Do the Poor Deserve Life Support Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Do the Poor Deserve Life Support - Essay Example Therefore, a uniform or universal healthcare system should be made available to every person. The healthcare system can be funded by the government particularly for the poor people who may not be able to foot their medical bills. Morally, I am appalled, with what the hospital did and I think they pulled the plug for the wrong person (French & Fordney, 472). Even though, we are aware that the patient had almost no brain functionality left, it is ethically and morally wrong to do what they did. This was a cold act of greed on the part of the hospital. Their act showed no compassion. The hospital failed to show sympathetic consciousness of the patient’s distress as well as with the desire to alleviate it. I think rich people should also offer assistance to the poor either through the tax system or voluntarily. We should actually spend more to help the poor access the health care right with lots of ease. In addition, what we are currently spending should be spent effectively so as the poor can be helped (French & Fordney, 472). The current healthcare system requires a massive overhaul. But since that may require time and resources, with the current system, the federal government should effectively guarantee that nobody will die for lack of a ventilator. They should, therefore, give the poor fully funded ventilator insurance. There are also other ways that such patients can be helped. First, the hospitals are able to provide relief to the underinsured and uninsured patients who are not able to afford hospital bills by offering them discounts. In addition, they can offer waivers or reductions of Medicare cost-sharing amounts for those who are experiencing financial hardships. The hospitals effort in this area is fully supported by the Office of Inspector General. Hospitals, therefore, have the obligation to life support to the poor (French & Fordney,

School Essay Essay Example for Free

School Essay Essay Thank you for your interest in these resources for teacher professional development. This document outlines the content Microsoft is making available to help support teacher professional development, specifically content to enable the delivery of hands-on, project-based learning workshops for K-12 teachers. This content resides in the Microsoft Partners in Learning Network http://us. partnersinlearningnetwork. com/, Microsoft’s free online community site within a new community called â€Å"Microsoft Teacher Professional Development† community. Here is a direct link to this community[-0]. Be sure to click Join Now on the right side to access the content as this will be the place for the latest updates and community-contributed best practices for training teachers. The workshop curriculum is designed and organized as hands-on, project-based learning activities that are designed to be delivered to by a teacher leader (i. e. , train the trainer). The workshops integrate Microsoft Office, Web 2. 0 tools and a number of free tools Microsoft provides to create and inspire teachers to develop student-centered activities that use technology in relevant and real-world ways in the classroom. All of the materials are provided for free to teachers and teacher leaders to use within their professional development practices within the schools and districts. Any of the content can be customized for use within your schools and districts. There is content to support four workshops designed for K-12 teachers in the four folders provided. Each workshop is designed to run about 3 hours. Each folder contains all of the digital assets you will need all you need to provide are the teachers! 🙂 This content was developed by Knowledge Network Solutions (KNS) in close collaboration with Microsoft. KNS is a dynamic group of ex-teachers who are experts at applying technology in effective and relevant ways in the classroom aligned to academic and technology standards. To help you navigate the workshop content, here are some tips tricks to sorting through the below resources and suggestions for use. There are 4 workshops, each with its own curriculum organized in these folders: 1. Tools for Engaging All Learners in the Classroom 2. Using Collaborative Tools in the Classroom 3. Effective Communication Tools for Teachers 4. Classroom Organization Tools for Teachers Each of the above workshops includes the following resources to support the workshop. The below table provides an overview of the resources for each workshop and suggestions for how these can be used. Resource|Description|Tips for Use| Workshop Overview| §1-2 page summary of the workshop, including learning objectives and intended outcomes for teachers and students  §Detailed overview of the Microsoft products used in each workshop| §Familiarize yourself with the overall objectives of the workshop  §Use to provide an overview to teachers who will attend the workshop  §Use to promote the workshop| Narrated PowerPoint Presentations| §Expert audio-narrated PowerPoint presentations produced by the creators of the workshop curriculum  §Labeled as Mod 1, Mod 2†¦ each workshop has 4 narrated presentations  §For each module there is a presentation that provides:1. Workshop Overview2. Workshop Learning Objectives3. Workshop Preparation Guidance4. Tips Tricks for Delivering a Successful Workshop| §Intended to be used by those planning to deliver a workshop to help them prepare| Participant Manuals| §For each workshop there is a detailed manual to print and provide for each workshop participant  §The manuals provide step-by-step instructions for each project-based learning activity  §The manuals also include tips for how to apply projects across the curriculum| §Print and provide to each workshop attendee.  §Use to gain an in-depth understanding of  the detailed projects and technologies used in each workshop| Workshop Software Set-up spec| §Listing of the necessary hardware and software needed to run the workshop| §Understand the software necessary to complete the activities  §It is important that participants create a free Windows Live ID prior to attending a workshop, as this account will gain them access to a number of Web 2. 0 tools used in the workshop | Presenter PPT Intro| §Presentations for anyone to use (and customize) to support their delivery of the workshop| §Use as a baseline to guide the workshop  §Teacher leaders can customize and develop their own presentations using these as a jumpstart | Participant Sample Files| §Sample files used by the workshop participants to complete the in-workshop activities  §Files include ppts, video, audio, images, and sample data| §Files should be pre-installed on all workshop PCs| We hope that you find these materials useful to engage other teachers and enable them to use technology in successful and innovative ways in the classroom that makes sense in their curriculum and within the learning goals in their classrooms. For more information and resources for training teachers visit www. microsoft. com/teachers[-1] and follow us on Twitter @TeachTec[-2] or on TeachTec Facebook[-3] to stay current on the latest resources, lesson plans and how-to information for using technology in the classroom. Thank you, The Microsoft Education Team [-0] http://us. partnersinlearningnetwork. com/Communities/188ba58f3dd74938bdc0e94c9b196d59/Pages/default. aspx [-1] http://www. microsoft. com/teachers [-2] http://twitter. com/home [-3] http://www. facebook. com/pages/Microsoft-TeachTec/62084237239? ref=ts.

Concentration of Salt Solution :: Papers

Concentration of Salt Solution (dmÃâ€" ¿Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ³) 1st set of results (g) 2nd set of results (g) 3rd set of results (g) Average of the 3 sets of results (g) 0 2.11 1.79 1.05 1.65 0.2 2.30 1.87 1.09 1.75 0.4 2.32 2.03 1.12 1.82 0.6 2.40 2.01 1.12 1.84 0.8 2.43 2.10 1.08 1.87 1.0 2.38 2.01 1.09 1.83 1.2 2.33 2.12 1.09 1.85 1.4 2.27 2.02 1.08 1.78 1.6 2.27 2.01 1.08 1.79 1.8 2.27 2.11 1.17 1.85 2.0 2.24 2.01 0.96 1.74 Results This is a table to show the mass of the potatoes at the start of the experiment. Each weight was carried out three times. The next table shows the weights of the potatoes after the experiment Concentration of salt solution (DmÃâ€" ¿Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ³) 1st set of results (g) 2nd set of results (g) 3rd set of results (g) Average of the 3 sets of results (g) 0 2.11 1.79 1.05 1.65 0.2 2.30 1.87 1.09 1.75 0.4 2.32 2.03 1.12 1.82 0.6 2.40 2.01 1.12 1.84 0.8 2.43 2.10 1.08 1.87 1.0 2.38 2.01 1.09 1.83 1.2 2.33 2.12 1.09 1.85 1.4

