Monday, September 30, 2019

Chemical and Physical Changes Lab Report

Also, be cautious as to not inhale the chemicals. Because the glassware is glass, they may break and as such must be handled gently. All glassware should be inspected for cracks before starting the lab. Ill. Pre-Lab Questions- 1 . Identify the following as either chemical or physical changes: A. Striking a match- Chemical B. Food Spoiling- Chemical C. Breaking a Glass- Physical D. Mowing the Grass- Physical E. Leaves Decaying- Chemical F. Boiling Water- Physical 2.In your own words, state the Law of Conservation of Mass: The Law of the Conservation of Matter says the matter can be neither created nor destroyed. 3. List he indicators of a chemical change: Chemical change can be illustrated in many forms such as rust, decay, light being produced, heat being given off or cold being given off, and color change. These are simply a few and are not all of them. 4. Identify each as an element, compound, or mixture: A. Alarm- Compound B. Sulfur- Element C. Hydrogen Gas- Element D. Salad- Mixt ure E.Water- Compound F. Sodium Bicarbonate- Compound G. Fruit Punch- Compound H. Sodium Chloride (table salt)- Compound ‘V. Procedure- Experiment 1- Combine a few iron filings along with sulfur powder on an unused piece of paper. Mix the samples well with a scoopful. Examine the mixture with a magnifying glass and record your observation. Next, move the magnet under the mixture and reexamine It with a magnifying glass once again and record the observations. Discard the sample. Experiment 2- Fill a small beaker half way with cold water.Obtain a test tube with warm bath water and add the warm bath water with the cold water in the water and placing it in the trash can and dump the water down the sink. Experiment 3- Place a piece of magnesium in a clean, dry test tube. Next, add 10 drops of MM HCI. Record observations. Carefully touch the bottom of the test tube to check for the change in temperatures. Flush contents down the sink with plenty of water. Experiment 4- Transfer smal l amounts of sodium bicarbonate into a clean, dry test tube.Add 10 drops of MM HCI individually. Touch the bottom of the test tube and record all observations. Wash all the leftovers down the sink. Experiment 5- Mix 10 drops of barium chloride solution in a test tube with sodium sulfate solution. Record all observations in the data table and then pour down the sink. Experiment 6- Mix a small scoop of sodium chloride with 2 ml of water in a test tube. Record all observations and wash down the sink. V. Data and Observations- Experiment # Mass and Observations Chemical or Physical?When the magnet was held under the piece of paper, the iron stood up and followed the magnet physical 2 The warm water became a solid when added to the cold water physical 3 When the MM HCI was added, the liquids began to bubble and heat up, which is exothermic chemical 4 When the MM HCI was added, the liquids began to bubble once again and the liquids lolled, which was endothermic chemical 5 When the barium chloride was added, the color changed and the consistency changed to a more milky consistency physical 6 When the small scoop of sodium chloride was added to the water, nothing could be observed as happening physical VI.Calculations- VI'. Post Lab Questions- 1. In which lab did you observe a precipitate? A precipitate was observed in experiment number 2. 2. In which did you observe energy change? An energy change was observed in experiment number 1 when potential energy changed to mechanical energy. . In which did you observe a color change? A color was observed in experiment was observed in experiment number 5 when it became a milky color. 4. In which did you observe the formation of a gas? Gases of any sort. VIII.Conclusion- The purpose of this lab was to identify what a chemical change and what a physical change is. A chemical change is when bonds are broken and new ones are forced to form. Some indicators are a change are exothermic (heats up), endothermic (cools of, precipitate (solid forms), and color change. In the first experiment when the agent was under the sheet of paper with the iron filings, the iron filings stood up on their end and followed the magnet around, changing from potential energy into mechanical energy.In the second experiment performed, a precipitate formed, a solid was formed out of the warm water when it was added to the cold water. In experiment three, an exothermic change occurred when the magnesium and MM HCI where combined, resulting in bubbling of the two and then the test tube heating up. Then in experiment four, an endothermic change occurred when the sodium carbonate and MM HCI were combined in the test tube and the test tube cooled down.In experiment five, there was a color change when the barium chlorine and sodium sulfate were combined resulting in a new milky color which also now had a milky consistency. In the sixth experiment, as far as I could tell, nothing happened in the sixth experiment. ‘X. Error Analysis- T he only possible error I can see is if my group made an error of some sort of error in experiment number 6 when nothing happened, and it Just seems like something should have happened in the experiment.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 22

