Monday, December 30, 2019

Breastfeeding Research For Infant Feeding Decision Making

Breastfeeding research is primarily focused on outcomes, such as: conclusions of health for mothers and babies, measuring terms of success standards within the breastfeeding dyad of exclusivity or duration, identifying groups who have more success with breastfeeding intention. However the current literature does not thoroughly explain why women choose to breastfeed or choose not to breastfeed, and the point in time in which they decide. This chapter proposes that the methodological framework that would best support viewing such a wide range of data across many disciplines is crystallization, which helps present findings in a multifaceted and innovative way without losing possible outliers. This methodology allows for the inclusive of both positivism and interpretivism research with creative outcomes and solutions. Further, while the overriding aim of this research is to define the variables associated with infant feeding decision making, there is an opportunity to use this information to support breastfeeding research, interventions, education, and ultimately individual satisfaction with personal decisions. Thus, first we will explore the way data was collected for review within this project, and the participants being studied, using what types of instrumentation. In this way we can fully discuss crystallization methodology as a way to analyze the given research. There are precedents for mixed method studies and crystallization in breastfeeding research as well asShow MoreRelatedBreastfeeding VS Formula Bottle-feeding Essay1112 Words   |  5 Pages Breastfeeding vs. Formula Bottle-feeding Every mother of a newborn baby must make a very personal decision when it comes to how they are going to feed their infant. I was faced with that decision 3 years ago when I had my first son who I named Ethen. It was one of the very hardest decisions I had to make. I had to consider all the good benefits of breast feeding as well as the benefits of formula bottle-feeding, but the good benefits of breastfeeding outnumbered the bottle feeding ones. I finallyRead MoreBreastfeeding Intention, Motivation And Initiation Essay887 Words   |  4 PagesBreastfeeding Intention, Motivation and Initiation The small amount of breastfeeding intention research that exists focuses heavily on populations considered at risk, referring to those in economically disadvantaged areas or lower wage earners with lower educational backgrounds, often with lower maternal age and worse outcomes in the birth process (Cabieses et al., 2014; Declercq et al., 2014; Holbrook et al., 2013; Li et al., 2005: McInnes et al., 2001; Shaker et al., 2004). These studies show thatRead MoreA Research Study On Nursing Practice1604 Words   |  7 Pagesbest possible outcomes. Many nursing practices are implemented into daily care only after research studies have been conducted. The evidence provided from these studies helps the population make informed choices and allows nurses to recommend practices that are most beneficial to the patient. One such debate is still very common and includes new mothers and their decision to breastfeed or formula feed their infant. Many opinions have been thrown around when it comes to this debate, especially in regardsRead MoreProposal: to Increase Breastfeeding Rates in New York1583 Words   |  7 PagesPublic Budgeting Professor Lynch Spring 2009 Proposal to: Increase Breastfeeding Rates in New York Introduction In a time when overwhelming research shows that human milk is superior to any sort of manufactured human milk substitute, with great economic benefits for breastfeeding families, the health care system, and society in general, breastfeeding is no longer seen as just an individual choice, but as a public health challenge that deserves more publicity to create supportive systems and environmentsRead MoreBreastfeeding : Breastfeeding And Breastfeeding1309 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is breastfeeding? What is the benefit of breastfeeding? These are vital questions to be answered when one wants to pursue breastfeeding with their child. Breastfeeding by definition is â€Å"the method of feeding a baby with milk directly from the mother s breast†. (http://medicaldictionary.thefreedictionary.com/breastfeeding) Breastfeeding offers many benefits to a baby. Breast milk is also an inimitable nutritional source that cannot adequately be replaced by any other food, including infantRea d MoreA Research Study On Infant Feeding Practices1552 Words   |  7 PagesBreastfeeding may be natural by evolutionary standards, but it is not always simple. As a researcher with particular interests in human breast milk and infant growth and development, I often receive questions from friends and family about the infamous breastfeeding versus formula debate. The physiological intercommunication between mother and offspring has always fascinated me, especially the fluctuations in breast milk composition over time. The type of food an infant is â€Å"supposed to† intake – breastRead MoreBenefits Of Breastfeeding For Mothers1139 Words   |  5 PagesSummary Breastfeeding is the way of feeding a baby with milk from mother’s breast. There are many benefits of breastfeeding for mothers especially. There is an emotional and physical attachment of mother with the baby. Breastfeeding also helps in minimizing the rates of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2011). One of the main social conditions, which greatly affect breastfeeding, is socio-economic status of women. Women livingRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Breastfeeding And Bottle Parenting1723 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most difficult decisions a mother has to make after having a baby is how the baby will be fed. Society has begun to manipulate mothers when making their decision by making formula so easy to use, leaving the option to breastfeed almost taboo in nature. According to her article, â€Å"Breast is Best? Reasons Why Mothers Decide to Breastfeed or Bottlefeed Their Babies and Factors Influencing the Duration of Breastfeeding,† Seaneen Sloan, a lecturer at University College Dublin, et al. write â€Å"moreRead MoreArgumentative Essay1310 Words   |  6 Pages| Breastfeeding is better for your baby | Argumentative Essay | | | Islas, R. Argumentative essay Among the many decision a woman faces when she is pregnant, is whether or not she will breastfeed her child. In our society and in this day and age, this has become a matter of choice as opposed to long ago where formula was nonexistent and the only means of nurturing your baby was to breastfeed. Many women are oblivious to the health risks their baby may endure having not being breastfedRead MoreEssay about Feeding formula to babies versus Breastfeeding1139 Words   |  5 PagesThere are many misconceptions today about feeding formula to babies and it being equal to breastfeeding. Breast milk is complex and species-specific; it targets growth and development of infants and provides disease protection. Both breast milk and formulas contain similar nutrients, but formulas are not an exact copy of breast milk. Formula may maintain growth and development, but it doesn’t contain hormones, live cells, immunologic agents, or enzymes, all of which are contained in breast milk.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Bill Of Rights Creation And Reconstruction - 1404 Words

In his book titled The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction, Akhil Amar tries to offer the interpretation of the Bill Rights by evoking the world of framers of the constitution and that of the people who amended the constitution. According to Amar, there are numerous differences about the original bill of rights as they were originally framed and those that are contained in the Fourteenth Amendment of 1868. Amar tries to construct a theory of Bill of Rights that is comprehensive by focusing on the implications that are drawn from constitutional text as well as its structure. Amar points out, â€Å"The main goal of the Federalists was to forge set of the federally enforceable rights which were against the abusive state governments and this resulted to Fourteenth Amendment† (4). The book tries to explain the first 10 amendments by interpreting them and offering the new insights. This essay focuses on discussing the differences between the Founding Fathers Bill of Rights and the Reconstruction Amendments as it argued by Amar. The original First Amendment was passed in 1789 and they were not ratified. However, these laws failed to address the individual rights and they focused more on the structural issues of the political power. According to Amar, the First Amendment focused more on the states’ rights. For instance, it contained a clause that called the Establishment clause, which prohibited the Congress from interfering with churches, which existed in six states. In thisShow MoreRelatedTurning Points in History 1900s1080 Words   |  5 Pageswhich started in Sacramento. The Union Pacific laid 1,087 miles of track, which began in Omaha. In Promontory Summit, Utah these lines were joined together. (The First Transcontinental Railroad. , n.d.) The creation of the Transcontinental Railroad allowed for intercontinental trade. The creation of the railroad now allows for us to have coast to coast rail trips. This allows for more jobs. Because of the railroad it takes less fuel than it would in a tractor and trailer to transfer supplies fromRead MoreEssay on Reconstruction598 Words   |  3 Pageshad been burnt, rail road tracks uprooted, cotton gins wrecked, and the earth scorched in many sections of the defeated land. The nations next task was to rebuild the ruined South and the governments plan to do this is known as Reconstruction. In the South Reconstruction meant rebuilding the economy, establishing new state and local governments and establishing a new social structure between whites and blacks. During the war Lincoln had expanded his presidency. With his power he hoped to set upRead More Characteristics and Impacts of American Reconstruction Essay1548 Words   |  7 PagesCharacteristics and Impacts of American Reconstruction The key goals of Reconstruction were to readmit the South into the Union and to define the status of freedmen in American society. The Reconstruction era was marked by political, not violent, conflict. Some historical myths are that the South was victimized by Reconstruction, and that the various plans of Reconstruction were corrupt and unjust. Actually, the plans were quite lenient, enforcing military rule for only a short periodRead MoreConstitutions Are More Than Fancy Looking Words On An Old Sheet Of Paper1477 Words   |  6 Pagesfollowed by sixteen articles divided into subsections. The material in the document can be broadly described as â€Å"details of policy and governmental organization† (Newell et al. 46). Article One of the Texas Constitution contains a Bill of Rights containing thirty rights (Newell et al. 48). Suffrage is another topic addressed in the Texas Constitution. Many of the rules set forth in the original 1876 Texas Constitution concerning suffra ge became out-dated and were later amended (Newell et al. 53).Read MoreThe American Civil War helped to save the nation by rejoining Union Confederate and as result of800 Words   |  4 Pagesdeclared freed men. However, during the American Reconstruction, the lack of political unity was still very apparent as the South saw Reconstruction as being defeated humiliatingly and thus sought vengeance through the slaves it had lose. Although many slaves did receive their freedom, Reconstruction caused an increase in the white supremacy groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and laws such black codes/ Jim Crow laws/ sharecropping, which limited the rights freed slaves had. This unfortunately caused manyRead MoreAfrican Americans And African American Equality883 Words   |  4 Pagesthan ever for African Americans in the year 1865; Union victory, emancipation, the right to vote, education and opportunity were on the horizon. However, the post-civil war time period proved to be much different tha n anticipated. Although blacks were eager to demonstrate their democratic participation and inclusion, they were often faced with opposition and disenfranchisement, especially during and after reconstruction. This oscillating and contradictory battle for African American equality is seenRead MoreHow Did The Radical Republican s Rise For The Failure Of The Post Civil War Reconstruction?1619 Words   |  7 Pageswar reconstruction? The time between 1863, when Lincoln passed the ten percent act, until the year 1877, when reconstruction was officially ended, will be evaluated with information provided by the sources. The investigation will specifically look to how the Lincoln assassination allowed for the rise in the Radical Republican Party from 1866 to 1868 and the party’s effect on reconstruction acts leading to the failure of the post-civil war reconstruction era. Eric Foner’s novel Reconstruction: AmericaRead MoreU.S. History 1865 to 1945 Worksheet Essay1175 Words   |  5 Pages1. Era of Reconstruction Matrix While completing the Matrix, contrast presidential reconstruction plans with congressional reconstruction. Note key people, major dates, policies, and outcomes for the New South. If necessary, additional rows may be added to the matrix. Plan Key People Dates Policies Outcomes Lincoln’s 10%Plan Abraham Lincoln Andrew Johnson Congress General William Tecumseh Sherman John Wilkes Booth 1860-1864 Wade-Dave Bill The freeman’sRead MoreThe Amendment Of The Fourteenth Amendment1438 Words   |  6 Pagesthe 13th amendment was passed and the American Civil War had officially ended, the Reconstruction era began. During this era, blacks had begun to feel what it was like to be free, but it did not last for long. Despite the 13th amendment passing, the black community was still heavily discriminated against in the south. This discrimination (and destruction of the southern way of life) eventually led to the creation of â€Å"Black Codes† and â€Å"Jim Crow Laws†. In 1865, not long after the passing of the 13thRead MoreAndrew Jackson ´s Dangerous Reconstruction1261 Words   |  6 PagesJohnson’s job to reconstruct the south around this fact. Andrew Johnson’s presidential reconstruction was an important part of post civil war, but his actions, beliefs and circumstances directly and purposefully repressed the development of civil rights for newly freed African American’s! Andrew Johnson desire to have an easy fast restoration to union to his southern counterparts further hurt the chances of civil rights for African Americans to be established. It was 1865 and these African Americans had

