The Tradition Of Music Through The People Of A Sardinia...

In Sardinian Chronicles, Bernard Lortat-Jacob seeks to explain Sardinian music through the people involved in the creation of it. The tradition of music in Sardinia runs deep, and Lortat-Jacob shows the importance it has to the residents of the island. Many lives are defined completely by music, and these people are the ones in which Lortat-Jacob focuses in on to study. Deeper than this though, the author shows how a rich and dynamic scene is affected by the powerful marching of time. Particularly in the monograph, a vignette regarding the residence and life of a Sardinian craftsman named Attilio, this affliction is shown. The article shows how the Sardinian musical culture has succumb to the aging process. The fragility of a tradition is emphasized through a rich character portrayal and inferred admiration. Thick description is the method in which Lortat-Jacob arrives at his conclusions, or more accurately, his notable lack of them. Such a vivd, descriptive way of writing lends itse lf to unique interpretation by each reader individually. By including himself, Lortat-Jacob shies away from the empirical tradition of ethnography and emphasizes the importance of the character. The narrative style allows the author to vividly describe the events to the reader while still maintaining an interesting, engaging purpose. These methods show that the author has opted for a more wholesome, modern view of culture and ethnography. Objectivity is not needed, just a simple set of

Biology 10 Testbank and Answers - 4176 Words

Cahpter 10 Biology, 7e (Campbell) Chapter 10: Photosynthesis Chapter Questions 1) Organisms that can exist with light as an energy source and an inorganic form of carbon and other raw materials A) are called photoautotrophs. B) do not exist in nature. C) are called heterotrophs. D) are best classified as decomposers. E) both C and D Answer: A Topic: Overview Skill: Knowledge 2) Which type of organism obtains energy by metabolizing molecules produced by other organisms? A) autotrophs B) heterotrophs C) decomposers D) B and C E) A, B, and C Answer: D Topic: Concept 10.1 Skill: Knowledge 3) The early suggestion that the oxygen (O2) liberated from plants during photosynthesis comes from water was A) first proposed by C.B.†¦show more content†¦Answer: C Topic: Concept 10.2 Skill: Knowledge 12) An outcome of this experiment was to help determine A) the relationship between heterotrophic and autotrophic organisms. B) the relationship between wavelengths of light and the rate of aerobic respiration. C) the relationship between wavelengths of light and the amount of heat released. D) the relationship between wavelengths of light and the oxygen released during photosynthesis. E) the relationship between the concentration of carbon dioxide and the rate of photosynthesis. Answer: D Topic: Concept 10.2 Skill: Knowledge 13) If you ran the same experiment without passing light through a prism, what would you predict? A) There would be no difference in results. B) The bacteria would be relatively evenly distributed along the algal filaments. C) The number of bacteria present would decrease due to an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration. D) The number of bacteria present would increase due to an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration. E) The number of bacteria would decrease due to a decrease in the temperature of the water. Answer: B Topic: Concept 10.2 Skill: Application Figure 10.1 14) Figure 10.1 shows the absorption spectrum for chlorophyll a and the action spectrum for photosynthesis. Why are they different? A) Green and yellow wavelengths inhibit the absorption of red and blue wavelengths. B) Bright sunlight destroys photosynthetic pigments. C) Oxygen given offShow MoreRelatedSolution Manual, Test Bank and Instructor Manuals34836 Words   |  140 PagesDear All, If you need any solution manual, testbank for testbooks from the list, do contact us anytime, we provide competitive prices and fast delivery after payment done. Contact us: smtbportal@gmail.com smtbportal(at)gmail(dot)com 2010 Corporate Partnership Estate and Gift Tax with HR Block TaxCut 4e Pratt Kulsrud Solution Manual 2010 Corporate Partnership Estate and Gift Tax with HR Block TaxCut 4e Pratt Kulsrud Test Bank 2010 Federal Taxation with HR Block TaxCut 4e Pratt Kulsrud

