It should be made quite clear here, that the height of each floor, is a little more than twodouble the cars height, so that the carrier transports the car above the already parked cars. Retrieval of parked cars is precisely the same operation, but in the reverse order. When the driver comes to collect his car, he gives the ticket/magnetic card, which was given to him on parking. The card is swiped and; automatically the bill for parking is generated for payment. Simultaneously the computer has issued the order for retrieval. Carrier picks up the relevant pallet, transports it over other cars and places it on the elevator. The elevator brings down the pallet. On retrieval retrieval, through a turntable, the pallet takes a turn and keeps the car is in a drive-out position. The Main gates opens automatically, driver walks in and drives out in his carfor the driver to drive out his car. The Gate close automatically and the system is on standby for the next requests. The entire system can operate, with just one ticket attendant in each lobby. In case of the remote eventuality of any problem, the same shall be reflected immediately in the master computer in the control room and the fault rectified within minutes. SERVICES OFFERED 1. Night parking. 2. Multiple Entry and Exit facilities. 3. Provision for long term booking of parking slots. 4. ATM and Vending Machine. 5. Public Call Booth. 6. Front / Backlit show windows for corporate and product advertising CONSTRUCTION DETAILS We have used RCC grid of Concrete Column and Beam only for the parking tower. There are no slabs for the parking tower. Top Roof is done with coated G.I. Sheets simply supported by Crush Structures. The structure has been designed for required dead load lift load as per I.S. Standard. Necessary construction instructions as per I.S. Construction have been provided. Elevators have been placed at both the end of the structures. The Control Panel with P.L.Cs will control the movement of the elevator and Electronic devices. Fire fighting with sprinklers system has been provided. The fire fighting system has been divided into various zones. Wet risers have also been provided. Other details have been met as per fire laws and by-laws. Round the clock, security cameras have been provided for recording the vehicles entering and exiting the system. These security cameras would also be utilized for recording the movement of people in the entire compound. Managing of a Multilevel Parking Lot using IPv6 Problem with multilevel parking lot now To find a parking space in a crowded multilevel parking facility now, the driver must be lurking around while driving. Even if not speeding, this is very dangerous. The possibility that a accident resulting in injury or death could happen is very high here. To solve this problem If a parking space at a multilevel parking lot can be found without the driver lurking around, the number of accidents can be decreased. So, I thought of attaching each curb at the parking space with a sensor using IPv6. And the open space can be checked at the entrance of the parking lot, and reach there without the driver lurking around. How to use IPv6 1) Each curb at the parking space is attached with a sensor by IPv6. First, each curb is attached with a sensor so the position and floor of the place open can be known. 2) The open space can be known by the screen placed at the entrance of the parking lot, using a sensor. Another problem If a car ahead of you parks at the place you were think of parking, this system will be useless. To solve this problem When deciding where to park at the entrance of the parking lot, a simple reservation is made, so the next person knows that the place is taken. By doing so, the driver does not have to lurk around when a person ahead of you parks at the spot he/she was thinking of parking. Image of Screen at Parking Entrance R e d- -The sensor shows that there is a car. B l u e- -It is open now, but the person ahead of you is trying to park there. White- -The space is open. The screen is a touch panel, and reservation can be done by pressing the screen, and the status of the 3rd, 4th, and all floors can be checked By making this facility, accidents at parking lots will decrease In the limelight Kolkatas first underground automated car parking system was now acting as a showpiece attracting municipal corporations from around the country. