Networking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Networking - Assignment Example For this company I suggest the use of NAPT so that it can allow the company’s computers to participate concurrently in operations. This is the simplest type, which allows for one to one use of IP address. It is where the IP head checksum and IP address only needs to be changed (Kurose & Keith 93). Security reasons-this is because the system provides automatic firewall system security without any complex set up. This is because it allows for connectivity that is from inside network. This implies that an internal user is able to connect to FTP server outside the system but an outsider cannot access the internal FTP server since it does not originate from the source. This thus means that the company’s information is safe and cannot be accessed by unauthorized person (Kurose & Keith 112). Administrative reasons-this is in terms of dividing the network into small units whereby the small parts are exposed to an IP address thus other computers can be connected or disconnected without affecting the outside networks. Again, NAT through its gateways can give a way to prohibit access to the internet, which allows the administration to restrict users from accessing bad materials. Moreover, NAT allows several computers to have connections on the same network courtesy of operations through an IP packet-level (Wendell, Rus, Denise 78). To assign these addresses to devices, a special program will be run in the machine to install the address into its hard memory and saved. Then the program is deleted to ensure that address belongs to that devices and can never be changed any time in the future (Wendell, Rus, Denise

State Versus Federal Power to Regulate Immigration Essay Example for Free

State Versus Federal Power to Regulate Immigration Essay According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the foreign-born population in the United States tripled in the past four decades and currently totals about 37 million, or nearly 12 percent of the total population. What authority do states have with respect to immigration matters? For decades, the power to regulate immigration has been considered a federal power. However, in recent years Congress added a new provision that allows local law enforcement to directly enforce immigration regulations through the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This provision is the Immigration and Nationality Act, and it is our basic federal immigration law. Causing many debates amongst community members, immigration has created a sense of an overwhelming presence of new lifestyles, cultures and ethnicity groups throughout America. The large number of new immigrants to this country creates a lifestyle that does not fit well with the once dominant group. In many cases, residents seem to be lobbying for stricter laws and enforcement. Alabama and Arizona’s immigration laws provide the framework for examining state power. With the Supreme Court ruling for over a century that federal government has the ultimate power of ruling immigration, they have ruled that any state or local law that attempts to regulate immigration is in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the U. S.  Constitution and is preempted by federal law. (Guizar, 2007) I have found that those powers are based on the Commerce Clause, Naturalization Clause, Migration and Importation Clause and the War Power Clause of Article I of the US Constitution. Sejal Zota, the author of â€Å"Do State and Local Immigration Laws Violate Federal Law? † , states that there is no general answer for this question, for the analysis varies across different areas of regulation. Her article provides a general framework to determine whether state and local laws relating to public benefits, housing, and employment may be preempted by federal law. Also, she touches on the topic of civil rights laws that may be violated by laws establishing English as the official language of our country and free speech. With a hope for future cases concerning regulation of immigrant housing and employment, we will not truly know the answer to the largely questioned thought, and hopefully what is to come to the future will bring clearer direction.

What Was Life Like In Colonial Times? Essay -- essays research papers

What was Life Like in Colonial Times?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the first colonists came to America there were not many things available to them. Their life was hard, almost impossible compared to life today. The early colonists spent almost every hour of everyday working to stay alive. They survived because they were committed to making their settlement grow. (John F. Warner- pg.12-13)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first colonists had to make almost everything using only a few simple tools. They built their own houses, their furniture, and even the utensils they ate with. Farm life was also a big part of surviving. Family farms and plantations remained the backbone of life right up until the end of the colonial era.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The everyday clothing that the settlers wore was mostly thick and coarse. Men generally wore linen shirts and knee breeches along with wool stockings that came up over the knees. A jacket that was called a â€Å"doublet† was worn over the shirt. They wore wide brimmed hats and their boots were leather with double thick soles. Colonial women wore linen blouses too; they tucked the blouses into their long wool skirts. They also had wool stockings. The women covered their skirts with long white aprons and wore a white neck cloth over a sleeveless doublet. Some women wore hats similar to the men, but most wore a wool close fitting hat somewhat like a bonnet. The children’s clothing was very similar to their parents. Those we...

Cheerleading is Not a Sport Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Cheerleading is Not a Sport According to Joe Hatton, the author of the article, â€Å"Sports Beat - The sport of cheerleading: It’s more than just pompoms and smiles,† cheerleading is a sport because it requires strength, balance, and coordination. The major claim of the article is â€Å"cheerleading is a sport - plain and simple - and cheerleaders are true athletes† (Hatton C-04). The article offers the following arguments in support of the claim. Hatton claims because cheerleaders are athletes, cheerleading is a sport. Hatton also says cheerleading is a sport because of the competitive aspects. We believe cheerleading is not a sport, because not all cheerleaders compete. Most cheerleaders rarely, if ever, show athleticism. Cheerleading is an activity based on confidence and school spirit. Activities in schools such as debate clubs revolve around the trust, confidence and competition of the team members yet most people do not consider debate club a sport. In Hatton’s article, he acknowledges many people and organization do not identify cheerleading as a sport. The premier collegiate sports organization in the country, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (â€Å"NCAA†), does not recognize cheerleading as a sport (â€Å"Equal Opportunity†). Also, according to the National Federation of High School Athletic Associations, fewer than half the states in country recognize cheerleading as a sport (â€Å"NFHS†). The fact that a respected national athletic organization and a majority of states do not recognize cheerleading as a sport implies that it is viewed primarily as entertainment. We believe the arguments in the article to be unfounded and therefore view the claim that cheerleading is a sport to be untrue. There is more supp... ...leading should not be considered a sport because it is not typically undertaken in a competitive environment and its primary purpose is to lead â€Å"cheering of spectators as at a sports contest† (Dictionary.com). Works Cited Dictionary.com. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. 2003. 9 October 2003. http://dictionary.reference.com/. â€Å"Equal Opportunity In Intercollegiate Athletics: Requirements Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.† U.S. Department of Education. 27 August 1997. 9 October 2003. http://classweb.gmu.edu/jkozlows/460tixa.html. Hatton, Joe. â€Å"Sports Beat - The Sport of Cheerleading: It’s a lot More than Just Pompoms and Smiles.† Providence Journal Bulletin 9 May 2003: C-04 LexisNexis CD-ROM. 13 May 2003. â€Å"NFHS.† National Federation of State High School Associations. 2003. 9 October 2003. http://www.nfhs.org/.