American Involvement in Ww1

World War I (WWI), which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centered in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. It involved all the world's great powers, which were assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (centered on the Triple Entente of the United Kingdom, France and Russia) and the Central Powers (originally centered on the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy).These alliances both reorganized (Italy fought for the Allies), and expanded as more nations entered the war. Ultimately more than 70  million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized in one of the largest wars in history. More than 9  million combatants were killed, largely because of great technological advances in firepower without corresponding advances in mobility. It was the sixth deadliest conflict in world history, subsequently paving the way for various political changes such as revolutions in the nations involved.Long-term causes of the war included the imperialistic foreign policies of the great powers of Europe, including the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire, the British Empire, France, and Italy. The assassination on 28 June 1914 of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by a Yugoslav nationalist was the proximate trigger of the war. It resulted in a Habsburg ultimatum against the Kingdom of Serbia.Several alliances formed over the previous decades were invoked, so within weeks the major powers were at war; via their colonies, the conflict soon spread around the world. On 28 July, the conflict opened with the Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia, followed by the German invasion of Belgium, Luxembourg and France; and a Russian attack against Germany. After the German march on Paris was brought to a h alt, the Western Front settled into a static battle of attrition with a trench line that changed little until 1917.In the East, the Russian army successfully fought against the Austro-Hungarian forces but was forced back by the German army. Additional fronts opened after the Ottoman Empire joined the war in 1914, Italy and Bulgaria in 1915 and Romania in 1916. The Russian Empire collapsed in 1917, and Russia left the war after the October Revolution later that year. After a 1918 German offensive along the western front, United States forces entered the trenches and the Allies drove back the German armies in a series of successful offensives.Germany, which had its own trouble with revolutionaries at this point, agreed to a cease-fire on 11 November 1918, later known as Armistice Day. The war had ended in victory of the Allies. By the war's end, four major imperial powers—the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires—had been militarily and politically defeat ed and ceased to exist. The successor states of the former two lost a great amount of territory, while the latter two were dismantled entirely. The map of central Europe was redrawn into several smaller states.The League of Nations was formed in the hope of preventing another such conflict. The European nationalism spawned by the war and the breakup of empires, the repercussions of Germany's defeat and problems with the Treaty of Versailles are generally agreed to be factors contributing to World War II. The strategy of the Central Powers suffered from miscommunication. Germany had promised to support Austria-Hungary's invasion of Serbia, but interpretations of what this meant differed. Previously-tested deployment plans had been replaced early in 1914, but the replacements had never been tested in exercises.Austro-Hungarian leaders believed Germany would cover its northern flank against Russia. Germany, however, envisioned Austria-Hungary directing most of its troops against Russia , while Germany dealt with France. This confusion forced the Austro-Hungarian Army to divide its forces between the Russian and Serbian fronts. On 9 September 1914, the September program, a possible plan which detailed Germany's specific war aims and the conditions that Germany sought to force on the Allied Powers, was outlined by German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg.It was never officially adopted. Military tactics before World War I had failed to keep pace with advances in technology. These advances allowed for impressive defense systems, which out-of-date military tactics could not break through for most of the war. Barbed wire was a significant hindrance to massed infantry advances. Artillery, vastly more lethal than in the 1870s, coupled with machine guns, made crossing open ground extremely difficult. The Germans introduced poison gas; it soon became used by both sides, though it never proved decisive in winning a battle.Its effects were brutal, causing slow and pai nful death, and poison g as became one of the most-feared and best-remembered horrors of the war. Commanders on both sides failed to develop tactics for breaching entrenched positions without heavy casualties. In time, however, technology began to produce new offensive weapons, such as the tank. Britain and France were its primary users; the Germans employed captured Allied tanks and small numbers of their own design. After the First Battle of the Marne, both Entente and German forces began a series of outflanking maneuvers, in the so-called â€Å"Race to the Sea†.Britain and France soon found themselves facing entrenched German forces from Lorraine to Belgium's coast. Britain and France sought to take the offensive, while Germany defended the occupied territories; consequently, German trenches were much better constructed than those of their enemy. Anglo-French trenches were only intended to be â€Å"temporary† before their forces broke through German defenses. Both s ides tried to break the stalemate using scientific and technological advances.On 22 April 1915 at the Second Battle of Ypres, the Germans (violating the Hague Convention) used chlorine gas for the first time on the Western Front. Algerian troops retreated when gassed and a six-kilometer (four-mile) hole opened in the Allied lines that the Germans quickly exploited, taking Kitchener’s' Wood. Canadian soldiers closed the breach at the Second Battle of Ypres. At the Third Battle of Ypres, Canadian and ANZAC troops took the village of Passchendaele. At the start of the war, the German Empire had cruisers scattered across the globe, some of which were subsequently used to attack Allied merchant shipping.The British Royal Navy systematically hunted them down, though not without some embarrassment from its inability to protect Allied shipping. For example, the German detached light cruiser SMS Emden, part of the East-Asia squadron stationed at Tsingtao, seized or destroyed 15 mercha ntmen, as well as sinking a Russian cruiser and a French destroyer. However, most of the German East-Asia squadron—consisting of the armored cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, light cruisers Nurnberg and Leipzig and two transport ships—did not have orders to raid shipping and was instead underway to Germany when it met British warships.The German flotilla and Dresden sank two armored cruisers at the Battle of Coronel, but was almost destroyed at the Battle of the Falkland Islands in December 1914, with only Dresden and a few auxiliaries escaping, but at the Battle of Mas a Tierra these too were destroyed or interned. Soon after the outbreak of hostilities, Britain began a naval blockade of Germany. The strategy proved effective, cutting off vital military and civilian supplies, although this blockade violated accepted international law codified by several international agreements of the past two centuries.Britain mined international waters to prevent any ships from en tering entire sections of ocean, causing danger to even neutral ships. Since there was limited response to this tactic, Germany expected a similar response to its unrestricted submarine warfare. The 1916 Battle of Jutland (German: Skagerrakschlacht, or â€Å"Battle of the Skagerrak†) developed into the largest naval battle of the war, the only full-scale clash of battleships during the war, and one of the largest in history. It took place on 31 May  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 1 June 1916, in the North Sea off Jutland.The Kaiserliche Marine's High Seas Fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Reinhard Scheer, squared off against the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet, led by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe. The engagement was a stand off, as the Germans, outmaneuvered by the larger British fleet, managed to escape and inflicted more damage to the British fleet than they received. Strategically, however, the British asserted their control of the sea, and the bulk of the German surface fleet remained confined to port for the duration of the war. German U-boats attempted to cut the supply lines between North America and Britain.The nature of submarine warfare meant that attacks often came without warning, giving the crews of the merchant ships little hope of survival. The United States launched a protest, and Germany changed its rules of engagement. After the notorious sinking of the passenger ship RMS Lusitania in 1915, Germany promised not to target passenger liners, while Britain armed its merchant ships, placing them beyond the protection of the â€Å"cruiser rules† which demanded warning and placing crews in â€Å"a place of safety†. Finally, in early 1917 Germany adopted a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, realizing the Americans would eventually enter the war.Germany sought to strangle Allied sea lanes before the U. S. could transport a large army overseas, but could maintain only five long-range U-boats on station, to limited effect. The U-boat threat lessened in 191 7, when merchant ships began travelling in convoys, escorted by destroyers. This tactic made it difficult for U-boats to find targets, which significantly lessened losses; after the hydrophone and depth charges were introduced, accompanying destroyers might attack a submerged submarine with some hope of success.Convoys slowed the flow of supplies, since ships had to wait as convoys were assembled. The solution to the delays was an extensive program to build new freighters. Troopships were too fast for the submarines and did not travel the North Atlantic in convoys. The U-boats had sunk more than 5,000 Allied ships, at a cost of 199 submarines. World War I also saw the first use of aircraft carriers in combat, with HMS Furious launching Sopwith Camels in a successful raid against the Zeppelin hangars at Tondern in July 1918, as well as blimps for antisubmarine patrol.In December 1916, after ten brutal months of the Battle of Verdun and a successful offensive against Romania, the Germ ans attempted to negotiate a peace with the Allies. Soon after, U. S. President Woodrow Wilson attempted to intervene as a peacemaker, asking in a note for both sides to state their demands. Lloyd George's War Cabinet considered the German offer to be a ploy to create divisions amongst the Allies. After initial outrage and much deliberation, they took Wilson's note as a separate effort, signaling that the U. S. was on the verge of entering the war against Germany following the â€Å"submarine outrages†.While the Allies debated a response to Wilson's offer, the Germans chose to rebuff it in favor of â€Å"a direct exchange of views†. Learning of the German response, the Allied governments were free to make clear demands in their response of 14 January. They sought restoration of damages, the evacuation of occupied territories, reparations for France, Russia and Romania, and recognition of the principle of nationalities. This included the liberation of Italians, Slavs, R omanians, Czecho-Slovaks, and the creation of a â€Å"free and united Poland†.On the question of security, the Allies sought guarantees that would prevent or limit future wars, complete with sanctions, as a condition of any peace settlement. The negotiations failed and the Entente powers rejected the German offer, because Germany did not state any specific proposals. To Wilson, the Entente powers stated that they would not start peace negotiations until the Central powers evacuated all occupied Allied territories and provided indemnities for all damage which had been done. At the outbreak of the war the United States pursued a policy of non-intervention, avoiding conflict while trying to broker a peace.When a German U-boat sank the British liner Lusitania in 1915, with 128 Americans aboard, U. S. President Woodrow Wilson claimed that â€Å"America is too proud to fight† but demanded an end to attacks on passenger ships. Germany complied. Wilson unsuccessfully tried to mediate a settlement. However, he also repeatedly warned that the U. S. A. would not tolerate unrestricted submarine warfare, in violation of international law and U. S. ideas of human rights. Wilson was under pressure from former president Theodore Roosevelt, who denounced German acts as â€Å"piracy†.Wilson's desire to have a seat at negotiations at war's end to advance the League of Nations also played a role in the eventual decision to join the war. Wilson's Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan, whose opinions had been ignored, resigned in 1915, as he could no longer support the president's policy. Public opinion was angered at suspected German sabotage of Black Tom in Jersey City, New Jersey, and the Kingsland Explosion. In January 1917, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare. The German Foreign Minister, in the Zimmermann Telegram, told Mexico that U. S. ntry was likely once unrestricted submarine warfare began, and invited Mexico to join the war as German y's ally against the United States. In return, the Germans would send Mexico money and help it recover the territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona that Mexico had lost during the Mexican-American War 70  years earlier. Wilson released the Zimmerman note to the public, and Americans saw it as casus belli— a cause for war. After the sinking of seven U. S. merchant ships by submarines and the publication of the Zimmerman telegram, Wilson called for war on Germany, which the U. S. Congress declared on 6 April 1917.The United States was never formally a member of the Allies but became a self-styled â€Å"Associated Power†. The United States had a small army, but, after the passage of the Selective Service Act, it drafted 2. 8 million men, and by summer 1918 was sending 10,000 fresh soldiers to France every day. In 1917, the U. S. Congress gave U. S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans when they were drafted to participate in World War I, as part of the Jones Act. Germany h ad miscalculated, believing it would be many more months before American soldiers would arrive and that their arrival could be stopped by U-boats.The United States Navy sent a battleship group to Scapa Flow to join with the British Grand Fleet, destroyers to Queenstown, Ireland, and submarines to help guard convoys. Several regiments of U. S. Marines were also dispatched to France. The British and French wanted U. S. units used to reinforce their troops already on the battle lines and not waste scarce shipping on bringing over supplies. The U. S. rejected the first proposition and accepted the second. General John J. Pershing, American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) commander, refused to break up U. S. units to be used as reinforcements for British Empire and French units.As an exception, he did allow African-American combat regiments to be used in French divisions. The Harlem Hellfighters fought as part of the French 16th Division, earning a unit Croix de Guerre for their actions at Ch ateau-Thierry, Belleau Wood, and Sechault. AEF doctrine called for the use of frontal assaults, which had long since been discarded by British Empire and French commanders because of the large loss of life. After the war, the Paris Peace Conference imposed a series of peace treaties on the Central Powers. The 1919 Treaty of Versailles officially ended the war.Building on Wilson's 14th point, the Treaty of Versailles also brought into being the League of Nations on 28 June 1919. In signing the treaty, Germany acknowledged responsibility for the war, and agreed to pay enormous war reparations and award territory to the victors. The â€Å"Guilt Thesis† became a controversial explanation of later events among analysts in Britain and the United States. The Treaty of Versailles caused enormous bitterness in Germany, which nationalist movements, especially the Nazis, exploited with a conspiracy theory they called the Dolchstosslegende (Stab-in-the-back legend).The Weimar Republic lo st the former colonial possessions and was saddled with accepting blame for the war, as well as paying punitive reparations for it. Unable to pay them with exports (as a result of territorial losses and postwar recession), Germany did so by borrowing from the United States. Runaway inflation in the 1920s contributed to the economic collapse of the Weimar Republic, and the payment of reparations was suspended in 1931 following the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the beginnings of the Great Depression worldwide. U. S. intervention in the war, as well as the Wilson administration itself, became deeply unpopular.This was reflected in the U. S. Senate's rejection of the Versailles Treaty and membership in the League of Nations. In the interwar era, a consensus arose that U. S. intervention had been a mistake, and the Congress passed laws in an attempt to preserve U. S. neutrality in any future conflict. Polls taken in 1937 and the opening months of World War II established that nearly 60% regarded intervention in WWI as a mistake, with only 28% opposing that view. But, in the period between the fall of France and the attack on Pearl Harbor, public opinion changed dramatically and, for