I straightened the cuffs on my neatly pressed white shirt and buttoned my overcoat. The shiny brass buttons glinted in the lamplight as I turned the corner onto Laurel Street. I wiped my face, to make sure no blood lingered on my lips. Id visited my barmaid from Miladies, sating my hunger before my evening out on the town with Callie. The barmaids blood had tasted sweet, like lilies dipped in honey. The second the warmth had hit my tongue, my senses had become honed and the world had sharpened around the edges. Now the cicadas shrieked in my ears and the smell of roses assaulted my nose, but my stomach was calm and my veins were sated. I was ready for my date. The park at the end of the street was filled with magnolias and ancient elm trees, and in the center, a marble fountain was topped with a sculpture of a naked woman. Through the burble of the fountain, I could hear the beating of a human heart. â€Å"Hello?† I called. â€Å"Stefan!† Callie stepped out from behind a stone cherub into the weak light of a gas lamp. Her red hair, a flame in the flickering light, hung loose and curly around her shoulders. She wore a simple, cream-colored dress, with a lace bodice and a flouncy skirt that draped over her tiny hips. Blood raced through my body. â€Å"What?† Callie said, reddening as she noticed my stare. â€Å"You look, uh, like a girl,† I said. She looked beautiful. â€Å"Gee, thanks.† Callie rolled her eyes and softly slugged my shoulder. â€Å"Youre just used to seeing me in work clothes.† She gazed at me. â€Å"You look quite handsome.† I cleared my throat and tugged on my collar. Suddenly my clothes felt uncomfortable and constricting, and the night air stuffy. I wondered briefly if the barmaid had something in her blood that hadnt agreed with me. â€Å"Thank you,† I said formally. â€Å"Stefan?† Callie lifted her arm expectantly. â€Å"Oh, of course.† I took her arm in mine. Her freckled hand grazed my palm. I flinched and readjusted so that her hand was resting on the soft fabric of my jacket. â€Å"Where to, Miss Gallagher?† She looked up at me, a smile on her face. â€Å"Bourbon Street, of course.† Callie guided me through cobblestone side streets, where gardenias dripped from balconies. On a whim, I grabbed one and tucked it behind her ear. Back home in Mystic Falls, it was customary to bring flowers or a small token when visiting with a lady. â€Å"Want to know a secret?† Callie whispered. â€Å"What?† I asked, curious. I was already the bearer of too many secrets. But perhaps Callies could lead me to Damon She got up on tiptoe and cupped my ear with her hand. The sound of her blood pumping beneath her skin magnified tenfold. I gritted my teeth, forcing my fangs back down. â€Å"Your shirt has come untucked,† she whispered. â€Å"Oh,† I said, as I self-consciously smoothed down my shirt. â€Å"Thanks.† Callie let out a gleeful laugh. â€Å"You know what I really want to see?† she asked, grabbing my arm. â€Å"What?† I asked, trying to devote all my energy to not listening to the steady thrum of her blood. â€Å"A burlesque show. Madame X has a showeveryone'sbeen talking about,† she said. We walked together through the town, past bustling crowds and wavering street carts, ending up in a well-kept neighborhood in front of a pristine, stately house. A simple placard next to the door readMADAME Xin black script. Soft lamplight shone from all the windows, and carriages pulled up, one after another, to the front gate, releasing their well-dressed passengers into the depths of the club. I momentarily panicked. I didnt have any money. And I was wearing a schoolboys clothes that hadnt been in style since the turn of the century. â€Å"Callie, I think † I began, trying to come up with an alternate idea for our evening when the front door swung open to greet us. â€Å"Good evening. Are you guests of the house?† The mans eyes flicked down my old clothes. I was wildly underdressed for this venue, and I knew it. Callie, however, looked radiant. â€Å"Yes,† Callie jumped in, straightening her shoulders. â€Å"And your names?† From the way Callies lips flattened, I could tell she hadnt realized there was a guest list. I stepped in front of her, suddenly inspired. â€Å"Were the Picards. Remy and his wife, Calliope.† â€Å"One moment, sir.† The man waddled in his slippers over to a podium holding a list that almost certainly did not include Mr. Remy Picards name. He turned a page, then turned it back. â€Å"What are you doing, Stefan?† Callie whispered. â€Å"I have it under control,† I said quietly. â€Å"Just smile and look pretty.† The man returned, looking genuinely distressed. â€Å"Im terribly sorry, sir, but your name is not on our list for tonight.† He glanced around, as if ready to beckon a security guard if we made trouble. I want you to let us in without asking us any more questions, I thought, channeling all my energy. â€Å"Wed really like to come in,† I said aloud, concentrating on looking deep into his eyes, ignoring Callies curious gaze boring into my back. â€Å"Are you sure you didnt see our names on the list?† The mans eyes flickered. Let us in without looking at the list. â€Å"You know, I believe Imighthave seen your names. In fact, Im sure I did. The Picards! Im sorry. It was my confusion. Right this way,† he said, a slightly vacant expression on his face. He led us through large double doors and into a sumptuous parlor. Low crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the air smelled of jasmine, magnolia, and freesia. â€Å"Enjoy your stay at Madame Xs. And if I can be of any assistance to either of you, dont hesitate to come fetch me,† the man said, turning on his heel. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. Callie simply stood there, looking slack-jawed at me. â€Å"How did you do that?† I shrugged. â€Å"I just made him doubt himself. He wouldnt want to say no to the Picards, whoever they are. Besides, what if our nameswereon the list, and he said no to us, then we complained to the owner?† Secretly, I was thrilled. My Power was strengthening. â€Å"So I take it that this isnt your first time sneaking in where you dont belong?† I glanced at her slyly. â€Å"You of all people should know that to be true.† She laughed, and I gave her an impromptu twirl. People stared at us. Even though a pianist was playing a jaunty tune in the corner, this wasnt a room where people danced. Instead, guests drifted from one conversation to the next as they sucked on cigars and gulped down champagne. â€Å"Do you know anyone here?† I asked as we brushed past couple after couple, all clad in finery. Callie shrugged, the shadow of a frown crossing her face. She glanced around the room. â€Å"They all hate Father. They say hes a Unionist whos taking advantage of New Orleans with his business. And perhaps he is, but at least his show doesnt pretend to be something its not,† she said, jutting her chin. I shifted in my seat. Wasnt that exactly what I was doing? Pretending to be someone I wasnt? I couldnt look at her, in case she could see the depths of my lies in my eyes. A server came by with a tray laden with champagne. I grabbed two glasses. â€Å"Cheers,† I said, handing one to Callie. As we sipped the bubbling liquid, conversations swirled around us, growing louder and more boisterous with every tray of drinks the waiters brought out to serve. Mens movements grew more languid, women laughed more readily. â€Å"Is your father ready for the next show?† I asked, forcing a conversational note to my voice. â€Å"I suppose so.† â€Å"Who will the vampire be fighting?† â€Å"I dont know,† Callie said. â€Å"A crocodile, or maybe a tiger. It depends on what Father can get on such short notice. Why?† I shrugged noncommittally. â€Å"I want to place a bet.† â€Å"Father wants something cheap. Hes worried people wont pony up as much money for another animal fight. It seems the monsters much stronger than a beast.† â€Å"Oh,† I said, trying to process the information. â€Å"But lets not talk about work. Tonight is supposed to be fun! Lord knows we dont have enough of it in our real lives.† Callies voice grew melancholy. â€Å"Speaking of fun,† she said, pointing to a small crowd moving through a set of double doors at the back of the club, â€Å"I think the burlesque show is back there.† â€Å"Shall we?† I asked, offering my arm. The back room, much smaller than the first one, had numerous wooden tables crammed onto the floor. A stage was set up at the front of the room, and the space was dimly lit by candles. Instead of joining the crush toward the front, Callie and I sat back on a low-slung, red velvet bench beneath a large mirror in the back of the room. As soon as everyone settled into seats, a master of ceremonies took to the stage. I was surprised to see that he was a man wearing a dinner suit and cape. Id imagined a burlesque show to be louder, larger than this, with plenty of music and scantily clad women. â€Å"Good evening! As weve all heard, we have a vampire in our midst,† he said dramatically. Audience members tittered nervously. I glanced at Callie out of the corner of my eye. Was this some sort of trap? Did she know what I was? But Callie was leaning forward, as if mesmerized by the mans words. The master of ceremonies smiled, drinking in the suspense. â€Å"Yes, a vampire. Down at that two-bit circus by the lake.† Jeers filled the room. Callie hadnt been exaggerating when shed said her father was infamous in this town. I turned to look at her. Although her cheeks were as red as her hair, she gazed straight ahead, her elbows on her knees. â€Å"And eyewitnesses say Gallagher had to chain his up so it wont run away. But, here at Madame Xs, our vampire has come to visit all on his own.† â€Å"We can go if you want,† I whispered. But Callie shook her head and clasped my hand. It felt warm against my cool skin, but this time I didnt push her away. â€Å"No, I want to stay.† A thin man walked onstage, clad in a black cape. His face was powdered, and thin lines of fake blood were drawn from the corners of his lips. He smiled at the crowd, revealing fake fangs. I shifted in my seat. â€Å"I am a vampire, and you all are my prey! Come to me, my pretties!† he cackled, in an exaggerated voice that made me squirm. The â€Å"vampire† stalked around the stage, his teeth bared and his eyes scanning the audience. A woman in a pearl-embroidered gown stood up from a table in the front and walked toward the stage as if in a trance, emitting a low moan with each step. â€Å"The vampire has special eyes that can see through clothing. And this vampire, ladies and gentlemen, likes what he sees!† The master of ceremonies leered at the audience. At this, the audience applauded enthusiastically. I glanced at Callie again. Had she known this was a show about vampires? â€Å"But, now, the vampire has his hunger awakened. And what hell do to feed the hunger, you wont believe,† the master of ceremonies said as the vampire onstage waved his hands toward the woman, as if conducting an orchestra. As he did that, a trumpet player began playing a slow, mournful tune. The woman began to move her hips, slowly at first, and then more and more quickly until she looked as though she would topple over. â€Å"Maybe Father should give our vampire dance lessons,† Callie whispered, her breath hot on my cheek. Then, suddenly, the vampire stopped waving his arms. The music stopped, and so did the woman. The vampire lurched toward her, took hold of the sleeve of her dress, and tore it off, exposing her milky-white arm. â€Å"Do you feel wicked tonight?† the vampire called to the audience, waggling the fabric toward the crowd. Then he tore off the other sleeve. My stomach turned. â€Å"I ask you, do you feel wicked tonight?† he called again, tossing the fabric into the audience. The crowd cheered as the dancer continued her gyrations, rubbing her back against the â€Å"vampire.† Slowly, she peeled away her clothing, item by item, sending a silk stocking or a slip into the audience until most of her body was on display. As the music picked up speed, she got closer to becoming entirely nude. At last, she sat in a chair on the stage as the master of ceremonies pulled off the last bit of her top, forcing her to cover herself with her hands. â€Å"As he is a beast from hell, the only way to stop a vampire is with a stake to the heart. But they can also be kept away with a crucifix â€Å" At this, the dancer pantomimed a futile search for pockets that might contain a stake or crucifix. I slumped in my chair, thinking of my own attacks. Of Alice, of Lavinia, of the nurse whose name Id never known. There was nothing beautiful or romantic about those attacks. They were quick, bloody, deadly. Id ended their lives without a second thought, with swift violence and a thirst for more. â€Å"Are you okay?† Callie asked. For the first time, I realized how tightly Id been clutching her hand. I loosened my grip, and instantly she snuggled closer to me in my seat. Her blood pumped like sweet music through her body, and the warmth of her body soothed my anger. I relaxed into her, taking in the softness of her voice as she laughed at the play. Callie was warm and soft and so veryalive. I wanted this moment to freeze, to last into eternity, with nothing but me and Callie and her beating heart. There was nothing else I needed in that moment, not blood, not power, not D– My body tensed and I sat straight up. What was I doing? Had I forgotten my brother, what I had done to him, so quickly? I stood up. â€Å"Down in front!† a voice barked a few rows behind me. â€Å"I-Im sorry. I have to go,† I said, stumbling toward the door. â€Å"Stefan, wait!† she called. But I kept going until I was on the street, running from the late-night bustle all the way to the riverbank. As I stared down at my reflection in the swirling water, Percys words echoed in my head: â€Å"Youll either want to kill her or kiss her, and neither scenario will end well for you.† He was right. Because while I truly didnt know whether I wanted to kiss or bite Callie, I knew I wantedher.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Globalisation and Small Medium Enterprises Essay

Globalisation and Small Medium Enterprises - Essay Example executives are required to make frequent visits to foreign markets to meet foreign distributors and to participate in trade missions and trade shows. Global strategic planning is increasingly becoming essential for SMEs. Introduction Globalization as a business concept came to the forefront some twenty years ago. There is much more to globalization than just business conducted through export-import activities and foreign direct investments (FDI). Globalization of enterprises means the set of operations or coordinated actions, which an enterprise may take to make its presence felt in other markets or to benefit from resources originating from other markets. And for the SMEs, with their limited resources, it is one of the toughest choices to make because of the numerous risks inherent in it. A number of SMEs, which are quite prosperous locally, fail to rise in foreign markets.Emerging SMEs in the new economic order in most of the growing market economies as well as in countries in transition are constantly in pressure to cope with the challenges of the opening market economies, especially in wake of the enlargement of the EU. For instance, Austria's inclusion into the EU brought fresh opportunities for the Austrian SMEs, however it brought considerable threats as well, for they come into confrontation with a more complex and dynamic environment. This demands an adapted system of planning and control-tool to secure and strengthen their competencies on part of the marketing-management in SMEs. In recent years, a slew of international strategies for the SME have been analyzed and forwarded by OECD countries, however, there exist a considerable variance regarding the importance and the utilization. Yet, an area, which deserves a fair...They are worried, that there will be an effect of exclusion of SMEs, which will be pushed to the margin of this process to the advantage of better financed and more internationalized giant corporation. In some cases this risk may be a real one." "the majority of our sample enterprises have experienced an evolution in line with the Internationalization Stages Theory, they equally use many other types of inter-enterprise accords (strategic alliances).These more flexible methods insert themselves between the more "popular strategies" within the Internationalization Stages theory (see figure 2). It is plausible to believe that the utilization of accords, as well as alleviating the problem of constraints on resources, which is a frequent problem among SMEs, opens the path towards the adoption of more important strategies as the enterprises commits itself more and more in the foreign market."5 "Often their (that means Entrepreneurs) first attempt at moving outside their local market is to Europeanise their activities. At a European level we are trying to make it easier for them to make that leap forward. It began with the single market process that generated a great deal of excitement at the beginning of the 1990s.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Aircrafts Maintenance - A Commercial and Public Essential Annotated Bibliography

Aircrafts Maintenance - A Commercial and Public Essential - Annotated Bibliography Example The demand for its services, as with most transport, is a derived one that is driven by the needs and desires to attain some other, final objective. Air transport can facilitate, for example, in the economic development of a region or of a particular industry such as tourism, but there has to be a latent demand for the goods and services offered by a region or by an industry.† Since all major business operation, conducted an international scale by the multinational organizations require air traveling, the safety and protection of the crew and passengers is a matter of grave concern for the airline industry. Consequently, the companies pay due heed to the reparation and overhauling procedure on regular basis in order to ensure a safe journey on the one hand, and for minimizing the maintenance expenditures on the other. â€Å"Aircraft maintenance†, CAA states, â€Å"is an essential component of the aviation system which supports the global aviation industry. As air traffi c grows and the stringent requirements of commercial schedules impose increased demands upon aircraft utilization, the pressures on maintenance operations for on-time performance will also continue to escalate.† This annotated bibliography consists of five pieces of research on the need and significance of aircraft overhauling on regular basis in order to avoid any unpleasant and untoward state of affairs during the flight. First research has been made by Samaranyake et al in 2002, in which they have elaborated the importance of the structure and design of aircraft in the overhauling and reparation procedures. To conclude, it becomes evident that all the researches discussed above throw light upon the maintenance, reparation and overhauling systems of the aircrafts.  