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 9~10

Nine When Mikey â€Å"the Collector† Plotznik wheeled into town and saw that the Texaco station had blown up, leaving a charred circle two hundred yards wide around it, he knew that it was going to be a great day. It was a shame about the burger stand going up too, and he'd miss their spicy fries, but hey, you don't often get to see the toasting of a major landmark like the Texaco. The fire was all out now, but several firemen were still sifting through the wreck-age. The Collector waved to them as he wheeled by. They waved back, somewhat reticently, for the Collector's reputation preceded him and made them nervous. Today would be the day, Mikey thought. The Texaco was an omen, the star in the sky over his lifelong dream. Today he'd catch Molly Michon naked, and when he did (and brought back the proof), his reputation would grow to mythic proportions. He patted the disposable camera he carried in the front pouch of his hooded sweatshirt. Oh yes, he'd have evidence to back up his story. They would believe him – and bow to him. At this point in his life, the Collector was more interested in explosions than in naked women. He was only ten, and it would be a couple of years before his interests moved to girls. Freud never identified a stage of devel-opment known as â€Å"pyrotechnic fascination,† but that was only because there wasn't an abundant supply of disposable lighters in nineteenth-cen-tury Vienna. Ten-year-old boys blow shit up. It's what they do. But today a strange new feeling had come over Mikey, a feeling he couldn't put a word to, but if he could, the word would have been â€Å"horny.† As he Rollerbladed through town, tossing the Los Angeles Times into the shrubs and gutters of businesses along Cypress Street, he felt a tightness in his shorts that until now he had associated with having to take a raging pee in the morning. Today it signified a need to see the Crazy Lady in a state of undress. Paperboys are the carriers of preadolescent myth. On every paper route, there is a haunted house, a kid-eating dog, an old woman who tips with twenties, and a woman who answers the door in the nude. Mikey had never actually seen any of these things, but that never stopped him from spinning wild stories for his buddies at school. Today he would get proof, he could feel it in his loins. He skated down the driveway into the Fly Rod Trailer Court, chucked a paper into the rose bushes in front of Mr. Nunez's trailer, then made a beeline for the Crazy Lady's house. He could see a blue glow coming through her windows, a TV. She was home and awake. Yes! He pulled up a couple of doors down and noticed that a new trailer had moved in next to the Crazy Lady. A new customer? Why not give it a try? The Crazy Lady didn't receive the paper, so his pretense for knocking on her door was to get her to subscribe. He could practice on these new people. As he skated up to the front door of the new trailer, lights came on in the two front windows. Yes! Someone was home. Strange curtains – they looked like cat's eyes. Through a part in the curtains, Molly watched the kid come down the road into the trailer park. She liked kids, but she didn't like this kid. At least once a week he knocked on her door and tried to get her to subscribe to the paper, and once a week she told him to go away and never come back. Sometimes he would bring one of his little buddies along. She could hear them skulking around her trailer, trying to peek in the windows. â€Å"Swear to God, she's got a dead guy in there that she does it with. I've seen him. And she ate a kid once.† The kid was heading for the monster trailer. In the background, a videotape was playing on her TV – Mechanized Death: Warrior Babe VII – and THE SCENE was coming up. Molly looked away from the window and watched THE SCENE for the thousandth time. Kendra is standing in the back of a jeep, manning a rack of net guns as the jeep pursues the Evil Warlord across the desert. The driver turns, as he is supposed to, throwing up a fishtail of dust, but the front wheel of the jeep hits a rock and the jeep rolls. Kendra is thrown fifty feet in the air and lands in a heap. The steel bra she is wearing cuts deep into her chest and blood sprays out across the dust. The bastards! Every time she watches THE SCENE she can't believe the bastards left it in. The accident was real, the blood was Molly's, and when she returned to the set ten days later, a security guard escorted her to the producer's trailer. â€Å"I can pay you extra's wages as a mutant,† the producer said, â€Å"but let's face it, babe, you didn't get your billing because of your acting ability. You think I'm gonna hold up filming for ten days when the whole schedule is only three weeks long? We got a new Kendra. Wrote the accident and the facial reconstruction into the script. She's a cyborg now. Now you can get in line with the mutants to pick up your bag of rags, or you can get the fuck off the set. My audience wants perfect bodies, and you were getting up there anyway. With that scar you don't sell anymore.† Molly had just turned twenty-seven years old. She pulled herself from THE SCENE and looked out the window again. The kid was there, right there in front of the monster trailer. She should warn him or something. She pounded on the window and the kid looked up, not startled, but with a dreamy expression on his face. Molly gestured for him to move away. The window she was looking out of didn't open. (Trailers built in those days were designed so people would burn up in case of a fire. The manufacturers thought it would keep the lawsuits down.) The kid just stood there, his fist poised before the door as if he were frozen in the middle of knocking. As Molly watched, the door began to open. Not on the hinges, but vertically, like a garage door. Molly pounded furiously on the window with the hilt of her sword. The kid smiled. A huge red tongue snaked out of the door, wrapped around the kid, and slurped him in, Rollerblades, paper satchel, and all. Molly screamed. The door slammed shut. Molly watched, stunned, not knowing what to do. A few seconds later the mouth opened and expectorated a soccer-ball-sized wad of newspaper. Theo The hours of Theo's day had moved like slugs crawling on razor wire. By four in the afternoon, he felt as if he'd been awake for a week and the cups of French roast he'd been drinking had turned to foaming acid in his stomach. Mercifully, there hadn't been a single call for a bar fight or do-mestic dispute, so he had spent the entire day at the scene of the fuel truck explosion, talking to firemen, representatives from Texaco Oil, and an arson investigator sent up from the San Junipero Fire Department. Much to his surprise, going all day without a hit from his Sneaky Pete pot pipe had not sent him into fits of anxiety as it usually did. He was a little paranoid, but he wasn't sure that that wasn't just an informed response to the world anyway. At a quarter past four, the arson investigator crossed the charred parking lot to where Theo was leaning on the hood of his Volvo. The investigator was in his late twenties, clean-cut, and carried himself like an athlete, even in the orange toxic waste suit. He carried a plastic space helmet under his arm like a tumorous football. â€Å"Constable Crowe, I think that's about all I can do today. It'll be dark soon, and as long as we keep the area closed off, I'm sure everything will still be here in the morning.† â€Å"What's your call so far? â€Å"Well, we generally look for evidence of accelerants, gas, kerosene, paint thinner – and I'd say there were definitely some flammable liquids involved here.† He smiled a weary smile. â€Å"So you don't know what happened?† â€Å"Offhand, I'd say a fuel truck blew up, but without further investigation I'd hate to make a commitment at this time.† Again the smile. Theo smiled back. â€Å"So no cause?† â€Å"The driver probably didn't seal the hose correctly and a cloud of fumes got set off. There wasn't much wind last night, so the fumes would have just clung to the ground and built up. Anything could have set it off: the driver could have been smoking, the pilot lights at the hamburger place, a spark in the truck exhaust. Right now I'd say it was totally accidental. It was a company-owned store, and it was turning a profit, so there really isn't a financial motive for arson. Texaco will definitely be building your town a new burger stand and probably paying off some nuisance settlements from people claiming trauma, duress, and irritation.† â€Å"I have the information on the driver,† Theo said. â€Å"I'll check to see if he was a smoker.† â€Å"I asked him. He's keeping quiet† came a voice from a few yards away. Theo and the arson investigator looked up to see Vance McNally coming toward them holding up a Ziploc bag full of white and gray powder. â€Å"I've got him right here,† the EMT said. â€Å"You want to interrogate him?† â€Å"Very funny, Vance,† Theo said. â€Å"They're going to have to do the autopsy with a flour sifter,† Vance said. The investigator took the Ziploc from Vance and examined it. â€Å"You find any remains of a cigarette lighter? Anything like that?† â€Å"Not my job,† Vance said. â€Å"The fire was so hot it turned the seat springs to liquid. Even incinerated the bones, except for those little bits of calcium in there. Honestly, this might not all be our boy. We might be giving his wife a bag full of burnt-up truck parts to put in an urn on the mantel.† The investigator shrugged and handed the bag back to Vance. Then to Theo he said, â€Å"I'm going home. I'll come back tomorrow and look around some more. As soon as I give the okay, the oil company will send in a crew to drain the ground tanks.† â€Å"Thanks,† Theo said. The investigator left in a county car. Vance McNally turned the Ziploc bag of truck driver in the air. â€Å"Theo, this ever happens to me, I want you to get all my friends together, have a big party, and snort me, okay?† â€Å"You have friends, Vance?† â€Å"Okay, it was just an idea,† Vance said. He turned and carried his bag to the waiting ambulance. Theo sipped his coffee and noticed something moving in the charred brush beyond the Texaco. It looked as if someone was holding up a TV antenna and getting altogether too close to the yellow tape he had run around the perimeter. Jeez, was he going to have to stay here all night guarding the scene? He pried himself off the Volvo and headed for the offender. â€Å"Hey there!† Theo called. Gabe Fenton, the biologist, emerged from the brush, indeed holding up some kind of antenna, followed by his Labrador retriever, Skinner. The dog ran to meet Theo and greeted him with two muddy paw prints on the chest. Theo rubbed Skinner's ears to hold him at bay, the classic slobbering Labrador control move. â€Å"Gabe, what in the hell are you doing down here?† The biologist was covered with burrs and foxtails, his face striped with soot from the charred brush. He looked exhausted, yet there was a note of excitement bordering on ecstasy in his voice. â€Å"You won't believe this, Theo. My rats moved en masse this morning.† Theo tried, but couldn't match Gabe's enthusiasm. â€Å"That's swell, Gabe. Texaco blew up last night.† Gabe Fenton looked around at the surrounding area as if seeing the destruction for the first time. â€Å"What time?† â€Å"About four in the morning.† â€Å"Hmmm, maybe they sensed it.† â€Å"They?† â€Å"The rats. Around 2 A.M. they all started moving west. I can't figure out what caused it. Here, look at the screen.† Gabe had a laptop computer strapped into a harness around his waist. He turned it so Theo could see the screen. â€Å"Each of these dots represents an animal I have implanted with a tracking chip. Here's their location at 1 A.M.† He clicked a key and the screen drew a topographical map of the area. Green dots were scattered pretty much evenly along the creek bed and the business district of Pine Cove. Gabe hit another key. â€Å"Now here they are at two.† All but a few of the dots had moved into the ranchland east of Pine Cove. â€Å"Uh-huh,† Theo said. Gabe was a nice guy. Spent too much time with vermin, but he was a nice guy. Gabe needs to talk to humans occasionally, Theo thought. â€Å"Well, don't you see? They all moved at once, except for these ten over here that moved to the shore.† â€Å"Uh-huh,† Theo said. â€Å"Gabe, the Texaco blew up. A guy was killed. I was talking to firemen in space suits all day. Every paper in the county has called me. The battery is almost out on my cell phone. I haven't eaten since yesterday and I only slept an hour last night. Help me find the significance in rat migration, okay?† Gabe looked crestfallen. â€Å"Well, I don't know the significance yet. I'm tracking the ten that didn't move east, hoping the anomalies will give a clue to the behavior of the larger group. Strange thing is, four of the ten disappeared off my screen a little after two. Even if they were killed, the chips should still transmit. I need to find them.† â€Å"And I wish you the best of luck, but this area may still be dangerous. You can't be here, buddy.† â€Å"Maybe there were fumes,† Gabe said. â€Å"But that doesn't explain why they all moved in the same direction. Some even came through this area from the shore.† Theo couldn't bear to express to Gabe how little he cared. â€Å"You had any dinner, Gabe?† â€Å"No, I've been doing this since last night.† â€Å"Pizza, Gabe. We need pizza and beer. I'll buy.† â€Å"But I need to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're a single guy, Gabe. You need pizza every eighteen hours or you can't function properly. And I have a question to ask you about footprints, but I want you to watch me drink a few beers before I ask so I can claim diminished capacity. Come, Gabe, let me take you to the land of pizza and beer.† Theo gestured to his Volvo. â€Å"You can stick the antenna out the sunroof.† â€Å"I guess I could take a break.† Theo opened the passenger door and Skinner leapt into the car, leaving sooty paw prints on the seat. â€Å"Your dog needs pizza. It's the humane thing to do.† â€Å"Okay,† Gabe said. â€Å"I want to show you something over by the creek bed.† â€Å"What.† â€Å"A footprint. Or what's left of one.† Ten minutes later they sat over frosty mugs of beer at Pizza in the Pines, Pine Cove's only pizza parlor. They'd taken a window table so Gabe could keep an eye on Skinner, who was bouncing up and down outside, giving them an ever-changing view of the street, then the street with dog face (ears akimbo), then the street, then the street with dog face again. Other than to order a beer, Gabe Fenton hadn't said a word since they'd gone to the creek bed. â€Å"Will he just keep doing that?† Theo asked. â€Å"Until we take him a slice of pizza, yes.† â€Å"Amazing.† Gabe shrugged. â€Å"He's a dog.† â€Å"Always the biologist.† â€Å"One needs to keep the mind limber.† â€Å"Well, what do you think?† â€Å"I think that you obliterated most of what you thought was a footprint.† â€Å"Gabe, it was a footprint. A talon or something.† â€Å"There are a thousand explanations for a depression in the mud like that, Theo, but one of them is not an animal track.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Well, for one, there hasn't been anything that large on this continent for about sixty million years, and for another, animals tend to leave more than one track, unless it's a creature especially adapted for hopping.† Gabe grinned. The flying dog head pogoed by the windowsill. â€Å"There were a lot of people and vehicles around there, the other tracks might have been wiped out.† â€Å"Theo, don't let your imagination run away with you. You've had a long day and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"And I'm a pothead.† â€Å"I wasn't going to say that.† â€Å"I know, I'm saying it. Tell me about your rats. What will you do when you find them?† â€Å"Well, first I'm going to keep searching for the stimulus of their behavior, then I'll catch a few of the group that migrated and compare their brain chemistry to those that headed toward the shore.† â€Å"Does that hurt them?† â€Å"You have to blend up their brains and run the liquid in a centrifuge.† â€Å"I guess so then.† The waitress brought their pizza and Gabe was severing cables of cheese from his first slice when Theo's cell phone rang. The constable listened for a second, then stood and dug into his pocket for money. â€Å"I've got to go, Gabe.† â€Å"What's up?† â€Å"The Plotznik kid is missing. No one's seen him since he left on his paper route this morning.