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Personal Selling Free Essays

Personal Selling, relationship building and sales management Personal selling, unlike advertising or sale promotion, involves direct relationships between the seller and the prospect or customer. In a forma sense, personal selling can be defined as a two-way flow of communication between a potential buyer and a salesperson that is designed to accomplish at least three tasks: (1) identify the potential buyer’s needs; (2) match those needs to one or more of the firm’s products or services; (3) on the basis of this match, convince the buyer to purchase the product. Finally, it is a complex communication process, one still not fully understood by marketers. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Selling or any similar topic only for you Order Now Importance of personal selling The importance of the personal selling function depends partially on the nature of the product. As a general rule, goods that are new and different, technically complex or expensive require more personal selling effort. The salesperson plays a key role in providing the consumer with information about such products to reduce the risks involved in purchase and use. Insurance, for example, is a complex and technical product that often needs significant amounts of personal selling. It is important to remember that for many companies the salesperson represents the customer’s main link to the firm. In fact, the salesperson is the company. Therefore it is imperative that the company take advantage of this unique link. Through the efforts of the successful salesperson, a company can build relationships with customers that continue long. Personal selling is an integral of the marketing system, fulfilling two vital duties: one for customers and one for companies. Lacking relevant information, customers are likely to make poor buying decisions. For example: Doctors would have difficulty finding out about new drugs and procedures were it not for pharmaceutical salespeople. Second, salespeople act as a source of marketing intelligence for management. Marketing success depends on satisfying customers needs. If present products don’t fulfill customer needs then profitable opportunities may exist for new or improved products. If problems with a company’s products exist, then management must be quickly apprised of the fact. In either situation, salespeople are in the best position to act as the intermediary through which valuable information can be passed back and forth between product providers and buyers. The sales process Personal selling is as much an art as it is a science. The word art is used to describe that portion of the selling process that is highly creative in nature and difficult to explain. Before management selects and trains salespeople, it should have an understanding of the sales process. Obviously, the sales process will differ according to the size of the company, the nature of the product, the market and so forth. Sales objectives: 1. Information provision: Especially in case of new products or customers, the salesperson needs to fully explain all attributes of the product or service, answer any questions and probe for additional questions. 2. Persuasion. Once the initial product or service information is provided, the salesperson needs to focus on the following objectives: – Clearly distinguish attributes of the firm’s products or services from those of competitors. – Maximize the number of sales as a percent of presentations. Convert undecided customers into first-time buyers. – Convert first-time customers into repeat purchasers. – Sell additional or complementary items to repeat customers. – Tend to the needs of dissatisfied customers. 3. After-sake service. Whether the sale represents a first-time or repeat purchase, the salesperson needs to ensure the following objectives are met: – Delivery or installation of the product or service that m eets or exceeds customer expectations. – Immediate follow-up calls and visits to address unresolved or new concerns. Reassurance of products or service super priority through demonstrable actions. The Sales Relationship-Building process For many years the traditional approach to selling emphasized the first-time sale of a product or service as the culmination of the sales process. Marketing concept and accompanying approach to personal selling view the initial sale as merely the first step in a long-term relationship-building process, not as the end goal. The relationship-building process which is designed to meet the objectives contains six sequential stages. These stages are (1) prospecting, (2) planning the sales call, (3) presentation, (4) responding to objections, (5) obtaining commitment/closing the sale and (6) building a long-term relationship. When a buyer and a salesperson have a close personal relationship, they both begin to rely on each other and communicate honestly. When each has a problem, they work together to solve it. Such market relationships are known as functional relationships. A person may have such a relationship with along-term medical or dental practitioner or hair-cutter. When organizations move beyond functional relationships, they develop strategic partnerships or strategic alliances. These are long-term, formal relationships in which both parties make significant commitments and investments in each other in order to pursue mutual goals and to improve the profitability of each other. Marketing managers and sales managers must make some very important decisions regarding how the sales fore should be organized. Most companies organize their sales efforts either by geography, product or customer. There are two obvious reasons why it is critical that the sales force be properly controlled. First, personal selling can be the largest marketing expense component in the final price of the product. Second, unless the sales force is somehow directed, motivated and audited on continual basis, it is likely to be less efficient than it is capable of being. Controlling the sales force involves four key functions: (1) forecasting sales; (2) establishing sales territories and quotas, (3) analyzing expenses and (4) motivating and compensating performance. Conclusion We attempted to outline and explain the personal selling aspect of the promotion mix. An emphasis was placed on describing the importance of the relationship-building aspect of the personal selling process. For organizations that wish to continue to grow and prosper, personal selling plays an integral part in the marketing of products and services. As long as production continues to expand through the development of new and highly technical products, personal selling will continue to be an important part of marketing strategy. How to cite Personal Selling, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Showing the end of the chapter Essay Example For Students

Showing the end of the chapter Essay Danforth is first introduced to us in this section, which has been chosen for us to analyse when Proctor leaps on Abigail violently, to react with this I would jump out of my seat and hammer my first, firmly on a desk in front of me. I would frown and look astonished because this is what the stage directions tell me to do, Danforth, astonished. When I say, What are you about, I would shout it very loudly making sure my voice sounds overpowering, commanding and authoritative I would yell this because the stage direction states, cries and I interpret this as louder than just a shout. When Proctor calls Abigail a whore I would immediately react and point my finger at Proctor, I would frown and look down at Proctor. I would shake my head in complete horror. I must react in a confused and bewildered way because Arthur Miller gave me the impression that Danforth had never experienced with anyone so rude and verbal: Man! Man what do you- When I recite this line I would say the first Man quietly and shout the second man with rage to make it clear who was boss. I would express my absolute rage by Proctors actions by waving my hands sharply; I would do this because Danforth asks a question, What do you- and it seems apparent that Danforth is not sure how to react in this situation and by waving his hands about it shows that the situation is not under control. To show Danforths amazement, dumbfounded I would rise from my seat and shake my head in dismay. When Danforth says, you will prove this! This will not pass! I would point my finger at Proctor sternly as the sentence comes across as being very commanding and strict. At this point it is clear that Danforth gains his authority back over the court because the line, you will prove this! This will not pass! is very strict I would say it in a strict and meaningful way so that Proctor would not be able to answer back. When Proctor recites his long paragraph and tries to, keep himself from weeping, I would stare at him not letting my eyes wander anywhere else, by doing this I would show the audience that I know that Proctor is hiding something and it would make the whole plot a lot more interesting. Throughout the whole of the speech I would leaf forward onto the desk in front of me and rest my chin on my clenched fist, making sure I n ever missed a single word proctor said. I would do this because after the speech the stage directions state: blanched, in horror turning to Abigail, this gives me the impression that Danforth listened to every word of what Proctor had to say and that he was very interested in it so by posing in this way it would show this. Referring to the same stage directions it is clear that Danforth is taken back by proctors speech but realises Abigail will completely disagree, I would look at Abigail suddenly turning by neck sharply and staring into her eyes deeply, I would then say, You deny every scrap of this, in a way which practically tells her that she does.

Friday, November 29, 2019

The Year of the Rat. Vidunya Review Essay Example

The Year of the Rat. Vidunya Review Paper Essay on The Year of the Rat. Vidunya It so happens that it is possible to find their author. And the point is not that the book chafe soul affect the underlying ideas or dig up hidden (this is all too intrinsically valuable, but the author does not have to be their). And the fact that you read the book and you know that the author is with you on the same wavelength. Thinks the same images, expressed in the same words, the story with the same intonation And sometimes, reading and not for the future. Like a well-written and interesting plot, humor and not flat ,,, but does not cling. On this score there are many theories (and of audialah, visuals, kinesthetic, and reading / ingesting readers), but its not about The thing is that for me -. Olga Gromyko author is their. It is with it the beginning of my love for this genre. Since Volh, but really a lot of love have become enemies of the faithful And now -. New book. With the sequel, because history does not clearly finished. And, oh gods, how desperately want to know what next The new history, a new world, a new order?. But the familiar, beloved old-fashioned story. If grandmother granddaughter a bedtime story telling. The story develops slowly, carefully, slowly entangling and engaging in this world, and it seems that youre just about, just start reading and watching polknigi already read; and does not come off, because it is already sucked, sucked, already living the story along with the characters. And at the same time you want to know what will be the final in this tale, and desperately does not want it to end We will write a custom essay sample on The Year of the Rat. Vidunya Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Year of the Rat. Vidunya Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Year of the Rat. Vidunya Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer What is there to be found Cows -.? Mounts (and the phrase comes as new saddle cow is filled with new meaning), the crows a delicacy, and the rats and the rats rats and they are. But here there is a rat? Especially the one that keeps to himself every decent-traveler vidun? Vidun, because he sees the fate of the road, the traveler because it can break new. But what is the price of this gift? Or for someone to curse it? At the end of the book of questions is no less than at the beginning, although they are modified in the process of reading. But what remains poor readers? Only look forward to the continuation =)

