Thursday, December 26, 2019

Critique on Open City Essays - 1116 Words

Critique on Open City â€Å"Open City† is a neo-realist film that followed the movement in Italy during World War 2. The film is neo-realistic because it has that ‘reality’ like feeling to it by following specific characters through their daily stressful lives that are screwed up from poverty and war. It has many qualities that make it in some ways ‘closer’ to the characters. While watching, the viewer is sucked into the story and immediately feeling emotional with the families and the other various characters in the film. The main reason is Rossellinis choosing dramatic music and kids with big eyes. This film is divided into two separate parts. First, is a story that shows a situation in Italy during the Nazi occupation of World War†¦show more content†¦As mentioned, the young kids are the hope and the only time the to be husband was saved was by the young boy distracting him. Russolini shows more of the kids being the saviors. At the very end shows hope as the kids walk towards the city. Basically ‘lifting the mood’ of the ending by showing the boys their future world will be brighter than the one into which they were born into. The main problem with the copy we watched is the translations—they were incomplete. It maybe is nothing relevant to the film as a whole, but it drives curiosity to know just what those extra words were. This somehow accumulates throughout the movie making it a bit frustrating. The movie is good by making things unbearable for the many characters. It really showed us how evil the Nazi occupation was like as in good people getting caught in betrayal, hunger, and the force of sadness and death. There is even a part where the Nazi-ism felt like it had a bit of lesbianism. Not that there is anything wrong with homosexuality, but the part when the sister was seduced by the same chick that was like an insider on the whereabouts of the ‘revolutionist’ men in the film. There is some emphasis on religion. This is expected, because after-all it was shot and directed by people from Italy! This religion aspect is shown through a priest character that is forced to face the possibility that the Nazis simply are evil. The priest realizes that he can’t fight these Nazi-guysShow MoreRelatedGrad School Application Essay1127 Words   |  5 Pagesarchitecture students and professionals visiting Chandigarh on how it feels having grown up and educated from this city - a single stroke, paradigm shifting undertaking by the father of modernism himself. I reply with an inherently paradoxical answer. While on one hand it has served as a major source of my exposure towards architecture and urbanism, alongside shaping my perception and critique of urbanity, it has also engendered in me a curiosity towards the ‘other’, the traditional, emergent and incrementalRead MoreUtopi A Critique Of 17th And 16th Century English And European Society1416 Words à ‚  |  6 PagesPaper 3: Utopia Sir Thomas More’s Utopia offers a critique of 15th and 16th century English and European society. He offers this criticism through a fictitious recount of world traveler Raphael Hythloday’s journey to the land of Utopia. More brilliantly expresses his criticisms of society through the voice of Hythloday, primarily so none of his views, no matter how outlandish, couldn’t technically be tied back to him. This societal critique was one of the most famous works produced from the RenaissanceRead MoreThe Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas Summary1294 Words   |  6 PagesMy Review on: The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas The story opens with a description of Setting up a city, followed by narration of real or imaginary events. This tale won the Hugo Award for Best Story of 1974, which is offered annually for a science fiction or fantasy story, considered a classic of the science fiction genre. His premise is based on a moral dilemma, posed by the philosopher William James, who imagined what would be a hideous happiness if it depended on the suffering of a childRead MoreConformity And Exclusion In Los Cachorros908 Words   |  4 PagesVargas Llosa’s younger literary publications were laced with Marxist critiques of a transitioning Latin American society in the 20th century, and though on the surface, â€Å"Los Cachorros† may seem little more than a fictional coming of age narrative, the allegorical short story is no exception. Told through an encyclopaedic tour of Lima’s urban spaces, a pack of boys’ transition into young men and their interactions with the city reflect bo th the rigidity and fragmentation of the Peruvian communityRead MoreThe Link in Bringing the City and People Together with Urban Design691 Words   |  3 PagesBringing the City and People Together There is a precedent need for the presence of urban design. Urban design is the collection of arranged urban structures that creates functional spaces for people. This is an interdisciplinary practice that can involve multiple actors in fields such as urban planning, architecture, engineering, landscaping, economics, law, and many more. Strong urban designs can lead to the success of linking built structure together to create a unique space open to interpretationRead MoreLatin American Authors Influence On Mexican Culture1698 Words   |  7 Pagescommiting to the viewpoint himself. He also occasionaly resorts to an open scathing critique. He uses this most notably when talking about the phenomenon of machismo, who’s views he reproduces above, saying that the macho â€Å"Es el poder, aislado en su misma potencia, sin relacià ³n ni compromiso con el mundo exterior† and â€Å"no pertenece a nuestro mundo; no es de nuestra ciudad; no vive en nuestro barrio†, a muc h less subtle critique here. Narrating the existing state of the nation is partly facilitatedRead MoreBiographical Sketch Of William Kristol Essay753 Words   |  4 PagesBiographical Sketch. William Kristol was born in New York City in 1952. Upon earning his PhD from Harvard University, he taught politics at both the University of Pennsylvania (1979-1983) before returning to Harvard (1983-1985). Later he served the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations. Today, he is the editor of The Weekly Standard and makes regular appearances on FOX News. Mr. Kristol co-authored, The War Over Iraq: America’s Mission and Saddam’s Tyranny as well as several other books.Read MoreA Critique Of Leadership Style1132 Words   |  5 PagesLEADERSHIP CRITIQUE This paper is a critique of preceptor leadership methods. I will describe my current preceptor’s leadership style, giving an example of an observed valuable leadership strategy and why I found it to be successful. Shadowed by an example of an observed unsuccessful leadership strategy, how I responded, and a recommended strategy for the situation described. Ending with the type of leader I aspire to be in the future and my final thought regarding leadership. Preceptor LeadershipRead MoreAristotle’s Examination of the Lacedaemonian Constitution in his Work, Politics1208 Words   |  5 PagesAristotle makes is in regards to the equality that is found among men and women in Spartan society and the laws that grant the license of Lacedaemonian women. Spartan women were viewed by the state in a much higher status than the women of other Greek city-states, including Athens which Aristotle made his home for his adult life. The reasoning behind this attitude towards women comes from the Spartan women being the mothers of the great Spartan warriors as well as the trustee of the state when the SpartanRead MoreReview and Critique of Massachusetts Law 40B Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesGeneral Laws chapter 40B between housing advocates and open space advocates. This thesis reviews and critiques the current law, and diagnoses various legislative proposals for the progressive feud. One would generally assume advocates of affordable housing and open space preservation are political and ideological allies as affordable, decent housing has been a mainstay of the progressive view since the Great Society of Lyndon Johnson, and open space preservation came to the forefront as a part of

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Positive Ranking of Cannabis - 1299 Words

Because of the copious amount of medical data on the benefits of Cannabis, its low addiction rate and its lack of negative side effects make Cannabis fit the schedule 2 substance instead of the schedule 1 ranking.The earliest uses for cannabis date back to ancient China. It was used for medical remedies. Currently there is scientific evidence to back up the claim that it can help fight illness, including cancer. This has been hypothesized by many in the scientific community. But not until recently have studies been completed ranging from large-scale case studies to testing on animals. The evidence is becoming increasingly common that cannabis reduces tumors in animals as well as in humans. A study done by Harvard Medical shows that it reduced the tumors. Cumulatively, these studies indicate that THC has anti-tumorigenic and anti-metastatic effects against lung cancer. This was an experiment that used cannabis to treat cancer in mice. The results were that there was a significant redu ction of lung cancer in mice. Harvard Medical concluded that the two anti-tumor properties of cannabis, anti-proliferative and anti-androgenic, have beneficial effects in the cure of lung cancer. When used in treatment, the substance, THC, does not compromise human cells. THC (5mg/kg body wt.) was administered once daily through intraperitoneal injections for 21 days. The mice were analyzed for tumor growth and lung metastasis. A significant reduction (approximately 50%) in tumor weight andShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legal? Cannabis?1724 Words   |  7 Pages Many people say that medical cannabis heals diseases and helps symptoms, and other illnesses such as, sleep disorders, psychological disorders, Alzheimer s, and many different issues that affect individuals and their families every day. Cannabis plants can grow in the wild or with the help of humans in an indoor hydroponic system; outdoors marijuana grows in tropical, temperate areas in any climate. Marijuana, an extra ct from cannabis, is made from dried cannabis leaves and flowers that are composedRead MoreSex Abuse And Substance Abuse917 Words   |  4 Pagesamong this population; not only for the initial mental disorders but also for the stress and environment circumstance while imprisonment. Unfortunately, less than 10% of substance abuse prisoner received treatment during incarcerations; however, the positive influence in economic is remarkable that the nation would save $91,000 per year for each inmate (Columbia Univ., New York, NY. Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 2010). Therefore, it is urgent to prevent and treat substance abuse and dependenceRead MoreThe Issue Of Marijuana Legalization Essay1527 Words   |  7 PagesMexican Revolution ended in 1910. After their revolution, many people from Mexico brought with them their customs their ideas and with them they brought their use of marijuana as a relaxant and medicine for many ailments. Even though, the use of cannabis was alrea dy prevalent in America at the time, the term â€Å"marihuana† was attached to it and with it led to the dirty outlook of it because of the significant influx of immigration to states like Texas and Louisiana was taking away jobs and other opportunitiesRead MoreEssay on weed2136 Words   |  9 Pagesdealing with I will give a brief explanation of what Marijuana is and what it’s uses are. Marijuana is classified as a hallucinogen and is a psychoactive drug. Its scientific name is Cannabis Sativa and it is found in the Indian hemp plant, of which there are three main types; Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Rudderalis. Some of its nicknames and street names are pot, weed, green, herb, and sensi. The drugs use dates back in manuscripts back to 2700B.C. in China (Nadelmann). The drug wasRead MoreHemp Cultivation in China42289 Words   |  170 PagesInternational Hemp Association Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Cultivation in the Tai an District of Shandong Province, Peoples Republic of China Robert C. Clarke Naturetex International B.V. Van Diemenstraat 192 1013 CP Amsterdam The Netherlands Clarke, R.C. 1995. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Cultivation in the Tai an District of Shandong Province, Peoples Republic of China. Journal of the International Hemp Association 2(2): 57, 60-65. This paper summarizes the history of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation andRead MoreInternet Addiction : Social Network Addiction3921 Words   |  16 PagesThese symptoms all relating to drug addictions however vary in how they are portrayed and level of seriousness. More distressing information is that Rob Waugh (2012) has identified DA having a similar effect in the brain as the people exposed to cannabis, alcohol and even cocaine. There has been evidence of disruption in the ‘white matter’ nerve fibres connecting vital parts of the brain. The study used a picture of the nerve fibres using a method of fractional anisotropy. Dunkley (2014) has writtenRead MoreSocio-Economic Issues in India5247 Words   |  21 PagesPoverty in India One-third of Indias population (roughly equivalent to the entire population of the United States) lives below the poverty line and India is home to one-third of the worlds poor people. Though the middle class has gained from recent positive economic developments, India suffers from substantial poverty. According to the new World Banks estimates on poverty based on 2005 data, India has 456 million people, 41.6% of its population, living below the new international poverty line of $1Read MorePrimary Sector of Economy17717 Words   |  71 Pagestelecommunication, information technology and other significant areas such as auto components, chemicals, apparels, pharmaceuticals, and jewellery. Despite a surge in foreign investments, rigid FDI policies were a significant hindrance. However, due to positive economic reforms aimed at deregulating the economy and stimulating foreign investment, India has positioned itself as one of the front-runners of the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific region.[124] India has a large pool of skilled managerial and technical

