“I Like You.” “I Like You Too.” This Seemly Normal...

â€Å"I like you.† â€Å"I like you too.† This seemly normal conversation between couples actually comes from a Japanese dating simulation app between the user and the game’s artificial intelligence. In these romantic gaming apps, users have the ability to craft their ideal girlfriend or boyfriend by changing any personality or appearance that the users may want. Technology has offered the possibility of a perfect virtual love relationship. However, virtual relationships usually do not have a good reputation because they can cause negative impacts to those who play this kind of app. For example, the app may isolate the users from their world and peers by staying at home using the app day and night, and also cause users to live in this â€Å"sweet†¦show more content†¦Even though this movie may have raised concerns about an evolving Siri or Cortana like AI that can self-learn and act like humans, there are challenges for this kind of AI to exist. Conscio usness itself is difficult to achieve. A difference between humans and AI is that humans have brains. A neuroscientist explains that â€Å"†¦brains and computers work very differently. Both compute, but only one understands—and there are some very compelling reasons to believe that this is not going to change. It appears that there is a more technical obstacle that stands in the way of [conscious] A.I. ever becoming a reality.† Unless humans find a way to implement a brain into an artificial intelligence, a creation like Samantha would be hardly achievable. Furthermore, there are also other challenges that are not related to technical reasons. Even if an assumption is made that this kind of AI existed, the biggest obstacle that it will face is in terms of privacy which is shown from the movie Her. A conscious AI unlike an unconscious AI is not totally controllable. In the film, Theodore is surprised that Samantha knows his upcoming divorce even though he has never told her about it. Samantha gets this information by reading his email without his permission. This shows the potential damage thatShow MoreRelatedThe Grapes Of Wrath By John Steinbeck3583 Words   |  15 Pagesmarried his second wife Gwyndolyn Conger with whom he had two children. Then in 1950 he married Elaine Scott that same year he wrote Burning Bright. Two years later in 1952 Steinbeck wrote another novel called East of Eden; He continued writing stories like: The winter of our Discontent in 1961 and Travels with Charley: In Search of America in 1962 that same year the b rilliant author won Nobel Prize for Literature for his imaginative and realistic writing. (http://www.biography.com/people/john-steinbeck-9493358#later-life)

A Seperate Peace Essay - 898 Words

A Separate Peace Essay In the novel, A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the protagonist, Gene Forrester â€Å"battled† within himself to find â€Å"a separate peace† and in this process directed his emotions at Phineas, his roommate. Forrester and Phineas formed the illusion of a great companionship, but there was a â€Å"silent rivalry† between them in Forrester’s mind. Self deceptions in Forrester led him to believe that Phineas was â€Å"out to get him† (Forrester). Subconsciously Forrester jounced the limb of the tree and forced Phineas to fall and break his leg. Phineas found out the truth of his â€Å"accident† with the help of Leper Lepellier and Brinker Hadley, who were friends that attended Devon High School. Gene Forrester’s conflict between his†¦show more content†¦But while he was a very poor student I was a pretty good athlete, and when everything was thrown into the scales they would in the end tilt definitely toward me (Forrester,)â₠¬  (47). The â€Å"rivalry† inside Forrester led him to believe that Phineas had these feelings of resentment toward him (Forrester,) and was also competing to be the â€Å"best†. Self deceptions inside of Gene Forrester led him to believe that Phineas was â€Å"out to get him†. Forrester realized that, â€Å"Finny had deliberately set out to wreck my studies† (45), when Phineas said, â€Å"I’d kill myself out of jealous envy† (44) (if Forrester was valedictorian). Having believed Phineas, Forrester came to another realization that Phineas had created blitzball and the Super Suicide Society to distract him (Forrester) from being â€Å"the best†. Phineas did not know that Forrester needed to study in order to get good grades; â€Å"I didn’t know you needed to study,† (50) he said when Forrester wanted to stay and study rather than go to the Super Suicide Society meeting. Phineas thought that academics came naturally to Forrester as athletics came to him (Phineas). Forrester took Phineas trying to be a friend as him trying to distract for his (Forrester’s) academics. The Super Suicide Society meeting was held for Leper Lepellier to jump from the â€Å"forbidden† tree. To open the meeting Phineas and Forrester tried a double jump. â€Å"Holding firmly to the trunk, I (Forrester) took a stepShow MoreRelatedEssay on A Seperate Peace671 Words   |  3 Pages â€Å"A Separate Peace† by John Knowles Separate Peace What really happened in the tree? Gene and Finny were very good friends; however, whatever happened in the tree the day the Finny quot;fellquot; out, is the actual cause of Gene â€Å"†¦My knees bent and I jounced the limb†¦Ã¢â‚¬  page 52. In fact, Finny did not fall out of the tree, but Gene had actually pushed him out. Gene had very good reasons to push him out â€Å"Finny had put him up to it, to finish me fro good on the exam.† Page 49. He pushed him out ofRead More Seperate Peace Summary Essay850 Words   |  4 Pages A Separate Peace Gene Forrester is a quiet, intellectual student at Devon School in New Hampshire. During the Summer Session of 1942, he becomes close friends with his daredevil roommate Finny, who has a talent for getting away with mischief through his sincere, disarming charisma. Finny prods Gene into making a dangerous jump out of a tree into a river, and the two start a secret society based on this ritual. Gene envies Finnys astonishing athletic abilities, and he begins to suspect thatRead MoreA Seperate Peace, By John Knowles1414 Words   |  6 Pages A Seperate Peace Maturity Essay (First Draft) Introduction: Almost every human being in the worlfd matures, the person can mature physically and/or mentally. In A seperate peace, by John KNowles, an ongoing that comes up several times during this novel is is maturation or maturity. Many characters in this melodramatic novel, if not all of them end up maturing in this novel. World war 2 made some characters like Leper Lepellier mature more then if there hadnt been a war.Also as the story progressesRead MoreComparative Essay Examples2365 Words   |  10 PagesEssay 1 The methods of political control used by the Han and Imperial Roman Empires were different, as in the degree of citizen participation in government because of how each empire utilized it to control the people.   However, the use of theologies to justify rule was a similar method used by the two empires because it allowed leaders to win over the people in more ways than one.   In addition, the use of militaries to control the population and outlying territories was a similar method becauseRead MoreWorld Civilization4404 Words   |  18 Pagesexample of the destructive ferocity of the war.   Give specific examples of each in your discussion; you may need to rely on outside resources in your essay. Outline the underlying causes of World War II and the specific steps taken by Nazi Germany and Japan that led to war.   (Refer to pages 739-743 of your textbook and additional references)       Your essay will be evaluated based on the following scale.    Introduction​5 points    Body paragraphs    Content​60 points    Organization, Coherence,Read More Revolution Girl Style: Fifty Years of Women in Rock and Roll2575 Words   |  11 Pagesseventies, the faultlines that held together Americas illusions of bliss fractured, and out of the cracks came people fighting for self-empowerment and self-pride for whatever their chosen cause: anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-war, anti-establishment, peace and love. Their battlecry was, the personal is political, they gave people two choices: to perpetuate the system or to challenge it. Folk music and folk rock, anti-authoritarian by tradition and anti-commercial by default, became the soundtrack ofRead MorePlay Macbeth11979 Words   |  48 Pagesperson, he calls her My dearest love (I, v, 54b). Shakespeare shows their close relationship until they have started falling into a state of near-despair after the murder of Banquo and Macduffs wife and son. At this point, they have started to seperate a great deal. In act five, scene five, Macbeth hears the cry of women and not even noticing that it is a womans cry, let alone that of his own wife, asks What is that noise? (7b). He feels so little towards her that when he is informed thatRead MorePlay Macbeth11985 Words   |  48 Pagesperson, he calls her My dearest love (I, v, 54b). Shakespeare shows their close relationship until they have started falling into a state of near-despair after the murder of Banquo and Macduffs wife and son. At this point, they have started to seperate a great deal. In act five, scene five, Macbeth hears the cry of women and not even noticing that it is a womans cry, let alone that of his own wife, asks What is that noise? (7b). He feels so little towards her that when he is informed thatRead MoreDieting Makes People Fat Essay19490 Words   |  78 Pagesthink that city life can be particular appealing to young people, who like the excitement of the city and dont mind the noise and pollution. However, many people, when they get older, and particularly when they have young children, often prefer the peace and fresh air of the countryside. HOW CAN YOU MAKE YOUR BRAIN SMARTER? Your brain needs exercise just like a muscle. If you use it often and in the right ways, you will become a more skilled thinker and increase your ability to focus. But if you