Fuse Theatre Company Essay Example For Students

Fuse Theatre Company Essay On the 16th March 2008, the Fuse Theatre Company came into school and did a play which is called the Shadow Companion. This had taken place in the theatre. This play had consisted of four characters their names are Asra Abboud, Ruby Wellbourn, Billy Wellbourn and Khadmin Abboud. Their actual names are Sarah Amankwah, Aisiling Caffery, Michael Chapman and Chris Jack.  MY first impressions of this play were Wow, this is going to be interesting the play had taken place in the centre stage the most.  The issues and themes that were explored in the play were the friendship between Ruby and her friend Asra; Asra and her dad lives in a temporary refugee accommodation on the edge of her community. We will write a custom essay on Fuse Theatre Company specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The play has a basic story line which Ruby chants and is at the mount; this is a place where she used to visit her Nan. She lights up candles and they draw a circle on the ground with her feet. There is a scene based upon Ruby meeting Asra they have a little argument at first. Then as the play goes on they grow closer and closer until the stage where both dads finds out and is upset about the situation. Asra puts a scarf on Ruby and they go back to Asras place when the father meets Ruby and he is disgusted with the fact that Asra is hanging around with Ruby, as Asra is trying to fit in more. And so the argument goes on from there, there is a point in the play were it rises until a dad is that frustrated that pours water over his daughter. This still doesnt mean that they will stop meeting each other. This all happens at a later scene in the play. In the first few scenes, Mr. Abu is an asylum seeker from Sudan where he was a teacher. The scene opens when he comes in wearing a suite and a hat. A speech is then delivered as if he is in an interview with someone. This gives us a brief idea about his character background. Sound effects are used to change the scenes. Ruby who is at the age of going out, and betraying the family sits on the mound writing in her diary for a minute or two. She then exists through the stage door. Rubys father named Billy enters the pub. A sound in the back ground sets a scene. Bill comes in all prepared with his pint, and delivers a speech about asylum seekers being virus taking over his country. This is a direct speech addressing it as the audience was attending the meeting. A phone rings and a answer machine message is left about Rubys Nan. His dad didnt pick up the phone and he hears the messages and is shocked to hear about it. Ruby enters and is frustrated and the tension beings to flare up and a rocky relationship is showing. We eventually learn that Rubys mum left her and her dad. Half way through the play, a red chair is brought on to symbolize Mr. Abus house. This starts in showing the happy side of father-daughter relationship and daughter Asra appears on scene with school uniform on. Mr. Abus gives a black scarf and Asra doesnt appear too happy but says thanks anyway. Both fathers come face to face. They talk to each other about intimidation. Bill later states he has a right to protest outside his house. The police siren is turned on and Bill decides to threaten Mr. Abu saying he will come back. Asra and Ruby meets, Ruby explains her chants and the circle, keeping it a secret between the two of them. .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc , .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc .postImageUrl , .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc , .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc:hover , .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc:visited , .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc:active { border:0!important; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc:active , .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5037492735bc6797e0eac32ad02d24bc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A vessel too fragile EssayThe secret between them is the explanation of the moth and the light, the description of love. They eventually share an understanding. Ruby puts on the headscarf. Eventually they join hands to symbolize their friendship. A rejection letter comes through, Khadim is angry and looks out the window to see Ruby and Asra swapping back the headscarf. His anger is growing. Ruby comes into the house but soon leaves. Khadim takes his anger out on his daughter and pushes her to the ground. He cannot stand the fact that Asra is fitting into the English Culture. He pours water over her as she weeps. The scene ends with the car horns and lights again. This time Khadim opens the door and shouts out to the racists. In the last few scenes, Asra is on the hill and is extremely upset, she does what Ruby normally does, which is to create a circle and begins to chants. Ruby enters and helps her they talk about their relatives who passed away. Ruby then pretends that her mum as sent her a messages. On the hill both dads come and say sorry and get their daughters. They hug. Ruby tells him that she doesnt like what he does but he just holds her in his arms. Asra and Khadim has their relationship back on track as they joke over dinner. The car noises re-appear but this time Khadim walks over calmly to the window and stares at those who are trying to intimidate him. This time he stands up to everyone. The themes and issues which were explored in the play are father and daughter relationships are always going to have a good and a bad side to things. There is an example like Khadim takes his anger out on his daughter and pushes her to the ground. He cannot stand the fact that Asra is fitting into the English Culture. He pours water over her as she weeps the father pushed her to the ground and poured water all over her. The reason I liked this scene because it shows me that no matter how hard you try, no father-daughter relationships are perfect. They built up an atmosphere on stage by addressing a speech to the audience and to make them feel involved. I didnt feel that this had built up any tension. I think the audience feels scared at this point.  The types of drama conventions that they use are direct address, this happened at the start when Billy delivered a speech at the start, it made us feel involved. Sound effects were also used because it builds up tension and it makes us feel scared.

My Name Is Khan Reaction Paper free essay sample

1. There are several themes portrayed in the film provide at least three defined each answer. There are three themes in the film that captured my attention. First, is the struggle of Muslim in America after the September 11th attack, I saw how Other Muslims suffered in America even those Muslims are innocent and not belong to the group of terrorist that attract the world trade center.I saw how Americans backlash against Muslim for they think that all Muslim are the same they will kill for the sake of their lord. Second, is the religion this film is not only for Islam-Hindu this is for all religions in the world it just opens our mind that even though we have different beliefs we must respect each other and don’t judge each other’s belief like what mother of Khan said â€Å"there are only two kind of people in this world, good people who good deeds and bad people who do bad†. We will write a custom essay sample on My Name Is Khan Reaction Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Lastly is the theme that all about family, family of Rizvan with his mother and brother and his own family together with Mandira it shows that despite of disability of Khan there’s always his family who loves him and take care of him, his love for Mandira is extraordinary he shows it not by doing things that can make Mandira happy but he shows it verbally. Khan is also despised by his brother but in the end his brother shows his love for Khan. 2. How do you characterize Mandira?Do you agree with her reactions, why or why not? Mandira is a good person, a good mother to her son. She doesn’t care for what other people think when she marries Khan even Khan has Asperger’s syndrome and they have their religion. In the story where Mandira get mad to Khan, I don’t agree with her reaction when she blames their struggles on the last name â€Å"khan† because everything that happens to her family is not the fault of Khan and Khan doesn’t know what is happening.For me, it is not right that Mandira blame khan for what had happens to them for it is her decision to marry Khan so whatever happens to them they should not blame each other but at the other side I can’t blame Mandira she lost her son and it is normal for a mother to be hurt and at that time there is no justice for her lost so he get mad for other people who she thinks that the reason why it happens to her son. For me, Mandira must accept everything that happens to them because for me if it’s meant to be it will be. 3. Had you been Sam, would you also react the same way? (Pertaining to the scene at the football field) Why?If I had been Sam, yes I will react as the same way what he did at the football field, when he wants to talk with his best friend because it is his best friend and he wants to know why Reese is moving away from him even he doesn’t do anything that can hurt Reese. When the bad students came and interrupt Reese and Sam’s conversation it starts a fire against Sam and the Bad student and of course he want to fight for his self and does bad students insulted him and his religion so for me when I’m on Sam’s situation I would react the same way as what Sam did because I need to fight for myself and my Beliefs are being rude. So, I can’t blame Sam when he insulted those bad guys because he is in fire and all he thinks is he is being slur by does guy, if I’m Sam I also think that I can throw bad words to those guys who insulted me because I need to protect myself and fight for myself. 4. What is your general reaction towards to the film? This film is not only intriguing but incredibly important and timely. It tackles many sensitive topics that include the backlash against Muslims after 9/11, the discrimination that many felt and continue to feel, the problematic use of the term â€Å"terrorist†.The film is not all about the terrorism or war it is about it’s about a relationship between two people, between an individual and the State, and between an individual and the country. It is the best movie that can open our mind to everything that is happening to our world and the different religions, it teach us that whatever your religion is, it is not a barrier for you to help other pe ople. Learn to respect other that even a disable person can help you. This movie is for all the religions in world and also a story of family.Even a disable person can help other so we can also do the same thing that Khan did prove our self to other that we are who we are. There are no good Hindus, bad Hindus, good Christians, bad Christians. Either you are a good person or a bad person. Religion is not the criterion, humanity is. It’s not about a disabled man’s fight against disability. It’s a disabled man’s fight against the disability that exists in the world—terrorism, hatred, fighting  . .. My Name is Khan  is also about Islam and the way the world looks at Islam.

