Management Yesterday and Today

8th edition Steven P. harles Renard C Robbins Mary Coulter LEARNING OUTLINE Follow this Learning Outline as you read and study this chapter. o? Historical Background of Management †¢? Scientific Management o? General Administrative Theorists o? Quantitative Approach to Management †¢? Toward Understanding Organizational Behavior o? The Systems Approach o? The Contingency Approach 2–2 Historical Background of Management †¢? Ancient Management O Egypt (pyramids) and China (Great Wall) O Venetians (floating warship assembly lines) †¢? Adam Smith O Published â€Å"The Wealth of Nations† in 1776 v Advocated he division of labor (job specialization) to increase the productivity of workers †¢? Industrial Revolution O Substituted machine power for human labor O Created large organizations in need of management 2–3 Development of Major Management Theories Exhibit 2. 1 2–4 Major Approaches to Management †¢? Scientific Management †¢? General Administrative Theory †¢? Quantitative Management †¢? Organizational Behavior †¢? Systems Approach †¢? Contingency Approach †¢? 2–5 Scientific Management †¢? Fredrick Winslow Taylor O The â€Å"father† of scientific management O Published Principles of Scientific Management (1911) v Associated essay: Scientific Management Theory in HealthcareThe theory of scientific management –? Using scientific methods to define the â€Å"one best way† for a job to be done: †¢? Putting the right person on the job with the correct tools and equipment. †¢? Having a standardized method of doing the job. †¢? Providing an economic incentive to the worker. 2–6 Taylor’s Four Principles of Management 1.? Develop a science for each element of an individual’s work, which will replace the old rule-of-thumb method. 2.? Scientifically select and then train, teach, and develop the worker. 3.? Heartily cooperate with the workers so as to ensure that all work is done n accordance with the principles of the science that has been developed. 4.? Divide work and responsibility almost equally between management and workers. Exhibit 2. 2 2–7 Scientific Management (cont’d) †¢? Frank and Lillian Gilbreth O Focused on increasing work er productivity through the reduction of wasted motion O Developed the microchronometer to time worker motions and optimize performance †¢? How Do Today’s Managers Use Scientific Management? O Use time and motion studies to increase productivity O Hire the best qualified employees O Design incentive systems based on output 2–8General Administrative Theorists †¢? Henri Fayol O Believed that the practice of management was distinct from other organizational functions O Developed fourteen principles of management that applied to all organizational situations †¢? Max Weber O Developed a theory of authority based on an ideal type of organization (bureaucracy) v Emphasized rationality, predictability, impersonality, technical competence, and authoritarianism 2–9 Fayol’s 14 Principles of Management 1.? Division of work. 7.? Remuneration. 2.? Authority. 8.? Centralization. 3.? Discipline. 9.? Scalar chain. 4.? Unity of command. 10.? Order. 5.?Unity of direction. 11.? Equity. 6.? Subordination of individual interest to the interests of the organization. 12.? Stability of tenure of personnel. 13.? Initiative. 14.? Esprit de corps. Exhibit 2. 3 2–10 Weber’s Ideal Bureaucracy Exhibit 2. 4 2–11 Quantitative Approach to Management †¢? Quantitative Approach O Also called operations research or management science O Evolved from mathematical and statistical methods developed to solve WWII military logistics and quality control problems O Focuses on improving managerial decision making by applying: v Statistics, optimization models, information models, and omputer simulations 2–12 Understanding Organizational Behavior †¢? Organizational Behavior (OB) O The study of the actions of people at work; people are the most important asset of an organization †¢? Early OB Advocates O Robert Owen O Hugo Munsterberg O Mary Parker Follett O Chester Barnard 2–13 Early Advocates of OB Exhibit 2. 5 2â⠂¬â€œ14 The Hawthorne Studies †¢? A series of productivity experiments conducted at Western Electric from 1927 to 1932. †¢? Experimental findings O Productivity unexpectedly increased under imposed adverse working conditions. O The effect of incentive plans was less than expected. ? Research conclusion O Social norms, group standards and attitudes more strongly influence individual output and work behavior than do monetary incentives. 2–15 The Systems Approach †¢? System Defined O A set of interrelated and interdependent parts arranged in a manner that produces a unified whole. †¢? Basic Types of Systems O Closed systems v Are not influenced by and do not interact with their environment (all system input and output is internal). O Open systems v Dynamically interact to their environments by taking in inputs and transforming them into outputs that are istributed into their environments. 2–16 The Organization as an Open System Exhibit 2. 6 2–17 The Contingency Approach †¢? Contingency Approach Defined O Also sometimes called the situational approach. O There is no one universally applicable set of management principles (rules) by which to manage organizations. O Organizations are individually different, face different situations (contingency variables), and require different ways of managing. 2–18 Popular Contingency Variables †¢? Organization size †¢? Routineness of task technology †¢? Environmental uncertainty †¢? Individual differences Exhibit 2. 7 2–19

Psychological Barriers in Communication Essay

A barrier is anything that prevents something from getting through to its destination or receiver as intended. In communication, a barrier will prevent a message from traveling in a manner that gives it proper meaning. Although invisible, psychological barriers can be just as impenetrable as more obvious barriers, such as language differences, unless you become aware of them. Ads by Google Vacancies Australia 5 urgent positions left. Apply now! Vacancies Australia jobrapido.com​/​vacancies+australia Fields of Experience Intentional or not, we create barriers with our past experiences. For example, many people were raised on the value systems of their parents, but as adults, they realized their parents perpetuated stereotypes. Shedding those values from your upbringing can be difficult, even if you try, and can come across in your communication. This is true for the listener as well — she can be so focused on the prejudice she has for the speaker that it’s difficult to give full attention to the intended message. Filtering If you are having a bad day, or just experienced some emotional trauma such as the illness or death of a loved one, you will find it very difficult to either speak or listen in a manner conducive to understanding the intended messages. This is known as filtering; you are so consumed by your own needs that your emotional state is guiding

ISLAM IN TODAY'S WORLD Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ISLAM IN TODAY'S WORLD - Research Paper Example Despite this view, there is plenty of sociological, anthropological, and political evidence to support the theory that there are very large differences between populations of Muslims in places like India, Indonesia, Iran, and Europe (Croucher, Turner, Anarbaeva, Oommen, & Borton, 2008). In each location, the practices of the Islamic faith are different in very significant ways, which could create some potential for conversation between Muslims and non-Muslims in these countries. A potentially fruitful aspect to look at specifically in the study of Islam in today’s world is examining how Islam is contrasted in its properties from Christianity and Judaism, and whether communication between these two sets of people is possible. It seems very likely that a healthy dialogue is very much possible, especially given the flattening of the world’s power structure and the coalescence around the global economy, as contrasted to economies centered on the religions of nations. Branch ing out from this topic, the hypothesis is offered stating that the development of the global economy will make communication a much more likely prospect and that is Muslims decide to reach out in terms of communication, the economic and political underdevelopment seen in primarily Muslim countries may be corrected. Thus, this is not only an exercise in cultural understanding and the factors that make this possible, but also a prescription for correcting some of the social ills in countries that reject communication with other faiths. The Effect of the Global Economy on Communication and Perceptions between Muslims and non-Muslims in the 21st Century Countries in the modern world may be underdeveloped for any number of reasons. These could include a lack of resources, natural disasters, or a manmade disaster such as a devastating war. Most of the time, however, countries are underdeveloped because of the philosophical stance they take toward other countries. In many cases, this phil osophical stance is the result of a religious exceptionalism measured above its neighbors. This religious view informs the political, and thus drives the country toward isolation. Iran, like many other countries in the Middle East, treats itself as superior because of its high level of integration of politics and religion. North Korea, even though it lacks an official religion, regardless treats the state itself as worthy of worship; thus, the country seeks isolation from the other nations of the world. This kind of isolation inevitably results in underdevelopment that creates an environment for both a lack of understanding of cultural differences and economic underdevelopment. The United States, which is relatively open to other cultures, has a high rate of economic development because the culture values the process of doing business more than the identities of those doing business. It seems that communication between different religions, particularly between Muslims and non-Muslim s, is a crucial aspect of the cultural understanding that is necessary for the Middle East and other predominantly Muslim countries to escape from under the weight of their underdevelopment. This requires a better cultural understanding of Muslims from the perspective of the non-Muslim, and an understanding of non-Muslims from the p

Income inequality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Income inequality - Essay Example The rich tend to earn more income than the poor, and so more wealth seems to fall majorly in the hands of a few rich people while the majority earn very little. One’s earnings depend on several factors such as the demand and supply for the person’s skills. As the factors influence wages, they end up affecting the distribution of a country’s income. With income inequality, the rich tend to earn higher income while the poor earn low incomes. That differentiates the poor from the rich. Such inequality has several impacts on the economy and the population. To measure inequality, economists use some measures. Through one such measure, they compare household incomes through surveys. The process involves a comparison of the sources of income and the consumption patterns of the households that participate in the survey. To rank individuals in accordance to per capita income for each household, economists subtract direct taxes from the total income for the household. They then divide the amount by the number of individuals in the household. The calculation and the ranking give the Gini coefficient. The Gini coefficient is a method applicable to the measurement of inequality. The Gini coefficient has a range of 0 to 100 whereby 0 represents a period when everyone has the same income (Milanovic, 2011 p.7). The income inequality in a country would generally range between 25 and 60 in the Gini range. In the assessment of income inequality, household surveys come out as the best instruments. However, they have some drawbacks. At times, the rich may refuse to participate in interviews or at times they may understate their incomes. Another useful measure of income inequality is the Lorenz curve. With this measure, economists seek to determine how cumulative percentage of households links to cumulative percentage of income (Mankiw and Taylor, 2014 p.386). By plotting the cumulative percentage of income against

Organizational Quality Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Quality Culture - Assignment Example A quality manual is a document prepared by the management of an organization, and it establishes and illustrates the overall policies which govern the quality management system. The policies explain the intention of the management in overseeing operations in accordance with the established quality framework (Lee & Dale 220). 2. In a quality system, the quality manual has various purposes. The quality manual illustrates the processes required for quality management systems of the organization and the usage of this system in the entire organization. The quality manual also describes the sequence and the interaction of the quality management processes in the organization. The quality manual finally describes the most appropriate criteria required for ensuring effective and efficient operation and control of production processes. 3. Quality documentation systems have several purposes in the organization. The system ensures that correct, consistent and complete information is effectively utilized in realizing customer and other stakeholders’ requirements. Good documentation system is also a major part of the organization’s quality assurance system. 1. Work instructions are a sequence of procedures or steps that are required to effectively perform or execute an activity in the organization. Work instructions have importance in the organization. The first importance is that it provides reference during employee training sessions; this ensures employees are equipped with adequate competencies. The second importance is that work instructions ensure consistency in work execution; this is because all the employees needed in performing a specified job are trained in the same manner.