Art Controversy

Art Controversy-Piss Christ Essay When I initially saw Andres Serranos photo Piss Christ the piece was a complete turnoff. My first impulse was to judge the photo contrarily. There was a lack of understanding of how a piece like that could have creative qualities on the grounds that it was just so appalling and off-putting to take a gander at. I additionally felt that the photo was extremely annoying and disparaging to religions when all is said in done, regardless of what confidence one held. Likewise, the photo’s name elicited a similar response, Piss Christ, was similarly as offending as the photo itself. Despite the fact that Christ may not be a hallowed individual for a few, portraying him or some other sacrosanct individual in such a way is outstandingly inconsiderate and annoying. Despite the fact that I do not have confidence in Jesus, my abhorrence for the photo was less individual but rather more it was that I trusted it to be by and large impolite. My upbringing aimed to maintain the qualities for others’ convictions and religions and to never affront or ridicule them. Whats more, that is precisely what I thought Serrano was doing in Piss Christ; fundamentally, my first time seeing the photo made me feel sick. Nonetheless, as a man who comprehends and maintains the opportunities of this nation, I put stock in the right to speak freely or for this situation, the flexibility of expression. Thusly, in spite of the fact that I alongside numerous others may hate his work, I trust that he has the privilege to take pictures whatever he likes. Then again, on the grounds that he holds the privilege to photo what he wants, the group of onlookers holds the privilege to reject it. There is uncertainty to what Serranos thinking in shooting Piss Christ pertained to, or regardless of the possibility that it was his goal to affront or belittle Christ, yet in the wake of participating in this class I have come to comprehend that workmanship can be essentially anything one needs it to be. There are such a large number of craftsmen and thinkers that have contrasting conclusions on what craftsmanship is and what is correct or wrong in it, that there is no real way to genuinely ever have a set in stone classification for right and wrong. The submersion of Jesus Christ in urine is something that calls the attention of many people no matter their beliefs. Regardless, its specialty. The ungodly, alongside each other type of contention encompasses the colossal world we allude to as art. In the majority of its structures its motivations are general, and unavoidably subject to the feelings of all. In this manner, art is drawn closer and accomplished in an assortment of courses, speaking to each sort of individuals, socially, in a perfect world, religiously and politically. Art is man reaction to the reality that surrounds them. Defined art is the use of the creative energy keeping in mind the end goal to express thoughts or sentiments utilizing an assortment of media, one of a kind to each craftsman in the exact way it is executed (Phillips, 2016). Creative opportunity is critical, which means forced limits on these arrangements creates barriers to keep art from achieving its maximum capacity. We watch this in the government withholding of assets for artists whose pieces portray dubious, sexually unequivocal, or impious thoughts. An imaginative personality needs the flexibility to prosper. These minds require the fundamentals for development and profitability sufficient tutoring or preparing, and a satisfactory media amount to work with, at the very least (Shine, 2015). A few craftsmen are not as lucky as others, as you most likely are aware, and are a typical event. The occupation of craftsmen, and in addition the open door for one to achieve their maximum capacity depends frequently on the charity of others or the government funds the endeavor. Nowadays, we would expect that anybody sufficiently equipped to properly fill in a form for financial aid from the government would get himself or herself the vital help. However, artistic endeavors are not at the top of the list for government spending.

The Japan-American Trade War Essays - Economy Of Japan, Japan

The Japan-American Trade War For years after the end of the second world war, the Japanese suffered from an inferiority complex. This was the result of the American aid to Japan which helped to rebuild their country. Soon the Japanese started producing goods, small stuff at first, like junky toys in the earlier years - but then came better items, much better items. Now it is the Americans that suffer from the inferiority complex, not familiar with being economically vulnerable and not entirely in control of their destinies. Who to blame - the Japanese of course. If Americans can not learn to compete with the Japanese, then there is going to be some serious trouble because the economic problem will not just "go" away. When Japan lost World War II, six million Japanese had to return home from the colonies Japan lost. These people had to be fed, clothed and housed. The outlook for Japan's recovery did not look very hopeful. The Americans had no intention of helping the Japanese, but the communist victory in China changed this, because the Americans wanted to stop the further advance of communism. Americans started to help Japan out by not making them pay reparations for war damages and opened Japanese trade to other countries. The Americans dissolved the powerful family businesses which opened business to more competition and in the countryside, they took land from the landlords and gave it to the tenant farmers. By the time American occupation ended in 1952, Japan had returned to prewar levels of production. With their recovery now ensured, Japan embarked on a period of great economic growth which is growing at a faster rate every day. The Japanese are now at the head of a powerful economy which is the second largest in the world, exceeded only by the Americans. Many beleive that the Japanese economy will overtake the U.S. economy by the year 2000. Polls in the United States have indicated that the Americans rank the Japanese economic threat higher than the Russian military threat. Yoshio Sakurachi, the speaker for the Lower House of the Diet (the Japanese Parliament), called American workers lazy and illiterate. These remarks came just after George Bush and the leaders of American Auto Corporations had visited Japan, a trip that left everyone with an impression of American weakness and whining. A few weeks ago, Minoru Arakawa, president of Nintendo of America made a bid to purchase the Seattle Mariners. To a lot of Americans, there are two items which are located near the centre of their folklore and psyche. These are cars and baseball. Now that these items are under threat from the Japanese, it is causing unusual resentment and distress to some Americans, especially after watching the Japanese buy heavily into Hollywood and other parts of their lives. Americans are now trying to figure out ways to get the economy back on line after about a 19 month recession from which it is still recovering. Dr. William Lippy, for example, offered the 75 employees of his clinic $400 cash if they bought a new American car. He started inviting all other companies to join in his "Jump-Start America" campaign. He claims to have enlisted a total of 175 firms with 60,000 workers to offer similar incentives. This is nothing new to the Japanese though, where this has been going on for a long time. For example, Mitsubishi and other corporate groups, called keiretsu have the power to order employees to wage personal warfare on the commercial brands of a rival. A common story was of a group of Japanese men that walk into a bar and shout "Biru" (Beer). The bartender offers them Asahi Beer, a common brand but they shout, "Were Kirin men!". The Kirin men are literally that - employees of any one of the 148 companies associated with the Mitsubishi group, whic ontrols Kirin. Americans are running scared now, and you probably did not need this essay to tell you that - and Japan is aware of this. So now opinion is growing in Japan in favour of an almost revolutionary idea - to back off. Corporations should raise prices, pay workers more for fewer hours and distribute fatter dividends. This came after the President of Sony made a speech saying that Americans will not take much more of the way the Japanese are competing with them. They should in short then, become more like their western rivals. Already change is afoot in Japan's most competitive industries. Since January, the two biggest auto

The European Unification Essays - Council Of Europe, Free Essays

The European Unification Essays - Council Of Europe, Free Essays The European Unification The European Unification 500 years ago, the European age began. Portuguese seafarers swept Europe out of the medieval age, and boldly helped Europe to grow. During the European age, constant wars were fought among the many nations that made up Europe. By 1945, Europe had all but destroyed itself. With the end of the 20th century, Europe has been given a historic opportunity, a united Europe, it is a chance at new life, a miracle as some consider it. On January 1, 1999, champagne corks popped, fireworks lit up the skies, and the peoples in Europe were happy. What is important about this date? January 1, 1999 marked the launching of the new single currency for the European Union, the euro. Many see this as a giant step towards Europes long quest for unity. The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf hailed the launch of the euro as the crown upon European unification. After many decades of dreams, diplomacy, and delays, European unity seemed closer than ever. However as you shall see, the European Union will not benefit Europe, rather it will serve as a detriment. In order to decide whether the EU will serve to benefit Europe, or hurt it, we need to consider the history behind Europe. In 1993, the European Union was started. Across all of Europe it was hailed as a new opportunity for peace, something that could not be rejected. The EU began with five countries, who signed a pact to unite and grow stronger. Now, in the year 2000, the European Union has grown to some 15 member countries, joined together for a common cause: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. These countries have at great expense, decided to make the change from individual countries, to a united group of people. The rules and requirements are strict, or else many more countries would have already joined. As it is, there are many countries waiting in the wings, waiting to be accepted into the European Union; countries like Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hung ary, Poland, and Slovenia. There are eight others that are awaiting their turn, but cannot join as of yet, since the entrance fee does not come cheap. However, in time, most of Europe will join the EU and a new United States of Europe will be born... hopefully. What is the purpose of the EU? Well, in short, unity. All of Europe, for once, working towards the same goals; no more wars, no more violence, stability, and peace. These are goals every nation in the world strives towards These are the three pillars which the European Union is based on: Pillar One: abides by the Treaty of Rome, as revised by the Single European Act, it introduces a single market, where all can share and prosper, it includes democracy in Europe, and the European Monetary Union (single currency, European Central Bank, single monetary policy, coordination of economic policies) Pillar Two: established the Common Foreign Policy and Common Security Policy which make it impossible for the Union to take joint action in foreign and security affairs. Pillar Three: establishes an asylum policy, rules on crossing state borders, an immigration policy, the combating of illegal activities, and includes customs, police and judicial cooperation. These are the three pillars upon which all the EU must abide. The European Union offers much for Europe: a common constitution, a single economy and currency, a common foreign policy, as well as common security and defense policies. It offers to give Europe the ability to become a major world power, with an economy that can compete with the U.S. economy. If everything works out, the European unifications will strengthen Europe, not only in its economy but in every other area as well. And indeed, improvements can be seen. The European Union has already begun to expand Europe's economy. Previously, countries such as Finland had as little a gain as 4% on their exports. Now revenues have increased 25% or more in these countries. Not only Europe's economy has grown, but so has its security, as well as its peace. Tariffs have been removed, and borders are marked merely by signs, along with small guard

