Saturday, November 30, 2019

Office Carpet Cleaning Options Rug Doctor vs. Professional free essay sample

Office Carpet Cleaning Options: Rug Doctor vs.. Professional Carpet Cleaners Introduction Professional carpet cleaning systems have been in use since the sasss, not only cleaning the many spills and dirty footprints but also making the environment much healthier removing many different mite allergens from the carpet. Over time, two leading carpet cleaning techniques have dominated the market, professional carpet cleaners and rent do-it-yourself carpet cleaning equipment. The leader in rent do-it- yourself carpet cleaning is Rug Doctor offering convenient, compact, and powerful hot eater extraction carpet cleaning machines that can be found in over 33,000 grocery, drug, hardware, and home center stores across the United States (Rent The Rug Doctor). The second leading carpet cleaning technique, professional carpet cleaners, offering highly-effective hot-water extraction method to remove ground-in dirt and debris that may or may not be visible to the naked eye using a truck mounted vacuum system. Currently, at G-M Accounting Firm, the carpet looks extremely dirty lowering the customers image of the firm, possibly losing business. We will write a custom essay sample on Office Carpet Cleaning Options: Rug Doctor vs. Professional or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Considering that the firms alluding is new, as of a year ago, it is important to maintain the carpet so it will last longer as well. Studies have also shown that a dirty carpet creates a health concern for people. The purpose of this report is to understand what carpet cleaning technique, Rug Doctor or professional carpet cleaners, is the best choice for the firm. It is important for the firm to select the right technique to maintain the current carpet, keep the carpet as clean as possible to ensure the health of the employees, and to keep the cost of the project down. Through secondary research and primary research using a river, this report will give the firm crucial information about carpet cleaning. The goals of this report are to (1) examine the consequences involved with dirty carpet (2) compare the rent do-it-yourself, Rug Doctor, and professional carpet cleaners performance, and (3) compare the costs of two techniques. A survey from the employees will provide additional information to achieve the reports goals. Finally, the report will draw conclusions from the collected information and suggest a recommendation based on those conclusions. Secondary Research Using Professional and Scholarly Journals Consequences of Dirty Carpet A major consequence trot d arty carpet and poor maintenance in the workplace is a poor business image. In the business world it is important to have a good business image as it creates the customers perception of the business. The first impression your business projects is when a client walk through the door is the physical image. In the article Image Is Everything Nikkei Swartz states, Image is everything. It is a reflection of every plan your company executes service offerings, pricing, customer service, advertising, sales, network quality and you should cultivate it with care 1999). Often time businesses image go hand to hand with the quality of work produced, for example, if the company is well maintained and clean they are more likely to produce a superior product (Publish). The second major consequence of dirty carpet is the health concerns it creates for the employees. Studies have shown that improperly maintained office carpets can contribute to absenteeism and decrease employee productivity. Dirty carpets can contribute to poor indoor air quality, which can be responsible for many health effects such as fatigue, headaches, nausea, dizziness, respiratory illnesses and the inability to concentrate. Also people with weak immune systems, asthma or other respiratory conditions working on maintained carpet are at increased risk for illness leading to missing work. Office mold, dust mites, and other allergens in the carpet are the often responsible for the many health concerns (Lutz, Sham, Cast, Amended ; Buckley, 2010). Performance of Technique The cleaning performances of the different techniques are very similar as both Rug Doctor and Professional Carpet Cleaners are using a hot water extraction cleaning method. In a study, by Lie-Mining Yin, it was found that using a hot water extraction leaning system when removing lead from carpet it reduced the amount of lead up to 40% compared to that of a normal everyday vacuum (2008). According to Consumer Reports article, The best way to really clean carpets, the Rug Doctor had a cleaning grade of good and a dryness grade of very good, but was inconvenient because you have to push the heavy machine around. In the same article they graded a professional carpet cleaning service, which got a cleaning grade of excellent. Although the cleaning grade was excellent they could not Judge dryness. Dryness could more than likely have a poor grade as it routine for professional cleaners to raise all furniture on blocks because the carpet needs approximately one day to dry (2003). Cost of Technique The cost from professional cleaning service and Rug Doctor are drastically different. The Rug Doctor is the less expensive of the two options and can either be rented, which is about $20 per day, or purchased online between the price ranges from $400-$600. The other cost that must be considered with the Rug Doctor is that someone NAS to operate the machine. Professional carpet cleaning is much more expensive and varies on the amount of carpet being cleaned. The national average per square foot cost for professional cleaning is $0. 30-$0. 40, which is usually about $40 a room. Additional cost may take place if being cleaned on the weekend for many companies (Consumer Reports). Primary Research Using Surveys Conducting the Survey For this report I had a survey filled out by 20 business professionals. My goal was to discover what they believe the appearance of a dirty carpet at an office does for consumer satisfaction and if they believe any health concerns are related to a dirty repeat. The survey was five questions that asked the professionals to rate their level of agreement with the statements related to the effect that a dirty carpet has on overall image of the business, first impression of the business, effect on health problems, overall health, and how often carpets should be cleaned. Results After reviewing all of the surveys all business professionals agreed that dirty carpet lowers the first impression and overall image of the business. Comments were made concerning how the maintenance of your company is related to how well the company is run. The majority of the professionals agreed that having dirty carpet could possibly cause health problems, which is also connected to lowering their overall health. In the last question concerning how often carpet should be cleaned a majority of the business professionals agreed that a cleaning should take place every 1-2 years. Conclusions Based on the findings of my secondary research and my primary research involving a survey with the employees the following conclusions are drawn: 1 . Having dirty carpets in the workplace lowers the overall image of the firm, possibly losing customers. . Health concerns increase with dirty carpet, leading to employees being ill and having to call off work. 3. Both the Rug Doctor and professional cleaning service are effective in cleaning carpet, but the drying time with the professional cleaning service is much longer. . The overall cost of the Rug Doctor is much lower compared to a professional carpet cleaning service. 5 Business professionals agree that a business should years, in addition to the usual daily vacuum use. Recommendations clean there carpet every Supported by the findings and conclusions of this report, the following commendations are offered in an effort to provide G-M Accounting Firm with the best carpet cleaning technique:

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Manejar en EEUU auto con placas de México