Motivational Theorists Essay

Team work is majorly important when organising, setting up or running a business. If employees and employers can’t organise themselves it causes conflicted between each other and the business might be affected by this. This could be because of disagreements of a topic, for example choosing a name for a product. This could cause tension between employees and put pressure on the manager. Team work is when a group of people come together to either discus or develop ideas. The groups can either be informal or formal. The main differences between these groups are that formal groups are more main stream businesses, for example Microsoft. Whereas team groups that are informal could be based upon close friends that are going on a Duke of Edinburg walk. However, because there are different organisations that have either formal or informal teams, this makes different structures depending on the different organisations involved. Informal groups are formed because the people involved feel the need for either: †¢Social interaction (sport events, birthdays) †¢To discuss different aspects of their business and the management skills †¢To discuss ideas regarding interests such as sports One of the main aims of the informal groups is to improve social needs, this will create motivation for the employees because they will feel more secure at work and they will have better communication skills. Although these informal groups are not set up by the management, they still have motivation as a useful factor. However, the aims of a formal group are different, this is because they seem more sophisticated and organised. This is because they are often organised because the group want to commit to long term and short term goals, therefore they have to be more committed and serious. Some of the groups are formed because the employees are working with similar goals, including: †¢Members feel committed and have a sense of ownership and respect for each other, including their other talents †¢The members almost always have a clear idea of their goals and aims †¢The members are motivated and egger to improve their businesses and their skills The members of the formal groups are not randomly selected, they are assessed because they need to have the same commitment and social skills as the other members in order not to bring the group down and cause it to be less organised. Teams are formed in organisations to help develop ideas that could potentially improve businesses. If teams are made then that means that there are more ideas involved and the business will be open to more options rather than one person putting in their opinions that could be based around the same thing. Teams are also formed to improve the contact and communication skills around the work place; it helps employees feel more comfortable with their surroundings and improves motivation for the staff. Year 13 applied team The year 13 applied class has organised a group in order to keep the organisation under control and more formal. Having this group in applied will help the year 13’s to become closer as a community. It will also improve social skills to a high extent which will gain valuable skills in the future when dealing with clients and customers. It will improve social skills because the students will have first-hand experience on what it is like exchanging ideas with their peers and team leader. It will force the students to get along with each other despite any social issues which prepare them for a future in business, making each student more professional. Having to discuss their opinions will also widen the students mind into exploring the different techniques that different people choose which means they will become more educated rather than keeping with the same technique that a student would use if they were to be working alone. The main aims of the DBS applied are: Usually organisations have similar objectives and aims, this is because profit related organisations want to make a profit and they want to event to be a success. However the aims will adjust to fit the event, for example one of the aims of a team building event might be to improve staff morale, whereas the aim of a product launch may be to raise awareness of a new product and attract new buyers. Every organisation and event will have an aim, either to make profit, be successful or be organised. The main aims of the DBS talent show are: †¢Raise awareness of the applied team †¢Make a profit to give to a local charity †¢To provide an enjoyable event for all participants and audience †¢To improve the school profile amongst the community †¢To ensure a smooth running event It is highly important for the DBS applied 13’s to have appropriate and SMART aims and objectives, this is because they help structure and organise the event making the chances of success greater than if they didn’t have aims and objectives. Benefits and limitations of team work Advantages Working with other students and employees can have benefits as well as limitations. The advantages and disadvantages of teams also need to be considered before deciding to transition to teams. The following table of team advantages and disadvantages is an adaptation of work by Medsker and Campion (1992).* This list can also be used by existing teams to self-evaluate their efficacy. (source /www.hf.faa.gov/) Having teams in a business can enhance the amount of work that is being submitted by the employees, this means that the business will benefit because they will have more work completed by a shorted dead line which saves time and money for new projects. An example of this is giving out leaflets to promote a product. If 10 people distribute the leaflets then it will take up less time than if it were one person giving out the information. Not only do teams benefit business and organisations, it also benefits individuals. This is because it improves communication levels and boosts confidence because the team members are working together and discussing their ideas. These are some team advantages and explanations: Team advantages Explanations Team members have the opportunity to learn from each other. This gives the employees the opportunity to embrace new ideas from different people; it also gives the opportunity to people to express ideas which mean other people can gather different information from difference aspects of the topic which will widen their mind frame. It gives chance to others to communicate with others. This will give the team members confidence in the work place because they will have better communication skills amongst themselves which also means that in the future they will be more likely to be able to get along with others in team work and amongst office hours. New approaches to tasks may be discovered. For any team, this is a benefit because different areas are looked at from the business plan. Because different people are working in the team there are many different ideas and tactics used which means new skills will be learnt and appreciated. Teams membership can provide social facilitation and support for difficult tasks and situations. This means that each team member is supported by their team mates, not only does this give confidence but it allows the plan to almost become bullet proof because if one of the team members are failing at a task there will be others involved to help. Disadvantages Although teams give both businesses and individuals they also have some limitations that come with them. For organisations there might be conflict between the team members therefore some team members might leave the company completely which will cost the business money because they will have to recruit new staff and pay for training and hold meetings about the event/program they are organising. This can also effect the views that team members have of each other, for example the completion rates might become too high (many members want to take leadership or the team) which might cause conflict between friends and colleges. Below is a table of some limitations the team work brings into a working environment: Disadvantages Explanations Some individuals are not compatible with team work.some individuals see team work as demotivating because it doesn’t fit into the way that they work, this might cause confusion amongst these types of people and it might cause them to lag behind and become over loaded with work they have to complete, this could cause the team to slip and cause problems. Some members may experience less motivating jobs as part of a team.There is almost a hierarchy in a team for example, there is the team leader that has the most responsibilities in the team and then the work load becomes less. Some workers are highly motivated by heavy workloads and high responsibility (theory X and Y), if a team member who works like this has little responsibilities then they are likely to become demotivated. However it could become the opposite way and a work member could be pressured by the amount of work they have to complete and they might feel unappreciated and stressed which could cause the team to fall. Teams may be time-consuming due to need for coordination and consensus.This could cause conflict with the team member’s social life because of the workloads that they are being given. It is important for a business to allow their team members to have a good amount of social life in order for them to work to a high standard. If the workloads given are highly time consuming then it might take over time and run into the employees leisure time which will affect the levels of happiness and could cause them to become demotivated and their working levels will drop. Impact of leadership In every business and organisation there are different ways of leaderships. Leadership is the way that the managers and team leaders motivate and control their employees, without them then it workers would not know what to do and the businesses will lose money and staff rapidly because of the lack of motivation and skills their employees have. There are five main management styles in business are organisations, these are made up of: †¢Autocratic †¢Democratic †¢Laissez-faire †¢Proactive †¢Reactive Autocratic Each one of the above are differently structured in order to fit the employee’s needs. They all can be related to the theories of Maslow, Herzberg and McGregor. Autocratic style workers are clear on their tasks that they need to complete, however these workers need a controlling environment to become motivated the workers are not quite focused. The manager of an autocratic worker gives the employees a set of tasks to do and they expect the workers to do exactly what they are told and when they are told to do it. There is hardly no opportunity for the autocratic workers to give their opinions to the manager and there is no discussions about the tasks that they have been given, it is a very controlled environment. Autocratic workers can be related to the theory X and Y (however the autocratic workers are only applied to X not Y) An example of an autocratic management style could be a bakery store, as the business became more popular and the demands became higher, the manager decided to become more forceful with the employees to make sure deadlines were complete on time and there was no money lost. Because it was a small business with such high demands then the manager would decide that there would be no room for discussion on the tasks the manager gave them. There are some limitations of an autocratic ran business, autocrats could lead to little motivation. This is because the employees have no say in the business that they are working on which could make the employees feel like they have little importance in the they are working in and they could feel highly pressured into doing some things that they really disagree on. This gives a sense of poor ownership and commitment to the business. Another limitation could be that, if a business is at a peak season and the demands are higher than usual there will be more pressure put on the employees and the manager might find that it is hard to cut the deadlines back even shorter than usual because there is already so much work that are on strict deadlines. Being an autocratic manager could also affect the business over all, this is because new ideas that employees have would not get across to the manager which means new improvements that could enhance the businesses income will not be acted upon. Having an autocratic based business could give some benefits towards not only the staff but the customer’s and consumers. Some examples of organisations that benefit from an autocratic based business are: †¢The armed forces and the police †¢Medical areas like hospitals and sergeants †¢Fire fighters †¢Managers of internships These are all organisations that are almost always under pressure and have little time to discuss the different options available. For example, where there are health and safety issues going on, surgeons can’t afford to spend their time on consulting other people first, they must act fast. This works out well for them because this means that more lives are saved and the business profile is high and caries a good reputation. Managers of internships often use the autocratic way of managing staff because they are often inexperienced, shy and have little confidence. Having a forceful manager controlling them will allow the workers to because confident at work because they will be able to get on with their work. It will also prepare them for the future work because the manager will let them know what is expected from them in other business. One other thing is that the workers will have less time to communicate because the work levels and demands are high. This means less time for d istractions and more motivation for work. Democratic Democratic management is much more lenient than the autocratic style of management this is because the employees have a chance to get their opinions across. They also have an opinion on how the business is run. However, this doesn’t mean that their opinions will change the company or organisation. There are still similarities between democratic and autocratic leaders because there is still a leader that makes the overall decision despite what the employees say. The democratic leaders often set a date in which they take time to talk to all of the employees who have an input about the business; this could be a positive or negative approach. The reason why the manager carefully set a date for this is because it takes a lot of time and patience to listen and take in all the different opinions of people. It doesn’t just take time to listen and observe to the employees, it also takes careful analysing to decide to take action and change the businesses ways because of the empl oyees’ choice. This is also because the manager has to go through the different levels of the hierarchy, therefore this can become very time consuming. Another disadvantage of having a democratic manager is that there will always be either a winner or a loser in some sense. This is because the employees point either gets across and there are significant changes made in the business for the employees benefit, or the managers chooses not to change anything which leaves the employees feeling ignored and demotivated. This can give the employees low motivation because the employees who wanted a change in the work place would have worked relatively hard and spent time planning and prepping for the meeting and the employees would feel like they wasted their valuable time for no reason. However, having a democratic manager is not all negative, having this type of working area can mean the workers are highly motivated for the fact that they feel valued because the managers take part in what they think about the business, and their opinions. Where as if they are not listened to many of the workers would feel like they are just there to work and have little contribution to the company and have no control over anything. Another positive aspect of democratic workers is that when the managers do listen to them, and there is a change made the workers feel proud and they feel like they have made commitments to the work place. This also means that a good relationship is made between the manager and the employees. The employees have more respect for the manager because they took the time to listen to them; in return the employees are likely to work harder. An example of this is, when new initiatives are considered at recruitment consultancy, Longbridge international, they are discussed and agreed collectively, almost 89% of the staff believes they make a valuable contribution to the company and 88% feel that they have/make a difference. (source: applied business text book) This example supports the fact that the employees are motivated by a democratic leader because they are listened to and respected, rather than a manager that doesn’t let them have any control over the work area or themselves. Laissez-faire Laissez-faire management program is a hand off approach, this means that the employees are free to work as they like and they are not put under pressure by their managers like other motivation and management theories. The managers who work like this will potentially give the employees the materials they need to complete the tasks that have been set for them. Laissez-faire workers have their own goals and are self-motivated. However, these workers must be highly experienced and motivated and who have a need for achievement to work because there is no manager pressuring for work. If an inexperienced worker comes into an atmosphere like this it is highly likely that the company will suffer with poor communication and lack of work on deadlines. This could happen because employees are not used to have a very free environment and they might take advantage of this. This type of management styles is highly popular within more creative businesses, this is because they are allowed to make up d ifferent styles and work by themselves. Some examples of Laissez-faire companies could be: †¢Graphic designer †¢Magazine editor motivational theorists †¢Decorator The work that is more artistic and creative is supposed to reflect of the employee themselves therefore this is why Laissez-faire management style is better because they are allowed this freedom whereas in autocratic and democratic environments they are not which means every ones work will almost be the same. However, the businesses that recruit these types of workers need to carefully think about whom they choose, in interviews they will commonly ask questions relating to their work techniques and they will analyse if the workers can work freely and don’t rely on the managers for advice, help and pressure. By asking these questions they are saving money and time for the business. If they were to recruit a worker that is cauterised as an X theory worker then they will slack off and not complete work on time. An advantage of working like this is that most people don’t like having someone looking over their shoulder constantly, so a laissez-faire management style promotes trust in the workers. The workers also have a feel of importance at work because they aren’t constantly being looked after and they have control of their work life as well as their social and leisure time. Another advantage is that this kind of style is positive only in the case when the employees are very responsible and in case of creative jobs where a person is guided by his own aspirations. In these cases, less direction is required so this style can be good. However there are some limitations to have such a free flowing environment, these can be because an laissez-faire management style makes it easy for workers to do a substandard job or to slack off entirely, and it usually takes a very high-visibility problem to bring such workers to light. This style has more disadvantages because usually it is the result of the lack of interest of the leader that leads to his adopting this style. It proves poor management and makes the employees lose their sense of direction and focus. The disinterest of the management and leadership causes the employees to become less interested in their job and their dissatisfaction increases.