Develop the ability to minimize the risk of litigation Essay

Develop the ability to minimize the risk of litigation - Essay Example Fifthly, I will select individuals who have the skills to investigate all cases of fire reported by civilians to the department in order to find the causes of various fire. Sixthly, I will select reputable individuals who have the capacity of maintaining the department image. Lastly, I will select individuals who maintain and inspects all machineries and equipment used for firefighting. The essential elements of the job description will require selected individuals to attend various meetings and training sessions which will be conducted by the department. The individuals selected will also be expected to be clean of any felony charges or criminal histories. Thirdly, the selected individuals will also be required to obtain a drives license which should be clean from any suspension cases or revocations by the state for one reason or the other. Fourthly, the selected individuals are also expected to be available at their different work stations at all hours of the day without excuses or exceptions unless given permission by the persons in charge. Lastly, the selected individuals are expected to attend named associations and emergency meetings set up by the fire department. Successful candidates selected by the fire department will be required to pass the following tests. They will be required to pass the written assessment exam which will be a test of their basic skills. Secondly, they will be required to pass the candidate physical ability test will have three stages and the applicants will be required to pass all the three stages. The first stage will involve creating awareness among the applicants of what is expected in the actual test. The second stage will be a copycat of the real test and applicants who pass the stage will be considered eligible for the last stage and the last stage will be the final test which will determine the ability of

Modern Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Modern Democracy - Essay Example The term "democracy" has been claimed by both the capitalist world and the socialist world. To take for example the former East Germany that called itself German Democratic Republic and Viet Nam likewise. The first Russian marxist party that was set up by Lenin in exile, in preparation for the revolution against the czarist regime, had the name of Russian Social Democratic Workers Party. Later it changed its name to Russian Communist Party, and after the split of 1903 with Plekhanov, to Bolshevik Party. Lenin insisted on that real democracy would come only through the great revolution, which leads to the State socialism of the "dictatorship of the proletariat, and finally to the classless communist society. He blamed "bourgeois democracies" of being false democracies, in which parliament seats were systematically bought by the richest bidder, thus perpetuating the status qua of the propertied class-a statement which, incidentally, is an unwarranted generalization. So we can see that even the communists have employed the terms "democracy" and "republic" with an obviously different meaning as compared to their Western usage. In order to clear up the meaning of the concepts, it is necessary to have a look at their historical development ever since the origin of the terms in ancient Greece and Rome. (De Torre, 1997). The word "democracy" is of Greek origin, "republic" is Latin word which means "the public thing": res publi. The concept, however is taken from the Greek polis, which means group of men living and working together, and politeia, which means that this group gathered into "public thing" or commonwealth or commonweal by means of laws guiding towards the common good. Thus, through the work of logos (reason) on physis (nature), society came out from jungle to civilization, from herds to communities, from chaos or disorder to cosmos or order, as man stopped to behave like an animal, guided only by his sensitive feelings and emotions, and learns to guide himself instead by his reason and free will (De Torre, 1997). Modern scientists such as Robert Dahl, Anthony Arblaster, Benjamin Barber, Andrew Heywood and many others have their own, new view on democracy today. There are several models of modern democracy described in works of these authors. According to Professor Robert Dahl, one of the most prominent democratic theorists of nowadays, modern democracy has four historical sources: the direct democracy in ancient Greece, the republicanism of Roman and Italian city-states in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the theory and practice of representative government, and the idea of political equality. The democratic transformation occurred in Greece in the 5th century BC.So as Greece was not a single country, but consisted of a number independent cities-polices Athens was described as having the most innovative and sophisticated democracy (Dahl, 1989). Political ideals and aims of the classical Athenian democracy were expressed by the outstanding Greek philosopher Aristotle in The Politics dated between 335 and 323 BC. Aristotle identifies liberty as one of the founding principles of the classical democratic constitution. The philosopher argues that liberty has two major aspects, namely: 1) ruling and being ruled in

Enviromental Science Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Enviromental Science - Speech or Presentation Example The 'decline and fall' of Easter Island and its alleged self-destruction has become the poster child of a new environmentalist historiography, a school of thought that goes hand-in-hand with predictions of environmental disaster. The researchers dispute that the claim that Easter Island's human inhabitants were responsible for their own demise. Jared Diamond shares an exceptional view point in Easter Island case. In his book1 he says that the people of Easter Island destroyed their forest, degraded the island's topsoil, wiped out their plants and drove their animals to extinction. Helping its readers conclude, that the collapse of the Easter Islands was a man-made end. However, comparing the similar situation to today's scenario, something similar is at our end. We may not know that we are suffering the heat due to the endurance in man, but when it gets killing, by then it would be too late. The self-inflicted environmental devastation in the Easter Island, caused its complex society collapsed, also descending into civil wars, cannibalism and self-destruction. Something much similar to today's 'commercial' wars with nothing but a global existence of man eating man.Diamond's theory of ecocide was an actual genocide terminated Rapa Nui's indigenous populace and its culture that became almost paradigmatic in environmental circles, a dark and gory secret hangs over the premise of Easter Island's self-destruction. Lipo thinks the story of Easter Island's civilization being responsible for its own demise might better reflect the psychological baggage of our own society than the archeological evidence. Now, let's look up at another example which is the on-going deforestation of the Amazon rain forest. Between May 2000 and August 2005, Brazil lost more than 132,000 square kilometers of forest-an area larger than Greece-and since 1970, over 600,000 square kilometers (232,000 square miles) of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed.2 NASA satellite data are giving scientists insight into how large-scale deforestation in the Amazon Basin in South America is affecting regional climate. Researchers found during the Amazon dry season last August, there was a distinct pattern of higher rainfall and warmer temperatures over deforested regions. Some 14,754 sq km (9,170 square miles) of jungle was lost in 2003, according to the Brazilian government.3 The dramatic impact on the Amazon is reflected through the fires and the climate change. The Amazon is losing its green and the drought there is making it become dangerously and highly inflammable. Researchers and Scientist believe that if fires continue in the Amazon, 50 per cent of the Amazon could simply dissipate into smoke. It was also recorded that the humidity levels in the Amazon were recorded highest in 2005. We all want to develop. Develop from complexity to luxury. But it is not that all development needs to be non-eco friendly. In such immediate crisis where the world is crashing down to multi million pieces, it is sustainable development which comes most handy. Solar panels for household electricity, solar cookers to avoid over usage of LPG, filters for industrial chimneys and household, saving electricity, saving water, planting trees as much as possible, creating household dumps in your backyards to recycle organic waste, lesser usage of plastics etc are some ways to develop more constructively. No doubt it takes a lot of time and

Airline Industry and the Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Airline Industry and the Economy - Essay Example The shape of the economy is determined by its fiscal and monetary policies, market regulations, capital and export markets, degree of stability and competition, factor endowment and social ahead capital. Fiscal and monetary policies involve government expenditures, money supply, interest rates, currency exchange and inflation rates, and the operation of the banking system. The objectives of fiscal and monetary measures are to keep government from deficit spending and provide stability in money supply, interest rates, prices and the banking system. Once these conditions are emplaced and government spends within limits to avoid heavy external debt, capital credit is available for industries, purchasing power is strong and the economy produces a wide range of goods for the export market. As for market regulation, some of its cornerstones are the efforts to maintain a healthy balance between competition and cooperation and to discourage monopoly and oligopoly. The reason is that where co mpetition is completely unregulated and trade monopolies or oligopolies are allowed to operate, the large enterprises are likely to devour the smaller ones. Factor endowment relates to the supply of land and capital and the size and health of the workforce, while social ahead capital has to do with the availability and quality of power, water, communication systems, housing and transportation. The economy will have difficulty taking off if land and capital are hard to come by and labor supply could not meet the demand of industries in terms of skilled and able-bodied workforce. The economic engine will likewise sputter if water and power supply is unreliable, housing is scarce and expensive, and communication and transportation systems are inefficient. In the transport sector, the airline industry is the most sensitive to economic ups-and-downs and the most vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters, terrorist acts, wars and extreme weather events. This was once again demonstrated in 2001 when air travel worldwide grounded to a halt in the aftermath of 9/11. Flag carriers Swissair of Switzerland and Sabena of Brazil folded up, while several US airlines placed themselves in bankruptcy proceedings to avoid complete collapse. From 2001 until 2005, the airline industry worldwide suffered losses reaching $43 billion, which was equivalent to the combined capitalization of 13 US airlines in today's terms. Even British Airways, the world's biggest international airline, was unable to pay shareholder dividends for four years, had to trim 5,800 jobs and to introduce pay cuts to managers. In the US, the government came to the rescue of the distressed airline industry by allotting a $15-billion bailout fund. The industry used the assistance to hire back some 10,000 workers that were laid off at the height of the crisis, which was the primary concern of the state. In the absence of such economic upheavals, the main concerns of the airline industry are the costs of aircraft acquisition and maintenance, fuel and salaries. These are the direct operating costs of airlines,