Manejar en EEUU auto con placas de Mà ©xico Es obvio que en la zona fronteriza los turistas mexicanos pueden ingresar a Estados Unidos manejando sus autos con placas mexicanas. Adems,  nada impide que el viaje se extienda mucho ms all de la frontera y alcance cualquiera de los 48 estados continentales contiguos del paà ­s. Es decir, se excluye Alaska y Hawaii. Para manejar sin problemas en Estados Unidos con un auto con placas de Mà ©xico este artà ­culo explica cules son los requisitos que se deben cumplir, con informacià ³n detallada sobre el seguro del auto. Adems, se  detalla quà © acciones se deben evitar y, finalmente, informacià ³n general pero relevante sobre cruce de frontera y procedimientos migratorios y de aduanas que deben ser tenidos en cuenta. Requerimientos para manejar un auto con placas mexicanas en EE.UU. Todos los dà ­as miles de autos mexicanos cruzan la frontera por los puentes internacionales. Generalmente, limitan sus viajes a unas pocas millas dentro del territorio estadounidense y se regresan inmediatamente pero nada impide estancias ms largas y alejadas de la zona fronteriza. Para no tener problemas, hay que tener en cuenta los siguientes puntos: En primer lugar, el chà ³fer mexicano debe tener una licencia de manejar de su paà ­s vlida. Adems, si va a adentrarse a estados no fronterizos serà ­a conveniente que antes de salir de Mà ©xico adquiriese una licencia internacional de manejar, que es una traduccià ³n a varios idiomas, incluido el inglà ©s, de su licencia. En segundo lugar, el automà ³vil debe tener placas y registracià ³n vlidas.   En tercer lugar, tener en cuenta que en las aduanas y fronteras de los Estados Unidos, los  autos viejos  pueden ser rechazados para ingresar  por incumplir con los requerimientos medioambientales. Por lo tanto, verificar que se est al dà ­a en el cumplimiento de estos requisitos, principalmente cuando se trata de un auto viejo. En cuarto lugar, un auto mexicano puede estar en manos de un turista hasta un mximo de un aà ±o. Pero,  si se va a estar ms de 30 dà ­as en el mismo estado, comprobar con el Department of Motor Vehicles del estado en el que se encuentre sobre si hay algà ºn requerimiento adicional que cumplir. Destacar que aunque el auto puede estar legalmente en EE.UU., en teorà ­a, hasta un aà ±o, eso no quiere decir que el turista que lo maneja o todos los que viajan en su interior puedan estar legalmente en Estados Unidos por todo ese tiempo. Hay que mirar las condiciones de la visa americana con la que se ingresa al paà ­s. Si se tiene una lser, el tiempo que se puede permanecer en Estados Unidos y los lugares a los que se puede viajar son ms restringidos que si se ingresa con una visa de turista. Si se tiene una de estas visas, verificar en el I-94 cunto tiempo es posible permanecer legalmente en EE.UU. Generalmente la estancia se permite por 180 dà ­as, pero puede ser por menos tiempo. Adems, si se quiere prolongar la estancia es posible solicitar una extensià ³n de la visa de turista. Seguro de auto mexicano en carreteras de EE.UU. Quiz el requisito fundamental es contar con una pà ³liza de seguro de auto que dà © cobertura, como mà ­nimo, para lesiones de ocupantes y daà ±os a terceros en sus personas y/o bienes. Y hay que obtener una certificacià ³n de esa pà ³liza en inglà ©s. En muchas ocasiones, este seguro mexicano no cubre eventualidades que puedan ocurrir manejando el auto en Estados Unidos. En este caso, hay que contratar uno que sà ­ brinde esta cobertura. Adems, es importante incluir en esa pà ³liza a todos los posible conductores que vayan a manejar el auto en Estados Unidos, si es que va a hacerlo ms de un ocupante del automà ³vil. Estos seguros se pueden contratar por un sà ³lo dà ­a, por meses o hasta un aà ±o. Es muy importante tener en cuenta que si se planea viajar por varios estados, la cobertura mà ­nima puede variar. Asegurarse de cumplir con las leyes estatales que se pueden consultar en el Departamento de Vehà ­culos a Motor de cada estado (liability, en inglà ©s). Varias aseguradoras mexicanas ofrecen este tipo de pà ³liza. Tambià ©n es posible contratarla cerca de la frontera, del lado mexicano.  Si la policà ­a para al auto, sin duda van a pedir que se enseà ±e esta certificacià ³n. Si se tiene alguna inquietud,  marcar al telà ©fono de la CIAM. Se puede llamar desde Estados Unidos y tambià ©n desde Mà ©xico.  Resuelven dudas de diverso tipo, incluidas las que afectan a seguros de auto  y son muy competentes en sus respuestas. Cà ³mo evitar problemas manejando en EE.UU. un auto con placas mexicanas El asunto del manejo en Estados Unidos de automà ³viles con placas extranjeras est regulado por ley federal y por las leyes estatales. La federal es el tratado de 1949 conocido como Inter-American Convenction Road Traffic. Si la policà ­a para el automà ³vil y uno de los ocupantes resulta ser un inmigrante indocumentado, es posible que el auto acabe embargado por la Policà ­a de Fronteras (ICE, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) y que acabe siendo subastado. Es decir, que el dueà ±o se quede sin su auto. En los casos de multas por una infraccià ³n de trnsito, es conveniente pagarla. En la actualidad, las computadoras en los controles migratorios de Estados Unidos estn conectados a una base de datos que se llama TECS que contiene, entre otras, informacià ³n que proveen los Departamentos de Vehà ­culos de los diferentes estados y estn notificando multas de trfico, aunque no es asà ­ en todos los casos. Finalmente, los  ciudadanos americanos y los residentes permanentes legales con licencias de manejar de los Estados Unidos (que es la que tienen que tener) no pueden manejar en el paà ­s un automà ³vil con placas mexicanas. Est prohibido, del mismo modo que los mexicanos residentes en Mà ©xico  no pueden por ley manejar en su paà ­s un auto con placas de los Estados Unidos. Tips à ºtiles para turistas mexicanos en Estados Unidos   Para evitar problemas muy serios como quedarse en situacià ³n de ilegalidad, cancelacià ³n o revocacià ³n de visas o que en el control migratorio simplemente impidan el ingreso al paà ­s, es necesario tener en cuenta asunto como con  Ã‚  cunta frecuencia se puede ingresar como turista a Estados Unidos  y tener muy claro quà ©Ã‚  pasa si se queda en Estados Unidos ms tiempo del permitido. Tambià ©n es interesante  saber  cunto dinero se puede  ingresar legalmente a Estados Unidos  y, si trae mascota, asegurarse de que goce de buen estado de salud y de que tenga todos los documentos en regla. Lo que se pide va a depender del lugar de procedencia y  del tipo de mascota.   A la hora de cruzar la frontera terrestre entre Mà ©xico y Estados Unidos es posible acelerar el paso por el control migratorio si se forma parte del programa  SENTRI. En los dems casos, conviene evitar los dà ­as y horas de mucho trfico, cuando los retrasos pueden ser enormes en los puentes internacionales.   Finalmente, se recomienda tomar este  test o quiz  sobre la visa de turista  para asegurarte de que tienes los conocimientos que debes saber para sacarla y conservarla.   Este artà ­culo no es asesorà ­a legal para ningà ºn caso especà ­fico. Es sà ³lo informacià ³n de carcter general.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Blood Promise Chapter TwentyFour