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has already signed an agreement with Simpark for such projects at more than one station. Hi-tech bay: Cars at the underground parking lot built by Simpark Infrastructure at the New Market complex in Kolkata. The facility will be opened to the public on April 20. Kolkata April 15 Simpark Infrastructure (P) Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Simplex Projects Ltd, braving several odds has just completed an underground modern automated car parking system at one of the most congested areas of the city the New Market complex, a relic of the Raj to which all Kolkatans are emotionally attached. A trip to the Market for pre-Christmas shopping is a must for both young and old. The engineering marvel 30 ft below the ground has been achieved without disturbing the red brick-stoned heritage New Market structure facing the southern faà §ade, including the fabulous clock tower to the left. Initially planned as a multi-level car park above ground, the BOT project, facing stiff resistance from the market shop establishments, was shifted below with a shopping mall at the minus one level and the actual gantry system car parking at the minus two level. Sheet piling over a period of 18 months was done to safeguard the old buildings facing the market complex. Top down construction method has been adopted (no cannibalisation of the top surface), and the gantry system can be accessed through five entry points (gates) for cars to be placed on pallets, which will take them down to the designated parking slot. Fully computerised, there will be just one person each at the entry point to operate the system, and car recovery is said to take just 90 seconds. Showpiece Cited as Kolkatas first underground automated car parking system, the project, commissioned by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), according to Mr B.K. Mundhra, Chairman and Managing Director of Simplex Projects, was now acting as a showpiece attracting municipal corporations from around the country. He said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has already signed an agreement with Simpark for such projects at more than one stations. Talking to Business Line on the various challenges faced during the four-year construction period of the Rs 34-crore BOT project (with a 20-year concession period) by the Simpark engineering team, Mr Mundhra said the company has been able to just about break-even. The gain for us is the immense satisfaction of having completed such a difficult project in a small stretch (just 40,000 sq ft), capable of accommodating some 280 cars. He said the KMC would get 5 per cent of the parking fees, which is projected to be around Rs 2.5 lakh annually. The main earning for KMC will be through secondary basic rent from shop owners in the plaza. This is expected to yield annually around Rs 10 lakh for KMC while providing hassle-free parking for Kolkatans. Some 150 shop owners are said to have booked space at the plaza. Asked on Simparks future plans, Mr Mundhra said the company was planning to enter the semi-automatic private retail parking segment with the Intelligent Cubicle Sliding system, for which it has entered into a strategic tie-up with a Korean company. He said orders for prototypes of the compact system, which can be installed easily at building sites to fulfil private parking needs, have already been placed. A base level model, for holding some 8-10 cars, may cost anything between Rs 1.75 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh.

Tom Stoppards Arcadia Essay -- Arcadia Tom Stoppard

Throughout the text, Tom Stoppard's novel Arcadia makes a series of philosophical statements regarding the theme of determinism. These statements are developed largely through images and completely different time periods, particularly those of the Romantic and Enlightenment era ¹s. Tom Stoppard uses the theme of determinism to show how the ideas of the Romantic era and the present day have gone in a circle. And that even though we get more and more advanced everyday, Stoppard shows us that despite our constant advancement, our basic ideas have remained unchanged. Author Tom Stoppard portrays this belief of a time cycle through the image of the apple juxtaposed with the image of the garden.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Arcadia, Tom Stoppard uses a scientific view of determinism along with a religious view on determinism in order to allow the reader to see similarities in ideas between the Romantic era and the present day. Religious determinism in Arcadia is shown to have to do with God/fate, predestination, and the future whereas the scientific view has to do with Newton, and with biological determinism. Although both stories do use both aspects of determinism, it is usually the story from 1809 using the scientific determinism whereas in the present day, they use more of the religious view of determinism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first story, a scientific view of determinism is shown through Septimus and Thomasina in order to introduce to the reader the basic ideas on determinism and science.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ...