What do you expect will be the character of the 21st century Peaceful Essay

What do you expect will be the character of the 21st century Peaceful War-prone Chaotic - Essay Example In any case, several challenges continue to face humanity in the aspect of human relations and this creates the need for measures to address the fundamental concerns affecting humanity. In any case, the century is still young and anything is certainly possible. In the face of the growing challenges facing the world in terms of unpredictable future relations between certain countries in the world, several realities emerge. In a way, the character of the 21st century is very much unpredictable and it basically calls for a keen analysis of the whole situation in order to make sound and valid predictions in relation to the issue. In the context of peace and war, it is safer to confirm that the 21st century seems to promise much hope for the future. In a way, it certainly appears that humanity has understood the extent to which a modern war can have devastating effects on the lives of humanity. As such, most countries across the world are pushing for measures that can enhance peaceful coe xistence across the world. Peace, in the context of international relations is the catalyst that can steer the course of life and drive the true sense of civilization. The experience of the two World Wars confirmed to the world that peace is the only option in a world were technology and civilization has advanced to the levels it is currently realized. The 21st century presents humanity with myriad challenges that seem to shift the priorities of humanity from the issues of war to the more fundamental concerns of this age. Such issues as climate change, poverty and other aspects continue to confront humanity day by day. In any case, the challenges that would otherwise be addressed through wars in the past are no longer addressed the same way. The United States is very careful in its operations across the world and the search for peace seems to be the most pressing preoccupation. In a way, challenges seem to emerge in this regard. The growth of the Chinese economy seems to present muc h headache to the Americans and it appears that the political world order might soon shift positions (Walt 45). There is a sense of growing awareness on the devastating effects of the wars that have always affected humanity. Through media and other avenues, people across the world are able to evidence the effects of the chaos that seem to be realized in certain parts of the world (Steele 25). More importantly, one of the most critical issues in the present world order has become the economic preoccupation of countries across the world. Unfortunately, economic realizations will never go in tandem with a turbulent political environment (Falk 6). It therefore goes without doubt that the 21st century promises much of peaceful coexistence in the world more than it promises a sense of chaos. However, amid the sense of peace that can be envisioned deep into the century, several challenges seem to emerge. In any case, it appears that in certain respects, war become the only option. The 21st century is inundated with a lot of challenges that seem to present a dim future for the future. The problem of terrorism is a real fact that cannot be overlooked (Scholte 250). The United States is basically at the forefront in dealing with the challenge of terrorism in the world (Jackson 15). Well, this is certainly a very delicate process where war can always be an option. In fighting terrorism across the world, it does appear that the 21st century is much gloomy in terms of dealing with the aspects of human security in relation to the challenges posed by terror (Mearsheimer 14). The notion that certain miscreants are out to terrorize the world and make life seem like mere luck is certainly not the best situation to be. In this context, to address the critical aspects of safety of its citizens, the United States has to brace up for any eventuality and this translates

Police Brutality Essay Example for Free

Police Brutality Essay Unfortunately, nowadays the people who are supposed to protect us and help us when we are in need, sometimes cannot be trusted. Police brutality has always been a problem, but theres been a dramatic rise in police murders and brutalization of citizens. Police Brutality is anything from harassment from a police officer to being murdered by one.Police officers risk their lives everyday they put on their uniform. They serve the community by keeping it safe from those who break the law. Police are trained to use force when necessary and to have discretion on how much force to use on someone. The tactics they use are to apprehend a criminal, and to keep those who are around a criminal, safe. Officers carry weapons such as a baton, mace, or a gun. These weapons are to keep themselves and the communities they serve safe. Sometimes officers who are either not properly trained or who neglect to use the appropriate amount of force on a suspect, can suffer the consequences of police brutality. â€Å"Police brutality is a civil rights violation that occurs when a police officer acts with excessive force by using an amount of force with regards to a civilian that is more than necessary. Excessive force by a law enforcement officers is a violation of a persons rights. Force should be used in only the minimum amount needed to achieve a purpose. Police brutality is a direct violation of the laws within the police force. The use of excessive force is also a direct violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S Constitution regarding cruelty and protection of the laws†(definitions.uslegal.com). One of the major causes of police brutality is stress. Each day, police officers have to deal with the fact that their lives are within their own hands and being that they are thought of as the enemy by a criminal they feel the need to protect themselves at any cost. An officer may feel threatened and might not know his or her own strength, therefore they might  do anything to protect themselves if they feel threatened. The stress of being a cop can lead to other issues other than police brutality. The amount of stress of their job is so high it can affect them in various ways later in life. â€Å"The extreme stress and pressure placed on police officers has caused an increasing numbers of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder cases, alcoholism, suicide, early retirement, breakdowns and burnout being reported by police officers across the country†(www.essortment.com). Another cause of police brutality is simply abuse of power. Not all cops break the rules, but not all cops follow t hem. Police brutality can be any of the following acts; â€Å"profane or abusive language, commands to move or go home, field stops and searches, threats of implied violence, prodding with a nightstick or approaching with a pistol, the actual use of physical force†(www.policecrimes.com). Racism is also a major cause of police brutality. The most famous of all police brutality cases is, of course, Rodney Kings case. On March 3, 1991, four Los Angeles police officers beat Rodney King as eleven other officers stood by watching. Rodney King was in a high-speed car chase with the officers, when his car was finally stopped, he hesitated to get out of his car. When he did, he was said to jump at the officers. He was hit by two darts from a stun gun, which didnt seem to work. Rodney King still refused to obey the officers and lie flat on the ground. But, in less than two minutes, he was hit with 56 baton blows and kicked six times. He suffered from eleven skull fractures, brain damage, broken bones, knocked out teeth and kidney damage. Also, emotional and physical trauma. Not in all cases are the victims of police brutality innocent, obviously, as you can see in Rodney Kings case (law.umkc.edu)But no matter how rude or uncooperative a suspect is being, this extreme force from officers should not be used. Racism has always been and always be around. The fact that it is policing is evident through such acts as these. Sometimes these harmful acts go overlooked by departments, either because of they do not want the publicity, the department might not know what actually happened, or they simply do not care. Racism is not just against African Americans, all minorities are at risk for being the victim of a cops believes or disbelieves. Another reason police brutality happens is some officers believe that its necessary to come down hard on those who resist arrest because they may kill the next police officer who tries to arrest  them so you have to teach them a lesson. â€Å"Another practice is the screen test, police jargon for applying the brakes on a police vehicle to that the handcuffed prisoner in back will be thrown against the metal protective screen†(www.policecrimes.com). When an officer breaks the law and victimizes a person he or she will should be punished and depending on the case they should face suspension, job termination, or even jail time. Those whose rights have been violated often receive large amounts of money in out of court settlements, which means the taxpayer is paying for authorities right to abuse their power . Cops who have committed these acts usually face no serious prosecution, if any at all. So far, of all the documented murders since 1977, only one officer has been convicted of homicide. Any man that kills another, for no matter what reason, should have to face consequences. Anyone can become a victim of police brutality, but the most common are minorities, juveniles, and low class citizens. Minorities are victimized because of their skin color and the believes of the officer they encounter. The fact that officers target minorities has been known for decades. Many races are still not accepted by people today. Juveniles can also become targets of the police. Young adults often find themselves in tough situations getting in trouble with the law. They struggle to find a sense of self and often look to crime as an easy way out. An officer might target a young adult assuming he or she is up to no good, judging solely by the way they carry themselves. Low class citizens often do not have the money for a good lawyer so even if they were victimized they have no one to turn to for help. They most likely do not have guidance on how to properly seek justice they rightfully deserve. Also in most cases, unless there is physical evidence, police misconduct is often on e side of the story against another. In order to prevent police from using unnecessary amount of force on citizens there must be an understanding of each others position on society. Although a beating from a police officer may not be the victims fault, there are some ways to try and prevent from being a part of a traumatic experience. When an officer does not feel threatened he or she is less  likely to become frantic and full of adrenaline which would make the confrontation with him or her less dangerous and beneficial to both the cop and the civilian. The number of cases of police brutality is not as high as the years of the civil rights act, but there is still a need for a way to help fix the problem. Not every case is known to the public and reported. Departments need to properly train officers to deal with certain situations properly. While they might not be perfect when it comes to hiring, they should keep a close eye on those who they hire to make sure any officer hired doesnt have a different personality when on duty. A personality that would be dangerous to those who surround him or her. Hopefully there will be a system in the future that will help minimize the chances of police brutality. Sources 1.) Above the Law: Police and the Excessive Use Of Force by: Jerome H. Skolnick, James J. Fyfe 1994. Published by: The Free Press, New York. 2.) Definitions.uslegal.com 3.) www.essortment.com 4.) www.policecrimes.com 5.) law.umkc.edu