Stewart’s Calculus 8th Edition Section 1.1 Question 1

Stewart’s Calculus 8th Edition Section 1.1 Question 1 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips This posts contains aTeaching Explanation. You can buyCalculus by Stewarthere. Why You Should Trust Me:I’m Dr. Fred Zhang, and I have a bachelor’s degree in math from Harvard. I’ve racked up hundreds and hundreds of hours of experienceworking withstudents from 5thgradethroughgraduate school, and I’m passionate about teaching. I’ve read the whole chapter of the text beforehand and spent a good amount of time thinking about what the best explanation is and what sort of solutions I would have wanted to see in the problem sets I assigned myself when I taught. Question:If$f(z) = z -√(2-z)$ and$g(u) = u -√(2-u)$is it true that f =g?Page in 8th Edition:19 Short Answer: Yes, it is true that f=g because the equation for g is exactly the same as that for f, except with x replaced by u. Homework Answer: Because the equation for f(x) and g(u) are the same, this means that for all valid inputs for function f, the function f and g give the same output. In other words, for all valid z, $f(z) = z - √(2-z) = g(z)$. Motivated Answer: This question is asking if f = g. What does it mean for two functions to be equal? We know that 2 = 2, and if someone asks, does 2=3? We know the answer is â€Å"no†, but does f = g? Remember, functions take in inputs, and spit out outputs. Two functions f and g are only equal if they always give you the same output no matter what the input is. Let’s see what happens if we put in any valid input z into f. We get$f(z) = z - √(2-z)$. Now let’s put that same z into g, and we get$g(z) = z - √(2-z)$. These two are the same, and so f and g are the same. This question is a bit of a trick. The textbook writes$g(u) = u - √(2-u)$, but they could have just written$g(x) = x - √(2-x)$. This would have made it much more clear that f = g. There are two key learning points to take away: Two functions can be the same even if the equations look different written out. The above point is NOT true in reverse: If you substitute the same variable z into two functions’ equations, and can get the equations to look the same, then the functions are the same. Video Solution: Get full textbook solutions for just $5/month. PrepScholar Solutions has step-by-step solutions that teach you critical concepts and help you ace your tests. With 1000+ top texts for math, science, physics, engineering, economics, and more, we cover all popular courses in the country, including Stewart's Calculus. Try a 7-day free trial to check it out.

The Chatbot Revolution Why Resistance Is Futile With Larry Kim

The Chatbot Revolution Why Resistance Is Futile With Larry Kim When someone says, â€Å"chatbot,† do shivers go down your spine? Or, does a big grin cover your face? If chatbots are annoying and an invasion of privacy, why are so many people engaging with this technology? More than 25% of the world’s population is using message apps, and 71% of people use messaging apps for customer assistance. People want their problems solved quickly via personal experience. Enter chatbots. Exit traditional, one-way marketing, such as email, landing pages for Web forms, and blog posts. At least that’s what today’s guest believes. Larry Kim is the CEO of MobileMonkey, a messenger marketing platform. He describes chatbots, their benefits to marketers, and ways to utilize them. He shares how such technology will alter how we think about content creation, calls to action, and customer experiences. Chatbot Definition: Forget Siri or Alexa; think about chatbots as the top of the funnel, marketing, lead acquisition, nurturing, and conversion technology Chat marketing lets you push notifications to collect emails addresses to send newsletters and other content; get people to subscribe to your channel Messages vs. Emails: Differences include lack of response and interaction Typical open rate for emails is 5-10%, so 90-95% of people aren’t engaging; open rates for chat marketing are 70-80%, and click rates are 10-20% Use advertising to get people to click on an ad that takes them into a chat session, not to your Website Marketers should change how they engage with customers; create personalized experiences where chatbots come in to help with back-and-forth interactions Conventional marketing is based on assumptions made about the audience; chat removes assumptions by asking questions Companies doing online advertising should use Click-to-Messenger Ads; customer clicks the button to subscribe to messaging with your company Website chat where a box in the corner pops up to offer help is not new; most companies fail using it because it’s hard to have someone on-call to chat Chatbots offer Tier 1 support to handle certain questions and respond with user-provided content; create chat content and assign keyword triggers Reciprocal Concessions: If a  customer believes you’re being helpful to them, they’re more likely to buy from you Identify information customers want; post stories or declarative content, then post a conversation starter to spark them to share their opinions and thoughts Links: MobileMonkey Larry Kim on Twitter Larry Kim on Inc.com BI Intelligence HubSpot WordStream MailChimp Marketo Autopilot AdWords WhatsApp Messenger Instagram Write a review on iTunes and send a screenshot of it to receive a cool swag bag! If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Larry Kim: â€Å"I truly believe that messaging is the future. People already overwhelmingly prefer messaging for communication, but yet businesses haven’t figured this out.† â€Å"What you should be thinking about when you think chatbots is it’s the top of the funnel, marketing, lead acquisition, nurturing, and conversion technology.† â€Å"But the messages aren’t just emails. Emails are stupid. You can’t respond to them. They’re not very interactive.† â€Å"Users are okay with and actually covet communications with the companies and brands that they care about through messaging.†

Resume and job search trends that will dominate in 2018

Resume and job search trends that will dominate in 2018 In 2012, The Ladders published the results of a study that shocked job hunters: on an average, recruiters spend only 6 seconds reviewing a candidate’s resume. From there on, job applicants started trying to make their resumes clearer, cleaner, and shorter. They started paying more attention to the format, aiming to make the most important details easily visible. Those trends persist but are constantly being upgraded. What can we expect in 2018? What resume and job search trends should we follow?We’ll give you a list of trends that will dominate the job search market in 2018, supported by experts’ opinions.Professionally Prepared Resumes  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 2013, CareerBuilder surveyed thousands of hiring managers, human resource professionals, and workers across industries. 58% of the employers pointed out typos as the most common problem they saw in resumes. 36% of them said they were seeing resumes that were too generi c, and 32% of them identified â€Å"copying a large amount of wording from the job posting† as a problem.If you want to stand out, the resume has to be perfect.We contacted John Laurens, a   human resources manager from Resumes Planet. â€Å"Job applicants see typos the smallest problem. You can easily get rid of most of them if you use Grammarly or similar software. However, software won’t bring your resume to perfection. There are grammar and spelling mistakes that you can’t notice yourself,† – he says.Laurens is sure that professionally prepared resumes will be one of the biggest trends among job seekers in 2018: â€Å"When you’re not proficient in resume writing, you can rest assured that you’ll make a mistake. You’ll either write a generic resume or you’ll get into too many details. A professional writer is aware of the standards of different industries. Job applicants are finally realizing they can improve their chances of getting the interview call if they hire a writer to complete or improve their resume.†Personality Will Play an Even Greater RoleIn August 2017, the unemployment rate in the U.S. was similar to the trend we’ve been experiencing for years – 4.4%. This means that 7.1 million people are unemployed. What does this mean for a job hunter? Huge competition. What does it mean for a recruiter? Plenty of resumes to review.The hiring manager will look for the candidates with the core skills needed for the specific job. The personality traits, however, are just as important. Employers want people who would fit into their office culture. Your resume can convey your personality up to a certain point, but you’ll have to do something more: follow up.Laura Handrick, human resources staff writer at Fit Small Business, agrees. â€Å"Job search continues to be personal. People don’t hire form paper, they hire people they trust will do a great job in the rol e.† – she says.â€Å"So after you apply, follow up in any (and maybe every) way you can – contact the recruiter on Facebook, or look for someone you know who works there in your LinkedIn account. My last resume sent via Indeed was never found by the staffing agency. It was only when I sent an InMail to the recruitment firm owner that I was contacted, asked to resend it via email, contacted by the recruiter, scheduled for interviews, and hired. If you fail to follow up with a phone, email, postcard or other form of human contact, you may as well have placed your resume directly into the shredder.†Social Media Will Get More ImportantA recent survey showed that 70% of employers are screening candidates via social media before hiring them. 54% have decided not to hire a candidate after screening their social media profiles, and 57% are less likely to consider someone for an interview if they can’t find them online.That’s how serious social media reputation is in the hiring process. The trend is going to get even bigger during 2018. Scott Wesper, hiring manager for Arch Resources Group, agrees:â€Å"As 2018 draws closer, social media will play an even bigger role in job search trends. When you compare the number of users overall, Facebook wins in a landslide victory over LinkedIn. Facebook has 1.86 billion users, while competitor LinkedIn has only 433 million members. Most Facebook profiles are filled with important demographic information like age, past job titles, employer information, educational background, and even interests. This will be key for employers as they target their job ads in order to reach the candidates with the proper credentials.Digital Resumes and PortfoliosIn 2015, the Pew Research center conducted a survey called Searching for Work in the Digital Era. The results showed that 54% of U.S. adults were looking for job information online, and 45% had applied for a job online.The Internet is the most impor tant resource during the job hunting process. You don’t use it just to search for a job. It’s also a medium that presents you as an ideal candidate. That’s why you’ll have to work on your digital resume and portfolio, since more employers will be interested in that factor in 2018.Alec Sears, human resources manager from Frontier Communications, says: â€Å"In 2018 you will see a shift towards digital resumes and portfolios. The format of the resume itself won’t change much; it is simple and succinct and there’s a reason that it’s stood the test of time. But sites like Indeed and Glassdoor make it easier than ever to take that resume and send it out to dozens of potential employers at once. Wise job-seekers will utilize personal websites, online portfolios and even LinkedIn connections to stand out.†Did you hear that? Wise job seekers will have personal websites. They will also have an impressive online reputation that’s visible through social media. They will be getting professionally-written resumes and they will make an effort to show their personality after submitting them. As a wise job hunter, those are the trends you should be aware of.About the authorMicheal Gilmore is an entrepreneur and HR expert from Dallas, TX.   His mission is helping people achieve perfection in anything they do.   His life is fully dedicated to the people. Micheal is also a passionate career advisor