† â€Å"Probably hiding. That kid is evil. He rigged up something with his remote control car that affected the chips in my rats once. I spent three weeks trying to figure out why they were running figure eights in the parking lot outside the grocery story before I found him lurking in the weeds with the controller.† â€Å"I know,† Theo said. â€Å"Mikey told me that if he wired ten of your rats together, he could pick up the Discovery Channel. I still have to find him. He has parents.† â€Å"Skinner is a pretty good tracker. Want to take him?† â€Å"Thanks, but I doubt that the kid had a pizza in his pocket.† Theo folded his phone, snagged a slice of pizza for the road, and headed out the door. Ten Val Riordan leaned against her office door, trying to catch her breath and maintain her temper. Nothing in her clinical experience compared to the sessions she held on the day after the Texaco exploded. She had seen twenty patients in ten hours, and every one of them had wanted to talk about sex. And not abstract sex either, not issues or attitudes about sex, just squishy, thumping sex itself. It was unnerving. She'd anticipated a spike in libido among her patients (it was a common symptom of withdrawal from antidepressants), but the books said not more than five to fifteen percent would have a reaction – about the same number that experienced a loss of libido upon taking the drugs. But today she'd hit one hundred percent. It was as if she were running a kennel for hopeless horndogs rather than a psychiatric practice. After the last patient, she'd come out of her office to find her new receptionist, Chloe, furiously masturbating, her feet hooked into the edge of the desk, her steno chair squeaking like a tortured squirrel. Val had excused herself, turned on her heel, walked back into her office, and shut the door. Chloe, twenty-one, had maroon hair, an entire wardrobe rendered in black, and a sapphire nose ring. Val had begun treating the girl in her teens for bulimia, then hired her when the volume of appointments skyrocketed after the placebo went into effect. Chloe worked in exchange for therapy; Val had thought it would be a good financial move. Frankly, she'd liked her better when she just threw up a lot. Val was still trying to figure out exactly what to do when there was a soft knock on the door. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Sorry,† Chloe said through the door. â€Å"Uh, Chloe, that is not appropriate office behavior.† â€Å"Well, your last appointment had left. I thought that you would be working on your notes or something for a while. I'm really sorry.† â€Å"That's it? My last appointment leaves, so let the wild rumpus begin?† â€Å"Am I fired?† Val thought for a second. There were twenty more patients to see tomorrow and twenty the day after that. If the weirdness didn't kill her, the workload would. She couldn't afford to lose Chloe now. â€Å"No, you're not fired. But please, no more of that in the office.† â€Å"Do you have time to talk? I know my next session isn't until next week, but I really need to talk to you.† â€Å"Wouldn't you prefer to go home and, uh, think about things?† â€Å"You mean finish? No, I'm finished for now. That's what I want to talk to you about. That wasn't the first time today.† Val gulped. It was highly unprofessional to talk to a patient through a door. She steeled herself and opened it. â€Å"Come in.† She returned to her desk without looking at the girl. Chloe took a seat across from her. â€Å"So this wasn't the first time today?† Val was the psychotherapist now, not the boss. If she'd been the boss, she would have come over the desk and strangled the little slut. â€Å"No, I can't seem to get enough. I, well, it started about two in the morning, and I went straight though until time to get ready for work. Then once or twice while each patient was in session.† Val's jaw dropped. Sixteen hours of intermittent masturbation? The other patients she had seen had cited two in the morning as when their sexual adventures had started too. She said, â€Å"And how do you feel about that?† â€Å"I feel okay. My wrist hurts a little. Do you think I could have carpal tunnel?† â€Å"Chloe, if you think that you're going to file a workmen's compensation claim for this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No no no, I just want to stop.† â€Å"Did something happen to set this off? Something at two in the morning? A dream perhaps?† Her other patients had described various sexual dreams. Winston Krauss, the pharmacist with the sexual obsession for marine mammals, confessed to dreaming of having sex with a blue whale, riding it through the depths like Ahab with a hard-on. Upon awakening, he'd abused his inflatable Flipper until it would no longer hold air. Chloe shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Her long maroon hair hid her face. â€Å"I dreamed I was having sex with a tank truck, and it blew up.† â€Å"A tank truck?† â€Å"I came.† â€Å"Sexual dreams are completely normal, Chloe.† Right, a tank truck? That's normal. â€Å"Tell me, was there fire in your dream?† Pyromaniacs de-rived sexual pleasure from setting and watching fires. That's how they caught them, look in the crowd for a grinning guy with a woody and gas stains on his shoes. â€Å"No, no fire. I woke up at the explosion. Val, what's wrong with me? All I want to do is, you know, do it.† â€Å"And you feel that you might do something impulsive?† Chloe put on her cynical Goth-girl face. â€Å"If you mean something like buffing the muffin while I'm at work, yes, Dr. Riordan, I'm a little worried. Can't you adjust my medication or something?† There it was. In the past, that would have been the answer. Increase the Prozac to eighty milligrams, about four times the dose for the average de-pressed patient, and let the side effect of reduced libido do the work. Val had used the method to treat a nymphomaniac when she was an intern and it had worked marvelously. But what now? Duct tape oven mitts to her receptionist's hands? Although her typing probably wouldn't suffer much, it might make the patients nervous. Val said. â€Å"Chloe, masturbation is a natural thing. Everyone does it. But obviously there are appropriate times and places. Perhaps you should just cut back. Allow yourself to masturbate as a reward for controlling your urges.† Chloe's face went slack. â€Å"Cut down? I'm worried about driving home safely. I have a stick shift. I need both hands to drive, but I don't think I'm going to have them. Do you have a patch you can prescribe, like they do for smoking?† â€Å"A patch?† Val suppressed a laugh. She imagined a twitching, moaning line of people around the block at the pharmacy, there to pick up their prescriptions for the orgasm patch. It would make heroin look like Gummi Bears. â€Å"No, there's no patch, Chloe. You're just going to have to try to control yourself. I have a feeling that this is a side effect of your medication. It should pass in a day or two. I want to hear more about this dream of yours. We'll talk tomorrow, okay?† Chloe stood, obviously not satisfied with the help her therapist was offering, which was none. â€Å"I'll try.† She left the office, closing the door behind her. Val let her head fall to the desk. Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, why didn't I go into pathology? she thought. It would be so peaceful sitting around, boiling up beakers of urine and culturing bugs. No wackos. No stress. Okay, occasionally you'd be exposed to some deadly anthrax spores, but at least other people's sex lives stay in the bedroom and the tabloids where they belong. Her appointment with Martin and Lisbeth Luder rose in her head. They were in their seventies, had been in counseling because they hadn't had a decent conversation since 1958, and today they had come in and dumped a half hour of explicit sexual narrative on her, an account of perversions they'd indulged in the night before, starting at around 2 A.M. The visual conjured in Val's mind – all that parched, wrinkled flesh in furious fric-tion – culminated in flames, as if some giant cosmic Boy Scout had decided to rub two old people together to make a fire. The worst of it, the absolute worst of it, is that she'd found herself getting turned on while listening. She'd had to change her panties between appointments four times today. She considered pouring herself a hefty tumbler of brandy and settling down in front of the television, but that wasn't going to do it. Batteries; she needed four C-cell batteries and she needed them now. Then it was time to dig through her lingerie drawers and find a long-forgotten friend – and hope that it still worked. Molly Long past dark and Molly was still staring though the gap in the curtains at the trailer that ate the kid. The problem with being nuts, she thought, is that you don't always feel as if you're nuts. Sometimes, in fact, you feel perfectly sane, and there just happens to be a trailer-shaped dragon crouching in the lot next door. Not that she was ready to go out and pro-claim that fact to anyone, because no matter how sane you feel, some stuff just sounds too crazy. So she watched, still wearing her Warrior Babe outfit, hoping someone else would come along and notice. Around eight, someone did. She saw Theophilus Crowe going from door to door in the park. He came into view two trailers down at the Morales home, spoke briefly with Mr. Morales at the door, then headed for the dragon trailer. Molly was torn. She liked Theo. Yes, he'd taken her to County once or twice, but he'd always been kind to her – warned her about the guy in the day room who cheated at Parcheesi by eating the marbles. And he never spoke to her like she was a crazy woman. Theo was a fan. As Theo was raising his black Mag lite to tap on the dragon trailer's door, Molly saw the two windows on the end slowly open, revealing the cat'seye pupils. Theo obviously didn't see them. He was looking at his shoes. She threw up the aluminum sash and shouted, â€Å"They're not home!† The constable turned toward Molly. â€Å"Just a second,† she said. She bolted out the door of her trailer and stopped by the street where Theo could see her. â€Å"They aren't home. Come here a second,† she repeated. Theo tucked his Mag lite into his belt. â€Å"Molly, how are you?† â€Å"Fine, fine, fine. I need to talk to you, okay? Over here, okay?† She didn't want to tell him why. what if the eyes weren't there? What if it was just a trailer? She'd be on her way to County in a heartbeat. â€Å"They're not home then?† Theo said, pointing over his shoulder to the dragon trailer. He was staring at her now, at the same time trying not to stare. He had a goofy grin on his face, the same sort Molly had seen on the kid right before he got slurped. â€Å"Nope, gone all day.† â€Å"What's with the sword? Oh shit! She forgot she'd grabbed the sword on the way out. â€Å"I was just making some stir-fry. Chopping up some veggies.† â€Å"That ought to do it.† â€Å"Broccoli stems,† she said, as if that explained everything. He was looking at the leather bikini, and she watched his eyes stop on the scar above her breast, then look away. She covered the scar with her hand. â€Å"One of my old Kendra costumes. Everything else is in the dryer.† â€Å"Sure. Hey, you don't get the Times, do you?† â€Å"Nope. Why?† â€Å"The kid that delivers it, Mikey Plotznik, left for his route this morning and no one has seen him since. Looks like the last paper he delivered was a few doors down. You didn't happen to see him, did you?† â€Å"About ten, blond kid, Rollerblades? Kinda evil?† â€Å"That's him.† â€Å"Nope, haven't seen him.† She watched the eyes of the dragon trailer close behind Theo and took a deep breath. â€Å"You seem a little tense, Molly. You okay?† â€Å"Fine, fine, just wanted to get back to my stir-fry. You hungry?† â€Å"Did Val Riordan get hold of you?† â€Å"Yep, she called. I'm not nuts.† â€Å"Of course not. I'd like you to keep an eye out for this kid, Molly. One of his buddies fessed up that Mikey had a little bit of an obsession with you.† â€Å"Me? No kidding?† â€Å"He might be creeping around your trailer.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"If you see him, give me a call, would you? His folks are worried about him.† â€Å"I'll do that.† â€Å"Thanks. And ask your neighbors when they get home, would you?† â€Å"You betcha.† Molly realized he was stalling. Just staring at her with that goofy grin on his face. â€Å"They just moved in. I don't know them very well, but I'll ask.† â€Å"Thanks.† He said, still just standing there, like a twelve-year-old ready to make an assault on the wall-flowers at his first dance. â€Å"I'd better go, Theo. I have broccoli in the dryer.† No, she had wanted to say she had to get back to dinner, or to her laundry, not both. â€Å"Okay. See ya.† She ran into her trailer, slammed the door, and leaned against it. Through the window she could see the dragon trailer open an eye and close it quickly. She could have sworn it was winking at her. Theo A niggling voice in Theo's head told him that finding the Crazy Lady attractive – extremely attractive – was an indicator that he was less than sane himself. On the other hand, he didn't feel that bad about it. He didn't feel bad about anything, not since he'd walked into the trailer park anyway. He had to deal with an explosion, a lost kid, the recent increase in general nuttiness in town – a virtual shit storm of responsibility – but he didn't feel all that bad. And in that moment outside of Molly's trailer, reflecting and waiting for the tide of lust to ebb, he realized that he hadn't smoked any pot all day. Strange. Normally this long without nursing from his Sneaky Pete and his skin would be crawling. He was heading back to his Volvo to resume the search for the lost boy when his cell phone rang. Sheriff John Burton didn't say hello. â€Å"Get to a land line,† Burton said. â€Å"I'm in the middle of trying to find a lost kid,† Theo replied. â€Å"A land line now, Crowe. My private line. You have five minutes.† Theo drove to a pay phone outside the Head of the Slug Saloon and checked his watch. When fifteen minutes had passed, he dialed Burton's number. â€Å"I said five minutes.† â€Å"Yes, you did.† Theo smiled to himself in spite of Burton's tone, which was on the verge of screaming. â€Å"No one goes on the ranch, Crowe. The lost kid is not on the ranch, do you hear me?† â€Å"It's standard procedure to search all the ranchland. Emergency services has the area gridded out. We have to cover the whole grid. I was going to call in some deputies to help us. The volunteer fire guys are exhausted from the explosion this morning.† â€Å"No. None of my guys. Don't call the Highway Patrol or the CCC either. And no aircraft. If the grid on the ranch has to be checked off, then check it off. No one goes on that land, is that clear?† â€Å"And what if the kid actually is on the ranch. You're talking about a thousand acres of pasture and forest that won't be searched.† â€Å"Oh bullshit, the kid is probably in a tree house somewhere with a stack of Playboys. He's only been missing for what, twelve hours?† â€Å"What if he's not?† There was silence on the line for a moment. Theo waited, watching three new couples leave the Head of the Slug in less than a minute. New couples: in Pine Cove everyone knew who everyone else was dating, and these were people who didn't go together. Not that unusual a phenomenon perhaps on a Friday night at 2 A.M., but this was Wednesday, and it was barely eight o'clock. Maybe he wasn't the only one feeling a wave of horniness. The couples were groping each other as if trying to get all the foreplay out of the way before they reached the car. Burton came back on the line. â€Å"I'll see that the ranchland is searched and call you if they find the kid. But I want to be the first to know if you find him.† â€Å"That it?† â€Å"Find that little fucker, Crowe.† Burton hung up. Theo got into his Volvo and drove to his cabin at the edge of the ranch. There were at least twenty citizen volunteers searching for Mikey Plotznik. The effort could spare him long enough to catch a shower and change his smoke-saturated clothes. As he parked the Volvo, an expensive, tricked-out red pickup truck pulled into the ranch entrance and rolled slowly by. As they passed, a Hispanic man sitting in the bed laughed and saluted Theo with the barrel of an AK-47 assault rifle. Theo looked away and walked to the dark cabin, wishing that there was someone there waiting for him.