Large Voter Turnout in Lebanon Elections :: essays research papers

Many voters returned to their hometowns in Mount Lebanon, the country's most populous province, and to the Bekaa Valley to cast their ballots in the third of four rounds of staggered parliamentary elections, the first free of the dominance of Syrian forces in nearly three decades. Anti-Syrian forces need a strong showing in Sunday's vote -- at least 45 seats for a majority -- to win a firm grasp on the 128-member Parliament and wean it of Damascus' control. But the campaign has led to some surprising alliances and some races were too close to call. Lines formed outside polling stations in Mount Lebanon, a mountain region surrounding Beirut and stretching north and south of the city. Halfway through the voting, turnout topped 50 percent in some areas, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said. Michel Aoun, who recently broke with other opponents of Damascus and forged alliances with pro-Syrian politicians to form an anti-corruption ticket, was among the first to vote. He arrived under heavy guard at a polling station Haret Hreik, a Shiite Muslim southern suburb of Beirut that is the stronghold of the pro-Syrian militant group Hezbollah. About 200 supporters cheered and applauded for the Christian leader, who returned home in May after 14 years' exile in France. Aoun, who was making his first trip to his hometown in more than 20 years, said he hoped his Free Patriotic Movement would debut in Parliament with at least 12 seats. "In the end, we all bow before the people's will," he told reporters. The former general was the main challenger of the anti-Syrian opposition in Mount Lebanon and his success could hurt the opposition's drive to gain a majority in the legislature and, depending on the number of seats he gains, could make him a key player in the effort to end Syrian control. Druse opposition leader Walid Jumblatt, who has claimed that pro-Syrians brought Aoun out of exile to divide the opposition, pledged not to allow the former general "to steal our victory." "We are laying the foundations for a moderate, independent Lebanon," Jumblatt said of his alliance with right-wing Christians, Hezbollah and Saad Hariri, the son of the slain former Premier Rafik Hariri. Jumblatt, too, has forged alliances with pro-Syrians like Hezbollah and the Shiite Amal group. About 1.2 million men and women over 21 are eligible to vote Sunday. Some 100 candidates are competing in Mount Lebanon for 35 seats, allocated to different sects according to Lebanon's power-sharing political system. Large Voter Turnout in Lebanon Elections :: essays research papers Many voters returned to their hometowns in Mount Lebanon, the country's most populous province, and to the Bekaa Valley to cast their ballots in the third of four rounds of staggered parliamentary elections, the first free of the dominance of Syrian forces in nearly three decades. Anti-Syrian forces need a strong showing in Sunday's vote -- at least 45 seats for a majority -- to win a firm grasp on the 128-member Parliament and wean it of Damascus' control. But the campaign has led to some surprising alliances and some races were too close to call. Lines formed outside polling stations in Mount Lebanon, a mountain region surrounding Beirut and stretching north and south of the city. Halfway through the voting, turnout topped 50 percent in some areas, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said. Michel Aoun, who recently broke with other opponents of Damascus and forged alliances with pro-Syrian politicians to form an anti-corruption ticket, was among the first to vote. He arrived under heavy guard at a polling station Haret Hreik, a Shiite Muslim southern suburb of Beirut that is the stronghold of the pro-Syrian militant group Hezbollah. About 200 supporters cheered and applauded for the Christian leader, who returned home in May after 14 years' exile in France. Aoun, who was making his first trip to his hometown in more than 20 years, said he hoped his Free Patriotic Movement would debut in Parliament with at least 12 seats. "In the end, we all bow before the people's will," he told reporters. The former general was the main challenger of the anti-Syrian opposition in Mount Lebanon and his success could hurt the opposition's drive to gain a majority in the legislature and, depending on the number of seats he gains, could make him a key player in the effort to end Syrian control. Druse opposition leader Walid Jumblatt, who has claimed that pro-Syrians brought Aoun out of exile to divide the opposition, pledged not to allow the former general "to steal our victory." "We are laying the foundations for a moderate, independent Lebanon," Jumblatt said of his alliance with right-wing Christians, Hezbollah and Saad Hariri, the son of the slain former Premier Rafik Hariri. Jumblatt, too, has forged alliances with pro-Syrians like Hezbollah and the Shiite Amal group. About 1.2 million men and women over 21 are eligible to vote Sunday. Some 100 candidates are competing in Mount Lebanon for 35 seats, allocated to different sects according to Lebanon's power-sharing political system.