Confrontation Of The Past Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Confrontation Of The Past - Essay Example Elaine Risley is a middle-aged artist who goes back to the city of her childhood because she had to attend a show there.Morrie Schwartz is reunited with his former student Mitch who he recalls despite having not seen him for more than 16 years. The reunion gives Morrie Schwartz a chance to pass on his wisdom to the world through Mitch because he was in the final days of his life. Elaine Risley fled her childhood city because of the fact that she wanted to leave behind the painful memories that she had while growing up there. Much of the pain came from the fact her friends Cordelia, Carol, and grace results to humiliating her in the name of improving her. This leads to a period of depression. The friends would walk around pointing out at her weaknesses and failures, resulting in a state of very low self-esteem. As a result of the experience that Elaine had with Cordelia, she begins to doubt her abilities even when she was not supposed to. Despite the fact that Cordelia was just a part of her past, she could still have the memories of her criticism and mockery in her thought. In fact, she thought that by fleeing her home city she will be able to forget all the wrong things that had happened to her during her childhood(Atwood 67). This does not happen and she ignores every chance she has for going back to Toronto because of the fear that she would be remembered for the kind of life that she had while growing up. During the 16 years that Mitch and Morrie were separated many things change in the character of Mitch. He leaves behind the moral values which Morrie remembers him to uphold. Mitch is enticed by the popular culture is more drawn to individualism. Mitch does picture ever going back to the moral self he once used to be. Mitch does not have the kind of experience that he had with Morrie (Albom 72). The kind of people that he interacts with is just cold and does not give much attention to moral values, but to the gains that they get from everything they do.

Service Encounter Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Service Encounter Journal - Essay Example Therefore, the objective of the report is to analyse the service encountered while availing the services of four different organisations namely, Emirates Airlines, Commonwealth Bank, Wrest Point Tasmania and Eagle Boys Pizza. Thus, to enhance the measurement of the service encounters, two service marketing theories namely, level of customer service and the flower of service model will be used (Lovelock, Wirtz, & Chatterjee, 2010). Lastly, the dissatisfactory services encountered from the two organisations will be discussed and recommendations for improving them will be made. Most Satisfactory Encounter The Flower of Service According to Lovelock, Wirtz, & Chatterjee (2010), services can be of two types; facilitating supplementary services and enhancing supplementary services. Facilitating services are essential in the distribution of the service or to provide an aid to the core product. Whereas, augmenting additional services add value for the consumers. He further classified the ser vices; facilitating services included order taking, information, billing and payment and enhancing services included hospitality, exceptions, consultation and safekeeping. These classified services are illustrated through a flower diagram where the centre of the flower is the core product or service surrounded by the petals that included the different services. Thus, the name flower of service emerged through the diagram (Scribd Inc, 2012). The Flower of Service Source: (Scribd Inc, 2012). Theoretical Application in Satisfactory Level: Emirates Airlines Facilitating supplementary services are related to the services provided by the Emirates Airlines with regard to information concerning the timetable of the aircraft, availability and rate of the tickets, and company’s promotional activities among others. The company ensures that customers conveniently can access informations that matters them most. Furthermore, the company uses modern techniques to provide information to the customers, such as information through SMSs and emails. Billing and payment information are generated smoothly and quickly through electronic receipts. Emirates Airlines has facilitated customers by providing the option of debiting the account through online technologies. Enhancing services provided by the company ensures that the hospitality is provided to the optimum level by their onboard staff. With the new Boeing A380, customers are provided with private suites, shower spas and in-flight Wi-Fi among others. They make the customers feel that they are present in their own home. It has further made representatives available either physically or over the phone through 24 hours’ help-line centres where the best available opportunities or benefits to the customers are consulted. Safekeeping has also been given priority by Emirates, which ensures that children are provided with goodie bags and cartoon games for hyper active children, which will engage them for long hours, thus, reducing the tensions felt by parents while travelling with younger children (Emirates, 2012). Theoretical Application in Satisfactory Level: Commonwealth Bank The Commonwealth Bank is regarded as the foremost financial institution in Australia. Its developed services have enabled them to understand customers’ core values and respond to any requests quickly and politely (Commonwealth Bank of

GASB and FASB Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GASB and FASB Accounting - Essay Example Whereas FASB has the objective to establish and improve standards for financial accounting and reporting that will help in guiding and educating public including auditors and other users of financial statements.   GASB was constituted in 1984 to succeed National Council on Government Accounting as a standard-setting body for state and local governmental bodies, whereas FASB issues standards and other pronouncements for entities other than governmental bodies. However, when there are no pronouncements on certain issues from GASB, the pronouncements issued by the FASB shall become applicable to governmental bodies as well. So far as business organizations are concerned, they have to abide by the standards issued by FASB. Non- business organizations, non- government organizations follow FASB and the government organizations come under the domain of GASB.   GASB is very specific to state legislature while issuing pronouncements. FASB, on the other hand, issues pronouncements that are universal and cater the business on a federal basis. In fact â€Å"FASB receives many requests for action on various financial accounting and reporting topics from all segments of its diverse constituency, including investors and the SEC. The auditing profession is sensitive to emerging trends in practice, and consequently, it is a frequent source of requests. Requests for actions include both new topics and suggested review or reconsideration of existing pronouncement.†(Facts about FASB, page 1)   It is believed that governments need not show profits like other financial entities.

Global MBA Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global MBA Operations Management - Essay Example (Hammer). The obvious reason for such failure has often been cited as the lack of developing operating performance metrices and other systems and procedures which can ensure the consistent and reliable operational performance of the firms. It is also because of this reason that it is now considered that the modern organisations need to concentrate more on the operational performance of the firms in order to remain more competitive as well as flexible in nature so that they can easily withstand the external shocks. In order to achieve the efficiency in the operational performance, firms need to concentrate on different functions of organisation like marketing, customer services, manufacturing etc. This will allow them to re-engineer the processes properly and achieve the desired level of efficiency in their operations. However, improvements in the operational performance largely depend upon the development of an effective operating performance measurement system therefore any initiative to bring in a culutre of performance improvement would largely depend upon how successfully an organisation set up its performance measurement system. This paper will attempt to discuss the development of performance measurement system by taking into account the nature of the ... From its very nature, the activities of the firm are diverse in nature therefore it requires the management of different internal and external players in different contexts each time we deal with them. It is also important to discuss here that we face a different and complex challenge in terms of managing different aspects of our operations into a completely new and radical way in order to ensure consistency in our operations. However, in order to face the competition effectively and to become more resilient and flexible, we need to implement operational performance standards which match that of the international quality standards such as ISO 9001:2000. This would also require us to improve different aspects such as resource management, business development, and client delivery etc. We also need to manage subcontractors therefore it becomes more complicated when it comes to managing the performance of the firms, working for your organization to ensure compliance with the already set standards of the firm. Performance Management & Measurement It is often argued that the use of automation and information technology to boost the results and operational performance of the firms has not yet yielded the results which were expected. (Hammer). It is therefore believed that the firms do not only need to automate but also take into account the softer side of the operational performance in order to achieve the desired results. One of the basic problems behind the failure of the organizations to effectively measure the operational performance is the fact that the existing systems tend to measure the performance of personnel rather than processes thus ignoring various aspects of performance management. (Hammer, The 7 deadly sins of performance

Bullying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Bullying - Essay Example Although the UK does not have legal definitions of bullying under their current law, some states in the US have laws that address it, and categorize it into three fundamental types. They are physical, verbal and emotional. According to the US legal system, bullying cultures develop in all contexts where human beings interact ranging from the workplace, family, school to social gatherings. Bullies are inclined towards negativity, and workplace bullies are likely to have been poor academic performers in school. They feel negatively toward themselves and have difficulties solving problems with others. Most of them come from backgrounds characterized by poor parenting and conflict within the family. At the workplace, bullying can take place in the simple one on one form or the more complex type where the key bully has accomplices willing to frustrate co-workers. This paper will discuss the health, legal and social consequences employees and their organizations may face in the event that bullying takes place in the workplace. A workplace’s culture is reflected in its beliefs and values, and what the management accepts as normal behavior. Positive and ethical cultures promote the adoption of appropriate behavior and mutual respect among co-workers. On the other hand, when the management condones inappropriate attitudes and behaviors, majority of the employees will assume bullying to be a normal trend (Haight, 2005). A survey established that bullying at the workplace is driven by varying factors and, ironically, 57 percent of co-workers in the US have a tendency of being hostile and unsupportive to the already bullied colleague. An individual may use his position of authority or physical dominance to harass those he perceives as weaker. Based purely on their perception of weakness, they frustrate the efforts of their colleagues, who in turn end up performing dismally. To deal with their own inadequacies, low self esteem and personal grudges, bullies usually pu t down others by sabotaging their reputation or projects they are working on. This not only demoralizes the victim, but harms the company’s schedules by unnecessary delays and incurring expenses. One may also fall victim to others who view them as threats to their position or employment as a whole. In such cases, the bully spends so much time on efforts to tarnish the achievements of their perceived enemy at the expense of productive company work, hence, wasting innovation. Many workplace bullying victims suffer post traumatic stress disorder. This is so because they have found a passion and self-identity in their work, yet a bully is using the same work to pull them down. When prolonged, it causes panic attacks, loss of concentration, depression, insecurity and stress breakdown. The victims are prone to become overly sensitive, hyper vigilant and irritable with mood swings. In the end, they rely on alcohol, nicotine or caffeine to calm down. A study conducted by a doctor in the UK revealed that 20 percent of co-workers who witnessed a colleague being bullied or suffer the consequences of bullying were also affected and opted to change jobs (Einarsen et al, 2003). 98 percent of those who stayed on were distressed. The overall effect observed on such workers was lack of productivity. They caused more accidents, were often absent, handled customers poorly, exhibited no motivation and forced the company to