Monday, December 9, 2019

Data Mining and Information Privacy †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discussn about the Data Mining and Information Privacy. Answer: Introduction On July 2017 a California Real Estate Business Service (REBS) was at the center of data breach where it lost very sensitive information from its customers. REBS has online payment system helps the organization in selling its real estate products such as software, forms, blank home sales contracts and classes. The payment system was infected with malware which was believed to be active in the system up May 15 2017 when it was recognized by one of the customer and reported the instance (Robbins, 2017). Malware target was to extract some information when user of the system made their payment. Customers personal information was being copied by the malware to a third party who could then use information for personal gain. Some of the information that was lost by the company include; credit card numbers and credit card expiry date, user names, home addresses and transaction verification code. The hacker gained access to California Association of Realtors (CAR) by affiliating themselves to Association of Realtors (AOR) website. In the data breach, it was estimated that over 1,000 members users information had been fraudulently accessed. Despite having installed the malware and virus protection software, hackers were still able to get access to the system and copy some sensitive information. Similarly, an extensive analysis of the problem shows how the system was poorly protected. If the company had invested heavily on security of its system, it would be difficult for the hackers to bypass security features that were in place. Due to lack of strong security features, customers credit card numbers and their security codes were stolen. Stolen information was used by hackers to bill fraudulent charges to customers once they used their cards on the REBS website for payments. Therefore, the main issues in this case are security of the system and losses that REBS might have suffered as a result of security breach (Olenick et al, 2017). As a result of the security lapse, it is now evident how organization has made its customers suffer financial losses which should have been prevented. If REBS case is not well handled, such scenario might end up repeating itself hence compromising integrity of the organization. The problem which faced REBS can mainly be attributed to technologic al hitches that were either poor or not properly implemented to secure organizational information. Since its very clear system security has been a major problem, organization did not put security alerts on the system to make sure in case of any problem, either the customer or the company gets a notification. Nature of occurrence The REBS data breach occurred through a hacker installing a malware on the payment system which helped in collecting personal information which was later used to defraud customers. By installing some malware on the payment system, hackers were able to collect information and send it to a third party. Through Association of Realtors (AOR) website, hacker managed to infiltrate and get access to REBS system. Once required information was collected, it become possible for hackers to start charging customers unrealistic arrears from their credit cards once they made payment through REBS payment system. The main reason of the attack was to get information which could later help in siphoning some cash from innocent customers without their knowledge (Spacek, 2017). The other main reason for the attacker might be to compromise integrity of the company where another company would benefit by attracting customers from the latter. By damaging image of a competitor, the beneficiary gains a lot bec ause some of the customers form the competitor might end up acquiring services from the other company. Therefore, the usefulness of the data has gained substantial importance and such data might be used to gain competitive market advantage as well as monetary value to hackers who billed unnecessary charges to customers. To solve data breaches faced by REBS Company, it would have been important to employ security measures which would guarantee organizational security to its operational data and customers. Some of the possible solutions includes; putting down all operations on the system and an investigation being carried out to determine the extent of damage that might have been caused by hackers (Fowler, 2016). This helps in ensuring there are no other malicious operations that could continue within the system. Evaluation is essential to determine how the access was made and the motive behind the attacker so that necessary security features can be taken to protect the organizational data. Next, according to Gupta, Walp, Sharman (2012), all users of the system need to be notified so that they are able to monitors their credit cards activities. This would help customers to avoid extra charges that might be imposed by hackers without their knowledge. To enhance security customers, their credit cards s hould be able to generate an alert message on any activities done (Dawson, Eltayeb Omar, 2016). Organization has to take responsibility of advising its customers so that they can be able to monitor any suspicious transactions. Additionally, Shabtai, Elovici Rokach (2012) argues that, before system transaction can be taken put again for use, very strong security features need to be put in place. Shinder, Diogenes Shinder (2013) stipulates that, encryption of data is important because it makes data useless unless hacker has encryption key. This would make sure once data is keyed into the system, no one can make use of it without required authorization. Finally, REBS made a good decision of changing their payment method. It shifted all payments from the compromised online system to PayPal method where security is guaranteed by Federal government. Ransomware cyber-attack on the web Ransomware cyber-attack was a web-based attack that targeted devices such as computers, tablets and smartphones. An infected machine could lock itself and request for Ransomware unlock key. This is a big threat because none of these machine owners could get unlock key. The malware was being spread from one computer and tablets through websites. When a user clicked on an infected website while browsing, the malware could enter the machine and locks it without users knowledge. According to Wong Solon (2017), every website that had been hacked using Ransomware was itself a victim and could infect other websites and machines that connect to any of the infected websites. It was so hectic such that, with every 40 seconds, a company was being infected with Ransomware. The malware was believed to have originated from cyber weapons attack theft and was highly linked to United States government. Due to its massive nature of attacker, it has been believed to be an awakening call to cyber-secur ity experts and organizations. The effects of Ransomware was quite diverse as it included both individuals and institutions. The malware was not made for specific group or any target, it was a general malware which could affect as many groups as possible. Organizations using computers to connect online was highly affected because Ransomware was being spread online through websites or any sharable link. By comparing the nature of the attacker, it can be deduced that organizations and that mostly depends on legacy systems were more vulnerable to the attacker. A good example of an organization that was hit by Ransomware was England National Health Service (NHS) where hospital staff were locked out of their computers (Ransomware cyber-attack strikes world's biggest firms, 2017).This was very devastating as it forced some of the hospitals to divert its patients to other unaffected hospitals. Emphasis cannot be subjected to large organizations only because Ransomware had capability of locking even small gadgets such as smartphones and tablets leaving their owners unable to access them. The malware infects the subject machine, encrypts users data and demands for some payments in order to unlock the data. Methodologies of the attacker The REBS attacker was made so easy but complex to avoid because targeted it was spreading through websites which are commonly used by internet users. It was very unfortunate for organizations that uses online systems because they had to connect online for transactions to be done. Once online, employees of the organization must visit other sites such as social network using same machines. In such a scenario, it would be very difficult to avoid Ransomware attacker. According to Turner, Kotoky Wienberg (2017), by just clicking any link that leads to an infected website, the subject machine would still get infected. Next, the Ransomware attacker was happening through emails, an email could be sent to a target individual, once the user clicks on the email, it could open resulting to locking of the computer. Taking an account of how the attacker was being spread, it was very easy to become a victim and that was the main reason it was being estimated that, after every 40seconds, an organiz ation was getting infected with the malware. Once the attacker occurred, the device could be unlocked by making some payment to the hackers in order to unlock the infected computer or tablet. Possible solution to prevent the attacker Being very simple but sophisticated attacker, it was difficult to prevent it but once information about the malware hit the sky, it was possible for an infected organizations to avoid. After detecting it was being spread through visiting websites and emails, organization should have taken measures of educating their employees on how to avert the attacker (Gupta, Agrawal Yamaguchi, 2016). Through education, organizational employees who are daily users of organizational computers would avoid online activities as much as possible. After making them aware of the malware availability, organizational IT expert groups should have gone ahead to unlock all computers in order to prevent them from connecting online (Thomas, 2014). Additionally, organization should remind employees of any suspicious emails, if they have suspicion of any email in their working emails, they should immediately alert IT professionals to have a check on them and take necessary actions. This could be done by configur ing organizational firewall such that it does not allow any online activity from within the organization (Mellado, 2013). Similarly, since employees have their own devices such as smartphones and tablets and they are in their control, organization should prohibit connection of their personal devices with organizational computers. This would solve a problem where they visit some websites such as social network sites then try to connect their devices with organizational computers. Finally, to organizations that work online, it would be wise to start putting down their online transaction to avoid malware attacker (Moore, 2017). It would not be of any value to continue with operations that would later be very devastating. Imagining an organization is a hospital system such as England case, waiting until an attacker happens may be very dangerous because it may result to patient harm or even death. According to Eyob (2009), looking for an alternative in advance once news about the malware come up might be the best option rather than waiting for disaster by use of ostrich method approach. Therefore, taking all of these measures would have averted the malware attacker. Hence saving organizational money and disruption that might occur. References Dawson, M., Eltayeb, M., Omar, M. (2016). Security Solutions for Hyperconnectivity and the Internet of Things. Hershey: IGI Global. Doug Olenick, O., Abel, R., Olenick, D., Masters, G., Olenick, D. (2017). Data Breach hits California Association of Realtors. SC Media US. Retrieved 27 August 2017, from https://www.scmagazine.com/data-breach-hits-california-association-of- realtors/article/673795/ Eyob, E. (2009). Social implications of data mining and information privacy: Interdisciplinary frameworks and solutions. Hershey: Information Science Reference. Fowler, K. (2016). Data breach preparation and response: Breaches are certain, impact is not. Gupta, B., Agrawal, D. P., Yamaguchi, S. (2016). Handbook of research on modern cryptographic solutions for computer and cyber security. Hershey: Information Science Gupta, M., Walp, J., Sharman, R. (2012). Strategic and practical approaches for information security governance: Technologies and applied solutions. Hershey, PA: Information Science . Mellado, D. (2013). IT security governance innovations: Theory and research. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Moore, M. (2017). Cyber security breaches and issues surrounding online threat protection. Ransomware cyber-attack strikes world's biggest firms. (2017). ITV News. Retrieved 27 August 2017, from https://www.itv.com/news/2017-06-27/ransomware-cyber-attack-strikes- worlds- biggest-firms/ Robbins, G. (2017). California Association of Realtors subsidiary suffers major data breach. sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved 27 August 2017, from https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/cyber-life/sd-me-rebs-breach-20170709-story.html Shabtai, A., Elovici, Y., Rokach, L. (2012). A survey of data leakage detection and prevention solutions. New York: Springer. Shinder, T. W., Diogenes, Y., Shinder, D. L. (2013). Windows server 2012 security from end to edge and beyond: Architecting, designing, planning, and deploying Windows server 2012 security solutions. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Spacek, R. (2017). Data breach hits California Assn. of Realtors subsidiary. latimes.com. Retrieved 27 August 2017, from https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-reb-data-breach- 20170710-story.html Thomas, L. M. (2014). Thomas on data breach: A practical guide to handling data breach notifications worldwide. Eagan, MN: Thomson Reuters/Westlaw. Turner, M., Kotoky, M., Wienberg, M. (2017). Ransomware Cyber-attack Goes Global.Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 28 August 2017, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-28/cyberattack-reaches-asia-as-new- targets-hit-by-ransomware-demand Wong, J., Solon, O. (2017). Massive ransomware cyber-attack hits nearly 100 countries around the world. the Guardian. Retrieved 27 August 2017, fromhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/12/global-cyber-attack-ransomware- nsa-uk-nhs