V-1 Flying Bomb in World War II

V-1 Flying Bomb in World War II The V-1 flying bomb was developed by Germany during World War II (1939-1945) as a vengeance weapon and was an early unguided cruise missile. Tested at Peenemà ¼nde-West facility, the V-1 was the only production aircraft to utilize a pulsejet for its power plant.The first of the V-weapons to become operational, the V-1 flying bomb entered service in June 1944 and was used to strike London and southeastern England from launch facilities in northern France and the Low Countries. When these facilities were overrun, V-1s were fired at Allied port facilities around Antwerp, Belgium. Due to its high speed, few Allied fighters were capable of intercepting a V-1 in flight. Fast Facts: V-1 Flying Bomb User: Nazi GermanyManufacturer: FieselerIntroduced: 1944Length: 27 ft., 3 in.Wingspan: 17 ft. 6 in.Loaded Weight: 4,750 lbs. Performance Power Plant: Argus As 109-014 pulse jet engineRange: 150 milesMax Speed: 393 mphGuidance System: Gyrocompass based autopilot Armament Warhead: 1,870 lbs. Amatol Design The idea of a flying bomb was first proposed to the Luftwaffe in 1939. Turned down, a second proposal was also declined in 1941. With German losses increasing, the Luftwaffe revisited the concept in June 1942 and approved the development of an inexpensive flying bomb that possessed a range of around 150 miles. To protect the project from Allied spies, it was designated Flak Ziel Geraet (anti-aircraft target apparatus). Design of the weapon was overseen by Robert Lusser of Fieseler and Fritz Gosslau of the Argus engine works. Refining the earlier work of Paul Schmidt, Gosslau designed a pulse jet engine for the weapon. Consisting of few moving parts, the pulse jet operated by air entering into the intake where it was mixed with fuel and ignited by spark plugs. The combustion of the mixture forced sets of intake shutters closed, producing a burst of thrust out the exhaust. The shutters then opened again in the airflow to repeat the process. This occurred around fifty times a second and gave the engine its distinctive buzz sound. A further advantage to the pulse jet design was that it could operate on low-grade fuel. Cutaway drawing of V-1. US Air Force Gosslaus engine was mounted above a simple fuselage which possessed short, stubby wings. Designed by Lusser, the airframe was originally constructed entirely of welded sheet steel. In production, plywood was substituted for constructing the wings. The flying bomb was directed to its target through the use of a simple guidance system which relied on gyroscopes for stability, a magnetic compass for heading, and a barometric altimeter for altitude control. A vane anemometer on the nose drove a counter which determined when the target area was reached and triggered a mechanism to cause the bomb to dive. Development Development of the flying bomb progressed at the Peenemà ¼nde, where the V-2 rocket was being tested. The first glide test of the weapon occurred in early December 1942, with the first powered flight on Christmas Eve. Work continued through the spring of 1943, and on May 26, Nazi officials decided to place the weapon into production. Designated the Fiesler Fi-103, it was more commonly referred to as V-1, for Vergeltungswaffe Einz (Vengeance Weapon 1). With this approval, work accelerated at Peenemà ¼nde while operational units were formed and launch sites constructed. A German crew prepares a V-1, 1944. Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1975-117-26 / Lysiak / CC-BY-SA 3.0 While many of the V-1s early test flights had commenced from German aircraft, the weapon was intended to be launched from ground sites through the use of ramps fitted with steam or chemical catapults. These sites were quickly constructed in northern France in the Pas-de-Calais region. While many early sites were destroyed by Allied aircraft as part of Operation Crossbow before becoming operational, new, concealed locations were built to replace them. While V-1 production was spread across Germany, many were built by slave labor at the notorious underground Mittelwerk plant near Nordhausen. Operational History The first V-1 attacks occurred on June 13, 1944, when around ten of the missiles were fired towards London. V-1 attacks began in earnest two days later, inaugurating the flying bomb blitz. Due to the odd sound of the V-1s engine, the British public dubbed the new weapon the buzz bomb and doodlebug. Like the V-2, the V-1 was unable to strike specific targets and was intended to be an area weapon that inspired terror in the British population. Those on the ground quickly learned that the end of a V-1s buzz signaled that it was diving to the ground. Early Allied efforts to counter the new weapon were haphazard as fighter patrols often lacked aircraft that could catch the V-1 at its cruising altitude of 2,000-3,000 feet and anti-aircraft guns could not traverse quickly enough to hit it. To combat the threat, anti-aircraft guns were redeployed across southeastern England and over 2,000 barrage balloons were also deployed. The only aircraft suitable for defensive duties in mid-1944 was the new Hawker Tempest which was only available in limited numbers. This was soon joined by modified P-51 Mustangs and Spitfire Mark XIVs. Seen in silhouette, a Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfire manoeuvres alongside a German V-1 flying bomb in an attempt to deflect it from its target. Public Domain At night, the De Havilland Mosquito was used as an effective interceptor. While the Allies made improvements in aerial interception, new tools aided the fight from the ground. In addition to faster-traversing guns, the arrival of gun-laying radars (such as the SCR-584) and proximity fuses made ground fire the most effective way of defeating the V-1. By late August 1944, 70% of V-1s were destroyed by guns on the coast. While these home defense techniques were becoming effective, the threat was only ended when Allied troops overran German launch positions in France and the Low Countries. With the loss of these launch sites, the Germans were forced to rely on air-launched V-1s for striking at Britain. These were fired from modified Heinkel He-111s flying over the North Sea. A total of 1,176 V-1s were launched in this manner until the Luftwaffe suspended the approach due to bomber losses in January 1945. Though no longer able to hit targets in Britain, the Germans continued to use the V-1 to strike at Antwerp and other key sites in the Low Countries that had been liberated by the Allies. A German Luftwaffe Heinkel He 111 H-22 with a V-1 mounted. US Air Force Over 30,000 V-1s were produced during the war with around 10,000 fired at targets in Britain. Of these, only 2,419 reached London, killing 6,184 people and injuring 17,981. Antwerp, a popular target, was hit by 2,448 between October 1944 and March 1945. A total of around 9,000 were fired at targets in Continental Europe. Though V-1s only struck their target 25% of the time, they proved more economical than the Luftwaffes bombing campaign of 1940/41. Regardless, the V-1 was largely a terror weapon and had little overall impact on the outcome of the war. During the war, both the United States and the Soviet Union reverse engineered the V-1 and produced their versions. Though neither saw combat service, the American JB-2 was intended for use during the proposed invasion of Japan. Retained by the US Air Force, the JB-2 was used as a test platform into the 1950s.

AHRQ Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

AHRQ - Research Paper Example These are In-patient quality determination There is need for a system integration that will enable the IQIs. Inpatient quality indicator are stipulated measures that gives a dimension the way hospital administration data than involve the degree of care in the hospital. The sensor shows the quality of attention within the hospitals. It covers the sequence of inpatients for some steps and the condition of their illness. The determination whether the rate of mortality is directly proportional to the availability, integrity and accessibility of the information that are facts and can be attested to is a question of concern and the best way to solve this is by ensuring that the system that is in place is void of inaccuracy. The technology that is used to share the information involving this department must make use of the latest EISA fundamentals. The hardware that should be used should must maximum information security especially the networking devices (Andriessen & Vartiainen, 2006). As far as the management of information that involves the release of patients is concern, there is still a lot to be done because there are disparities in knowing whether the patient was discharged or died. For AHRQ to eradicate this problem the software that is used to check the state of a patient in a regular basis must be put in place. The second aspect concerns pediatric quality indicators (PDIs). This is used to keep the information about the discharge of patient. This is to determine the quality of healthcare in the pediatric department. The issues that involve the patients in the pediatric department that is not captured in the healthcare system are given consideration. To ensure that this is achieved the program that should be used should be able to update it anytime a patient is discharged (Andriessen & Vartiainen, 2006). Basically, the discharge process that is undertaken in the hospital involves the doctor, the nurses and the supportinate that such as the security. An effect ive system is one that is able to share the information amongst the three parties and at the same time enables information filtering so that the sensitive health information remains with the doctor. Too ensure this, an interactive system that guides the different parties on how to ensure the authenticity of the data needs to be implemented. The information security system that is applied must ensure that the validity and reliability of the administrative data. Any risk that is involved must be checked. In addition, interconnection between the information concerning adult healthcare as a contributing factor to the children health is a problem. The different servers that maintain this information should be linked so that the availability of data is made flexible. This will make sure that the needs for different social classes ranging from low income to the rich are maintained (Andriessen & Vartiainen, 2006). The indicator that is used for adult patient should also be able to adapt to infants. This is made possible by using physical metric of an individual such as weight to adjust the functionality of the system. The embedded software used must transmit the record immediately so that the analysis and interpretation can be done to facilitate information dissemination to all the agencies. Prevention quality indicators These are the measures that are used for emergency care services. The rate of transferring data

Evaluation of Infection Control in Hospitals Essay

Evaluation of Infection Control in Hospitals - Essay Example The National Audit Office noted in its 2000 report that nine percent of all inpatients or one in every eleven inpatients in England had hospital acquired infection at any one time. This prevalence is higher than hospital acquired infections in Denmark (8%), Spain (8%), Netherlands (7%), Norway (7%) and Australia (6%). Only France (6-10%) and USA (5-10%) had higher incidence ranges (CPSO, 2004; Davis, 2005; POST, 2005). Furthermore, this figure is equivalent to approximately 100,000 hospital acquired infections per year. The effects of hospital acquired infections to patients range from minor discomfort to mortality in around 5,000 cases. These infections are considered as contributory factors to approximately 15,000 deaths a year (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2005; POST, 2005; Davis, 2005). A report by the Nosocomial Infection National Surveillance Service from 1997 to 1999, covering 96 hospitals in England showed 47 percent of microorganisms that cause surgical site infections were staphylococci. Eighty-one percent of these were Staphylococcus aureus and 61 percent were Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) (CPSO, 2004; Davis, 2005; POST, 2005). All of these occurrences are attributed to o... In order to know the root of the problem which is the declining level of hygiene in hospitals, the sources and possible routes of infectious materials should be identified. Gaps and loopholes for the proper handling of such infection sources and vectors should be highlighted. Next, appropriate steps should be put in place that will answer these inefficiencies together with the responsible hospital staff for each task. Lastly, monitoring and maintenance systems should be developed to ensure long-term success in these efforts with emphasis on in any areas where improvements are needed (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2005; POST, 2005; Davis, 2005). Studies and information already available for the abovementioned factors will be reiterated here. However, this paper will focus on other areas where data are lacking and further research is warranted. More specifically, the role of social workers in the proliferation and solution of hospital acquired infections will be assessed. Furthermore, research gaps in this area will be identified towards the development of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Epidemiology of Hospital Acquired Infections Hospital acquired infections are also referred to as nosocomial infections. These are infections that develop during the patient's stay in the hospital that were not previously present. There are two types of hospital acquired infections: autoinfection wherein the causative agent is inherently present in the patient but started to proliferate during confinement because of lowered resistance level, and cross-contamination wherein the causative agent comes from outside the patient which infects and develop during the patient's stay in the hospital (CPSO, 2004; Davis,