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Role of Labor in Texas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Role of Labor in Texas - Essay Example Labor is not only composed of the citizen of a certain city or country. Labor is a mobile factor of production, which migrates from one place to another for better opportunities, adding to the productive capacity of their new society. However, there is also a downside to the migration of labor. While they may satisfy the labor needs of their new place and may also improve the quality and quantity of labor and products (by increasing competition for the existing labor), their migration may aggravate housing, sanitation, and health problems. Their presence may also give rise to tensions and riots between the locals and migrants. Agriculture is one of sectors of US economy that is highly dependent on migrant labor. This is because the native-born Americans are not attracted to this sector due to its seasonal nature and physical requirements. One of states, where this phenomenon is most evident is Texas. Migrant labor controls the agricultural sector in Texas. They fulfill the fruit and vegetable requirements of the country. Because of the latest fears about in-land safety, the American government has tightened its immigration policies. However, this may have dire consequences for agricultural sector. ... America will have to import what it previously produced, if the migrant labor is send back or the cut down. Thus, the migrant labor play an important role in American agricultural sector and their absence will be felt greatly by society, agriculture and U.S. economy. (Stallman) Cultural Imperialism: Cultural imperialism is the process of promoting and injecting culture of one country into another. This usually happens with one powerful nation injecting its culture into a less powerful nation. Dominating another country's, influencing its people, language and media for political and economic gains. United States of America has been the Super Power since the fall of Soviet Union. It is, at present, the largest economy and the biggest military power in the world. Through the chants of " globalization", it has been injecting its ideas into the less-developing countries; to promote its interests and prevent them from growing economically, militarily, culturally etc. This has been done through media, multinationals, Internet and lately in the name of " war on terrorism." Though there has been a number of organizations that are working to promote the culture and languages of less developing countries, however they have not be very effective. Secondly, one of most prominent feature of these organizations is to promote better understanding between United States and the developing countries. Thus, in a way they have been reinforcing the very phenomenon they are fighting against-Western Imperialism. By targeting "Islam", promoting it as "a terrorist's religion", by attacking Iraq and Afghanistan, by capturing endless innocent Muslims for being "Jihadis", America and the West has been trying to culturally, politically, economically and militarily suppress the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

How a Leader Should Be Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How a Leader Should Be - Essay Example I’d expect my leader to lead in a democratic manner, which encourages everyone’s participation, rather than in an authoritative manner, in which only the leader would have a say. (Ivancevich et al. 2011) In the provided article, the focus is placed on inculcating such leadership qualities that encourage group work, rather than individual efforts. I believe that this is in line with my expectations from a good leader. As the article states, a good leader will recognize talent and guide it effectively. Moreover, they’d be willing to take risks and think out of the box. The article further states that these leaders would encourage creativity, which is also in line with how I believe a good leader should be. They’d also encourage participation from other group members, rather than taking all the authority in their hands completely. They would recognize that involving everyone would result in more balanced and effective decision-making. As the article states, a leader would facilitate the members through tasks rather than give them orders. 2 (Bennis and Biederman 1996) One very popular theory on leadership is that of Transformational Leadership by James MacGregor Burns. This theory states that the leader and the followers work together in the process of ‘raising one another to higher levels of morality and motivation’. ... Both theories focus on the relationship between the leader and the followers. In other words, focus is placed on the functioning of the group as a whole. The followers of leader under transformational leadership feel trust, admiration, and respect for the leader and under such leadership, they would feel to be one with the group which would encourage them to work hard towards their goal. Further similarities between the two theories include: the leader acts as a mentor and gives attention to the needs of the followers; there is open communication among the group; any individual contribution to the group is given due attention and respect. The leader solicits the ideas of the followers in order to encourage creativity and power of thinking. The leader encourages the group to challenge and push themselves towards achieving the impossible; he/she provides a vision and purpose to the group which encourages them to work towards their goals. 4 I personally had a chance to witness a situati on of a weak leadership at a youth conference, where the focus was entirely on the demands of the leader and group participation was minimal. A group of ten people had to work together to make a model bridge in very limited time. The chosen leader had an authoritative style of leading where, instead of delegating and assigning tasks, the leader took everything in her hands. There was very little motivation among the members to contribute to the project. The project was carried out in quite a haphazard manner where no one was quite sure of what they were supposed to do. This experience further strengthened my belief that a leader alone cannot achieve a task which requires more than one hand. He/she has to keep

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Cruise Line Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cruise Line Industry - Essay Example Ted Arison served in World War II in the British Army in the 1940s. An Israeli immigrant, he started a business running cargo between Israel and New York. However, this venture failed due to competition. In the early 50s, he moved to the United States and worked as a cargo manager for the Israel’s national airline. He then started an air freight company called Trans Air System in the late 1960s. At the age of 42 he moved to Miami to run a small cruise ship between Florida and the Caribbean. The ship was impounded due to owner debt; Arison transferred the passengers onto a Norwegian Cruise Line. He was then convinced he needed to own the ships rather than work for others. (Funding Universe, 1999). Together with his former schoolmate, Meshulam Riklis, they formed Carnival Cruise as a subsidiary of AITS (American International Travel Service). (Funding Universe, 1999). â€Å"Our mission is to deliver exceptional vacation experiences through the world’s best-known cruise brands that cater to a variety of different lifestyles and budgets, all at an outstanding value unrivaled on land or at sea.† (Carnival Corporation, 2012). Carnival Cruise Line began in 1972 by using the old to bring in the new. Its founder, the late Ted Arison’s vision, to start with one refurbished ocean liner and just enough fuel to make a maiden voyage one way from Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The first voyage did not go well, as the ship ran aground off the Florida coast. However, coupled with his enthusiasm and future vision, he began to build his American Dream through a partnership. Two years later in 1974 the small line was fighting to stay in business. Arison, determined to see his vision become reality, bought full ownership of the company for $1 and $5 million in debt. Being a very determined entrepreneur, Arison spend the largest portion of his life building the Carnival name into the most well

Monday, September 23, 2019

Six Sigma Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Six Sigma - Research Paper Example Brief History As a measurement standard, on the one hand, Six Sigma dated back to the 1800s when the German mathematician named Carl Frederick Gauss introduced the notion of normal curve (Islam 17). As a standard in variation, on the other hand, Six Sigma originated in the 1920s when Walter Shewhart, a Bell Telephone Laboratories statistician, proved that the three sigma from the average level are the reference point by which the process in question requires correction (Islam 17). On the other hand of the scale, the history of the praxis of â€Å"Six Sigma† in companies is fairly modern. Its coinage was made only in the 1980s by the Motorola engineer named Bill Smith. According to Islam, Smith is the individual credited in coining such term (17). Smith’s Six Sigma is one of the results from the Motorola’s decision to secure its global leadership. In the same decade, perhaps prior to Smith’s coinage, the executive leaders of the Motorola Company established a four-point plan as a response to Sundry’s â€Å"[o]ur quality stinks† (Barney and McCarty 2). Here, Sundry refers to the feedback expressed by the company’s costumers concerning product quality. ... In the third point plan, one observes that the phrase â€Å"quality improvements† -- probably the early definition of â€Å"Six Sigma† -- is a concept that comes from the principle or theory prominent in TQM. That is to say, Six Sigma in its early inception is not far from similar to TQM in a fundamental manner; the modification only occurs in the TQM’s adaptation or application to the Motorola culture. Definition and Methodology Pande, Neuman, and Cavanagh define the notion of Six Sigma in several ways; they state that Six Sigma is a way, a goal, an approach, and a system (77). First, Six Sigma is essentially a way or method of measuring certain process or processes. This implies that Six Sigma is a technique in which a particular activity or phenomenon (e.g., manufacturing products) is quantitatively measured. Second, Six Sigma is a goal, or has an end, of near perfection, which is quantifiable by 3.4 Defects per Million Opportunities or DPMO (Pande, Neuman, an d Cavanagh 77). As an end, the application of Six Sigma to a specific process or activity largely aims for a 3.4 DPMO; that is to say, for every one million of company products being manufactured, the number of their defects should be within the 3.4 range. Third, Six Sigma is an approach in which the culture of the organization is greatly altered. This definition of Six Sigma is historically grounded; it reminds us of Motorola’s 1980s third point plan -- the function of quality improvements to the company’s culture. Unlike the practice of traditional management, Six Sigma as an approach changes significantly the roles of the members (i.e., top and bottom) of the organization. The functions of leaders and their subordinates are fundamentally modified. Fourth, Six Sigma is

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Tentative Reference List Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tentative Reference List - Research Proposal Example It also contains some of the approaches that could be undertaken to prevent drug use in schools which is essential in our research recommendation. This article would provide information about the rules and consequences that should be introduced for those found using drugs in schools. It also provides information on how to manage drug related incidences. This article is important since it contains arguments on whether students should be tested for drug use. Moreover, it contains some of the evidences from court rulings that indicate whether drug testing should be undertaken in schools. This article contains information like the legal issues surrounding this research topic. People who advocate for students not to be tested for drug use use the arguments. The other information that this article contain is the reason why schools should test members of their fraternity for drug use. These are actually the arguments brought out by the people who advocate for drug testing in public schools. Zimmerman, M. A., & Schmeelk-Cone, K. H. (2003). A longitudinal Analysis of Adolescent Substance Use and School Motivation among African American Youth. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 13 (2),

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Organizing relationships traditional and emerging perspectives on workplace relationships Essay Example for Free