Monday, December 2, 2019

Paris Noir Essays - Unsung, , Term Papers

Paris Noir Paris Noir One of America's great dark periods of the 20th Century was the treatment of African Americans that lasted well after they had been freed. In a country that celebrated its freedom, its government of the people and by the people, a good number of its people remained enslaved by injustice. Blacks remained poor, uneducated, and segregated because whites needed someone to blame their troubles on and they needed someone to work for less. It's sad to think how and institute of hate can be so strong and how little people could to think for themselves. The book Paris Noir is refreshing and enlightening. There's a lot of history out there that remains unsung, the greatest tragedy of history books is the lack of a unbiased view of what's important. Luckily we live in a time where history is being examined closer and more impartially, but there's still a long way to go. I think history books continue to really overlook this prevailing issue in the American Armed Forces in World War I. It's stunning to learn how black troops were treated and how little they were rewarded. They provided a great service for America a service that has gone largely unsung. Thankfully, there are places in such a sad world where blacks are not treated so harshly. In France and more specifically Paris, blacks found a place that resembled the near equal society they had hoped America to become. The French greatly appreciated their efforts and applauded their efforts even when America would deny them any recognition.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Oxidation and Reduction Reactions (Redox Reactions)

Oxidation and Reduction Reactions (Redox Reactions) This is an introduction to oxidation-reduction reactions, also known as redox reactions. Learn what redox reactions are, get examples of oxidation-reduction reactions, and find out why redox reactions are important. What Is an Oxidation-Reduction or Redox Reaction? Any chemical reaction in which the oxidation numbers (oxidation states) of the atoms are changed is an oxidation-reduction reaction. Such reactions are also known as redox reactions, which is shorthand for reduction-oxidation reactions. Oxidation and Reduction Oxidation involves an increase in oxidation number, while reduction involves a decrease in oxidation number. Usually,​ the change in oxidation number is associated with a gain or loss of electrons, but there are some redox reactions (e.g., covalent bonding) that do not involve electron transfer. Depending on the chemical reaction, oxidation and reduction may involve any of the following for a given atom, ion, or molecule: Oxidation involves the loss of electrons or hydrogen OR gain of oxygen OR increase in oxidation state.Reduction involves the gain of electrons or hydrogen OR loss of oxygen OR decrease in oxidation state. Example of an Oxidation-Reduction Reaction The reaction between hydrogen and fluorine is an example of an oxidation-reduction reaction: H2 F2 → 2 HF The overall reaction may be written as two half-reactions: H2 → 2 H 2 e− (the oxidation reaction) F2 2 e− → 2 F− (the reduction reaction) There is no net change in charge in a redox reaction so the excess electrons in the oxidation reaction must equal the number of electrons consumed by the reduction reaction. The ions combine to form hydrogen fluoride: H2 F2 → 2 H 2 F− → 2 HF Importance of Redox Reactions The electron transfer system in cells and oxidation of glucose in the human body are examples of redox reactions. Oxidation-reduction reactions are vital for biochemical reactions and industrial processes as well. Redox reactions are used to reduce ores to obtain metals, to produce electrochemical cells, to convert ammonia into nitric acid for fertilizers, and to coat compact discs.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Personal Customs Exemptions for Returning Canadians

Personal Customs Exemptions for Returning Canadians If you are a Canadian resident or temporary resident of Canada returning to Canada from a trip outside the country, or a former Canadian resident returning to live in Canada, you may qualify for a personal exemption to bring a certain value of goods into Canada without having to pay the regular duties. You will still have to pay duties, taxes and any provincial/territory assessments on the value of goods above your personal exemption. Children, even babies, are entitled to a personal exemption. A parent or guardian can make a declaration on the childs behalf as long as the goods being declared are for the childs use. The amount you claim for your personal exemption must be reported in Canadian dollars. Use a foreign exchange converter to change foreign currencies into Canadian dollars. The personal exemption for returning Canadian residents depends on the length of time you have been outside of Canada. The personal exemptions for Canadian residents have been increased effective June 1, 2012. The new exemption limits go up to CAN$200 from CAN$50 for absences of 24 hours or longer, and up to CAN$800 if youre out of the country longer than 48 hours. After a 7-day absence, you are allowed to include goods that will follow you by mail or another delivery method. Outside Canada for Less Than 24 Hours No exemption. Outside Canada for 24 Hours or More If you are outside Canada for 24 hours or more, you may claim a personal exemption of up to CAN$200 worth of goodsthe goods must accompany youtobacco or alcohol may  not be claimed in this exemption Note: If you bring in goods worth more than CAN$200 in total, you cannot claim this exemption. Instead, you have to pay full duties on all the goods you bring in. Outside Canada for 48 Hours or More If you are outside Canada for 48 hours or more, you may claim a personal exemption of up to CAN$800 worth of goodsthe goods must accompany youyou can include some tobacco products and alcohol, but only a partial exemption may apply to cigarettes, tobacco products or manufactured tobacco. Outside Canada for 7 Days or More To calculate the number of days you have been outside Canada for the purposes of this personal exemption, do not include the day you left Canada but do include the day you returned. If you are outside Canada for 7 days or more, you may claim a personal exemption of up to CAN$800 worth of goodsyou can include some tobacco products and alcohol, but only a partial exemption may apply to cigarettes, tobacco products or manufactured tobacco.alcohol and tobacco products must accompany youother goods do not need to accompany you when you cross the border.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Islamic art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Islamic art - Essay Example Islamic art often adopts worldly elements and elements that are frowned upon, if not prohibited, by some Islamic theologians. The initial stages of Islamic art: The period of swift development of the Islamic epoch forms a convincingly accurate beginning for the label of Islamic art. Diverse Art conceptions have found in the history such as: Umayyad art Abbasid art Spain and the Maghreb Egypt and Syria Iran and Central Asia. Fatimid period (969-1175): The Fatimids manifestly had a taste for carefully made-up gold work and complicatedly engraved vessels of rock crystal, a type of translucent, monochrome quartz whose exterior can be luminously polished. The glass working was also a highly urbanized art form. The lavishness of the Fatimid court fueled resurgence in the ornamental arts, which made Cairo the most significant cultural core in the Islamic world. Nearby, Old Cairo, known as al-Fustat, became a chief center for the manufacturing of pottery, glass, and metalwork, and rock-cryst al, ivory, and wood carving, textile factories run by management officials created tiraz fabrics in the name of the caliph somewhere else in the Egyptian district, particularly the Nile Delta. The artwork from this era exemplifies the inventiveness and resourcefulness of Fatimid craftsmen. The procedure of lusterware on ceramic, developed in the beginning in Iraq, was invigorated in Egypt and Syria. Some lusterware pieces from this age are signed by their makers, a sign of the admiration in which the craftsmen were kept. Wood statuette and jewelry were executed with equivalent dexterity and creativity. Fatimid artists created new enhancing motifs and made better use of figural forms, both human and animal. Figures were stylized but vigorous, while customary vegetal and geometric ornaments maintained their conceptual excellence. Artists of this time revitalized or sustained previous techniques but gave them their own distinguishing stamp. The Abbasid period (8th-13th): in the Abbasid rule, which succeeded the Umayyads (661–750), the central spot of Islamic political and artistic living shifted eastward from Syria to Iraq, where, in 762, Baghdad, the circular City of Peace (madinat al-salam), was founded as the new center. The former two centuries of Abbasid rule saw the appearance and spreading of a new Islamic approach of art where the introduction of purely Islamic forms and techniques took place. Textiles: Of the numerous varied arts that prospered in the Abbasid period, textiles played a particularly momentous character in civilization, one that sustained in succeeding periods. Textiles were omnipresent in Islamic lands, allocated as clothes, domestic furnishings, and convenient architecture (tents). The production of and buying and selling in textiles were exceedingly classy and lucrative industries that built upon Byzantine and Sasanian background. Often made with expensive supplies such as silk and gold and silver wrapped yarn and adorned with com posite designs, textiles were lavish goods suggestive of wealth and social standing. Islamic textiles were also broadly exported to the West, where their eminence is underscored by their effect on European languages. Did you know that the English words "cotton" and "taffeta" are obtained, respectively, from Arabic and Persian? Pottery: The skill of pottery was profoundly developed in the ninth