Philippine Daily Inquirer Essay Example for Free

Philippine Daily Inquirer Essay SAN RAFAEL, Bulacan, Philippines For many of this town?s residents, Jose Rizal?s unforgettable fictional characters Sisa, Crispin and Basilio not only existed in his 19th century novel ?Noli Me Tangere,? they actually roamed the streets here. According to local lore, the bloodstains on a wall in the convent of the San Juan de Dios church were actually Crispin?s, Sisa?s youngest son whose disappearance and probable death caused her to lose her mind. The story, told and retold by the older townsfolk, goes like this: The head sacristan had Crispin whipped over some missing cash. The boy?s bloodied body was thrown into a well at the convent, never to be seen by his mother. This supposedly true-to-life account would be immortalized in Rizal?s ?Noli Me Tangere? published in Berlin in 1887. ?Noli Me Tangere? (Touch Me Not) and its sequel, ?El Filibusterismo? (The Reign of Greed), exposed the abuses of the Spanish friars and earned for Rizal the ire of the Spanish authorities. Rizal was executed on Dec. 30, 1896, and his two books are now required reading for Filipino high school and college students. Bloodstained walls Cory Valero-Vergel de Dios, 71, said she first heard the story from her parents and older relatives. Born in 1936, Vergel de Dios spent many summers offering flowers at the church, often playing at the convent after the traditional Flores de Mayo rituals. She said she and her playmates used to gaze at the bloodstained wall and wander near the well. ?The stains were red and clear,? Vergel de Dios said. Gigi Valderrama, who works at the municipal hall, said she heard the story from her mother, who is now in her 80s. She also heard the story from her grandmother, now deceased. ?It?s just a story,? said Valderrama, who is active in parish activities. Tina, a Manila-based professional in her 20s, heard the tale from her grandparents and described the account as ?vague and sketchy.? Tableau Nonetheless, the room in the convent where Crispin was supposedly tortured to death now has a tableau which has a mannequin resembling Rizal. The Rizal mannequin sits behind a desk, writing. He faces the well where Crispin?s body was supposedly dumped. In the Noli, Rizal described Crispin as ?a timid boy with large black eyes.? He and older brother Basilio were employed in the church as ?bell ringers? to help their mother Sisa. Their father was a man who liked going to cockfights and beat their mother. The boys? unhappy life turned worse when the head sacristan accused Crispin of stealing ?two ounces? which was then equivalent to P32. On the day the loss was discovered, Crispin was not allowed to leave the convent, while Basilio was allowed to leave only after 10 p.m., which was past the 9 p.m. curfew. Last time Crispin begged Basilio not to leave him because, he said, ?they?re going to kill me.? The head sacristan dragged Crispin down the stairs from the bell tower and into the shadows. That was the last time Basilio saw his kid brother. Leaving the convent past curfew, Basilio was met by the guardia civil (the police then) who fired shots. A bullet grazed Basilio?s head. Though bleeding from a head wound, he managed to go home to his mother that night. This is the background to the heartbreaking scene of the madwoman Sisa, who wandered the streets, looking for her sons Crispin and Basilio. Some San Rafaeleà ±os believe this scene actually happened here during the Spanish colonial era. Catholic town Founded as a Spanish settlement in 1750, San Rafael is a deeply Catholic town. Residents make sure they get married in the same church where they were christened. When church bells peal at 6 p.m., residents pause to say the Angelus. Located some 150 kilometers north of Manila, the town is accessible via narrow, badly paved roads. According to the 2000 annual census, San Rafael has a population of 169,776 with 14,659 households. Msgr. Filemon Capiral said the town has a rich heritage. ?The residents, although most have gone abroad, are helping preserve the heritage,? he said. Four years ago, Fr. Dennis Espejo, who was then the parish priest, organized the Committee on the Cultural Heritage of San Rafael. Little-known history Espejo raised funds from residents who made good here and abroad and established a museum. The museum, located on the second floor of the convent, showcases a collection of religious icons and vestments, antique furniture and furnishings. The room with the bloodstained wall is part of the museum. There is a not so well-known historical fact about the San Juan de Dios Church. It was the site of one of the bloodiest battles between the Katipuneros and the Spanish troops. According to the church?s historical marker, Katipuneros led by Gen. Anacleto Enriquez and Spanish troops under Lt. Col. Lopez Arteaga fought fiercely at the site. When the smoke cleared, an estimated 800 men were dead, among them the 20-year-old Enriquez, who was a good friend of another Bulakeà ±o, the boy general, Gregorio del Pilar.

Fire! :: essays research papers

I remember the night all too well. It was an August evening and my parents left my younger brother Steve and I home alone as the rest of my family went to one of my younger sister, April’s, softball games. They left the two of us together thinking that they could trust us since I was the ‘older brother’ and that I’m going to be a senior in high school. I guess that eventually proved to be quite the mistake.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As I recall it, Steve and I became bored after watching a few minutes of television. Our cable was disconnected the week earlier, and so the only channels we received weren’t too exciting for teenage boys. Out of desperation, Steve begged me to find something for us to do. I decided that since it was still pretty nice outside, we could go out and create a little fun of our own. And that is exactly what happened†¦ We grabbed the barbeque lighter and began circling our house and driveway looking for flammable objects. Since I was the one in charge, of course I was a little nervous, but I knew, or at least I hoped I knew, that Steve had an idea of what he was doing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paper, leaves, and an occasional cat got pretty monotonous, so I told Steve that we should just head back into the house. Now please take note that Steven thrives on attention, and albeit he’s not the brightest crayon in the box, he loves to have people around to laugh and joke with as he attempts his insane adventures. So he suggested that we move onto bigger and better things, promising me that it would be well worth my time. I got a bit curious as to what he had planned, so I went along just for kicks. Besides, how bad could it really be?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pleased that I was joining him, Steve grabbed a can of bug spray that was lying on our back deck. He also asked me to run into the garage and grab as many aerosol cans as I could find. All that I could gather was a can of Lysol, Raid and a half-empty can of wasp-repellent. I wasn’t exactly feeling too good about this, but Steve assured me that because of scouts, he was a professional pyromaniac. I was as curious as ever by now, and so I was concentrating on his every move.

Process Paper on Making Snowman

Daniel Ricciardi Man of Snow Jim woke up after a large snowstorm last night that left ten inches of snow. His nephew Sean ran in to jim’s room and asks him to go outside. Sean said no one wanted to go and if they did it was to shovel. Of course Jim would rather play in snow then shovel so he gets outside before he gets assigned to work. He asked Sean what his favorite activity was in the snow. Sean said sledding but he was more interested in something else he hasn’t done before, making a snowman. Jim couldn’t wait to show Sean how to build the perfect snowman so he begins right away.Now their snowman needs three main body parts his legs, chest, and head. To make each body part they mold a small ball of snow in their hands and place it on the ground. Then begin to roll the ball around allowing it to gather up snow gradually getting larger. Jim Made sure not to roll it in a straight line since it might end up with a soup can shape snowball. They made sure their fir st ball for the legs was as big as Sean. Now repeat the process of molding the ball and rolling it to create the three body parts with one large and the rest gradually getting smaller.Lifting the chest snowball onto the leg snowball was difficult considering the size of my snowballs but Jim managed. Now they have the legs, body, and head with a perfect size deduction going from legs to head. Sean was filled with so much excitement seeing this large snow creature in almost full form. Sean could have been completely satisfied with the snowman he was so big he could climb it. Jim mentions to Sean that there not finished, the poor guy has no face. Sean was puzzled on how to draw a face onto our snowman. Jim told him we will not draw but all you need is a dozen or so quarter sized stones.Sean offered right away to look for them. While he did that Jim went inside to get a large orange carrot for the nose. Jim was lucky enough to find 2 large buttons for the eyes and a few smaller ones for a button shirt. Jim runs outside to see Sean stuffing the stones creating a in a vertical line across the lower part of the head. Jim asks him if he wants the snowman to smile or keep this straight face. Without an answer Jim starts to align the stones into a happy face along with the eyes and nose and buttons down the body. Sean is laughing uncontrollably at the goofy looking face.Jim couldn’t help laughing as he walks to the woods. He finds two skinny branches as along as his own arm. He stabs both sides of the snowman body with the left one tilted up to look like a wave. Sean jumps up and gives him a high-five almost snapping the arm right off. Now for them to finally finish, they both go inside and look for a hat, scarf, and mittens. They got the most colorful and wacky styles they could find. Together they place the clothing on there now finished snowman. With Jims help Sean created his first most perfect snowman.