Organizing relationships traditional and emerging perspectives on workplace relationships Essay Business ethics Introduction                   One of the issues that have raised concerns in business nowadays is the relationship between senior employees, and the junior employees of the opposite sex. For years, senior employees such as managers and directors have been accused of sexually or emotionally abusing the junior employees working under them. Some are even accused of threatening to dismiss the employees who decline their request for sexual favors from them. Though this may be seen as sexual harassment, the case might be something different from that. Simply because the relationship is between senior and a junior employee, it may not be right to rush to a conclusion that the boss is sexually or emotionally exploiting their subject. It may be a relationship that has developed naturally due to the level of intimacy of the two employees of the opposite gender.                   The controversial nature of this issue is clearly portrayed in the mail online article of November 13th, 2013. The article explains that the report of a study carried out by business week has shown that most of these relationships between employees have nothing to do with harassment. During the survey, it was found out that most of the people working in the offices would be up to a sexual relationship with someone from their office if they got the chance. Of the 2500 respondents interviewed during the survey, 85 percent said it was right for employees within the company to be allowed to have sexual relationships. Some even confessed of sexually admiring their coworkers. After all this, why does the Human Resource department discourage intimate relationships between their employees of opposite gender? The answer is that they conclude that one of the parties in the relationship is sexually harassed, especially if one of the parties is the boss of the other .                   Some people may accuse me of supporting the behavior of the bosses to engage in sexual relationships with their colleagues. But if we consider some working conditions in some organizations, we see that the relations originate absolutely from intimacy and not harassment. Consider the case of a male manager, who works with a lady as the personal secretary. It is very possible for the two to engage in an affair due to the intimacy created by the working conditions. The two attend meetings together, go for lunch together, spend time together in the office, sometimes they go together to attend meetings far from their place of work, and many other closely spent times. From all these close relation, is it not against the laws of nature for something more than boss-secretary relationship to happen? Ironically, when a relationship develops between the manager and his secretary, the manager will be accused of sexually harassing the secretary! In my opinion, the bo ss would be emotionally harassing the secretary if he chose to ignore the feelings that develop after been together almost all the time.                   It may also be arguable that boss-subject relationships may adversely affect the performance of the employees. Employees may be reluctant in their work simply because the boss, who is supposed to supervise their work, can not condemn them because of the existing bond. This may be the idea behind the fight by the human resource department against sexual relationships at the workplace. However, this may not always be the case. This relationship may boost the performance of an employee who will always be trying to be the best to impress the boss. The article workplace relationships on Wikipedia explain of a theory, Workplace Relationship Quality and information Experiences, which originated from a study conducted by Patricia Sias. The theory states the most productive employees are the ones with high access to information about their workplace. It is obvious that the employees with a relationship more than the ordinary workplace relationship have a higher a ccess to business information. I may, therefore, be right to say that the boss-subject relationships can play an important part in boosting the productivity of the employees. The article further describes relationships at the workplace as â€Å"workplace romance†. It explains that though these relationships may not make the workplace so comfortable for other employees; it plays a very important part in the working of the parties involved in the affair. It increases performance due to high motivation and overall job satisfaction.                   Even though some senior employees in some business organization sexually exploit their junior colleagues, let us not mistake every relationship for sexual exploitation or harassment. It is good to appreciate that these bosses and their subjects are just ordinary people and what makes their difference is only the working position and titles. When there is a relationship between two junior employees of opposite gender, this is taken to be an ordinary love relationship. Why then do we have to treat the seniors differently? Aren’t they the same as the juniors? What marks the difference is only job level. It is, therefore, necessary to analyze the situation before concluding that a boss is sexually harassing a junior workmate. References Sias, P. M. (2009). Organizing relationships traditional and emerging perspectives on workplace relationships. Los Angeles: SAGE. (https://www.goodreads.com/user/new?remember=true) Sias, P. M. (2008). Organizing Relationships Traditional and Emerging Perspectives on Workplace Relationships.. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. (http://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Relationships-Traditional-Perspectives-Workplace/dp/1412957974) Source document

Friday, September 20, 2019

Anti Abortion Argumentative Paper Philosophy Essay

Anti Abortion Argumentative Paper Philosophy Essay Don Marquis once made the statement, The loss of ones life is one of the greatest losses one can suffer. The loss of ones life deprives one of all the experiences and enjoyments that would otherwise have constituted ones future. In todays society one of the ongoing questions is when is it right to take the life of another being, more specifically an unborn child. Abortion is mentally and physically damaging for a woman and her fetus. It should not be legal for distinct reasons. These distinct reasons are there are many risks associated with abortion, there are other options rather than getting an abortion and abortion is murder. There are alternative choices instead of getting an abortion. The first and most effective option is not to have sex. The second option is to have the baby and let others care for it. There are companies designed to help find homes for children without proper parents. The third option is to have the baby and put him or her up for adoption. This can provide a solution to couples facing infertility. Abortion is unnecessary due to these alternatives and others. Second, mental and physical health risks are associated with abortions. A patient may experience hemorrhaging, infection, or death. The most common risk of getting an abortion is breast cancer. During a womans first pregnancy, the breast structure is permanently changed. It seems apparent that cancerous changes occur more frequently among these transitional cells of a woman who has terminated her pregnancy. If she aborts more than once before completing a pregnancy, her chance for cancer increases even more. There are 1.6 million abortions each year; 56% are first abortions and 44% are second or more (Stotland 56). With these figures, one in ten women may develop breast cancer, and 25% of them may die (Stotland 63). However, there are not only physical risks to abortion, but mental risks also. Some women feel relief after an abortion, but many suffer Post Abortion Stress. The symptoms of Post Abortion Stress include anger, guilt, flashbacks, sexual dysfunction, suicidal ideas, halluc ination, and increased drug or alcohol use. These facts alone are evidence that abortions are too dangerous for a woman and her child. Third, abortion is murder because the fetus is a well-developed organism before the abortion takes place. Within the first three weeks, the heart is pumping blood, arms and legs bud, and brain is present. Within a month, the mouth, ears, and nose are present. Brainwaves can be recorded and heartbeat detected at forty days and the skeleton is formed. During this period, the brain is controlling the movement of muscles and organs and the unborn reflexively responds to stimuli. This all takes place before the earliest surgical abortions are performed. Many also believe that because the fetus is not living, it does not experience pain. The babys spinal reflexes are sufficiently developed to feel pain around week seven. Mother Theresa said, The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between. If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. Murder is defined as deliberately killing another person not in self-defense or without any other extenuating circumstance recognized by the law. Abortion is killing another person and abortion is not in self-defense. Abortion is murder and takes the life of another human being. Abortion is murder and should be illegal in the United States of America. Anti-Thesis Every woman in the world should have the right to decide how to carry their beings. No government should feel that they have the right to dictate to a person what road their lives should take. Those claiming pro-life are really no more than anti-choice. These pro-lifers crave to put the future of women into the hands of the government. Abortion, and any medical decisions women make, are very private and should never be available for debate. The question of morality cant be a valid argument concerning abortion, because it is not of morality but of option and constitutionality. A common assumption is that people who are pro-choice are actually pro-abortion. Many people that support womens rights could be personally against abortions. That does not mean that they allow the government to pass laws directing what women do with their bodies. Those who are pro-choice simply believe that it is the right of a woman to assess her situation and decide if a baby will benefit or be devastating to her live. People that are opposed to abortion dont take a many things into consideration. For one, consider how the life of a teenager may be ruined if an abortion is not available. Another thing not assessed is the severe family trauma that will result if a baby is forced, by law to be born. Those opposing abortion are unwavering with their ideas and believe that they have a solution to every situation. Pregnant? Try adoption! They will help you support the baby. What ever the womens situation may be, the conservative will not bend. Many suggest adoption as a practical alternative to abortion. But, in reality, this is not a decent substitute. The majority of middle class white couples that are willing to adopt do not want to adopt the mixed race babies (which are the majority put up for adoption). Why else would there be a waiting list for couples to be held in for a few years when there are so many other kinds of babies out there? Would those to claim to have a heart and save a life like these unwanted children grow up as wards of the state, living a life of distress and misfortune? To all of those fighting for laws that will make abortion against the law: do you really think that the law will stop a woman from carrying out with the abort of an unwelcome pregnancy? Drugs are illegal and there plenty of people out there still using. The only thing a law against abortions will achieve will be forcing pregnant women to seek medical attention in unsafe situations, leaving them with not only in the termination of the pregnancy, but perhaps their own lives as well. For a prime example when abortion was prohibited in the 1940s, there were still cases of women seeking help elsewhere. The only alteration though, is that these women typically ended up dead because of hemorrhaging or infection. Bottom line, if a woman wants an abortion, illegal or legal, nothing will get in her way. Why would pro life people, who allegedly put so much significance in life, want to jeopardize the live of another person? Dont get me wrong, if legal abortion is banned, some abortions may be prevented. A woman may not be able to fund an alley-way, black market abortion and would have to deliver. This will be quite unfortunate. Naturally, Mother would be depressed, and in all actuality not deliver the proper care, may drink, do drugs, or any other thing she could do to harm the life of the baby and herself. Post delivery, the mother could very well resent the baby, realizing that it has trashed her chance of ever carrying out her objectives in life. If these women mandated into maternity do happen to keep their child, there is a significant chance of child abuse and neglect. These surplus kids, raised by the state or disregarding parents, would then give birth to yet the next generation of unwanted children. Moreover, in some desperate and impulsive situations, new mothers may become inconsolable, having the idea that since they could not have an abortion they will kill their baby right after birth, thinking they would get away with it and continue on with there lives before the whole wrenched scene. After all of these scenarios are considered fairly by an open-minded person, abortion is the better of them. Many of those who are pro life argue that any of these situations are preferable to abortion. They ultimate goal, they think, is to have the child be alive. They claim that it is unfair and unjust for anyone to take that choice of life away from the fetus. Essentially, what they really want is to take the choice away from the mother and give it to the unborn child, giving them this wonderful prospect to be brought into a loveless, forlorn, and cold so ciety. Synthesis

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Baldwins Stepfather in Notes to a Native Son Essay -- James Baldwin

The Effects on a Narrative Son From His Stepfather In order to effectively analyze something, it is necessary to thoroughly examine and discuss the subject. James Baldwin does this in his essay â€Å"Notes of a Native Son† by describing his experiences growing up with his stepfather while weaving in discussion. Baldwin’s comments during these breaks in his stories draw conclusions and generalizations about himself, his relationship with his father, and its influence on James Baldwin. He uses this analysis to discover and help the audience understand how he was and is affected by his stepfather. Baldwin’s stepfather was very quiet and remote in his relationships with his children. In his essay, Baldwin presents many stories portraying examples of this which all appear early on in the essay. One of the most important stories about his childhood with his stepfather is when they walk back home from church and have their only meaningful conversation together. Baldwin writes that the opportunities in America are â€Å"thicker† than any other place and as a result of this â€Å"the generation has no time to talk to the first†(63). Unlike this observation by Baldwin, his stepfather didn’t avoid contact with the world because of the available opportunities. Instead, Baldwin’s stepfather kept himself away from his children and the world because of his immense anger and hatred. Baldwin remembers his father â€Å"sitting at the window, locked up in his terrors; hating and fearing every living soul including his children who had betrayed him, to o, by reaching towards the world which had despised him†(66). James Baldwin’s stepfather feels extremely rejected by the world and as a result hates everything in it and in contact with it. He feels betra... ...s to be hatred, as described in earlier passages but in this case Baldwin shows that they are ultimately caused by pride. Baldwin uses his narration and analysis to realize that although he ignored his father during his childhood, he could have benefitted by learning something from his warnings. In the final sentence of the essay Baldwin writes, â€Å"I wished that he had been beside me so that I could have searched his face for the answers which only the future would give me now† (84). Baldwin realizes that through similar experiences he and his stepfather have learned much about the world. He wishes that he could still learn from his stepfather but knows that he must now rely on his future experiences. Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Notes of a Native Son.† 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