Literature review on contemporary HRD Essay

Critically discuss and evaluate current perspectives on the changing role and nature of training and learning in organisations and human resource development. This should include a critical appraisal of key theoretical perspectives on the strategic role of HRD within contemporary organisational contexts Within this submission, I have illustrated the changing role and nature of training and learning within context of a learning organisation. Training and learning in organisations. So what do we mean by training and learning within an organisation? One view is that it is about developing a learning organisation, an ‘organization that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future. For such an organization, it is not enough merely to survive, ‘Survival learning’ what is more often termed ‘adaptive learning’ is important, indeed it is necessary. But for a learning organization, ‘adaptive learning’ must be joined by ‘generative learning,’ learning that enhances our capacity to create’. Senge (1999:14) Further support for this ‘generative’ view is seen in Wick and Westley (1996) who take the perspective that a learning organisation should be seen against the backdrop of its culture. Arguing values, beliefs, feelings, artefacts, myths, symbols, metaphors’ form part of any approach taken by a learning organisation. It arguably impossible to clinically define what a learning organisation consists of in a generic form. By creating a learning organisation you create a learning climate, thus hopefully a training and learning culture. Senge takes the view that, what fundamentally will distinguish learning organizations from traditional authoritarian â€Å"controlling organizations† will be the ‘mastery of certain basic disciplines. That is why the â€Å"disciplines of the learning organization† are vital’. Senge (1999: 5). However, it is to be noted that Senge uses the word discipline to mean a set of practices rather than a rigid system of rules, which is often inferred understood in the modern use of the word. Going on to comment, ‘To practice a discipline is to be a lifelong learner. You never arrive; you spend your life mastering disciplines’. Senge (1999: 11) Futher confirming the view that, this area of management study is far from being a science, but he does present offer a few guiding principles in his best selling book, The Fifth Discipline, ‘Have realistic goals, challenge your assumptions, commit to a shared vision and that teamworking is good for you. We see here the dualistic approach of both the need for the organisation and the individual to become intrinsically involved in the concept. Although a popular view, others have felt that organisation learn in there own right, almost biologically. Schon for example sees organisations as, ‘repositories of knowledge’ independent of their members (Schon, 1983:242). There is a wide school of thought that learning organisations develop and are not imposed, ‘†¦as cultures develop and alter their expectations, (an example of which would include the demise of unions and the capitalist ideology of the Thatcher years) so must organisations change that employ within that culture.’ (Schon, 1983). Further cultural identities in terms of sector, product or organisations must also be taken into account, highlighted by the work of both Argyris (1960) and Hofstede (1994). One mistaken view is that the term a ‘learning organisation’ is a new concept. It is certainly true that as the world changes new approaches must be investigated to maintain both personal and organisational survival. However, the idea that organisations have only recently had to deal with changing situations, both operationally and strategically, is clearly absurd. Only the pace and scope of change in the last 50 years has brought the spotlight on organisations managing its human resource in a more effective manner. It remains a truism that it is not an argument about leaning and development, after all we have all learnt and development within any organisation we have been in contact with either consciously or subconsciously. The argument must surely be how we identify, focus and deliver that learning in an organisational context to produce value to the individual and therefore hopefully the organization. A view highlighted by Argyris and Schon (1974) Historically this point is confirmed, ‘We trained hard†¦ but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up in teams we would be reorganised. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Caius Petronius, AD 65. However, the key element of a learning organisation is that it is about people and how they learn, develop and ultimately (or hopefully) contribute to the organisation. The link with HRD is therefore both binding and key in determining how T&D takes place in an organisation. Yet we still come back to what is a learning organisation. One simple view that will form the basis of my assignment is, ‘A learning organisation can, in plain terms, be described as an organisation which anticipates changes in its environment by learning on a strategic level; deliberately aims at improving its ability for learning and which, in order to learn on a strategic level, makes use of the learning of all employees, therefore this employee learning is enhanced at all hierarchical levels. (Sambrook and Stewart, IDPM Paper 1999). Therefore, it can be argued that the development of a learning organisation the most important factor in the changing role of T&D within organisations. Human Resource Development (HRD) Having settled on a broad view of what a learning organisation is, fitting it within a HRD context can only be achieved if we understand what we mean by HRD. In a learning context, HRD has been described as, ‘Organised learning experiences in a definite time period to increase the possibility of improving job performance growth’. (Nadler and Nadler, 1990:1.3). However, HRD covers a much wider field, ‘HRD is the integrated use of training and development, career development, and organisation development