Hoist With His Own Petard

Hoist With His Own Petard Hoist With His Own Petard Hoist With His Own Petard By Maeve Maddox I think Keith Olbermann may have had something to do with popularizing this Shakespearean expression. In July 2005 Olbermann, writing about the London bus bombing, wrote: July 21st may turn out to be the day the terrorists began to blow themselves up - hoist themselves, as the Middle English phrase goes, â€Å"on their own petard.† I cant guess why he called it a Middle English phrase. The expression, meaning blown up by his own bomb, comes from Shakespeares time (1605). By then, Middle English had morphed into Modern English. As recently as Election Eve 2008, Olbermann was still using the phrase: Im trying to give Gov. Palin out there, a couple more seconds to figure out how she managed to get herself, as Shakespeare wrote of people destroyed by their own evil plans, hoist with her own petard.† Keith Olbermann October 31, 2008 Here is how the expression is used in Hamlet (III, iv, 206-208): For tis the sport to have the enginer Hoist with his own petar, ant shall go hard But I will delve one yard below their mines, And blow them at the moon. Hamlet is talking about his old college chums Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Theyve been spying on him for the king, and Hamlet suspects they are laying a trap for him. Hes planning his own preà «mptive strike. A petar was an explosive device. It got its name from the French verb pà ªter, which means to break wind. The Old French noun pet means fart. Shakespeare was making one of his earthy puns here. Note that in the original expression, hoist is a verb in the past tense. Writers who want to use the expression correctly need to keep that fact in mind. The hoist of current English usage retains the same meaning, to raise, to lift up, but in modern usage, the past tense form has been regularized to hoisted. Ex. The crane hoisted the girder into place. Commentators who dont know their Shakespeare get it wrong: The amusing context for this interview, was watching Keith Olbermann hoisted on his own petard. Donklephant, March 15, 2008. I mean who are the REAL victims here? CBS News has been hoisted on its own petard Cecelia, commenting on Dan Rather scandal, January 24, 2005. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Has vs. HadAbstract Nouns from Adjectives25 Idioms with Clean

7 Simple Strategies for Teaching Math to Kids

7 Simple Strategies for Teaching Math to Kids Teaching math to your children is as easy as 112. Go beyond pencil and paper to make math a learning experience thats fun for you and your kids. These quick and easy strategies help you teach your kids math and will turn them into mini mathematicians. Start With Counting Teaching math begins with your child knowing numbers. You can help them learn to count with the same strategies youll be using to teach them math. Children may respond better to memorizing numbers you repeat or may pick up numbers by seeing you count objects from one to ten. A method that may work for one of your children might not be right for another. Gauge each child individually. Once your child begins counting, youre ready to start with some basic math principles. Theyll be adding and subtracting before you know it. Use Everyday Objects You already have everything you need to begin teaching math to your child. Buttons, pennies, money, books, fruit, soup cans, trees, cars - you can count the objects you have available. Math is easy to teach when you look at all of the physical objects you can count, add, subtract, and multiply. Everyday objects also help you teach your child that objects dont have to be identical to be important in math. Counting apples is a great math lesson, but counting apples, oranges, and watermelons together expands the thought process. The child is connecting counting with various objects, instead of running through a routine numbers game of 1, 2, 3. Play Math Games There are plenty of games on the market that promise to aid you in teaching math. Hi Ho Cherry-O and adding dice teach simple addition. The game Chutes and Ladders introduces children to the numbers 1 to 100. Advanced math board games come and go, so check stores for todays hot games. Classics like Yahtzee, PayDay, Life, and Monopoly are always good resources for addition and subtraction. Some of the best math games come from your own imagination. Play a math scavenger hunt. Use chalk to scribble numbers on the driveway and quiz your kids with math questions they have to answer by running to the correct number. Begin basic counting skills with blocks. Math can become an activity they enjoy rather than an educational drill. Bake Cookies Soft cookies make excellent teaching tools. While you can count the cookies you bake for simple math, a fresh batch is also perfect for teaching fractions. With a plastic knife, kids can learn how to cut a cookie into eighths, fourths, and halves. The act of visually seeing a fourth created as well as them getting to cut that whole into fourths makes an impression in a childs mind. Use those small cookie pieces to teach your child how to add and subtract fractions. For example, 1/4 of a cookie 1/4 of a cookie 1/2 of a cookie. Put the pieces together so they can see the cookie half. An alternative to baking cookies is to use raw cookie dough or make your own play-dough. Of course, you cant eat your fractions when youre finished learning math, but you can reuse the cookie dough or molding clay. Invest in an Abacus Even the smallest hands love sliding abacus beads back and forth along the wire. An abacus can be used to teach kids addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. With an abacus, kids develop problem-solving skills. Theres a logic behind using an abacus, so be sure you know what group of numbers each colored bead represents to accurately use it. Test Flash Cards Flashcards can show you what 22 equals, but letting kids get hands-on experience with counting may work better. Evaluate your childs learning preferences by trying both flashcards and hands-on experience. Some children learn better by seeing the answer on a card or counting pictures on a card. Others wont truly get the concept of math until you let them count physical objects. Mix up your math lessons to see which method seems to be working best for your child. Make Math a Daily Activity Use math in your day-to-day routine. Help your child get the most out of your math lessons when you incorporate it into your daily life while setting goals they can achieve. At a red light, how many blue cars do you see?At the grocery store, how many boxes of crackers could we buy if we only have $10?At the doctors office, how many kids will be left in the waiting room when three are called to the back?If we only ate 1/4 of our lunch, how much would we have left?How much will diapers cost if theyre 25 percent off?On the freeway, how much do the numbers on the license plate in front of us add up to?How many shirts are you putting into the washing machine?If you need to divide eight quarters among four people at the arcade, how many quarters would each person get? Once you show your child how much fun math can be, they will gain enthusiasm about learning that you can apply to other subjects. Once children enjoy learning, theres no stopping them.