Feminine Virtues in the Ibo Tribe essays

Feminine Virtues in the Ibo Tribe essays In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe shows the importance of feminine virtues in the Ibo tribe. In the novel women, regarded highly for their importance in bearing children and acting as wives, receive praised for their significance. Achebe illustrates the women of the tribe as strong, powerful people whose importance you cannot fail to notice. Anasi was a middle aged woman, tall and strongly built. There was authority in her bearing and she looked every inch the ruler of the womenfolk in a large and prosperous family (Achebe 20). Often entrusted with instilling morality in their children and governing their conduct, women in the tribe hold high regard in the respects of their fellow tribes people. A female goddess will remind men to uphold their morals and mind their conduct, much the way a mother would her child. Once again, a mother holds a high magnitude in the tribe. Mothers and wives appear as the only two positions that women in the Ibo tribe can receive praise for. Outside these roles of acting as mother and/or wife, a woman will receive little, if any respect. It was clear from the way the crowd stood that this was a ceremony for me. There were many women, but they looked on from the fringe like outsiders (Achebe 87). With festivals held in public places, men presided and took seats of honor in front. Women, forced to stand at the edges, looked on from there because they simply did not hold importance. Also, throughout the book, Achebe emphasizes the womens role in childbearing and their fault if the childs would not occur healthily. Nneka has had four previous pregnancies and childbirths. But each time she had born twins, and they had been immediately thrown away. Her husband and his family were already becoming highly critical of such a woman and were not unduly perturbed when they found she had fled to join the Christians. It was a good rid ...

Free Essays on GAPP

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAPs) The common set of accounting principles, standards and procedures. GAAP is a combination of authoritative standards (set by policy boards) and the accepted ways of doing accounting. These are the rules that companies are expected to follow. If a financial statement is not prepared using GAAP principles, be very wary! That being said, keep in mind that GAAP is only a set of standards. There is plenty of room within GAAP for unscrupulous accountants to distort figures. 1. The Business Entity Concept The business entity concept provides that the accounting for a business or organization be kept separate from the personal affairs of its owner, or from any other business or organization. This means that the owner of a business should not place any personal assets on the business balance sheet. The balance sheet of the business must reflect the financial position of the business alone. Also, when transactions of the business are recorded, any personal expenditures of the owner are charged to the owner and are not allowed to affect the operating results. 2. The Continuing Concern Concept The continuing concern concept assumes that a business will continue to operate, unless it is known that it will not. The dollar values associated with a business that is alive and well are straightforward. For example, a supply of envelopes with the company’s name printed on them would be valued at their cost price. This would not be the case if the company were going out of business. In that case, the envelopes would be difficult to sell because the company’s name is on them. When a company is going out of business, the values of the assets usually suffer because they have to be sold under unfavorable circumstances. The values of such assets often cannot be determined until they are actually sold. 3. The Principle of Conservatism The principle of conservatism provides that acc... Free Essays on GAPP Free Essays on GAPP Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAPs) The common set of accounting principles, standards and procedures. GAAP is a combination of authoritative standards (set by policy boards) and the accepted ways of doing accounting. These are the rules that companies are expected to follow. If a financial statement is not prepared using GAAP principles, be very wary! That being said, keep in mind that GAAP is only a set of standards. There is plenty of room within GAAP for unscrupulous accountants to distort figures. 1. The Business Entity Concept The business entity concept provides that the accounting for a business or organization be kept separate from the personal affairs of its owner, or from any other business or organization. This means that the owner of a business should not place any personal assets on the business balance sheet. The balance sheet of the business must reflect the financial position of the business alone. Also, when transactions of the business are recorded, any personal expenditures of the owner are charged to the owner and are not allowed to affect the operating results. 2. The Continuing Concern Concept The continuing concern concept assumes that a business will continue to operate, unless it is known that it will not. The dollar values associated with a business that is alive and well are straightforward. For example, a supply of envelopes with the company’s name printed on them would be valued at their cost price. This would not be the case if the company were going out of business. In that case, the envelopes would be difficult to sell because the company’s name is on them. When a company is going out of business, the values of the assets usually suffer because they have to be sold under unfavorable circumstances. The values of such assets often cannot be determined until they are actually sold. 3. The Principle of Conservatism The principle of conservatism provides that acc...

Explication Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Explication Paper - Essay Example By use of the penny symbolism, the author shows that whites in that period prefer that blacks depended on them. The hat symbolism, however, does not have defined positive implications on the authors attempt to make it look that whites and blacks were now equal. In my view, it has a more profound reflection on the Africans reaction to the integration as described bellow. Morality: this theme tries to justify the reactions of the characters in the event of change which is the driving force behind the author’s ideas. Julian’s mother is condescending, as most white people with a conscience were during the days of slavery. However, she no prejudices towards any child even black ones. She maintains this stand even in the face of conflict. Caroline, Julian’s mother’s nanny, is a true representation of the ideal black women before the integration. When Julian’s mother calls out to Caroline, it is perhaps the author’s way of portraying the security and comfort whites derived from the past state of blacks. This reflects on the types of whites the author chose; she picked poor whites to represent her ideas. On another level, it can be the author’s way of portraying whites as the victims. In retrospect, the author tries to point out that the impact of wealth on social class. Julian represents the present American; he is hiding, behind the faà §ade of education, to justify his support for change. The black woman is a representation of black people in recent times. Her aggression against condescending whites is a reflection of black people’s feelings towards slavery and segregation. Back to the hat symbolism, it reflects the blacks need to be not equal to but like the whites. Style: third person narration is a style that stands out in this text as much as racial integration. This technique in my view gives the text a futuristic tag. Though debatable, this writing is still relevant