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Health profile assignment - Tonbridge Area Essay

Health profile assignment - Tonbridge Area - Essay Example Health promotions currently available throughout the United Kingdom and the world that address the health need will be identifies and discussed. Linking back to the health need, this health profile will make recommendations on the potential health promotion strategies that could possibly be implemented, which will discuss how this will be evaluated? The conclusion will briefly summarise the main point of the health profile and reflect on the process of health profiling. District: Tonbridge and Malling Locale, County: Kent, Region: South East England, Nation: England, Country United Kingdom. Tonbridge is a historic market town in Kent County located on the River Medway. It is four miles north of Tunbridge Wells, twelve miles from southwest of Maidstone and twenty miles from London. In 2003, eighty one were reported killed or severely injured in road accidents. The Indices of Deprivation 2004 (ID2004), which are measures of deprivation for every Super Output Area (lower layer) and local authority area in England, indicates that Tonbridge and Malling ranked at 304 out of 354 local authorities in England, where one was the most deprived area and 354 the least deprived. This rank was derived from the average deprivation score of the Lower Layer Super Out Areas in the local authority. Between 1982 and 2002, the population of Tonbridge and Malling grew by 10%, compared with an increase of 11% for the South East region as a whole. The population density of Tonbridge and Malling in 2002 averaged 453 people per square kilometre, compared with an average of 421 for the region and 380 people per square kilometre for England overall. The demographics of the population in Tonbridge reveal that the male population is, proportionally, larger than the female population in the under 65 age group. Normally, the numbers of males and females in this age group to be very similar;

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Simpsons Analysis Essay Example for Free

The Simpsons Analysis Essay The animated sitcom The Simpsons subverts our views about a nuclear family. Instead we learn by watching a dysfunctional family. We see the ups and downs and humour of family life in various episodes and typical family situations. The Simpsons to some degree follow the conventions of a stereotypical sitcom. I will be analysing the episode Bart gets an F to support my thoughts. In this paragraph I will be referring to what a sitcom is, how it has changed throughout the years and why sitcoms are so popular. A sitcom is a 22 minute long show, which presents the viewer with a world within the show. A sitcom also follows the narrative structure of orientation, complication, resolution, evaluation and re-orientation. The creators of The Simpsons satirize stereotypes to create humour. In the 1950s sitcoms, the families would get along, listen to each other, take care of each other and they would be smartly dressed at all times. However, after the 1950s it all seemed to change: no-one would get along, they will always argue, the mother and father would always fight and they would do whatever they wished. Sitcoms are very popular as they provide us with entertainment including laughter, which helps people get away from their daily routine life. Sitcoms provide us with entertainment for all ages and typical family situations. I believe sitcoms are popular because they are humorous and give us an alternative to our lives. The nuclear family and the dysfunctional yellow-skinned, four-fingered Simpson family are shown through the opening of The Simpsons. We are firstly introduced to Bart, the most confrontational, funny, naughty and disrespectful kid in school. We see him in school; however, this is dysfunctional as he is in detention writing on the board I will not teach others to fly. This shows us satirise as a normal child will not be that often in detention. The creator also changes the quotes of the writing to show that he is in detention all the time. Secondly, we are introduced to Homer; the clumsy, dumb and often drunk father, who is at work. This is typical of a dad, but then it is subverted when he is shown carelessly working in the power plant. Next is Marge, the hard working, sensible, caring mother who is shopping and losing her child, Maggie. Maggie is the 3rd child, who is a dummy sucking 1-year-old. And finally, Lisa, the brainiest gifted child in the school. We see her playing an instrument in school. However she is playing her own tune. By watching the opening sequence we know that the situations that occur in the Simpsons are subverted. Through the opening sequence we see some stereotypical behaviour as well as some subverted behaviour. In the episode Bart gets a F, we can tell from the title who the episode is based on and a bit about the plot. Through the episode we get to see the orientation (the 1st shot and 1st character introduced), the complication (problem that arises), the resolution (how the complication is resolved), the evaluation (how the family come together) and the re-orientation (how it is back to the way it started). We firstly hear the voice of Bart and see the setting of the school, so we straightaway know it is based on Bart (orientation). The main plot is after failing a history test, Bart strikes a deal with Martin Prince to make Martin cool in return for tutoring Bart, if Bart doesnt improve, he will be held back in his grade (complication). Bart successfully transforms Martin from the clever, caring, sensitive, high-quality boy into a rude, playful naughty and regular kid, bur Martin fails on his side of the bargain and Bart is once again in danger of failing. After an all-night study session, Bart still fails but he manages to impress Mrs. Krabappel with his grasp of history (resolution) and she gives him a D-minus. Homer is proud to hang this grade up on the fridge (evaluation). After the excitement, Bart kisses the teacher and then after realizes what he has done and starts to spit on the floor with disgust (re-orientation). In this episode we see both sides of a traditional family and a dysfunctional family. Expectations of characters are satirised. An example of this is the parents. We expect the parents to praise, support, care and teach their children. But in The Simpsons we see the parents encouraging their son not to study. They show that they have no faith in Bart as they call him Dim. We see the same situations occurring to different characters, for example the teacher. The expectation of the teacher is satirised as we expect teachers to be understanding, helpful, caring and faithful to their students. This is again satirised when the teacher quotes, I thought youd be used to failing. This shows us she has no faith in her pupil, Bart. In this episode of The Simpsons we see typical stereotyped situations satirised and changed according to characters and their beliefs. The Simpsons fulfils various stereotypes of a sitcom genre but generally subverts them. I will examine the extent to which they do this by referring to the episode Bart gets a F. The first situation that occurs is when the psychiatrist comes to talk to the parents about Barts grades. It is satirised as we see Homer not listening and not paying attention. They show this as they quote, bla bla bla bla bla bla bla. Another stereotypical situation that occurs is when the family sits down to eat dinner and father and son sit down to watch TV, but the stereotypical situation is satirised as Bart wants to study but Homer encourages him to watch TV with him. We wouldnt expect a father to act the way Homer does. Additionally we see the father putting his son to bed but this is then again is subverted as we hear Homer call his son Dim. We would not expect a father to say this to his child. As a result, we see stereotypical situations that are subverted. The Simpsons uses various comic devices to create humour. The also uses different comic forms. They would use parody, gags, comedy of the absurd and slapstick. A good way in which they create humour is by satirising situations where the way we expect people to act is changed. They also satirise stereotypes. In The Simpsons the audience can predict what is going to happen next. The audiences are interested in the Simpsons as it exaggerates the animation. The Simpsons have four fingers and they are yellow skinned. The characters of The Simpsons create humour by using repeated catch phrases, example Doh! Dont have a cow man! We find the various actions of the characters humorous, as they are well known for example Homer strangles Bart when he is frustrated. Overall, I believe The Simpsons are popular because of all the types of humour used during the episodes. This humour appeals to a wide range of audiences. The Simpsons is a very popular and well-known sitcom. The appeal of the Simpsons is greatly due to the fact that it appeals to all types of people. People of all ages find humour in it because of the fact that the characters never grow older, the use of flashbacks and flashfowards, the variety of episodes and the characters always turn back to the way they started. A reason why we can tell it is a true sitcom is because they always have a complication that occurs which is later resolved. The Simpsons as a sitcom, is well known worldwide. It is broadcast in 100 countries. The influence of The Simpsons has created programs like South Park, Ren and Stimpy and Fresh Prince of Bel Air. The Simpsons are not a stereotypical family, they are dysfunctional and are satirized, and this is the main reason why they have remained so popular.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Thoughts :: essays research papers