Marijuana Legalization Outline

The Legalization of Marijuana Thesis Statement: The legalization of marijuana in the United States would create a drastic change by forming a more productive society through all of the positive uses of cannabis, physically, economically, and socially. I. Examination of the plant A. The other common names—hemp, cannabis, bud, and weed B. Society’s views on the plant are very stereotypical 1. Known as harmful, deathly, and hazardous 2. It is said that one’s attitude can be alarming and harmful to others C. Marijuana can be consumed in baked goods, vaporized, or even brewed 1. Brownies can be cooked with marijuana . Tea or coffee can be brewed with the plant D. THC is the main chemical 1. The amount can be regulated 2. It determines the strength of the high E. Marijuana has been proved to help and cure many diseases and health problems 1. Glaucoma, epilepsy, arthritis, chronic pain, and depression can be cured and prevented with the use of marijuana 2. Marijuana can even help one with aids II. Past legality in the United States A. At one point in time, it was 100% legal 1. It was one of the largest agricultural crops in the world 2. The first law to exist in the U. S. was a law demanding the U. S. armers to grow hemp B. In 1920, cannabis, hemp, and marijuana became illegal 1. It remained illegal until World War II 2. In 1948, all forms of marijuana were illegal again and still remains to be illegal. III. The United States’ debt and taxation A. As of February of 2013, the national debt was $16,797,828,899,087. B. The death rates are more common for other abused substances 1. 50,000 people each year die from alcohol poisoning. 2. More than 400,000 deaths are attributed to tobacco smoking. 3. There are zero deaths related to the use of cannabis. C. The amount of Americans who smoke is substantial . 25 million Americans smoke marijuana in the past year. 2. More than 14 million people smoke regularly. D. Enforcing marijuana prohibition costs taxpayers an estimated $10 billion annually. 1. More than 750,000 individuals are arrested per year 2. The amount of money taxpayers pay to equip the state and federal prison facilities is substantial and would decrease with the legalization of marijuana IV. Regulations in stores vs. on the streets A. Cigarettes and alcohol are monitored 1. One must be 18 to purchase any tobacco product 2. One must be 21 to purchase an alcoholic beverage B.Marijuana is sold on the streets to anyone who wishes to purchase it 1. The legalization could help prevent the smoking of underage teens 2. Crime rates would decrease, as well as drug cartels V. Dangers A. Studies of the harm to the body caused by marijuana 1. It shows no sign of brain cell damage 2. Not one case of lung cancer has been found caused solely by marijuana B. Overdose will not occur if one smoked too much 1. One would have to smoke 750 joints in about 20 minutes 2. One wouldn’t die from smoking marijuana where the death would be caused from carbon monoxide poisoning VI.California A. Decriminalized Marijuana 1. California was the first state to decriminalize it 2. The crime percentage dropped by 24% VII. Legalization in Colorado and Washington A. Illegal to anyone under the age of 21 1. An adult can legally possess up to 1oz of dried marijuana, 16oz of marijuana solids (edibles), and 72oz of cannabis infused liquids 2. Minors are still arrested and/or charged and will face sentencing B. Public consumption would remain a violation in both states, but a civil, not criminal, one 1. Crime rates have decreased 2. Debt has decreased

Element Group 15 - Nitrogen Family Facts

Element Group 15 - Nitrogen Family Facts The nitrogen family is element group 15 of the periodic table. Nitrogen family elements share a similar electron configuration pattern and follow predictable trends in their chemical properties. Also Known As: Elements belonging to this group are also known as pnictogens, at term derived from the Greek word pnigein, which means to choke. This refers to the choking property of nitrogen gas (as opposed to air, which contains oxygen as well as nitrogen). One way of remembering the identity of the pnictogen group is to remember the word starts with the symbols of two of its elements (P for phosphorus and N for nitrogen). The element family may also be termed pentels, which refers both to the elements formerly belonging to element group V and their characteristic of having 5 valence electrons. List of Elements in the Nitrogen Family The nitrogen family consists of five elements, which start with nitrogen on the periodic table and move down the group or column: nitrogenphosphorusarsenicantimonybismuth Its likely element 115, moscovium, also exhibits traits of the nitrogen family. Nitrogen Family Facts Here are some facts about the nitrogen family: Nitrogen family elements consists of atoms having 5 electrons in their outer energy level. Two of the electrons are in the s subshell, with 3 unpaired electrons in the ​p subshell.As you move down the nitrogen family: atomic radius increases, ionic radius increases, ionization energy decreases, and electronegativity decreases.Nitrogen family elements often form covalent compounds, usually with the oxidation numbers 3 or 5.Nitrogen and phosphorus are nonmetals. Arsenic and antimony are metalloids. Bismuth is a metal.Except for nitrogen, the elements are solid at room temperature.Element density increases moving down the family.Except for nitrogen and bismuth, the elements exist in two or more allotropic forms.Nitrogen family elements display a wide range of physical and chemical properties. Their compounds may be transparent, either diamagnetic or paramagnetic at room temperature, and may conduct electricity when heated. Because the atoms form double or triple bonds, the compou nds tend to be stable and potentially toxic. Element facts include crystal data for the most common allotropes and data for white phosphorus. Uses of Nitrogen Family Elements Two of the elements, nitrogen and phosphorus, are essential for life.Most of the Earths atmosphere consists of nitrogen gas, N2. Diatomic pnictogen molecules like this may be called pnictides. Because of their valence, pnictide atoms are connected by a covalent triple bond.Phosphorus is used in matches, fireworks, and fertilizer. Its also used to make phosphoric acid.Arsenic is toxic. It has been used as a poison and as a rodenticide.Antimony finds use in alloys.Bismuth is used in medications, paint, and as a catalyst. Nitrogen Family - Group 15 - Element Properties N P As Sb Bi melting point (Â °C) -209.86 44.1 817 (27 atm) 630.5 271.3 boiling point (Â °C) -195.8 280 613 (sublimes) 1750 1560 density (g/cm3) 1.25 x 10-3 1.82 5.727 6.684 9.80 ionization energy (kJ/mol) 1402 1012 947 834 703 atomic radius (pm) 75 110 120 140 150 ionic radius (pm) 146 (N3-) 212 (P3-) 76 (Sb3+) 103 (Bi3+) usual oxidation number -3, +3, +5 -3, +3, +5 +3, +5 +3, +5 +3 hardness (Mohs) none (gas) 3.5 3.0 2.25 crystal structure cubic (solid) cubic rhombohedral hcp rhombohedral Reference: Modern Chemistry (South Carolina). Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Harcourt Education (2009).