Strategy and International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategy and International Business - Essay Example Hanson and Ever Ready; BTR; Tarmac. Strategic Planning This style is best suited to businesses that have important potential synergies between businesses, often requiring large, risky decisions and facing tough international competition. This means concentrating on one or two core businesses and divesting peripheral businesses - the fit between the businesses is critical e.g. Cadbury Schweppes; BOC; Lex; STC. Strategic Control This style seems to require some homogeneity between the businesses in terms of their strategic characteristics so that the centre can have a good feel and understanding for each. However, there does not seem to be a need to concentrate upon just one business or industry, or even a closely related set of core businesses, provided that the diversity is not too great e.g. the demerger of ICI into ICI and Zeneca; Courtaulds. Source: Primary Table 3 - Advantages and Disadvantages of each style Style Advantages Disadvantages Financial Control / Portfolio Approach Quantifiable Responsiveness Lose Direction Centre does not add value Strategic Planning / Core competence Approach Empowerment Growth on corporate as a whole Coordination Competitive advantage Effective SBU structure tends to hinder development as competences cross organisational boundaries. Centre out of touch Divisions tactical - by preventing other SBUs exploiting the particular competence of one SBU (e.g. transferring staff). Acquisitions critical Strategic Control / Linkages Approach Centre/divisions Complementary Cost control by monitoring each activity Efficient Coordination Motivation Competitive advantage Problems in sharing...Each style is different in its approach, can offer different advantages to the corporation, but has different strengths and weaknesses. This style works when the businesses in the group are largely autonomous and the centre can act to improve performance in each business, often by turnaround of under-performing businesses, and ultimate disposal e.g. Hanson and Ever Ready; BTR; Tarmac. This style is best suited to businesses that have important potential synergies between businesses, often requiring large, risky decisions and facing tough international competition. This means concentrating on one or two core businesses and divesting peripheral businesses - the fit between the businesses is critical e.g. Cadbury Schweppes; BOC; Lex; STC. This style seems to require some homogeneity between the businesses in terms of their strategic characteristics so that the centre can have a good feel and understanding for each. However, there does not seem to be a need to concentrate upon just one business or industry, or even a closely related set of core businesses, provided that the diversity is not too great e.g. the demerger of ICI into ICI and Zeneca; Courtaulds. Portfolio/Financial Control companies are likely to develop into unrelated products/markets/processes, usually by acquisition, with the decision likely to rest on wheth

Passport automation system Essay Example for Free

Passport automation system Essay The Passport Application System for Indian Nationals is being automated with a user-friendly interface and a strong back-end support. Every citizen of India who wishes to apply for his/her passport has to create a personal login account by registering himself/herself at first. From thereon, he/she can access the forms for the application process by logging in with the username and password for authentication. The passport applicant can apply either by: Normal application mode or Tatkal mode. Opting for the tatkal scheme costs the applicant an additional fee amount of Rs. 1000/- besides extra document proof submission. We basically have two categories of applicants: Fresh Passport Applicants Passport Renewal Applicants The applicants who are seeking their renewals must fill up an additional form regarding their old passport details. All the details entered by the applicants are validated upon submission and recorded in the database. The applicants have to scan and upload their original documents for proofs of citizenship, address, educational background, occupation, etc. The final step would be payment of the passport application fee that would be computed automatically based on the modes and category of applicant. After the payment is successfully carried out, an appointment date would be generated for in-person verification of the applicant by the passport authorities. A receipt slip would be generated as an acknowledgement for the completion of passport application process. SRS: 1. LOGIN/REGISTRATION: a. Basic Description . Users have to create their own login account by registering themselves. After filling up the registration form, the users can login to their account by entering username and passport for validation. b. Basic Flow: . New users will be directed to a registration page asking them to fill up the details like Name, DOB and other such trivial details. Filling up all the fields will be mandatory. Pre-Conditions: None Post-Conditions: After login, user will be prompted to choose the mode of applications. c. Alternative Flow: . If the user fails to login due to invalid username/password, the login screen will be reloaded again and again. Even if this doesn’t work, the user can try registering afresh. This usecase prompts the applicant to decide on either of the 2 application modes- normal or tatkal. b. Basic Flow . Entering into the normal mode will open up the application form directly. Pre-Conditions: Successful login with appropriate username and password. Post-Conditions: The applicant has to pay the passport fees according to the choice of application mode in a later stage. c. Alternative Flow . If the applicant chooses tatkal, an alert message is displayed indicating that additional charges are applicable. The flow resumes displaying the normal application form. Application Form: a. Basic Description . The applicant has to fill in all the mandatory fields in the given application form. Valid details are to be filled up without any ambiguity. b. Basic Flow . The applicant has to manually type in all the particulars required. Pre-Conditions: The applicant has to make his choice of mode of application. Post-Conditions: The form is subjected to validations. c. Alternative Flow . If the user wishes to terminate the session of form filling and proceed later, he can do so by quitting the process. If the user wants to renew his passport (i. e. not a fresh applicant), previous passport details are to be filled in for validation. b. Basic Flow . The renewal seekers are required to fill in their old passport details like Passport no, Date of Issue, Date of Expiry and Place of Issue Pre-Conditions: A valid old passport is to be produced to fill in the details. Post-Conditions: Authentication is done for the old passport existence before payment. c. Alternative Flow . None. 5. Document Submission: a. Basic Description Original documents need to be provided for various authentications by the passport authorities. b. Basic Flow . Scan the documents using a scanner and upload them to the database. This usecase validates the proofs of citizenship, address, education details, marital status and other such trivial details. Pre-Conditions: Valid documents like Birth Certificates, Licenses, Ration Cards, Bank Passbook, etc. Post-Conditions: Matching the submitted documents with the no of proofs required and validating. c. Alternative Flow . If the documents are insufficient, an alert message is displayed. Otherwise, no alternative flow here. 6. Fee Payment: a. Basic Description . The pre-computed payable amount is displayed in the form and payment options are displayed. b. Basic Flow . The payment is calculated based on the mode chosen (normal or tatkal) and the charges are listed explicitly. Payment is done here. Pre-Conditions: Completion of all forms and proper modes chosen already. Post-Conditions: Payment gateway is opened and receipt would be generated. c. Alternative Flow . Quit option to pay later on. Basic Description . This is the final step in passport automation process. A receipt is generated with an appointment date generated along with final application summary. b. Basic Flow . The generated receipt can either be printed (saved) to a file or directly printed using a printing device. Pre-Conditions: Full payment for passport is done. Post-Conditions: A valid receipt is generated as a proof of having completed the passport process. He/she has to visit the passport office in person on the appointment date allotted for final authentication.