Axolotl Facts (Ambystoma mexicanum)

Axolotl Facts (Ambystoma mexicanum) According to Aztec legend, the first axolotl (pronounced axo-LO-tuhl)  was a god who changed his form in order to escape being sacrificed. The sneaky transformation from terrestrial salamander to a fully aquatic form did not save later generations from death. The Aztecs ate axolotls. Back when the animals  were common, you could buy them as food in Mexican markets. While the axolotl may not be a god, its an amazing animal. Learn how to recognize an axolotl, why scientists are fascinated by them, and how to care for one as a pet. Fast Facts: Axolotl Scientific Name: Ambystoma mexicanumCommon Names: Axolotl, Mexican salamander, Mexican walking fishBasic Animal Group: AmphibianSize: 6-18 inchesWeight: 2.1-8.0 ouncesLifespan: 10 to 15 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Xochimilco Lake near Mexico CityPopulation: Less than a hundredConservation Status: Critically Endangered Description Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. andrewburgess / Getty Images An axolotl is a type of salamander, which is an amphibian. Frogs, newts, and most salamanders undergo a metamorphosis to transition from life in the water to life on land. The axolotl is unusual in that it doesnt undergo a metamorphosis and develop lungs. Instead, axolotls hatch from eggs into a juvenile form that grows to become its adult form. Axolotls keep their gills and permanently reside in the water. A mature axolotl (18 to 24 months in the wild) ranges in length from 15 to 45 centimeters (6 to 18 inches). An adult specimen weighs anywhere between 2 and 8 ounces. An axolotl  resembles other salamander larvae, with lidless eyes, a wide head, frilled gills, long digits, and a long tail. A male has a swollen, papillae-lined cloaca, while a female has a wider body that is full of eggs. The salamanders have vestigial teeth. Gills are used for respiration, although the animals sometimes gulp surface air for supplemental oxygen. Axolotls have four pigmentation genes, giving rise to a wide range of colors. The wild-type coloration is olive brown with gold speckles. Mutant colors include pale pink with black eyes, gold with gold eyes, gray with black eyes, and black. Axolotls can alter their melanophores to camouflage themselves, but only to a limited extent. Scientists believe axolotls descended from salamanders that could live on land, but reverted to water because it offered a survival advantage. Animals Confused With Axolotls This is not an axolotl: Necturus maculosus (common mudpuppy). Paul Starosta / Getty Images People confuse axolotls with other animals partly because the same common names may be applied to different species and partly because axolotls do resemble other animals. Animals confused with axolotls include: Waterdog: A waterdog is the name of the larval stage of the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum and A. mavotium). The tiger salamander and axolotl are related, but the axolotl never metamorphosizes into a terrestrial salamander. However, its possible to force an axolotl to undergo metamorphosis. This animal looks like a tiger salamander, but the metamorphosis is unnatural and shortens the animals lifespan. Mudpuppy: Like the axolotl, the mudpuppy (Necturus spp.) is a fully aquatic salamander. However, the two species are not closely related. Unlike the axolotl, the common mudpuppy (N. maculosus) is not endangered. Habitat and Distribution The lake Lago Acitlalin in the Ecological Park (Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco) is a vast nature reserve in the wetlands of Xochimilco in the south of Mexico City, Mexico. stockcam / Getty Images In the wild, axolotls only live in the Xochimilco lake complex, which is located near Mexico City. The salamanders may be found on the bottom of the lake and its canals. Neoteny The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) exhibits neoteny, meaning it remains in its larval form throughout life. Quentin Martinez / Getty Images The axolotl is a neotenic salamander, which means it doesnt mature into an air-breathing adult form. Neoteny is favored in cool, high-altitude environments because metamorphosis requires a huge energy expenditure. Axolotls can be induced to metamorphose by injection of iodine or thyroxine or by ingesting iodine-rich food. Diet This captive axolotl is eating a piece of meat. Argument / Getty Images Axolotls are carnivores. In the wild, they eat worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks. The salamanders hunt by smell, snapping at prey and sucking it in like a vacuum cleaner. Within the lake, axolotls  had no real predators. Predatory birds were the biggest threat. Large fish were introduced into Lake Xochimilco, which ate the young salamanders. Reproduction and Offspring This is a newt in its egg sac. Like newts, salamander larvae are recognizable within their eggs. Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images Much of what we know about axolotl reproduction comes from observing them in captivity. Captive axolotls become mature in their larval stage between 6 and 12 months of age. Females typically mature later than males. The increasing temperature and light of spring signal  the start of the axolotl breeding season. Males expel spermatophores into the water and try to lure a female over them. The female picks up the sperm packet with her cloaca, leading to internal fertilization. Females release between 400 and 1000 eggs during spawning. She lays each egg individually, attaching it to a plant or rock. A female may breed several times during a season. The tail and gills of the larvae are visible within the egg. Hatching occurs after 2 to 3 weeks. Larger, earlier-hatching larvae eat smaller, younger ones. Regeneration Starfish regenerate lost arms, but they are invertebrates. Salamanders regenerate, plus they are vertebrates (like humans). Jeff Rotman / Getty Images The axolotl is a model genetic organism for regeneration. Salamanders and newts have the highest regenerative ability of any tetrapod (4-legged) vertebrates. The incredible healing ability extends well beyond replacing a lost tail or limbs. Axolotls can even replace some parts of their brains. In addition, they freely accept transplants (including eyes and brain portions) from other axolotls. Conservation Status Tilapia added to the lake near Mexico City are one of the main threats to axolotl survival. darkside26 / Getty Images Wild axolotls are headed to extinction. They are listed as critically endangered by IUCN. In 2013, no surviving axolotls were found in the Lake Xochimilco habitat, but then two individuals were found in the canals leading from the lake. The decline of axolotls is due to multiple factors. Water pollution, urbanization (loss of habitat), and introduction of invasive species (tilapia and perch) may be more than the species can withstand. Keeping an Axolotl in Captivity An axolotl will eat anything small enough to fit into its mouth. Argument / Getty Images However, the axolotl wont vanish! Axolotls are important research animals and fairly common exotic pets. They are uncommon at pet stores because they require a cool temperature, but may be obtained from hobbyists and scientific supply houses. A single axolotl needs at least a 10-gallon aquarium, filled (no exposed land, like for a frog), and supplied with a lid (because axolotls jump). Axolotls cannot tolerate chlorine or chloramine, so tap water must be treated prior to use. A water filter is a necessity, but the salamanders cannot tolerate flowing water. They do not require light, so in an aquarium with plants, its important to have large rocks or other hiding places. Pebbles, sand, or gravel (anything smaller than the axolotls head) pose a risk because axolotls will ingest them and may die from gastrointestinal blockage. Axolotls need a year-round temperature in the low to mid-60s (Fahrenheit) and will die if exposed to prolonged temperature about 74  °F. They need an aquarium chiller to maintain the proper temperature range. Feeding is the easy part of axolotl care. They will eat bloodworm cubes, earthworms, shrimp, and lean chicken or beef. While they will eat feeder fish, experts recommend avoiding them because salamanders are susceptible to parasites and diseases carried by fish. Sources   Luis Zambrano; Paola Mosig Reidl; Jeanne McKay; Richard Griffiths; Brad Shaffer; Oscar Flores-Villela; Gabriela Parra-Olea; David Wake. Ambystoma mexicanum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2010. IUCN. 2010: e.T1095A3229615. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T1095A3229615.enMalacinski, George M. The Mexican Axolotl,  Ambystoma mexicanum: Its Biology and Developmental Genetics, and Its Autonomous Cell-Lethal Genes.  American Zoologist. Oxford University Press.  18: 195–206, Spring 1978.Pough, F. H. Recommendations for the Care of Amphibians and Reptiles in Academic Institutions. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1992.

First 3 Religion Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

First 3 Religion Journal - Essay Example The main questions worried modern religious leaders are s Should "practicing" Christian homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgendered people be allowed to serve as ordained ministers? Should the unions of gay and lesbian couples be recognized as legitimate marriages in the eyes of God? These and other questions rend congregations, denominations, and sometimes even our families. One side asserts that people should be welcomed into churches, into the ministry, and into our understanding of the American family regardless of their sexual orientation; the other side insists that any sexual preference other than heterosexuality is a sin and should be proscribed by all faithful Christians. No apparent solution to these disagreements lies on the horizon (Rudy 54). The presence and social acceptance of homosexuality challenges the concept of a God who is known solely or primarily through gender. By their very existence, gay people, and particularly gay Christians, contest the notion that human be ings are meant to live in nuclear, heterosexual families. As a result of their desire to be faithful to and known by God, conservative Christians today are producing an environment in which theological reassurance, salvation, American exceptionalism, homophobia, and political involvement have become gravely interdependent. The marriage doctrines of the Bible demonstrate that conservatives wholeheartedly support sex in instances that uphold the overarching structure of gendered theology. The vicious animosity directed toward homosexuals, along with other aspects of the family values, keeps women at home and dependent on men and thus guarantees every Christian man, woman, and child a relationship with God. Recognition that the bifurcation is not simply between "flesh" and "spirit" brings into sharp focus how hard conservative sexual ideology and the campaign for family values work to keep women in their place. The current struggle over homosexuality in the church, then, is not only a struggle about the morality of sexual preference; it is a conflict rooted in Christian identity and the nature of God (Rudy 51). The struggle among contemporary Christians over the moral acceptability of homosexuality is directly related to who God is perceived to be and how believers think God relates to us in the world tod ay. While the Christian Right championed and developed an extensive discourse about the value of the family and the sinfulness of homosexuality, mainline Christian denominations failed to issue clear, unambiguous statements on these issues. Even progressive Christians marshaled no counterpart to conservative rhetoric. In part this is due to the fact that the belief that the heterosexual nuclear family was both superior to other configurations and in need of protection was hard to escape. It was advocated not only by religious conservatives, but also by an assortment of scholars, journalists, and cultural critics who asserted the family's superiority on sociological or psychological rather than religious grounds (Rudy 54). Homosexuality violates traditional institution of marriage as a core of the society but religious believers have no right to blame or reject homosexual men. In religious tradition, the family is the source of values necessary for resistance to power and tendencies in the modern world. Another Christian justification of homosexuality rests on the idea that homosexual activity is no less moral than intentionally heterosexual activity; that is, homosexuality is morally equivalent to the use of birth control. 2. One of the nine fruits of Spirits is "Goodness". I suppose that goodness is important for every person because

