Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Essay and Study Ideas

'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' Essay and Study Ideas The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells the fictional story of Ichabod Crane, a schoolteacher who competes with another suitor for the hand of Katrina Van Tassel. However, instead of getting the girl, Crane ends up experiencing a very strange and spooky event. Written by Washington Irving, the short story was first published in 1820 and continues to be a popular Halloween tale today, especially because it includes a ghost story about a mysterious headless horseman.   A short piece of gothic literature filled with pranks and humor, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of Irvings most enduring works. While the story prompts scares and laughs, it also warrants discussion and literary analysis. Here are a few questions about The Legend of Sleepy Hollow that you can use for study or conversation.   Essay and Discussion Ideas What is important about the title?What are the conflicts found throughout the story?  How does Irving reveal character?What are some of the themes? How do they relate to the plot and characters?Is Ichabod Crane consistent in his actions? Is he a fully developed character? Why?Do you find the characters likable? Are the characters persons you would want to meet?Discuss some of the symbols in the story.Compare The Devil and Tom Walker with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. What is similar and what is different in terms of plot, storytelling, and themes?What is the primary purpose of the story? Do you find the purpose important or meaningful?How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else? Does the setting represent or allude something?What supernatural or surprising events are employed by Washington Irving? Do you find these happenings believable?What is the role of women?  Does the story end the way you expected? Why?Would you recommend the sto ry to a friend? Would you read other works by Washington Irving based on your reading of this story?

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

1. Moral hazard is a form of information asymmetry Essays

1. Moral hazard is a form of information asymmetry Essays 1. Moral hazard is a form of information asymmetry when one decision-making agent takes more risky decisions because another decision-making agent bears the costs of the additional risk. An example in healthcare is medical insurance. If a person is well covered by a medical insurance, she knows that her healthcare costs will be covered by the insurer, therefore she has higher incentive to engage in risky lifestyle, habits and health practices, since the consequent healthcare expenses will be borne by the insurer. This additional risk caused by one agent is borne by another agent. 2. The concept of adverse selection arises when either buyer or seller has lack of information regarding the product in concern this leads to one side with inflormation making use of the other side with lack on information. Like in insurance if we know that our car is going to be used as ataxi and eill be travelling the high end mountains so the chances of it getting hurt is much more so the company must charge high premiums from such people but they cant because of lack of information 3. STRENGTHS/PROS OF GDP GDP provides a better analysis or measure of economy activity through its growth rate and changes in an economy than any other existing measure. It summarizes a whole range of economic information in and determines the comparative strengths and weaknesses of various sectors. GDP helps policy-makers and analysts to easily guide, adjust and implement economic policy. GDP serve as accurate barometer of the business climate, where it provides the government and business useful information to adjust in different kinds of contingency problems like recession and depression. GDP serve as a simple proxy for social and economic welfare. GDP is widely used in different parts of the world that give economist studies in comparing countries. WEAKNESSES/CONS OF GDP GDP does not include non-market activities. These activities are based on production and consumption that occur outside the market economy that does not have a price attached like unpaid house workers, volunteer work, barter and the illegal drug trade. GNP does not include domestic household products or black market. GNP does not consider how the wealth of a nation is distributed equally. For example GDP provides an estimate of each person share of the market economy but in reality some people share of the economy is greater than others. This level of unequal distribution of incomes and consumption and the incidence of poverty cannot be determined by tracking the GDP. Some GDP measured expenditures do not contribute to Economic Welfare. It does not account for any welfare loss or any negative events that results from an event such as a natural disaster environmental cleanup or reconstruction effort contributes to welfare and the GDP. 4. c 5. 6. 7. 8. c 9. b 10. b 11.

Friday, November 22, 2019

DEET Chemistry (Dimethyltoluamide)

DEET Chemistry (Dimethyltoluamide) If you live in an area with biting insects you have almost certainly encountered an insect repellent that uses DEET as its active ingredient. The chemical formula for DEET is N,N-diethyl-3-methyl-benzamide (N,N-dimethyl-m-toluamide). DEET was patented by the U.S. Army in 1946 for use in areas with heavy biting insect infestation. It is a broad-spectrum repellent that is effective against mosquitoes, flies, fleas, chiggers, and ticks. DEET has a good safety record and is less toxic to birds and other mammals than many other insect repellents, but all DEET products should be handled with care. DEET Safety DEET is absorbed through the skin, so it is important to use as low a concentration as is effective (10% or less for children) and as small an amount as is necessary. Up to a certain point, protection against insects increases with higher DEET concentration, but even low concentrations will protect against most bites. Some people experience irritation or an allergic reaction to DEET-containing products. DEET is toxic and potentially fatal if swallowed, so care should be taken to avoid applying repellent to hands or face or anything a child might put in the mouth. DEET should not be applied to areas with cuts or sores or around the eyes, since permanent eye damage can result from contact. High doses or long-term exposure to DEET have been associated with neurological damage. DEET can damage some plastics and synthetic fabrics, such as nylon and acetate, so be careful not to damage clothing or camping equipment. How DEET Works Biting insects use chemical, visual, and thermal cues to locate hosts. DEET is believed to work by blocking the chemical receptors for carbon dioxide and lactic acid, two of the substances released by our bodies that serve as attractants. Although DEET helps keep insects from locating people, there is probably more involved in DEETs effectiveness, since mosquitoes wont bite DEET-treated skin. However, skin only a few centimeters away from DEET is susceptible to bites. Recommendations for Using DEET Despite its hazards, DEET remains one of the safest and most effective insect repellents available. Here are some tips for using DEET safely: Reduce your need for repellent. Avoid behaviors that will attract biting insects (e.g., avoid strenuous exercise or eating lots of high sodium or potassium foods prior to going outdoors, which increase carbon dioxide release).Avoid applying chemicals that attract biting insects (e.g., floral-scented perfumes, scented sunscreens, dryer-sheet-scented clothes).Where possible, apply DEET-containing repellent to clothes rather than to skin.Apply DEET in a well-ventilated area.Avoid applying DEET to hands, the face, or any injured or sensitive skin.Avoid behaviors that will lessen the duration of DEET effectiveness (e.g., perspiration, rain, mixing with sunscreens).When you come indoors, wash off DEET-containing products using warm, soapy water.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