Nick Stephenson on Reader Magnets and Amazon SEO Reedsy

Nick Stephenson on Reader Magnets and Amazon SEO Reedsy Reader Magnets and Amazon SEO - Nick Stephenson on Author Marketing Last update: 07/06/2017â€Å"You’ve got to think about what the benefit is for the reader.† This is what author marketing is all about, according to bestselling author Nick Stephenson, who we have the pleasure of interviewing today.We first reached out to Nick over a year ago, when he had started implementing this mindset and his reader magnets technique. In a year, he has built a hugely profitable business out of his writing career, hitting bestsellers lists, writing full-time, and now offering a premium marketing training program for authors: "Your First 10k Readers".He shares his insights on email lists, incentives (reader magnets), reviews, and Amazon search engine optimization. If you want 24 minutes of exceptionally condensed marketing advice, just hit â€Å"play† below. For the lovers of the written word, we also provide, as always, a nice, clean transcript. Enjoy! Hi Nick, great to have you here! You’re a UK bestselling indie author of crime and thrillers. Can you give us a bit of background on what your books are about?Thanks for having me. I write mystery and thrillers, the Leopold Blake series, and I write non-fiction as well: books specifically designed to help authors find their first 10,000 readers and build their platform.My fiction work is based on a modern-day Sherlock Holmes character and is great fun. It’s all based in the US, with American characters and American language. There are 6 books in the series; I’ve been publishing for about two years now and started seeing some amazing results about 12 months ago, when I started really focusing on building my marketing strategy and on what works. It’s been a very exciting year or so for me.I can imagine. And it’s actually a year ago that I first got in touch with you to present you the idea we had about Reedsy, so I’d say it’s been a gre at year for both of us!Absolutely, yes! It’s great to see so many emerging authors and services to help grow this industry, because it’s such a new market! It’s just great to see all this exciting stuff happening.Exciting is definitely the word! You also have a free webinar on the Your First 10k Readers website that I really enjoyed, especially the first video, because that video starts by effectively setting the right mindset for book marketing. I see many authors out there thinking â€Å"how can I sell my books†, when it should actually all be about adopting a reader’s perspective.Absolutely. I think the problem with a lot of authors, like you said, is that they see marketing as a problem, when marketing can be fun as well! Because when you’re building a real connection with your fans, you get to have that exchange of ideas. Getting emails from people telling you how much they love your books and how they can’t wait for your next on e, every day, is a wonderful feeling.And when you have a next book to launch, knowing that you can launch it into the top 200 on Amazon, go to the top of the charts on your bestseller lists, without having to pay for advertising, that is amazing, because you have this built-in platform that you have direct control over. Whereas if you’re relying on Amazon or other ebook stores, or even Facebook, to do that for you, the rules can change at any minute.That’s because you don’t own that platform: it’s their platform, so they can change the rules. But if you have your own platform, you don’t have to worry about that: you control it, and therefore control your career. So my premium training is all based around how to develop that for yourself and how to build that up, so you can take control over being an author.The webinar you mention are the free videos that I show to people to let them know exactly what they can do to get this process started. There a re currently 3 videos and you can sign up for them at Your First 10k Readers.The first one will essentially take you through how the online retailers work. And this is a big one because most authors think about marketing like old school, traditional marketing that publishers used to do (and some still do), where it’s all about the physical bookstores.It’s nothing like that, because Amazon and the other stores are really search engines. They’re like Google for products, Google for books. And if you don’t understand how a search engine works, how it indexes books and pages and how you can get to the top of those search results, you’re leaving a lot of visibility on the table. So I talk about exactly how to get that right mindset.So how can authors do SEO (Search Engine Optimization)? How should they, for example, decide which keywords to enter for their book?It’s difficult I think, because Amazon and the other retailers don’t publish th eir search traffic. If you’re on Google, you can go to the Google Keywords tool, type some keywords and see how much traffic they get, what the competition is like, etc. Amazon doesn’t do this, they keep it very much to themselves, so you’ve got to be manual about it - you have to use a bit of common sense.The easiest way to do it is to use the search bar at the top of the book page and start typing in some relevant search terms that you think might apply. Amazon will suggest some for you, so you just pick some suggested terms and check out whether the books listed under those terms are selling well. If they are, it’s a good keyword, so you have to determine whether you can compete at that level of sales. So if you’re currently selling one copy a day, you don’t want to be in a keyword pool of books that are selling hundreds of copies a day. It’s a lot of manual work, trial and error, but keywords are so important.Do your recommend cha nging them often and testing/iterating?It depends, I don’t change mine that often. If I see my sales drop, I’ll go back and check, but really there is no kind of set that you want to change them out, there’s no magic answer.One post I really liked on your blog was the one about readers magnets. Because often, I finish an indie book and I read something like â€Å"we indie authors rely on reviews/on our newsletter, so please leave a review/subscribe to my newsletter†, and that to me is not a real incentive. You, however, offer a real incentive. Can you tell us more about these reader magnets?Yes, you’ve got to think about what the benefit is for the reader. Because if you put a call to action at the end of your book like â€Å"buy the next book† or â€Å"subscribe to my mailing list† or â€Å"leave a review†, the reader’s thinking: â€Å"what’s in it for me? Why should I do that?†I mean, some people will do it, of course, but most people will just completely ignore that. What you have to do to get more results is offer the reader something for them, something of value, to get them to take action. And personally I’d rather have them subscribe to my mailing list than anything else. Because if you get their email address and get their consent for you to contact them in the future, you can ask them for reviews or sales later on down the line, when you’ve built up that brand and that relationship. And this is where reader magnets really come in.Reader magnets are basically something of value that you give to your readers in exchange for an email address.That has made a tremendous difference. We’re talking more than a 1000% increase in signups, just from doing that. I offer them a book as a magnet, a full book (either another book in the series, or a related book if it’s a non-fiction book), but you don’t have to offer a full book, you can offer bonus chapt ers, deleted scenes; or in non-fiction: cheat sheets, case studies, videos, anything you want as long as it’s related to the book that the reader has just finished.It just makes all the difference because with reader magnets you’re thinking about what is in it for your readers, not what’s in it for you.Exactly, I think that is definitely the key in marketing. And it’s funny because in January, we’ve seen a couple of indie author stars like Hugh Howey or Joanna Penn posting videos about their reading habits and how they find their next reads. It shows that they have this right mindset: they easily put themselves into their readers’ shoes because they are readers themselves.Absolutely, and they build a connection with their readers that way. I’m always going to make as much effort as possible to build a connection with readers, because from a reader’s point of view, you’ve got a book out there but they have no idea who you are, they don’t know what your life story is, what their personality is, all they know is your book.If you’re publishing videos like Joanna Penn and Hugh Howey, you really build that connection and readers start to understand who you are as a person. And then they’re much more likely to buy from you because they’re invested in your success: they feel like they know you.Another great thing about indie authors is the community they’ve built, and the collaborations that emerge between authors. You’ve been working very closely yourself with Matt Iden, another author in your genre, right?I think collaboration is absolutely key, because this kind of old school mentality of â€Å"book launch is the be all and end all† is gone, you know. It used to be that where your book didn’t sell 20 or 30 thousand copies in the first three months, your publisher would either drop you or reduce your advances, or be less invested in marketing your n ext book. The indie mentality is different because we don’t rely on huge sales in the beginning, we can be happy with a few hundred sales in the first month, or a few dozen, or even ten!We’re not â€Å"in competition†, because we don’t have to compete for shelf space with this or that bestseller during launch week: we’re available forever. So we can actually work with other authors to benefit everybody because in the end we all have the same objective, which is to reach more readers and get our work out into the world. And there’s no reason we can’t do that together: I email out my audience all the time, and if I’ve got nothing of my own to promote, I’ll recommend other authors’ books. I want my readers to trust me so if I can give them something good to read that’s a great way of doing it!Another thing I wanted to discuss was your brand, that you’ve built across the years, and that is particularly e vident in your covers. Would you say that branding is one of your selling points or is it just there to support your other marketing activities?Branding is very important because it basically means that your readers know what to expect. Your name is a brand, so if someone is going to read the next Nick Stephenson book, they should understand what that’s going to be like.From a visual point of view, having those covers, almost identical across the series, means that when they’re scrolling through a list of books, they immediately know it when they see a Nick Stephenson book. And if they look at it, they’ll see the â€Å"also bought† at the bottom of the page and there will be all my covers lined up. And on my website they can see them in a banner too. It creates a very strong visual trigger that gets people excited about looking at your books.One of the most important things you should do is have a nice, professional cover, and if you’re writing in a series, having those covers match as closely as possible can make a very big difference.Do you do â€Å"perma-free† on the first book in the series?Yes, I do, and there is a reason for this. We talked about ebook stores being like search engines, right? Well, this is like any other online business, you need two things: traffic, and conversion (turning traffic into customers).Perma-free is a wonderful way to get traffic, because you can get 50x to 100x more downloads on a book if it is free, compared to if it was even 99c. Then, if you’re smart about it, you can find ways to convert that traffic into paying customers (using reader magnets, typically).Even if you don’t do perma-free you can do regular free promotions if you’re enrolled in KDP Select, and use those 5 days every 90 days when your book is free to really promote it. You’ll get subscribers that way that you can then lead on to your other books. It just makes a huge difference.One thing I’ve noticed in the latest numbers you disclosed about your expenditures for your books, is that you’re not afraid to spend money as long as it brings more back. I’ve heard that you’ve even tried Facebook ads, is that right?Yes, I do, even if I didn’t include it in the breakdown (I’d only been doing it for a couple of months). It’s like anything, you know, if you want to take your business to the next level, you’re not going to be able to do it using free marketing tools, or a $5 add.I’m not saying that you cannot have sales without paid marketing, I’ve started making serious money from publishing without really spending that much money. But you hit a plateau pretty quickly. And if you want to go to the next level, you really need to think about how you can invest in your own business.Then, it’s not about cost, it’s about how much value that investment is going to bring. If it’s going to earn you money, save you money, or save you time, then it’s a good investment.Facebook ads have been absolutely incredible. Aiming it at my non-fiction author marketing side of things (and advertising my free Reader Magnets book), I’m getting subscribers through Facebook ads that cost me around a dollar, but they’re earning me around $15, so it’s just an incredible amount of ROI. I actually don’t think that will last forever, Facebook will catch on to how much money people are making through this, and prices will go up. But while it’s like that, it’s just fantastic!Thanks for these insights, Nick, and for your time!  For more insider tips on author marketing, check out our free Reedsy learning courses on marketing.How do you build your mailing list? Do you use any reader magnets? Leaves us your author marketing thoughts and tips in the comments below! And don’t hesitate to ask Nick Stephenson any questions!

Ontarios Full-day kindergarten policy Term Paper

Ontarios Full-day kindergarten policy - Term Paper Example Some of these policies usually cover individual institutions while others always present a national and a government outlook. These policies are generally in relation to both the teachers’ and the students’ performances. They look at such issues as the teacher education and certification, the teaching methods employed, the content of the curriculum, the school infrastructure developments, the assessment methods, graduation requirements of the various institutions and the values expected to be upheld by these institutions of learning (Abbott, Rathbone & Whitehead, 2012). The various education policies in place and those that are newly formulated helps give a guideline to both instructors and learners on the availability of the different learning modes and how to effectively utilize them. It creates uniformity in the learning systems within the different institutions in the country making it easy to compare them on different fronts. These policies need to be addressed and implemented in the schools so that they can take effect and achieve their objectives. Most of these policies recognize learning as a journey in which the learners are equipped with the ability to discern what position they are in concerning their educational achievements. The learners should be able to determine where they are in the present, where they would be in the future and come up with various means to improve their present conditions (Abbott, Rathbone & Whitehead, 2012). One of the current policies in education that has been controversial in most parts of the country and that which has been used to gauge the performance of both the learners and their instructors, is the assessment policy of schools. It has been a practice for the government to assess institutions concerning their performances on different aspects. Students and schools have been graded based on their performances in the

The cast of Amontillado By Montresor and Fortunado Essay

The cast of Amontillado By Montresor and Fortunado - Essay Example In an effort to understand Montresor, there is need to focus on his superego, patient and canning nature. Montresor is canning in his attempt to lure Fortunato into his death trap. â€Å"My dear Fortunato! I am indeed glad that I have met you. I †¦tell me is Amontillado.† (Poe 866). this is an attempt by Montresor to try his first move to seek revenge on what he considered an act that was meant to demoralize him. Montresor earlier portrays canning traits as he attempts to pull the audience believe he was justified in what he was about to attempt. He insinuate he had forgiven Fortunato several times and that he was justified in seeking revenge Montresor portrays ego centric traits this highlights the reason as to why he manages to plan a revenge plan on ground that his dignity was at stake. He also brags about his traits which places him supreme to Fortunato. In this case he portrays Fortunato as weak and naà ¯ve. â€Å"He had a weak point†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (866). this is an effort to portray himself superior meaning his plans would succeed without any hitch. The implication that Fortunato portrays his ego centric attributes. His ego centric character ensures his survival through the story. The character also portrays him as being patient. This is evident in his opening statement which he states that "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (866). Montresor indicates how he was able to forget the past mistakes just to wait for the right time. This traits changes and he becomes an antagonist. He patiently plans his revenge beginning with the wide tasting to the chining and finally to the murder of Fortunato (870). The character is successful in his revenge as he manages to accomplish his goals. His quest to seek revenge is repaid by his patience. He utilizes the naà ¯ve nature of Fortunato to execute his plan. In conclusion the ego centric, caning and patience nature portrays the traits of Montresor. The effort to avenge the