The paradox of our time in history is that we have Taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, But have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have Bigger houses and smaller families, more Conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees But less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, More experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but Less wellness. We drink too much, smoke too much, and spend too Recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get Too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read Too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our Values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate Too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've Been all the way to the moon and back, but have Trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've Done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We Write more, but learn less. We plan more, but Accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to Wait. We build more computers to hold more Information, to produce more copies than ever, but We communicate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow Digestion, big men and small character, steep Profits and shallow relationships. These are the Days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier Houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick Trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one Night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do Everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a Time when there is much in the showroom window and Nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can Bring this letter to you, and a time when you can Choose either to share this insight, or to just hit Delete. Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, Because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to You in awe, because that little person soon will Grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, Because that is the only treasure you can give with

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Personal Skills for Business Management Students Essay

Effective academic and personal skills are not inborn; they are something one can work on and develop through practice and reflection. Taking the Personal Skills module significantly aided my personal and academic development in that it helped me identify key gaps in my skills portfolio and develop effective strategies and techniques to address key areas of weaknesses. This ability is crucial not only for academic performance, but is also highly valued in the workplace, as knowing how to turn weaknesses into strengths and further improve them is of utmost importance to the constant learning process. Calling upon personal experience and using insights from the emerging literature on skills development I will attempt to critically assess my academic performance so far, discuss strategies that will potentially improve my skills and set goals to work towards. First, I will draw attention to one of my key strengths – academic writing in relationship to constructive feedback; then, I will analyze my experience with teamwork and finally, I will discuss a framework for maximising individual performance capacity. From my perspective, reflecting on your own performance is the best way to identify learning strategies that will work best for you, develop effective work habits and become an independent learner. A good starting point in reflecting on my personal academic performance and skills development would be to outline one of my key strengths, which I have identified through feedback from markers and self-evaluation, namely critical analysis and its application to academic writing. When I entered university I was faced with the challenge to further develop my critical approach to working on assignments by utilising academic  writing conventions and developing an effective procedure for writing essays. University essays don’t require only originality of thought; what is highly valued is the ability to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the subject through making use of key texts, articles or studies in your subject area, drawing on academic works of current experts in the field an d challenging the ideas, concepts and theories you have learned. My acknowledgement of this fact is at the heart of the procedure and strategies I have developed for writing essays and assignments. Particularly relevant to my approach are Elbow’s two complementary ways of thinking which I use in different stages of structuring and revising my academic essays. Peter Elbow (1983) calls these ways of thinking first order and second order thinking and argues that a good thinker utilizes both and judging from my personal experience with academic writing I supports his viewpoint. According to Elbow, first order thinking does not strive for conscious control or direction; it is rather intuitive and creative and it is essential to recognise its key strength while working on assignments – in many cases it brings out people’s best and most creative writing. The second order thinking does not contradict with the first one; on the contrary, it complements it. It highlights the importance of reasoning, accuracy and control and is quite often perceived as â€Å"critical thinking†. My self-observation suggests that I usually utilise first order thinking for first draft exploratory writing in order to come up with a fresh point of view and form conceptual insights that are remarkably shrewd. Then I aim at developing my initial ideas through critical thinking, looking into relevant theories and concepts, evaluating their accuracy and then trying to challenge or support them, depending on the understanding I had gained and my personal opinion. Drawing on my personal experience with using both ways of thinking while working on an assignment I would argue that employing this kind of reasoned reflective thinking in combination with the intuitive one results in significant improvement of my academic performance. In particular, over my time spent at university so far, my goal in terms of academic writing has been to further develop my second order critical thinking and make better use of it. As a result of my efforts and the constructive feedback I got from my first university essay, the second piece of work I produced was better thought out and more reasonable, which was  evident from the score of 85% I received. In order to further support my academic development, I have identified a core strategy as to making constructive use of feedback from tutors. Authors like S. Quinton(2010) recognise the value of the relationship between reflection and feedback:†Feedback on written work can be used as a vehicle for reflectionâ€Å". Therefore, the strategy that will potentially aid me in further improving my critical writing is to constructively go through the feedback I receive after each written assignment and list my tutor’s comments under â€Å"Major issues† and â€Å"Mino r issues†(Cottrell, 1999). Moreover, building the habit to compare my feedbacks from previous works will not only help he identify gaps in skills portfolio, but also keep track of my progress. Drawing from research on the effects of reflection combined with feedback on self-regulated learning (van den Boom, 2007) and my personal experience it is safe to conclude that the practical value of the combination of reflection and tutor feedback is a promising means to improve academic performance. Since I joined university I didn’t only have to respond to issues and challenges presented by the program in terms of my individual performance, but also had to engage in teamwork and gain first-hand experience of being a member of a group working towards a common goal. We had the opportunity to test out our group and teamwork skills, identify our individual shortcomings as well as our weaknesses as a group and work towards producing an outstanding piece of work. While working on the task, I took advantage of the opportunity to reflect upon my interpersonal and communication skills. M. Bambacas and M. Patrickson (2008, p.52) argue that â€Å"Interpersonal communication explains â€Å"the means† by which organisational activities, such as managing, controlling, planning, and leading are delivered†. This area of interpersonal communication has also been explored by Hunsaker and Alessandra (1986), who had identified four Interpersonal Styles underlain by the degree of responsiveness and assertiveness each one of them suggests. Having reflected on my involvement in the group work, I came to the conclusion that I use the Analytical Interpersonal Style, which is characterised by self-actualisation and security, cautious actions and decisions, low degree of responsiveness and assertiveness. One of its key weaknesses, however, is that it is associated with unwillingness of involvement with other group members and focus on autonomous work. From my  viewpoint, a practical strategy or technique for dealing with this problem is to start building up from a small base by getting to know other group members better to feel more at ease and to make a decision to speak at least once during the meeting (Cottrell, 1999, p.97). Furthermore, drawing on my experience with teamwork, one of the major risks for unsatisfactory performance I had identified in groups and teams is not realising that different individuals have different interpersonal styles with both their weaknesses and strengths. Therefore, it is essential to make an effort to get to know your team members individually, to appreciate their strengths and to show respect for other people’s ideas which leads to real teamwork. Finally, study skills are acquired through trial and error, they evolve through practice, feed back and reflection as one moves through different stages of one’s course. However, no matter the stage of the learning process, considerable attention should be paid to a straightforward but insightful framework for maximising individual performance capacity, namely the equation: Performance = Ability x Support x Effort (Shermerhorn, 2004, p.49). Even though this model is aimed at human capital at organisations, it can also be related to academic performance. According to Shermerhon, ability is the capacity to perform through job-relevant knowledge and skills. At university students acquire this ability through covering the relevant academic material and taking advantage of the educational opportunities the university gives them. The second variable in the equation – support- is associated with the opportunity to perform in an environment that stimulates and supports one’s application of job-relevant capabilities to one’s work. In terms of university education, making use of lecturers’ and tutors’ help and the university resources would provide one with this kind of â€Å"support†. Last, the willingness to perform, to do well, is displayed by effort. This means that university students should always try to reflect on their personal and academic skills, identify areas of strength and areas that should be improved and develop strategies and techniques to improve overall performance. From my perspective, a good strategy for a student to achieve high and persistent performance results and to manage his/her own skills development is to keep those factors in mind and try to maximise them. In conclusion, the recognition that university students are given a great deal more responsibility for their own success than they have  experienced before can be disturbing to some in that some might feel that their study lacks structure, which is generally considered a fault. However, it is of great importance to realise that this can also be an advantage because of the freedom to study in ways that suit the individual. Putting time aside to reflect on my study habits helped me recognise areas where I can improve, identify strategies that work for me or are worth a try, set goals to work towards and keep track of my progress. After being a university student for almost an year, I can safely conclude that through self-reflection and constructive feedback I significantly improved my academic and personal skills and am a step closer to becoming an autonomous learner. References: Bambacas, M., Patrickson, M., (2008), â€Å"Interpersonal communication skills that enhance organisational commitment†, Journal of Communication Management, Volume: 12, Issue: 1, Pages: 51-72 Cottrell, S., (1999), The Study Skills Handbook, Palgrave Macmillan, New York Elbow, Peter, (1983), â€Å"Teaching Thinking by Teaching Writing.†, Change, Vol.15(6), p.37-40 Hunsaker, P., Alessandra, A., (1986), The Art of Managing People, Simon and Schuster Quinton, S., (2010), â€Å"Feeding forward: using feedback to promote student reflection and learning – a teaching model†, Innovations in Education and Teaching International 47 (1): 125-135 Schermerhorn, J., McCarthy, A., (2004), â€Å"Enhancing Performance Capacity in the Workplace: A Reflection on the Significance of the Individual†, Irish Journal of Management25. 2: 45-60 van den Boom, Gerard, (2007), â€Å"Effects of elicited reflections combined with tutor or peer feedback on self-regulated learning and learning outcomes†, Learning and Instruction, Vol.17(5), p.532-548