M2A1 - Q3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

M2A1 - Q3 - Essay Example In the case of inflation, an organization can undergo a huge loss since the manufacturing cost will be affected. In the same case, the government issues out regulatory restriction against a certain product. If the government burns a trade of a certain product, it means that the organization will have to dispose of and undergo loss. Regional conflict also will affect the market status in that; individual will not be willing to shop from a certain communities businesses (Newton, 2011). Organization culture affects the progress of the company. Organization whose employees work under different culture collapses latter. In order to manage culture, a leader must make the culture a priority. This can be achieved by uniting, refocusing and regrouping the workers to have a team and winning environment. The leader should also change the negative energy to a positive one. This can be done by utilizing the challenges at hand and complains to generate new ideas, path of success and innovation (Newton, 2011). The leaders should also meet with the company and share the vision and fiscal status to ensure that everything is handled before it becomes a challenge. Leaders should share a positive vision to employees and ensure that each person in the organization understands and rally around a vision. This will ensure employee motivation since they will fell as if they are attached and also are part of the company and be motivated to work and achieve the visions (Gordon, 2014). In conclusion, the continuity and progress of the organization is in the hands of the leaders. Leaders should be conversant with the leadership strategies, which can bring about organizational motivations. Despite the variables available, leaders should be able to use the leadership strategies to ensure organization’s progress and

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Future of HCIs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Future of HCIs - Essay Example On the other hand, linguistics deals with the development of machines and human languages and the link between these phenomena. As computers become common in culture, designers are progressively looking for ways to make interfacing with these devices to be easy, harmless and more effective. By 2020, computer users are expected to interrogate machines. Moreover, computers are anticipated to form the primary part of these interactions since there will be new rules of association with machines that will in turn grow into â€Å"techno-dependency†. Even though papers will still be used in the future, digital paper will also flourish thereby giving room for creativity, for instance, social network magazines will form part of real time interaction. Digital storage of even more features of people’s lives, from a mobile handset calls to CCTV recordings, could be a reality in the future. Additionally, wider network coverage will mean secrecy will be a key emphasis of the HCI community. Human "digital footprint", that is, the sharing of more aspects of people’s lives through digital photography, blogging, podcasting and video, is set to get bigger, and this will raise crucial questions about how much information we should store about

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Jesus and Mohammad Essay Example for Free