International Justice Cooperation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International Justice Cooperation - Essay Example Human beings at birth are necessarily good and his identity is defined entirely by events that occur thereafter as popularly adhered by the Tabula Rasa Theory. Contrary to this, man is considered neither good nor bad at birth but the forces acting for and against him molds him into what he is to become. The greater need for self-gratification has blanketed the goodness and differing individual personalities has created an offensive attitude to the civilized society. On the incidence of crime, low self-control may predispose criminal acts such as forcible rape, terrorism, stealing among others. Violent crimes however do not necessarily account for the possibility of low self-control acting alone on the individual. A variety of factors is believed to enhance the incidence of the violence in mankind that tends specifically recruit others to form a stronger criminal group. Recognizing the increasing scope, intensity and sophistication of crimes brought about by globalization as a mattress for drug operations, trafficking of arms and humans and laundering, has made the UN acknowledge the true nature of crime prevention. Efficient criminal justice systems have set standards and protocols that require cooperation to counter international syndicates. It is not surprising that at times even our own police force is pressured to deal with crimes beyond their territories and jurisdiction. In the process they have tried to wither the stringent rules other territories endeavor in order to protect that safety of their citizens albeit accused of crimes. Sometimes, even our justice system turns a blind eye and a deaf ear towards this common problem besieging the society. All forces should work hand in hand down to the lowest ranks of the state police to the highest echelons of the countries justice system in order to curb the massive criminal forces acting against positive development and in particular to the populace. Weakness in our justice systems serves to only strengthen the urge to continue the spate of crimes knowing that the legal system inhibits cooperation between judicial authorities that exploit criminality to their advantage to the detriment of the society. Alternative approaches to reform and behavioral modification should give rise to a discussion on a multi-disciplinary approach and theories to prevent the recurring incidence of criminal deviation before it has a chance to spread itself like a malady that afflicts everyone Akers (1991)1. The Center for International Crime Prevention2 is the United Nation's arm for crime prevention, justice and reform. They work with the member states to strengthen laws and promote criminal justice systems to combat the threats of organised crimes such as terrorism, corruption, drugs, human trafficking and so on. Based on the rule of law, effective justice systems ensure the respect for human rights in the national and international levels. The Criminal Justice Reform Unit assists States in developing strategies to reform all the aspects of their criminal justice systems, with particular emphasis on vulnerable groups3. It is understood that strategic information-sharing, institutional capacity-building and mutual support in law enforcement, training and extradition measures are necessary for countries to break up the thriving global empire of organized

Bullying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Bullying - Essay Example Although the UK does not have legal definitions of bullying under their current law, some states in the US have laws that address it, and categorize it into three fundamental types. They are physical, verbal and emotional. According to the US legal system, bullying cultures develop in all contexts where human beings interact ranging from the workplace, family, school to social gatherings. Bullies are inclined towards negativity, and workplace bullies are likely to have been poor academic performers in school. They feel negatively toward themselves and have difficulties solving problems with others. Most of them come from backgrounds characterized by poor parenting and conflict within the family. At the workplace, bullying can take place in the simple one on one form or the more complex type where the key bully has accomplices willing to frustrate co-workers. This paper will discuss the health, legal and social consequences employees and their organizations may face in the event that bullying takes place in the workplace. A workplace’s culture is reflected in its beliefs and values, and what the management accepts as normal behavior. Positive and ethical cultures promote the adoption of appropriate behavior and mutual respect among co-workers. On the other hand, when the management condones inappropriate attitudes and behaviors, majority of the employees will assume bullying to be a normal trend (Haight, 2005). A survey established that bullying at the workplace is driven by varying factors and, ironically, 57 percent of co-workers in the US have a tendency of being hostile and unsupportive to the already bullied colleague. An individual may use his position of authority or physical dominance to harass those he perceives as weaker. Based purely on their perception of weakness, they frustrate the efforts of their colleagues, who in turn end up performing dismally. To deal with their own inadequacies, low self esteem and personal grudges, bullies usually pu t down others by sabotaging their reputation or projects they are working on. This not only demoralizes the victim, but harms the company’s schedules by unnecessary delays and incurring expenses. One may also fall victim to others who view them as threats to their position or employment as a whole. In such cases, the bully spends so much time on efforts to tarnish the achievements of their perceived enemy at the expense of productive company work, hence, wasting innovation. Many workplace bullying victims suffer post traumatic stress disorder. This is so because they have found a passion and self-identity in their work, yet a bully is using the same work to pull them down. When prolonged, it causes panic attacks, loss of concentration, depression, insecurity and stress breakdown. The victims are prone to become overly sensitive, hyper vigilant and irritable with mood swings. In the end, they rely on alcohol, nicotine or caffeine to calm down. A study conducted by a doctor in the UK revealed that 20 percent of co-workers who witnessed a colleague being bullied or suffer the consequences of bullying were also affected and opted to change jobs (Einarsen et al, 2003). 98 percent of those who stayed on were distressed. The overall effect observed on such workers was lack of productivity. They caused more accidents, were often absent, handled customers poorly, exhibited no motivation and forced the company to

Great Raid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Great Raid - Essay Example Many of the American troops that had surrendered in the course of the Bataan Battle were sent to the prison camp in Cabanatuan. This development came after the Bataan Death that took place in March of the same year. The Japanese, following this news rushed to transfer many of the prisoners to different parts of the country, leaving behind more than 500 POWs, most of whom were American but also comprised other allied civilians and POWs in the particular prison camp in Philippines. The prisoners faced a lot of hardships at the camp, with many of them dying from the hard labour and harsh conditions that they were being subjected to. Some of the brutal conditions that characterized life at the prison camp included malnourishment, severe torture and many other chronic diseases that the POWs contracted. With no one showing concern over their fate the health of most of the POWs deteriorated making them succumb to the harsh condition. In fact, after Gen, Douglas MacArthur and many of the American forces went back to Luzon, the POWs feared for the lives as they thought that they were going to be executed. Following the need to free the POWs, strategic planning was started by the leaders of the Sixth Army, who were collaborating with Filipino guerrillas. According to Alexander (2009), the initial idea was to send a sizeable army with the main responsibility of recuing and freeing the POWs. After thorough planning, a group of more than one hundred Scouts and Rangers including guerrilla fighters made a journey of more than 30 miles to the camp. It is believed that the planning and execution of the strategy in rescuing the POWs started in 1944 when Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s army managed to land on Leyte. This development was enough to pave the way for liberation of the POWs and other civilian prisoners. Later, the American forces idea to consolidate their army in the rescue process was realized by the camp soldiers, who responded

A Doll’s House Essay Example for Free

A Doll’s House Essay Nora will do anything to please her authoritarian husband Torvald. Per Torvald’s instructions, Nora focuses on such womanly disciplines as dancing and taking care of babies, while he sees to all the affairs of money. But when a past financial mistake comes back to haunt Nora and Torvald finds out, the result is an explosion of fury and a shocking revelation that changes the course of the entire family forever (Garland, 1973). Nora Helmer; seems completely happy. She responds affectionately to her husband’s teasing, speaks with excitement about the extra money his new job will provide, and takes pleasure in the company of her children and friends. She does not seem to mind her doll-like existence, in which she is coddled, pampered, and patronized. Torvald Helmer; embraces the belief that a man’s role in marriage is to protect and guide his wife. He clearly enjoys the idea that Nora needs his guidance, and he interacts with her as a father would. He instructs her with trite, moralistic sayings, such as; â€Å"A home that depends on loans and debt is not beautiful because it is not free.† Torvald likes to envision himself as Nora’s savior, asking her after the party, â€Å"Do you know that I’ve often wished you were facing some terrible dangers so that I could risk life and limb, risk everything, for your sake.† Krogstad; is the antagonist in the film but he is not necessarily a villain. Though his willingness to allow Nora’s torment to continue is cruel, Krogstad is not without sympathy for her, as he says, â€Å"even money lender, hacks, well a man like me, can have a little of what you call feeling, you know.† Krogstad has reasonable motives for behaving as he does; he wants to keep his job at the bank in order to spare his children from the hardship that come with a spoiled reputation. Unlike Torvald, who seems to desire respect for petty selfish reasons, Krogstad desires it for hi s family’s sake (Garland, 1973). From a Feminist perspective, a group whose members learn socially constructed expectations based on gender roles, social class, race, age, sexual orientation, marital status, and other factors. The husband is the dominant force in the family while the wife acts like a doll in a doll’s house. The wife makes sacrifices while the husband was more concerned about his reputation. From a Symbolic Inrteractionist perspective, a group, like others, whose interactions are governed by the communication of knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, values, and roles? The husband has a false sense of masculinity, that of a super-hero. The husband belittles his wife and tells her that she will not be able to interact with the children because of her sacrifice for her family. She is physically abused and told not the leave the house. When she is right the husband gives her money to spend on the family. From a conflict perspective, a group that experiences problems due to social inequality; the family and its members must compete for limited resources that are controlled by powerful groups. Krogstad is replaced at the bank because of Torvalds’ selfish reasons, which put his family in poverty. Krogstad uses blackmail to keep his job at the bank (Benokraitis, 2011). It is the 1890s in Norway, Nora’s’ father is dying. Her husband Torvald is in need of a climate change from Norway to Italy to save his life. Torvald tells his wife they can’t afford to take a vacation. Nora goes to the bank and asks Krogstad to raise the money for her. They raise the money by Nora forging her father’s signature. Krogstad forges some documents and gets the money for Nora. Word gets out about what Krogstad does and it ruins his reputation in town so he and his family live in poverty. Meanwhile Nora and her family go on the vacation to Italy and save her husbands’ life. Torvald gets a promotion at the bank where he and Krogstad works. Word gets out that Torvald is replacing Krogstad so he visits Nora to remind her of who helped her and discovers that she has forged her father’s signature. Krogstad blackmails Nora to save his job at the bank. Nora tells Krogstad that her husband will defend her. Krogstad reminds her of Torvalds masculinity. Nora goes to her husband to save Krogstad’s job. Torvald dislikes Krogstad because he calls him by his Christian name, instead of Mr., so he puts Krogstad in his place by using his power to take away Krogstad’s job and putting his family in poverty (Garland, 1973). Torvald receives the letter with the IOU from Krogstad, and he verbally abuses Nora by calling her stupid, liar, hypocrite, and a criminal. He physically slaps her and states know I am at the mercy of an unscrupulous man. Torvald tells her that she is just like your father with no religion or morals. You have ruined everything and will not be allowed to raise our three children. Nora changes out of her costume into her street clothes. She commands Torvald to sit and listen to her. This is the first time in eight years of marriage that they have sat down to talk about anything serious. Nora tells her husband that she has never been treated as a human being. Her father treated her like a doll child, husband treats her like a doll wife and now she treats her children like doll‘s playing with them. Torvald tells her now you can be educated. Nora states I will educate myself and I have to stand on my own two feet. Torvald tells Nora you can’t leave you have duties to your husband and children. Nora states my duty is to myself as a human being. Nora asks is society right or am I right; I will have to find that out for myself (Garland, 1973). Torvald and Nora are in a conflict-habituated marriage, Social Learning Theory; Nora states that she was treated like a doll child by her father, then her father handed her over to Torvald and she conformed to the doll house that he provided for her. Nora thought that because she was Torvalds’ wife and mother of his three children that he would sacrifice for her.†Wheel Theory† of love; rapport, self-revelation, mutual dependency and personality need fulfillment (Benokraitis, 2011). This movie hit home for me you spend all those years bearing children and sacrificing for love and family and what thanks do you get. Good for Nora leaving Torvald and she left him with the children double whammy on Torvald’s masculinity. Men have a false sense of what masculinity is when he states; â€Å"no man would sacrifice his honor, not even for love.† And Nora states, â€Å"Millions of women have.† I went through the same thing with my children’s father; he would often tell me that â€Å"my reputation is the most important thing to me.† Works Cited (2011). Marriages Families Changes, Chioces, and Constraints. In N. V. Benokraitis, Theiretical Perspectives On Families (pp. 32-40). Upper Saddle River: Karen Hanson. Garland, P. (Director). (1973). A Dolls House [Motion Picture]. (2011). Marriages Families Changes, Chioces, and Constraints. In N. V. Benokraitis, Theiretical Perspectives On Families (pp. 32-40). Upper Saddle River: Karen Hanson. Garland, P. (Director). (1973). A Dolls House [Motion Picture].