Quality Improvement Project for Patient Prescription Record

Quality Improvement Project for Patient Prescription Record The aim of this quality improvement project is to ensure that nurses record in the designated box on patients Prescription and administration record (to be referred to as: Kardex) if High Dose Antipsychotics Monitoring is Applicable YES or NO (to be referred as: applicable Y/N) and subsequently if yes, that the High Dose Antipsychotic Therapy monitoring form (to be referred to as: Monitoring form and the Early Warning Signs (EWS) Form have been activated for completion. The purpose of this is to secure patient safety from the side effects of the medication. There is widespread evidence which clearly links antipsychotic medication contributing to physical health problems such as cardiovascular problems, weight gain, endocrine problems, metabolic syndrome and sudden death (Gumber et al, 2010; Churchword et al, 2009; Tyson et al, 1999). Many premature deaths of people with serious mental illness are due to poor medical care that fails to monitor risk factors which may be due to side effects of medication (Cohen Hove, 2001). A council report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2006) revealed that past audits of high dose antipsychotic prescribing for in- patients showed poor adherence to monitoring recommendations. All patients on high dose antipsychotic treatment must be monitored. These guidelines attempt to clarify the identification of patients on high dose antipsychotics, factors to be taken into account before such prescribing and the documentation required when antipsychotics are prescribed in high dose; furthermore it is a polic y requirement of Forth Valley that this documentation is completed for these patients (Forth Valley, 2011). The charge nurse highlighted a concern when evaluating the patients Kardex audit, it showed 100% non-compliance for the completion of the Yes/No response for high dose antipsychotics monitoring. Subsequently when the patients are receiving high dose antipsychotics, there was inconsistency of the completion of the Therapy monitoring form and EWS form. A recent audit of patient Kardexes confirmed the charges nurse finding (see Pareto chart, Appendix B). To begin the process of the quality improvement project, a general ward meeting was held and attended by all staff in the ward that was on shift. During the meeting the charge nurse highlighted the recent findings of the Kardex audit. Concerns were raised that many areas on the Kardex were not being completed, and reminded staff nurses that this is not acceptable and needs to be improved. As a nurse it is extremely important to keep accurate documentation, good record keeping is an fundamental part of nursing practice, and is necessary to the delivery of safe and effective care (Nursing and Midwifery Council, (NMC) 2010). As an attempt to focus the quality improvement project more specifically the results of the audit were presented using a Pareto chart (Appendix B). The data confirmed the areas on the Kardex which were not being completed however, high dose antipsychotic monitoring Yes/No was the highest at 100% non-completion, therefore it was agreed that a new strategy would be implemented to improve this. McLaughlin and Kaluzny (2006) state that the defect focused on does not necessarily need to be the greatest frequency to be improved first, but attention should be given to that defect that may have a devastating result, such as an adverse event or even death. However the defect in this instance was the highest and potentially could cause an adverse event. Following the meeting a questionnaire (Appendix C) was devised and completed anonymously by the pharmacists, consultants and staff nurses to identify the root causes of why this area on the Kardex was not completed. A fishbone diagram was used to illustrate the findings (Appendix D). When populating the fishbone diagram with the data, it was clear to see that there were many reasons that each member of the multidisciplinary team had not completed the applicable area on the Kardex. Role confusion was a common theme from each member of the team. Hill-Smith et al (2012) claims that this is not unusual within multi-disciplinary teams and that respectful communication and clear instructions is of high importance in the delivery of high quality clinical care. Therefore based on these findings PDSA one was developed (Appendix G1). This tested whether the nurse attending the MDT meeting completes the Applicable Y/N on the patients’ Kardex following an email reminder and a verbal promp t from charge nurse before attending the meeting. The test confirmed there was a breakdown in communication, the nurse did not receive the email or a verbal reminder from the charge nurse prior to attending the MDT meeting therefore they were not aware of the procedure that had been discussed and as a consequence the applicable area on the form was not completed, this was confirmed by an audit of the Kardex (Appendix H). This informed the decision for PDSA two (Appendix G2). The nurse coordinating the shift should use the visual prompt situated on the shift coordinating sheet to remind the nurse attending the MDT meeting, to update applicable Y/N on the patients Kardex. The small change of a visual reminder on the shift coordinating sheet proved to be success. It reminded the coordinating nurse to verbally prompt the nurse attending the MDT meeting to complete the patient’s Kardex in the applicable area, which was shown by the Kardex audit after the shift; all patientsâ€℠¢ Kardexes were completed and as a consequently the Therapy form and EWS from were also initiated for completion. These findings are consistent with Simpson (2007) research, where teams have clear operating procedures in place, care coordinating is enhanced. The assumption was that the email and verbally prompt from the charge nurse would result in nurses completing the Applicable Y/N on all patients Kardexes, following the MDT meeting by 23rd February 2014 by 100%. Furthermore, if yes the Therapy form and the EWS form activated for completion. Audits were carried out on the dates shown to give a snapshot of the completion of Applicable Y/N on all patients Kardexes in the IPCU ward at that time. Initial findings of the first audit by the charge nurse on 01/02/2014 revealed that Applicable Y/N was completed 0%. The second audit carried out to confirm the previous results on 08/02/2014 which confirmed the charge nurses findings of 0% compliance of Applicable Y/N. PDSA one was carried out on 10/2/2014 the change revealed 0% improvement in the completion of Applicable Y/N. PDSA two was implemented on 21/2/2014 the change was successful, the results of the audit revealed that Applicable Y/N was completed on all patients Kardexes by 100% this in turn activated the completion of the Therapy form and EWS Form. Comparison of questions, predictions, and analysis of data: Engaging with the quality improvement (QI) project has required me to learn and apply new skills in practice. The process of plan, do, study, act (PDSA) cycles were a new technical skill which I had to not only learn myself, but teach fellow staff nurses on the ward, as this was also, a new process to them. I learnt that PDSA cycles provisionally test an idea by testing a change and assessing its impact. After implementing the first cycle, I learnt that it does not always get the results expected when making changes to your process; it taught me that it was better, and more effective to trial a small change to see if it made a difference, before implementing the change permanently. This also gave staff the opportunity to be involved and offer suggestions and see if the proposed changes would work. I also learnt that communication is an essential and fundamental process during the course of the QI. According to Adams (1999), to persuade others to make an improvement or change, the negotiator must be influential. The Charge nurse in this instance was the influential position to lead change. Unfortunately they were not able to fulfil their obligation in PDSA one, but they carried out the ward meeting and used this as a platform to discuss the Kardex audits with the staff which informed them of the need to make an improvement in practice. Once the need for the new process was established and its principles by the email from the charge nurse, informing the reasoning for a change in practice, this was used as a base for PDSA two. I learnt that it is just as important to define the risk of not making a change (Plummer, 2000) and in this circumstance, changing practice would not only enhance quality of care to patients, but it would promote the involvement between staff nurses and the MDT, building trust and confidence to make the change, whereas the risk of not making the change, could potentially cause an adverse event A final learning point I would like to include was how staff nurses initially were resistant to change. In my opinion from observing, the nurses were quite defensive as though they were being blamed for not doing their job correctly. The questionnaire used was an effective communication tool and successful resource for managing this resistance. It give staff the opportunity to anonymously feedback their reasons for not completing the applicable area on the Kardex, it also let them express their opinion without being condemned. Also, I feel that during this time, they were able to adjust and prepare for the change which minimised resistance (Bernhard and Walsh, 1995). I felt it was essential to take note of all their views as individuals and as team members, which provided further explanation of their reasoning for non-completion. Accountability was a consistent reason used by nurses for their reason for non-completion, as they felt it was a doctor or the pharmacist role and they did not want to be accountable for making the decision. When it was clarified that it was a team decision, by email from the charge nurse, the nursing staff felt supported. Mitchell (2001) states that accountability in nursing is a complex issue and acknowledged the importance of team support in the identification of roles and responsibilities. Frequent ideas and conversations with staff were held over the ten days, in advance of the change in PDSA two which I feel made the improvement successful and run smoother as nursing staff were aware of the new change. I have learnt that within nursing it is important to continually improve the way we work. Working at every level developing the knowledge, technical skills, including leadership, are vital for long-term improvement. Continually learning may be important not only to ensure that we have the skills needed to improve the quality of healthcare, but also to enhance the motivation to do so. Discuss the project’s significance on the local system and any findings that may be generalizable to other systems: Relocation to a new site change what been good practice and now a gap had appeared in the process of monitoring patient. The outcome of this project was a success. It was predicted that by 23rd February 2014 applicable Y/N would be completed by 100%. By establishing the success of the visual prompt in PDSA two on the co-ordinating sheet, was a very small but effective change. As a consequence, at the following staff meeting it was decided that the visual prompt would be a permanent fixture on the coordinating sheet, as it was a sustainable reminder to future shift coordinators, thus improving the initiation of therapy monitoring and EWS forms, and overall patient safety outcomes. Discuss the factors that promoted the success of the project and that were barriers to success. What did you learn from doing this project? What are your reflections on the role of the team? The factors which promoted success in the project were support and leadership from the charge nurse at the beginning of my placement. They helped identify areas in the ward which they felt needed improvement. Furthermore, as a student who had never been in a mental health ward, I felt overwhelmed with the task and this support and guidance helped me through the project. The use of the tools were a great way to involve staff on the ward to feel part of the project and broke down the barriers of pointing blame and focussed their attention in a systematic way, and explored the potential causes of the non-completions. I was amazed as how such a small change help facilitate and test change in a manageable way. I now understand that Quality improvement as a way of approaching change in healthcare that focuses on self-reflection, assessing needs and gaps, and considering how to improve in a multifaceted manner. I feel I have gained an enormous understanding in about quality improvement in that it aims to create an ethos of continuous reflection and a commitment to ongoing improvement. It provides nurses to gain an the skills and knowledge needed to assess the performance of healthcare and individual and population needs, to understand the gaps between current activities and best practice and to have the tools and confidence to develop activities to reduce these gaps Thus, the scan did not focus only on narrowly defined quality improvement models such as ‘plan, do, study, act’ (PDSA) cycles.