Jesus and Mohammad Essay Religion is the food for the soul, a type of food that never spoils or depreciates. It is the vessel of life, a vessel that is unbreakable and never shudders even from the most destructive outside force. It is the cup of morality, the one that shapes our character and personality. With these different views, one can say that religion is an important aspect of one’s life. It constitutes and contributes to the spiritual well-being of an individual, which is faced today with different options regarding their religion of choice. There are Methodists, Protestants, Muslims, Roman Catholics, and more. However, the two most influential and widespread religion are Islam and Christianity. Christianity is believed to be founded by Jesus Christ, the redeemer of humanity. The beliefs of Christians, which are also shared by Roman Catholics, are summarized in a doctrine called the Nicene Creed. In general, Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, that there are three superior beings: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Believers of this religion grew up with teachings about the creation of the world by God in seven days, the fall of Adam and Eve, the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, and the redemption of mankind (Walsh, 2005). On the other hand, Islam is considered to be founded by Mohammad or Muhammad. Its followers are called Muslims and they believe in only one God, Allah. They believe that Muhammad is the last prophet and Jesus is only one of them. Just like in Christianity, they also believe in the final judgment to be passed on to the blessed and the damned (Braswell, 2000). To know better the concept of these two religions, it may be helpful if one will look at the historical background of the prominent personalities of Christianity and Islam. Jesus Christ, also known as Jesus of Nazareth and the Messiah, was the child of Mary and Joseph and born in the humble stable of Bethlehem during the reign of Augustus. The famous Nativity is described as the birth of Jesus where he was visited by the shepherds and the three kings to give their offerings. He is said to be born without original sin and is said to save humankind from sins. One of the most prominent incidences during his childhood years is when he and his parents visited Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. It was during this time that he was lost for several days and nights, and was found by his parents in the temple teaching about the Word of God. After the incident, Jesus made subsequent visits to Jerusalem allowing him to see how corrupted religion was and the need to reform both its doctrine and practice during that time. He performed miracles and taught the Word of God through fables. Most of his teachings focused on the kingdom of God, how God loves mankind, and how God forgives people when they ask. He became well known and was praised by many people. This caught the attention of the Roman governors and the scribes, who ordered his execution when Jesus claimed that he was God. He was tortured, crucified, and died on the cross. After three days, he resurrected from the dead and ascended to heaven. Thus, it marks the start of the salvation of humankind (Stalker, 2009). Conversely, Mohammad is the most prominent personality in Islam. Mohammad or Mahomet was born in Mecca in 571 during the reign of Khusro Anosharwan. His father was named Abdallah while his mother was named Amina. His father died several days before his birth. He became an orphan when he was six years old. It was during this time that his mother died while they were in a journey to Medina. Abdl al-Muttalib, his grandfather, took care of him but died when he was eight years old. Finally, he was taken care of by his father’s brother, Abd Manaf, who joined Muhammad on a caravan to Syria (Rodinson, 2002). He became a camel driver on their journey from Syria to Arabia but soon established his career as manager of caravans together with the merchants. On his travel, he met numerous people with various nationalities such as Christians, pagans, and Jews. At the age of 25, he married Khadija whose age is 15 years older than him. Throughout his life, he sought for contemplation and solitude by visiting Mecca and the caves in Mount Hira. On one of his visits, he was visited by Angel Gabriel and asked him to proclaim the Word of God. He was reluctant at first but later accepted that he was the messenger of God after receiving support from Khadija and subsequent visitations of angel. His teachings include worshipping Allah, repenting from evil, and truth about materialism and immortality. He did not perform miracles but only taught what he received. At the start of his struggle as a prophet, he had only 40 followers, who experienced prosecution because his teachings were said to be a great threat to the Meccan life. However, good news came that there was a small group of people supporting his movement in Yathrib, later called Medina. He established his teachings in Medina and began a movement to reclaim his former land, Mecca. After several battles, he regained Mecca and the entire Meccan population was converted to Islam. He returned to Medina in 632 where he died but Islam had already conquered most of Arabia (â€Å"Life†, 2010). The death of both personalities brought immense impact in their respective religion. Without the death of Jesus, Christianity will not be born. It was through his death that Christianity flourished as his apostles began to preach his word across the nation (Ermatinger, 2007). His death became the heart of Christian faith as it became a proof of God’s love for mankind. â€Å"For God so loved the world that He gave us his one and only son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life† (John 3:16 New King James Version, 1985). His death allowed people to become closer to God. In addition, his death followed by his resurrection allowed man to have new hope. The first book of Peter stated that: â€Å"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you† (1 Peter 1:3-4 New King James Version, 1985). The death of Muhammad also allowed Islam to spread. It now extends on both sides of the earth reaching the Atlantic on the other side then reaching the borders of China on the other. The success of the spread of Islam can be attributed to the works of the caliphs, Muhammad’s successor with great political and military abilities (â€Å"Life†, 2010). However, the death of Muhammad brought conflict to the Muslims. Debates conjured and are present up to these days whether leadership must be placed upon Muhammad’s direct descendants (according to Shia) or upon the caliphs (according to Sunni) (â€Å"Comparison†, n. . ). In Christianity, the life of Jesus was celebrated starting from his birth up to his death and resurrection. The birth of Jesus is commemorated by Christians every 25 December and is marked by the giving of gifts and sharing of love. Before this day comes, Christians celebrate the season of Advent to prepare their hearts for his coming. His death and suffering are also commemorated by Christians through the season of Lent. During this season, people subject themselves to fasting and reconciliation of their sins. Moreover, Jesus, which is one of the Holy Trinity, is worshipped by most people through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist every Sunday. Unlike Christians, Muslims do not worship Muhammad. They only view him as the last messenger of God but worship Allah alone (â€Å"Comparison†, n. d. ). Even after the death of Jesus and Muhammad, their words and preaching continuously spread. In Christianity, there is the Bible. Bible comes from the word â€Å"biblos† which means book. It is the compilation of the works of prophets recounting the good deeds and mercy of God on humankind. The bible is also divided into two testaments: the Old and the New. The Old Testament, which consists of 39 books, contains the writings of the Jewish people that reflect their philosophy through literary compositions such as hymns and songs (Weatherall, 2009). The New Testament, on the other hand, is a collection of 27 books that provide a significant influence on Christianity and is recognized as a Sacred Scripture by the Christian Church. Included in this part of the bible is the so-called â€Å"Fourfold Gospels† written by Gospel writers with the books of Mathew and Mark recounting the biographies of Jesus Christ (Achtemeier, Green and Thompson, 2001). In Islam, the means of spreading the word of Muhammad is through the Qur’an or Koran. Its contents are revealed to Muhammad in stages for 23 years. It is considered as the holy book of the Muslims where the revelation part is intended to correct the error found in the Old and New Testaments. It has 114 chapters but is divided into 30 parts called juz. During Ramadan, the Muslims read one juz per day until they complete the whole month celebration (â€Å"Qur’an†, 2009). In conclusion, the two most influential religions in the present society have their own similarities and differences. Despite these, what is more important is how people respect and follow the doctrines of their religions. It does not matter whether he or she is a Christian or a Muslim. What matters most is how that people work themselves to build a life of morality and treasures in heaven and not on earth.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Poe - A perfect Plan of Guilt :: essays research papers

Revenge is sweet and guilt it torture. Montresor decides to dabble between revenge and guilt and ultimately learns that revenge has consumed him. This can be seen when Montresor is aware of the suffering that Fortunato is feeling as he begins killing him. The compassion that Montresor feels is coupled with guilt from the murder he committed. These feelings make Montresor’s perfect plan of revenge lead to a lifetime of guilt. Revenge has a thin line which can easily be crossed when the revenge no longer fits the crime. Montresor speaks of this during the first paragraph when he states â€Å"I must not only punish, but punish with impunity† (Poe 141). He wants to be exempt from harm as well as from guilt. This would make the revenge sweet, or satisfying. Montresor comments on a satisfying revenge at the end of the first paragraph by saying â€Å"A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong" (141). Montresor means that revenge must be satisfying, but can not consume himself. He can not step over this line and commit a crime himself. This act will cause guilt upon the avenger and eliminate any satisfying feeling that he might have received from the revenge. Montresor begins to be overtaken by his retribution almost immediately. His fascination with deception is his weak point. Montresor plans a revenge that would satisfy him for the insults that have been committed against him. While doing so he wants to be stealthy and states â€Å"it must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will† (141) He continues to deceive Fortunato by lying to him about the pipe of Amontillado and playing on his nature of a wine connoisseurship. Montresor would say â€Å"I have my doubts† (142) knowing that Fortunato would only become more motivated to taste the Amontillado and tell of its authenticity. It is this deception that he becomes carried away with. This becomes a game for Montresor. He uses Fortunato as a pawn, and plays each move very carefully. While Montresor has become fatally involved in his plan of revenge he still has not forgotten that Fortunato is a friend. When they are ready to go to the vaults, Montresor shows concern for Fortunato’s health.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Reflective essy