LSD (for Chemistry Class) :: essays papers

LSD (for Chemistry Class) Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) LSD), a potent hallucinogenic drug, also called a psychedelic, first synthesized from lysergic acid in Switzerland in l038. Lysergic acid is a white odorless drug, a component of the mold of ERGOT. Ergot is a product of the fungus Claviceps purpurea. Th e bio-active ingredients of ergot are all derivatives of lysergic acid. LSD is a semi-synthetic derivative of lysergic acid. Thus LSD is an "ergot" - like substance. The drug evokes dreamlike changes in mood and thought and alters the perception of time and space. It can also create a feeling of lack of self-control and extreme terror. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) also goes by names like: acid, sugar, Blotter, Sugar Cubes, Blue Unicorn, Acid, Cid, Sid, Bart Simpsons, Barrels, Tabs, Blotter, Heaven ly blue, 'L', liquid liquid, Microdots, Mind detergent, Orange cubes, Orange micro, Owsley, Wedding Bells, windowpane, etc. LSD is very potent: the effective dose is measured in micrograms (ug) -- however, the lethal dose is literally thousands of times that, making the drug essentially non-toxic. LSD is non-addictive, and there have been only a few cases of possible overdose where people ingested extremely large amounts of the drug (Alan et al., 1978; Griggs et al,. 1977). LSD can be administered a number of ways, the most common : orally though paper, sugar cubes, on a piece of gelatin, or by pill ; intravenously or intramu scularly. A standard dose with noticeable hallucinogenic effects is about 100-200 ug. The intensity of the trip is proportional to the size of the dose-- it is interesting to note, though, that the duration of the trip seems to stay the same at higher dos es (Freedman, 1984). Physical effects include drowsiness, dizziness, dilated pupils, numbness and tingling, weakness, tremors, and nausea. Transient abnormal thinking induced by LSD, such as a sense of omnipotence or a state of acute paranoia, can result in dangerous behavior. Long-term adverse reactions such as persistent psychosis, prolonged depression, or faulty judgment have also been reported following LSD ingestion but whether these are a direct result of ingestion is difficult to establish. Althoug h LSD is not physiologically addicting, the drug's potent mind-altering effects can lead to chronic use. In the 1960's LSD use was widespread among people who sought to alter and intensify their physical senses; to achieve supposed insights into the unive rse, nature, and themselves; and to intensify emotional connections with others. The drug has been tried as a treatment for infantile autism, for alcoholism, and to accelerate psychotherapy, but no medical use has been established.

Traditional and Internet Dating Essay -- Dating Social Values Changes

Traditional and Internet Dating At some point in our lives where we are searching for that special someone. The methods of going about dating have changed quite dramatically over the years. Going out has grown from traditional dating, to internet 'dating', to group dating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Traditional Dating has changed over the years. In my generation the girls can ask the guys, there is no telling where they might go on a date, or they might just hang out at home, which did not happen as much 25 years ago. My generation's moral values are changing too: sex on the first date happens more frequently now. Many Years ago a guy would go pick the girl up at her house, was introduced to her parents and have a talk with them before taking their little girl out for a first date. Now, however, guys and girls meet somewhere or the guy just beeps the horn and in many cases the parents do not meet the guy with whom their daughter is going out. When my parents were young, dating was something taken seriously, and knew someone for a period of time before ever asking her out on a date. Today a date may be just something to do for fun or if you are bored. Nowadays many people "hook-up" at bar, clubs or random parties. : I wonder what changes are to be in the futur e of dating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What kind of person goes online and uses personal ads to meet their mate. The Internet changing everything from the way we shop to the way we find driving directions. Cyberspace has become the hottest pick-up jo...