Blacks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Blacks - Assignment Example In the 1870’s about 80% of American Blacks lived in the southern rural American area where there was large scale exploitation of laborers by wealthy American land owners (Sampson 1464). This started to change in the late 1800’s when the Blacks in the south started to migrate to better cities in the south and to the north for a better life especially during the American industrialization. This change brought about a great change in the life of Black Americans in the Unite d States of America socially, politically and economically. The Black ghettos did not just emerge, but were occasioned by among other reasons, a systematic arrangement of the Whites to prevent the Blacks from acquiring proper urban housing in certain areas and to segregate them. Socially, Blacks were considered to be inferior to Whites and were created to serve the Whites, a mentality which was strengthened by the Jim Crow laws. Though small areas that were occupied mainly by Blacks had existed before, Black ghettos started to emerge in the north with the migration of Blacks to the United States of America during the First World War, the Second World War and the 1920’s. ... Blacks were systematically removed from areas considered to be White neighborhoods due to this ideology. There was also the scenario where people who engaged in communal violence were singled out and confined to certain places and for the Blacks; this was in the ghettos (Douglas and Nancy 17). This practice mostly targeted Blacks who were considered to be violent in nature. In the period around 1920, there was also what was referred to as targeted violence which was mostly directed to the Black middle class by their White counterparts, which also gave rise to the expansion of the Black ghettos and relegation of Blacks to what were considered as Black neighborhoods. The Whites would collect money to buy out middle class urban dwellers from their neighborhoods with threats of dire consequences for non compliance, which gave rise to the concentration of Blacks to certain neighborhoods. Those Blacks who could afford to live in White neighborhoods were attacked and their houses looted or burnt just because of the color of their skin. The neighborhoods especially in the south were characterized by large avenues which housed Whites and small streets and poor dwellings which housed Blacks, with the Blacks working as house helps and farmhands in the White neighborhood dwellings. The mentality of Master /slave had been replaced by master/servant relationship but the Black was still seen as subservient to the White. Incase of arrests for the offences, the culprits would be the Blacks instead of the White attackers. The Whites considered Blacks no matter their social, economic or educational standing to belong to the Black neighborhoods, with the support of the state through the Jim Crow laws and other segregate

Politics course work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Politics course work - Essay Example The Prime Minster basically looks upon the policies that have been formulated by various members, such as the minister of transportation or minister of defense, and he decides what should be sent to the House of Commons to be presented as a bill, or if a draft should be passed or not. Election took place in the UK in May 2010 and it was between the Conservatives, headed by David Cameron, Labour headed by Gordon Brown, and Liberal democrats headed by Nick Clegg. This was the first time that all three candidates, none of the leaders had led a general election campaign. In 2010 after the election in which the conservative party emerged victorious, there arrived a situation in which conservatives were not of an overall majority. It needed twenty seats to form an overall majority (General Election 2010: the top 20 Conservative target seats, 2010), thus it resulted in hung parliament and so there were talks of a coalition government. (Election 2010: First hung parliament in UK for decades, 2010) After Gordon Brown’s resignation following the humiliating defeat in the elections (Gordon Brown resigns, 2010), Queen Elizabeth invited David Cameron to form a government. since he was already short of twenty-two seats he decided to form a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. the reason behind David Cameron opting to form a coalition government with Conservatives was the manifesto of the conservatives, which was extremely anti ­-labour. Here the role of liberal democrats was extremely important since it did not agree with both the parties on a majority of issues; it was in a catch-22 situation as to with whom they shall form the government. After the invitation by Queen to David Cameron to form the government, there were coalition talks between Liberal democrats and conservatives as to what shall be the strategy to form the government or if they should just go ahead forming a hung parliament. The problems of forming a coalition government with the conser vatives were regarding their manifesto. If they formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats they will not be able to fulfill their party manifesto. But at this point in time they had no choice because if they became part of a hung parliament, every other resolution would be vetoed by a joint action of labour and liberal democrats. And if they formed a coalition government with liberal democrats, they would have to follow a policy of give some and take some. The coalition dialogue took a total of five days and in the end David Cameron came out and successfully announced that the coalition talks have been â€Å"overwhelmingly approved†. Both the coalition parties agreed on the basic 11 principles on which they would act in one voice and there shall be no compromise on the following issues (Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition deal, 2010): - 1. Deficit Reduction The deficit would be reduced and a total of 6 billion pounds worth of cuts would be made to decrease the budget d eficit. 2. Spending Review - NHS, Schools and a Fairer Society National Health Service would be looked into to increase the benefits it gives to the people who need them the most, as well as a review of the replacement of the trident system for the British defense (Trident replacement decision 'after 2015 elections', 2010). This

Atallah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Atallah - Essay Example She says â€Å"I could not resist the soldiers because they might kill me. So what else could I do?† (Henson 36). She had to endure all the hardship together with other women who had been abducted. The Japanese Imperial army had set up com garrisons which housed sex slaves or comfort women, a term commonly used to refer to these women. Slavery as commonly known, the victim is always taken against their will and forced to work or perform acts against their will. Comfort women did not have any control over their sexual activity as all they had to do was to follow orders. These women had to endure painful ordeals of being raped and hit by soldiers. The trauma Maria experienced as a comfort woman affected her for the rest of her life. She notes that one day while she was hanging some clothes to dry, she heard a woman on the radio talking about women who had been raped and her body shook all over (Henson 83). Sexual slavery is a very profound theme in this book and given that it is a woman’s firsthand experience, one gets to see just how much it affects the

Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Risk Management - Essay Example Apart from corporate institutions, there have been other times when nations, states, municipals, companies and individuals have had the task of undertaking major developmental projects such as the construction of malls, stadiums, roads, bridges and so on. These are also projects that demand a carefully tailored project management scheme to ensure successful completion (Department of Defense, 2008). Among the core components of project management is the management of risk, including procurement risks. This paper shall therefore review the role of project management in ensuring success in project delivery; particularly with an emphasis on procurement in the supply chain management of projects. Overview of Project Management The need to manage projects is set rolling by the fact that there are projects to manage. It is just right to therefore first give an indication of what a project is. In the view of Smith (2009), â€Å"A project is a group of activities undertaken to meet one or mo re specific objectives.† This means that a project is made up of a series of tasks that must be delivered as a process rather than an event (Department of Defense, 2007). ... Among all the works that the project manager must do, risk management is one area that when slightly overlooked could lead to a lot of disastrous failure. The following sections therefore narrow the discussion on project management down to risk management with particular emphasis on the risk that comes with procurement. What is Risk? In project management, risk may simply be referred to as an uncertainty (Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996). This means that risks arise when in the course of the project delivery, certain uncertainties pull their heads. The Project Management Informed Solutions (2012) identifies two major sources of project risks, which they claim come from dependencies and assumptions. With reference to dependencies, there could be both external and internal dependencies to the project and each of these could result in major uncertainties that are unknown to the project manager. This brings to context, the discussion on procurement as a major entity that possesses a lot of ris k to project managers. The reason why this is so is that in procurement, project managers hardly have any infleucne on the external manipulations that will be associated with the process. For instance once the bidding process in opened and a procuring company is landed upon, all the determinants of the items that are being sourced to be delivered becomes dependant on the procuring agent rather than the delivering company. Ultimately, risk could therefore be given as the product of impact and probability. There shall later be detailed discussion on probability and impact as the component of risk. Importance of Risk in all Projects Having

Atallah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Atallah - Essay Example She says â€Å"I could not resist the soldiers because they might kill me. So what else could I do?† (Henson 36). She had to endure all the hardship together with other women who had been abducted. The Japanese Imperial army had set up com garrisons which housed sex slaves or comfort women, a term commonly used to refer to these women. Slavery as commonly known, the victim is always taken against their will and forced to work or perform acts against their will. Comfort women did not have any control over their sexual activity as all they had to do was to follow orders. These women had to endure painful ordeals of being raped and hit by soldiers. The trauma Maria experienced as a comfort woman affected her for the rest of her life. She notes that one day while she was hanging some clothes to dry, she heard a woman on the radio talking about women who had been raped and her body shook all over (Henson 83). Sexual slavery is a very profound theme in this book and given that it is a woman’s firsthand experience, one gets to see just how much it affects the

World hotels Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World hotels - Literature review Example The location fits the expensive pockets and those who are sourced from selected categories. It is however competent when in business with other hotels and casinos (Aaker, 1997). This Resort is situated in a city space; therefore, the aspect of country or outdoorsy has been violated in the five elements of brand personality. The excitement is not exactly felt by its look as it is presented as more formal than exciting here. It is, however, sophisticated and captures the business class. Grand Macau is sincere in its setting as well as competent among others (Aaker, 1997). The Monte Carlo, Singapore boasts of a ‘classic’ attraction and is located in a large open space. Ruggedness for its outdoorsy and tough look definitely reigns here. It gives a feeling of excitement and sophistication. However, it is not sincere, and no element of down to earth is factored here. It is somehow intimidating (Aaker,

Common European Army Essay Example for Free

Common European Army Essay The UK and France have been willing to follow the USA’s example of military force and shown support for the idea of an EU army. Other nations have clearly rejected this approach on the basis of pacifist arguments and because they are reluctant to commit to the high level of military spending this would imply. While the EU does like to see itself as the diplomat of the world and flaunt its achievements with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), it still ponders the possibility of a middle-of-the-road strategy of militarization and securitization. There is no necessity as regards the creation of European Union Army because member states already cooperate sufficiently with each other. Creating an EU army would prove to be unnecessary because most European states are already members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. For several decades NATO has been defending the military interests of Europe. It is hard to see a problem that NATO cannot solve, which the European Defence Force could instead. NATO exists to deal with situations of such magnitude that the nations of Western Europe are likely to adopt a common defence policy. In contrast, the EDF is targeted at smaller geopolitical incidents which would otherwise be ‘beneath’ the notice of NATO. Unfortunately smaller incidents by their nature do not have uniform effects on all EU member-nations, and are therefore unlikely to generate a consensus of policy among EU nations. The EU has as much power as it has, regardless of whether they have a single military or each nation cooperates accordingly with its own forces. A single military may give the appearance of more power, but nothing more unless great policy changes went along with its creation. It can be concluded, therefore, that there is no urgent necessity for creating a common European army at this moment and for now NATO is sufficient for the EU defence policy. Creating a common European Army would not be in accordance with the EU policy and would undermine the sovereignty of member states. Even if we assume that the massive costs of a standing military force can be borne by the EU and ts members, the key barriers to establishing a standing defence force are often political. Creating a European Defence Force de novo would require to decide on several questions, namely the command structure, whether the role should be merely defensive or include peacekeeping, the choice of equipment and supplier, creating a common defence policy, and choosing a language of communication. All of these questions involve political considerations or economic vested interests, all of which are likely to result in ongoing wrangling that will yield an ineffective EDF. The Treaty of Lisbon foresees that Member States can make available civilian and military resources to the Union for the implementation of its Common Security and Defence operations. However, any Member State has the right to oppose such operations and all contributions to them will be always on a voluntary basis. There is little or no will amongst EU governments to increase defence spending to the sort of levels required to make an EU based defence and security credible. Indeed, only the Dutch government has designated a specific part of their defence budget for the ESDP. A group of Member States who are willing and have the necessary capability will be able to undertake disarmament operations, humanitarian and rescue tasks, military advice and peace-keeping tasks. No Member State can be forced to participate in such operations. In conclusion it is reasonable to say that, although the creation of a common European army might bring more unity it will be an unfair act, since the interest of member-nations in the area of defense policy are very divergent. Therefore, in order to preserve sovereignty and financial stability military capabilities in the EU should remain in national hands.