Self-reflection essay I remember first arriving in Haiti. The blast of heat stepping off the plane, cramming onto a mini school bus, and staring out the windows at the outskirts of Cap Haitian and the rural road to Milot. â€Å"I'm in Haiti†¦ † , I kept telling myself, trying to absorb all that I was seeing. The landscape, the way people live here, the norms of this culture were so different from anything I had seen before. We walked the streets of Milot that first day and I strongly recall the uncomfortable feeling of all eyes on us, the trash and the pigs in the rivers, and the children crying, â€Å"Blan!Blan! † as we walked past. It's funny what happens after youVe been in a place for a while. It ceases to be constantly foreign and overwhelming. I no longer see only abject poverty out the windows or while we walk through villages. I notice the details, walls painted bright blue, yellow, red, the heart design carved out of brick that make up the windows of every home, the bright red hibiscus flowers and cacti that form walls around each familys plot of land. When I walk through Milot now I expect people to stare, why wouldn't they?I say â€Å"bonjou† to them and smile, and get a â€Å"bonjou† and a smile ack. I look for the goat babies we pass on our runs, and am always comforted by the mountains surrounding this little town. Haiti is poor, yes, and I am reminded of that every day, but there is so much more to it than that. I wrote the above two paragraphs in my blog a little over a month into my trip to Haiti this summer. They sum up my feeling of becoming part of a place, as much as an American medical student can become part of a small Haitian town in 7 weeks. I had a truly amazing, fulfilling, and personally enriching experience.My first learning objective was, â€Å"to ain confidence in applying the clinical skills I have learned thus far, through working with patients every day. † I became very comfortable workin g through an interpreter, as this was the only way to communicate with every patient I interacted with. I had a lot of practice in conducting patient interviews, performing a targeted physical exam, and taking vitals. This opportunity was an amazing way to remember and fine tune all the skills I learned in medical interviewing, physical diagnosis, and CAP.Interviewing patients who speak English will seem a lot easier in comparison. My second learning objective was, â€Å"to learn how to ask public health questions and carry out meaningful research to improve the health of a population. † About half of our time in Haiti was dedicated to conducting a public health project. This was an incredible learning experience even before leaving the US. Three of us and our physician mentor applied for three IRB approvals as a group. That required a lot of research, teamwork, and delegation.We were able to get approval before leaving for Haiti, which let us hit the ground running. We spent about 2 days a week in small illages around Milot, working with translators and going door to door to interview women, or meeting large groups of midwives in village clinics. This experience was a true test of my patience and ability to put my type A, â€Å"get things done now' personality aside. Vans were always late to pick us up, the translators weren't high quality, and there were myriad miscommunications between us and the volunteer coordinator.Nevertheless, we managed to ge interviews conducted. I strongly believe that as a result of our research, positive developments will happen in Milot. This was a rewarding and challenging experience and even more ducational than I thought it would be going into it. My third learning objective was, â€Å"to strengthen my teamwork skills by working closely and effectively with other medical professionals. † I think my teamwork skills were honed best through working with two other students on our public health project.We all learned how to compromise, how to put our opinions forward effectively, and how to cede to other's opinions. We spent a lot of time and mental energy with each other without ever getting angry. There were times when we'd get frustrated with each other, but we were able to talk about it and move on. All seven of us students spent 2417 with each other for seven weeks and our collective ability to work together, to pick each other up when we were down, and to have fun together was like nothing IVe ever experienced.My final learning objective was, â€Å"to improve my communication skills and cultural competence while working with patients and other health care professionals with varied backgrounds and beliefs. † Of all my learning questions, this was perhaps the most important and the most difficult to successfully achieve. It will be a work in progress for my entire career, which is something I didn't really nderstand until this trip. It's not easy to put oneself, with one's own backgr ound, beliefs, and culturally created personality into another's shoes completely.It's also difficult to understand a culture so far removed from your own. Although I say it's difficult, I spent every single day in Haiti trying to improve my ability to do so. From working with doctors who often worked at a pace that made it seem as though they didn't care about their patients, to waiting for 3 hours for a late ride to a village, to the miscommunications that occurred frequently, every day was a conscious effort to nderstand the culture in which I found myself.Finally, I always heard about how hard it is to deal with the dysfunctional systems in third world countries, and I thought I understood. It's a whole different level of understanding when you see what that means on an individual human level in the eyes of the patients in front of you. And you are helpless to change the system. My time in Haiti I will remember, learn from, and be glad I did for the rest of my life. The things I learned, the relationships I made, and the experiences I had in those seven weeks would take a book to write down and do Justice to.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