to improve individual and organisational effectiveness. (McLagan and Suhadolnik, 1989:10). A further view, ‘HRD is a process of developing and/or unleashing human expertise through organisation development (OD) and personnel training and development (T&D) for the purpose of improving performance. Swanson (1998) confirms this view that HRD is about the relationship of individuals with the organisation in a learning environment. But surely, HRD can be defined more accurately? Presently there is no universal view or agreement on the theory or multiple theories that support HRD as a discipline. On one hand some have called for systems theory to serve as a unifying theory for HRD to access all useful theories as required (Gradous, (1989) and on the other hand many have proposed sets of principles in the forms of comparative lists of added value, products, processes, and expertise (Brethower, 1995). The alterative to having a sound theoretical and disciplinary base for the HRD profession is the present state of ‘rudderless random activity aggressively sponsored by a theoretical professional associations and greedy consultants’ (Micklethwait & Wooldridge, 1996; Swanson, 1997). This view, it is argued, is a short-term sell of perceived success without having a deep understanding of the key components of the concept. ‘For this reason, a discrete and logical set of theories as the foundation of HRD is proposed. It is comprised of psychological theory, economic theory, and systems theory’ (Passmore, 1997; Swanson, 1995, 1999). Economic theory is recognised as the primary force at the organisational level with the systems theory recognising the importance of direction, politics and purpose that could affect any organisational system. Psychological theory acknowledges human beings as a resource, whilst trying to understand the behavioural patterns that must be taken into account, opening the HRD function up to new ideas and concepts such as NLP and EQ. It is believed by Passmore, Swanson et al. that these three theories, more than any others, make up the modern view of HRD. Development of HRD Early incarnations of HRD concerned themselves with a personal management function, ‘Personal management function at an administrative level, independent of commercial realities, into a concept that has become central to the strategic and commercial success of the organisation.’ (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001: 668) However, as organisations adapted to change and new ways of thinking so did its human resource function: 1964-70 – systematic approach to diagnosis of training 1968-75 – standardization training for job categories by industry. (Such as motor, construction and social work) Thorough off-job basic education for skilled occupations 1970-75 – systematic planning of training for all categories of employee 1974-80 – company contribution to training for young people and long-term unemployed to meet national needs 1979-90 – business-orientated training directed at improving organizational effectiveness (value added) 1988 – present – personal development with individualized plans for which each employee and their boss take responsibility. Sambrook & Stewart IDPM Paper (1999) The last of these observations highlights a move away from organisational directed learning, as it sees the individual start to take more control of their own development needs. Due to the differences in organisational needs, cultural context organisational structure and resources available, the concept of the individual taking more responsibility for their development is a significant shift away from earlier ideas. Additionally, there has been a shift in the last decade from organisations training to meet competence voids, towards a more learning environment that relies on experiential learning and self direction. It is argued, such an approached, does not limit itself to training, ‘†¦but stretched to facilitating and supporting learning processes within the organisation, with the aim to contribute to meaningful organisational learning processes. Sambrook & Stewart IDPM Paper (1999) This clearly has an impact on the concept of HRD and any approach it may take within an organisation. (cf. case study research by Tjepkema & Wognum, 1995). Once again, it can therefore be argued, that a key role of HRD is to create and/or maintain a learning organisational environment as the foundation to any training and learning within an organisation. Yet even with this backdrop, many commentators still take the view that HRD should be subject to tight quantitive justification, that HRD needs to demonstrate that their activities add value to the organisation which is their paymaster. (Walton 1999: 1). However, Walton falls short of believing that value is the only issue in developing a learning organisation through a HRD function. Yet there remains a broad body of support that does lean towards this view. Swanson and Arnold (1997) consider that HRD in an organisational context has no meaning unless the connection is made to performance. A point echoed, Welsh 1998 who contends, ‘An employer doesn’t teach for the sake of learning †¦ What are the rewards?’ (Welch, 1998). With Mayo adding softness to the argument by involving a learning process to the HRD list of ingredients, ‘there needs to be a systematic method of linking business goals with the learning process. Mayo 2001: 82 However, there remains a danger that the HRD function, however defined, becomes over indulgent, becoming the end rather than the means to add some value to the sponsoring organisation. Maybe it is this fear, which when added to high-level managerial naivety of modern HRD approaches, which has seen many a HRD organisation become the first casualty of any downsizing. But why has the evolution of HRD been necessary? Quite simply the world of people and the environments in which they work has changed. A decade ago, Peter Drucker anticipated this change when he said in The Age of Discontinuity. ‘Businessmen will have to learn to build and manage innovative organizations.’ Others continue to see change. Ansoff, a long-time student of business strategy, adds as he envisages organisations reducing its reliance on structure: ‘†¦ Structure will become a dynamic enabler of both change and unchange, the ultimate model of ‘organised chaos’. (Peters and Waterman Jr, 1995: 111) Thus asking the question, can HRD stand still in a world of chaos or will is need to develop further new strategies to protect its value to a given organisation? The world is changing and as long as the interpretation and subsequent management of the change is influenced by human organisations the HRD function, however loosely defined, will need to continually adapt if it is to both manage and influence organisational direction if it is find a place in this ever changing ‘chaos’. Strategic HRD With a change in the type of work being undertaken in the western economy over the last 50 years, less ‘dominated by labour-intensive, low-tech industries with semi-skilled operatives, to high-tech industries reliant on highly skilled knowledge workers in relatively short supply, individuals are now seen as the single most significant source of sustainable competitive advantage.’ Walton (1999: 85) The role of HRD has therefore needed to change to provide the level of support required from its parent organisation. The management, retention and developing of this organisational resource, ‘knowledge workers’,(Wilson 1999) has taken on greater importance at higher managerial levels. A reflection of this is the fact HRD/HRM in many large organisations plays a much more important role at boardroom level, contributing to the overall organisational strategy. But does a HRD manager sitting on the Board make HRD strategic? Walton (1999) argues that for HRD to become strategic is needs to be HRD with a holistic, long-term approach, that may or may not develop a strategic awareness of company goals. He defines the term as one, ‘undertaken with full strategic intent, with an understanding how the initiative being undertaken adds to the coherence of the SHRD effort, congruent with an explicit learning philosophy incorporated into the overall organisation mission’ In short, for it to be strategic the HRD function needs to be holistic with a function to integrate and develop into the overall strategic management system. A little clarification comes from Burgoyne 1988, ‘†¦strategic approach has to be conscious and reflective; unplanned, interpersonal and functional experiences cannot be classified as strategic in organisational terms unless explicitly linked to implementation of corporate policy.’ However, Burgoyne does takes the view that such an approach should be linked to the hard systems of HRD such as planning, recruitment and selection strategies, feeling that a more objective approach is better implemented and quantified within an organisation. As Harrison (1997) points out, ‘despite the hype that surrounds a number of organisations where the planned development of people has made a notable contribution to the achievement of business goals†¦research has failed to reveal any significant connection between HRD and business strategy across the UK.’ An example of a SHRD approach was for many organisations the move toward individual responsibility for there own learning, ‘At the beginning of the decade the strategic attention was focused on self-managed learning, continuous personal development, learning organisation and the people messages associated with Total Quality Management (TQM). Walton (1999: 85). Nearly 15 years later many organisations are still working at getting this message across to a workforce that has not fully grasped the concept. The debate about turning strategy into practice remains an issue that continues to find its way into many Board rooms and commented on by many and varied management writers. However, because SHRD has taken a holistic view, fully integrated into the organisational management strategy, is that all that is needed for HRD to become SHRD. Wilson (1999) argues that HRD will deal with detail whilst modern SHRD should do no more than provide a framework for guidance, a point touched on by Mayo, ‘ †¦the task for HQ†¦is to determine the frameworks of best practice which will enable diverse and locally owned implementation, and to provide consultant help built round the local need,’ putting the view that organisations operate better when decentralised and given there own accountability and responsibly. It is clear in this scenario that anything other than a SHRD framework would be difficult to implement. An example of such a framework maybe, ‘a successful learning climate’ Walton (1999: 11) Conclusion Over the last decade, the role of HRD has both, found a niche and come under fire in organisations trying to compete in an ever changing political, economic and cultural environment. Add globalisation, demographic changes and the ever changing world of information technology (IT) and not surprisingly, HRD has had to both adapt and show direction in its approach and function in modern organisations. Balancing between both an art and a science it has had to prove its value to organisations in what ironically is the very environment it should be showing its main worth – managing the human resource in a world of constant change in compressed markets. The struggle of organisations to produce strategy in Tom Peters world of innovation and creativity, often results in the crisis, tactical, and short term approach taken by many organisations that often goes on to see HRD as the first enemy target of this struggle. The need for definition and justification for a HRD component remains more real today than at any time if it is not to been see as a luxury component in a volatile world that, arguably under pressure, relies more on economic stability than a humanistic resource development approach that often produces results beyond a strategic planning horizon. However, HRD is not a science, and as such will continue to change, develop and find new roles in the adapting, fast moving world of the modern working environment.