Monday, November 25, 2019

Huntingtons Disease essays

Huntingtons Disease essays Huntingtons Disease is caused by the genetically programmed degeneration of brain cells, called neurons. Symptoms of this include clumsiness, forgetfulness, mood swings, lack of coordination, depression, and involuntary twitching. It causes emotional disturbance, uncontrolled movements like the head, trunk and limbs, and loss of intellectual faculties. Also slowly diminishes ability to walk, think, talk, and reason. As the disease progresses, concentration and short-term memory diminish. Eventually the person is unable to care for him or herself. Becomes harder to walk, speak, and swallow. It is named for Dr. George Huntington who first described and identified it in 1872. Death can happen from choking, infection or heart failure. Huntingtons Disease usually begins in mid-life, between 30 and 45, thought it could as early as the age of two. Huntingtons Disease affects male and females, and all ethnic and racial boundaries. Each child of a person has a 50-50 chance of inheriting the gene. Everyone who carries the gene will develop the disease. Huntingtons Disease is fatal, and is permanent if you carry the gene. Medications are prescribed to help control emotional and movement problems associated with Huntingtons Disease. Most drugs used to treat the symptoms have side effects such as fatigue, restlessness, or hyper excitability. But right now it is not treatable. There are no cures as of right now, but scientists say with the growing study of Huntingtons Disease a cure is forthcoming. Huntingtons Disease was described in 1872, but not discovered until 1993. Scientists are using electronics and other technologies enabling them to see what the gene does to various structures in the brain, and how it affects the bodys chemistry and metabolism. Laboratory animals are being bred with the hope of duplicating the clinical features so researchers can learn more about symptoms and progres ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

What Impact Does The Media And Public Opinion Have On American Foreign Essay

What Impact Does The Media And Public Opinion Have On American Foreign Policy - Essay Example This is very important for the image of the country and it affects the way that people in America feel about themselves, their country and their government. The media have a role in providing information about what the government does, and this helps people to decide which party to vote for. Sometimes the media are not neutral, however, and this means that people can be influenced in one way or another. Newspapers often question what the government is doing, and they write about international affairs giving several different points of view. This encourages people to think about what is happening and contributes to general education. The existence of the media forces governments to explain what they are doing, and defend their actions. Another role that the media has is to limit the powers of government in situations where they could take extreme actions. Presidents worry about what people will think of them, and this is a very good thing. O’Hefferman reports that â€Å"Presid ent Nixon said that the TV reporting of the Vietnam war was â€Å"probably the single most significant factor limiting our options there.† (O’Hefferman: 1991, p. 100) In the Iraq war also, television coverage of military funerals influenced people against the war, because it made the deaths of American soldiers more real to them. The live images of bombs being dropped on Iraqi cities, and pictures of injured children and weeping relatives make the human cost of war more visible.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Global Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global Business Strategy - Essay Example The study also includes the opportunities and the threats that might be faced by the organisation due to globalisation. It also highlights the varied assets and resources of the organisation, which has helped in expanding its functions in global markets. The study also aims to spotlight the numerous issues of Valero Energy Corporation that must be condensed in order to prosper and to sustain in future among other competing organisations. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 History and Internationalisation Process of Valero Energy Corporation 4 Current External Environmental Conditions 5 Industrial Conditions 6 Resource Audit of Valero 7 Identification and Evaluation of Firm’s Current Strategy 8 Analysis of Strategic Approach of Valero to the Global Management of Its Operations 11 Issues Faced By Valero 12 Recommendations 13 References 16 Bibliography 20 History and Internationalisation Process of Valero Energy Corporation Valero Energy Corporation is one of the largest and autonomous oil refineries of the United States. It is a reputed brand and a Fortune 500 corporation with its head office located in San Antonio of Texas. Valero is the producer and the marketer of transportation oil along with varied other petrochemical products. Along with refining, it also functions in two other segments namely retail and ethanol. In addition, Valero encompasses and functions with the help of 15 refineries throughout the entire United States, Canada, Caribbean and the United Kingdom. With the help of the acquisition of the refineries, Valero produces a capacity of approximately 2.9 million barrels of oil every day. The prime objective of Valero is to offer its customers clean and sterile fuel and other petroleum products in order to enhance its consistency and dependency (Valero Marketing and Supply Company, 2012). Valero is a leading manufacturer of ethanol as well encompassing of a capability of generating about 1.1 billion gallons each year in order to satisfy the needs and the demands of its consumers. Valero is one of the foremost retail operators of refined fuels and markets its products on a wholesale basis throughout bulk and rack networks along with 6,800 retail outlets named as Valero, Beacon and Diamond Shamrock. The organisation was established in the year 1980, with the aim to diversify itself into an international conglomerate operating in oil and gasoline sector. Valero started its operation as a spinoff of a Coastal States Gas Corporation and is also recognised as the global manufacturer and dealer of transport fuel (Valero Marketing and Supply Company, 2012). Valero is a vehicle of advancement which always attempts to enhance its business operations throughout the world with the help of varied mergers and acquisitions such as Basis Petroleum Inc, Ultramar Diamond Shamrock and Pembroke Refinery. This strategy has mainly resulted due to the increasing demand of fuel in the eme rging markets across the globe in order to develop and update their economies along with sluggish growth rate of oil in the markets of the United States. It is one of the most imperative strategic challenges faced by Valero, which forced the management to undertake this tactical step. It proved quite beneficial for Valero to augment its international functioning resulting in improvement of its net revenue to US$ 125,987 million in the year 2011 as compared to US$ 82,233 million in 2010 (Valero Marketing and Supply Company, 2012). Moreover, the operating income also enhanced to US$ 31, 293 in 2011 from US$ 20, 561 in the year 2010 (Valero Energy Corporation, 2010). Thus, international business dealings helped Valero to augment its brand identity and equity among other competitors of this segment in the global market. The objective of the

Monday, November 18, 2019

Is acupuncture an effetive treatment for Insomnia Dissertation

Is acupuncture an effetive treatment for Insomnia - Dissertation Example The main objective of this research is to conduct a review of literature and assess whether acupuncture is an effective treatment for insomnia. Insomnia Defined Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or to remain asleep for an adequate length of time, so that tiredness is virtually permanent (Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary 2007, p.370). According to the British United Provident Association (2011), primary and secondary insomnia are the two classifications of insomnia. Primary insomnia has no noticeable grounds while secondary insomnia is caused by an underlying problem, such as stressful events, psychiatric problems, medical conditions, drug and substance abuse, certain types of medication and psychological problems such as grief and depression. Moreover, the National Health Service (NHS) described insomnia as either short term insomnia which lasts for one to four weeks, and long-term (or persistent) insomnia, which persists for more than four weeks. According to the NHS (year), if a person has been diagnosed with short term insomnia, their GP will generally advise them on good sleep hygiene, and if the insomnia is affecting him/her during the day, then the GP may prescribe sleeping tablets. Moreover, if a person has been diagnosed with long term Insomnia, their GP will recommend the same as for short term Insomnia, along with cognitive and behavioural treatments (CBT). Additionally, if the patient is over 55 years old, the GP may consider prescribing Melatonin. Kaptchuk (2000, p. 191) describes insomnia in Chinese texts as â€Å"Yang unable to enter Yin†. This typically suggests that Blood or Yin or both are insufficient and not able to sustain the Spirit in the Heart. There is therefore a relative oversupply of the Yang, which is not in equilibrium and is unable to calm down in balance. An oversupply of the Yang or Fire in any other organ can also be a reason for insomnia. The persistent desire to sleep, or oversleeping, is often a sign of Deficie nt Yang, Deficient Qi, or Dampness. Under Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), when a person suffers from insomnia, one generally tends to find that the two organs that are most often out of balance are the Heart and the Liver. Each of these two organs houses a specific aspect of the spirit. The Heart houses the mind (Shen) and the Liver houses the ethereal soul (Hun). If these organs are out of balance, they will not be able to house the spirit properly, and the spirit will wander (Kaptchuk 2000). According to Maciocia (2005) sleep generally depends on the state of Blood and Yin, especially that of the Heart and Liver. During the night the Yin Qi predominates, and the mind and ethereal soul should be anchored in Heart Blood and Liver Blood. If the mind and/or ethereal soul are not anchored, a sleep disturbance is likely to occur. Research Aim The present paper aims to review pertinent literature to ascertain the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of insomia among adults. Research Hypotheses Ho: Acupuncture is not an effective treatment for insomnia. Ha: Acupuncture is an effective treatment for insomnia. Method The current paper makes use of critical review of literature to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment method for insomnia. This entailed the search of