High availability Essay

In the advent of the computer age, the growth of the internet has also necessitated the development of technologies that are not only able to cope with the demands of users but also within the limitations of current hardware. With multitasking having evolved into the norm, the availability of media and applications online has made it increasingly important to provide  high availability (Marcus 2003). The mission-critical applications that have surfaced on the internet have placed added pressure to make sure that highly available services are always ready. As such, this brief discourse will attempt to discuss the current state of high availability technology as well as any recent trends or variations that have surfaced. High Availability, as the term suggests, refers to systems or instruments in information technology that are not only continuously available but also continuously operational for long periods of time (Marcus 2003). The term availability is used to refer to the access that the users or members of user community have to the system. This type of access or ability can include anything from uploading files, to changing entries, updating works or even just scanning previous works (Marcus 2003). The failure to access the system results in downtime or unavailability. An example of this would be the manner by which community users like to be able to use Facebook to chat, watch videos, update links and upload pictures all at the same time. With a network that has Low Availability, the users will occasionally experience failures with regard to logging in or accessing different functions of the website because of the necessary downtime for system updating and maintenance (Ulrick 2010). This downtime can be prejudicial for a website or an internet application because it reduces the desirability of the technology. With the pressure on to provide complete and persistent accessibility, companies have tried to achieve the optimum â€Å"100% operational† or â€Å"never failing† Availability Status . One way of providing almost constant availability (High Availability) is by creating clusters. These computer systems or networks consist of several pieces that act as back-ups or failover processing mechanism that store data and allow for access. This includes the Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) or the Storage Area Network (SAN), which are used as back up storage devices to ensure constant availability (Marcus 2003). These systems, however, are constantly evolving and changing depending on the technology that is available and developed such as systems that have solid membership administration, consistent group communication sub-systems, quoram sub-systems, and even concurrent control sub-systems, among others. By creating a clustered computer system or network, backups are created in the form of redundancies for both hardware and software. This is achieved by forming or grouping several independent nodes with each of them simultaneously running a copy of the operating system (OS) and the application software (Marcus 2003). Whenever there is a failure in any of the nodes or when daemon failures occur, the system can quickly be reconfigured and the existing workload is then passed on to the other available or functional nodes within the cluster. Thus, there is always, theoretically, one system that is available and running to handle the services and access for the user community. It was reported in 1996 that the lost revenue and productivity due to downtime amounted to over US$ 4. 54 billion for American businesses alone (IBM 1998). As such, High availability has been consistently upgrading and evolving to be able to address this issue. The recent development include the creation of High Availability Clusters (HA Clusters or Failover Clusters). The concept of this is that it provides greater High Availability by operating several computer clusters at the same time. While this applies the same concept as High Availability, it attempts to create several failover systems and clusters that cater to this. It does, however, retain the same concept of constant monitoring to make sure that the systems are running as programmed and as planned. Recent research in this field has shown that there is also a diminishing return principle that can be applied. Up until recently, it was thought that by creating an expansive network and creating several clusters, the availability could be increased proportionally. However, there are findings that show that High Availability decreases when there are more components that are added to the system. This means that instead of improving the process it is instead undermined by the installation of additional components. The reason for this, according to Chee-Wei Ang, is that the more complex a system the more potential failures arise (Ang 2007). Since there are more systems to monitor, it becomes more difficult to point out exactly where the problem is. This can be compared to a complicated plumbing system wherein it becomes difficult to find the source of the leak. Though it has been argued by experts that a number of highly available systems utilize a simple design architecture which features high quality multipurpose systems. Yet even with this, it cannot ignore the basic fact that theses systems still require constant upgrading, patching and maintenance. The recent developments in this field include the creation of more advanced systems designs that streamline and facilitate the maintenance of systems without the need for compromising the availability. This has been achieved by doing load balancing and more advanced failover techniques. It is admitted, however, that while there are several developments, like all hardware devices these systems are also prone to human error and typical wear and tear which cannot be avoided though their effects can be mitigated by the introduction of more effective and efficient means.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The 18th Amendment Began the Era of Prohibition