Dialogue Between Plato and Aristotle Essay

Pluto: No, listen. What I am saying is that the environment or form that we live in is full of unevenness, imperfection and impurity this due to the fact that this form is merely a copy of the ideal world that one would understand once they rise above our physical environment and grasp it intellectually. Aristotle: I understand you just fine but I disagree with you. I agree that our world is an imperfect world but I object to the notion that it is not real or that there is another invisible form out there from which it is cloned. I find that preposterous, everything is right here on earth, physically. Pluto: No. What we see on earth ‘physically’ as you say are just mimics or artificial replicas of the real thing only with a lot of imperfections. This is just an illusion of the real thing. Aristotle: How can that be when our natural world is real and physical? Let me explain it to you clearly, our world, this world is made up of many forms. Sure, they may not be ideal, pure or perfect but our senses identify with them. Pluto: Well, our senses identify with them because they are copies of the perfect form and we have knowledge of them. Let me explain it to you. Knowledge must have as its object that which is openly real as juxtaposed with that which is an appearance only, that which is fully real must be fixed, permanent and unchanging- in the realm of being as opposed to that which is in the realm of physical. That is why you call these world ‘physical’ when it is just a perception from the true ideal form. Aristotle: That is absurd! If experience has shown us anything is that individual substances exist and are real, being predicated of the substance and that an individual is not produced by some idea or model the actually exist! Pluto: Now you have joined people inexperienced in the theory of forms. Captives in a cave, bound to the wall with no likelihood of turning your heads. With fire burning behind you, you can only see the wall of the cave and the shadows of the puppets placed between you and the fire. You are incapable to fathom that the shadows you see and the echoes you hear are a reflection of real objects, behind you. This world that is available to our senses exists only as a reflection of the real world. Aristotle: Here is where I differ to you completely! !An individual is not formed from the perception of another’s  mind but from an individual who through germ or seed was able to reproduce another one hence, the seed in the individual would be in potency form because of its capacity to become an individual in future. Every individual is a compound of matter and form, not a mirror or perception of another from another form. Pluto: That is just how easy it is to mistake appearance for reality, just like the captives in the cave experience, they easily refer to the shadows using the names of the real objects that the shadows reflect. This just shows that knowledge is only a reflection of the real ideas in our minds. What is seen on the earth is an imitation of the real thing. The captives, by looking at the shadows may learn what an item is but this does not enable them to claim that it refers to an object, which they have seen. Likewise, we need the physical objects in order to enable us acquire concepts. Aristotle: So your idea is that we live in an imagined world and that is copied from an ideal world and that the physical items and entities we encounter on our day to day activities and with which our senses identify with are merely there for us to acquire concepts? Pluto: Yes. Exactly! Aristotle: You are not serious! You do realize that the possibility of error forces the mind to determine the truth validity of a given statement. Meaning the intellect must have adequate reasons, which can ensure the proposed judgment conforms to reality. These are the foundation of perfect knowledge, knowledge through causes. Not that we originate from some made up form that we cannot access, but that we originate from an individual. Matter is the indeterminate element, which is unchanging, and form is the force and power shaping and developing the individual. That is a structure of two statements leading to correct reasoning. Pluto: So you object to my whole idea? Aristotle: Completely! It lacks a foundation and crumbles upon itself. Your own argument argues that there is need for physical objects to enable us acquire concepts but your idea is based on an unseen form that cannot be confirmed physically. Pluto: We could argue about it for hours. It’s a stalemate. Aristotle: Seems we have found an impasse, but I win!