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Middle Range Nursing Theory

Middle Range Nursing Theory Contents Introduction Middle Range Nursing Theory Overview of a Nursing Theorist Nursing Meta-paradigm Importance of Middle Range Theory How Will This Theory Improve Nursing Practice? Conclusion References Introduction The nursing theories help in describing the various aspects of the nursing profession and here the middle range nursing theory is discussed which however has a limited scope but provides the best of knowledge for the particular profession. The interest increases in the middle range of nursing theory as the concepts of an individual are been cleared or justified. The practice paper covers range of topics that can be helpful for others and the topics include the succinct description of the middle range nursing theory, then an overview of the nursing theorist is provided to tell what the background is? Following are the perspectives about the health, environment, patients and the nursing. The importance of middle range nursing theories for the new students and the improvement while using this theory clearly states that the students can improve their nursing practice using this theory. And in the end the paper is finally concluded with main key points discussed in the paper (Mary Jane Sm ith, 2008). There are different types of theories, such as, Grand Nursing theory (haves the widest scope and provides general concept but does not allow to do empirical testing and eventually restricts from giving explanation or prediction of situations), Middle Range Nursing Theory (has a narrow scope and connects the two other theories, provide suggestions on a lower level and provides the surety of research based work and nursing practice) and Nursing Practice Theories (has the most limited scope and can be used only for a small range of situations, provides framework, predictions and impact of nursing practice). Middle Range Nursing Theory Middle range nursing theory offers the concrete basis for the handling complex situations. It is narrowly described phenomenon compared to the Grand Nursing theory. It provides less abstract and greater empirical testing along with more specific phenomenon. In this nursing theory, descriptions along with prediction and explanations put forward to answer the queries that are not covered in other theory of nursing practice. This theory provides the perspectives that trains the students to handling the complex and emergency situations and also helps for the nursing interventions. This theory is more applicable in situations where explanations and implementations are needed in nursing practice. Middle range nursing theories are a sub-division of nursing discipline that focuses on potential knowledge of the discipline by expanding the phenomenon related to health care of patients. The middle range nursing theory is defined precisely with the help of ladder of abstraction that states the abstraction level decreases as we come down the ladder and but the conciseness is increased (empirical level), and exactly opposite happens while moving towards the philosophical level. The middle range nursing theory is a sub-division of the empirical level (Sandra J. Peterson, 2009). Overview of a Nursing Theorist Kristen Swanson nursing theory provides the background for the issues related to pregnancy. Kristen Swanson obtained her nursing degree from the University of Rhode Island in the year of 1975 and the master’s degree in the year of 1978. The Swanson theory of nursing takes necessary measures that deal with the miscarriages in pregnancy. The Swanson Theory of Caring encompasses around the counseling for the parents and their families after the miscarriages. The theory involves the combination of techniques that deal with the sociocultural effects which rise after a baby’s loss. This theory provides the overview of aspects which are just beyond to the physical status of the patient. These aspects are considered by the health care professionals to enhance the emotional recovery of the mother and father both, due to miscarriage or abortion. The theory’s basis is laid on the study and research of Dr. Kristen Swanson which focused the issues faced by the parents and families in the women’s pregnancy. The theory provides a platform on which the potential healing of the parents can be done. The researches by the theorist have been incorporating educational models and practices of other physicians all over the country (Ahmed, 2006). Nursing Meta-paradigm The nursing meta-paradigm is the huge models that represent the clear relationship between the current theoretical nursing practices. Presently many of the nursing practices are considered for acquiring the relationship between the four main components of the meta-paradigm. (Parker, 2006). The four major meta-paradigms in the nursing profession are as follows: Person: who are the people that receive the nursing care, this paradigm can be the ill individual who is treated like a subject in the process of treatment. The individual has a constant changing process that takes place between him and his environment. Receivers of the health care from nursing can be a sick person or whole families or any community. Health: that is defined as the level of wellness of an individual. It is dynamic process which is described by the individual all over the life span. The main focuses on the subject’s health are laid on the nature of physical, aesthetic, social and ethical territories. Illness or sickness is defined as the experience of an individual who faced dysfunctions originated due to health care. The level of a person’s health is an expression of the common interacting processes that take place between the individual and their environment. Environment: it corresponds to the internal and external factors that influence the level or degree of health an individual possess. It refers to the impact of geographical and landscape on the individual. Dimensions that may cause harm to the individual include the impact of physiological, psychological, economic and social, cultural, historical, and developmental factors that are prevalent in the society where the individual lives. Nursing: it is the profession that provides the health care facilities in the hospitals. The nursing interventions render care to support the ill patient. These four concepts of the nursing meta-paradigm make up a complete directional understanding of the profession. These four concepts embed the basic knowledge of nursing theory, philosophy, education, research and experience of the nursing profession. Importance of Middle Range Theory Nursing theories provides the principles that underpin the new student’s nursing practices and help generating nursing knowledge (Colley, 2003). The middle range nursing theory is important for the students of nursing because it provides a middle reality view and more specifically generalized practice areas for the nurses. It also provides the nurses with concrete ideas which however are limited but very useful for them. In middle range nursing theory, the characteristics of the propositions are clearly stated due to which a better decision can be made for the health care of patient. The middle range nursing theory provides the level of testability which may generate a test hypothesis. Since the development of middle range nursing theory is from the Grand nursing theory and the nursing practice theory, the theory consists of all the literature review and clinical practices and guidelines that should be followed by the nurses. How Will This Theory Improve Nursing Practice? The middle range theory for nursing is very important for the nurses and therefore, the nursing practice can be improved with this theory. The focuses that are laid by this theory, develops the concrete and conceptual framework of ideas in the nurses with which they can practice their profession efficiently. The scope that is covered by the middle range nursing theory is, however, limited but still the ideas and literature that it consist has concreteness in it which helps in the improvement of the nursing practice. Conclusion By providing nurses with a sense of identification, the middle range nursing theory can help the subjects and the nurses (which are the health care professionals) to identify the particular contribution that should be made to the health care center and the patients too. Providing the nurses with adequate knowledge and guidance according to the principles laid by the middle range nursing theory will help to improve the standards of their practice and also the health of the patient. The four basic components of the nursing meta-paradigm play a significant role, in developing good middle range nurses that tell the relationship between the person, health and environment with the nurses. The middle range nursing theory provides the generalized and conceptual development of the characteristics that lays the basis of the formation of good middle range nurses practicing in the health care centers to provide health care facilities with effective results. References Ahmed, D. S. (2006). Theories and models of nursing practice. Journal of Nursing, 5-7. Colley, S. (2003). Nursing theory: its importance to practice. Journal of National Institute of Health, 33-37. Mary Jane Smith, P. R. (2008). Middle Range Nursing theory. New York: Springer Publishing Company. Parker, M. E. (2006). Nursing theories nursing practice . Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company. Sandra J. Peterson, T. S. (2009). Middle Range Theories: Application to Nursing Research. Lippincott Williams Wilkins.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Cropping Boxers :: essays research papers

Throw around words such as boxer and ear cropping and people will probably figure you’re referring to the sport know as boxing. Specifically to a notorious world championship bout in which one boxer did indeed crop the ear of another. Our discussion is here, though, it focuses on an entirely different species of boxers, and an entirely different style of ear cropping. The boxer, of course is the boxer dog. A breed that by custom and by standards typically undergoes a surgical procedure designed to turn it’s naturally floppy-style ear into ears that stand tall, stiff, and erect.(Abraham 8)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Meanwhile at the other end of the Boxer’s well muscled physique, we find it’s tail, or what’s left of it. The tail you see also undergoes a surgical procedure. The tail is docked, meaning, in layman’s terms, that it is cut short.(Abraham10) It leaves the Boxer with that characteristic stub that wiggles rather furiously when the Boxer is pleased, which for this rather friendly breed is much of the time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Consequently, the dog we see fitting the classic mold outline in the American Kennel Club (AKC) Boxer breed standard is a bit different from the portrait we would see if the pup were allowed to grow up without surgical intervention. These procedures lie at the heart of a rather heated debate, especially in the Boxer world. Unlike many other cropped and docked breeds, the Boxer’s breed standard offers no choice regarding whether the tail or, most significantly, the ears may be left natural and still satisfy the standard’s guide lines.(Vickers 4) This is a restriction that many enthusiasts hope to see changed in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the show ring, if a dog is found to have been cosmetically altered to mold it into the breed standard’s image, that dog is disqualified unless the surgeries in question are tail docking, or ear cropping. The reasons for cropping and docking are rooted in canine history, particularly in the history of fighting dogs, such as the Boxer, which once boasted â€Å"baiting† careers with bulls or bears.(Abraham 17) Cropped ears, while not only creating a fierce more threatening appearance, reduced the risk of damage and injury to the ear, and a docked tail removed a convenient handle for opponents to grab onto.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Folklore also holds that working dogs were not taxed, so the docked tail of a working dog marked it as a non taxable item. However, this theory is not universally accepted.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Analysis of ‘Drops of Jupiter’ with Thesis

No two journeys are alike, because the knowledge and experiences gained differ for each person. One of the texts I have chosen to study is the song Drops of Jupiter written my Pat Nonhuman, performed by Train. The song is about a dream that the writer had about his mother who had recently passed. The line ‘She's back in the atmosphere' was the first line written, and led to him writing the song as an extended metaphor of his mothers journey in the afterlife, and the return of her spirit to him. The inner journey is his own in the way of his journey to deal with grief.He is challenges the notion that the afterlife is a different adventure with his belief that the passed never truly leave us, and that they remain with us in spirit. The lyrics feature an extended metaphor, where the universe is the afterlife, and he is asking his mother about her visit. The verse ‘Now that she back in the atmosphere, with drops of Jupiter in her hair,' shows the metaphor of his mothers death being a temporary journey to the heavens, and has returned with ‘drops of Jupiter in her hair,' as proof of where she has been. The simile used is also comparing her to the beauty of nature. She acts like summer and walks like rain.. ‘ Since the return of her spirit, he can feel her in the air and the nature. He can sense her everywhere around him. Another technique that Monahan used to express the concept of journey was repetition. The constant repetition of the words ‘Tell me' helps to embed the idea of his mother returning to his life as a spirit, and she is sharing her experiences with him. In the text, it is evident that he is worried his mother has forgotten about him, and moved on. This is expressed using poetic devices in the line ‘I'm afraid she might think of me as plain old Jane,'.Plain old Jane is an idiom which means someone boring and ordinary. He admits his fear of his mother forgetting him. Through the song, he realized that the best thing yo u can do about loss of love is find yourself through it. His personal experience was finding a way to deal with death, and that separates him from others facing similar losses. Through his inner journey of dealing with grief, he has learnt a new perspective on death and the afterlife, which is unique to his voyage of self-discovery. No two journeys are alike, because the knowledge and experiences gained differ for each person.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Smartphone Industry The WritePass Journal

Smartphone Industry Executive summary Smartphone Industry ). New entrants find it challenging to compete and gain in the market share which is dominated by major brands. However, some new smartphones manufacturers such as Sony and ZTE are rapidly gaining popularity and market share. Competitive advantage within the smartphone industry. The smartphone market is highly competitive, and it has experienced dramatic changes in the recent past. In 2007, Apple defeated BlackBerry from the leading position as the dominant smartphone maker Laffey (2011). Smartphone market competition has also been based on the two main operating systems, Google’s Android and Apples’ IOS (Park et al 2011). Apple has managed to take the leading position in the market because of its high specification products, integrated operating system and quality hardware (Laffey, 2011). Apple’s success is also attributed to its luxury brand image established during the reign of Steve Jobs Apple provides the eco-system of apps available online on Apple’s app-store platform (Park et al 2011). The Kindle Fire, an Amazon product is expected to challenge Apple by offering readerse new opportunities to access to Amazon’s online e-books store (Laffey, 2011). Amazon’s relationship with content providers will enable it secure the delivery of its apps and video content providing a new competition across the market segment (Laffey, 2011). The difference in pricing between Android and IOS phones has impacts on competition (Laffey, 2011). Most Android smartphones are affordable while some devices from Apple are less affordable. Apple benefits from a higher income from this (Laffey, 2011). Conclusion In summary, the current smartphone is no longer exclusive for early adopters. Streamlining of new innovations has led to increased competition and patent litigation. It is evident that the smartphone market is controlled by a few major smartphones makers. Smartphones have heralded a new era in the communication industry and changed several aspects of human lifestyle. New software makers need to develop an operating system to make a unique distinction in the current market. References Ahson, S. and Ilayas. (2006) Smartphones [online]. Intl. Engineering Consortium. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk [Accessed 4 April 2014] Boyes, W., and Melvin, M. (2012) Macroeconomics. Cengage Learning. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk[Accessed 4 April 2014] BBC (2010) ‘Leading mobile phone lose market share’, 10 November. Available from bbc.co.uk/news/business-11725411 [Accessed 4 April 2014] Egham (2012) ‘Gartner says worldwide smartphone sales soared in Fourth quarter of 2011 with 47 percent growth’. Garner [online]. 15 February. Available from: gartner.com/newsroom/id/1924314 [Accessed 4 April 2014] Ferell, O., C., and Fraedrich, J. (2014) Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making Cases [online]. Cengage Learning. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk[Accessed 4 April 2014] Henry, A. (2008) Understanding Strategic Management [online]. Oxford University Press. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk [Accessed 3 April 2014]. Himmelsbach, T. (2013) A Survey on Todays Smartphone Usage [online]. GRIN Verlag. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk[Accessed 4 April 2014] Hill, C., Jones, G., and Schilling, M. (2014) Strategic Management: Theory Cases: An Integrated Approach [online]. Cengage Learning. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk[Accessed 4 April 2014] Laffey, D. (2011) Strategic issues in Tablets and Smartphones: An Agenda (Non-referred research note). Journal of Strategic Management Education 7(4): 287-290 Park, J., Yang, L., and Lee, C. (2011) Future Information Technology: 6th International Conference on Future Information Technology, FutureTech 2011, Crete, Greece, June 28-30, 2011. Proceedings [online]. Springer. Available at: http://books.google.co.uk [Accessed 4 April 2014]