Responsibilities as a Student Radiographer in Patient Care

Responsibilities as a Student Radiographer in Patient Care Introduction Radiography is the fulcrum around which the rest of medicine revolves. Its significance in healthcare means thatin order for radiographers and student radiographers to deliver good service, they must take a number of precautions to ensure that the high standards in this profession are met. This assignment will emphasise key responsibilities of a student radiographer in respect to patient care. It will summarise and explain four important points which are: confidentiality, consent, communication and radiation protection. The assignment will be linked and referenced to relevant sources researched, such as the NHS constitution and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) alongside other legislations and published work that analyse the objective. Finally, this assignment will then end with a conclusion of the points that were discussed. Confidentiality The duty to maintain patient confidentiality is fundamental to Radiography or any other healthcare professions and is enriched in the law, ethics and in professional codes of practice and conduct (Cuthbert Quallington 2008). Radiographers and students are expected to follow the Data Protection Act 1998 which was designed to provide a legal framework that outlines the protection of the privacy of personal data when used with information technology and to be kept within strict professional boundaries. The Code of Conduct of Ethics (2008) states that radiographers and student radiographers must not share the medical or personal details of a patient with anyone except those healthcare professionals who are essential to the well being of the patient. Ultimately, if patients information is shared out of these legal boundaries, then this could result is prosecution (Gov UK 2016). Student radiographers would have access to, and are entrusted with patients sensitive information relating to their health and other matters as part of the patient seeking treatment. The patients do so in confidence and they have the legitimate expectation that staff and students will respect their privacy and act appropriately. (Department of Health 2003). The Health Care Professions Council 2016 clearly state that student radiographers must respect confidentiality by keeping information about service users and carers strictly confidential and only use it for the original purpose it was given. It also states that student radiographers must ensure to remove any information that could be used to identify a service user in their academic work related to their programme (HCPC 2016). It is vital that patients are informed and made aware of information disclosures that must take place in order to provide them with high quality care (Department of Health 2003). As a student radiographer it is extremely important to respect the patients decision if they chose not to allow certain information to be shared and disclosed. Service users and patients must be comfortable and believe that they can talk honestly and frankly without feeling a sense of fear of exposure, otherwise they may hold back and not share information which is not only important to them, but the well being of others. Jones (2003) found that confidentiality is clearly valued by patients, and see it as something vital to the medical consultation, and feel that disclosure of their information to others without their consent can lead them to deter from seeking treatment in the future. Consent Communication and patient safety play important roles in being an effective mammographer and providing patient care.

Free College Essays - Mr. Shimerda in My Antonia :: My Antonia Essays

Mr. Shimerda of My Antonia Most people find it very hard to pull up roots in their native land and move to a strange country. Throughout history, countless millions of people have done so. People forsake their homeland and move to another country for various reasons. Some people emigrate to avoid starvation. Some seek adventure. Others wish to escape unbearable family situations. Still others desire to be reunited with loved ones. However, the main reason for immigration has long been economic opportunity--the lure of better land or a better job. Yet, some people can't conform to the American way of life. Like replanting a flower's roots, completely moving a person so attached to their homeland and customs, can prove to be fatal. In the book, "My Ántonia," the Shimerdas seemed to be very religious. For example, on Christmas evening, "When the candle ends sent up their conical yellow flames, all the colored figures from Austria stood out clear and full of meaning against the green boughs. Mr. Shimerda rose, crossed himself, and quietly knelt down before the tree†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦" History shows that the Bohemian people were constantly revolting for their freedom. This was probably one of the reasons for the religious Shimerdas move to America, to get away from those many "hard times." "All the time she say: 'America big country; much money, much land for my boys, much husband for my girls†¦my mama, she want Ambrosch for be rich, with many cattle." This must have been the main factor for the move from their "kawn-tree." Unfortunately, not all the Shimerdas were excited by the move. "My papa sad for the old country. He not look good. He never make music anymore†¦He don't like this kawn-tree†¦M y papa, he cry for leave his old friends what make music with him." These quotations were the warning signs of what happened next. "Why, mam, it was simple enough; he pulled the trigger with his big toe. He layed over on his side and put the end of the barrel in his mouth, then he drew up one foot and felt for the trigger. He found it all right!" Mr. Shimerda was so depressed about losing everything and anything that was familiar to him that he felt there was no use in living. Jim thought, "I knew it was homesickness that had killed Mr. Shimerda, and I wondered whether his released spirit would not eventually find its way back to his own country.

The Process of Starting an IV (intravenous) Essay -- Expository Proces

The Process of Starting an IV (intravenous) Several skills are beneficial to the nurse and paramedic, but perhaps one of the most important skills is the ability to place an intravenous catheter into a vein. This procedure is most commonly referred to as â€Å"starting an IV†. In today’s medical community, intravenous cannulation is necessary for the administration of many antibiotics and other therapeutic drugs. Listed below are the procedures and guidelines for starting a successful IV. Following these instructions will provide a positive experience for the patient and clinician. First, you must obtain all of the necessary supplies: gloves, alcohol or Betadine preps, a tourniquet, tape, an appropriately sized IV catheter, a bag of IV solution, the IV tubing, and gauze pads. While obtaining the supplies, you should inform the patient that IV catheter placement is necessary, and why. Do not lie to the patient and tell him or her that it is a painless procedure. Instead, be honest with them and explain that the initial puncture feels like a sharp pinch on the skin and that the pain and discomfort associated with the IV placement is only temporary. You may find it helpful to demonstrate to the patient the amount of pain to expect by pinching the skin on the back of their hand. This is especially helpful for younger patients or patients who are more concrete in their thinking. Now, assemble and arrange all of the needed supplies so that they are easily accessible. Connect the IV tubing to the solution bag and allow the fluid in the bag to run through the entire length of the tubing, also known as priming the tubing. When this is done, clamp the tubing closed. You will then need to tear several pieces of tape, six to eight inche... ...f the clamps on the tubing to allow the IV solution to run freely. Slowly, decrease the flow of the solution to the appropriate rate as ordered by the physician. Using a small gauze pad, wipe away any excess blood or fluid on the surface of the skin. Then, using the pre-torn pieces of tape, secure the catheter hub and the IV tubing to the patient’s skin. Take extra caution not to kink the tubing. Once everything is secured, recheck the IV solution’s flow and then attend to the rest of your patients needs. Starting a successful IV takes practice, time, and patience. Once you have perfected this procedure, you will see that the above steps are simply guidelines to help beginners. As your experience grows, you will develop your own techniques and preferences. Remember these steps, and both you and your patient will have a successful IV catheter placement experience.

Essay --

During the early 1970s, formal financial reporting standard setting activities were commenced. On 10 September 1971, a technical committee was formed in 1971 with the remit to act on a letter dated sent by Bank Negara to the President of Malaysian Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA). Nowadays, MACPA is now known as Malaysia Institutes of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA). MACPA was set up by individuals as a private association in 1958 (Susela 1999). After an extended pause marked by a high level of inactivity, the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) was approached to develop a standard in 1987. MIA has been set up in 1987 by the State as a statutory body to regulate the accounting profession. Therefore, both MACPA and the MIA committed to a process of joint work towards the objective of the development of a Malaysian accounting standard for goodwill. Based on Ahmad & Ishak (2003), an element of that agreed course of action, on July 1, 1987 the President of MIA and the President of MACPA signed a joint Circular to members enclosing a questionnaire inviting com...

H&M Strategy

The firm has several agreements with providers which must sign H&M’s â€Å"behavior code† for ex in 2006 implementation of an agreement with Procter and Gamble (one on its providers) stipules that H&M can control P&G activities and all its fabrication process. ing high wages. That ability of adaptation shows that H&M can diversify its production and targets specific consumers: its factories make sportswear, masculine and feminine clothes, as well as accessories or lingerie. The role of advertisement is extremely important in H&M’s strategy. The firm uses different ways to sell its products (stores, internet, catalogues): a huge budget is used for communication and advertisement. There is a lot of competition on the clothing market. Zara is the direct competitor of H&M but its prices are a little higher, so H&M enjoys a real economic advantage. H&M minimizes its production costs by building production factories in developing countries (like China, India†¦). The firm enjoys their foreign legislations because they authorized low wages (or lower than European legislations). Social: The ethical aspect is one of the most important principles of H&M (inscriptions on t shirts must not be obscene, racist). For them, protection of animals is necessary (the firm has launched important campaigns), it doesn’t sell real fur, doesn’t buy leather from India for its cruel treatment of animals. And it doesn’t import materials from disappearing species. Moreover, H&M follows fashion and trends to satisfy its consumers and especially the teenagers. This is how the firm owns a real capacity of adaptation. Technological: H&M also sells its products on the Internet by an efficient Websites. News is broadcasted on their Website (when a new line of clothes is launched for ex†¦everyone is aware of partnerships with famous people like Madonna, Karl Lagerfeld, Stella Mc Cartney. )The new technologies used by the firm are a way to make their advertising campaigns more efficient. Textile industry is protected by a lot of patents to assure the authenticity of products and counter fakes.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 20~23