The 18th Amendment Began the Era of Prohibition The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol, which began the era of  Prohibition. Ratified on Jan. 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment was repealed by the 21st Amendment on Dec. 5, 1933. In the over 200 years of U.S. Constitutional Law, the 18th Amendment remains the only amendment to ever have been repealed.   The 18th Amendment Key Takeaways The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution banned the manufacture and distribution of alcohol (known as Prohibition), on Jan. 16, 1919.  The major force behind Prohibition was 150 years of pressure by the Temperance Movement, combined with the ideals of the early 20th century Progressive Movement.The result was the destruction of an entire industry, including loss of jobs and tax revenue, and general lawlessness as people openly flaunted the law.  The Great Depression was an instrumental reason for its repeal.  The 21st Amendment repealing the 18th was ratified in December 1933, the only amendment ever to be repealed. Text of the 18th Amendment Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited. Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress. Proposal of the 18th Amendment   The road to national prohibition was riddled with a plethora of states laws that mirrored a national sentiment for temperance. Of the states that already had bans on manufacturing and distributing alcohol, very few had sweeping successes as a result, but the 18th Amendment sought to remedy this.   On August 1, 1917, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution detailing a version of the above three sections to be presented to states for ratification. The vote passed 65 to 20 with Republicans voting 29 in favor and 8 in opposition while the Democrats voted 36 to 12.   On December 17, 1917, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a revised resolution 282 to 128, with Republicans voting 137 to 62 and Democrats voting 141 to 64. Additionally, four independents voted for and two against it. The Senate approved this revised version the next day with a vote of 47 to 8 where it then went on to the States for ratification. Ratification of the 18th Amendment The 18th Amendment was ratified on January 16, 1919, in Washington, D.C. with Nebraskas for vote pushing the amendment over the required 36 states needed to approve the bill. Of the 48 states in the U.S. at the time (Hawaii and Alaska became states in the U.S. in 1959), only Connecticut and Rhode Island rejected the amendment, though New Jersey did not ratify it until three years later in 1922.   The National Prohibition Act was written to define the language and execution of the amendment and despite President Woodrow Wilsons attempt to veto the act, Congress and the Senate overrode his veto and set the start date for prohibition in the United States to January 17, 1920, the earliest date allowed by the 18th Amendment.   The Temperance Movement Temperance Parade. Chicago History Museum/Getty Images At the time of its passage, the 18th Amendment was the culmination of well over a century of activity by members of the temperance movement- people who wanted the total abolishment of alcohol. In the mid-19th century in the United States and elsewhere, the rejection of alcohol began as a religious movement, but it never gained traction: The revenue from the alcohol industry was phenomenal even then. As the new century turned, however, so did the focus of the temperance leadership.   Temperance became a platform of the Progressive Movement, a political and cultural movement that was a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. The Progressives wanted to clean up slums, end child labor, enforce shorter working hours, improve working conditions for people in factories, and stop excessive drinking. Banning alcohol, they felt, would protect the family, aid personal success, and reduce or eliminate crime and poverty.   The leaders of the movement were in the Anti-Saloon League of America, who, allied with the Womens Christian Temperance Union mobilized the Protestant churches and obtained major funding from businessmen and the corporate elite. Their activities were instrumental in achieving the two-thirds majority needed in both houses to initiate what would become the 18th Amendment.   The Volstead Act   The original wording of the 18th amendment barred the manufacture, sale, transportation, and exportation of intoxicating beverages, but it didnt define what intoxicating meant. Many of the people who supported the 18th amendment believed that the real problem was saloons and that drinking was acceptable in respectable settings.  The 18th amendment didnt prohibit imports (the Webb-Kenyon Act of 1913 did that) but Webb-Kenyon only enforced the imports when it was illegal in the receiving states. At first, people who wanted alcohol could get it semi-legally and safely.   But the Volstead Act, which was passed by Congress and then came into effect on January 16, 1920, defined the intoxicating level at .05 percent alcohol by volume. The utilitarian arm of the temperance movement wanted to ban saloons and control alcohol production: People believed their own drinking was blameless, but it was bad for everyone else and the society at large. The Volstead Act made that untenable: If you wanted alcohol, you now had to get it illegally.   The Volstead Act also created the first Prohibition Unit, in which men and women were hired at the federal level to serve as prohibition agents. Consequences of the 18th Amendment   The result of the combined 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act was economic devastation in the liquor industry. In 1914, there were 318 wineries, in 1927 there were 27. Liquor wholesalers were cut by 96 percent, and the number of legal retailers by 90 percent. Between 1919 and 1929, tax revenue from distilled spirits dropped from $365 million to under $13 million; revenues from fermented liquors went from $117 million to virtually nothing.   Bans on liquor importation and exportation crippled American ocean liners who were competing with other countries. Farmers lost the legal market of their crops to distilleries. Its not that the framers didnt realize that they would be losing the tax revenue they got from the alcohol industry (not to mention job loss and raw material market loss): They simply believed after World War I that prosperity and economic growth would be adequately bolstered by the gains of the Progressive movement, including doing away with alcohol, to overcome any initial costs.   Bootlegging   Marcia Frost One main consequence of the 18th Amendment was the steep  increase in smuggling and bootlegging- massive quantities of alcohol were smuggled out of Canada or made in small stills. There was no funding provided in the 18th Amendment for federal policing or prosecuting drink-related crimes. Although the Volstead Act created the first federal Prohibition Units, it didnt really become effective at the national level until 1927. State courts became clogged with alcohol-related cases.   When voters recognized that even near beer productions by the limping alcohol manufacturers Coors, Miller, and Anheuser Busch were now not legally accessible, tens of millions of people refused to obey the law. Illegal operations to manufacture alcohol and speakeasies to distribute it were rife. Juries would often not convict bootleggers, who were seen as Robin Hood figures. Despite the level of overall criminality, the mass violations by the public created lawlessness and a widespread disrespect for the law.   Rise of the Mafia   The opportunities for making money in the bootlegging business were not lost on organized crime in the United States. As legitimate alcohol businesses closed, the Mafia and other gangs took control of its production and sale. These became sophisticated criminal enterprises that reaped huge profits from the illicit liquor trade.   The Mafia were protected by crooked police and politicians who were bribed to look the other way. The most notorious of the Mafia dons was Chicagos Al Capone, who earned an estimated $60 million annually from his bootlegging and speakeasy operations. Income from bootlegging flowed into the old vices of gambling and prostitution, and the resulting widespread criminality and violence added to the growing demand for repeal. Although there were arrests during the 1920s, the Mafias lock on bootlegging was only successfully broken by repeal. Support for Repeal The growth of support for the repeal of the 18th amendment had everything to do with the promises of the Progressive movement balanced with the devastation of the Great Depression.   But even before the stock market crash in 1929, the Progressive reform movement, which had seemed so idyllic in its plan for a healthier society, lost credibility. The Anti-Saloon League insisted on zero tolerance and aligned itself with distasteful elements such as the Ku Klux Klan. Young people saw progressive reform as a suffocating status quo. Many prominent officials warned about the consequences of lawlessness: Herbert Hoover made it a central plank on his successful bid for the presidency in 1928. A year after the stock market crashed, six million men were out of work; in the first three years after the crash, an average of 100,000 workers were fired every week. The politicians who had argued that progressivism would bring prosperity were now held responsible for the depression.   By the early 1930s, the same corporate and religious elite people who supported the establishment of the 18th Amendment now lobbied for its repeal. One of the first was Standard Oils John D. Rockefeller, Jr., a major financial supporter of the 18th Amendment. On the night before the 1932 Republican convention, Rockefeller said that he now supported repeal of the Amendment, despite being a teetotaler on principle.   Repeal of the 18th Amendment After Rockefeller, many other businessmen signed on, saying that the benefits of prohibition were far outweighed by the costs. There was a growing socialist movement in the country, and people were organizing into unions: The elite businessmen including Pierre Du Pont of Du Pont manufacturing and Alfred P. Sloan Jr. of General Motors were frankly terrified.   The political parties were more cautious: Both were for Resubmission of the 18th amendment to the states and if the popular vote agreed, they would move to repeal it. But they were split on who would receive economic benefits. The Republicans wanted liquor control to lie with the federal government, while the Democrats wanted it returned to the states. In 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr. quietly endorsed repeal: His main promises for the presidency were balanced budgets and fiscal integrity. After he won and the Democrats swept in with him in December 1933, the lame-duck 72nd Congress reconvened and the Senate voted to submit the 21st Amendment to state conventions. The House approved it in February. In March 1933, Roosevelt asked Congress to modify the Volstead Act to allow 3.2 percent near beer and in April it was legal in most of the country. FDR had two cases shipped to the White House. On Dec. 5, 1933, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment, and the 18th Amendment was repealed.   Sources Blocker Jr., Jack S. Did Prohibition Really Work? Alcohol Prohibition as a Public Health Innovation. American Journal of Public Health 96.2 (2006): 233–43. Print.Bourdreaux, Donald J., and A.C. Pritchard. The Price of Prohibition. Arizona Law Review 36 (1994). Print.Dietler, Michael. Alcohol: Anthropological/Archaeological Perspectives. Annual Review of Anthropology 35.1 (2006): 229–49. Print.Levine, Harry Gene. The Birth of American Alcohol Control: Prohibition, the Power Elite, and the Problem of Lawlessness. Contemporary Drug Problems 12 (1985): 63–115. Print.Miron, Jeffrey A., and Jeffrey Zwiebel. Alcohol Consumption During Prohibition. The American Economic Review 81.2 (1991): 242–47. Print.Webb, Holland. Temperance Movements and Prohibition. International Social Science Review 74.1/2 (1999): 61–69. Print.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Body Shop Proposal