I’d never seen it coming. Hell, no one had. Avery had made a good show of being an air user. Each Moroi had a very low level of control in each element. She’d just barely done enough with air to make it seem like that was her specialization. No one had questioned her further because honestly, who would have ever expected another spirit user around? And since she was out of school, she had no reason to be tested anymore or forced to demonstrate her ability. No one was there to call her on it. The more I thought about it, the more the little signs were there. The charming personality, the way she could talk people into anything. How many of her interactions were spirit controlled? And was it possible†¦ was it possible that Adrian’s attraction had been compulsion on her part? I had no reason to feel happy about that, but†¦ well, I did. More to the point, what did Avery want with Lissa? Avery compelling Adrian into liking her wasn’t too out there. He was good-looking and came from an important family. He was the queen’s great-nephew, and although family members of the current monarch could never inherit the throne immediately afterward, he’d have a good future, one that would always keep him in the highest circles of society. But Lissa? What was Avery’s game there? What did she have to gain? Lissa’s behavior all made sense now-the uncharacteristic partying, weird moods, jealousy, fights with Christian†¦ Avery was pushing Lissa over the edge, causing her to make horrible choices. Avery was using some sort of compulsion to spin Lissa out of control, alienating her and putting her life in danger. Why? What did Avery want? It didn’t matter. The why wasn’t important. The how was, as in how I was going to get out of here and back to my best friend. I looked down at myself, at the delicate silk dress I wore. Suddenly, I hated it. It was a sign of how I’d been, weak and useless. I hastily took it off and ransacked my closet. They’d taken away my jeans and T-shirt, but I’d at least been allowed to keep my hoodie. I put on the green sweater dress, seeing as it was the sturdiest thing I had, feeling moderately more capable. I slipped the hoodie on over it. It hardly made me feel like a badass warrior, but I did feel more competent. Sufficiently dressed for action, I returned to the living room and started that pacing that tended to help me think better-not that I had any reason to believe I was going to come up with new ideas. I’d been trying to for days and days with no luck. Nothing was going to change. â€Å"Damn it!† I yelled, feeling better with the outburst. Angry, I flounced into the desk chair, amazed that I hadn’t simply thrown it against the wall in my frustration. The chair wobbled, ever so slightly. Frowning, I stood up and looked at it. Everything else in this place was state-of-the-art. Odd that I’d have a faulty chair. I knelt down and examined it more closely. There, on one of the legs, was a crack near where the leg joined with the seat. I stared. All of the furniture here was industrial strength, with no obvious joints. I should know, seeing how long I’d beat this chair against the wall when I first arrived. I hadn’t even dented it. Where had this crack come from? Slamming it over and over had done nothing. But I hadn’t been the only one to hit it. That very first day, I’d fought with Dimitri and come after him with the chair. He’d taken it from me and thrown it against the wall. I’d never paid attention to it again, having given up on breaking it. When I’d later tried cracking the window, I’d used an end table because it was heavier. My strength hadn’t been able to damage the chair-but his had. I picked up the chair and immediately slammed it into that diamond-hard window, half-hoping I might kill two birds with one stone. Nope. Both remained intact. So I did it again. And again. I lost track of how many times I slammed that chair into the glass. My hands hurt, and I knew despite my recovery, I still wasn’t at full strength. It was infuriating. Finally, on what felt like my gazillionth try, I looked at the chair and saw the crack had grown bigger. The progress renewed my will and strength. I hit and hit, ignoring the pain as the wood bit into my hands. At long last, I heard a crack, and the leg broke off. I picked it up and stared in amazement. The break hadn’t been clean. It was splintered and sharp. Sharp enough to be a stake? I wasn’t sure. But I knew for a fact that wood was hard, and if I used enough force, I might be able to hit a Strigoi’s heart. It wouldn’t kill one, but the blow would stun. I didn’t know if it’d be enough to get me out of here, but it was all I had now. And it was a hell of a lot more than I’d had one hour ago. I sat back on the bed, recovering from my battle with the chair and tossing the makeshift stake back and forth. Okay. I had a weapon now. But what could I do with it? Dimitri’s face flashed in my mind’s eye. Damn it. There was no question about it. He was the obvious target, the one I’d have to deal with first. The door suddenly clicked open, and I looked up with alarm. Quickly, I shoved the chair into a dark corner as panic raced through me. No, no. I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t fully convinced myself to stake him. It was Inna. She carried a tray but didn’t wear her usual subservient expression. The brief look she gave me was filled with hate. I didn’t know what she had to be pissed off about. It wasn’t like I’d caused her any damage. Yet. I strode over like I was going to examine the tray. Lifting the lid, I saw a ham sandwich and french fries. It looked good-I hadn’t eaten in a while -but the adrenaline running through me had shoved any appetite I might have to the background. I glanced back up at her, smiling sweetly. She shot me daggers. Don’t hesitate, Dimitri had always said. I didn’t. I jumped at Inna, throwing her so hard against the floor that her head slammed back. She looked dazed, but quickly recovered and tried to fight back. I wasn’t drugged up this time-well, not much-and my years of training and natural strength finally showed themselves again. I pressed my body against her, keeping her firmly in place. Then, I produced the stake I’d had concealed and pressed those sharp points against her neck. It was like being back in the days of pinning Strigoi in alleys. She couldn’t see that my weapon was a chair leg, but the sharp points got her attention as I dug them into her throat. â€Å"The code,† I said. â€Å"What is the code?† Her only response was a string of obscenities in Russian. Okay, not a surprise, considering she probably didn’t understand me. I flipped through the meager Russian-English dictionary in my head. I’d been in the country long enough to pick up some vocabulary. Admittedly, it was equivalent to a two-year-old’s, but even they could communicate. â€Å"Numbers,† I said in Russian. â€Å"Door.† At least, that’s what I hoped I said. She said more impolite things to me, her expression defiant. It really was the Strigoi interrogation all over. My stake bit harder, drawing blood, and I forcibly restrained myself. I might question whether I had the strength to pierce a Strigoi heart with this, but severing a human’s vein? Cake. She faltered a little, apparently realizing the same thing. Again, I attempted my broken Russian. â€Å"Kill you. No Nathan. Never†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What was the word? The church service came back to me, and I hoped I had it right. â€Å"Never eternal life.† It got her attention. Nathan and eternal life. The things most important to her. She bit her lip, still angry, but her tirade had stopped. â€Å"Numbers. Door,† I repeated. I pushed the stake in harder, and she cried out in pain. At last she spoke, rattling off a series of digits. Russian numbers were something I had memorized pretty solidly, at least. They were essential for addresses and phone numbers. She cited seven numbers. â€Å"Again,† I said. I made her say it three times and hoped I had it. But there was more. I was pretty sure the outer door had a different code. â€Å"Numbers. Door. Two.† I felt like a caveman. Inna stared, not quite getting it. â€Å"Door. Two.† Understanding glinted in her eyes, and she looked mad. I think she’d hoped I wouldn’t realize the other door had its own code. More cutting with the stake made her scream seven more numbers. Again, I made her repeat them, realizing I had no way to know if she was telling me the truth at least until I tried the numbers. For that reason, I decided to keep her around. I felt guilty about what I did next, but these were desperate times. In guardian training, I’d been taught both to kill and to incapacitate. I did the latter this time, slamming her head back against the floor and rendering her unconscious. Her expression went slack, her eyelids drooping. Damn. I was reduced to hurting teenage humans. Standing up, I moved to the door and punched in the first set of numbers, hoping I had them right. To my complete and utter astonishment, I did. The electronic lock clicked, but before I could open the door, I just barely made out another click. Someone had unlocked the outer door. â€Å"Shit,† I muttered. I pulled away from the door immediately, picked up Inna’s unconscious body, and hurried to the bathroom. I set her in the tub as gently as possible and had just shut the bathroom door when I heard the main door open. I felt the telltale nausea that signaled a Strigoi was nearby. I knew one of the Strigoi could smell a human, and I hoped shutting her away would be enough to mute Inna’s scent. I emerged from the hall and found Dimitri in the living room. I grinned at him and ran into his arms. â€Å"You’re back,† I said happily. He held me briefly and then stepped back. â€Å"Yes.† He seemed slightly pleased at the greeting, but soon his face was all business. â€Å"Have you made your decision?† No hello. No how are you feeling? My heart sank. This wasn’t Dimitri. â€Å"I have more questions.† I went over to the bed and lay down in a casual way, just like we always did. He followed a few moments later and sat on the edge, looking down at me. â€Å"How long will it take?† I asked. â€Å"When you awaken me? Is it instantaneous?† Once more, I launched into an interrogation session. Honestly, I was running out of questions, and at this point, I didn’t really want to know the intricacies of becoming Strigoi. I was becoming more and more agitated with each passing moment. I had to act. I had to make use of my fleeting opportunity here. And yet†¦ before I could act, I had to reassure myself that this really wasn’t Dimitri. It was stupid. I should know by now. I could see the physical changes. I’d seen his coldness, the brutality. I’d seen him come fresh from a kill. This wasn’t the man I’d loved. And yet†¦ for that one fleeting moment earlier†¦ With a sigh, Dimitri stretched out beside me. â€Å"Rose,† he interrupted, â€Å"if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were stalling for time.† Yeah, even as a Strigoi, Dimitri knew how I thought and schemed. I realized if I was going to be convincing, I had to stop playing dumb and remember to be Rose Hathaway. I put on a look of outrage. â€Å"Of course I am! This is a big deal. I came here to kill you, and now you’re asking me to join you. You think this is easy for me to do?† â€Å"Do you think it’s been easy for me to wait this long?† he asked. â€Å"The only ones who get choices are Moroi who willingly kill, like the Ozeras. No one else gets a choice. I didn’t get a choice.† â€Å"And don’t you regret that?† â€Å"No, not now. Now that I’m who I was meant to be.† He frowned. â€Å"The only thing hurt is my pride-that Nathan forced me and that he acts as though I’m indebted to him. Which is why I’m being kind enough to give you the choice now, for the sake of your pride.† Kind, huh? I looked at him and felt my heart breaking all over again. It was like hearing the news of his death once more. I suddenly grew afraid I might cry. No. No tears. Dimitri always talked about prey and predators. I had to be the predator. â€Å"You’re sweating,† he said suddenly. â€Å"Why?† Damn, damn, damn. Of course I was sweating. I was contemplating staking the man I loved-or thought I’d loved. And along with sweat, I was sure I was giving off pheromones of my agitation. Strigoi could smell all of those things, too. â€Å"Because I’m scared,† I whispered. I propped myself up and stroked the edge of his face, trying to memorize all of his features. The eyes. The hair. The shape of his cheekbones. In my imagination, I overlaid the things I remembered. Dark eyes. Tanned skin. Sweet smile. â€Å"I†¦ I think I’m ready, but it’s†¦ I don’t know. It’s such a big thing.† â€Å"It’ll be the best decision of your life, Roza.† My breathing was growing rapid, and I prayed he’d think it was because of my fear of being turned. â€Å"Tell me again. One more time. Why do you want to awaken me so badly?† A slightly weary look crossed his face. â€Å"Because I want you. I’ve always wanted you.† And that’s when I knew. I finally realized the problem. He’d given that same answer over and over, and each time, something about it had bothered me. I’d never been able to pinpoint it, though. Now I could. He wanted me. Wanted me in the way people wanted possessions or collectibles. The Dimitri I’d known†¦ the one I’d fallen for and slept with†¦ that Dimitri would have said he wanted us to be together because he loved me. There was no love here. I smiled at him. Leaning down, I kissed him gently. He probably thought I was doing it for the reasons I always did, out of attraction and desire. In truth, it was a goodbye kiss. His mouth answered mine, his lips warm and eager. I held out the kiss a little longer, both to fight back the tears leaking out of my eyes and to lull him into an unsuspecting state. My hand closed around the chair leg, which I’d hidden in my hoodie pocket. I would never forget Dimitri, not for the rest of my life. And this time, I wouldn’t forget his lessons. With a speed he wasn’t ready for, I struck out and plunged the stake through his chest. My strength was there-sliding the stake past the ribs and straight into his heart. And as I did it, it was like piercing my own heart at the same time. Blood Promise Chapter TwentyFour I’d never seen it coming. Hell, no one had. Avery had made a good show of being an air user. Each Moroi had a very low level of control in each element. She’d just barely done enough with air to make it seem like that was her specialization. No one had questioned her further because honestly, who would have ever expected another spirit user around? And since she was out of school, she had no reason to be tested anymore or forced to demonstrate her ability. No one was there to call her on it. The more I thought about it, the more the little signs were there. The charming personality, the way she could talk people into anything. How many of her interactions were spirit controlled? And was it possible†¦ was it possible that Adrian’s attraction had been compulsion on her part? I had no reason to feel happy about that, but†¦ well, I did. More to the point, what did Avery want with Lissa? Avery compelling Adrian into liking her wasn’t too out there. He was good-looking and came from an important family. He was the queen’s great-nephew, and although family members of the current monarch could never inherit the throne immediately afterward, he’d have a good future, one that would always keep him in the highest circles of society. But Lissa? What was Avery’s game there? What did she have to gain? Lissa’s behavior all made sense now-the uncharacteristic partying, weird moods, jealousy, fights with Christian†¦ Avery was pushing Lissa over the edge, causing her to make horrible choices. Avery was using some sort of compulsion to spin Lissa out of control, alienating her and putting her life in danger. Why? What did Avery want? It didn’t matter. The why wasn’t important. The how was, as in how I was going to get out of here and back to my best friend. I looked down at myself, at the delicate silk dress I wore. Suddenly, I hated it. It was a sign of how I’d been, weak and useless. I hastily took it off and ransacked my closet. They’d taken away my jeans and T-shirt, but I’d at least been allowed to keep my hoodie. I put on the green sweater dress, seeing as it was the sturdiest thing I had, feeling moderately more capable. I slipped the hoodie on over it. It hardly made me feel like a badass warrior, but I did feel more competent. Sufficiently dressed for action, I returned to the living room and started that pacing that tended to help me think better-not that I had any reason to believe I was going to come up with new ideas. I’d been trying to for days and days with no luck. Nothing was going to change. â€Å"Damn it!† I yelled, feeling better with the outburst. Angry, I flounced into the desk chair, amazed that I hadn’t simply thrown it against the wall in my frustration. The chair wobbled, ever so slightly. Frowning, I stood up and looked at it. Everything else in this place was state-of-the-art. Odd that I’d have a faulty chair. I knelt down and examined it more closely. There, on one of the legs, was a crack near where the leg joined with the seat. I stared. All of the furniture here was industrial strength, with no obvious joints. I should know, seeing how long I’d beat this chair against the wall when I first arrived. I hadn’t even dented it. Where had this crack come from? Slamming it over and over had done nothing. But I hadn’t been the only one to hit it. That very first day, I’d fought with Dimitri and come after him with the chair. He’d taken it from me and thrown it against the wall. I’d never paid attention to it again, having given up on breaking it. When I’d later tried cracking the window, I’d used an end table because it was heavier. My strength hadn’t been able to damage the chair-but his had. I picked up the chair and immediately slammed it into that diamond-hard window, half-hoping I might kill two birds with one stone. Nope. Both remained intact. So I did it again. And again. I lost track of how many times I slammed that chair into the glass. My hands hurt, and I knew despite my recovery, I still wasn’t at full strength. It was infuriating. Finally, on what felt like my gazillionth try, I looked at the chair and saw the crack had grown bigger. The progress renewed my will and strength. I hit and hit, ignoring the pain as the wood bit into my hands. At long last, I heard a crack, and the leg broke off. I picked it up and stared in amazement. The break hadn’t been clean. It was splintered and sharp. Sharp enough to be a stake? I wasn’t sure. But I knew for a fact that wood was hard, and if I used enough force, I might be able to hit a Strigoi’s heart. It wouldn’t kill one, but the blow would stun. I didn’t know if it’d be enough to get me out of here, but it was all I had now. And it was a hell of a lot more than I’d had one hour ago. I sat back on the bed, recovering from my battle with the chair and tossing the makeshift stake back and forth. Okay. I had a weapon now. But what could I do with it? Dimitri’s face flashed in my mind’s eye. Damn it. There was no question about it. He was the obvious target, the one I’d have to deal with first. The door suddenly clicked open, and I looked up with alarm. Quickly, I shoved the chair into a dark corner as panic raced through me. No, no. I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t fully convinced myself to stake him. It was Inna. She carried a tray but didn’t wear her usual subservient expression. The brief look she gave me was filled with hate. I didn’t know what she had to be pissed off about. It wasn’t like I’d caused her any damage. Yet. I strode over like I was going to examine the tray. Lifting the lid, I saw a ham sandwich and french fries. It looked good-I hadn’t eaten in a while -but the adrenaline running through me had shoved any appetite I might have to the background. I glanced back up at her, smiling sweetly. She shot me daggers. Don’t hesitate, Dimitri had always said. I didn’t. I jumped at Inna, throwing her so hard against the floor that her head slammed back. She looked dazed, but quickly recovered and tried to fight back. I wasn’t drugged up this time-well, not much-and my years of training and natural strength finally showed themselves again. I pressed my body against her, keeping her firmly in place. Then, I produced the stake I’d had concealed and pressed those sharp points against her neck. It was like being back in the days of pinning Strigoi in alleys. She couldn’t see that my weapon was a chair leg, but the sharp points got her attention as I dug them into her throat. â€Å"The code,† I said. â€Å"What is the code?† Her only response was a string of obscenities in Russian. Okay, not a surprise, considering she probably didn’t understand me. I flipped through the meager Russian-English dictionary in my head. I’d been in the country long enough to pick up some vocabulary. Admittedly, it was equivalent to a two-year-old’s, but even they could communicate. â€Å"Numbers,† I said in Russian. â€Å"Door.† At least, that’s what I hoped I said. She said more impolite things to me, her expression defiant. It really was the Strigoi interrogation all over. My stake bit harder, drawing blood, and I forcibly restrained myself. I might question whether I had the strength to pierce a Strigoi heart with this, but severing a human’s vein? Cake. She faltered a little, apparently realizing the same thing. Again, I attempted my broken Russian. â€Å"Kill you. No Nathan. Never†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What was the word? The church service came back to me, and I hoped I had it right. â€Å"Never eternal life.† It got her attention. Nathan and eternal life. The things most important to her. She bit her lip, still angry, but her tirade had stopped. â€Å"Numbers. Door,† I repeated. I pushed the stake in harder, and she cried out in pain. At last she spoke, rattling off a series of digits. Russian numbers were something I had memorized pretty solidly, at least. They were essential for addresses and phone numbers. She cited seven numbers. â€Å"Again,† I said. I made her say it three times and hoped I had it. But there was more. I was pretty sure the outer door had a different code. â€Å"Numbers. Door. Two.† I felt like a caveman. Inna stared, not quite getting it. â€Å"Door. Two.† Understanding glinted in her eyes, and she looked mad. I think she’d hoped I wouldn’t realize the other door had its own code. More cutting with the stake made her scream seven more numbers. Again, I made her repeat them, realizing I had no way to know if she was telling me the truth at least until I tried the numbers. For that reason, I decided to keep her around. I felt guilty about what I did next, but these were desperate times. In guardian training, I’d been taught both to kill and to incapacitate. I did the latter this time, slamming her head back against the floor and rendering her unconscious. Her expression went slack, her eyelids drooping. Damn. I was reduced to hurting teenage humans. Standing up, I moved to the door and punched in the first set of numbers, hoping I had them right. To my complete and utter astonishment, I did. The electronic lock clicked, but before I could open the door, I just barely made out another click. Someone had unlocked the outer door. â€Å"Shit,† I muttered. I pulled away from the door immediately, picked up Inna’s unconscious body, and hurried to the bathroom. I set her in the tub as gently as possible and had just shut the bathroom door when I heard the main door open. I felt the telltale nausea that signaled a Strigoi was nearby. I knew one of the Strigoi could smell a human, and I hoped shutting her away would be enough to mute Inna’s scent. I emerged from the hall and found Dimitri in the living room. I grinned at him and ran into his arms. â€Å"You’re back,† I said happily. He held me briefly and then stepped back. â€Å"Yes.† He seemed slightly pleased at the greeting, but soon his face was all business. â€Å"Have you made your decision?† No hello. No how are you feeling? My heart sank. This wasn’t Dimitri. â€Å"I have more questions.† I went over to the bed and lay down in a casual way, just like we always did. He followed a few moments later and sat on the edge, looking down at me. â€Å"How long will it take?† I asked. â€Å"When you awaken me? Is it instantaneous?† Once more, I launched into an interrogation session. Honestly, I was running out of questions, and at this point, I didn’t really want to know the intricacies of becoming Strigoi. I was becoming more and more agitated with each passing moment. I had to act. I had to make use of my fleeting opportunity here. And yet†¦ before I could act, I had to reassure myself that this really wasn’t Dimitri. It was stupid. I should know by now. I could see the physical changes. I’d seen his coldness, the brutality. I’d seen him come fresh from a kill. This wasn’t the man I’d loved. And yet†¦ for that one fleeting moment earlier†¦ With a sigh, Dimitri stretched out beside me. â€Å"Rose,† he interrupted, â€Å"if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were stalling for time.† Yeah, even as a Strigoi, Dimitri knew how I thought and schemed. I realized if I was going to be convincing, I had to stop playing dumb and remember to be Rose Hathaway. I put on a look of outrage. â€Å"Of course I am! This is a big deal. I came here to kill you, and now you’re asking me to join you. You think this is easy for me to do?† â€Å"Do you think it’s been easy for me to wait this long?† he asked. â€Å"The only ones who get choices are Moroi who willingly kill, like the Ozeras. No one else gets a choice. I didn’t get a choice.† â€Å"And don’t you regret that?† â€Å"No, not now. Now that I’m who I was meant to be.† He frowned. â€Å"The only thing hurt is my pride-that Nathan forced me and that he acts as though I’m indebted to him. Which is why I’m being kind enough to give you the choice now, for the sake of your pride.† Kind, huh? I looked at him and felt my heart breaking all over again. It was like hearing the news of his death once more. I suddenly grew afraid I might cry. No. No tears. Dimitri always talked about prey and predators. I had to be the predator. â€Å"You’re sweating,† he said suddenly. â€Å"Why?† Damn, damn, damn. Of course I was sweating. I was contemplating staking the man I loved-or thought I’d loved. And along with sweat, I was sure I was giving off pheromones of my agitation. Strigoi could smell all of those things, too. â€Å"Because I’m scared,† I whispered. I propped myself up and stroked the edge of his face, trying to memorize all of his features. The eyes. The hair. The shape of his cheekbones. In my imagination, I overlaid the things I remembered. Dark eyes. Tanned skin. Sweet smile. â€Å"I†¦ I think I’m ready, but it’s†¦ I don’t know. It’s such a big thing.† â€Å"It’ll be the best decision of your life, Roza.† My breathing was growing rapid, and I prayed he’d think it was because of my fear of being turned. â€Å"Tell me again. One more time. Why do you want to awaken me so badly?† A slightly weary look crossed his face. â€Å"Because I want you. I’ve always wanted you.† And that’s when I knew. I finally realized the problem. He’d given that same answer over and over, and each time, something about it had bothered me. I’d never been able to pinpoint it, though. Now I could. He wanted me. Wanted me in the way people wanted possessions or collectibles. The Dimitri I’d known†¦ the one I’d fallen for and slept with†¦ that Dimitri would have said he wanted us to be together because he loved me. There was no love here. I smiled at him. Leaning down, I kissed him gently. He probably thought I was doing it for the reasons I always did, out of attraction and desire. In truth, it was a goodbye kiss. His mouth answered mine, his lips warm and eager. I held out the kiss a little longer, both to fight back the tears leaking out of my eyes and to lull him into an unsuspecting state. My hand closed around the chair leg, which I’d hidden in my hoodie pocket. I would never forget Dimitri, not for the rest of my life. And this time, I wouldn’t forget his lessons. With a speed he wasn’t ready for, I struck out and plunged the stake through his chest. My strength was there-sliding the stake past the ribs and straight into his heart. And as I did it, it was like piercing my own heart at the same time.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Knowledge Management at National Health Services Essay