The Islamic Conquests Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Islamic Conquests - Essay Example In Empire to Commonwealth (12-19), historian Garth Fowden has delineated three separate geographical, cultural, and political spheres in Eurasia: China, India, and the Near East (the Fertile Crescent and the adjacent Mediterranean coast). These areas were all ancient centers of civilization and because of the distances and geographical barriers involved, had little interaction with each other. This is why China, India, and the Near East/Mediterranean can be thought of as continuous discrete civilizations even though throughout much of their history they lacked the political unity to provide full national identity. Although Islam eventually spread to all three areas, it origin and center lay in the Near East and it was only there that it became fully dominant. The Near East is unique among the three in having close interaction with a wide variety of surrounding areas. The Fertile Crescent is "a vortex that pulls inward and fuses what lies around it. So not only can the Fertile Crescent never enjoy long-term autonomy, but its unity can only be realized on a secure bases as part of a wider unification of the Iranian Plateau with the Mediterranean" (Fowden, 18). This unity was only achieved twice, in the first instance by the Achaemenid Empire (Alexander's fleeting unification of an even larger territory was based on Achaemenid Iran) in the sixth to fourth centuries BC, and in the seventh century by the Umayyad Caliphate. The initial Arab conquests unified the entire Fertile Crescent region with Iran for the first time in centuries, providing a secure economic, political, and geographical base fo r further conquests, for instance by allowing the Islamic state to compete on an even footing with the Byzantine navy (Fowden, 140). It may well be that the impetus to sustain large scale conquests into the eighth century came from the Islamic practice of providing for the army from the income of conquered lands collectively, rather than distributing the lands. This tended to keep the army in being (Karsh, 24). How did the initial Arab conquest succeed so well The Arabs' opponents in the area, the Byzantine and Sassanian Empires, were exhausted after a generation of fruitless war with each other over the Fertile Crescent and were in internal states of near collapse. In Iran, ultimately the loosing party in this conflict, on which the pressure was increased by Turkish invasions from the north (Christian, 260-285), the aftermath of defeat had led to assassination, civil war, and by 633 a state of anarchy in the empire (Nafziger and Walton, 18). Rome was also riven with internal dissensions (see below). So, to a large degree from a military perspective, the rapid Arab conquest of the Iranian state and of nearly half the territory of the Byzantine state, is to be attributed to the internal weakness of the defeated Empires rather to any special qualities of Islam. Other possible purely military factors to explain the Islamic conquests have been proposed, though with less plausibility. In Islam at War, Nafziger and Walton suggest a 'great man' solution to the problem of the Arab conquest, arguing that Khalid ibn al Waleed was "one of the great [sic] natural military leaders in all of human history" (16-17). But this hardly seems plausible. However remarkable Khalid's successes were on an operation level, and as astounding as his victories were, the were (as above) due more to the

Impact of Shale Gas on Seismic Activity

Impact of Shale Gas on Seismic Activity Is shale gas development responsible for increased seismic activity? 1. Introduction In recent years, shale gas has become the notorious poster child of the fossil fuel industry (Sovacool, 2014). Proponents tout it as being the answer to current energy needs given that it is available in abundance and has a lower carbon footprint than other fossil fuels e.g. coal and oil (Sovacool, 2014). Contrary to this, opponents have a firm stance against shale gas development, having concerns about its environmental impact. Shale gas has come under fire once again as a link between fracking and earthquakes has stirred up public emotions (Walsh, 2014). There has been a dramatic increase in the number of seismic events in the central and eastern regions of the United States. The US has seen over 300 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 on the Richter scale over a period of three years (2010 to 2012) in comparison to an average of 21 events per year over the last three decades (Ellsworth, 2013). In several states such as Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas, Arkansas and Ohio these increased seismic events have been linked to underground injection of waste water from shale gas developments (Ellsworth, 2013). In the United Kingdom hydraulic fracturing at Preese Hall near Blackpool has been linked to two earthquakes of magnitude 2.3 and 1.5 on the Richter scale (Green, Styles Baptie, 2012). There are a number of procedural steps required for shale gas development that include the following: road and well pad construction, well drilling, casing, perforating, hydraulic fracturing, completion, production, abandonment and reclamation. This essay focuses on the underlying potential of hydraulic fracturing and underground waste water disposal to trigger seismic activities. Despite seismic activities being recorded at only a handful of the numerous shale gas development sites, the evidence indicates that increased seismic activity can be linked to shale gas development (Ellsworth, 2013). Even though the magnitude of these earthquakes are on the scale of being nuisances rather than catastrophes (Sovacool, 2014), there is a growing interest into understanding the cause of these events and the mitigation strategies to avoid larger catastrophes in terms of earthquakes or surface damage. 2. Induced Seismicity Induced seismic events are earthquakes triggered by human activity such as injecting fluids into rock formations for waste water disposal and hydraulic fracturing (National Research Council, 2013). Induced events have a much smaller magnitude than naturally occurring events and are therefore not usually felt on the Earth’s surface (Davies et al, 2013). Induced earthquakes take place when changes occur in the pore pressure-the pressure of fluid in the pores and fractures of rock-due to injection or withdrawal of fluids from the Earth’s subsurface. This change in pressure alters the stress on nearby faults, causing them to slip creating a seismic event. There are many factors that contribute to the magnitude and likelihood of an induced earthquake which include the injection rate, fluid pressure, fluid volume and injection duration (Davies et al, 2013). Since there is no physical difference between naturally occurring earthquakes and induced earthquakes it is difficult to determine the origin of a seismic event (National Research Council, 2013). A study conducted by Davis and Frohlich (1993) proposed criteria that have to be met in order to consider an earthquake as induced. These are: 1. Are these events the first known earthquakes of this character in the region? 2. Is there a clear correlation between injection and seismicity? 3. Are epicentres near wells (within 5km)? 4. Do some earthquakes occur at or near injection depths? 5. If not, are there known geologic structures that may channel flow to sites of earthquakes? 6. Are changes in fluid pressures at well bottoms sufficient to encourage seismicity? Based on these criterion the seismic activity in Dallas Fort Worth, USA was attributed to disposal of waste water from fracking activities (Frohlich et al, 2010) and the earthquakes at Preese Hall, UK were linked to hydraulic fracturing (Green, Styles Baptie, 2012). Figure 1 shows the 198 recorded global induced seismic events (Davies et al, 2013:p.178). Out of the 198 examples of induced seismicity hydraulic fracturing accounts for only 3 instances of ‘felt seismicity’ (seismic activity above magnitude 2.0 on the Richter scale) and waste water disposal, specifically from shale gas activities, also accounts for only 3 ‘felt’ seismic events (Davies et al, 2013). Figure 1. Frequency vs. magnitude for 198 published examples of induced seismicity (Davies et al, 2013:p.178) 3. Seismic activity due to hydraulic fracturing Hydraulic fracturing is the technique used to extract gas from ‘shale rock’ formations. Shale rock has large quantities of methane which are trapped in it due to its low permeability (The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012). In order to release the gas, fracking fluid is injected at high pressures to create fractures, increasing permeability of the rock and allowing gas to flow out. Micro-seismic events (less than magnitude 2 on the Richter scale) are often associated with the creation of faults in hydraulic fracturing, however their magnitude is too small to be felt on the surface (Davies et al, 2013). In the event of the presence of a pre-stressed fault near the fracked well a larger seismic event can occur although its magnitude will have an upper limit of 3 on the Richter scale (Green, Styles Baptie, 2012). The magnitude of induced seismicity is directly proportional to the surface area of the fault and degree of stress on the fault (The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012). The magnitude also depends on the pressure in the well, which is determined by the following factors (The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012): Volume of injected fracking fluid Volume of flow back fluid Injection rate Flow back rate The importance of controlling the well pressure can help mitigate seismicity, as seismic events have occurred only at wells where large volumes of fluid have been injected with little or no flow back leading to pressure build up (de Pater Baisch, 2011). The seismic activity observed at Blackpool, UK was linked to the hydraulic fracturing operations underway at Preese Hall due to spatial and temporal correlation (Green, Styles Baptie, 2012). Eisner et al (2011) conducted a study to look into the reasons behind the earthquakes, which concluded that the earthquakes were caused by injection of fracking fluid directly into an adjacent fault. The fluid injection had changed the pore pressure, reduced stress on the fault and caused it to slip resulting in a series of earthquakes. The earthquakes were also measured against the criteria suggested by Davis and Frohlich (1993) to determine whether they were induced or natural events (Eisner et al, 2011): Table 1. Criteria proposed by Davis and Frohlich (1993) to help differentiate between induced and natural seismicity applied to events at Preese Hall (Eisner et al, 2011:p. 21) The table above shows that the criteria were met and hence the events at Blackpool were classified as having been induced by hydraulic fracturing activities at Preese Hall. Mitigation: In order to avoid such events the Department of Energy and Climate Change introduced the following controls and checks for well operators (Department of Energy and Climate Change, 2014): Utilise all geological information available to determine the location of faults before drilling wells to ensure wells are at a distance from existing fault lines. Inject minimum amounts of fracking fluid Constantly monitor seismic activity Introduce ‘traffic light monitoring system’, which determines whether to proceed with injection or not on the basis of seismic activity magnitude. The implementation of these mitigation strategies would help operators assess location of faults before fracking, monitor seismic activity and stop even if minor tremors occur. 4. Seismic activity due to waste water disposal Waste water is a by-product of fracking and is often disposed of by being injected, under pressure, into disposal wells. Waste water injection increases underground pore pressure and weakens nearby faults, lubricating them, and causing them to slip resulting in an earthquake. The magnitude of induced seismic activity from waste water disposal is larger than that of fracking because it involves injection of larger volumes of fluid over a timespan of months or years (as opposed to a few days for fracking) causing greater pressures to build up (The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012). The upper limit of magnitude of seismicity induced by disposal in 5 on the Richter scale (Majer et al, 2007). In the USA links between waste water disposal and seismicity were drawn when a cluster of earthquakes were noticed in the Guy-Greenbrier area of Arkansas. Since the first disposal wells became operational in April 2009 this area experienced an increase in the number of magnitude 2.5 (or greater) earthquakes, with one in 2007, two in 2008, ten in 2009 and fifty four in 2010 (Horton, 2012). Horton (2012) reports that 98% of the earthquakes occurred within 6 km of one of the disposal wells, began post-injection, increased when the rate of injection increased and tapered off when the well was shutdown. After an extensive study of the area it was noted that the waste water was being injected into an aquifer from where it increased pore pressure on an unknown fault triggering the earthquakes (Horton, 2012). Similar activity was observed in the Dallas Fort Worth area, where 11 ‘non-felt’ (magnitude less than 2 on the Richter scale) seismic events were recorded during the period between the 20th of November and 2nd of December 2008 (Frohlich et al, 2010). The epicentre of all 11 events was less than 0.5 km away from a disposal well thereby causing them to be classified as induced seismic events (Frohlich et al, 2010). Out of the thousands of disposal wells in the US only a handful have displayed seismic activity (Frohlich et al, 2010). The reason for this could be that most of the wells are drilled into porous, permeable rocks suitable for accommodating fluids and that injection induced triggering occurs only if the fluid reaches a favourably oriented fault (Frohlich et al, 2010). Mitigation: The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering (2012) have suggested steps that could be taken to mitigate the seismic activity due to waste water disposal: 1. Injection into active faults and brittle, non-porous rocks should be avoided 2. Pressure changes at depth should be minimised by reducing volume of fluid to be disposed. This could be done by building more wells to accommodate smaller volumes of fluid or injecting into highly permeable rocks. 3. A ‘traffic light monitoring system’ should be deployed to respond to seismicity. 5. Conclusion After analysis of data from shale gas plays in the US and UK it can be concluded that shale gas development is responsible for the increased seismic activity felt in these regions. It must be noted however that most cases of seismic activity had magnitudes well below what could be felt at the surface (Davies et al, 2013). According to the National Research Council (2013) hydraulic fracturing does not pose a high risk for inducing seismic activity while disposal of waste water into underground wells poses a greater risk due to the injection of larger volumes of waste water for longer durations of time. However, of the 30,000 wells in operation in the US, only 3 wells have displayed ‘felt’ seismic activity (Davies et al, 2013). A balanced approach should be taken while addressing this matter as other human activities (mining and oil recovery) are responsible for far greater incidences of induced seismicity (Davies et al, 2013). In order to allay public concerns and reduce risks associated with seismic activity the government should enforce certain regulations e.g. geological assessment of rock system at well site, deployment of ‘traffic monitoring system’, limitations on volume and rate of fluid injected and limitations on the proximity of wells to active seismic zones or critical facilities (hospitals, schools, nuclear power plants etc.). Coordinated efforts should be made between the government and industry to put in place a mechanism to respond to induced seismic events and gather comprehensive geological data from shale gas development sites to better understand why, how and where these events occur. References Davies, R., Foulger, G., Bindley, A. Styles, P. (2013) Induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing for the recovery of hydrocarbons. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 45 (0), 171-185. Davis, S. D. Frohlich, C. (1993) Did (or will) fluid injection cause earthquakes? -criteria for a rational assessment. Seismological Research Letters. 64 (3-4), 207-224. de Pater, C.J,Baish,S. (2011) Geomechanical Study of Bowland Shale Seismicity. Eisner,L.,Janskà ¡,E., OprÃ… ¡al,I.,MatouÃ… ¡ek,P. (2011) Seismic analysis of the events in the vicinity of the Preese Hall well. Cuadrilla Resources Ltd. Ellsworth, W. L. (2013) Injection-Induced Earthquakes. Science. 341 (6142). Frohlich, C., Potter, E., Hayward, C. Stump, B. (2010) Dallas-Fort Worth earthquakes coincident with activity associated with natural gas production. The Leading Edge. 29 (3), 270-275. Green,C.A.,Styles,P.,Baptie, B.J. (2012) Preese Hall Shale Gas Fracturing Review and Recommendations for Induced Seismic Mitigation. Horton, S. (2012) Disposal of Hydrofracking Waste Fluid by Injection into Subsurface Aquifers Triggers Earthquake Swarm in Central Arkansas with Potential for Damaging Earthquake. Seismological Research Letters. 83 (2), 250-260. Majer, E. L., Baria, R., Stark, M., Oates, S., Bommer, J., Smith, B. Asanuma, H. (2007) Induced seismicity associated with Enhanced Geothermal Systems. Geothermics. 36 (3), 185-222. National Research Council. (2013) Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies. Washington, DC, The National Academies Press. Sovacool, B. K. (2014) Cornucopia or curse? Reviewing the costs and benefits of shale gas hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 37 (0), 249-264.