20 Leadership's a Bitch The storm had been easy on the Shark People. A little thatch lost from a roof here and there, a cookhouse blown over, some breadfruit and coconuts stripped from the trees, but not enough to cause hardship. Some seawater had washed into the taro patch, but only time would tell if it was enough to kill the crop. The Shark People went slowly about the business of cleaning up, the women doing most of the work while the men sat in the shade of the men's house, drinking alcoholic tuba and pretending to discuss important religious matters. Mainly they were there to pass the heat of the day and get good and drunk before dinner. Malink, the high chief of the Shark People, was late rising. He awoke shivering and afraid, trying to figure out how to interpret a strange dream. He rolled off of his grass sleeping mat, then rose creakily and ambled out of the hut to relieve himself at the base of a giant breadfruit tree. He was a short, powerfully built man of sixty. His hair was bushy and gone completely white. His skin, once a light butterscotch, had been burned over the years to the dark brown of a tarnished penny. Like most of the Shark men, he wore only a cotton loincloth and a wreath of fresh flowers in his hair (left there by one of his four daughters while he slept). The image of a shark was tattooed on his left pectoral muscle, a B-26 bomber on the other. He went back into the hut and pulled a steel ammo box out of the rafters. Inside lay a nylon web belt with a holster that held a portable phone, his badge of leadership, his direct line to the Sorcerer. The only time he had ever used it was when one of his daughters had come down with a fever during the night. He had pushed the button and the Sorcerer had come to the village and given her medicine. He was afraid to use the phone now, but the dream had told him that he must deliver a message. Malink would have liked to go down to the men's house and discuss his decision for a few hours with the others, but he knew that he couldn't. He had to deliver the dream message. Vincent had said so, and Vincent knew everything. As he pushed the button, he wished he had never been born a chief. The High Priestess was also sleeping late, as she always did. The Sorcerer jostled her and she pulled the sheets over her head. â€Å"What?† â€Å"I just got a call from Malink. He says he's had a message from Vincent.† The High Priestess was awake now. Wide awake. She sat upright in bed and the Sorcerer's eyes fell immediately to her naked breasts. â€Å"What do you mean he's had a message from Vincent? I didn't give him any message.† The Sorcerer finally looked up at her face. â€Å"He was terrified. He said that Vincent came to him in a dream and told him – get this – to tell me that ‘the pilot was alive and on his way, and to wait for him.'† She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and shook her head. â€Å"I don't get it. How did he know about a pilot coming? Did you say something?† â€Å"No, did you?† â€Å"Are you kidding? I'm not stupid, Sebastian, despite what you might think.† â€Å"Well, how did he find out? The guards don't know anything. I haven't said anything.† â€Å"Maybe it's a coincidence,† she said. â€Å"Maybe he was just having bad dreams from the storm. Vincent is all he thinks about. It's all any of them think about.† The Sorcerer stood and backed away from the bed, eyeing her suspiciously. â€Å"Coincidence or not, I don't like it. I think you need to have an audience with the Shark People and give them a direct message from Vincent. This whole operation depends on us being the voice of Vincent. We can't let them think that they can reach him directly.† He turned and started out of the room. â€Å"Sebastian,† she said and the Sorcerer paused and looked over his shoulder at her. â€Å"What about the pilot? What if Malink is right about the pilot being on his way?† â€Å"Don't be stupid, Beth. The only way to control the faithful is to not become one of them.† He turned to leave and was struck in the back of the head by a high-velocity whiskey tumbler. He turned as he dropped to the floor grasping his head. The High Priestess was standing by the bed wearing nothing but a fine golden chain at her hips and an animal scowl. â€Å"You ever call me stupid again and I'll rip your fucking nuts off.† 21 How the Navigator Got from There to Here Watching the sharks circle the boat, Tuck felt as if he was being sucked down the vortex of a huge bathroom drain. â€Å"We need a better weapon,† Tuck said. He remembered a movie once where Spencer Tracy had battled sharks from a small boat with a knife lashed to an oar. â€Å"Don't we have any oars?† Kimi looked insulted. â€Å"What wrong with me?† â€Å"Not whores. Oars!† Tucker pantomimed rowing. â€Å"For rowing.† â€Å"How I know what you talking about? Malcolme always say oars. ‘Bloody oars,' he say. No, we don't have oars.† â€Å"Bail,† Tuck said. The navigator began scooping water with the coffee can as Tuck did his best to bail with his hands. A half hour later the boat was only partially full of water and the sharks had moved on to easier meals. Tucker fell back onto the bow to catch his breath. The sun was still low in the morning sky, but already it burned his skin. The parts of his body not soaked with seawater were soaked with sweat. He dug into the pack and pulled out the liter bottle of water he had bought the day before. It was half-full and it was all they had. Tuck eyed the navigator, who was bailing intently. He'd never know if Tuck drank all of the water right now. He unscrewed the cap and took a small sip. Nectar of the gods. Keeping his eye on Kimi, he a took a large gulp. He could almost feel his water-starved cells rejoicing at the relief. As he bailed, Kimi sang softly in Spanish to Roberto, who clung to his back. Whenever he tried to hit a high note, his voice cracked like crumpled parchment. Salt was crusted at the corners of his mouth. â€Å"Kimi, you want a drink?† Tucker crawled onto the gas tank and held the bottle out to the navigator. Kimi took the bottle. â€Å"Thank you,† he said. He wiped the mouth of the bottle on his dress and took a deep drink, then poured some water into his palm and held it while Roberto lapped it up. He handed the bottle back to Tucker. â€Å"You drink the rest. You bigger.† Tucker nodded and drained the bottle. â€Å"Who's Malcolme?† â€Å"Malcolme buy me from my mother. He from Sydney. He a pimp.† â€Å"He bought you?† â€Å"Yes. My mother very poor in Manila. She can't feed me, so she sell me to Malcolme when I am twelve.† â€Å"What about your father?† â€Å"He not with us. He a navigator on Satawan. He meet my mother in Manila when he is working on a tuna boat. He marry her and take her to Satawan. She stay for ten years, but she not like it. She say women like dirt to Micronesians. So she take me and go back to Manila when I am nine. Then she sell me to Malcolme. He dress me up and I make big money for him. But he mean to me. He say I have to get rid Roberto, so I run away to find my father to finish teach me to be a navigator. They hear of him on Yap. They say he lost at sea five year ago.† â€Å"And he was the one that taught you to navigate?† Tucker knew it was a snotty question, but he had no idea what to say to someone whose mother had sold him to a pimp. Kimi didn't catch the sarcasm. â€Å"He teach me some. It take long time to be navigator. Sometime twenty, thirty year. You want learn, I teach you.† Tucker remembered how difficult it had been to learn Western navigation for his pilot's license. And that was using sophisticated charts and instru-ments. He could imagine that learning to navigate by the stars – by memory, without charts – would take years. He said, â€Å"No, that's okay. It's different for airplanes. We have machines to navigate now.† They bailed until the sun was high in the sky. Tuck could feel his skin baking. He found some sunscreen in the pack and shared it with Kimi, but it was no relief from the heat. â€Å"We need some shade.† The tarp was gone. He rifled the pack, looking for something they could use for shade, but for once Jake Skye's bag of tricks failed them. By noon Tuck was cursing himself for pouring out the gallon of fresh water during the storm. Kimi sat in the bottom of the boat, stroking Roberto's head and mumbling softly to the panting bat. Tuck tried to pass the time by cleaning his cuts and applying the antibiotic ointment from Jake's first-aid kit. By turning his back and crouching, he was able to create enough privacy to check on his damaged penis. He could see infection around the sutures. He imagined gangrene, amputation, and consequently suicide. Then, looking on the bright side, he realized that he would die of thirst long before the infection had gone that far. 22 Finding Spam The octopus jetted across the bottom, over a giant head of brain coral, and tucked itself into a tiny crevice in the reef. Sarapul could see the light purple skin pulsing in the crevice three fathoms down. He took a deep breath and dove, his spear in hand. The octopus, sensing danger, changed color to the rust brown of the coral around it and adjusted its shape to fit the crannies of its hiding place. Sarapul caught the edge of the crevice with his left hand and thrust in his spear with his right. The spear barely pierced one of the octopus's tentacles and it turned bright red in a chromatic scream, then released its ink. The ink expanded into a smoky cloud in the water. Sarapul dropped his spear to wave the ink away before making another thrust. But his air was gone. He left his spear in the crevice and shot to the surface. The octopus sensed the opening and jetted out of the crevice to a new hiding place before Sarapul knew it was gone. Sarapul broke the surface cursing. Only three fathoms, eighteen feet, and he couldn't stay down long enough to tease an octopus out of its hole. As a young man, he could dive to twelve fathoms and stay down longer than any of the Shark men. He was glad that no one had been there to see him: an old man who could barely feed himself. He pulled off his mask and spit into it, then rinsed it with seawater. He looked out to sea, checking for any sign of the sharks that lived in abund-ance off the reef. There was a boat out there, perhaps half a mile off the reef, drifting. He put on his mask and looked down to get a bearing on his spear so he could retrieve it later. Then he swam a slow crawl toward the drifting boat. He was winded when he reached the boat and he hung on the side for a few minutes, bobbing in the swell, while he caught his breath. He made his way around to the bow and pulled himself up and in. A huge black bat flew up into his face and winged off toward the island. Sarapul cursed and said some magic words to protect himself, then took a deep breath and examined the bodies. A man and a woman – and not long dead. There was no smell and no swelling of the bellies. The meat would still be fresh. It had been too long since he'd tasted the long pig. He pinched the man's leg to test the fat. The man moaned. He was still alive. Even better, Sarapul thought. I can eat the dead one and keep the other one fresh! PART TWO Island of the Shark People 23 Deus Ex Machina The Sky Priestess first appeared in 1944 on the nose of a B-26 bomber. Conjured out of cans of enamel by a young aviator named Jack Moses, she lay cool and naked across the aluminum skin, a red pump dangling from a dainty toe, a smile that promised pleasure that no mortal woman could offer. As soon as Moses laid the final brushstroke on her black-seamed stocking, he knew there was something special about this one, something electric and alive that would break his heart when they flew her off to the Pacific. He caught a kiss in his palm and placed it gently on her bottom, then backed down the ladder to survey his work. He stood on the tarmac for perhaps half an hour, just looking at her, charmed, wishing that he could take her home, or to a museum, or lift her off the skin of the bomber and put her on the ceiling of a cathedral. Jack Moses didn't notice the major standing at his side until the older man spoke. â€Å"She's something,† the major said. And although he wasn't sure why, he removed his hat. â€Å"Ain't she,† Moses said. â€Å"She's off to Tinian tomorrow. Wish I was going with her.† The major reached out and squeezed Moses's shoulder; he was a little short of breath and the Sky Priestess had set off a stag film in his head. â€Å"Put some clothes on her, son. We can't have muffin showing up on a newsreel.