Digital Fortress Chapter 59-62

Chapter 59 Susan reached for Commander Strathmore's hand as he helped her up the ladder onto the Crypto floor. The image of Phil Chartrukian lying broken on the generators was burned into her mind. The thought of Hale hiding in the bowels of Crypto had left her dizzy. The truth was inescapable-Hale had pushed Chartrukian. Susan stumbled past the shadow of TRANSLTR back toward Crypto's main exit-the door she'd come through hours earlier. Her frantic punching on the unlit keypad did nothing to move the huge portal. She was trapped; Crypto was a prison. The dome sat like a satellite, 109 yards away from the main NSA structure, accessible only through the main portal. Since Crypto made its own power, the switchboard probably didn't even know they were in trouble. â€Å"The main power's out,† Strathmore said, arriving behind her. â€Å"We're on aux.† The backup power supply in Crypto was designed so that TRANSLTR and its cooling systems took precedence over all other systems, including lights and doorways. That way an untimely power outage would not interrupt TRANSLTR during an important run. It also meant TRANSLTR would never run without its freon cooling system; in an uncooled enclosure, the heat generated by three million processors would rise to treacherous levels-perhaps even igniting the silicon chips and resulting in a fiery meltdown. It was an image no one dared consider. Susan fought to get her bearings. Her thoughts were consumed by the single image of the Sys-Sec on the generators. She stabbed at the keypad again. Still no response. â€Å"Abort the run!† she demanded. Telling TRANSLTR to stop searching for the Digital Fortress pass-key would shut down its circuits and free up enough backup power to get the doors working again. â€Å"Easy, Susan,† Strathmore said, putting a steadying hand on her shoulder. The commander's reassuring touch lifted Susan from her daze. She suddenly remembered why she had been going to get him. She wheeled, â€Å"Commander! Greg Hale is North Dakota!† There was a seemingly endless beat of silence in the dark. Finally Strathmore replied. His voice sounded more confused than shocked. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"Hale†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Susan whispered. â€Å"He's North Dakota.† There was more silence as Strathmore pondered Susan's words. â€Å"The tracer?† He seemed confused. â€Å"It fingered Hale?† â€Å"The tracer isn't back yet. Hale aborted it!† Susan went on to explain how Hale had stopped her tracer and how she'd found E-mail from Tankado in Hale's account. Another long moment of silence followed. Strathmore shook his head in disbelief. â€Å"There's no way Greg Hale is Tankado's insurance! It's absurd! Tankado would never trust Hale.† â€Å"Commander,† she said, â€Å"Hale sank us once before-Skipjack. Tankado trusted him.† Strathmore could not seem to find words. â€Å"Abort TRANSLTR,† Susan begged him. â€Å"We've got North Dakota. Call building security. Let's get out of here.† Strathmore held up his hand requesting a moment to think. Susan looked nervously in the direction of the trapdoor. The opening was just out of sight behind TRANSLTR, but the reddish glow spilled out over the black tile like fire on ice. Come on, call Security, Commander! Abort TRANSLTR! Get us out of here! Suddenly Strathmore sprang to action. â€Å"Follow me,† he said. He strode toward the trapdoor. â€Å"Commander! Hale is dangerous! He-â€Å" But Strathmore disappeared into the dark. Susan hurried to follow his silhouette. The commander circled around TRANSLTR and arrived over the opening in the floor. He peered into the swirling, steaming pit. Silently he looked around the darkened Crypto floor. Then he bent down and heaved the heavy trapdoor. It swung in a low arc. When he let go, it slammed shut with a deadening thud. Crypto was once again a silent, blackened cave. It appeared North Dakota was trapped. Strathmore knelt down. He turned the heavy butterfly lock. It spun into place. The sublevels were sealed. Neither he nor Susan heard the faint steps in the direction of Node 3. Chapter 60 Two-tone headed through the mirrored corridor that led from the outside patio to the dance floor. As he turned to check his safety pin in the reflection, he sensed a figure looming up behind him. He spun, but it was too late. A pair of rocklike arms pinned his body face-first against the glass. The punk tried to twist around. â€Å"Eduardo? Hey, man, is that you?† Two-Tone felt a hand brush over his wallet before the figure leaned firmly into his back. â€Å"Eddie!† the punk cried. â€Å"Quit fooling around! Some guy was lookin' for Megan.† The figure held him firmly. â€Å"Hey, Eddie, man, cut it out!† But when Two-Tone looked up into the mirror, he saw the figure pinning him was not his friend at all. The face was pockmarked and scarred. Two lifeless eyes stared out like coal from behind wire-rim glasses. The man leaned forward, placing his mouth against Two-Tone's ear. A strange, voice choked, â€Å"Adonde fue? Where'd he go?† The words sounded somehow misshapen. The punk froze, paralyzed with fear. â€Å"Adonde fue?† the voice repeated. â€Å"El Americano.† â€Å"The†¦ the airport. Aeropuerto,† Two-Tone stammered. â€Å"Aeropuerto?† the man repeated, his dark eyes watching Two-Tone's lips in the mirror. The punk nodded. â€Å"Tenia el anillo? Did he have the ring?† Terrified, Two-Tone shook his head. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Viste el anillo? Did you see the ring?† Two-Tone paused. What was the right answer? â€Å"Viste el anillo?† the muffled voice demanded. Two-Tone nodded affirmatively, hoping honesty would pay. It did not. Seconds later he slid to the floor, his neck broken. Chapter 61 Jabba lay on his back lodged halfway inside a dismantled mainframe computer. There was a penlight in his mouth, a soldering iron in his hand, and a large schematic blueprint propped on his belly. He had just finished attaching a new set of attenuators to a faulty motherboard when his cellular phone sprang to life. â€Å"Shit,† he swore, groping for the receiver through a pile of cables. â€Å"Jabba here.† â€Å"Jabba, it's Midge.† He brightened. â€Å"Twice in one night? People are gonna start talking.† â€Å"Crypto's got problems.† Her voice was tense. Jabba frowned. â€Å"We been through this already. Remember?† â€Å"It's a power problem.† â€Å"I'm not an electrician. Call Engineering.† â€Å"The dome's dark.† â€Å"You're seeing things. Go home.† He turned back to his schematic. â€Å"Pitch black!† she yelled. Jabba sighed and set down his penlight. â€Å"Midge, first of all, we've got aux power in there. It would never be pitch black. Second, Strathmore's got a slightly better view of Crypto than I do right now. Why don't you call him?† â€Å"Because this has to do with him. He's hiding something.† Jabba rolled his eyes. â€Å"Midge sweetie, I'm up to my armpits in serial cable here. If you need a date, I'll cut loose. Otherwise, call Engineering.† â€Å"Jabba, this is serious. I can feel it.† She can feel it? It was official, Jabba thought, Midge was in one of her moods. â€Å"If Strathmore's not worried, I'm not worried.† â€Å"Crypto's pitch black, dammit!† â€Å"So maybe Strathmore's stargazing.† â€Å"Jabba! I'm not kidding around here!† â€Å"Okay, okay,† he grumbled, propping himself up on an elbow. â€Å"Maybe a generator shorted out. As soon as I'm done here, I'll stop by Crypto and-â€Å" â€Å"What about aux power!† Midge demanded. â€Å"If a generator blew, why is there no aux power?† â€Å"I don't know. Maybe Strathmore's got TRANSLTR running and aux power is tapped out.† â€Å"So why doesn't he abort? Maybe it's a virus. You said something earlier about a virus.† â€Å"Damn it, Midge!† Jabba exploded. â€Å"I told you, there's no virus in Crypto! Stop being so damned paranoid!† There was a long silence on the line. â€Å"Aw, shit, Midge,† Jabba apologized. â€Å"Let me explain.† His voice was tight. â€Å"First of all, we've got Gauntlet-no virus could possibly get through. Second, if there's a power failure, it's hardware-related-viruses don't kill power, they attack software and data. Whatever's going on in Crypto, it's not a virus.† Silence. â€Å"Midge? You there?† Midge's response was icy. â€Å"Jabba, I have a job to do. I don't expect to be yelled at for doing it. When I call to ask why a multi billion-dollar facility is in the dark, I expect a professional response.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"A simple yes or no will suffice. Is it possible the problem in Crypto is virus-related?† â€Å"Midge†¦ I told you-â€Å" â€Å"Yes or no. Could TRANSLTR have a virus?† Jabba sighed. â€Å"No, Midge. It's totally impossible.† â€Å"Thank you.† He forced a chuckle and tried to lighten the mood. â€Å"Unless you think Strathmore wrote one himself and bypassed my filters.† There was a stunned silence. When Midge spoke, her voice had an eerie edge. â€Å"Strathmore can bypass Gauntlet?† Jabba sighed. â€Å"It was a joke, Midge.† But he knew it was too late. Chapter 62 The Commander and Susan stood beside the closed trapdoor and debated what to do next. â€Å"We've got Phil Chartrukian dead down there,† Strathmore argued. â€Å"If we call for help, Crypto will turn into a circus.† â€Å"So what do you propose we do?† Susan demanded, wanting only to leave. Strathmore thought a moment. â€Å"Don't ask me how it happened,† he said, glancing down at the locked trapdoor, â€Å"but it looks like we've inadvertently located and neutralized North Dakota.† He shook his head in disbelief. â€Å"Damn lucky break if you ask me.† He still seemed stunned by the idea that Hale was involved in Tankado's plan. â€Å"My guess is that Hale's got the pass-key hidden in his terminal somewhere-maybe he's got a copy at home. Either way, he's trapped.† â€Å"So why not call building security and let them cart him away?† â€Å"Not yet,† Strathmore said, â€Å"if the Sys-Secs uncover stats of this endless TRANSLTR run, we've got a whole new set of problems. I want all traces of Digital Fortress deleted before we open the doors.† Susan nodded reluctantly. It was a good plan. When Security finally pulled Hale from the sublevels and charged him with Chartrukian's death, he probably would threaten to tell the world about Digital Fortress. But the proof would be erased-Strathmore could play dumb. An endless run? An unbreakable algorithm? But that's absurd! Hasn't Hale heard of the Bergofsky Principle? â€Å"Here's what we need to do.† Strathmore coolly outlined his plan. â€Å"We erase all of Hale's correspondence with Tankado. We erase all records of my bypassing Gauntlet, all of Chartrukian's Sys-Sec analysis, the Run-Monitor records, everything. Digital Fortress disappears. It was never here. We bury Hale's key and pray to God David finds Tankado's copy.† David, Susan thought. She forced him from her mind. She needed to stay focused on the matter at hand. â€Å"I'll handle the Sys-Sec lab,† Strathmore said. â€Å"Run-Monitor stats, mutation activity stats, the works. You handle Node 3. Delete all of Hale's E-mail. Any records of correspondence with Tankado, anything that mentions Digital Fortress.† â€Å"Okay,† Susan replied, focusing. â€Å"I'll erase Hale's whole drive. Reformat everything.† â€Å"No!† Strathmore's response was stern. â€Å"Don't do that. Hale most likely has a copy of the pass-key in there. I want it.† Susan gaped in shock. â€Å"You want the pass-key? I thought the whole point was to destroy the pass-keys!† â€Å"It is. But I want a copy. I want to crack open this damn file and have a look at Tankado's program.† Susan shared Strathmore's curiosity, but instinct told her unlocking the Digital Fortress algorithm was not wise, regardless of how interesting it would be. Right now, the deadly program was locked safely in its encrypted vault-totally harmless. As soon as he decrypted it†¦. â€Å"Commander, wouldn't we be better off just to-â€Å" â€Å"I want the key,† he replied. Susan had to admit, ever since hearing about Digital Fortress, she'd felt a certain academic curiosity to know how Tankado had managed to write it. Its mere existence contradicted the most fundamental rules of cryptography. Susan eyed the commander. â€Å"You'll delete the algorithm immediately after we see it?† â€Å"Without a trace.† Susan frowned. She knew that finding Hale's key would not happen instantly. Locating a random pass-key on one of the Node 3 hard drives was somewhat like trying to find a single sock in a bedroom the size of Texas. Computer searches only worked when you knew what you were looking for; this pass-key was random. Fortunately, however, because Crypto dealt with so much random material, Susan and some others had developed a complex process known as a nonconformity search. The search essentially asked the computer to study every string of characters on its hard drive, compare each string against an enormous dictionary, and flag any strings that seemed nonsensical or random. It was tricky work to refine the parameters continually, but it was possible. Susan knew she was the logical choice to find the pass-key. She sighed, hoping she wouldn't regret it. â€Å"If all goes well, it will take me about half an hour.† â€Å"Then let's get to work,† Strathmore said, putting a hand on her shoulder and leading her through the darkness toward Node 3. Above them, a star-filled sky had stretched itself across the dome. Susan wondered if David could see the same stars from Seville. As they approached the heavy glass doors of Node 3, Strathmore swore under his breath. The Node 3 keypad was unlit, and the doors were dead. â€Å"Damn it,† he said. â€Å"No power. I forgot.† Strathmore studied the sliding doors. He placed his palms flat against the glass. Then he leaned sideways trying to slide them open. His hands were sweaty and slipped. He wiped them on his pants and tried again. This time the doors slid open a tiny crack. Susan, sensing progress, got in behind Strathmore and they both pushed together. The doors slid open about an inch. They held it a moment, but the pressure was too great. The doors sprang shut again. â€Å"Hold on,† Susan said, repositioning herself in front of Strathmore. â€Å"Okay, now try.† They heaved. Again the door opened only about an inch. A faint ray of blue light appeared from inside Node 3; the terminals were still on; they were considered critical to TRANSLTR and were receiving aux power. Susan dug the toe of her Ferragamo's into the floor and pushed harder. The door started to move. Strathmore moved to get a better angle. Centering his palms on the left slider, he pushed straight back. Susan pushed the right slider in the opposite direction. Slowly, arduously, the doors began to separate. They were now almost a foot apart. â€Å"Don't let go,† Strathmore said, panting as they pushed harder. â€Å"Just a little farther.† Susan repositioned herself with her shoulder in the crack. She pushed again, this time with a better angle. The doors fought back against her. Before Strathmore could stop her, Susan squeezed her slender body into the opening. Strathmore protested, but she was intent. She wanted out of Crypto, and she knew Strathmore well enough to know she wasn't going anywhere until Hale's pass-key was found. She centered herself in the opening and pushed with all her strength. The doors seemed to push back. Suddenly Susan lost her grip. The doors sprang toward her. Strathmore fought to hold them off, but it was too much. Just as the doors slammed shut, Susan squeezed through and collapsed on the other side. The commander fought to reopen the door a tiny sliver. He put his face to the narrow crack. â€Å"Jesus, Susan-are you okay?† Susan stood up and brushed herself off. â€Å"Fine.† She looked around. Node 3 was deserted, lit only by the computer monitors. The bluish shadows gave the place a ghostly ambiance. She turned to Strathmore in the crack of the door. His face looked pallid and sickly in the blue light. â€Å"Susan,† he said. â€Å"Give me twenty minutes to delete the files in Sys-Sec. When all traces are gone, I'll go up to my terminal and abort TRANSLTR.† â€Å"You better,† Susan said, eyeing the heavy glass doors. She knew that until TRANSLTR stopped hoarding aux power, she was a prisoner in Node 3. Strathmore let go of the doors, and they snapped shut. Susan watched through the glass as the commander disappeared into the Crypto darkness.