Uses Of Computer Technology In Education

Uses Of Computer Technology In Education Education is an astronomically important factor in life for everyone. An educated person has the ability to make practical decisions. Education not only enables individuals to put their potential to the best use and do something productive in the upcoming future, but also plays a main role in shaping an individual to be a better, responsible citizen and an active member of society. The latest and most advanced education is assisted by technology. All education levels across nations are embracing technology based education. There are studies, professors, students, and others who support the embrace, yet others, who read negative statistics, are against it. It is understandable why there are people against technology in education, because there are downsides to it. In a perfect world there would be no negatives or downsides, but a perfect world does not exist. However, the pros outweigh the cons and so I believe education would be at its best with the aid of tech. Technology improves education for the students and the teachers who instruct it, and the tax payers who fund education. Technology aided education goes by dozens of terms, such as hybrid learning, technology-based learning (TBL), mixed learning, blended learning, online aided schooling, information technology (IT) for education, and distance learning. Whatever term it is, its learning simply described as mixing the use of modern technologies to enhance students learning experiences and curriculum requirements (Blended Learning Poised for Takeoff in Schools). A report recently released, identified six emerging models for blended learning, ranging from guided online instruction in the classroom to self-blended models where students take courses a la carte. They defined blended learning as any time a student learns at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace. The six models identified in the report included: the face-to-face driver model, in which a teacher in a traditional classroom instructs, while technological and online is available for additional instruction the rotation model, in which students move back and forth between online and classroom instruction the flex model in which the curriculum is delivered primarily through an online platform, with teachers providing onsite support the online lab approach, where an online course is delivered in a physical classroom or computer lab the self-blend is a model in which students choose on their own which courses they take online to supplement their schools offerings the online driver where the courses are primarily online and physical facilities are used only for extracurricular activities, required check-ins, or similar functions (Report: 6 Blended Learning Models Emerge). Education has come a long way since the one-room classrooms of former America: the evolution of education has come to the virtual world we currently reside in. It is unarguable that there is no generation as tech-savvy or at ease with the online environment than todays students who have grown up immersed in a virtual world. We exist in a generation where iPods, smart phones, and laptops have replaced notebook and pens, while inventions such as the Smart Board, LCD projectors, tutoring software, podcasts, video conferencing, and document cameras, among other education aiding tech, have been created for the educational setting (Chelley, 2007). Technology-based learning covers all learning done by electronic technology, including: Internet satellite broadcasts audio and video conferencing bulletin boards chat rooms Lance Dublin, a researcher of blended learning, said our generation is experiencing a kind of renaissance, with new technology prompting new thinking about how to enhance, extend, and enable learning and that technology and media are important for a students quality education, stating, new tools and technologies are opening up exciting new possibilities (Dublin, 2011). Many education facilities and programs have embraced the technological innovation of education. For example, free online public education is accessible for k-12 across the country. Colleges feel the pressure from competitor schools to offer quality online courses to their students. Some schools have made technological advances -and in rare cases completely adopted technology-based learning by offering online courses, funding classroom tech, and making the courses more tech and media friendly. Four States of the United States of America -Alabama, Florida, Michigan, and Idaho -require online courses from their high scho ol students (Board Approves Idaho Online Class Requirement). In Minnesota, school districts have thrown out the expensive, mass-produced, hardcopy textbooks for technology-friendly, online curriculum developed by their teachers on the web. The problems with hardcopy textbooks are that they are written to the requirements of Texas and California, the two biggest markets for the book publishers and can cost sixty-five dollars. That means a third of the books go unused in most states, plus they become outdated after only a decade. Buying new textbooks at least every ten years is very expensive, but if schools followed these districts examples the money saved would be unbelievable as one teacher puts it (Minn. Teachers Write Their Own Online Textbooks). Through the embrace already taken toward tech in the classroom it can be predicted that technology and education entwined is positively affecting education. In a study, most respondents believe that technology will become even more entwined into education learning. However, others hold opinion that blended learning is only a push for a technological advanced future without concern for the students quality of education. They argue that technology-based students are not excelling, but doing quite the opposite. They believe that there are not enough results to safely say that technology positively influences education. One teacher, who observed her schools effort to increase online instruction, said about the students, [the] poor kids are guinea pigs (Board Approves Idaho Online Class Requirement). However, Angiello Roanne, a professor who teaches online courses at Bergen Community College, New Jersey, analyzes one of the many studies done on internet influenced courses. She calls those who believe face to face education is the only way to teach traditionals. The key findings of the study are firstly, that students who took all or part of t heir classes online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction; and secondly, education combining online and face-to-face elements had a larger advantage relative to purely face-to-face instruction than did purely online instruction. It was also found that online learning is effective for all learner groups (Angiello, 2010). Another argument against blended education is the price that comes with it. It is true that all the new, shiny technology can put a hole in someones pocket, but its important to remember that in the long run the technology is paying for itself. Like the example of online textbooks, where they can be updated virtually, instead of buying new hardcopy textbooks every decade. Other opponents make claims that schools will replace teachers with computers and shift state taxpayer money to out-of-state companies to pay for the online curriculum and laptops. However, according to the article Achieving Effe ctive Learning Effects In The Blended Course: A Combined Approach Of Online Self-Regulated Learning And Collaborative Learning With Initiation students who become less dependent on instructors, even if their dependence on technology increases, are more likely to succeed with qualities that make them more independent (McFarlane, 2008). To address the shift of tax money to other states, the e-learning -electronically supported learning and teaching- market in North America is the fastest growing market, so money regulating throughout the states is beneficial for the nations economy (SulÄ iÄ , 2009). Education supported by technology is a topic that has caught the attention of many, and so this interest has developed the cause of many studies, usually performed by professors; and who knows better than professors on education? They first handedly see what the students need to succeed and how tech affects them in the classroom. Professors Pamela Lam and Sarbari Bordia completed an interview study model, concluded that e-learning, the term for TBL and computer-aided tools for education, offers a variety of advantages including, its flexibility in adapting to the educational needs of students, its cost effectiveness in opening educational opportunities to larger number of students, and its convenience in providing access to information (Lam, 2008). Dr. Chia-Wen conducted a study so that educators and education facilities would recognize the importance of technology integrated classes (Tsai, 2008). Four university professors wrote an article on blended learning. In it they stated, Bas ed on a growing body of knowledge, there is little doubt that computer and communication technologies can facilitate and enhance learning (Chelley, 2007). Blended learning creates the opportunity for educators, institutions, and students to attain their education beyond the walls of the classroom. Technological innovations have changed and benefited the way schools teach and students learn. In a 2008 survey, nearly two-thirds (63%) of the respondents voted that technology will have a major influence on teaching methods over the next five years. With those five years almost up, it is undeniable to say that technology has influenced education -and the next five years afterwards are only going to increases in technological advances in education. These technological changes will effectively change the skill-sets of the future workforce, as well as its approach to work in general. Its important to consider the question of what it will mean to be an educated person in the 21st century. Amy Lynch, who has studied Generation Y (individuals born between 1982 and 2001, also referred to as millenials), says that they are open to collaboration, have an enormous facility for multi-tasking, and are at ease with new technologies. Graduates are entering the workforce with high multi-sensory-p rocessing and technological abilities leaving employers expecting graduates to have accumulated most of the necessary technology skills before joining their organizations (Glenn, 2008). In the cases where schools require of their students to have taken blended learning classes to graduate, they say theyre giving their students the opportunity to have online experience for their rà ©sumà © and preparing them to succeed. Advocates for online and blended courses agree that the majority of todays workforce requires some sort of tech knowledge (Davis, 2008). Not only does the use of technology improve learning in the classroom, but it is essential to success after graduation. I understand how people would be against technology in education, because there are downsides to it. In a perfect world there would be no negatives or downsides, but, of course, a perfect world does not exist. However, the pros out weight the cons and so I believe education would be at its best with the aid of tech. People once asked if it was possible for students to learn from a distance, but now the question is how distance learning affects student outcomes. Since the use of computers the beliefs that distance learning was less effective than traditional learning has greatly decreased. Although e-learning has its drawbacks, it is the action that will help schools exceed. The majority of researches and studies support educational technology for students, and give evidence that it helps better their education. If education stays as it is currently, we are missing out on so much opportunity for improvement. The workforce and world in general will become more and more technology depen dent, yet graduated students may not have the skills and experience to be prepared for what awaits them after their education. The concept of blending learning is still evolving, but its potential is great and has proven itself to be effective. This important step in the evolution of education will not only benefit students in their learning, but also the students who are preparing to enter the workforce.

The Great Depression Possible Leads to Its Cause :: essays papers

The Great Depression Possible Leads to Its Cause The Great Depression is known as the worst economic disaster of our time. While this fact is accepted throughout the world, a specific cause to this disaster remains a mystery. Maybe there is no one certain reason. Maybe it was a result of widespread factors causing the world-wide recession. Overproduction, World War I, and the banking system were all origins of the Great Depression. Thanks to the "roaring twenties," consumers of the late twenties were very confident. They didn't care to spend. To complement the increased spending, producers began to spend more as technology improved production speeds and costs. Author T.H. Watkins says "more and better goods were produced during this time (the 1920's), than at any time in history" (45). With slightly increasing wages, consumers bought as much as their wallet would allow them. However, they couldn't afford to purchase all that was produced and overproduction occurred. Even though overproduction occurred, that still wasn't enough to cause this stagnant economic recession. World War I was partly to blame because it had made the international economy unstable. Though Great Britain was the national creditor before the war, devastating circumstances made G.B. needy for some finances instead. In fact, much of the continent of Europe had been destroyed. Factories, farms, and homes were all brought to the ground as the battle between nations began. By the end of the war, the United States was the least harmed of the Allied nations. The United States didn't lose near the lives but it did lose a lot of money. After the war, nations still sought cash to repair their tarnished homelands. The United States and its supposed booming economy became the lender to many countries. These loans couldn't be repaid. In fact, Europe even relied on U.S. loans to purchase U.S. goods. With the foreign trade market in a downward spiral, it was evident that harsh times were soon to come. As Paul Gusmorino illustrates on his web page, by 1929, ten percent of American gross national product went into exports. When the foreign nations discovered they couldn't afford to buy U.S. goods, U.S. exports fell a drastic thirty percent seemingly overnight. The $1.5 billion lost in foreign sales between 1929 to 1933 was one-eighth of all lost American sales, Gusmorino concludes. So, as the world economy became a nightmare, the banking system of the United States also became a disgust.