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Avoiding age discrimination on the job

Avoiding age discrimination on the job The truth is, we’re sometimes judged by things that are beyond our control- this is true in all facets of life, including the world of work. One of the biggest workplace reversals in recent decades is the perception of age. At one time, age was looked at as a valuable commodity among employees- an indication of experience, wisdom, and know-how. While this is still true in some industries and companies, in many others age has become a perceived weakness of sorts- an indication of decreasing relevance, energy, and understanding of how the modern world (including current business needs and consumer demands) works. In years past, companies felt the need to have older, experienced employees in positions of power and decision-making; now, they’re increasingly allowing fresh young minds and perspectives at their helms to steer them towards success in our rapidly evolving, techno-centric world.So, where does this leave aging and older employees? The truth is, the general outloo k isn’t black and white- many older employees will figure out how to avoid age discrimination and find professional success, while others will struggle and face a variety of challenges along the way. Ladders discussed the issue of age discrimination in a recent article that included some helpful advice on how to face this tricky topic.Which side of the fence will you be on? While it may be impossible to completely control how the professional world perceives you as you get older, there are things you can do to hopefully avoid age discrimination- whether you’ve been on the job for years or are job hunting for your next position. Use the following strategies to avoid age discrimination in your professional life.Stay relevant.The world of work is quickly evolving, and those of us who work to stay relevant are much more likely to have a place in it- those who chose to endlessly bemoan these changes and remain stuck in the past will have a much harder road ahead of them.Reg ardless of your age, fight to stay relevant- master the current technology used by your office and industry (take classes if need be), get flexible and comfortable with a new agile and lean workplace environment (this may mean working remotely at a work share facility instead of having your own office), and even follow current styles of professional behavior and dress so that you fit in (get casual and ditch the tie or blazer if you’re the only one wearing them). Bottom line- if you want to seem relevant, make sure that you don’t stand out for the wrong reasons and show that you’re more than ready for whatever changes are on the horizon.Embrace change.Simply put, everything is changing- the old rules and ways of doing things are being tossed out the window and replaced by new approaches and innovations. By not only staying on top of these changes but embracing them, you’ll continually reassert your professional relevance and value and increase your chance s of being viewed as an asset, not an outdated fossil waiting to be put out to pasture.Demonstrate that you’re not only the kind of employee who can handle change, but can also  thrive when change happens, and can even lead the charge forward. For example, think of ways your company can take advantage of current and emerging innovation and show the powers that be that you can help steer your company to future success. It’ll be hard to deny your value as an employee if you’re constantly offering bold new ideas for how your company can face the future.When all else fails- assert your rights.If you’re doing all you can to remain a current and valuable part of the modern workplace but are still facing seemingly insurmountable hurdles, the truth is that age discrimination is illegal. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects workers over the age of 40 from discrimination on the basis of age. If you feel that you’re being unfairly discri minated against on the basis of age, know your rights and options and don’t be afraid to take action.The bottom lineWhile getting older does present new challenges for navigating the work world, you don’t have to let your age wholly define you as an employee or job candidate, and you shouldn’t allow yourself to be a victim of age discrimination. Use the strategies and advice presented here to avoid age discrimination and remain a valuable professional commodity. When the wave of change hits your industry or company (and there’s a good chance it already has), will you sink or swim? Take charge of your professional future.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Income Tax (IAS12) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Income Tax (IAS12) - Essay Example Their main agenda was to look at critical issues of accounting for corporate income in an attempt to develop a discussion paper on the principles of IAS 12 and set out proposals. IAS 12 prohibits companies to give an account to deferred taxes by using the deferral method based on the income statement. It instead prefers the passive methodology based on the balance sheet. In addition to the above requirement, the standard requires corporations to acknowledge either a deferral tax liability. Thirdly, IAS 12 requires recognition of deferred tax assets when it is certain that a corporation possess revenues in future to realize deferred tax asset. For instance, given that a company has a history of losses it will recognize deferred tax assets to the extent that taxable temporary expenses in amounts are sufficient. â€Å"Fourthly, IAS 12 does not allow asset credit and delayed tax liabilities brought about by types of material goods and liabilities whose books vary in amounts at the momen t of acknowledgment† (IAS - 12). The other requirement is that IAS 12 prohibits recognition of deferred tax liabilities, and those liabilities encountered or arising from adjustments for conversion so long as it satisfies two conditions: The main investor is capable of controlling the timing of reversal’s temporary difference. ... It however prohibits recognition of deferred tax liabilities because of initial recognition of good will. During revaluation of assets, IAS 12 allows and requires a corporation to recognize deferred tax liabilities in case revaluation of asset takes place. Moreover, IAS 12 requires that valuation of assets and deferred tax liabilities based on tax consequences that may arise in a manner that a company expects to recover the amount. â€Å"The standard also prohibits the deduction of deferred tax assets and liabilities to account for its current value† (Kirk, 2005). The IAS 12 further prohibits companies from making distinctions between the current and non-current assets and liabilities in its financial reports. It also provides restrictive conditions on debit and credit balances that represent deferred tax assets that could be compensated. This requirement is based on the requirements as stipulated by the financial assets and liabilities IAS 32, financial instruments disclosure and presentation. It is worth noting that among the new information IAS 12 requires disclosure include: That for every class of impermanent disparity; The amounts of assets and tax liabilities recognized and the amount of expenses or income labeled in the income statement with respect to discontinued operations, the realization of deferred tax asset depends on future prospects over the profits coming from reversals of existing impermanent parities. There has been a rise in criticism on financial reporting for income taxes from users and preparers. The criticism is based on the implication of the current and future effects it will have on cash flows. In their arguments, the users cite accounting requirements as too complex to apply in working out income tax. â€Å"In

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Teaching Literacy in Reception Classes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Teaching Literacy in Reception Classes - Essay Example This essay stresses that the students who are coming from different nations around the world meet a challenge of dealing with the difficulty of living and getting used to a the living that is accustomed for the foreign land that they ought to fit into. In this paper, a comprehensive set of lessons shall be discussed that would be directly applicable to any subject in general. The applicability of the said lessons is attested by the fact that in dealing with multicultural classes, there is a certain need of having a variety of approaches as to how the subjects are presented. This paper directly refers to multiculturalism as an agent of interest among students in a certain class. As per mentioned herein, it could be noted that the lessons that are suggested for implementation in this paper are mainly focused in enhancing the respect that students have towards each other’s culture. There have also been other suggestions addressed to the instructors as to how they are supposed to deliver the lessons for better results for the class. Through the usage and application of the suggested aids and attitudes towards the subject or lesson implementation, it could be noted that the technological innovations would be much helpful in creating an environment that would be susceptible for everyone to understand the main reasons of the lesson implication. In an overall view, it could be observed that the entire paper gives a high regard for creating a peaceful environment for learning within a class that is composed of multicultural students.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Management research project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Management research project - Essay Example It will apply those topics to see how it can help a working manager to improve his managerial abilities. The international courier and goods transportation company, DHL Global Forwarding will be used as an example in this study. The definition given in the previous section shows that human behavior is influenced by the nature of the structure or organization he works in as well as the cultural diversity that may occur there. Organized working has been in existence for a very long time even though no formal studies have been known to be conducted with regard to human behavior within such organization. An example of ancient and large organized working could be the building of the great pyramids of Egypt. Formal studies of human behavior in an organization originated only during the late 1800's and early 1900's. One of the pioneers of this science was Frederick Taylor who pioneered the principles of scientific management. But Taylor only focused on improving performance in the workplace and not on the social and emotional needs of workers. He focused on breaking down of a task into smaller observable units so that speed and productivity could be increased. It was to his credit that he took into account better payment, fatigue, shorter working hours etc. in his efforts to increase productivity and employee morale. But in all other respects he equated workers to machines which brought about deep frustration within the working class. "Nevertheless, the industrial engineer with his stop watch and clip-board, standing over you measuring each little part of the job and one's movements became a hated figure and lead to much sabotage and group resistance." (Wertheim). More humanistic thinkers bought the human element into the picture and more importance was given to organizational behavior. It was the Western Electric Study more popularly known as the Hawthorne Experiments that bought about an awareness of group behavior. The study which was originally about work performance and working environment also revealed the sociological and psychological factors that exist in a group as well as the individuals in the group. Another theory by Douglas McGregor called Theory X and Theory Y pointed out the assumptions of managers about worker perceptions and the perceptions of the workers themselves. The former was called Theory X and the latter was called Theory Y and it was pointed out by McGregor that both the theories were contradictory to each other. Manger perceptions of workers include inherent distaste of employees towards work, lack of ambition and creativity, lack of problem solving ability and the need for close supervision. But the most inaccurate assumption was that workers were motivated only by physiological factors and security. Theory Y on the other hand contends that in the right environment, people enjoy work, self-control is more effective than close supervision and that employees are creative. It also says that they are motivated due to affiliation, self-esteem and self-actualization. The development of the systems theories during the 1970's and the contingency theories in the 1980's paved the way for further studies into organizational behavior. Organizational Behavior: Organizational behavior is not a subject by itself, but is in fact a combination of four other social sciences namely psychology, sociology, social psychology and anthropology