Baby Sitting :: essays research papers

Four-year-olds can be a nightmare or a gold mine if you know what to do. Most of us have had encounters with a few of them whether they be our brother's and sisters or our neighbors' children. Next time you have an encounter with one you might want to consider the following tips. Toddlers have LOTS of energy, they might run you around the table for hours before they tire. I can honestly say that every child has some sort of favorite character from Batman to Barbie to tellietubbies they will always have one. It might help to find in advance what their favorite TV Show is and there favorite characters so you can plan to watch a video or play with some figures of there favorite character. To help the kids to get into their nightclothes you might want to bribe them into it. Like for example you might say "I'll let you have a pop-sickle or some popcorn if you can get ready for bed." But one thing you must ALWAYS remember is to never ever ever under any circumstance give them sugar before bedtime. Now that you understand how to get them calmed down you should relax by letting them watch a Disney movie or a TV show. Kids under five should be in bed by no later than eight thirty no matter what the kids say. I think parents and any experienced baby-sitter will agree this is the most difficult task of the night. Almost all kids will fight to the death to avoid going to sleep. Some methods can vary from child to child depending on the attitude of the kids. First things first to avoid some conflict you should tell them at least an hour in advance when they will be going to bed, this gets rid of the argument "you never told me I had to go to bed at eight o clock." Next as bedtime arrives you should make sure they are ready for bed, teeth brushed, is your bed ready do you have your nightclothes on? Now for the most dreaded thing "Okay Marco and Amy its time for bed," is the way it should sound in a nice calm soothing voice.

Removal of tea breaks in the company Essay

It has been noted that many employees have been taking their tea break for more than an hour. The tea break is only supposed to be for thirty minutes, from 10h00-10h30. The customers have been complaining about poor service and it has come to my attention that the reason poor service is being provided to our customers is because of the long tea break hours. This gives a very bad impression to the customers and visitors and it reflects badly on the company. Staffs are reminded that tea breaks will no longer be taken as from 10 September 2012 until further notice. The decision to remove the tea breaks was taken by 70% of the staff members, who all voted to remove tea breaks. Staff should note the following points: * Because of the removal of the tea breaks, lunch has been extended for an extra thirty minutes. As from 10 September 2012, lunch will begin at 12h30 -14h00. * All employees are expected to be in their offices at all times, from 08h00 until lunch time. Should any of the employees feel like taking a break during working hours, permission should be asked from their immediate supervisors. * The company kitchen will be open and available for use at all hours, however, employees are asked not to stand around and chat in the kitchen during working hours. * No eating is permitted in the offices during working hours. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.

Advantage and Disadvantage Being a Police Officer

I would love to be a police officer. I, have wanted to do this type of work because, it is an exciting career that will allow me to make a difference in my community. I know that being a police officer can be a dangerous, difficult and stressful job. However, it can also be a rewarding in doing what I'd love to do. Two definite challenges in being a police officer will be dangerous nature of the work and the long hours along with shift work.In addition each day you got to work, risking your life to protect the community, so you often put your own safety at the back of your mind. Racing through traffic to crime scenes, risking being shot and approaching unsuspecting criminals are just some of the daily activities that make the job dangerous and unpredictable. While there are bound to be lots of challenges, the rewards should outweigh them. First of all you can meet a variety of people, it can be a grate alternative to a boring desk job.It is immensely satisfying to save lives every da y and also to help people make better choices. Most often you will encounter people at their worst (drug addicts, gang members, thieves). The most satisfying aspect of working as a police officer is the unique opportunity you have to show these people a better way. Working as a police officer would not always be easy. Every day would be sure to bring its challenges. Whatever the challenges, the ultimate reward would be following my dream and helping keep my community peaceful and safe.