Introduction The National Security Agency (NSA) is considered to be one of the largest components so the U.S intelligence community stands. It is primarily responsible for gathering intelligence report from detailed communications with the active involvement of the various intelligence tools. It was established in 1952 from the code breaking effort adopted by the handful of military officers and civilians and by and by and by the agency grew in stature and marked its position to gain the role of signal intelligence which is also known as SIGNIT. All of this has resulted from the initiatives taken by the congress and actually it is the congress that helped in providing it the required framework required NSA to carry out its various activities and the enacted laws skilfully guides the limits of NSA. From the perspective of electronic surveillance of US persons and also they are supporting and taking due notice of the public pertaining to the issues at NSA and the related reforms that are directed to make NSA more and more equipped in meeting up with the quotidian technical as well as geopolitical challenges. At present, NSA is constantly coming across multitude of challenges and as well as seeing through a difficult operational environment that brings in certain limitations to its work areas like spending levels for intelligence reports into queries for the future prospects of NSA. The European Parliament has also came forward highlighting the interest of the public who allege that the US along with few other countries are constantly involved in systematic electronic eavesdropping so as to be able to launce the commercial interest of US operations in full effect. (Linda B. 1999) In response to the huge amount of congressional conc... ...concern of the Congress concerning the activity of the NSA is very unlikely to finish and the researchers are of the opinion that amidst attacks on NSA, members of the European parliaments and the members of the Congress jointly may come up and criticize not only the operations and activities as undertaken by the NSA but also its roles and missions. Funding for the efforts being undertaken on part of the NSA has widespread results from the consideration of geopolitical as well as technological work environments that needs to be put into some sort of balance against other prevalent requirements. (Jeremy S. 2000) And more so to a much enhanced degree as compared to that of the past, the Congress is expected to continue to indulge itself in internal challenges in the agency designed to gain in capabilities from the perspective of boosting the technological framework. â€Æ'

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A View From the Bridge - Arthur Miller :: English Literature

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE We have been studying 'A view from the Bridge' which has been written by Arthur Miller. This is the story of Eddie Carbone who is an Italian American who lives with his wife Beatrice and niece Catherine, When Beatrice's cousins Marco and Rodolpho, seek refuge as illegal immigrants from Sicily, Eddie agrees to give them shelter. Catherine falls in love with Rodolpho, which creates trouble. Eddie's jealousy culminates in an unforgivable crime against his family and the Italian community. In this scene I will analyse how Eddie tries to complain to Marco about Rodolpho going out and coming home late at night with Catherine. Eddie is jealous and he thinks that Rodolpho is trying to make a move on his beloved niece Catherine. While Beatrice was trying to stand up for Catherine, Eddie tries to make a point to Marco about not letting Rodolpho to go out a lot, especially with Catherine. While Eddie is reading his paper, Catherine gets up, puts the record on the phonograph and asks Rodolpho to dance. As Catherine, asks Rodolpho to dance, Eddie freezes and with respect towards Eddie Rodolpho does not accept the dance. Beatrice persuades Rodolpho to go a head. Rodolpho rises stiffely, feeling Eddie's eyes on his back and they dance. Marco then tells everyone that, that Rodolpho can cook. Eddie gets surprised. Then Eddie asks Marco and Rodolpho if they want to go and see a real fight. Catherine goes to make coffee. Eddie then insists Rodolpho to learn a boxing move from him. But then Eddie crosses the limit by punching Rodolpho on the face. Marco gets up and Catherine rushes in to see what had happen. Marco gets angry and then performs the chair lifting towards Eddie. We learn a lot about the characters in this scene. In this scene they show a lot of tension. We learn a lot about Immigrants, how they have to stay out of sight, the difference between legal and illegal immigrants, we also learn about Eddie's jealousy, Catherine and Rodolpho's relationship, Beatrice's support and Marco's chair lifting scene. Eddie shows us that he is a family man about when he is always supporting the family by earning the money, selfish about Catherine and Rodolpho's relationship as if he wanted to be the only man in Catherine's life and over protective for Catherine. Catherine is a kind, young and modern girl of her generation. Beatrice is a kind, caring and supportive person towards Catherine and Eddie, Marco is a family man, sensible and determined to earn a living in America and to earn money for his family back in Sicily and as for Rodolpho, he is A View From the Bridge - Arthur Miller :: English Literature A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE We have been studying 'A view from the Bridge' which has been written by Arthur Miller. This is the story of Eddie Carbone who is an Italian American who lives with his wife Beatrice and niece Catherine, When Beatrice's cousins Marco and Rodolpho, seek refuge as illegal immigrants from Sicily, Eddie agrees to give them shelter. Catherine falls in love with Rodolpho, which creates trouble. Eddie's jealousy culminates in an unforgivable crime against his family and the Italian community. In this scene I will analyse how Eddie tries to complain to Marco about Rodolpho going out and coming home late at night with Catherine. Eddie is jealous and he thinks that Rodolpho is trying to make a move on his beloved niece Catherine. While Beatrice was trying to stand up for Catherine, Eddie tries to make a point to Marco about not letting Rodolpho to go out a lot, especially with Catherine. While Eddie is reading his paper, Catherine gets up, puts the record on the phonograph and asks Rodolpho to dance. As Catherine, asks Rodolpho to dance, Eddie freezes and with respect towards Eddie Rodolpho does not accept the dance. Beatrice persuades Rodolpho to go a head. Rodolpho rises stiffely, feeling Eddie's eyes on his back and they dance. Marco then tells everyone that, that Rodolpho can cook. Eddie gets surprised. Then Eddie asks Marco and Rodolpho if they want to go and see a real fight. Catherine goes to make coffee. Eddie then insists Rodolpho to learn a boxing move from him. But then Eddie crosses the limit by punching Rodolpho on the face. Marco gets up and Catherine rushes in to see what had happen. Marco gets angry and then performs the chair lifting towards Eddie. We learn a lot about the characters in this scene. In this scene they show a lot of tension. We learn a lot about Immigrants, how they have to stay out of sight, the difference between legal and illegal immigrants, we also learn about Eddie's jealousy, Catherine and Rodolpho's relationship, Beatrice's support and Marco's chair lifting scene. Eddie shows us that he is a family man about when he is always supporting the family by earning the money, selfish about Catherine and Rodolpho's relationship as if he wanted to be the only man in Catherine's life and over protective for Catherine. Catherine is a kind, young and modern girl of her generation. Beatrice is a kind, caring and supportive person towards Catherine and Eddie, Marco is a family man, sensible and determined to earn a living in America and to earn money for his family back in Sicily and as for Rodolpho, he is