Festival and events Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Festival and events - Essay Example In addition, we have also approached for additional funding from the Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd that offers sponsorship based on their internal evaluations for events that deliver community benefits that align to the direction of the company. In this note, the company agreed to donate $1000 to sponsor the night trivia. Further, the Toyota company also sponsored the event by donating $1200. Further, we were keen in controlling the costs of organizing the event by ensuring that we select a venue that is cost effective. Our choice of venue for the event is Apple cross Anglican Church where it is possible to reduce the total cost for holding the event while still making the guests to have fun. The main hall areas in the Apple cross Anglican Church can host a maximum of about 230 guests at a cost of $20 per hour after 6pm for non-profit events. In addition, the venue has other additional offers such as tables and soft drinks. Further, we have approached the Sound Guys Company where we have obtained discounted sound system at a cost of $70 for the event. All these additional resources make the cost of holding the event in the venue to be within our limited budget. In order to attract a large number of guests, we have organized some prizes and gifts that will be given to the participants of night trivia. For instance, we have approached Dymocks book shop who agreed to donate different types of books in order to support the event. In addition, we have also approached Coles Supermarkets who agreed to support the night trivia by donating food hampers that will play great part in attracting more participants. Further, we were able to get some gifts such as soaps, perfumes and lotions from Elizabeth Shop that will also constitute the prizes to be given out. In order for the participants to win the gifts, the trivia will be organized in such a way that groups in

Fourth Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fourth Assignment - Essay Example Each of the three books depicts a different kind of alternative family. The families in the books all have one thing in common, however. They all choose to be together and love each other regardless of anything that happens. In this way, these alternative families are able to function better than many traditional families. The theme throughout all of the books is that people find love and support in unexpected places. This doesn’t just refer to romantic love, but all kinds of love; especially the love that exists between good friends. The friends in turn use the love they’ve found to form families. The three different books all begin with traditional families that have been fractured in some way. In Plainsong, Tom Guthrie’s family is falling apart because of his wife’s growing depression, and she eventually leaves him. Victoria loses her family because first her father and then her mother have abandoned her. In Cold Mountain, almost all of the main charact ers’ close family members have died, and they all find themselves stuck far away from the places they think of as home. In Bridget Jonses’s Diary, Bridget appears to feel that her family is slowly falling apart because she has grown up and her parents’ marriage seems to be ending. In each book, the main characters must find ways to make their own new families, each in different ways. The characters in Plainsong make up many different kinds of families. ... Tom loves his children, and the loss of their mother naturally hurts them very much. The fact that they are able to accept the loss of their mother and move on shows that they love and trust their father. Even though things are hard for him, he continues doing his job as their father. When Maggie joins their family at the end, she is not completing a broken family. She is just adding an extra piece to it. Maggie chooses the McPheron brothers to take care of Victoria and her baby because she knows that they need someone to take care of just as badly as Victoria needs someone to care for her. Because the two brothers live together, they don’t realize that they need someone else until they learn to love Victoria and her child. They don’t notice how alone they are until they aren’t alone anymore. Maggie is right in thinking that the brothers are the perfect people to take care of Victoria. Their kindness is apparent right away. In comparison to her cruel mother, the McPherons are so different that Victoria is confused by them, but they end up becoming the best possible family that Victoria and her baby could have found. Her abusive boyfriend wants to take her away and have a traditional family with her—a married couple and their child. Victoria has to choose between the traditional family that society expects her to have and the quirky alternative family she has found with the McPheron brothers. Victoria chooses to stay with the brothers because they are the ones who protect her and treat her kindly. Maggie Jones is the most important character in the book. She is the one who creates families. She doesn’t just bring Victoria and the McPheron brothers together, but also brings the family created by the McPherons, Victoria and her baby