Knowledge Management at National Health Services - Essay Example It also has 375 intensive care beds in total, and can accommodate a total of 2000 patients in the intensive care unit. The hospital aims to specialize in care giving for cancer and cardiovascular patients. it has employed around 200 doctors whose expertise includes breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal diseases and pediatrics. Reddix also employs nearly 400 nurses and other caregivers. The hospital has entirely integrated faculties for medical tests that are related to cancer and cardiovascular prognosis and diagnosis. One of the major problems that the hospital faces is the difficulty in the interoperability within the department systems. The hospital has different departments that cater to the different information needs. The hospital information system comprises the following six systems: Considering the number of systems it has it is evident that the hospital could have interoperability issues. Interoperability refers to the capacity of different and diverse systems and or physical components of a single system to work together through the use of agreed standards and specifications (Cetis, 2008). It helps the organization to create synergy in the organization. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, being inter-operable, the organization is able to work as a whole instead of working as separate entities. A recent report by the National Health Services criticized the Hospital Administration System of Reddix and said that it was extremely outdated and old and stated its concerns about the patient's files not being available to the concerned caregivers when it is direly required. This is because Reddix is unable to meet the IT needs that are needed so that the doctors, nurses and care givers can easily access all patients' files electronically whenever they nee d them. There are many strategies that the hospital can use in order to bring out a successful change process. In order to do that the Hospital needs to look at the problems individually and then come up with solutions. Specialists of management and healthcare were brought in to assess the current condition The major IT problem at Reddix is that they are using a centralized structured computing system to integrate all its IT applications and the software that is being used was developed nearly forty years ago using proprietary language which could only be used on limited software and did not have a very user friendly interface and there were problems relating to communication with other systems of Reddix such as clinical, diagnostic etc. It was also difficult to connect simple desktop applications such as word processing Reddix needs to develop a business plan that integrates a new IT system that will change its information processing in such a way that it benefits the organization as well as the people involved in it. As technology is progressing as we move into the next generation, there have been changes in the architecture of the information systems that are moving towards distributed computing systems. Distributed computing is a system of computer processing in which the system does not have a central server