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Box Man

1. Meaning Ascher states her main idea towards the end of the essay. – The Box Man chooses solitude, and he also confirms the essential aloneness of human being. She also demonstres that we can â€Å"find solice† within ourselves. Ascher leads up to and supports her idea with three examples – the box man chooses loneliness, and in contrast the two women whose loneliness seems unchosen. She supports these choices with specific details from Ascher’s observations – here is where you give details. 2. Purpose and audienceAscher seems to have written her essay for two interlocking reasons: to show and thus explain that solitude need not always be lonely and to argue gently for defeating loneliness by becoming one’s own friend. In choosing the Box Man as her main example, she reveals perhaps a third purpose as well – to convince readers that a homeless person can have dignity and may achieve a measure of self satisfaction lacking in some peop le who do have homes. Ascher seems to assume that her readers, like her are people with homes, people to whom the Box man and his life might seem completely foreign.She comments on his slow shuffle, mysterious discrimination among boxes, his blistered legs and how miserable his life looks. Building from this assumption that her readers will find the Box Man strange, Ascher takes pains to show the dignity of the Box man – his grand design for furniture, his resemblance to commuters, his grandmotherly finger lings and his refusal for handouts. Ascher also assumes some familiarity with literature – and she chooses female figures to illustrate this – all outcasts of society.Finally, Ascher seems to address people who are familiar with, if not actually residents of, New York cite: she refers to a New York street address, a New York subway line (IRT), and the Daily News- a NY paper. However readers that do not know the literature Archer cites, who do not know NYC are still likey to understand and appreciate Ascher’s main point.3. Method and Structure – Ascher’s primary support for her idea consist of three examples – specific instances of solitary people. It allows her to show contrasting responses  to solitude: one person who seems to choose it and two people who don’t. She develops the examples with description vividly portraying the Box Man and the two women. (cite here) Ascher uses division or analysis to take apart the elements of her three character’s lives, and she relies on comparison and contrast to show the differences between the Box Man the other two – (cite examples )While using many methods to develop her idea, Ascher keeps her organization fairly simple. She doesn’t not begin with a formal introduction or thesis statement but instead starts right off with her main examples, the inspiration for her idea. In the first seven paragraphs she narrates and describes the Box manâ⠂¬â„¢s activities. Then she explains what appeals to her about circumstances like the Box man’s and she applies those thought to what she imagines are his thought. Ascher contrasts the Box man and two other solitary people, whose lives she sees as different form his. Finally she returns to the Box Man and zeroes in on her main ides.4. Language  Ascher uses specific language to portray her three examples – she shows them to us – and lets us know what she thinks about them. For instance, the language changes for the depiction of the Box Man to the next to the last paragraph on solitude. â€Å"The Box Man comes to life in warms terms: (show examples) Ascher watches him with â€Å"silent fervor† he seems â€Å"dogged by luck† he sits with â€Å"slow care† he open the newspaper with â€Å"ease† In contrast, isolation comes across as a desperate state: â€Å"bland stares,† â€Å"strangers† â€Å"exile† .The contrast in language helps to emphasize Ascher point about the individuals ability to find comfort in solitude.In describing the two other solitary people who evidently have not found comfort in aloneness – Ascher uses words that emphasize the heaviness of time and the sterility of existence. The first woman â€Å"drags† her meals out and crumbles crackers between â€Å"dry fingers†. She lacks even the trinkets of attachment – a gold charm bracelet with picture of grandchildren. The wife with â€Å"her hair in a gray page boy,† the three blond daughters† – emphasizes the probable absence of such scenes in the woman’s own life.Ascher occasionally uses incomplete sentences or fragments to stress the accumulation of details or the quickness of her impressions. Paragraph 10  and 18 (cite examples from them) both of these incomplete sentences gain emphases for Parallelism, the use of similar grammatical for ideas of equal importance. Althou gh incomplete sentences can be unclear, these and others in Ascher’s essay are clear and she uses them deliberately and carefully.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Canda At War

Canda At War Assessment of Inappropriate Behavioral Development It is far easier to measure a child's physical growth and maturation than to assess the complexities of individual differences in children's disruptive and antisocial development. Pediatricians can clearly record increases in a child's weight and height on growth charts and even provide percentile estimates indicating how a child compares to others at the same age. Measuring and interpreting acceptable versus unacceptable and normal versus abnormal behaviors among children and adolescents are far more complex.Children and adolescents often test the limits of appropriate conduct by crossing the boundaries set by caretakers. When a youth exhibits a particular problem behavior, it is important to consider not only if the behavior has previously occurred, but also if it is exhibited in multiple settings and with what frequency, duration, intensity, and provocation. For example, a 2-year-old who playfully nips a playmate is less off the m ark of developmentally appropriate behavior than a 4-year-old who aggressively and frequently bites playmates to forcefully gain possession of desired toys.My wife reading in bed. And it wasn't because she ...Among adolescents, a certain degree of misbehavior, experimentation, or independence seeking is common. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association (1994) indicates that "New onset of oppositional behaviors in adolescence may be due to the process of normal individuation." On the other hand, youth who persistently and progressively engage in problem behaviors with significant impairment in personal development, social functioning, academic achievement, and vocational preparation are of great concern to caretakers. Also of concern is the broad category of "antisocial behaviors" that have an appreciable harmful effect on others, in terms of inflicting physical or mental harm on others or causing property loss or damage.The Semantics of Disruptive and Delinquent Behavior A mothe r finds parenting exhausting and describes her 7-year-old son as extremely energetic, frequently switching from one play activity to...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

4 Tips on Managing Your Student Loans

4 Tips on Managing Your Student Loans New grads, take heed. You’re freaking out about the escalating price tag of your education and that’s totally fair. But don’t panic yet. Take a step back to acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishment. Then plan your strategy for a sane repayment plan and fight back against the fear and doom. Here are 4 steps to getting yourself on the right track to a secure financial future. Starting now will set you up to avoid crashing and burning in a pile of tears and terror in a year or two.1. Don’t ignore your mailSo many grads can’t even bring themselves to open their first loan statement, let alone log in and look at the big fat number staring at them from their laptop screens. But avoiding the inevitable will not make that number smaller. In fact, you could make a bad situation even worse. Step one: open the envelope. Know exactly what you owe. The devil you know, right? If you have multiple loans, track down the names of your servicers and make a list of each, detailing the interest rates and balances. This will be crucial to smart planning.2. Be wary of the grace periodA sixth month grace period does not mean you don’t have to think about your loans for six months. Remember that your loans will continue to accrue interest- and lots of it- while you’re merrily trying to figure out what you want to be when you grow up. The grace period exists mostly to benefit those who may need the extra time to get set up in their post graduate careers. Treat it as such.The longer you wait to start repaying, the more interest will accrue. And that interest will be added to your principal balance as soon as your loans come up for repayment. The longer you wait, the worse it gets. Step two, in a nutshell: use your grace period if you need it, but consider making payments against the interest while you wait.3. Keep your term as short as you canIt may seem like a good idea to pay your loans back in 25 years instead of 10. After all, a lower monthly payment number is a seductive thing. But just remember that the interest clock is not going to slow down for you. You could end up paying back almost double what you owe if you take a significant amount of time to repay. The Student Loan Repayment Calculator online is your friend. You should never choose repayment terms that you can’t handle, but you should chose the fastest repayment timeframe that makes sense for you. It will save you money!4. Consider refinancingOne way to lower your interest rates, particularly across a wide range of loans from different servicers, is to go through a refinancing company. You can always make an inquiry with a company like SoFi without committing to a refinance. In most cases, refinancing means a lower interest rate and a lower amount paid in the end. If you can guarantee total savings like this, it’s almost always worth it to consolidate. Be careful, however, of your particular situation and how it qualifies (or doesnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t) you for different loan forgiveness plans. If you don’t qualify for loan forgiveness or income-based repayment (often requiring you to pay a lot more over a longer period), a private lender is always an option.Repaying your student loans can seem like a prison sentence. And in some ways it is. But it’s always a better idea to have more information, to be more involved, and thereby more empowered. Be proactive and put your best foot forward. Future you will thank you!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Marriage Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marriage Paper - Essay Example The subject of this study is a couple, Grace and Carl who have been married for sixteen years whom I consider to be my friends. I called Carl asking if I could meet them at their house knowing that they are both busy with their jobs and children, and requesting them to spare me at least thirty minutes for the interview to which they gladly agreed to. Carl and Grace are, a common couple who sought out to develop a relationship with each other looking out for attributes they considered important to a relationship. Though circumstances in their jobs brought them together, things did not come to them as a result of the situation but they both purposefully looked out for the things they wanted in a partner. The criteria they used in the development of their relationship are appearance, similarity, complementary, reciprocal attraction and matching hypothesis. These are evident as their answers during the interview will give light to what they think about themselves and their relationship. According to the couple, the primary measure they looked for in finding the right partner was physical appearance. Grace says she wants her partner to be good looking and well-dressed, meaning he is educated and has the means to provide for his personal needs. Carl on the other hand is just like any other man who sought to have a girlfriend with aesthetic qualities not only on the face and shape but on the inside as well. Both claim to have been physically attracted to each other the time they were introduced by mutual friends and they considered and hoped seeing each other again. Carl thought her new found friend might just be the perfect match for him because they are both independent and working on the same level of business so that he made the effort of taking Grace’s phone number to which the lady thankfully responded positively so that the former was able to get in touch with her in the following days. When they first dated, Carl and Grace found out that they have simil ar interests and beliefs. They both were involved in sports; Carl loves to play basketball while Grace plays lawn tennis. They are both active people, not wanting to be bound at home by a partner or any other thing like children and chores, not that they are not willing to do household jobs but they believe their lives would be more exciting and fulfilling if they have a variety of activities. Of course they also have their differences but they look at their distinguishing features on a positive light, finding them to be complementary of what the other lacks (Fitzpatrick). For instance, Carl loves food and loves to cook, which Grace praises so much because she claims not to distinguish a pan from a pot which is of course an understatement to her culinary knowledge. Carl on the other hand is the forgetful type of guy and is always thankful for having a loving wife who patiently finds time to work an extra hour listing her husband’s schedules and needed materials, arranging the m in a fashion that Carl could not just miss to notice. Carl claims to have found the notes placed by Grace in his wallet every now and then, reminding him of their children’s birthdays, schedule of activities and other meetings especially when work calls most of his time for travel, being a businessman. Deciding to get married was such an easy task for the couple at the time they agreed to stay together forever because they were so in love and found each other the right persons. Grace says Carl had all the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Management and Leadership of Disney's Magic Kingdom PowerPoint Presentation