Monday, September 16, 2019

Factoid Friday

Aaron Smith Factoid Friday Paper 3/5/2018 Donald Trump's presidency has brought a lot of controversy with it. His constant tweeting, his blunt statements, and his act-now-think-later mentality have earned him both praise and criticism since the moment he announced he would run for United States President. One act that has stirred up a lot of mixed emotions is President Trump's announcement of a ban that would prevent transgender individuals from serving in the military. This ban, which was first announced via President Trump's twitter account in late July, will override an Obama-era plan that was previously in place specifically to allow transgender individuals to serve in the military (Davis, 2017). Perhaps what is the most frustrating development of this ban for many people is the fact that it was revealed shortly after President Trump declared his great respect for members of the LGBT community and intentions to protect their individual rights and freedoms during his presidential campaign. While many have cited discrimination as the reason behind this act, President Trump and his staff have ensured the public that this ban is purely for national security reasons, and he wanted to assure the LGBT community that this is not a betrayal (Cooper, 2017). This ban has been a hotly debated topic for quite a while. While both the Trump administration, supporters of the ban, and those opposed to the ban all have valid arguments, anyone who is willing to fight and die for his or her country and its freedoms should have the opportunity to do so. This statement holds especially true for Americans because the United States was founded on this very principle. While the military shouldn't pay for gender reassignment surgeries and treatments, recruitment options should be open to all Americans, including transgender individuals. There are many reasons why this is acceptable, including the fact that transgender people are already serving in the military, transgender individuals provide little to no disruption of military activities, and the transgender ban is currently being scrutinized in court for its constitutionality. Taking all of this into consideration, it's hard to see a reason why transgender individuals shouldn't be allowed to fight for the freedom our country provides. It's difficult to argue that transgender individuals shouldn't be allowed in the military simply because there are already transgender people serving in the military today. In fact, as of 2016, there are an estimated 6,630 actively serving transgender individuals in the military and anywhere from 2,030 to 7,160 individuals serving in reserves. Along with these numbers, an estimated 150,000 transgender individuals have served since the year 2012, which is about 21% of all transgender adults in the United States according to UCLA researchers. In contrast, only 10% of the general non-transgender population has served (Hamblin, 2017). The fact that a higher percentage of transgender individuals has served in the United States military compared to those who do not identify as transgender should serve as an eye-opener to many. After all, active military service poses many risks, especially during times of conflict or war. In fact, several American and British armed forces members in Afghanistan were asked about the threats that they faced. The statistics, which are represented by the above image, are quite shocking. Roughly half of all individuals interviewed said that they saw at least one person killed while actively serving. One in every six people witnessed a close friend being injured or killed. One in four were injured by an IED, three in four experienced long-range attacks with rockets or mortars, and half had been attacked at close range with machine guns (Gee, 2017). The point of these statistics is that serving in the United States military can be dangerous, and if such a high percentage of transgender adults are willing to serve in the United States military and risk injury, they shouldn't be denied the ability to do so. The decision to serve in the United States Military should be respected regardless of any drama created by gender. Along with the fact that transgender Americans have already proved that they are willing to make the same sacrifices as their military comrades, a large majority of transgender individuals cause little to no disruption of military activity while serving. In fact, as far as disruption of military activity is concerned, transgender individuals who could possibly be disrupting military activity by getting reassignment surgery account for less than 1% of all available members. The actual number of all individuals estimated to have surgical treatments while actively serving was between 25 and 130 individuals – hardly enough to cause any meaningful hindrance to military activities (PBS, 2017).In regards to this same issue of military disruption, eighteen other countries were examined in a study to determine if transgender service members cause any noticeable problems. Overall, the study â€Å"didn't find any readiness or cohesion implications† involving transgender individuals. Many countries revealed concerns about bullying issues at one point, but it was later determined that simple policy changes were able to deal with this issue (PBS, 2017). If other countries are able to work around the minor ‘difficulties' that transgender individuals may pose, then why can't the United States as well? Surely if this situation is able to work for other countries, it can for Americans as well. Along with this information, President Trump's proposed ban has received legal criticism as well. There are concerns that this ban would violate the Constitutional rights of those individuals affected by the ban. One example of the legal obstacles that this ban has faced occurred in August of 2017. Two gay rights groups filed a lawsuit to ‘ban' the ban before it could be instated. This lawsuit was filed on behalf of five transgender women who are openly and actively serving in the military, for they feel strongly that this ban would violate their constitutional rights (Cooper, 2017). Although the lawsuit itself wasn't the cause, the individuals who filed the suit earned at least a temporary victory in late October, for the ban was temporarily blocked in court by a federal judge (Kheel, 2017). This same judge responsible for the blockage was quoted saying that the ban â€Å"does not appear to be supported by any facts.† Along with this, another federal judge reviewed this ban in court and halted the ban altogether (Marimow, 2017). He stated that active-duty transgender service men and women already suffer harmful consequences because of the president's policy. Some examples of said consequences include being set apart as inherently unfit, facing the threat of discharge, the inability to move ahead with long-term medical plans, and the inability to commission as an officer.Due to these two federal court rulings, it is clear that there is much to be concerned about regarding the legality of the ban. A third court case was carried out with the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NLCR) and the GLBTQ Legal Advocates ; Defenders (GLAD) as the plaintiffs. They argued that the ban violates the Fifth Amendment rights of all transgender service members, and they pushed for the removal of the ban on funds for gender reassignment surgery (which accompanied the transgender ban). Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly presided over the court. After the case ended, she wrote a 76-page memo emphasizing the fact that the plaintiffs' Fifth Amendment claim is a strong one that will prove difficult to refute once it reaches the Supreme Court. The fact that this ban has been heavily criticized, and in some cases acted upon, by not one, not two, but three highly-esteemed judges only serves to prove that this ban is in violation of the Fifth Amendment and is highly discriminatory against transgender individuals who are only trying to serve their country. This ban has only encountered setback after setback in court, yet the Secretary of Defense is still being pressured to produce a plan for both carrying out the ban and dealing with currently enlisted transgender individuals. Although President Trump is still pushing for action to be taken, the ban is still being processed through the courts as an appeal is being sought after due to the decisions made from past cases (Lopez, 2017). Although there are many ‘arguments' out there that support the idea of a United States Military with a transgender ban, they lack substantial evidence, and the evidence that is presented is far from accurate in most cases. President Trump's two main reasons for the ban, disruption of military service and health and medical costs, are easily discredited when all of the facts are lined out.In regards to ‘disruption of services,' it's clear to see why this isn't a legitimate issue for the United States Military. First of all, there is roughly, on estimate, a total of 13,500 transgender individuals serving actively, in the reserves, or in the National Guard. Of these 13,500 transgender individuals, only an estimated 25-130 active members will ever undergo long-term surgical treatments that would cause disruption while serving. These numbers, compared with the estimated 1,281,900 total of all active service member, along with the 801,200 estimated to be in reserve, account for far less than even one percent of the military's total service members (PBS, 2017). So, assuming that the highest estimate of 130 military members undergo surgical treatment while serving, an extremely insignificant fraction of all military members would be incapable of carrying out military duties while recovering. This accounts for .0015% of all available ‘manpower' at any given time for the military (PBS, 2017). That percentage is hardly worthy of being referred to as a ‘disruption.' The second main ‘reason' behind this ban is the potential costs. The President and his staff worry that the medical treatments and surgeries that transgender individuals require is an expensive and unnecessary cost to the United States Military budget. While gender reassignments and other surgeries are certainly expensive, as stated in the previous paragraph, only about 25-130 individuals will even have the operation done (PBS, 2017), and the military has historically not been required to pay for these surgeries unless they are proven medically necessary on a case-by-case basis. Along with this information, a study in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2015 found that the total costs for these surgeries and treatments would amount to somewhere between 4.2-5.6 million dollars, or roughly ten percent of the annual military healthcare budget. For those that think this is a large amount of money, the annual amount of taxpayer dollars spent on medication for erectile dysfunction alone is over ten times this amount at 84 million dollars annually. Claiming that transgender medical costs are expensive and unnecessary is plain wrong. While not all treatments are medically ‘necessary,' several treatments are. Denying transgender individuals from serving in the military due to medical costs would be the equivalent of denying a diabetic the ability to serve; it makes no sense. President Trump has made a lot of changes since he was elected into Presidency. While his decisions usually at least make some sense, the transgender military ban makes no sense at all. His two main reasons for this ban, which were potential disruption of military activity and medical costs, are backed by little to no evidence, and his ban is coming across as discriminatory both in the public eye and in court so far. Transgender individuals should not be denied the right to serve because they have been allowed to serve (not openly) for several years with little to no problem, they don't cause any disruption or hindrance to military activity, and the ban itself is being reviewed for its potential violation of the Fifth Amendment and discrimination against transgender individuals. All of this effort for a ban that isn't necessary should be spent on something more useful to America.BibliographyBlake, Aaron. â€Å"Jim Mattis didn't undermine President Trump's transgender military ban. Trump already had.† The Washington Post. Last modified August 30, 2017. Accessed September 20, 2017.http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/08/30/trumps-haphazard-transgender-military-ban. Cooper, Helene. â€Å"Trump says transgender ban is a ‘great favor' for the military.† The New York Times. Last modified August 10, 2017.Accessed September 22, 2017. http://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/10/us/politics/trump-transgender-military.html. Davis, Jilie Hirschfeld. â€Å"Military transgender ban to begin within 6 months, memo says.† New York Times. Last modified August 23, 2017.Accessed October 12, 2017. http://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/23/us/politics/trump-military-transgender-ban.html. Editorial Board. â€Å"Editorial: making way for transgender troops.à ¢â‚¬  Chicago Tribune. Last modified December 12, 2017. Accessed December 12, 2017.http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials. Hamblin, James. â€Å"The cost of banning transgender service members.† The Atlantic. Last modified July 26, 2017. Accessed April 19, 2018.http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/07/things-that-cost-more-than-medical-care-for-transgender-soldiers/534945. Jouvenal, Justin. â€Å"Federal judge in D.C. blocks part of Trump's transgender military ban.† The Washington Post. Last modified November 30, 2017. Accessed November 16, 2017.http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/federal-judge-in-dc-blocks-part-of-trumps-transgender-military-ban/2017/10/30. Kheel, Rebecca. â€Å"Court partially blocks trump's transgender military ban.† The Hill. Last modified October 30, 2017. Accessed November 9, 2017.http://thehill.com/policy/defense/357827-court-partially-blocks-trumps-directive-on-transgender-military-ban. Lopez, Germ an. â€Å"Federal judge: military must allow transgender recruits starting on January 1.† Vox. Last modified November 28, 2017. Accessed April 19, 2018.http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/28/16709494. Marimow, Ann E. â€Å"Federal judge says Trump administration can't stop funding sex-reassignment surgeries for military members.† Wasnington Post. Last modified November 21, 2017. Accessed April 19, 2018.http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/a-second-judge-blocks-trump-administration. PBS. â€Å"Fact-checking Trump's reasons for a transgender military ban.† PBS Newshour. Last modified August 28, 2017. Accessed September 29, 2017.http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/fact-checking-trumps-reasons-transgender-military-ban. Rikleen, Lauren Stiller. â€Å"Trump's transgender military ban hurts more than just the troops.† Wbur. Last modified August 30, 2017. Accessed October 30, 2017.http://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2017/08/30/trump-military-transg ender-lauren-stiller-rikleen.