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Federal Emergency Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Federal Emergency Management - Case Study Example It is considered a must-have in every fire department and a must read for all fire chiefs so as to help prevent future firefighter fatalities. The Charleston tragedy was both predictable and preventable but due to a sequence of ill-preparedness and ill-advised strategic ideas lives were lost. One of the most important lessons in preparedness that is outlined in the report and forms the focus of this study is the training of firefighting officers at all levels and rank. They should be trained in incident management systems, how to assess the risks involved, formulate and implement strategies and tactics and in the effective use and care of life-saving equipment. The report found that in addition to the risks posed by the building itself such as highly combustible materials in a large area next to a smoking zone and with no warning signs, the large area covered by the loading dock area, no firewalls or sprinklers, among other shortcomings relating to the training of the officers at the Charleston Fire Department also contributed to the unfortunate events of that evening. The officers at the Charleston Fire Department were poorly trained in incident management systems. The firefighting protocol is that the highest ranking officer that arrives at the scene first assumes the position of Incident Commander and initiates operations. The identity of the commander can change during the operation but there can only be one at a time. The Fire Chief and the Assistant Fire Chief did not formally assume command or establish a fixed command post immediately they arrived. They proceeded to join the other firemen already on the scene without an incident management system that would have provided command, control, and coordination of the emergency. Since there was no one that was officially in command, there were two teams that were not to be working in tandem at different areas of the warehouse.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Changing world of Work Project Essay Example for Free