Monday, October 28, 2019

Holocaust Post to World War II Essay Example for Free

Holocaust Post to World War II Essay Let us begin by quoting the superb words of Elie Wiesel (1995), the Nobel laureate for peace in 1986 and Holocaust survivor: For the survivor who chooses to testify, it is clear: his duty is to bear witness for the dead and the living. He has no right to deprive future generations of a past that belongs to our collective memory. To forget would be not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time. The witness has forced himself to testify. For the youth of today, for the children who will be born tomorrow. He does not want his past to become their future (cited in Hill and Wang, c2006, pg 15). Cruel Massacre Against Humanity in Holocaust Post to WWII Holocaust post to the beginning of World War II gave an account of tragedy and massive killings of majorly Jews in millions. Other killings involved the people of Gypsies who are descendant of Egypt in history, the mentally and physically challenged ancient individuals, political enemies to the ruling government of Nazi of Germany, and racially undesirable individuals who met an untimely dead end in the Nazi Camps of Germany after . This holocaust occurred between the years 1939 and the commencement of World War II. It is a great destruction that is characterized by extensive loss of human lives through means such as fire, nuclear arms et cetera. Holocaust at times is also used to represent the genocide in Armenian and Hellenic. Hellenic are Greece speaking people who suffered massive religious killing of about 3 million Christians in Turkey between the years 1915 to 1925 (Dawidowicz, 1975). Prior to the World War II, over six million Jewish people were targeted and destroyed by the then Nazi government and its co-sponsors. Nazi government of Germany developed a great hatred for the people of Jews who have spread and had established tent all over European States. The destruction was caused by an expression of superiority over the perceived â€Å"inferior Jews†. The spreading and the success of the Jews over some citizen of Europe became a matter of crucial talk among the cabinet members of Nazi. Nazi saw them as strange people who must not live. Later on, Nazi resulted into racial war against the Jews. In addition to the Jews, Nazi also developed similar racial hatred to other set of people in the all over world. The list includes â€Å"the people of Roma called Gypsies, the physically challenged or formally called the handicapped, the Slavic people of Russia, Poland and others as mentioned earlier† (Yahil L. 1990). In addition to the basis of destruction on perception of racial inferiority, political and theological reasons were also confirmed as part of the basis for destruction of certain other set of people. Thirdly is the massive destruction based on ideological group belonging and on cultural hatred for the Jews, one of the prominent groups by then were the Communist, the Socialist groups, and the Jehovah Witness movement. Certain homosexual were not spared in the killing. Due to the presence of certain members of the Nazi government who were homosexuals, there was mixed feelings development towards the extermination this set of people. The Jehovah witness movement group recorded the lowest number of casualties because they were less concentrated in a place unlike others. The achievement was made possible owing to regional concentration of the target people to be destroyed. Some were taken on hostage within a wide range of land for a long period before they were been destroyed by biological weapons, diseases, famine, and other forms of military maltreatment. For the physically challenged group, Nazi carried out his mission by including in his policy the so called â€Å"Euthanasia Program† (early killing to prevent prolong living in serious discomfort and pain). Some able body target among the Jews and Poland were captured and unofficially sentenced to hard labor till they meet their death. Post-World War II Holocaust After the WWII, there was an arrival of a different dimension to the war. Holocaust in the mid-1940 to the early 90s was basically the existence of relative tension, and fragile calmness. This is due to the modernized existence of nuclear and atomic destruction that posed more colossal figures in potential victims. On the basis of nuclear power possession, nations were termed superpower of the world. The era was termed cold war among the two major powerful unions – the United States and the Soviet Union of Eastern Europe, Northern and Central Asian continent. The United State came in following the 1942 Washington Act to deliver the Jews from total extinction. Holocaust Literature In the modern study of holocaust, many theories are used to propose the origin of holocaust. While the Intentionalists accept that holocaust is a deliberate act initiated by Adolf Hitler, the Functionalists argue that the genesis of holocaust was rather a policy failure by the government of Nazi to regulate immigration to Europe and expel other migrants out of Europe. Hence, the Jews find their way in with ease and dominate the Europe in their millions. Functionalists disagree on several claims by the Intentionalism on several of their literature pointing finger on the lack of adequate plan on population growth as the genesis of holocaust. There also exist â€Å"holocaust theology† that reviews God’s kindness and protection shield on His own people.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Class Emergence in the Industrial Revolution

Class Emergence in the Industrial Revolution The three main classes emerged in Industrial Revolution During eighteenth to nineteenth century, Britain started their first Industrial Revolution, which brought Britain’s social class into a different stage, and caused the emergence of the new classes, such as middle class. Before the Industrial Revolution, people’s standard of living and working conditions were very simple. Once the revolution started, people changed their work places from farms to factories and moved to urban cities in search of new job. Machines made goods replaced ones that had been done by hand. In a spite of that, the social classes in Britain also altered, which developed three different classes, includes upper class, middle class and working class. The emergence of these three classes followed by the growth of industry, which brought more people to an upper stage, as people’s desire rose, increasing of Capitalism also brought wealth to the rich people, finally, the improvement of education helped increase the population in each class. As the growth of industry boosted rapidly in the society, it created many alternative effects on the social classes, such as the gap between rich and poor. Before the Industrial Revolution started, the Agricultural Revolution caused the appearance of new machines and new farming techniques, which replaced lots of farmer’s works. Those unexpected changes brought many problems between workers and government. Workers form union and stroke, many new machines and factories got ruined at the time, but their strike didn’t take a long time, then government claimed that their movements or meeting were illegal. However, the brutal reality didn’t stand on the same side with those workers, and push the poor move from countryside to the urban, and searching for new jobs (Clifford). Most of the increasing population in the city was form by those who work in the factories, which also became as the working class (Butler). For this reason, more people started to work at factories instead of being a farmer. As the demanded of goods are rising, the needs of factories also became essential at that period, and more and more factories were opened (European industrialization). Due to most of the landlords, bankers and factory owners, their life condition became better than what they used to have, they got better education and health care, some of them were even wealthier than the nobles, which caused the emergence of the new middle class (European Industrialization). The growth of industry brought a great leap of new social classes, the existence of the working class and new middle class appeared. While the growth of factories is keep rising, people started to think about their own business instead of rely on the government, which increased capitalism, and drew the emergence of the new middle class. Before the Industrial Revolution, Britain was ruling under a feudalism system. With the society of feudalism, people got financial assistance from the government, because they only needed to have the ability to carry their own family, which also means that people should return their extra production or surplus to the government (Nairn). Since the Industrial Revolution started, the economy in Britain’s higher classes had a big improvement. With the growth of industry, the invention of new machines and technology allowed many landlord or owners got materials easier from the colonies, also, able to sell out their products in an easier and faster way. Those who were rich landlords and factory owners keep their wealthy and became upper middle class (Lobley). As the ability of fac tory production became better, people’s desire had become stronger, some of the factory or mill owners planned for start their own business, and became the one that taking control of the economy. The idea of the new political form capitalism affected people to repeal feudalism, and overthrew the upper class’s power (Poynton). Not everything came that successful, some of people that used to be working class became landless during the revolution, their life had changed, but not as successful as other classes did. The increasing taxes of goods or not being able to paid the fine to tenant caused them became vagabonds, looking for goods on the streets. Some of them were lucky, kept worked as a labor in the factory, which also became as the working class (Poynton). The increasing of the capitalism courage more merchants and factory owners became upper class, and also helped some landless became as workers in factories. The living standard of society rose by the improvement of the education, which allowed more people learned about society form and developed new ideas of social classes. Before all of the changes, children in Britain couldn’t attend to school like nowadays. The low population density gave a hard choice for the principle to build a school in a certain place. Some children needed to take a long time for getting the school, furthermore, this caused some children lost the opportunity of study. As a result, children went to the factories and lose the chance of study, which also decrease literacy rate. In spite of the bad result in the beginning of the revolution, it started to change from the increasing of the literacy rate of middle class or upper class in Britain, one of the reason is the mortality rate decreased, because the improvement of the medical facilities (Simon). According to rising of the population, more schools were built up around 1700s to 1800s. In around 1710 to 172 0, Great Britain even got about three hundred schools were established (chant). From the Industrial Revolution, more people realized the changing of the ages and the importance of education. Parents tried to send their children to school and let them received an official education, because they knew the new technology was going to replace the agricultural, and their old ways of working (Bulter). The new education brought more people into middle class. Some of the parents even sent their children to other countries for studied or worked under other companies or factories, the parents hoped their children could learn more, and by the chance they might got the right to work for the factories or companies while they grow up (European). The improvement of education helped more people understand their position in the society. The Industrial Revolution helped the developed of the new social classes with the growth of industry that help people getting to a higher stage, and became wealthier by the increased of capitalism, similarly improvement in education also brought more people into middle class. From the changes of the growth in industry, people moved to the cities and got works in the factories, because of the invention of new technology during the revolution, and which became the working class. As well as the growing of factories, many factory owners became wealthier or upper-middle class. The growth also raised their desire of having their own companies and factories, which increase the capitalism, many owners wanted to take control of the economy, and the new- middle class existed. Later on, the improvement on education also became better as the new technology developed, which increase the literacy rate and population in each classes. The new social classes form by the Industrial Revolution changed lots of people’s lives, whether alter to a better life or fell into a lower and worsen condition. Work Cited Chant, Tim De. Population Density Fostered Literacy, the Industrial Revolution Per Square Mile.Per Square Mile., 11 Nov. 2011. Web. 03 June 2014. Clifford. Effects of Industrial Revolution.Buzzle.com. Buzzle.com, 05 July 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2013. European Industrialization.Faq.org. Faq, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2013. John, Bulter Chris. The Flow of History.FC113: The Social Impact of Industrialization . Theflowofhistory, 2007. Web. 21 Sept. 2013. Jordan, Graber Boyd. The Emerging English Middle Class: Illusory Upward Mobility and the Static Elite.CiteSeerX. Jordan Boyd Graber, 17 Dec. 2006. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. Lobley, Pam. Differences Between Wealthy, Middle Class and Poor in the Industrial Revolution | The Classroom | Synonym.The Classroom., n.d. Web. 03 May 2014. Poynton, Darren. The Rise of Capitalism.World Socialist Movement, n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2014. Simon, Julian L. DEMOGRAPHIC CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.Juliansimon. Juliansimon, 26 Apr. 2009. Web. 03 June 2014. Tom, Nairn. The English Working Class.Libcom.org. Red Marriott, 14 Feb. 2012. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Work and Life: Servant and Master :: Courage Relationships Papers