Mexican Folk Music: El Corrido Essay -- Music, Oral Folk History

During the late 19th century and early 20th century, a form of Mexican folk music called the corrido gained popularity along the Mexico-Texan border (Saldà ­var). Growing from the Spanish romance tradition, the corrido is a border ballad â€Å"that arose chronicling the history of border conflicts and its effects on Mexican-Mexican culture† (Saldà ­var). A sort of â€Å"oral folk history,† the corrido was studied intensely by Amà ©rico Paredes, who then constructed his masterpiece, George Washington Gomez, around the â€Å"context and theme† of the corrido (Mendoza 146). But the novel is not a traditional corrido, in which the legendary hero defends his people and dies for his honor. Instead, through its plot, characterization, and rhetorical devices, George Washington Gomez is an anti-corrido. The corrido has been identified as having distinctive characteristics that make up its theme and plot. First, the corrido has a â€Å"context of hostile relations between Anglos and Mexicans along the border and the establishment of a scenic structure, geographical locale, and opposing social forces† (Mendoza 146). The corrido’s hero â€Å"is a hard-working, peace-loving Mexican, who, when goaded by Anglos, outrages into violence, causing him to defend his rights and those of others of his community against the rinches, the Rangers† (Saldà ­var). This hero â€Å"is quickly introduced in legendary proportions and defiant stature† and many people must die before the hero reaches his triumphant, but tragic, demise (Mendoza 146). The Anglos in the corrido, meanwhile, are not one-dimensional villains but â€Å"complex figures who contain positive as well as negative qualities† (Mendoza 146). These distinctive traits of a corrido – setting, confli ct, and characterization, among others – ... ...l. â€Å"Ge-or-ge,’ she called in an exaggerated Gringo accent. He looked back. Tears were running down her rigid, expressionless face. ‘Cabron!’ she said. ‘Vendido sanavabiche!’† (Paredes 294) In this way, George – no longer Guà ¡nlito – has politically and culturally betrayed his people, and â€Å"is not is not the tragic hero who has died in defense of his people† (Mendoza 148). In conclusion, through its plot, characterization, and rhetorical devices such as tone, George Washington Gomez is an anti-corrido. However, it must be said that perhaps in its purpose as an anti-corrido, the novel is a corrido. In telling the story of Guà ¡nlito, the anti-hero of the Mexicotexans, perhaps Paredes is singing the readers his own border ballad, an ironic, cautionary tale to the Chicanos to remember who they are and where they came from and to resist, always, as a corrido hero would.

Pepsi Total Reward

Business Ethics Business ethics is a topic that is often on the forefront of media and journalism reports in the United States of America today. To someone that doesn’t have a background in business, or a general understanding of the business world, these reports can be cumbersome and hard to follow. One must first understand what business ethics actually are. Dictionary. com defines business ethics as the study and examination of moral and social responsibility in relation to business practices and decision-making in business (dictionary. com). Once one understands the meaning of business ethics, they often wonder what major companies do to stay ahead of the curve, and excel in the area of business ethics. Sadly, it seems as if the general media is only interested in companies with poor business ethics and practices. Media outfits are able to sell more papers, and gain more viewers, and honest companies such as PepsiCo never get the positive publicity that they deserve. Ethics and compliance are present in PepsiCo’s day to day operations. PepsiCo also has procedures in place to ensure ethical behavior for both their employees, and the company as a whole. Next, one must take a look at processes within the organization PepsiCo employs to comply with SEC regulations. Finally, the financial statements of PepsiCo will be analyzed with the intent of looking into the trend for different ratios and what it tells investors, and the public alike about the organization’s financial health. In a world that is filled with unethical companies that are lying to their investors, employees, and the public, it is encouraging to still have companies like PepsiCo that are both ethical and compliant. PepsiCo goes to great lengths to attain economic success while still complying to the unwritten laws of business ethics. PepsiCo does this based on three main elements of influence: environmental, talent, and human sustainability. PepsiCo offers consumers a wide array of products from health conscious foods, to comfort foods, to athletic drinks. PepsiCo’s financial stability is greatly influenced by the decision to offer so many products. By doing so, PepsiCo gets to appeal to a variety of consumers, as opposed to just one type. When PepsiCo speaks of environmental sustainability, they are talking about their efforts to â€Å"go green† or lessen their environmental footprint. PepsiCo is planning on taking the necessary steps toward reducing their electrical consumption by 20% and reducing fuel consumption by 25% by the year 2015. In 2007, PepsiCo saved nearly five billion liters of water, and nearly five-hundred million kilowatt hours of energy worldwide in 2007 when compared to their use in years past (PepsiCo, 2009). PepsiCo is looking out for the best interests of the environment, an ethical and admirable decision made by the company. PepsiCo is also an equal opportunity employer and they are often praised for the diverse workforce that they develop. When PepsiCo speaks of talent, they are talking about their diverse workforce. PepsiCo also believes in equality, they show this by offering employment to individuals without worrying about gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. PepsiCo was named one of Business Ethics Magazine’s â€Å"100 best corporate citizens†. PepsiCo shows loyalty to their employees by trying to promote from within. They also participate in various surveys to prevent any issues, and to address any problem areas. The current CEO of PepsiCo is a woman by the name of Indra Nooyi; since she took over in 2006 she has promoted workplace diversity. PepsiCo’s workplace policies are available in thirty different languages to accommodate many ethnic groups. PepsiCo also does their best to try to spend as much as they could with minority owned businesses, while still looking out for the company’s best interests. (PepsiCo, 2009). PepsiCo is extremely ethical and compliant when looking at their hiring practices. Human sustainability at PepsiCo is their vow to offer more healthy choices for consumers. PepsiCo is dedicated to their consumers, and is focused on creating and innovating new products that will offer less sugar and staying away from â€Å"empty calories†. PepsiCo has been partnering with the World Health Organization to find new ways to improve the diets of consumers while promoting physical activities. When looking at PepsiCo’s promotion of human sustainability, it is evident that PepsiCo values their consumers, which is valued and ethical. PepsiCo much like any other well respected company, complies with the regulations that are determined by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission). PepsiCo demonstrates their SEC compliance through their hiring of an independent registered public accounting firm. PepsiCo utilizes the well-known and respected accounting firm Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler which is more commonly referred to as KPMG. KPMG is one of the largest professional services firms in the world and one of the Big Four auditors. The Big Four auditors are KPMG along with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, and finally Ernst and Young. KPMG’s global headquarters are located in the Netherlands . By employing an outside source, PepsiCo allows the auditing firm KPMG to clearly analyze their numbers, ultimately making independent judgments for the soft drink company. KPMG complies with the laws and guidelines that are set up by the Securities and Exchange Commission through a published report to the SEC that is created quarterly and annually for PepsiCo. The reports that are then created by KPMG offer the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as shareholders, and anyone else interested detailed information on what and where the company is spending money as well as on what and where the company is receiving money. Near the end of PepsiCo’s annual report, there is a statement that speaks of the honesty and integrity of the report. This statement reads: â€Å"Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, we conducted and evaluation of the effectiveness of our control over financial reporting based upon the framework in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on that evaluation our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting is effective as of December 26, 2009 (PepsiCo, 2009). † Based on that quote, one must believe that PepsiCo is both ethical and compliant with respect to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Despite the worldwide economic turmoil that companies have been forced to deal with, PepsiCo has done their best to rise above the state of the economy, and still post good numbers. PepsiCo’s current ratio for 2008 came out to 1. 23 and the current ratio for 2009 was 1. 35. This means that PepsiCo can pay back its short-term liabilities (debt and payables) with its short-term assets (cash, inventory, receivables) 1. 299 times in 2008 and 1. 435 times in 2009. To properly compute the current ratio for each year an individual would divide the current assets by the current liabilities. The 2008 current ratio for PepsiCo can be calculated by dividing 10,806 by 8,787. This comes out to 1 . 23. The 2009 current ratio for Pepsi is calculated the same way dividing 12,571 by 8,756. This equates to 1. 435. PepsiCo improved their current ratio year over year. A debt ratio is a ratio that indicates what proportion of debt a company has relative to its assets. Thus having a lower percentage would be ideal. PepsiCo’s debt ratio for 2008 was 23%. This can be computed by taking the total debt, which was $ 8,227 and dividing that by the total assets which were $ 35,994. In 2009 the total debt was $7,864 and the total assets were $ 39,848, giving PepsiCo a debt ratio of 19. 7%. Return on equity is known as the amount of net income returned as a percentage of shareholders equity. It can be calculated as the net income divided by common equity, and a higher percentage is favorable. In 2008 the net income was $ 5,166, which is divided by the common equity $ 12,203, this comes out to 12%. In 2009 the net income was $ 5,979 and the common equity was $ 16,908, meaning that the return on equity was 35%. Again, PepsiCo shows improvement year over year. Finally, comes the days receivable. The days receivable are a measure of the average time a company's customers take to pay for purchases. The days receivable are equal to accounts receivable divided by annual sales on credit times 365. In 2008 PepsiCo’s accounts receivable came out to $ 4,683, annual sales on credit were $ 20,351, meaning that the days receivable in 2008 equated to 83. 99, or simply 84 days. In 2009 PepsiCo’s accounts receivable came out to $ 4,624, annual sales on credit were $ 20,099, meaning that the days receivable in 2008 equated to 83. 97 or 84 days as well. Year over year, it seems as if PepsiCo remained constant in the area of days receivable. In closing, PepsiCo establishes itself on the forefront of ethics and compliance. PepsiCo also has procedures in place to ensure ethical behavior of employees and shareholders. Finally, PepsiCo has processes that they utilize to comply with SEC regulations. PepsiCo seems to have improved financially year over year between 2008 and 2009. In a world that is filled with unethical companies that are lying to their investors, employees, and the public, it is encouraging to still have companies like PepsiCo that are both ethical and compliant. References Business ethics. (n. d. ). Dictionary. com's 21st Century Lexicon. Retrieved September 27, 2010, from Dictionary. com website: http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/Business ethics PepsiCo. 2008 Annual Report. Purchase, NY: PepsiCo, 2008. Annual reports. September 27, 2010. http://www. pepsico. com/Investors/Annual-Reports. html PepsiCo. 2009 Annual Report. Purchase, NY: PepsiCo, 2009. Annual reports. September 27, 2010. http://www. pepsico. com/Investors/Annual-Reports