The Changing world of Work Project Essay 1. Explain the different ways the length of time people stayed in their jobs have changed today since the time of my grandparents. In todays fast-pace society, one is constantly having to change, especially with regard to the jobs one has and the careers one may pursue. The Jobs for life idea is long gone. My grandparents probably started work for one company when they were aged around 15-16, and they would have been more likely to stay with the same company for the rest of their life until they retired. The majority of people, back in the day, tended to stay in one job. They may have progresses in the company (e.g. from assistant manager to manager to managing director). They would have never even thought about the possibility of changing their job, unless they were forced to do so (if they got fired for example). It is presumed that in a persons average working life, they will not change jobs several times, but will also change their line of career. Nowadays, there is no guarantee that one may have a job for life, so it is important for the working people in todays society to be prepared for change due to various factors which could be brought up. 2. Task 18.1:- Smith Brothers is a very traditional firm that makes garden furniture by hand. This furniture sells well locally and is always in demand. Over the last year, there has been an increase in the number of people buying garden furniture, especially of the wooden type. The brothers have a big decision to make, do they expand their business and create more jobs for people or modernise the company and bring in technology and let the computers make the furniture? The proposal has created a hostile reaction from the workers. List the reasons for and against Smith Brothers changing their method of production of garden furniture. [Concentrate on the good and bad points of using computers in the production process]. 1. Good points of using computers in the production business:- * More accurate measurements in making the furniture. * Less human error due to the use of computers. * Stronger fixtures as computers are being used. * Cut back on unnecessary costs e.g. employees wages. * Cut back on loss of time, as computers can be working for almost all of the day e.g. 19 hours a day. Whereas humans cant be working for that long. 2. Bad Points of using computers in the production business:- * The degree of flexibility required by an employee in order to get a job will increase if more computers are used. * Although, the Smith Brothers will be making cuts in the initial number of employees (replaced by computers) they will have to employ technicians to ensure that their computers are working constantly. * If something serious happens to a computer, the whole system may be disrupted, thus delaying production of the furniture. * If the measurement in the prototype goes wrong, then the computers will automatically continue to make the wrong products, thus increasing the time needed for production, wasting resources, money and materials. * Dealing with computers/machines may require a certain amount of training, especially in the production process, knowing when to push which switch etc. therefore, this will take time and may cost money in order to train the employees to know how to make them work. WEEK 2 1. Task 18.2:- You have been given the task of trying to change the attitude of the people that work with you, with regard to training as they feel it is not worth it. Give your reasons and examples as to why you think they should change their attitude. Change is a natural aspect to growing life and will continue to happen as technology becomes more dominant. In order to remain successful, it is essential that companies constantly train and educate their employees. Modern companies should aim to ensure that all have an underlining net of skills and eventually, has the skills that are required to perform a certain number of tasks. This will make the employee or trainee more demanding to other potential employers. Although training involves time and money, the time and money does pay off in relation to the employee. For example, if the employer training the employee trains them up really hard, then that employee would be able to get a potentially better job with another employer. When the new employer trains that employee up again, then that employee can once again go off and get a better job with more pay. This cycle will continue, provided that the employee stays in a similar field of work as marketing skills may not be required for administration tasks. Training will also improve the performance and efficiency of employees in general as well as training unskilled workers. Training also reduces the need for supervision and provides greater opportunities for the staff or employees. Individual employees being trained would find that due to their training, there would be a reduction in the number of accidents in the workplace, and they would be less likely to make mistakes. Their pay would increase too and they could gain a promotion to another job, if not change jobs to a better company all together. 2. Task 18.6:- Delta Homes plc, a property developer, has a Personnel Department. Much of the work of this department involves recruiting construction workers on temporary contracts. a) Explain ONE reason why Delta Homes plc employs workers on temporary contracts. [2 Marks] Delta Homes plc employs workers on temporary contracts because they are unable to provide permanent contracts, therefore, temporary contracts which allows the hiring and/or firing of employees to suit the business cycle of the company can be put forward. b) Explain TWO problems for Delta Homes plc that might arise from employing workers on temporary contracts. [6 Marks] Two potential problems that Delta Homes plc may face due to these temporary contracts:- * Is the fact that the job security, which is considered by many people to be very important, disintegrates. Job security is very important because it provides stability and can lead to high motivation. Many employees would like to know that when they come to work tomorrow, they will still have their job to go to and continue to receive income. The idea of temporary contacts is worrying for many people, especially the employees who have families to support and also have the responsibility of providing for them. They want to know that when they take out a load for five years or longer, they will still have a job, enabling them to meet the monthly payments. * Similarly, in mortgage companies, if one of these Delta homes plc temporary employees decide to purchase a home, then the company would want to know if they have a secure job which will enable them to make the payments and if they are employed for more than 1 1/2 years or so. Therefore, many of Delta Homes plcs employees will have a hard time trying to find a mortgage for their home purchase because they may not be employed for long or may get fired any day. WEEK 3 Task 18.7:- An increasing number of employees work from home and keep in contact with the office using a computer and a modem. Write a report on the effects this way of working might have on the employee and the implications for the employer. (Concentrate on any good and bad points for the employer and the employee who might be working from home). Good Points for the employer and the employee who might be working from home:- * There is no need for travelling to work everyday and during rush hours. Both the employer and employee benefit from this because the employer wont need to be accountable for the employees late arrival into work. * Computers stationed at home anywhere in the country can be linked to a company and employers do not have to rely on local labour to fulfil the workforce. The employee gets to work at home just as if they were in their office, due to the system link-up. Saves time and hassle of using USB storage devices or floppy disks to transfer files and data/information between office and work. Also, when the employer wants a report in, then the employee working from home can just email it to the employers office email address so there is no need to travel to meet a deadline. * Working from home allows the employee to be flexible, so working when they have the time to and are available. For example, a mother of three children could work after normal office hours (at home) when the children are asleep or are distracted. Also, if her children are ill, she need not get a nanny or child-minder to look after them, she can put her work on hold for a while and look after the children herself. Due to this, she doesnt need to take time off work. * The employer does not need to provide the employee the premises to work, as they can do it at home due to the computer system link. This way, the employer can cut down on costs for the company, e.g. the food they pay for in order to feed their employees, the cost of building extensions to the main office building, the additional cost of the electricity and gas bills. Also, employers can use labour in areas of high unemployment so, can reduce the salaries they pay cut back on costs. Bad Points for the employer and the employee who might be working from home:- * The employee may not be able to work at home unsupervised, due to lack of concentration, thereby not finishing reports and missing deadline dates. * The employer does not know whether the employee is working or taking an early holiday. They wont have any say on the hours that the employee puts into their work. * If the employee works overtime, then the exact hours overtime may not be known because there was no witness. So, employee may lose out on the overtime pay. * If there is a system link failure with the computer, then the employee will be stuck and may lose all of their work. Also, lose time on working on the report/project. WEEK 4 1. What does flexible working mean? Flexible working is when the employee is required to come into work and do a job with out much notice. They have to be able to keep their schedules open when it comes to work. A bit like a doctor who is on call he doesnt know when a casualty will come in; therefore, he has to be available if something happens. 2. Why do more companies require their employees to have flexible working? More companies require their employees to have flexible working because many of them require their facilities to be functioning 24/7/365 24 hours a day. They cannot afford to let their equipment remain idle for long periods of the day. 3. Why is flexible working of great importance for companies whose employees work with computers? A person/employee who repairs or mends computers would have to be flexible because they will wait for a telephone call or message to say they are needed to repair a machine. This call could come during the evening, at weekends or even at bank holidays whenever the computer breaks down. The company could not afford to let the computers stand idle for great periods of time, mainly because we have come to rely on them so much. If a machine is not working, then it is costing the company money and hindering somebodys work. WEEK 5 1. Why do companies spend a lot of time in making sure the computers they are going to buy are the correct ones? Computer equipment is very expensive to buy. If one buys a computer it is often said to be out of date immediately after one has bought it. Something new has already been introduced, which is better and more powerful than the original one purchased. This is because computers are continually being updated; therefore, the pace of change is very fast. Therefore, companies will spend a great deal of time and energy in making sure that the computers they purchase are the correct ones for the job that needs to be done. 2. Why is it important that a technician makes sure all computers are working all the time? It is important that a technician makes sure all computers are working all the time because if they stand idle, they are losing the company money. This is why companies employ technicians to ensure that the computers are functioning and working properly without any problems. 3. Why is it important that companies are always looking to update their computers? Companies will always need to update their machines because we live in a fast-changing world and they need to be able to keep up with the pace. If they do not update, then they could become uncompetitive and would not be able to produce the same results in the given time. This could lead to more unemployment in the company. WEEK 6 1. How has the use of email helped reduced waste? The use of email has reduced the amount of paper that is used in the world, which in turn has reduced the number of trees hat need to be cut down to produce the paper. Also, the energy used to cut down the trees has also been saved, which could have an effect on global warming. This has become of great concern to business, the government and the public in recent years. 2. How has the use of computers reduced waste in industrial processes (making products)? Computers have reduced waste in industrial processes by guaranteeing that each batch of products or materials that will be made would be to the same quality as the last and the one before that. This is due to the decrease in human error. This cuts down on the amount of resources used in the process. 3. What is and why is recycling important in society? Recycling is the re-use or sustainable use of products e.g. paper, glass and steel cans. Recycling is important in society because the huge amount of litter that has been created through the disposal of throw-away materials. These throw-away materials are disposed of in land-fill sites around the world. Eventually, and slowly, we will run out of land-fill sites and so where will the waste go? This can be stopped by preventing the production of such throw-away materials and the promoting or the production of recyclable materials.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

How first Love Is Represented By Different Artists :: essays research papers

How "First Love" is Represented by Different Artists First love is represented in different ways by different artists in their writings according to their own experiences. Different artists experience different things when they are growing up and their first loves are not always the opposite sex. Some felt the love from their parents was the most important, when they were young, others felt the love of their lovers was the most important. But no matter who the other person or persons were that influenced the artist as their first love, all of the artists' first loves were equally important. First loves are important to most artists, no matter how, when or who. How first loves impacted the artists play a significant role in determining the lives of the artists and their topics of writing. In Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays," Hayden writes about his father and the abandonment his family showed him even though he worked so hard to provide for them. Hayden writes, "†¦cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday blaze. No one ever thanked him" (590). Most artists observe the fact that they did not know of their first loves and do not realize their mistakes with their first loves until they are grown up and are writing about it. It probably provides them with a good topic to start writing about in the first place. The lack of realization seems to be a powerful motivator in the lives of these artists. All of the artists in the readings seem to have gone through a period of lack of realization before wising up to what their experiences with their first loves meant. They probably did not know that their first loves were their first loves until later in their lives. In the case of Robert Hayden and Theodore Roethke, it took them their whole adolescent years to realize who their first loves were. But no matter how long or how they realized it, most of the artists were impacted greatly by their first loves or they would not devote their writing to it. When artists realize their first loves differs greatly also. Some realize very quickly who, or what their first loves are, and some do not realize for a very long time. In A.E. Houseman's "When I Was One and Twenty," Houseman writes about his ignorance toward his first love. He writes about how ignorant he was toward the whole situation and how relatively quickly he realized that he should not have been overwhelmed by the whole experience. Houseman writes, "Give crowns and pounds and guineas But not your heart away†¦.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Henkel: building a winning culture Essay