Work and Life: Servant and Master Waiting for a friend on the Upper East Side on an unusually fair day, an endearing sight caught my eye. Two adults were carrying a baby in a stroller up the steps of the Met. Besides the parents, there were other adults in the group accompanying the infant like bodyguards to a celebrity. I marveled at this entourage of relative giants huddled around this tiny being, servants lifting the sedan of a little emperor off to view the fruits of his court painters. Without his parents’ care, this frail and helpless creature would essentially perish as fast as he would fall if they suddenly decided to drop his stroller, yet he also had so much power over their lives—power derived not from coercion or election but simply from being born. And even though he was small and weak, they gave their services unconditionally. Growing up in a power-driven individualistic country such as America, it intrigues me how in many ways, we can never escape being servants in our lives even though we think we live in a culture focused on individual freedom and the power of one. It is amazing that we serve bosses who pay us and also serve small children who offer no material reward. The parents managed to balance that stroller so easily between the two of them, never letting it tilt, their little sovereign always in constant peaceful motion, but I wondered if it was just as easy for them to balance their services to home and work. I soon realized that this sun-drenched day was only one out of seven. At some point later in the week, his Little Majesty would be handed over to a nanny or daycare center. His parents would then rush off to office buildings many times as spacious as the world’s biggest nursery, and they would answer to supervisors whose one look of disapproval could cause more damage than a whole night of the little boy’s wailing and whining. Someday, I thought, I would probably have both bosses too, for whom, in different ways, I would work and serve. In order to provide for my family and children, I would have to appease bosses and clients. On a day-to-day basis, it would seem that I was perpetually going from service to service. That made me wonder whether I really have choice and power over my own life, or whether I will merely be a