Management and Leadership of Disney's Magic Kingdom - PowerPoint Presentation Example oday, it consists of water parks, theme parks, championship golf courses, resort hotels, and Disney vacation club properties together with sports complex and Downtown Disney. Disney’s Magic Kingdom has not only become the world’s most popular vacation destinations but also a huge contributor to the economy. The Success of the company can be reflected to the time of Walt Disney. His main aim was to make the company successful by producing unique, creative, and quality entertainment experiences. This can be highlighted by the success of the Mickey Mouse, the first full-length animated movie ever to be produced (Stewart, 2006). The success of the Magic Kingdom has prevailed in spite of several unsuccessful CEOs at the company. Over the years, the company has expanded its theme parks and reached high profits. However, the company has faced a number of challenges under Michael Eisner. Eisner’s leadership position at the company raised questions regarding Disney’s corporate governance. This reflects to the hiring and firing of Ovitz just fourteen months after his hiring (Lisa, 2012). There was incomplete communication to the board about the situation of Ovitz. The information infrastructure faced the challenge of who received what type of communication, the form of communication and frequency of communication. Another challenge was Eisner’s hiring of close friends as directors to maintain his support within the board. This implied that the company lacked proper mechanisms in the hiring of executive members. Furthermore, the situation at the company was compromised by the shareholders revolt that was pushed by Roy E. Disney to remove Eisner from the company’s leadership (Stewart, 2006). With the support of the board, he removed Eisner from chairmanship. This was a critical point in the company’s corporate governance since in its last two decades; it was uncommon to vote against the re-election of any member in public companies (Lisa, 2012). Eisner’s

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Mapp v. Ohio Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mapp v. Ohio - Research Paper Example In 1957, it was believed by the Cleveland Police Department that Dollree Mapp and her daughter were hiding a wanted suspected bombing fugitive at their home. Upon demanding entrance into her home, Mapp was advised by her attorney to deny them entrance as they did not possess the proper search papers. As time passed, more officers arrived at her home, still demanding entrance. Tired of being denied, they forced a door open and made their way into Mapp’s house. Immediately, Mapp required them to show proof that they had the authority to enter her house at all; in response, the officers procured a warrant, which turned out to be just a piece of paper completely unrelated to a search warrant. Although Mapp was able to grab the â€Å"warrant†, it was pulled from her later, and when confronted in court, the police were unable to show proof that the document had been real. As the officers searched the house for the bombing suspect, they find a trunk in Mapp’s basement that contains a variety of â€Å"lewd and lascivious (Cohen, 2009)† books and photographs. Even though Mapp claimed that the trunk was being held for a friend, police still arrested her, as the possession of these materials were against Ohio law. However, despite what police found, there was never any hint of a fugitive or any wanted person in the house. All the same, Mapp was convicted by the Court of Common Pleas based on the material that had been found in her home. When Mapp tried to appeal to the Ohio Court of Appeals, she was again to be found in the wrong. She took her case to the Supreme Court of Ohio, where her attorney fought that Mapp has no reason to have been brought to trial as the evidence in question was obtained as the result of an illegal search that had been accomplished without the use of a warrant. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled against Mapp, claiming that the items from the trunk had been taken from an inanimate object and not a human being, allowing the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Ethics in social research

Ethics in social research Ethics in research has been around since World War II and is still to this day a growing concern among researchers. The main aim of the researcher is to ensure that their studies are directed toward worthwhile goals and that the welfare of their subjects and their research colleagues is protected. Alan Kimmel, 1988 There are several reasons why it is important for an investigator to adhere to ethical standards in research. First, some of these norms promote the aims of research, such as knowledge, truth, and avoidance of error. For example, prohibitions against fabricating, forging, or misrepresenting research data to promote the truth and avoid error. Second, since research often involves a great deal of cooperation and coordination among many different people in different disciplines and institutions, many of these ethical standards promote the values that are essential to collaborative work, such as trust, accountability, mutual respect, and fairness. For instance, one particular ethical norm, confidentiality, is designed to protect intellectual interests while encouraging collaboration among the participants. Third, ethical norms in research also help to build public support for research. People are more likely to fund research project if they can trust the quality and integrity of research (this particular example is relevant to the scenario being assessed.) Finally, many of the standards of research promote a variety of other important moral and social values, such as social responsibility, human rights, and compliance with the law So although all these codes, policies and principles are very important and useful but like any set of rules they do not cover every situation that arises in research, they are often conflicting and require considerable interpretation. It is therefore important for the researcher to learn how to interpret, assess and apply various research rules and how to make decisions about how to act in various circumstances. The vast majority of decision making in the conduct of research involves the straightforward application of ethical policies. Ethical issues that are encountered in applied social research are both subtle and complex, raising difficult moral dilemmas that, from the outside, appear unresolvable. With these dilemmas the researcher is required to strike a delicate balance between the scientific or social requirement of methodology and the human rights and values potentially threatened by the research. Privacy and confidentiality are two ethical issues that are crucial to social researchers who request individuals to share with them their thoughts attitudes and experiences. The ethical social researcher is one who is aware of ways in which privacy and confidentiality may be jeopardised and safeguarded and is knowledgeable about the effects of privacy and confidentiality on consent. The nature of privacy concerns has changed over time as social scientists have become more involved in identifying social problems and testing possible solutions through field research (Boruch Cecil, 1979) Organisational research focus is directed toward personnel relating issues, including the testing and appraisal of employees for personnel decisions. In conducting these investigations, researchers and consultants may seek to improve on organisations capacities to achieve various goals (e.g. profit for a business, its employees quality of work life or the impact of the organisation on communities in isolate rural areas. Evaluation research is a major type of applied research, typically undertaken by social scientists to determine if ongoing social programs are working as they should. Evaluations tend to focus on programs that are beneficial in nature, such as remedial education, health care and job training programs. The results of an evaluation study, in revealing whether a social program is accomplishing what was intended can have immediate impact on social policy and political decisions regarding the programs fate whether it should be continued or stopped, its budget and personnel increased or cut backs made. There are a number of vested interests in the design and implementation of evaluation studies and because their results are likely to affect peoples jobs, education and health. Like research conducted in organisations, evaluation research raises some unique ethical questions about whose interests are served an whose point of view should be represented during the research process (Kidder Judd, 1986) With this particular scenario there are two different situations where ethical issues will arise. Firstly, you begin to suspect that food is being stolen from the kitchen and the viability of the project may be at risk. From a researchers point of view suspicions would need to be backed up with hard evidence. If you were to say to you manager, you run the risk of them discharging you and not allowing you to carry out anymore research how could you possibly imagine that of any of their staff? Although on the other hand if your manager was to take you suspicions on board and further investigate the matter over a closely surveyed period of time, they may benefit and appreciate your integrity that you hold with the company. In a case like this it is often difficult for the evaluator to separate their research role from their role as a work experience placement student. You have been promised the confidentiality of the staff and if you were to say anything about the stolen food it could affect your research and you rapport with the staff. The staff may turn against you and refuse to cooperate after you telling the boss on one of their colleagues. Throughout the research you must remember what the objective is and if you remain silent with your suspicions, will your results in anyway end up being bias? This will reflect an untrue outcome and the company could face further scrutiny from the funding body. There is also the legality aspect for the researcher to consider and stealing is against the law, could you live with yourself if you thought that you were covering up for a criminal, no matter how small the offence was? In failing to voice your suspicions Kimmel, (1988) stated you legally could face prosecution as an accessory after the fact for failure to report a crime. If I were to be placed in this situation I personally would confront the manager of the company and explain my situation with regards to my research. I believe that stealing is wrong and should not take place no matter how big or small the offence is. Although I can understand why somebody may not say and not only put their research at rick but their social responsibility. The second scenario where the researcher will be confronted by ethical dilemmas is in carrying out the interviews with some of the senior citizens that are receiving these Meals on Wheels. To carry out interviews you will need the consent of the person involved, some elderly clients may not like the prospect of being intimated with questions. The elderly are of the vulnerable sector in our population and should be informed of why the interview is taking place and the effects that their answers could have on the survival and funding of the business while always remembering the objectivity of the research and expressing it in clarity to the senior citizens. The interview will involve asking how they feel about receiving their Meals on Wheels, how they approve of the service and how would they feel if this service was to be taken away from them? This could cause distress and emotional shock among the elderly, especially if they thought that their opinion meant the deciding factor of whe ther the company received funding to continue its business. Many of the elderly could largely depend on this service and there must be no deception in making them fully aware why the interviews are taken place. The senior citizens should be made aware that the researcher will be evaluating and publishing their results to the company and will have to give an open and honest account of what has been said in the interviews. The researcher is under the obligation from the code of ethics so as not to fabricate the data in anyway. The researcher, if a member of the local community, may feel tempted to fabricate the interview responses so as the company will receive their funding to finance this project as they realise how vital this scheme is for the elderly in this isolated rural area but as Kimmel noted personnel values may play a significant role in social research, therefore researchers must be careful enough to protect the integrity of their inquiries through careful data collection and analysis and accurate and objective reporting of their research findings. If I were the researcher in carrying out the interviews I would make the elderly entirely aware of the project and encourage them to see how they are beneficiaries of it. This in return will boost their confidence of the company and help portray a better interview for the research. After all if you were a senior citizen who lived in an isolated area and the only person you may see everyday is the delivery driver of Meals on Wheels, wouldnt you appreciate the service? Not only are they providing a food service but they also help to bring a warm and friendly atmosphere into the home. In conclusion ethical decision making is neither a perfectly rational nor entirely timeless enterprise, and even after a considered judgement about the issues involved in a given situation has been made, doubts about whether or not ones subsequent behaviour was ethical may remain. As we continue to proceed with social research in applied settings, we can expect a growing wealth of documentation on the conditions under which certain interventions are successful in reducing certain social problems and on what side effects might be anticipated as a result of their implementation. To proceed ethically it is important for social researchers to bear in mind that their first obligation is to those persons who cooperate with and participate in the research process, and that it is their interests that first must be considered during the preparatory stages of program development. References Kimmel, A (1988) Ethics and Values in Applied Social Research Sage Publications London