Introduction: CEO in 2008: Kasper Rorsted, Studied Economics and has experience in technological companies. Management style was based on face-to-face conversations and pushing for more efficiency. Henkel until 2008 Founded in 1876 as a producer of detergent, by 1920 it was a leading German detergent en glue producer. After WWII: company restarted as a producer of detergent, glues and personal care products. In 2008: 14 billion euros sales over 125 countries: EMEA: 64% North America: 19% Asia-Pacific: 11% Latin America: 6% Executive team mainly Germans and members of the Henkel Family 3 major business units: Adhesive Technologies (48%) Laundry and Home care (30%) Cosmetics/Toiletries (22%) Competition: P&G, Unilever and L’Oreal (See exhibit 1,2,3) 2012 Goals; 14% EBIT Margin 2008: 14 billion in sales (+8%) EBIT-margin (10,3%) => no competitive spirit?! (â€Å"The happy underperformer†) 2nd part of 2008: Financial crisis: Price increase by Henkel => growth in all the business units fell. Reaction of Rorsted (CEO): transform the company into a leaner and more performance driven company by setting 4-year financial goals (2012) for Sales growth (3-5%) EBIT-margin (14%) EPS (Earnings per Share) (above 10%) Reaction of the market: they will not make it. Building a winning culture Rorsted knew that the targets were high, but he wanted to get there by installing â€Å"a winning culture† within the company. 3 main strategic priorities: Achieve the full business potential Focus more on the customers Strengthen the global team 2008-2009: investments in top-performing brands and high potential markets: e.g. – Biggest acquisition ever of 3,7 billion euros for the adhesives and electronic material businesses of the National Starch and Chemical Company. – Dial brand: high investments in North-America => top brand in body wash markets. Selling underperforming brands. Searching for cost-efficiencies. 2009-2012: from promise to reality Rorsted: first do the hard things (close plants, lay off people) then the softer things. For the â€Å"softer things† everybody in the company needed to be on board = emotional buy-in. redefining Henkel’s vision and values  implementing a new performance management system Vision and Values Focus on financial goals and priorities => becoming a winning competitor 10 values (see exhibit 5): but they had little meaning inside the company BUT: the CEO Thought they had..2010: Henkel: â€Å" a global leader in brands and technologies† putting customers central value, challenge and reward people drive excellent sustainable financial performance sustainabilitybuild the future on the family foundation They organised workshops all over the company to introduce the employers to these new values. New tagline: â€Å"Excellence is our passion† in early 2011 performance management A lot of employees have careers of over 20, 30 or even 40 years within the company. 2009: new performance management system for 4 layers of management. For each employee there was: 1) the current rating of his  performance and 2) potential performance for the future. These were put in a grid (exhibit 7) with scores going from L (low), M (moderate) to T (Top) For potential performance numbers were used from 1 to 4 with 4 the limit of performance of someone. These rankings were set up during a Development Roundtable (DRT), a collaborative forum with a group head and his direct reports. Afterwards, the results were discussed during a one-to-one with the employee. DRT-processes were done bottom-up. Targets were set about how many employees should be fitted in a certain category. E.g; 5% had to be L => caused a new way of evaluation within the company. Bonus compensation Bonusses were linked to the overall company financial performance, team performance and individual performance. Group performance: KPI (e.g. EBIT,..): 3 per year Team performance: idem Individual performance: Performance on 2 equally weighted individual KPIs Performance from the DRT process.Each manager could get a target bonus as well. A round table discussion with Henkel Executives about the â€Å"Winning culture†.See case.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

The Louisiana Purchase

Describe the events leading to the purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803. Discuss the terms of the treaty and how Jefferson reconciled his strict interpretation of the Constitution with the acquisition of the territory. Before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the entire Louisiana territory covered what is today known as the Midwest. The purchase of the land was a monumental step in the expansion of the United States. Thomas Jefferson became the 2nd president of the United States in 1800 and assumed control in 1801.He envisioned a society of independent farmers that were free from the restraints of industrial towns and the mobs of European cities (Brinkley p. 181). In 1763, France lost control of the Louisiana Territory to Great Britain. Under the Treaty of San Ildefonso in 1800, France regained control of Louisiana in an acquisition that Napoleon Bonaparte hoped would become the heart of the great French empire in America (Brinkley p. 200). Napoleon envision a French empire that would control much of the trade and establish French dominance in the New World.All was not well within the French empire though; African slaves in San Domingo would revolt under the leadership of Toussaint L’Ouverture in the West Indies. Napoleon would have to send an army to restore order in the Indies. This revolt was but the start of the problems of Napoleon realizing his ambitions in America (Brinkley p. 200). Thomas Jefferson had begun to reconsider his association with France after he learned of the secret treaty in which France regained Louisiana.Jefferson had become even more alarmed in the fall of 1802 when he learned that the Spanish intendant who controlled the Louisiana Territory had announced a new regulation (Brinkley p. 200). American vessels had long used the Mississippi River as a supply route to get cargo to New Orleans in order to load ocean bound ships for export. The new regulation revealed by the Spanish forbade the use of the route effectively shuttin g down the lower Mississippi. Upon learning of the new regulation, Jefferson sent his French ambassador to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans (Brinkley p. 00). His ambassador, Robert Livingston, took it upon himself to try and purchase the majority of western Louisiana as well. While Livingston was trying to acquire Louisiana, Jefferson had persuaded Congress to appropriate funds to expand the army and the construction of a river fleet (Brinkley p. 200). Jefferson wanted to give the illusion that the US had partnered with the British if the problems with France were not resolved soon. Shortly afterward, Napoleon decided to accept the United States offer to purchase Louisiana.On April 30, 1803, James Monroe and Richard Livingston signed the agreement with France for the purchase. The United States purchased Louisiana from the French for $80,000,000 francs ($15mil US. ). The US also had to promise certain exclusive commercial privileges to France and to incorporate its residents in to the Union (Brinkley p. 201). The agreement stated that Louisiana would occupy the â€Å"same extent† as it had when France and Spain had controlled it (Brinkley p. 202).Thomas Jefferson was pleased with the acquisition of Louisiana but was unsure if he possessed the authority to accept the agreement terms. He was convinced by his advisors that with this treaty making power under the Constitution, that his acceptance of the agreement was justified. In 1803, the French assumed control of Louisiana from Spain and immediately transferred the rights to the territory to the United States. Louisiana was admitted into the Union as a recognized state in 1812. Brinkley p. 202) The purchase of Louisiana was a major step in the development of the Midwestern United States. Gaining control of the territory from France helped the United States regain the power to transport goods down the Mississippi River to get to the port of New Orleans. This was a big deal to the United States as New Orleans was the focal point of moving goods across the ocean for export.Bibliography †¢ Brinkley, A. (2007). American History: A Survey. Boston: McGraw Hill.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Examine the ways in which Shakespeare presents the changed character of Othello Essays