† â€Å"Yes, sir. I don't have to put a top on her, do I?† The major smiled. â€Å"Son, you put a top on her, I'll have you court-marshaled.† â€Å"Yes, sir.† Moses saluted the major and scampered back up the ladder with his brushes and his red enamel and painted a serpentine scarf between her legs. A week later, as a young pilot named Vincent Bennidetti was leading his crew across the runway to take the Sky Priestess on her first mission, he turned to his navigator and said, â€Å"I'd give a year's pay to be that scarf.† A half century away, Beth Curtis pinned a big red bow into her hair, then, one at a time, worked sheer black-seamed stockings up her legs. She stood in front of the mirror and tied the red scarf around her waist, letting the ends trail long between her legs. She stepped into the red pumps, did a quick turnaround in the mirror, and emerged from her bungalow to the sound of the Shark People's drums welcoming her, the Sky Priestess. Vincent Bennidetti and his crew flew the Sky Priestess on twelve missions and sank six Japanese ships before a fusillade from a Japanese destroyer punctured her wing tanks and took out her right engine. But even as they were limping back toward Tinian, trailing smoke and fuel, the crew of the Sky Priestess knew she watched over them. They were, after all, charmed. For the price of a blown kiss or a pat on the bottom, the Sky Priestess had ushered them into battle like a vicious guardian angel, shielding them even as the other bombers in their squadron flamed into the sea around them. She had shown them where to drop their bombs, then led them through the smoke and the flak back to Valhalla. Home. Safe. The copilot chattered over the intercom to the navigator, airspeed, fuel consumption, and now descent rate. If they lost any more airspeed, the B-26 would stall, so Captain Vinnie was bringing her down into sweet, thick lower air at the rate of a hundred feet per minute. But the lower they flew, the faster the fuel would burn. â€Å"I'm going to level her off at two thousand,† Captain Vinnie said. The navigator did some quick calculations and came back with: â€Å"At two thousand we'll be short of base by three hundred miles, Captain. I recommend we level at three thousand for a safer bailout.† â€Å"Oh ye of little fucking faith,† Vincent said. â€Å"Check your charts for somewhere we can ditch her.† The navigator checked their position on the charts. There was a flyspeck atoll named Alualu about forty nautical miles to the south. And it showed that it was now in American hands. He relayed the information to the captain. â€Å"The chart shows an uncompleted airstrip. We must have chased the Japs out before they finished it.† â€Å"Give me a course.† â€Å"Sir, there might not be anything there.† â€Å"Ya fuckin' mook, look out the window. You see anything but water?† The navigator gave him the course. Vincent patted the throttles and said, â€Å"Come on, sweetheart. You get us there safe and I'll build you a shrine.† Sarapul was heading for the beach and the men's drinking circle when he heard the drums welcoming the Sky Priestess. That white bitch was stealing his fire again. He'd been thinking all afternoon about what he would say at the drinking circle: how the Shark People needed to return to the old ways and how he had just the ritual to get everyone started. Nothing like a little cannibalism to get people thinking right. But now that was all ruined. Everyone would be out on the airstrip, drumming and chanting and marching around like a bunch of idiots, and when the Sky Priestess finally left and the men finally did show up at the drinking circle, all they would talk about was the wonderful words of Vincent. Sarapul wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise. He took the path that led away from the village and made his way toward the runway. After all, the Sky Priestess might pass out some good cargo and he didn't want to miss out on his share. Sarapul had been permanently banished from the village of the Shark People ever since one of the chief's grandchildren had mysteriously disap-peared and was later found in the jungle with Sarapul, who was building a child-sized earthen oven (an oom) and gathering various fragrant fire woods. Oh, the men tolerated him at the nightly drinking circle, and he was allowed to share in the village's take of shark meat, and the members of his clan saw to it that he got part of the wonderful cargo passed out by the Sorcerer and the Sky Priestess, but he was forbidden to enter the village when women and chil-dren were present. He lived alone in his little hut on the far side of the island and was regarded by the Shark People as little more than a monster to frighten children into behaving: â€Å"You stay inside the reef or old Sarapul will catch you and eat you.† Actually, scaring children was the only real joy Sarapul had left in life. As he emerged from the jungle, the old cannibal saw the torches where the Shark People waited in a semicircle around a raised platform. He stopped in a grove of betel nut palms, sat on the ground, and watched. He heard a click from the PA speakers mounted on the gate across the runway and the Shark People stopped drumming. Two of the Japanese guards ap-peared out of the compound and Sarapul felt the hair rise on his neck as they rolled back the gate and fifty years of residual hatred rose in his throat like acid. The Japanese had killed his wife and children, and if there was any single reason to return to the old ways of the warrior, it was to take revenge on the guards. Music blared out of the PA speakers: Glenn Miller's â€Å"String of Pearls.† The Shark People turned toward the gate and dropped to their knees. Pillars of red smoke rose from either side of the gate and wafted across the runway like sulfurous serpents. The distant whine of airplane propellers replaced the big band sound from the PA and grew into a roar that ended with a flash and explosion that sent a mushroom cloud of smoke a hundred feet into the night sky. And half-naked, the Sky Priestess walked out of the smoke into the moonlight. Chief Malink turned to his friend Favo and said, â€Å"Excellent boom.† â€Å"Very excellent boom,† Favo said. â€Å"There it is,† the copilot said. The B-26 was sputtering on her last few drops of fuel. Vincent nosed her over and started his descent. â€Å"There's a strip cut right across the center of the island. Let's hope we didn't bomb the shit out of it when the Japs had it.† His last few words seemed unusually loud as the engine cut out. â€Å"No go-around, boys. We're going down. Rig for a rough one and be ready for extreme dampness if we come in short.† Vincent could see patches of dirt on the airstrip, as well as fingers of vines and undergrowth from the jungle trying to reclaim the clearing. â€Å"You going in gear up?† the copilot asked, thinking that they might have a better chance of survival going over a bomb crater if they skidded in on the plane's belly. â€Å"Gear down,† Bennidetti said, making it a command. â€Å"We might be able to land her gear up, but she'd never take off again.† â€Å"Gear down and locked,† the copilot said. They glided in about ten feet over the reef. A dozen Shark men who were standing on the reef dove underwater as the airplane passed over them as silent and ominous as a manta ray. Bennidetti flared the B-26 to drop the rear gear first and they bounced over a patch of ferns and began the rocket slide down the coral gravel airstrip. Without the engines to reverse thrust, Vincent had only the wheel brakes to stop the bomber. He applied them gingerly at first, then, realizing that the runway was obscured by vines that might be covering a bomb crater, laid into them, causing the wheels to plow furrows into the gravel and filling the still air with a thick white cloud of dust. â€Å"We still burning?† Vincent asked the copilot over the rumble. The copilot looked out the window. â€Å"Can't see anything but a little black smoke.† The bomber rolled to a stop and a cheer went up from the crew. â€Å"Everybody out. Now,† Vincent ordered. â€Å"We still might have fire. They stumbled over each other to get out of the plane into the dust cloud. Bennidetti led them away at a run. They were a hundred yards from the plane before anyone looked back. â€Å"She looks okay, Captain. No fire.† That set off a round of cheering and backslapping and when they turned around again they saw group of native children approaching them from the jungle led by a proud ten-year-old boy carrying a spear. â€Å"Let me handle this,† Vincent told the crew as he dug into his flight suit pocket for a Hershey bar. â€Å"Hey, squirts, how you doing?† The boy with the spear stood his ground, keeping his eye trained on the downed bomber while the other children lost their nerve and backed away like scolded puppies. â€Å"We're Americans,† Vincent said. â€Å"Friendly. We are bringing you many good things.† He held the chocolate bar out to the spear boy, who didn't move or take his eyes off of the airplane. Vincent tried again. â€Å"Here, kid. This stuff tastes good. Chocolate.† He smacked his lips and mimed eating the candy bar. â€Å"You savvy American, kid?† â€Å"No,† the boy said. â€Å"I no speak American. I speak English.† Vincent laughed. â€Å"Well, I'm from New York, kid. We don't speak much English there. Go tell your chief that Captain Vincent is here with presents for him from a faraway and most magical place.† â€Å"Who she?† the kid asked, pointing to the image of the Sky Priestess. â€Å"She your queen?† â€Å"She works for me, kid. That's the Sky Priestess. She's bringing presents for your chief.† â€Å"You are chief?† Vincent knew he had to be careful here. He'd heard of island chiefs refusing to deal with anyone but Roosevelt because he was the only American equal to their status. â€Å"I'm higher than chief,† Vincent said. â€Å"I'm Captain Vinnie Fuckin' Bennidetti, Bad-ass of Brooklyn, High Emperor of the Allied Forces, Pilot of the Magic Sky Priestess, Swinging Dick of the Free Fuckin' World, and Protector of the Innocent. Now take me to your chief, squirt, before I have the Sky Priestess burn you to fucking ashes.† â€Å"Christ, Cap'n!† the bombardier said. Vincent shot him a grin over his shoulder. The kid bowed his head. â€Å"Christ, Cap'n. I am Malink, chief of the Shark People.† The Sky Priestess came out of the smoke and took her place in the middle of the semicircle of Shark People. Women kept their eyes to the ground even as they pushed their children forward, hoping that they would be the next to be chosen. The Sky Priestess threw the tails of her scarf over her shoulder and the music from the PA system stopped abruptly. The Shark People fell to their knees and waited for her words, the words of Vincent. It had been months since anyone had been chosen. Malink rose and approached the Sky Priestess with a coconut shell cup of the special tuba they had made for her. He was as stunned by her now as when he had first seen her painted on the side of Vincent's plane. She drained the cup and handed it back to the chief, who bowed over it. â€Å"Still tastes like shit,† she said. â€Å"Tastes like shit!† the Shark People chanted. Beth Curtis turned her head to suppress a smile and a belch. When she turned back to Malink, her eyes were fury. â€Å"Who speaks for Vincent?† â€Å"The Priestess of the Sky,† Malink answered. â€Å"Who brings the words and cargo from Vincent?† â€Å"The Priestess of the Sky,† Malink repeated. â€Å"And who takes the chosen to Vincent?† â€Å"The Priestess of the Sky,† Malink said again, backing away a step. He'd never seen her so angry. â€Å"And who else, Malink?† â€Å"No one else.† â€Å"Damn straight no one else!† She spat so violently she nearly disengaged the bow from her hair. â€Å"You told the Sorcerer that Vincent came to you in a dream. This is not true.† The Shark People gasped. Despite what the Sky Priestess and the Sorcerer thought, Malink had told none of his people about the dream. But Malink was confused. He had dreamed of Vincent. â€Å"Vincent said that the pilot is coming. That he is still alive.† â€Å"Vincent speaks only through me.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"No coffee or sugar for a month,† the Sky Priestess said. She pulled her scarf from her shoulders and the music began again. The Shark People watched as she walked away. There was an explosion across the runway and the Sky Priestess disappeared into the smoke.