The Host Chapter 36: Believed

The congregation relaxed, and a more enthusiastic murmur ran around the half circle. I looked at Jamie. He pursed his lips and shrugged. â€Å"Jeb's just trying to get things back to normal. It's been a bad couple of days. Burying Walter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I winced. I saw that Jeb was grinning at Jared. After a moment of resistance, Jared sighed and rolled his eyes at the strange old man. He turned and strode quickly from the cave. â€Å"Jared got a new ball?† someone asked. â€Å"Cool,† Wes said beside me. â€Å"Playing games,† Trudy muttered, and shook her head. â€Å"If it eases the tension,† Lily responded quietly, shrugging. Their voices were low, close beside me, but I could also hear other, louder voices. â€Å"Easy on the ball this time,† Aaron said to Kyle. He stood over him, offering his hand. Kyle took the offered hand and got slowly to his feet. When he was standing, his head almost hit the hanging lanterns. â€Å"The last ball was weak,† Kyle said, grinning at the older man. â€Å"Structurally deficient.† â€Å"I nominate Andy for captain,† someone shouted. â€Å"I nominate Lily,† Wes called out, getting to his feet and stretching. â€Å"Andy and Lily.† â€Å"Yeah, Andy and Lily.† â€Å"I want Kyle,† Andy said quickly. â€Å"Then I get Ian,† Lily countered. â€Å"Jared.† â€Å"Brandt.† Jamie got to his feet and stood on his toes, trying to look tall. â€Å"Paige.† â€Å"Heidi.† â€Å"Aaron.† â€Å"Wes.† The roll call continued. Jamie glowed when Lily chose him before half the adults were taken. Even Maggie and Jeb were picked for teams. The numbers were even until Lucina came back with Jared, her two small boys bouncing in excitement. Jared had a shiny new soccer ball in his hand; he held it out, and Isaiah, the older child, jumped up and down trying to knock it from his hand. â€Å"Wanda?† Lily asked. I shook my head and pointed to my leg. â€Å"Right. Sorry.† I'm good at soccer, Mel grumbled. Well, I used to be. I can hardly walk, I reminded her. â€Å"I think I'll sit this one out,† Ian said. â€Å"No,† Wes complained. â€Å"They've got Kyle and Jared. We're dead without you.† â€Å"Play,† I told him. â€Å"I'll†¦ I'll keep score.† He looked at me, his lips pressed into a thin, rigid line. â€Å"I'm not really in the mood for playing a game.† â€Å"They need you.† He snorted. â€Å"C'mon, Ian,† Jamie urged. â€Å"I want to watch,† I said. â€Å"But it will be†¦ boring if one team has too much advantage.† â€Å"Wanda.† Ian sighed. â€Å"You really are the worst liar I've ever met.† But he got up and started stretching with Wes. Paige set up goalposts, four lanterns. I tried to get to my feet-I was right in the middle of the field. Nobody noticed me in the dim light. All around, the atmosphere was upbeat now, charged with anticipation. Jeb had been right. This was something they needed, odd as it seemed to me. I was able to get onto all fours, and then I pulled my good leg forward so I was kneeling on the bad. It hurt. I tried to hop up onto my good leg from there. My balance was all off, thanks to the awkward weight of my sore leg. Strong hands caught me before I could fall on my face. I looked up, a little rueful, to thank Ian. The words caught in my throat when I saw that it was Jared whose arms held me up. â€Å"You could have just asked for help,† he said conversationally. â€Å"I -† I cleared my throat. â€Å"I should have. I didn't want to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Call attention to yourself?† He said the words as if he were truly curious. There was no accusation in them. He helped me hobble toward the cave entrance. I shook my head once. â€Å"I didn't want to†¦ make anyone do anything, out of courtesy, that they didn't want to do.† That didn't explain it exactly right, but he seemed to understand my meaning. â€Å"I don't think Jamie or Ian would begrudge you a helping hand.† I glanced back at them over my shoulder. In the low light, neither had noticed I was gone yet. They were bouncing the ball off their heads, and laughing when Wes caught it in the face. â€Å"But they're having fun. I wouldn't want to interrupt that.† Jared examined my face. I realized I was smiling in affection. â€Å"You care about the kid quite a bit,† he said. â€Å"Yes.† He nodded. â€Å"And the man?† â€Å"Ian is†¦ Ian believes me. He watches over me. He can be so very kind†¦ for a human.† Almost like a soul, I'd wanted to say. But that wouldn't have sounded like the compliment it was to this audience. Jared snorted. â€Å"For a human. A more important distinction than I'd realized.† He lowered me to the lip of the entrance. It made a shallow bench that was more comfortable than the flat floor. â€Å"Thank you,† I told him. â€Å"Jeb did the right thing, you know.† â€Å"I don't agree with that.† Jared's tone was milder than his words. â€Å"Thank you also-for before. You didn't have to defend me.† â€Å"Every word was the truth.† I looked at the floor. â€Å"It's true that I would never do anything to hurt anyone here. Not on purpose. I'm sorry that I hurt you when I came here. And Jamie. So sorry.† He sat down right beside me, his face thoughtful. â€Å"Honestly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. â€Å"The kid is better since you came. I'd sort of forgotten what his laugh sounded like.† We both listened to it now, echoing above the lower pitch of adult laughter. â€Å"Thank you for telling me that. It's been my†¦ biggest worry. I hoped I hadn't damaged anything permanently.† â€Å"Why?† I looked up at him, confused. â€Å"Why do you love him?† he asked, his voice still curious but not intense. I bit my lip. â€Å"You can tell me. I'm†¦ I've†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He couldn't find the words to explain. â€Å"You can tell me,† he repeated. I looked at my feet as I answered. â€Å"In part because Melanie does.† I didn't peek to see if the name made him flinch. â€Å"Remembering him the way she does†¦ that's a powerful thing. And then, when I met him in person†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shrugged. â€Å"I can't not love him. It's part of my†¦ the very makeup of these cells to love him. I hadn't realized before how much influence a host had on me. Maybe it's just human bodies. Maybe it's just Melanie.† â€Å"She talks to you?† He kept his voice even, but I could hear the strain now. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"How often?† â€Å"When she wants to. When she's interested.† â€Å"How about today?† â€Å"Not much. She's†¦ kind of mad at me.† He barked out a surprised laugh. â€Å"She's mad? Why?† â€Å"Because of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Was there such a thing as double jeopardy here? â€Å"Nothing.† He heard the lie again and made the connection. â€Å"Oh. Kyle. She wanted him to fry.† He laughed again. â€Å"She would.† â€Å"She can be†¦ violent,† I agreed. I smiled, to soften the insult. It was no insult to him. â€Å"Really? How?† â€Å"She wants me to fight back. But I†¦ I can't do that. I'm not a fighter.† â€Å"I can see that.† He touched my battered face with one fingertip. â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"No. Anyone would do the same. I know what you must have felt.† â€Å"You wouldn't -† â€Å"If I were human, I would. Besides, I wasn't thinking of that†¦ I was remembering the Seeker.† He stiffened. I smiled again, and he relaxed a little. â€Å"Mel wanted me to throttle her. She really hates that Seeker. And I can't†¦ find it in myself to blame her.† â€Å"She's still searching for you. Looks like she had to return the helicopter, at least.† I closed my eyes, clenched my fists, and concentrated on breathing for several seconds. â€Å"I didn't used to be afraid of her,† I whispered. â€Å"I don't know why she scares me so much now. Where is she?† â€Å"Don't worry. She was just up and down the highway yesterday. She won't find you.† I nodded, willing myself to believe. â€Å"Can you†¦ can you hear Mel now?† he murmured. I kept my eyes closed. â€Å"I'm†¦ aware of her. She's listening very hard.† â€Å"What's she thinking?† His voice was just a whisper. Here's your chance, I told her. What do you want to tell him? She was cautious, for once. The invitation unsettled her. Why? Why does he believe you now? I opened my eyes and found him staring at my face, holding his breath. â€Å"She wants to know what happened to make you†¦ different now. Why do you believe us?† He thought for a moment. â€Å"An†¦ accumulation of things. You were so†¦ kind to Walter. I've never seen anyone but Doc be that compassionate. And you saved Kyle's life, where most of us would have let him fall just to protect ourselves, intended murder aside. And then you're such an appalling liar.† He laughed once. â€Å"I kept trying to see these things as evidence of some grand plot. Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and feel that way again.† Mel and I flinched. â€Å"But when they started attacking you today†¦ well, I snapped. I could see in them everything that shouldn't have been in me. I realized I already did believe, and that I was just being obstinate. Cruel. I think I've believed since†¦ well, a little bit since that first night when you put yourself in front of me to save me from Kyle.† He laughed as if he didn't think Kyle was dangerous. â€Å"But I'm better at lying than you are. I can even lie to myself.† â€Å"She hopes you won't change your mind. She's afraid you will.† He closed his eyes. â€Å"Mel.† My heart thudded faster in my chest. It was her joy that sped it, not mine. He must have guessed how I loved him. After his questions about Jamie, he must have seen that. â€Å"Tell her†¦ that won't happen.† â€Å"She hears you.† â€Å"How†¦ straightforward is the connection?† â€Å"She hears what I hear, sees what I see.† â€Å"Feels what you feel?† â€Å"Yes.† His nose wrinkled. He touched my face again, softly, a caress. â€Å"You don't know how sorry I am.† My skin felt hotter where he had touched it; it was a good heat, but his words burned hotter than his touch. Of course he was sorrier for hurting her. Of course. That shouldn't bother me. â€Å"C'mon, Jared! Let's go!† We looked up. Kyle was calling to Jared. He seemed utterly at ease, as if he had not been on trial for his life today. Maybe he'd known it would go his way. Maybe he was quick to get over anything. He didn't seem to notice me there beside Jared. I realized, for the first time, that others had. Jamie was watching us with a satisfied smile. This probably looked like a good thing to him. Was it? What do you mean? What does he see when he looks at us? His family, put back together? Isn't it? Sort of? With the one unwelcome addition. But better than it was yesterday. I guess†¦ I know, she admitted. I'm glad Jared knows I'm here†¦ but I still don't like him touching you. And I like it too much. My face tingled where Jared's fingers had brushed it. Sorry about that. I don't blame you. Or, at least, I know I shouldn't. Thanks. Jamie wasn't the only one watching. Jeb was curious, that little smile gathering up the corners of his beard. Sharon and Maggie watched with fire in their eyes. Their expressions were so much the same that the youthful skin and bright hair did nothing to make Sharon look younger than her grizzled mother. Ian was worried. His eyes were tight, and he seemed on the verge of coming to protect me again. To make sure Jared wasn't upsetting me. I smiled, to reassure him. He didn't smile back, but he took a deep breath. I don't think that's why he's worried, Mel said. â€Å"Are you listening to her now?† Jared was on his feet but still watching my face. His question distracted me before I could ask her what she meant. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"What's she saying?† â€Å"We're noticing what the others think of your†¦ change of heart.† I nodded toward Melanie's aunt and cousin. They turned their backs on me in synchronization. â€Å"Tough nuts,† he acknowledged. â€Å"Fine, then,† Kyle boomed, turning his body toward the ball that sat under the brightest spot of light. â€Å"We'll win it without you.† â€Å"I'm coming!† Jared threw one wistful glance at me-at us-and ran to get in on the game. I wasn't the best scorekeeper. It was too dark to see the ball from where I sat. It was too dark even to see the players well when they weren't right under the lights. I began counting from Jamie's reactions. His shout of victory when his team scored, his groan when the other team did. The groans outnumbered the shouts. Everyone played. Maggie was the goalie for Andy's team, and Jeb was the goalie for Lily's. They were both surprisingly good. I could see their silhouettes in the light from the goalpost lamps, moving as lithely as if they were decades younger. Jeb was not afraid to hit the floor to stop a goal, but Maggie was more effective without resorting to such extremes. She was like a magnet for the invisible ball. Every time Ian or Wes got off a shot†¦ thunk! It landed in her hands. Trudy and Paige quit after a half hour or so and passed me on their way out, chattering with excitement. It seemed impossible that we'd started the morning with a trial, but I was relieved that things had changed so drastically. The women weren't gone long. They came back with arms full of boxes. Granola bars-the kind with fruit filling. The game came to a halt. Jeb called halftime, and everyone hurried over to eat breakfast. The goods were divvied up at the center line. It was a mob scene at first. â€Å"Here you go, Wanda,† Jamie said, ducking out of the group. He had his hands full of the bars, and water bottles tucked under his arms. â€Å"Thanks. Having fun?† â€Å"Yeah! Wish you could play.† â€Å"Next time,† I said. â€Å"Here you go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ian was there, his hands full of granola bars. â€Å"Beat ya,† Jamie told him. â€Å"Oh,† Jared said, appearing on Jamie's other side. He also had too many bars for one. Ian and Jared exchanged a long glance. â€Å"Where's all the food?† Kyle demanded. He stood over an empty box, his head swiveling around the room, looking for the culprit. â€Å"Catch,† Jared said, tossing granola bars one by one, hard, like knives. Kyle plucked them out of the air with ease, then jogged over to see if Jared was holding out on him. â€Å"Here,† Ian said, shoving half of his haul toward his brother without looking at him. â€Å"Now go.† Kyle ignored him. For the first time today, he looked at me, staring down at me where I sat. His irises were black with the light behind him. I couldn't read his expression. I recoiled, and caught my breath when my ribs protested. Jared and Ian closed ranks in front of me like stage curtains. â€Å"You heard him,† Jared said. â€Å"Can I say something first?† Kyle asked. He peered down through the space between them. They didn't respond. â€Å"I'm not sorry,† Kyle told me. â€Å"I still think it was the right thing to do.† Ian shoved his brother. Kyle reeled back but then stepped forward again. â€Å"Hold on, I'm not done.† â€Å"Yeah, you are,† Jared said. His hands were clenched, the skin over his knuckles white. Everyone had noticed now. The room was hushed, all the fun of the game lost. â€Å"No, I'm not.† Kyle held his hands up, a gesture of surrender, and spoke to me again. â€Å"I don't think I was wrong, but you did save my life. I don't know why, but you did. So I figure, a life for a life. I won't kill you. I'll pay the debt that way.† â€Å"You stupid jackass,† Ian said. â€Å"Who's got the crush on a worm, bro? You gonna call me stupid?† Ian lifted his fists, leaning forward. â€Å"I'll tell you why,† I said, making my voice louder than I wanted to. But it had the effect I was after. Ian and Jared and Kyle turned to stare at me, fight forgotten for the moment. It made me nervous. I cleared my throat. â€Å"I didn't let you fall because†¦ because I'm not like you. I'm not saying that I'm not†¦ like humans. Because there are others here who would do the same. There are kind and good people here. People like your brother, and Jeb, and Doc†¦ I'm saying that I'm not like you personally.† Kyle stared at me for a minute and then chuckled. â€Å"Ouch,† he said, still laughing. He turned away from us then, his message given, and walked back to get some water. â€Å"Life for a life,† he called over his shoulder. I wasn't sure I believed him. Not sure at all. Humans were good liars.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Lateral thinking