Is Was Unfortunate That AIDS Hit The Gay Community First :: Gay Lesbian Issues Essays

Is Was Unfortunate That AIDS Hit The Gay Community First If the United States had known 20 years ago what it knows now about the transmission and progression of HIV, it would have most likely taken greater steps to contain the spread of the virus. However, it was then unknown that each diagnosed case of AIDS represented hundreds of cases of undiagnosed HIV in the greater population. It was also unknown that HIV's eight-year incubation coupled with its mode of sexual transmission would rapidly result in one of the worst epidemics in modern history. In hindsight it is unfortunate that AIDS first broke out among a sector of american society which was as marginalized and sexually liberated as was the gay male sector of american society. Despite all the positive measures taken by the gay community to promote AIDS awareness and research after the epidemic broke out, the adversarial relationship they had with the Reagan administration and the promiscuity associated with their sexual revolution contributed towards the spread of AIDS. In the HBO movie, And the Band Played On, adapted from Randy Shilts's best-selling book of the same title, it is suggested that the spread of the AIDS epidemic could have been contained had the health issue been given appropriate attention and funding from the outset. This may not be true. Whether or not AIDS could have been contained may have depended on the population it was affecting. If so, the fact that AIDS hit the homosexual population first may have been particularly unfavorable for two reasons. First, according to the best information on the risk of transmission associated with certain behaviors made available by the CDC, anal sex is the act mostly likely to transmit AIDS. Anal sex is practiced in the male homosexual population far more than in any other sector of american society. Second, the gay male population was considerably promiscuous in the early 1980s as a result of their recent sexual revolution. Sexually transmitted disease such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV ran rampant through public bath houses, where gay men would engage in anonymous sex with other men. These two factors contributed significantly to the spread of AIDS. While it is impossible to know if the AIDS epidemic could have been completely contained, it is certainly true that an earlier understanding of the HIV virus and its modes of transmission would have dissuaded some people from engaging in the types of high-risk behaviors associated with HIV transmission, and hence saved lives.

What changes are needed to the present Ethiopian, Eritrean and international economic

The current policies in place designed to reduce the effects of famine in the African countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea are a long way from achieving their goals. Famine has been a regular occurrence for hundreds of years. Ethiopia and Eritrea depend on two rainy seasons a year to ample crop growth. Sweeping changes must be made at local, national and international level if the severe problem of famine is to be brought under control and eventually eradicated. 85% of the rural population relies on rain, as farming is the main source of income (Jonathon Steele in Addis Ababa reports on efforts to contain disaster). In Africa annual rainfall varies dramatically and this plays a vital role in the success or failure of crops each year. There are also regional differences in the level of rainfall throughout Africa which means that drought cannot be assessed as a nationwide issue but as a regional issue. Current policies to regulate management of land are largely ineffective. The over-cultivation and mismanagement of land is leading to shortfalls in food production. Food growth is increasing annually by 0.6%, in contrast population in Africa is growing at 2.9%. (www.ethioembassy.org.uk) Also read this  Cheating in a Bottom Line Economy The ground surface of an area can be dramatically altered by processes such as overgrazing or over cultivation. This has a dramatic effect on the formation of clouds and subsequently levels of precipitation. (Draught and famine workbook) Steps need to be taken to change the way land is cultivated to prevent over intensive cultivation, before any steps can be taken towards eradication of famine, if the African people cannot become self sufficient then they stand little chance of escaping the cycle of drought leading to famine. Schemes and Policies designed to ease famine and drought The African government has introduced a range of schemes designed to reduce the risks posed by drought. Huge investment in agriculture has been made since 1991. This includes rural credit schemes and the creation of dams to catch rainfall. On an international level the World Bank has offered a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300 million loan for rural road building. The World Bank and International Monetary fund have given their support for the reduction of subsidies on fertiliser prices; which has forced farmers to cut back on their use. (Jonathan Steele) Resulting in a fall in crop yields, leading to a fall in food supplies. A worrying trend is the increasing use of inorganic fertilisers by African farmers. They cause untold damage to the environment, releasing chemicals into the water, harming both people and vegetation. These inorganic fertilisers are purchased from the more affluent economies which mean's that African farmers must pay in cash for fertilisers which increase crop yields but which are ultimately destroying their own ecosystem in the process. This is indicative of the lack of sustainable food production policies in Ethiopia and Eritrea. (www.ethioembassy.org.uk) A nationwide scheme introduced by the African government gives farmers who own more than 0.5 hectares of land, improved seed varieties, fertilisers and pesticides, on loan. This has seen results in many areas which have led to higher incomes for some farmers. Schemes such as this yield benefits today but the future cost and effect on the environment in the long term is as yet unknown. (Information from Oxfam, leaflet no OX450 May 1997) Schemes to counteract the problems of soil erosion have been introduced. Oxfam in partnership with thousands of volunteers in community programmes are attempting to rebuild the land. Millions of trees have been planted to help curb soil erosion and to put back nutrients into the soil. (Information from Oxfam).Reforestation projects are of paramount importance in regenerating the land and preventing soil erosion and leaching of vital nutrients. Types of farming Many of the crops grown by African farmers are cash crops. These crops are often unsuitable for the environment in which they are grown and leach vital nutrients from the soil. As agriculture is the main source of income for 85% of the population cash crops are vital to the survival of many African farmers. Nomadic pastoralism is the most efficient form of land use in arid and semi arid lands where crop production is very risky due to high annual variances in climate. (Kilby 1993, Scoones 1995) â€Å"Development policies introduced over the Last fifty years have undermined the traditional management of pastoralists†. (Kilby 1993) Kilby states that they have focused on the extension of crop production into marginal areas, on sedentary ranching, and on an expansion of national parks. Such policies deny pastoralists resources and the ability to roam freely which they require to feed their herds, especially during periods of drought. Many of the policies introduced with the intent of reducing the impact of draught on the peoples of Africa actually hinder them. Conclusion Policy changes within agriculture are urgently needed. Technological change which will stabilise production at higher levels is also needed. Money needs to be invested in researching drought resistant crops, and a higher level of irrigation is also required if droughts are going to cease to be a catalyst for famine. Agricultural productivity needs to be dramatically increased in order for individuals to become self-sufficient. It is only through better management of agriculture that famine can be eradicated in the long term rather than simply on a short term basis. Policies need to be changed and action taken, short term, and more importantly long term, so as to reduce the severity and frequency of the occurrence of famines in Africa. The issue of famine and drought is highly complex and is very difficult to resolve. â€Å"Famine is a direct result of drought; however it is the vulnerability of people when faced with reduced food availability that turns the situation into a disaster†. (Information from Oxfam) Long term policies need to focus on food security, ensuring that food supplies are large enough to sustain the population and that excess food supplies are managed to ensure the populations survival during drought years. In the past excess food supplies have been sold to foreign countries for profit rather than being kept to feed the African population during times of famine. Government policies need in the short term to focus on making people self sufficient before they can tackle issues of producing surplus crops to sell. Existing policies have made little difference to the situation. Much still needs to be done for the long term prevention of famine in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Marina Bay Sand

Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is one of only two integrate resorts (IRs) in Singapore, locating in Marina Bay waterfront in the heart of the city. It developed by Las Vegas Sands (LVS) Corporation has opened officially in 2010. MBS does not only delude tourists by the fascinating design, but it also attracts visitors by a rich variety of services such as 2,560-room lodging property, amenities of spa, fitness centre, bar, theme park with infinite swimming pool, the state-of-art casino, convention, shopping mall, theaters, cinema and extraordinary lotus-shaped museum.Writing this report, the author aims to investigate MBS regarding the application of guest activity programming model. Overall, the model is very significant to MBS in delivery of service excellence to its guests. 2. The application of guest activity programming model to MBS It is not useless to spend time to explore the term of guest activity programs before applying the theory for MBS. According to Mill (2008), guest activity i s also called as recreation which is â€Å"an activity that takes place during one’s free time, is enjoyable, freely chosen, and benefits the individual emotionally, socially, physically, cognitively, and spiritually†.In other words, recreation means chosen activities that guests can receive benefits from it, including having fun together. And in order to satisfy guests, popularly the guest activity director who plays an active role in ensuring guests to get benefits will plan guest activity programs. The guest activity programming model (refers to Appendix) consists of 5 stages. First of all, it assesses guest needs. Perhaps it is influenced by 4 external factors such as history, environment, culture, and organization. These factors will contribute partly to generate guest needs.In particular, historical influences refer to the tradition and philosophy of the resort. Typically, the IR is a resort offering a rich variety of leisure and entertainment activities and casi no facilities. Thus, if developing a guest activity programming for MBS, it is possible to concern with these elements. On the other hand, environmental influences can be understood as the time of the year, weather, and nature. In Marina Bay, it inherits beautiful Singapore River which is ideal for sports on the river.Namely, MBS has collaborated with Singapore River Cruise in order to open a tour route across convenient locations surroundings the river such as Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, Merlion Park to the IR. Guests can enjoy the beauty of the river before arrivals of the IR. Cultural influences comprise of ethnicity, age, and religion of the guests. Singapore possesses multi-ethnic culture which is the most popular destination in Asia for Westerners and Easterners. Although Singaporean is mainly Chinese, Malay and Indian, most people are well-educated and comfortable with English.This cultural factor is the supporting to MBS’s business. Meanwhile, social influences are fads, trends, and news. In this respect, it can mention about the tendency of international guests in Singapore towards gambling and shopping interests. Finally, organizational influences are defined as values and mission of the company. An example of MBS, the chairman of LVS – Adelson claimed that the IR will aim to be â€Å"a catalyst for the economic future of Singapore and a launch pad for its tourism industry†.Usually LVS Corporation builds its properties in the purpose of developing the local economy, and MBS in Singapore is not an exception. Thus, in the first stage of needs assessment, the guest activity director should expect guest’s needs that reflect 4 external factors. In order to deploy the most effective needs assessment, the process must be conducted by interviewing existing and potential guests regarding their interests or learning national statistics to explore current trends in recreation.In the next stage, the guest activity director should develop objectives. After identifying what important to guests, the director will set objectives for the guest activity programming to enable guests to be satisfied. In particular, MBS will deliver outstanding services of 5-star hotel with the cutting-edge facilities. It means the IR seeks a level of over expectation to its guests. Furthermore, it is the stage of deploying cluster or activity analysis in order to meet identified objectives in the guest activity programming.According to Mill (2008), the scholar broke down each activity following by criteria: behavioral domains, skill level, interaction patterns, leadership, equipment, duration, facilities, participants, and age appropriateness. For instance, during Christmas and New Year Holidays, MBS might plan to have seasonal sales or decoration the property with sparkling style. And this involves the cluster of duration which occurs during the holiday. In addition, the external factor of environment – i. e. the time of the year, a lso generates the recreation.Beside seasonal arrangement, sometimes activity can schedule weekly or monthly in a period of the day. For instance, the Sands Fruit Festival has recently opened on July and August for 1 day. Moreover, other events require lighting, audio and visual aids such as The Social Pavilion for one’s own virtual photo shoot, exhibitions, movies and so on. All events are classified as the cluster of equipment criteria. From this stage, it can see that the use of guests, staff, resources and facilities in the model will be assisting tools together to deliver the guest experience in the next stage.The activity experience seems to be a process how much guests enjoy and have fun in recreation. Taking the example of Sands Fruit Festival, the holder promises that the festival will deliver a wide selection of premium fruits to visitors such as lychees, longans, rambutants, and mangosteens. It means the IR hopes the guests can experience high quality and fresh frui ts. Or in the lodging sector, MBS desires the guests to stay wonderful rooms. Guests can relax with spacious bathroom with freestanding bathtub and walk-in shower.In addition, they can invite friends into their rooms for conversations with coffee and tea made by in-room mini bar. Guests can watch 42-inch LCD with cable TV or movies on demand. Otherwise, business guests can take advantage of high-speed internet access for their needs. In the last stage, it is activity evaluation – an indispensable step in every process. Usually, the guest activity director might work with other department in the resort to publish customer feedback questions in order to get guest’s opinions regarding what they experience in the resort.This aims to determine whether or not objectives can be met. Otherwise, it will investigate how much objectives are met or which level of experience guests reach from unsatisfactory to delight. If there is any failure, this step will indicate clearly, as a result the resort will eliminate or make adjustment in the next guest activity programming model in order to offer better recreation. 3. Conclusion In conclusion, the guest activity programming model is very helpful tool for resorts in developing recreation and ensuring guests to be satisfied during their stays in resorts.The model consists of core 5 steps such as needs assessment, identification of objectives, activity analysis, activity experience and evaluation. The guest activity director should follow these steps to create the most efficient recreation to guests. Importantly, recreation will be built by the influences of 4 external factors such as environment, history, organization, social, and culture. Besides that, guest, staff, equipment/resources and facilities are useful tools in assisting the director to create successful recreation.