Discourse Communities Essay

Marketing Discourse Community- most simply defined as â€Å"The management process through which goods and services move from concept to the customer. â€Å" from business dictionary. Marketers use common language For example, 4 p’s of marketing: something used everyday and defines marketing. Learned the first day of intro to marketing class. Outsiders would not know what the 4 p’s are. For different discrouse communities there needs to be places they can all unite and come together to discuss their field Site I used was by a professional orginazation BMA BMA: The Business Marketing Association (BMA) is a professional association for business-to-business marketing professionals. It began in 1922 as the National Industrial Advertising Association. BMA now has more than 2,200 members in 22 chapters in the US. This BMA site is a place where marketers all over the world meet too: Get information Share information Become a member Find speakers Learn about events Use resources and forums and current buzz Promotiong â€Å"Blaze† global marketing put on by BMA They say â€Å"Our board believes b2b marketing is entering a new golden age, with marketers dealing with change (thus, opportunity) at blazing speed and being asked to take on bigger roles to help blaze paths to greater collaboration, customer focus and growth.† Can tell about this community they are very into getting better and getting more information: VERY interesting for a marketing site it is very straightforward and neutral Not a big production and eye catching like marketing is known for To me this tells me they are very business like in this site and want to learn and communicate. Watch blaze video that incoroporates a lot of marketing techniques (AIDA) attention interest desire action First impression of site White background, red header, black tabs underneath labeled with About, Press Room, Join BMA, Resources, Speakers Bereau, Chapters, Member Directory. Underneath the blaze video and then two columns. One has featured articles with a â€Å"read more† quick link for interested users. Second column to the right has upcoming marketing events with the date, place and time for users. Then far right of page has some different advertisements for viewers. Language of the home page is fairly simple and clear to all users. As navigate away from home page the design stays same but language becomes more specialized. Examples:

Light imagery in Romeo and Juliet Essay

Light imagery is a very important aspect of Romeo and Juliet. There are many references to light and dark in the children’s relationship. The light imagery is a recurring theme in the story. It is very important in setting the mood in their relationship. The depiction of light and dark is often jumbled in the story. Sometimes light is good and dark is bad, and more often it is the other way around. In the balcony scene, when Romeo was swearing his love to Juliet, she says â€Å"O swear not by the moon, th’inconsistent moon, that monthly changes in her circle orb, lest thy love prove likewise variable.† (2.2, line 110) In this quote, Juliet is telling Romeo not to swear his love by the moon, because it waxes and wanes constantly, and she did not want his love to be the same way. This quote condemns night time because of the moon and its changes. On Romeo and Juliet’s only night together, they pretend that the sun rising is just a reflection of the moon. â€Å"More light and light, the more dark and dark our woes.† (3.5 line 36) This quote from Romeo is a direct example of reverse light imagery. Because they can only be together at night, and Romeo must leave for exile at dawn, Romeo and Juliet’s troubles become worse, or darker by day, and the mood is lighter for them at night. When Juliet is preparing to be married to Paris, and her and the friar devise a plan to help her and Romeo escape to Mantua together, the friar says â€Å"and that very night shall Romeo bear the hence to Mantua.† (4.1, line 117), and â€Å"I’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning†(4.2, line 24) show once again how Romeo and Juliet are happy at night than they are during the day, because they can escape together at night, and during day they must face their families who do not understand their love. Light Imagery is one of Shakespear’s most common conceit in Romeo and Juliet. It is unique in this play because often, night is the time of safety and happiness because they can see each other, while day time is dangerous and sad because they can not be together.

Human visual system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human visual system - Essay Example However, for one to see, the human eye has to convert the visible light energy into neural activity, a process that usually takes place in the retina part of the eye (Atchison and Smith 2000, P.11). The retina contains neurons, enabling it to transduce light energy into neural activity. However, the process does not take place in a vacuum, rather with the help of rods and cones found in the retina according to Atchison and Smith (2000, P.11). Rods and cones are photoreceptors that are responsible for the conversion of visible light energy into neural activity (Bernstein et al. 2007, P.45). These photoreceptors usually contain chemicals, which are sensitive to light energy. As such, when light strikes the retina, the chemicals in the rods and cones immediately break apart, generating signals, which are relayed to the brain for interpretation. However, Bernstein (2010, p.91) notes that the process of rebuilding the chemicals broken apart in the rods and cones usually takes some time, w hich explain why a person usually find it hard seeing when entering a dark room when coming from a bright light. Nonetheless, as one continues to stay in the dark, the rods quickly build up the chemicals thereby enabling the person to start seeing things normally. This process of adjusting to darkness overtime is usually referred to as dark adaptation where one becomes approximately 10,000 times more light-sensitive after being in the darkness for quite awhile according to Atchison and Smith (2000, P.12). Cones, on the other hand, contain three light-sensitive chemicals that help in determining the color being seen by an individual. Cones are usually found at the middle of the retina in an area known as the fovea. The fovea is the area where the incoming light is focused. Bernstein (2010, p.91) notes that the density of cones in the fovea differs from one person to another, which explains the differences in visual acuity among different people. What is noted that cones usually works best at high light intensities, where the ability to differentiate colors become active (Bernstein et al. 2007, P.46). For instance, it is possible for one to pick two different socks in a dark room thinking that they resemble each other and only learn later that the socks are actually different in color. From the retina, signals are transferred to the brain, where the information is translated before an individual is able to see something. However, as Bernstein (2010, p.91) points out, the eye does not just transfer the images it focused on the retina directly to the brain as this will make one see blurred pictures. Instead, the visual images are first sharpened by the eye, a function, which hugely depends on the interaction between the rods and cones, found in the retina of the human eye as noted by Atchison and Smith (2000, P.12). Bernstein (2010, p.91) reveals that rays of light usually pass through numerous structures of the retina before striking the cones and rods. Once the rods and cones have been struck, they generate signals that are again relayed back to the surface of retina, thereby allowing the ganglion cells and the bipolar cells to connect enabling the eye to start the process of information analysis. Bipolar cells are part of the neurons capable of sending either positive or negative signals

Investigation About Forklift Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Investigation About Forklift - Essay Example This essay stresses that the forklift operators must be trained and retrained time again so that they can always remember not to push or shove bins while workers are in front of the line, as this may trigger an accident. In addition, employees have to be keen while working at all times, in this case, if Tina was keen, she would have seen the forklift that is if she did not have her back turned. The forklift operator is normally trained and must have received a tool box talk on not pushing or shoving bins while workers are in front of the line. If proper disaster management were in place medical officers would have been in the place of incident at the right time. This can be attributed to poor event management. Moreover, an accident may be caused by unattended medical issues in employee’s body. This paper makes a conclusion that lack of educating the employees on the safety measures is one of the principal causes of the incident that happened to Mrs. Tina. The accident would be avoided if a proper education was carried out and proper safety equipment put in place. Also, the employees would be in a better place to handle Tina’s case if they had skills in first aid operations. Management should heavily invest in training its employees on the site’s safety program can only be successful when employees on the site receives sufficient training to comprehend what their safety responsibilities and opportunities are and how to fulfill them. Consequently, training forum is a high priority to ensure a safe workplace.

Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Research - Essay Example He could face additional discipline by the NFL, even if he is not convicted. The involvement of Michael Vick in the dog fighting scandal has caused irreparable damage not only to his career but also to the Atlanta Falcons; moreover, it has affected PETA as well. Animal rights groups are enraged, and so is the public. The Atlanta Falcons have issued a statement in which they have categorically apologized to their fans and the public for the actions of Michael Vick causing them to be seen in a negative way. The NFL has also issued a statement in which they have assured the public that the NFL considers dog fighting â€Å"cruel, degrading, and illegal†, and that any employee of theirs who is found to be involved in such activities would be punished appropriately. This scandal has caused Michael Vick considerable disrepute. He was one of the most entertaining players of the NFL, and had a bright future ahead of him. However, with this scandal, he has lost respect of the public, which has resulted in embarrassment to the Falcons as well; not only has it caused them embarrassment and consternation, but their fans are also disappointed in them. The Falcons have suspended Vick till the verdict comes in, and have also sued to reclaim the bonu s that was given to him on 10th October 2007. Given the circumstances, the Court also agreed to the Falcons claim and they were held to be entitled to recover almost 20 million dollars of the said money. Air Tran Airways, for which Vick was a spokesman, has decided not to renew his contract after this incident. Moreover, other companies have also either suspended or cancelled their contracts with Vick; for instance, Nike has decided not to go ahead with its product line named after Vick, though the company has not declared categorically whether it is merely a suspension or cancellation. The banks are also suing Vick for loans that he had taken out, as the future of the quarterback hangs in the balance and none of the companies, banks