A. This is because they choose to focus on targeting working adults which is leaned towards a mature image and does not appeals to teens. B. They will lose the potential to increase their sales volume if this continues. II. There are three main possible themes that we would like to propose. A. Firstly, â€Å"Fire† will be emphasising on the strong yet feminine aspects of the product. B. Secondly, â€Å"Earth† will bring attention on the environmentally-friendly nature of the products C. And lastly, the â€Å"Air† theme showcases the comfort level of the products. D. This is a proposal for an advertisement spread in Seventeen selling The Body Shop Bath Body products. ?There is a choice of three themes for the campaign, â€Å"Fire†, â€Å"Earth†, and â€Å"Water†. The recommended products for the 4-ad campaign are to be bath shower gel, body lotion, body butter, and body scrub. P2: Potential (3 paras) I. The Body Shop is currently lacking of advertisement directed to teenagers. A. For a cosmetics retail company, The Body Shop noticeably lacks of photographs of models with beautiful hair and perfect skin, which would attract attention of teenagers. B. Currently, The Body Shop is targeting working adults and the advertisement that they made is leaned more towards a mature image. This image does not appeal to teenagers. II. The Body Shop does not appeal to teenagers and in doing so, it loses a huge number of potential customers. A. Teenagers are not attracted to The Body Shop because of a lack of celebrity representation. B. With the lack of advertisement, targeted audience will not be encourage to trial purchase, brand switch and develop brand loyalty towards The Body Shop. III. Sales would be greatly boosted if The Body Shop were able to appeal to teenagers. A. The Body Shop will be able to maximise it’s profits because Singaporeans teenagers aged 15-19 are very willing to spend money on body products. B. Products such as body products could easily allow the consumer to develop brand loyalty towards the brand because they would have develop a habit for using our brand’s product. This results in repeated purchases and promotes sales in long term. P3: Possibilities (3 paras) I. The first theme, â€Å"Fire† theme will emphasize the strong yet feminine aspects of the product. A. â€Å"Fire† will pitch the products in a sexy yet elegant way, appealing to girls who want to be seen as confident and independent women. B. For example, in the Body butter advertisement, we can feature a model clad in only lingerie and high heels and applying body butter on her body. This would suggest that one would feel confident with their body after using our products. The main colour of this advertisement will be red, black and white to give off a Parisian feel, which represents elegance, yet at the same time emphasizes on the fiery and bold aspects of the theme. II. The second theme, â€Å"Earth† will focus attention on the environmentally friendly nature of the products. A. Products would come across as environmental and relaxing under the â€Å"Earth† theme and would appeal to both males and females because it makes them feel comfortable. B. The advertisement for bath shower gel portray a model unwinding in a bathtub full of soapy water, implying that she had just used the product and suggest that one would feel relaxed after using the product. The background of this advertisement could be a natural setting filled with trees and plants to emphasize on the nature aspects of the theme. III. The third theme, the â€Å"Air† theme, will showcase the comfort level of the products. A. Under the â€Å"Air† theme, products would be pitch as simple yet lasting comfort, appealing to both genders because of the theme’s purity and freshness. B. One example of a body lotion advertisement under the â€Å"Air† theme is to do a compare and contrast of a model who applied the body lotion in the morning and the same model looking energetic and fresh at night to represent the lasting effects and the comfort level can be seen through the model’s cheerful appearance. The advertisement would be in pastel colours to emphasize on the theme’s purity. P4: Proposal (3 paras) I. We have decided to go with the â€Å"Earth† theme because it highlights the key feature of our product and will be effective in attracting our target audience’s interest. A. The Body Shop unique selling point is being environmentally friendly and it is also what the audience associate The Body Shop with. By going along with this theme, audience are able to identify The Body Shop because our concept will be consistent. B. B. Our target audience have a very hectic lifestyle and by portraying a product, which comes across as relaxing to them is a very feasible idea because it is what the target audience need and that is also what they are looking for. This will thus increase sales of the products. II. We have rejected the â€Å"Fire† theme because it doesn’t specifically appeals to our target audiences. A. The â€Å"Fire† theme might seem over-mature to our target audiences and they would not want to be associated with such image. B. The â€Å"Fire† theme might also be inappropriate and clashes with The Body Shop image because The Body Shop has always emphasize that beauty can be achieve even without baring a lot of skin. II. We have also rejected the â€Å"Air† theme because it’s concept is very common in Body products. A. The concept of comfort in a body product is not unique and thus, would not be effective in attracting the targeted audience as it doesn’t stand out. B. Audiences are easily able to find cheaper alternatives with the same benefits. *Total number of paras: 11 (do not create any more paragraphs†¦ it’s 11, no more, no fewer) Body Shop Proposal A. This is because they choose to focus on targeting working adults which is leaned towards a mature image and does not appeals to teens. B. They will lose the potential to increase their sales volume if this continues. II. There are three main possible themes that we would like to propose. A. Firstly, â€Å"Fire† will be emphasising on the strong yet feminine aspects of the product. B. Secondly, â€Å"Earth† will bring attention on the environmentally-friendly nature of the products C. And lastly, the â€Å"Air† theme showcases the comfort level of the products. D. This is a proposal for an advertisement spread in Seventeen selling The Body Shop Bath Body products. ?There is a choice of three themes for the campaign, â€Å"Fire†, â€Å"Earth†, and â€Å"Water†. The recommended products for the 4-ad campaign are to be bath shower gel, body lotion, body butter, and body scrub. P2: Potential (3 paras) I. The Body Shop is currently lacking of advertisement directed to teenagers. A. For a cosmetics retail company, The Body Shop noticeably lacks of photographs of models with beautiful hair and perfect skin, which would attract attention of teenagers. B. Currently, The Body Shop is targeting working adults and the advertisement that they made is leaned more towards a mature image. This image does not appeal to teenagers. II. The Body Shop does not appeal to teenagers and in doing so, it loses a huge number of potential customers. A. Teenagers are not attracted to The Body Shop because of a lack of celebrity representation. B. With the lack of advertisement, targeted audience will not be encourage to trial purchase, brand switch and develop brand loyalty towards The Body Shop. III. Sales would be greatly boosted if The Body Shop were able to appeal to teenagers. A. The Body Shop will be able to maximise it’s profits because Singaporeans teenagers aged 15-19 are very willing to spend money on body products. B. Products such as body products could easily allow the consumer to develop brand loyalty towards the brand because they would have develop a habit for using our brand’s product. This results in repeated purchases and promotes sales in long term. P3: Possibilities (3 paras) I. The first theme, â€Å"Fire† theme will emphasize the strong yet feminine aspects of the product. A. â€Å"Fire† will pitch the products in a sexy yet elegant way, appealing to girls who want to be seen as confident and independent women. B. For example, in the Body butter advertisement, we can feature a model clad in only lingerie and high heels and applying body butter on her body. This would suggest that one would feel confident with their body after using our products. The main colour of this advertisement will be red, black and white to give off a Parisian feel, which represents elegance, yet at the same time emphasizes on the fiery and bold aspects of the theme. II. The second theme, â€Å"Earth† will focus attention on the environmentally friendly nature of the products. A. Products would come across as environmental and relaxing under the â€Å"Earth† theme and would appeal to both males and females because it makes them feel comfortable. B. The advertisement for bath shower gel portray a model unwinding in a bathtub full of soapy water, implying that she had just used the product and suggest that one would feel relaxed after using the product. The background of this advertisement could be a natural setting filled with trees and plants to emphasize on the nature aspects of the theme. III. The third theme, the â€Å"Air† theme, will showcase the comfort level of the products. A. Under the â€Å"Air† theme, products would be pitch as simple yet lasting comfort, appealing to both genders because of the theme’s purity and freshness. B. One example of a body lotion advertisement under the â€Å"Air† theme is to do a compare and contrast of a model who applied the body lotion in the morning and the same model looking energetic and fresh at night to represent the lasting effects and the comfort level can be seen through the model’s cheerful appearance. The advertisement would be in pastel colours to emphasize on the theme’s purity. P4: Proposal (3 paras) I. We have decided to go with the â€Å"Earth† theme because it highlights the key feature of our product and will be effective in attracting our target audience’s interest. A. The Body Shop unique selling point is being environmentally friendly and it is also what the audience associate The Body Shop with. By going along with this theme, audience are able to identify The Body Shop because our concept will be consistent. B. B. Our target audience have a very hectic lifestyle and by portraying a product, which comes across as relaxing to them is a very feasible idea because it is what the target audience need and that is also what they are looking for. This will thus increase sales of the products. II. We have rejected the â€Å"Fire† theme because it doesn’t specifically appeals to our target audiences. A. The â€Å"Fire† theme might seem over-mature to our target audiences and they would not want to be associated with such image. B. The â€Å"Fire† theme might also be inappropriate and clashes with The Body Shop image because The Body Shop has always emphasize that beauty can be achieve even without baring a lot of skin. II. We have also rejected the â€Å"Air† theme because it’s concept is very common in Body products. A. The concept of comfort in a body product is not unique and thus, would not be effective in attracting the targeted audience as it doesn’t stand out. B. Audiences are easily able to find cheaper alternatives with the same benefits. *Total number of paras: 11 (do not create any more paragraphs†¦ it’s 11, no more, no fewer)