Lateral thinking is a term coined by Edward de Bono, a Maltese psychologist, physician, and writer, although it may have been an idea whose time was ready. De Bono defines Lateral Thinking as methods of thinking concerned with changing concepts and perception. He invented the term ‘lateral thinking'. It was first written up in a book called â€Å"The Use of Lateral Thinking†. (1967) It is similar to creative thinking. It is also seeking to solve problems by unorthodox or apparently illogical methods. â€Å"A set of systematic techniques used for changing concepts and perceptions and generating new ones†, (de Bono, 1967) â€Å"Exploring multiple possibilities and approaches instead of pursuing a single approach.† (Infinite Innovations, 1997)There are numerous ways of defining lateral thinking, ranging from the illustrative to the technical. First, â€Å"You cannot dig a hole in a different place by digging the same hole deeper† (de Bono, 1997a) This m eans that trying harder in the same direction may not be as useful as changing direction. Effort in the same direction (approach) will not necessarily succeed. Second, â€Å"Lateral Thinking is for changing concepts and perceptions† (de Bono, 1997b) With logic you start out with certain ingredients just as in playing chess you start out with given pieces. But what are those pieces? In most real life situations the pieces are not given, we just assume they are there. We assume certain perceptions, certain concepts and certain boundaries. (Wikipedia, 2006)Lateral thinking is concerned not with playing with the existing pieces but with seeking to change those very pieces. Lateral thinking is concerned with the perception part of thinking. This is where we organize the external world into the pieces we can then ‘process'. (de Bono, 1994b) Third, â€Å"The brain as a self-organizing information system forms asymmetric patterns. In such systems there is a mathematical need f or moving across patterns. The tools and processes of lateral thinking are designed to achieve such ‘lateral' movement. The tools are based on an understanding of self-organizing information systems.† (de Bono, 2004). This is a technical definition which depends on an understanding of self-organizing information systems.Fourth, â€Å"In any self-organizing system there is a need to escape from a local optimum in order to move towards amore global optimum. The techniques of lateral thinking, such as provocation, are designed to help that change.† (de Bono, 2005). This is another technical definition. It is important because it also defines the mathematical need for creativity. Lateral thinking is about reasoning that is not immediately obvious and about ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic.Techniques that relate lateral thinking to problems are characterized by the shifting of thinking patterns away from predictable or entre nched thinking to new or unexpected ideas. A new idea that is the result of lateral thinking is not always a helpful one, but when a good idea is discovered in this way it is usually obvious in hindsight, which is a feature lateral thinking shares with a joke. (Harleys, 2004) Edward de Bono points out that the term problem solving, â€Å"implies that there is a problem to respond to and that it can be resolved. That eliminates situations where there is no problem or a problem exists that cannot be resolved. It is logical to think about making a good situation that has no problems, into a better situation. Some times a problem cannot be solved by removing its cause.† (de Bono, 1994a)Lateral thinking can be used to help in solving problems but can also be used for much more. (Wikipedia, 2006) With ‘parallel thinking' both sides (or all parties) are â€Å"thinking in parallel in the same direction.† (Davis, 2005) There is co-operative and co-ordinate thinking. The d irection itself can be changed in order to give a full scan of the situation. But at every moment each thinker is thinking in parallel with all the other thinkers. There does not have to be agreement. Statements or thoughts which are indeed contradictory are not argued out but laid down in parallel. In the final stage the way forward is ‘designed' from the parallel thought that have been laid out. (Davis, 2005)MethodsAn easy and convenient way of carrying out ‘parallel thinking' is the Six Hats method which is now being used commonly worldwide both because it speeds up thinking and also because it is so much more constructive then conventional argument thinking. (de Bono, 2005) The use of the Six Hats method is now growing speedily globally. Those who have become familiar with the technique look back at argument as primitive, crude and ego-driven. (de Bono, 2002)â€Å"With the Six Hats method you can still show off. But you now show off by performing better than anyone else under each hat. It is no longer a matter of proving someone else to be wrong. Our ingrained habits of critical disagreement are so often not just a matter of sensible caution, but a mixture of ‘power plays' and ego strutting.† (de Bono, 2003) On the other hand, there is a necessary and proper place for caution. â€Å"That place is provided by the ‘black hat’.† Under this hat every person sets out to look for dangers, risks, shortfalls, problems, etc. Even those who most like the idea make a authentic effort to recognize the faults. Power plays have no place. There is no longer an chance to show that some particular individual is wrong or that you are smarter than that person. (de Bono, 2003)There are six symbolic hats, each one a diverse color. The thinker wears one hat at a time and only uses the mode of thinking which goes with that particular color. â€Å"The white hat is neutral.† While wearing this hat, the thinkers simply focus on in formation. What information is available on the subject, and what is missing? â€Å"The red hat signifies emotion and intuition – aspects of human thinking which are traditionally excluded from ‘rational' discussion. But since they still exist, they often get expressed indirectly.† The red hat allows them to be expressed usefully and openly. â€Å"The black hat puts the thinkers into the role of judge.† Wearing this hat, they assess the risks associated with an idea and see how the idea fits with what is already known (our values, experience, objectives, etc.). (de Bono, 2003)â€Å"The yellow hat brings out the positive side of assessing an idea.† With this hat on, the thinkers look for the values and benefits in an idea. As with the black hat, the thinkers have to use logic when wearing the yellow hat.   â€Å"The green hat signals deliberate creative effort.† Under this hat all the possibilities can be discovered, using precise techniques of lateral thinking, like provocation. This is an chance for vision. Lastly, the â€Å"blue hat is there for the overview.† (de Bono, 2003)   It is typically worn by the person chairing a meeting but can be used by anyone. The process of thinking is managed with this hat and all the different threads drawn together. (Hellers, 2006)How can it be applied to the corporate world?Lateral thinking is of very great importance in such a way that it gives a new and an alternative way of solving a problem. By the use of lateral thinking, an individual can recognize dominant ideas that polarize perception of a problem, the person can search for different ways at looking things, can have a complete control of rigid thinking, can use a chance to encourage other ideas. Lateral thinking can also be applied in human problem solving. Lateral thinking can be used in the management development. This lateral thinking can be greatly used in schools where in de Bono had also done his study(. Cu rtin, 2004)Lateral thinking is also perfect for: Groups in need of new thinking like companies with an â€Å"innovation† initiative in need of tools that actually work; Professionals in the new idea development business — R&D, PD, marketing, advertising; Executives feeling the heat, same old, same old just isn't working anymore; Teams frustrated with old predicable ideas that keep surfacing in their creative thinking meetings, Scientists and engineers who need systematic tools to break open their thinking; Proactive people that want to strengthen their Innovation Instinct— their ability to generate, build on and implement valuable new ideas. Human resource / Organization development professionals needing tools to facilitate ideation meetings; (de Bono Thinking Systems, 2006)Lateral thinking will also help individuals to develop skills to: Increase productive idea output; Design the future; Find fresh new solutions to intractable problems; Escape the constraints of routine thinking; Appreciate the diversity of thinking among team members; Plan and lead innovation meetings that deliver powerful results; Secure company’s leadership edge; Find new areas of opportunity. (de Bono, 2004)Hence, Lateral thinking is an alternative way to solve problem in a different approach. It could also greatly help in strengthening your business with fresh new thinking bringing innovative solutions to life. Lateral Thinking provides a flexible framework with systematic creativity tools so that you can.Referencesde Bono, E. (1994) Parallel Thinking. London: Viking.de Bono, E. (1994b) The Teaching of Thinking: Why and How? In J.Edwards (ed.) Thinking: International Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Melbourne: Hawker Brownlow, 45-55.de Bono, E. (2004) â€Å"Parallel Thinking: the Six Hat Methods†. Retrieved from: http://www.thinkingmanagers.com/management/parallel-thinking.phpWikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (2006) â€Å"Lateral Thinking† Retriev ed 12 October from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_thinkingde Bono, E. (2005) Parallel Thinking and Lateral Thinking. The De Bono Library.   Retrieved October 2006, from: http://www.edwdebono.com/debono/lateral.htmInfinite Innovations. (1997) â€Å"Definition of creative, creative thinking, parallel and brainstorming†. Retrieved from: http://www.brainstorming.co.uk/tutorials/definitions.htmlCurtin, L. (2004) â€Å"Lateral Thinking Systematic Creativity Tools†. Retrieved from: http://www.lyndacurtin.com/programs/lateral_thinking/lateral_thinking_index.aspde Bono, E. (1997a) â€Å"Effective Thinking: a General Course†. Retrieved from http://www.edwdebono.com/course/index.htmde Bono, E. (1997b) â€Å"Lateral Thinking: TIP Theories, Psychological†. Retrieved from: http://tip.psychology.org/debono.htmlHellers, M. (2006). â€Å"Serious Creativity†. Retrieved from http://www.sixhats.com.htmlde Bono, E. (1995) â€Å"Idea Focus†. Retrieved fr om http://www.ideafocus.com/products/serious/_serious.htmlde Bono, E, 2004, â€Å"De Bono Consulting: A Division of Resources Unlimited†. Retrieved from: http://www.debonoconsulting.com/Lateral_Thinking.aspDavis, A. (2005) â€Å"Timothy Mcsweeney’s: Developing Your Lateral Thinking Skills†. http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2004/12/1stallard.htmlde Bono, E. (2006) â€Å"Practical, Radical and Innovative Thinking Systems†. http://www.debonothinkingsystems.com/home.htmHarleys, C. (2004) â€Å"Creative Tools: A Creative Process, Mind Tools, Essential Skills for an Excellent Career†. Retrieved from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_00.htmde Bono Thinking Systems. (2002) de Bono for Business. Retrieved from† http://www.debonoforbusiness.com/asp/lateral_thinking.asp