Vicodin essays

Vicodin essays Hydrocodone otherwise known as vicodin is a tablet for the relief of moderate to moderately severe pain. Vicodin may be habit forming. This medication should not be taken more that the prescribed amount. One of the two drugs in vicodin is Acetaminophen. This medication is taken daily by millions of people in our society. Acetaminophen is an over the counter drug known as Tylenol. Excessive use of Tylenol is extremely detrimental to the body. Most vicodin addicts take up to ten pills a day, so they are taking in way more Tylenol than needed. Tylenol has been noted to cause major liver damage and eventually liver failure. Once the liver failure has failed, death is next to come. That is one way that vicodin can slowly put someone to death. Some vicodin addicts have reached the point to take up to 100 pills a day. Over months of vicodin use, the vicodin effects will become greater and more damaging. At first, the user will endure such effects as constipation, speeding up or the slowing down of the heart rate, nausea, and dizziness. As the use grows, the vicodin effects will come in the form of blurred vision, hallucinations, and sever confusions. The last stages of vicodin addiction bring with it the two most detrimental vicodin effects known. These two stages are a coma and then death. This drug combination is in the Federal Drug Administration pregnancy category C. This means that its effects on an unborn baby are not known. Since the category is C, I could not really get that much information on vicodin. This drug will pass through into breast milk, which could harm a nursing infant, which could damage the helpless child. This medicine has a liquid called Lortab, which has alcohol and can harm a child. The systems of when you overdose me include: blood disorders, cyanotic skin color, cold clammy skin, increasing sedation progressing to unresponsiveness, diaphoresis, irregular heartbeat, decreased heart rate, weakness, low blood pre...

Queen Victoria Quotes

Queen Victoria Quotes Queen Victoria, the longest-ruling monarch of Great Britain, ruled during a time of economic and imperial expansion, and gave her name to the Victorian Era. Selected Queen Victoria Quotations We are not amused. (attributed) Please understand that there is no one depressed in this house; we are not interested in the possibilities of defeat; they do not exist. Move Queen Anne? Most certainly not! Why it might some day be suggested that my statue should be moved, which I should much dislike. (about moving a statue of Queen Anne for Victorias Diamond Jubilee) The Queen is most anxious to enlist every one who can speak or write to join in checking this mad, wicked folly of Womans Rights, with all its attendant horrors, on which her poor feeble sex is bent, forgetting every sense of womanly feeling and propriety. The important thing is not what they think of me, but what I think of them. His purity was too great, his aspiration too high for this poor, miserable world! His great soul is now only enjoying that for which it was worthy! When I think of a merry, happy, free young girl and look at the ailing, aching state a young wife generally is doomed to which you cant deny is the penalty of marriage. I feel sure that no girl would go to the altar if she knew all. An ugly baby is a very nasty object, and the prettiest is frightful when undressed. I dont dislike babies, though I think very young ones rather disgusting. I would venture to warn against too great intimacy with artists as it is very seductive and a little dangerous. Great events make me quiet and calm; it is only trifles that irritate my nerves. He speaks to Me as if I was a public meeting. (of Mr. Gladstone) More About Queen Victoria Queen Victoria BiographyHow Is Queen Elizabeth II Related to Queen Victoria?   About These Quotes Quote collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Each quotation page in this collection and the entire collection  © Jone Johnson Lewis. This is an informal collection assembled over many years. I regret that I am not be able to provide the original source if it is not listed with the quote.

1 Thessalonians 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

1 Thessalonians 5 - Essay Example This directly relates to modern day life in a sense that it is important to continue to thank God for his word even after thousands of years. Chapter four in 1 Thessalonians goes on to further explain living to please God. This is very important and the apostle Paul urges the Thessalonians to stand strong in their faith. Paul urges the Thessalonians to continue to do more in more in the name of God’s son Jesus. Doing so is pleasing to God. Chapter four also brings up sexual morality. This was a trouble for the Thessalonians as it is trouble for modern day. Sexual morality has become to be something that is tolerated by society but almost forgot that it is not tolerated by God. God wants his people to respect their bodies and treat them holy. If these same values could be implemented into modern day world there would be less sexual acts before marriage and also less prostitution. Loving each other is another way that 1 Thessalonians encourages everyone to live to please God. Loving each other is very important as loving each other as God had intended would allow for a better more pure way of life. This pertains to the modern world in ways that loving each other would reduce crime, lying, deceit, divorce, and violence to almost none. Chapter five goes on to explain waiting for the coming of Gods son Jesus. It is said that Jesus will come without warning like a thief in the night. Those who are obedient to him shall receive salvation. Modern day may tend to forget that this has been written by God. Those who are pleasing to God and live life as a follower of Jesus are able to seek this salvation. It is important to remember that God says that we are all people of the day. Becoming people of the day helps to keep away wrong doings and drunkenness. God wants his people to be awake in the day and sleep at night. Those sleeping in the day are getting drunk at night and not living out God’s will. Modern day struggles with this in

Marijuana legalization in the United States Essay

Marijuana legalization in the United States - Essay Example The push to decriminalize marijuana has been going on for years. It started in the early 1970s in the region of Oregon and increased as days went by with people pushing for its use claiming it had medical uses as well as for recreational purposes. There was gradual acceptance of the substance with various states addressing the issue from various angles according to what was felt right by the law makers there. Colorado was the first one to legalize marijuana up to a certain level in 2005 after fifty four percent of the votes to determine the issue voted in favor of its legalization. The other municipals that followed include Pennsylvania in 2014, Washington DC in the same year and New York City. Many states have passed laws that are in favor of its use up to certain levels though none has been bold enough to allow it production and use at the users discretion.   The State of Oregon made the initial step in the fight to allow the use of cannabis and decriminalize it in early 1970s. T his move was faced by different opinions from various people in the government and also from the citizens who had the perception that the use of marijuana is linked with various criminal activities and the medical attributes it is given are vague and non-existent. However, lobby groups could not relent and the move was accepted in other states and in 1975 Alaska also passed a law to decriminalize it. The law was to allow possession of up to 4 ounces of the substance. This was to be in their residence.  