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Lost Symbol Chapter 24-25

CHAPTER 24 The revelation crashed over Langdon like a wave. I know why I am here. Standing in the center of the Rotunda, Langdon felt a powerful urge to turn and run away . . . from Peter's hand, from the shining gold ring, from the suspicious eyes of Sato and Anderson. Instead, he stood dead still, clinging more tightly to the leather daybag that hung on his shoulder. I've got to get out of here. His jaw clenched as his memory began replaying the scene from that cold morning, years ago in Cambridge. It was six A.M. and Langdon was entering his classroom as he always did following his ritual morning laps in the Harvard Pool. The familiar smells of chalk dust and steam heat greeted him as he crossed the threshold. He took two steps toward his desk but stopped short. A figure was waiting there for him–an elegant gentleman with an aquiline face and regal gray eyes. â€Å"Peter?† Langdon stared in shock. Peter Solomon's smile flashed white in the dimly lit room. â€Å"Good morning, Robert. Surprised to see me?† His voice was soft, and yet there was power there. Langdon hurried over and warmly shook his friend's hand. â€Å"What in the world is a Yale blue blood doing on the Crimson campus before dawn?† â€Å"Covert mission behind enemy lines,† Solomon said, laughing. He motioned to Langdon's trim waistline. â€Å"Laps are paying off. You're in good shape.† â€Å"Just trying to make you feel old,† Langdon said, toying with him. â€Å"It's great to see you, Peter. What's up?† â€Å"Short business trip,† the man replied, glancing around the deserted classroom. â€Å"I'm sorry to drop in on you like this, Robert, but I have only a few minutes. There's something I needed to ask you . . . in person. A favor.† That's a first. Langdon wondered what a simple college professor could possibly do for the man who had everything. â€Å"Anything at all,† he replied, pleased for any opportunity to do something for someone who had given him so much, especially when Peter's life of good fortune had also been marred by so much tragedy. Solomon lowered his voice. â€Å"I was hoping you would consider looking after something for me.† Langdon rolled his eyes. â€Å"Not Hercules, I hope.† Langdon had once agreed to take care of Solomon's hundred-fifty-pound mastiff, Hercules, during Solomon's travels. While at Langdon's home, the dog apparently had become homesick for his favorite leather chew toy and had located a worthy substitute in Langdon's study–an original vellum, hand-calligraphed, illuminated Bible from the 1600s. Somehow â€Å"bad dog† didn't quite seem adequate. â€Å"You know, I'm still searching for a replacement,† Solomon said, smiling sheepishly. â€Å"Forget it. I'm glad Hercules got a taste of religion.† Solomon chuckled but seemed distracted. â€Å"Robert, the reason I came to see you is I'd like you to keep an eye on something that is quite valuable to me. I inherited it a while back, but I'm no longer comfortable leaving it in my home or in my office.† Langdon immediately felt uncomfortable. Anything â€Å"quite valuable† in Peter Solomon's world had to be worth an absolute fortune. â€Å"How about a safe-deposit box?† Doesn't your family have stock in half the banks in America? â€Å"That would involve paperwork and bank employees; I'd prefer a trusted friend. And I know you can keep secrets.† Solomon reached in his pocket and pulled out a small package, handing it to Langdon. Considering the dramatic preamble, Langdon had expected something more impressive. The package was a small cube-shaped box, about three inches square, wrapped in faded brown packing paper and tied with twine. From the package's heavy weight and size, it felt like its contents must be rock or metal. This is it? Langdon turned the box in his hands, now noticing the twine had been carefully secured on one side with an embossed wax seal, like an ancient edict. The seal bore a double-headed phoenix with the number 33 emblazoned on its chest–the traditional symbol of the highest degree of Freemasonry. â€Å"Really, Peter,† Langdon said, a lopsided grin creeping across his face. â€Å"You're the Worshipful Master of a Masonic lodge, not the pope. Sealing packages with your ring?† Solomon glanced down at his gold ring and gave a chuckle. â€Å"I didn't seal this package, Robert. My great-grandfather did. Almost a century ago.† Langdon's head snapped up. â€Å"What?!† Solomon held up his ring finger. â€Å"This Masonic ring was his. After that, it was my grandfather's, then my father's . . . and eventually mine.† Langdon held up the package. â€Å"Your great-grandfather wrapped this a century ago and nobody has opened it?† â€Å"That's right.† â€Å"But . . . why not?† Solomon smiled. â€Å"Because it's not time.† Langdon stared. â€Å"Time for what?† â€Å"Robert, I know this will sound odd, but the less you know, the better. Just put this package somewhere safe, and please tell no one I gave it to you.† Langdon searched his mentor's eyes for a glint of playfulness. Solomon had a propensity for dramatics, and Langdon wondered if he wasn't being played a bit here. â€Å"Peter, are you sure this isn't just a clever ploy to make me think I've been entrusted with some kind of ancient Masonic secret so I'll be curious and decide to join?† â€Å"The Masons do not recruit, Robert, you know that. Besides, you've already told me you'd prefer not to join.† This was true. Langdon had great respect for Masonic philosophy and symbolism, and yet he had decided never to be initiated; the order's vows of secrecy would prevent him from discussing Freemasonry with his students. It had been for this same reason that Socrates had refused to formally participate in the Eleusinian Mysteries. As Langdon now regarded the mysterious little box and its Masonic seal, he could not help but ask the obvious question. â€Å"Why not entrust this to one of your Masonic brothers?† â€Å"Let's just say I have an instinct it would be safer stored outside the brotherhood. And please don't let the size of this package fool you. If what my father told me is correct, then it contains something of substantial power.† He paused. â€Å"A talisman, of sorts.† Did he say a talisman? By definition, a talisman was an object with magical powers. Traditionally, talismans were used for bringing luck, warding off evil spirits, or aiding in ancient rituals. â€Å"Peter, you do realize that talismans went out of vogue in the Middle Ages, right?† Peter laid a patient hand on Langdon's shoulder. â€Å"I know how this sounds, Robert. I've known you a long time, and your skepticism is one of your greatest strengths as an academic. It is also your greatest weakness. I know you well enough to know you're not a man I can ask to believe . . . only to trust. So now I am asking you to trust me when I tell you this talisman is powerful. I was told it can imbue its possessor with the ability to bring order from chaos.† Langdon could only stare. The idea of â€Å"order from chaos† was one of the great Masonic axioms. Ordo ab chao. Even so, the claim that a talisman could impart any power at all was absurd, much less the power to bring order from chaos. â€Å"This talisman,† Solomon continued, â€Å"would be dangerous in the wrong hands, and unfortunately, I have reason to believe powerful people want to steal it from me.† His eyes were as serious as Langdon could ever recall. â€Å"I would like you to keep it safe for me for a while. Can you do that?† That night, Langdon sat alone at his kitchen table with the package and tried to imagine what could possibly be inside. In the end, he simply chalked it up to Peter's eccentricity and locked the package in his library's wall safe, eventually forgetting all about it. That was . . . until this morning. The phone call from the man with the southern accent. â€Å"Oh, Professor, I almost forgot!† the assistant had said after giving Langdon the specifics of his travel arrangements to D.C. â€Å"There is one more thing Mr. Solomon requested.† â€Å"Yes?† Langdon replied, his mind already moving to the lecture he had just agreed to give. â€Å"Mr. Solomon left a note here for you.† The man began reading awkwardly, as if trying to decipher Peter's penmanship. â€Å"`Please ask Robert . . . to bring . . . the small, sealed package I gave him many years ago.' † The man paused. â€Å"Does this make any sense to you?† Langdon felt surprised as he recalled the small box that had been sitting in his wall safe all this time. â€Å"Actually, yes. I know what Peter means.† â€Å"And you can bring it?† â€Å"Of course. Tell Peter I'll bring it.† â€Å"Wonderful.† The assistant sounded relieved. â€Å"Enjoy your speech tonight. Safe travels.† Before leaving home, Langdon had dutifully retrieved the wrapped package from the back of his safe and placed it in his shoulder bag. Now he was standing in the U.S. Capitol, feeling certain of only one thing. Peter Solomon would be horrified to know how badly Langdon had failed him. CHAPTER 25 My God, Katherine was right. As usual. Trish Dunne stared in amazement at the search-spider results that were materializing on the plasma wall before her. She had doubted the search would turn up any results at all, but in fact, she now had over a dozen hits. And they were still coming in. One entry in particular looked quite promising. Trish turned and shouted in the direction of the library. â€Å"Katherine? I think you'll want to see this!† It had been a couple of years since Trish had run a search spider like this, and tonight's results astounded her. A few years ago, this search would have been a dead end. Now, however, it seemed that the quantity of searchable digital material in the world had exploded to the point where someone could find literally anything. Incredibly, one of the keywords was a word Trish had never even heard before . . . and the search even found that. Katherine rushed through the control-room door. â€Å"What have you got?† â€Å"A bunch of candidates.† Trish motioned to the plasma wall. â€Å"Every one of these documents contains all of your key phrases verbatim.† Katherine tucked her hair behind her ear and scanned the list. â€Å"Before you get too excited,† Trish added, â€Å"I can assure you that most of these documents are not what you're looking for. They're what we call black holes. Look at the file sizes. Absolutely enormous. They're things like compressed archives of millions of e-mails, giant unabridged encyclopedia sets, global message boards that have been running for years, and so forth. By virtue of their size and diverse content, these files contain so many potential keywords that they suck in any search engine that comes anywhere near them.† Katherine pointed to one of the entries near the top of the list. â€Å"How about that one?† Trish smiled. Katherine was a step ahead, having found the sole file on the list that had a small file size. â€Å"Good eyes. Yeah, that's really our only candidate so far. In fact, that file's so small it can't be more than a page or so.† â€Å"Open it.† Katherine's tone was intense. Trish could not imagine a one-page document containing all the strange search strings Katherine had provided. Nonetheless, when she clicked and opened the document, the key phrases were there . . . crystal clear and easy to spot in the text. Katherine strode over, eyes riveted to the plasma wall. â€Å"This document is . . . redacted?† Trish nodded. â€Å"Welcome to the world of digitized text.† Automatic redaction had become standard practice when offering digitized documents. Redaction was a process wherein a server allowed a user to search the entire text, but then revealed only a small portion of it–a teaser of sorts–only that text immediately flanking the requested keywords. By omitting the vast majority of the text, the server avoided copyright infringement and also sent the user an intriguing message: I have the information you're searching for, but if you want the rest of it, you'll have to buy it from me. â€Å"As you can see,† Trish said, scrolling through the heavily abridged page, â€Å"the document contains all of your key phrases.† Katherine stared up at the redaction in silence. Trish gave her a minute and then scrolled back to the top of the page. Each of Katherine's key phrases was underlined in capital letters and accompanied by a small sample of teaser text–the two words that appeared on either side of the requested phrase. Trish could not imagine what this document was referring to. And what the heck is a â€Å"symbolon†? Katherine stepped eagerly toward the screen. â€Å"Where did this document come from? Who wrote it?† Trish was already working on it. â€Å"Give me a second. I'm trying to chase down the source.† â€Å"I need to know who wrote this,† Katherine repeated, her voice intense. â€Å"I need to see the rest of it.† â€Å"I'm trying,† Trish said, startled by the edge in Katherine's tone. Strangely, the file's location was not displaying as a traditional Web address but rather as a numeric Internet Protocol address. â€Å"I can't unmask the IP,† Trish said. â€Å"The domain name's not coming up. Hold on.† She pulled up her terminal window. â€Å"I'll run a traceroute.† Trish typed the sequence of commands to ping all the â€Å"hops† between her control room's machine and whatever machine was storing this document. â€Å"Tracing now,† she said, executing the command. Traceroutes were extremely fast, and a long list of network devices appeared almost instantly on the plasma wall. Trish scanned down . . . down . . . through the path of routers and switches that connected her machine to . . . What the hell? Her trace had stopped before reaching the document's server. Her ping, for some reason, had hit a network device that swallowed it rather than bouncing it back. â€Å"It looks like my traceroute got blocked,† Trish said. Is that even possible? â€Å"Run it again.† Trish launched another traceroute and got the same result. â€Å"Nope. Dead end. It's like this document is on a server that is untraceable.† She looked at the last few hops before the dead end. â€Å"I can tell you, though, it's located somewhere in the D.C. area.† â€Å"You're kidding.† â€Å"Not surprising,† Trish said. â€Å"These spider programs spiral out geographically, meaning the first results are always local. Besides, one of your search strings was `Washington, D.C.' â€Å" â€Å"How about a `who is' search?† Katherine prompted. â€Å"Wouldn't that tell you who owns the domain?† A bit lowbrow, but not a bad idea. Trish navigated to the â€Å"who is† database and ran a search for the IP, hoping to match the cryptic numbers to an actual domain name. Her frustration was now tempered by rising curiosity. Who has this document? The â€Å"who is† results appeared quickly, showing no match, and Trish held up her hands in defeat. â€Å"It's like this IP address doesn't exist. I can't get any information about it at all.† â€Å"Obviously the IP exists. We've just searched a document that's stored there!† True. And yet whoever had this document apparently preferred not to share his or her identity. â€Å"I'm not sure what to tell you. Systems traces aren't really my thing, and unless you want to call in someone with hacking skills, I'm at a loss.† â€Å"Do you know someone?† Trish turned and stared at her boss. â€Å"Katherine, I was kidding. It's not exactly a great idea.† â€Å"But it is done?† She checked her watch. â€Å"Um, yeah . . . all the time. Technically it's pretty easy.† â€Å"Who do you know?† â€Å"Hackers?† Trish laughed nervously. â€Å"Like half the guys at my old job.† â€Å"Anyone you trust?† Is she serious? Trish could see Katherine was dead serious. â€Å"Well, yeah,† she said hurriedly. â€Å"I know this one guy we could call. He was our systems security specialist–serious computer geek. He wanted to date me, which kind of sucked, but he's a good guy, and I'd trust him. Also, he does freelance.† â€Å"Can he be discreet?† â€Å"He's a hacker. Of course he can be discreet. That's what he does. But I'm sure he'd want at least a thousand bucks to even look–â€Å" â€Å"Call him. Offer him double for fast results.† Trish was not sure what made her more uncomfortable–helping Katherine Solomon hire a hacker . . . or calling a guy who probably still found it impossible to believe a pudgy, redheaded metasystems analyst would rebuff his romantic advances. â€Å"You're sure about this?† â€Å"Use the phone in the library,† Katherine said. â€Å"It's got a blocked number. And obviously don't use my name.† â€Å"Right.† Trish headed for the door but paused when she heard Katherine's iPhone chirp. With luck, the incoming text message might be information that would grant Trish a reprieve from this distasteful task. She waited as Katherine fished the iPhone from her lab coat's pocket and eyed the screen. Katherine Solomon felt a wave of relief to see the name on her iPhone. At last. PETER SOLOMON â€Å"It's a text message from my brother,† she said, glancing over at Trish. Trish looked hopeful. â€Å"So maybe we should ask him about all this . . . before we call a hacker?† Katherine eyed the redacted document on the plasma wall and heard Dr. Abaddon's voice. That which your brother believes is hidden in D.C. . . . it can be found. Katherine had no idea what to believe anymore, and this document represented information about the far-fetched ideas with which Peter had apparently become obsessed. Katherine shook her head. â€Å"I want to know who wrote this and where it's located. Make the call.† Trish frowned and headed for the door. Whether or not this document would be able to explain the mystery of what her brother had told Dr. Abaddon, there was at least one mystery that had been solved today. Her brother had finally learned how to use the text-messaging feature on the iPhone Katherine had given him. â€Å"And alert the media,† Katherine called after Trish. â€Å"The great Peter Solomon just sent his first text message.† In a strip-mall parking lot across the street from the SMSC, Mal'akh stood beside his limo, stretching his legs and waiting for the phone call he knew would be coming. The rain had stopped, and a winter moon had started to break through the clouds. It was the same moon that had shone down on Mal'akh through the oculus of the House of the Temple three months ago during his initiation. The world looks different tonight. As he waited, his stomach growled again. His two-day fast, although uncomfortable, was critical to his preparation. Such were the ancient ways. Soon all physical discomforts would be inconsequential. As Mal'akh stood in the cold night air, he chuckled to see that fate had deposited him, rather ironically, directly in front of a tiny church. Here, nestled between Sterling Dental and a minimart, was a tiny sanctuary. LORD'S HOUSE OF GLORY. Mal'akh gazed at the window, which displayed part of the church's doctrinal statement: WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS BEGOTTEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY, AND IS BOTH TRUE MAN AND GOD. Mal'akh smiled. Yes, Jesus is indeed both–man and God–but a virgin birth is not the prerequisite for divinity. That is not how it happens. The ring of a cell phone cut the night air, quickening his pulse. The phone that was now ringing was Mal'akh's own–a cheap disposable phone he had purchased yesterday. The caller ID indicated it was the call he had been anticipating. A local call, Mal'akh mused, gazing out across Silver Hill Road toward the faint moonlit outline of a zigzag roofline over the treetops. Mal'akh flipped open his phone. â€Å"This is Dr. Abaddon,† he said, tuning his voice deeper. â€Å"It's Katherine,† the woman's voice said. â€Å"I finally heard from my brother.† â€Å"Oh, I'm relieved. How is he?† â€Å"He's on his way to my lab right now,† Katherine said. â€Å"In fact, he suggested you join us.† â€Å"I'm sorry?† Mal'akh feigned hesitation. â€Å"In your . . . lab?† â€Å"He must trust you deeply. He never invites anyone back there.† â€Å"I suppose maybe he thinks a visit might help our discussions, but I feel like it's an intrusion.† â€Å"If my brother says you're welcome, then you're welcome. Besides, he said he has a lot to tell us both, and I'd love to get to the bottom of what's going on.† â€Å"Very well, then. Where exactly is your lab?† â€Å"At the Smithsonian Museum Support Center. Do you know where that is?† â€Å"No,† Mal'akh said, staring across the parking lot at the complex. â€Å"I'm actually in my car right now, and I have a guidance system. What's the address?† â€Å"Forty-two-ten Silver Hill Road.† â€Å"Okay, hold on. I'll type it in.† Mal'akh waited for ten seconds and then said, â€Å"Ah, good news, it looks like I'm closer than I thought. The GPS says I'm only about ten minutes away.† â€Å"Great. I'll phone the security gate and tell them you're coming through.† â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"I'll see you shortly.† Mal'akh pocketed the disposable phone and looked out toward the SMSC. Was I rude to invite myself? Smiling, he now pulled out Peter Solomon's iPhone and admired the text message he had sent Katherine several minutes earlier. Got your messages. All's fine. Busy day. Forgot appointment with Dr. Abaddon. Sorry not to mention him sooner. Long story. Am headed to lab now. If available, have Dr. Abaddon join us inside. I trust him fully, and I have much to tell you both. –Peter Not surprisingly, Peter's iPhone now pinged with an incoming reply from Katherine. peter, congrats on learning to text! relieved you're okay. spoke to dr. A., and he is coming to lab. see you shortly! –k Clutching Solomon's iPhone, Mal'akh crouched down under his limousine and wedged the phone between the front tire and the pavement. This phone had served Mal'akh well . . . but now it was time it became untraceable. He climbed behind the wheel, put the car in gear, and crept forward until he heard the sharp crack of the iPhone imploding. Mal'akh put the car back in park and stared out at the distant silhouette of the SMSC. Ten minutes. Peter Solomon's sprawling warehouse housed over thirty million treasures, but Mal'akh had come here tonight to obliterate only the two most valuable. All of Katherine Solomon's research. And Katherine Solomon herself.