Friday, October 25, 2019

Psychodynamic Theory :: Psychology, Freud

The theory our learning team is studying is the psychodynamic approach or what is sometimes called psychoanalytic approach. The main contributors to Psychodynamic approaches was the founder Sigmund Freud (1859-1939), Anna Freud (1895-1982) gave significant contribution to the psychodynamics of adolescence and Erik Erickson (1902-1994) called the â€Å"new† Freud but with an emphasis on ego (conscious) forces, termed as psychosocial theory (Craig & Dunn, p 11-13). Psychodynamics is the explanation or interpretation (as of behavior or mental states) in terms of mental or emotional forces or processes (www.merriam-webster.com) Through case study, the psychodynamic approach was developed by Sigmund Freud. Freud visited Charcot’s, a laboratory in Paris investigating people suffering from hysteria. There, Freud began patient case studies (Crain, p. 254). Freud developed 5 stages of human development known as the Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency and Genital stages. The Oral stage is from the ages of birth to 18 months. This stage engages in oral activities such as sucking. Next the Anal stage begins around age 18 months to 3 years of age. Freud suggests that during the Anal stage a child focuses on the pleasure of purging from the rectal area. The Phallic stages, none as the masturbation stage, when a child get’s pleasure from focusing on his genital areas usually happens during ages 3 years to 6 years of age. After the Phallic stage come the Latency stages. Latency is when children at the ages of 6 to 12 years old work to develop cognitive and interpersonal skills suppressing sexual interests but th ose 12 years and older fall into the Genital stages. During the Genital stage those suppressed sexual interests re-occur and the need to find gratification dependent on finding a partner (Craig & Dunn, p 12) In addition to Freud’s stages of development his best-known concepts are those of the id, ego, and superego (Crain, p. 268). The id personality called ‘the unconscious† is the personality that focuses on maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain through reflexes and drives such as hunger or bladder tensions (Crain, pp. 268-269). The id concept is impulsive, chaotic and unrealistic. Although the id stage stands for â€Å"the untamed passions† it is balanced out by â€Å"reason and good sense† called the ego (Crain, p. 270). The ego evaluates situations comparing them to what has happened in the past and make realistic changes planning for the future. This is what is called â€Å"secondary process thinking†. Ego considers the possibilities of the act in question giving the opportunity to make safe and sound choices.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Deception Point Page 73

Corky leaned forward to look at her. â€Å"Please don't tell me your new theory is that NASA took a fossilized rock up in the space shuttle and sent it hurtling toward earth hoping nobody would notice the fireball, the massive crater, or the explosion?† Rachel had not thought of that, although it was an interesting premise. Not feasible, but interesting all the same. Her thoughts were actually closer to home. All natural atmospheric elements. Clean burn. Striations from racing through the air. A faint light had gone off in a distant corner of her mind. â€Å"The ratios of the atmospheric elements you saw,† she said. â€Å"Were they exactly the same ratios you see on every other meteorite with a fusion crust?† Corky seemed to hedge slightly at the question. â€Å"Why do you ask?† Rachel saw him hesitate and felt her pulse quicken. â€Å"The ratios were off, weren't they?† â€Å"There is a scientific explanation.† Rachel's heart was suddenly pounding. â€Å"Did you by any chance see an unusually high content of one element in particular?† Tolland and Corky exchanged startled looks. â€Å"Yes,† Corky said, â€Å"but-â€Å" â€Å"Was it ionized hydrogen?† The astrophysicist's eyes turned to saucers. â€Å"How could you possibly know that!† Tolland also looked utterly amazed. Rachel stared at them both. â€Å"Why didn't anyone mention this to me?† â€Å"Because there's a perfectly sound scientific explanation!† Corky declared. â€Å"I'm all ears,† Rachel said. â€Å"There was surplus ionized hydrogen,† Corky said, â€Å"because the meteorite passed through the atmosphere near the North Pole, where the earth's magnetic field causes an abnormally high concentration of hydrogen ions.† Rachel frowned. â€Å"Unfortunately, I have another explanation.† 87 The fourth floor of NASA headquarters was less impressive than the lobby-long sterile corridors with office doors equally spaced along the walls. The corridor was deserted. Laminated signs pointed in all directions. LANDSAT 7 TERRA ACRIMSAT JASON 1 AQUA PODS Gabrielle followed the signs for PODS. Winding her way down a series of long corridors and intersections, she came to a set of heavy steel doors. The stencil read: Polar Orbiting Density Scanner (PODS) Section Manager, Chris Harper The doors were locked, secured both by key card and a PIN pad access. Gabrielle put her ear to the cold metal door. For a moment, she thought she heard talking. Arguing. Maybe not. She wondered if she should just bang on the door until someone inside let her in. Unfortunately, her plan for dealing with Chris Harper required a bit more subtlety than banging on doors. She looked around for another entrance but saw none. A custodial alcove stood adjacent to the door, and Gabrielle stepped in, searching the dimly lit niche for a janitor's key ring or key card. Nothing. Just brooms and mops. Returning to the door, she put her ear to the metal again. This time she definitely heard voices. Getting louder. And footsteps. The latch engaged from inside. Gabrielle had no time to hide as the metal door burst open. She jumped to the side, plastering herself against the wall behind the door as a group of people hurried through, talking loudly. They sounded angry. â€Å"What the hell is Harper's problem? I thought he'd be on cloud nine!† â€Å"On a night like tonight,† another said as the group passed by, â€Å"he wants to be alone? He should be celebrating!† As the group moved away from Gabrielle, the heavy door started swinging closed on pneumatic hinges, revealing her location. She remained rigid as the men continued down the hall. Waiting as long as she possibly could, until the door was only inches from closing, Gabrielle lunged forward and caught the door handle with just inches to spare. She stood motionless as the men turned the corner down the hall, too engaged in their conversation to look back. Heart pounding, Gabrielle pulled open the door and stepped into the dimly lit area beyond. She quietly closed the door. The space was a wide open work area that reminded her of a college physics laboratory: computers, work islands, electronic gear. As her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, Gabrielle could see blueprints and sheets of calculations scattered around. The entire area was dark except for an office on the far side of the lab, where a light shone under the door. Gabrielle walked over quietly. The door was closed, but through the window she could see a man sitting at a computer. She recognized the man from the NASA press conference. The nameplate on the door read: Chris Harper Section Manager, PODS Having come this far, Gabrielle suddenly felt apprehensive, wondering if she could actually pull this off. She reminded herself how certain Sexton was that Chris Harper had lied. I would bet my campaign on it, Sexton had said. Apparently there were others who felt the same, others who were waiting for Gabrielle to uncover the truth so they could close in on NASA, attempting to gain even a tiny foothold after tonight's devastating developments. After the way Tench and the Herney administration had played Gabrielle this afternoon, she was eager to help. Gabrielle raised her hand to knock on the door but paused, Yolanda's voice running through her mind. If Chris Harper lied to the world about PODS, what makes you think he'll tell YOU the truth? Fear, Gabrielle told herself, having almost fallen victim to it herself today. She had a plan. It involved a tactic she'd seen the senator use on occasion to scare information out of political opponents. Gabrielle had absorbed a lot under Sexton's tutelage, and not all of it attractive or ethical. But tonight she needed every advantage. If she could persuade Chris Harper to admit he had lied-for whatever reason-Gabrielle would open a small door of opportunity for the senator's campaign. Beyond that, Sexton was a man who, if given an inch to maneuver, could wriggle his way out of almost any jam. Gabrielle's plan for dealing with Harper was something Sexton called â€Å"overshooting†-an interrogation technique invented by the early Roman authorities to coax confessions from criminals they suspected were lying. The method was deceptively simple: Assert the information you want confessed. Then allege something far worse. The object was to give the opponent a chance to choose the lesser of two evils-in this case, the truth. The trick was exuding confidence, something Gabrielle was not feeling at the moment. Taking a deep breath, Gabrielle ran through the script in her mind, and then knocked firmly on the office door. â€Å"I told you I'm busy!† Harper called out, his English accent familiar. She knocked again. Louder. â€Å"I told you I'm not interested in coming down!† This time she banged on the door with her fist. Chris Harper came over and yanked open the door. â€Å"Bloody hell, do you-† He stopped short, clearly surprised to see Gabrielle. â€Å"Dr. Harper,† she said, infusing her voice with intensity. â€Å"How did you get up here?† Gabrielle's face was stern. â€Å"Do you know who I am?† â€Å"Of course. Your boss has been slamming my project for months. How did you get in?† â€Å"Senator Sexton sent me.† Harper's eyes scanned the lab behind Gabrielle. â€Å"Where is your staff escort?† â€Å"That's not your concern. The senator has influential connections.† â€Å"In this building?† Harper looked dubious. â€Å"You've been dishonest, Dr. Harper. And I'm afraid the senator has called a special senatorial justice board to look into your lies.† A pall crossed Harper's face. â€Å"What are you talking about?†