Examine the ways in which Shakespeare presents the changed character of Othello Essays Examine the ways in which Shakespeare presents the changed character of Othello Essay Examine the ways in which Shakespeare presents the changed character of Othello Essay To be capable to note a change in the character of Othello we must look at his initial behaviour and how Shakespeare presents his personality. A Shakespearean tragedy consists of a heros life and their downfall, which will ultimately lead to their death. For a character to become a hero he must be respected and noble, to do this Shakespeare creates scenes to raise Othellos status. We expect to have a great deal of respect for the protagonist. In another of Shakespeares Tragedies Macbeth, the protagonists status is raised similarly as they are both powerful generals whose success in battle make them respected by the audience because of their service to their country. This is shown in the first acts of both plays for example, King Duncan exclaims, For brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name and Othello is refeared to as valiant moor by the Duke. The fact that both of the protagonists are respected by people of a high status in the opening scenes is to create standards which the audience will expect to see throughout the remainder of the play. It is significant that both Macbeth and Othello are soldiers because their pasts are referred to throughout both plays and have shaped who they are, which also contributes to their downfall. Othellos status has been raised because in Act 1Scene 3 the duke is informed to send for his trusty and most valiant servitor, which is Othello. Moreover, the admiration we feel for Othello is created by that of his own behaviour alongside the behaviour of others towards him. Othello does not retaliate to Brabantios threats and says were it my cue to fight, I should have known it. Othellos calm reaction, although he is a solider, who obviously can fight well, shows that he is an honourable and noble character. Similarly Othellos status is also raised by the love he feels for Desdemona and how noble, he speaks of her: I do love thee gentle Desdemona, which shows that he is capable of loving to such an extent and doing a job with all my heart that he is an honourable character. The language Othello uses before his demise is romantic and poetic; These nine moons wasted. He mainly speaks in blank verse which is commonly used in Tragedy for high status characters, or low status characters when saying something of significance or morality. Shakespeare illustrates a change in Othellos character in Act 4 Scene 1 by altering his language. He now speaks in prose, for example, what then? This compared to his previous idiolect suggests to the audience that his character is weakened both mentally and morally and no longer deserves respect as a high status character. During the opening scene of Act 4, Othello asks a lot of questions. This is unusual because Othello previously control and dominance oozed from his speeches. Lie with her? Lie on her? We say lie on her when they belie her. Lie with her! Handkerchief- confessions handkerchief! Ist possible? confess? Handkerchief? O devil! Here Othello speaks confusedly and distractedly. He is clearly not in control of his senses. This change in language and behaviour brings attention to Othellos altered character. The large number of interrogative sentences shows Othellos weakness and confusion whereas the number of exclamative sentences shows Othellos raw emotion and distress. In previous situations when we have expected Othello to be distressed e. g. the confrontation with Brabantio explored above, he has acted calmly and rationally. Now he focuses on the words lie which could say that he is merely interested in the sexual acts at the supposed affair, rather than the lost love of his wife. The Othello we saw at the beginning of the play suggests he would be more concerned with the love my soul hath her content so absolute. find where from However, it could be argued that Othello has always been a lustful creature with Desdemona because in act 1 Othello has just got out of the confrontation with Brabantios and has been told about a battle he must take part in, yet all he wants to do is consummate his marriage. I have but an hour of love to spend with thee. Terry Eagleton, in Nothing (1986) states that Othello is not a play about sexual deviancy, but about the deviancy of sex. This deviancy he speaks of could be represented as the shown by the previous quotations, and combined with the exhilarating elopement, the rapidity to his acceptance of the affair and the way he decides to kill her. It leads me to believe his actions are lust fuelled. I believe, lovers can forgive and love would not lead to murder, only the emotional passion caused by lust could lead a character to act so recklessly. Lust or love, his feelings towards Desdemona are strong and this leads the way for Othellos jealousy. A. C Bradley says, Iago does not bring these warnings to a husband who had lived with a wife for months or years. I believe this suggests Iago knew of Othellos lustful feelings towards Desdemona and played on the elopement, when they must not have known each other long, and used it as a weakness. Furthermore, husband who had lived with a wife for months or years would have known better and would not have been so easy to believe lies because there would have been love built within these years which I believe Othello and Desdemona lack. A. C Bradley says, He [Othello] is quite free from introspection, and is not given to reflection. Emotion excites his imagination, but it confuses and dulls his intellect. I agree with this because his emotions have begun to affect his mind. He now considers confrontations and bloodshed where previously he was calm and rational. It can also be said that Othellos constant need for evidence of Desdemonas unfaithfulness suggest that his rationality is attempting to break through his emotional state. However, this need for evidence fades away towards his demise. This could back up Bradleys view, which is that his emotion only dulls his intellect but does not remove it completely. Othello goes from demanding evidence and not believing without it, to barely mentioning or thinking rationally how shall I kill her Iago. The fact his is planning how to kill Desdemona suggests his intellect only dulls rather than removed completely. Othello, when asking Amelia for her opinion on Desdemonas loyalty, does not listen to reason, which contradicts his previous rationality and shows a change in character. Othello, at one of his most noble points in the play, said, And passion, having my best judgment coiled assays to lead the way. This shows an immense amount of self control which makes it more shocking when he falls into a trance. However, this possibly hints that Othello is aware that he is labile to be manipulated. Or could just be dramatic irony because he is oblivious to the fact that Iago at that moment is trying to coil his best judgment. Furthermore, Othellos falling into a trance or epilepsy now pairs his new found weakness in character with his physical appearance. It shows although he is emotionally affected, he is now physically affected by Iagos manipulations. Looking back to his previously disciplined, self controlled character it is shocking and unexpected and this trance marks a point of change in character for Othello. When Iago says breaks out to savage madness this is acting as a marker-point to show that when he breaks out he will be plagued with madness like a savage. Also it could be a device used for foreboding the more extreme change in character which is yet to come. Othellos use of most bloody 90 foreshadows the physical violence to come later in the play. In act 4 scene 1 Othello withdraws and listens to a conversation between Iago and Cassio. The fact that Othello is ease-dropping shows a decline in moral standards. On waking from his fit, Othellos ease-drops under the suggestion of Iago. will you withdraw? the word will creates an illusion of Othello doing Iago a favour, yet Othello is following Iagos plans. We expect Iago to be doing things for Othello because Othello is general and Iago works for him, this role reversal shows the power that Iago has over Othello and how Othellos character has changed from strong, to easily manipulated. We begin to feel sympathy for Othello because we have witnessed Iagos manipulation Both Macbeth and Othello have the tragic flaws, pride and vanity, in these two tragedies an antagonist will capitalize on the vulnerabilities of both Othello and Macbeth. Lady Macbeth suggests that hes lost his courage by asking if he wants to live like a coward and Iago taunts Othello with good sir, be a man. I partly believe the change in character seen in Othello Act 4just the negative qualities of his character allowed to surface from the emotional strain of Iagos manipulations. Traditionally Shakespearean tragedies have 5 Acts, the 5th act is expected to be the death of the protagonist and therefore dramatic. Othellos change in personality is visible here through his soliloquy. Othello again speaks in verse, this could be because of the way he is speaking, showing love towards Desdemona and using powerful philosophical imagery when I have plucked thy rose, I cannot give it vital life again. Moreover, it could be seen that he is only speaking in verse because he has something of substance to say. Either way Othello regains some status and idiolect. Meanwhile, he is separating himself from this deed his is doing, creating an almost split personality by referring to himself in the third person and as a dog. The circumcised dog, and smote him thus. This could to draw attention to the previous valiant moor and show a clear change in character. During his soliloquy, Othello constantly repeats tis the cause which shows he is thinking somewhat rationally and this could suggest his previous character is breaking through, also he can never bring himself to name this cause. Ronald Draper, in Unholy alliance: Othello and Iago (1991), argues that the Iago world of cynicism and sexual depravity has now become the world Othellos imagination inhabits. I believe this is shown by the vulgar and crude language he uses towards women nearer the end of the play. By calling Desdemona a callet and Amelia a bawd he is almost mimicking Iagos crude mannerisms. Also these women have no reason to be called these names so it is in Othellos imagination. This shows the dramatic change in Othellos character because in the beginning he and Iago were opposites, and now they have become so similar that Othello lives in Iagos mind frame. The ultimate demise in character for a hero is to become the villain.

Monday, November 4, 2019

English skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English skills - Essay Example udying abroad, a lot of students are able to develop optimistic attitudes to other countries, as they are able to interact with other persons, and appreciate their way of living through research. An exposure to international experience is useful as it allows for international understanding. Crossman and Clarke (2009) say that working or studying abroad allows individuals have knowledge and awareness on the issues that relate to national and global issues. The benefit of global experience is in this case, one that allows individuals become accustomed, solve and expand their cultural scope of analysing issues. Through working and studying abroad, it is palpable that intercultural competence will be attained. Crossman and Clarke (2009) are of the opinion that having a touch with the international world allows for intercultural know-how. This competence relates to an ability to communicate well in various cultural contexts, as opposed to the usual native or indigenous context. Through the international curriculums set for the training institutions require an application of a singular language for all the various participants from the different contexts (Crossman and Clarke, 2009). Comprehensive learning is then achieved, as the diverse persons are able to comprehend the need of being a people as opposed to one cultural community. However, it is vital to note that attaining global competence is not only focused on the physical presence in countries in the abroad countries, but through other means like developing contacts with other individuals in these countries (Crossman and Clarke, 2009). With peer to peer education successful in numerous instances, Crossman and Clarke (2009) would not be wrong to argue that studying and working abroad allows for international patriotism, especially with individuals being more open minded with issues touching on international significance. Conclusively, it is warranted to say that working and studying abroad have a myriad of

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Law of Defamation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Law of Defamation - Essay Example The reporter told the court that he had not kept the notes. However, since action for defamation has to be initiated within one year of publication of the report, it may not be impossible to keep notes. But it has practical difficulties. The Act does not go in big way in the preservation of the freedom of the speech and press when it comes to the cases dealing with public figures. In fact it is the public servants that should be vigorously chased and made accountable to their deeds. Media, as it exists, is a spontaneous activity. Every word that the media reports cannot be authenticated with supporting documents. Media often relies on hearsay information. This information may be reliable. But reliability in certain cases may not possible to prove. Now, what is said in the media impromptu may not be available in the court for the purpose of evidence. This would make the press and broadcast media excessively cautious which will take away the vigor of news reporting in Britain, while el sewhere the news reporting can go on freely without fearing the legal cudgel. It is unfortunate that the British Parliament has doggedly resisted plans to shift the burden of proof on the issue of truth in the defamation cases. However this did not get much support. The guarded response of the Members of the Parliament to changes in law might have sprung from the fears they have of the British Press running riot like the American journalists.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The peripheral changes that the Defamation act underwent is also due to the economic conditions.... The rapid progress in technology increased the possibility of sending news and view across the globe. The British broadcasting industry is a predominantly a state affair in spite of the much trumpeted independence and autonomy. The defamatory Act if pursued vigorously might ultimately affect even the functioning of BBC. Elsewhere in the world the media can go to big extent in grilling the public servants, celebrities and captains of industry. But in Britain Defamation act is the shield to protect them. But in the globalized scenario if the BBC is going to function as a guarded organization it is going to lose its competitive advantage in the globalized world. So the modification of the defamation act is also a must for the survival of the British Media. So in the print and broadcast media changes were imperative to survive in the globalized world. The Defamation Act of 1996 came out, after much fan fare about the drastic changes that it would bring about in the legal system, the changes were merely peripheral and disappointed those who expected an overhauling of the Act. The marginal provisions in the defamatory act have made many disappointed and consider the reform-exercise as a lost opportunity. There are defenses that address the problems created by the new technologies and fast growing scope of news reporting as an international matter. The other types of provisions are meant to reduce the expenditure in fighting less serious cases of libel and to reduce the immunity enjoyed by the people in power. The Defamation Act of 1996 falls short in addressing the problems created by the globalized context. Especially the provision called "Justification" puts the entire burden of proof on the defendant. In fact, as