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Management - Essay Example In the contemporary business language, that term has been replaced by HRM, while its description has remained the same. Management of people involves such tasks as hiring and adjusting them, assigning them their respective tasks, and addressing their needs. All of these functions are performed by HR department. So, HR function has a cardinal role to play in the management of people within an organization. What is the role of the first line supervisor or manager in managing people within an organization? First line managers in an organization have a direct interaction with the workers that practically work in the field. First line managers are assigned the responsibility to look after the needs of workers and manage them in the way that would keep the work flowing smoothly. They are directed to do so by the middle managers who are in turn, instructed by the top managers. First line managers make sure that there is sufficient material and equipment available on site, workers are adequa tely allotted their respective tasks, their productivity is up to the mark, they are dropped into and carried from the site without any inconvenience and are provided with food, leave passes and compensation. All of these and such other works are included under the umbrella term of â€Å"management†. As a first line manager looks after all these factors for the workers, he essentially plays a very important role in managing the people within an organization. ... This is what is taken care of by the first line managers. They look after the lowest side of the overall picture so that the progress remains consistent with the strategies of the top managers. Who is responsible for ensuring all HR policies and practices are implemented within the organization? In any organization, the responsibility of ensuring adequate implementation of all HR policies and practices fundamentally rests with the Director of the HR department. The director is supposed to advise the managers regarding various matters of huge significance to the organization. As HR department formulates the strategies, policies and practices to facilitate the work, the HR Director is answerable to the organization owners and/or top managers for their effective implementation and follow up. The director is at the top of the HR department, and is responsible for all actions and activities of the HR department. It is quite reasonable to expect the HR Director to take necessary measures f or adequate implementation of the policies and practices devised by the HR department. Who is responsible for the performance of employees within an organization? In any organization, it is the Human Resource Manager (HRM), who is expected to look after the performance of employees and manage it. Employees perform best when they are satisfied. Employees derive their motivation for work from their satisfaction with various aspects of job. An employee can not be expected to perform adequately unless his/her individualistic concerns are addressed. There are several factors that need to be taken care of in order to keep the employees motivated. These factors include their salary, accommodation, work