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

WAN intranet - Research Paper Example Companies with remote locations have started preferring using intranet instead of conventional network configurations because it is easier navigating the intranet than a Local Area Network (LAN). Thus, LANs are being replaced by LANs in progressive organizations. The users login to an internal site to carry out organizational chores, much like using a website. An intranet is just like an organization’s isolated internet. For a company that has numerous remote locations that need to be connected to the private network, remote-access, also called a Virtual Private Network (VPN), is implemented which is actually a user-to LAN connection. When a company has to implement an enormous remote-access, like that of 100 locations, the VPN has to be contracted out with an Enterprise Service Provider (ESP). This ESP will set up a network access server and will deliver desktop client software to the users at all the hundred remote locations, who then install it on their computers. This will be called the VPN client software. The users will then dial up a call to connect to a local Point of Presence (POP) of the ESP to eventually access the network access server and will use their VPN client software to get connected to the company’s private network after having themselves authenticated to the VPN server, where they can share the centralized database, carry out their web business, web meetings, and transfer information. The users are also able to access the centralized database because the installed intranet server enables fast and reliable access to database records by removing the need to replicate databases for separate clients at remote locations (Knight et al., 2005). VPN client is the calling router and the VPN server is the answering router. The VPN client software makes possible a safe and encrypted link between the company’s network and all the hundred remote locations via an intermediary third party. This connection is

Private military contractors Essay Example for Free

Private military contractors Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Private military contractors, also known as private security contractors provide a number of different services for the UN military in Iraq.   Various services include the preparation of meals, navigating army supply vehicles, military training and security for US officials.   Some private military contractors also provide interrogation and translating services for the US military. Contractors providing this service in particualr have been suspected of a number of human rights abuses at the Abu Ghraid Prison.   Other activities by private military contractors have raised issues about humanitarian conerns and the abuse of womren’s rights.    There are currently at least 100 private military contractors in Iraq.[1]   This discussion looks at the unique role of private military companies in Iraq and examines their impact on the rights of women. Private Military Companies in Iraq   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The US military and the State Department spends billions of dollars on private security contractors in Iraq.[2] These contractors according to the Washington Post are: â€Å"Out of public view, have been engaged in a parallel surge, boosting manpower, adding expensive armor and stepping up evasive action as attacks increase.†[3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The primary goal is to â€Å"offset chronic troop shortage† and the number of invidual contractors are between 20,000 and 30,000.[4]   David Isenberg in a report by the British American Security Information Council published on September 4, 2004 maintains that it is impossible to accurately account for the number of private military companies currently in Iraq.   This is because only PMC’s whose contracts exceed $50 million are required â€Å"to be reported to Congress.†[5]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Isenberg complains that the legal status of private military companies is especially problematic since there is no real provision in International law to account for their role and definition.[6] While many view the private military personnel as mercenaries, they do not fit the definition of mercenry within the meaning of the Geneva Convention.[7]   Article 47 describes a mercenary as an idividual who takes part in military combat and is not a national and: is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a Party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party.[8]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   James Conachy however, refers to these private military personnel as â€Å"modern-day mercenaries.†[9]   Conachy aligns their physical presence with their abstract presence.   While they are by and large not subjected to transparency and legal accountability in the traditional sense they operate out of uniform and from â€Å"unmarked vehicles†.[10]   They go about their business in this manner while â€Å"manning roadblocks, or stalking outstide building, with machine guns.†[11] As a result, the private militaray presence in Iraq has â€Å"become an ubiquitous and offensive symbol of the US occupation.†[12]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conachy maintains that the need for private military presence in Iraq is obviated by the bredth of US military deployment overseas following the September 11 terrorist attacks.   Without the use of private military companies the US would be compelled to send more troops to Iraq from an already depleted armed force or would have to seriously consider â€Å"reviving the military draft.†[13] It is obvious from this assessment of the single purpose of the private military that distinguishes them from the Article 47 definition of mercenary.   Mercenaries are not aligned to a paritcular party and obviously the private military contractors are aligned to the US and are used to facilitate the US military’s shortfall.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The following description of private military duties takes them well outside of Article 47’s definition of mercenary: â€Å"Far more than in any other conflict in United States history, the Pentagon is relying on private security companies to perform crucial jobs once entrusted to the military.†[14] It is clear that private military companies are not in actual combat.   Mercernaries, according to the Geneva Convetions are actively fighting . Human Rights Concern and Women   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In an article published in the Guardian, Luke Harding explains that the full extent of abuse toward women by all sectors of the military in Iraq will not be fully known.   This is primarily because Islamic women rarely discuss violations of a sexual nature.   Rape, Harding maintains is a symbol of shame in the muslim world   and â€Å"victims can be killed to salvage family honour.†[15] The most shocking incidents of abusive treatment of women originate from the Abu Ghraib jail which was primarily manned by private military personnel.[16] Accroding to Patrap Chatterjee the private military’s role at the Abu Ghraib jail was one of interrogation which brought them into more frequent contact with the prisoners than other jail personnel.[17]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The International Committee of the Red Cross reported that in October 2003 there were approximately thirty female prisoners in the Abu Ghraib jail.[18]   According to prison personnel, that number was reduced to five by May of 2004.[19]   The Internation League for Peace and Freedom had documented some eye witness accounts of abuse at the Abu Ghraid jail.   One such account was given to Iman Khamas who heads the International Occupation Watch Center, a private organization that collects anti-human rights information.   The account came from a former prisoner who told Khamas of a rape incident at the jail.   Khamas reports that the prisoner recalls that: â€Å"†¦ the prisoner said her cellmate had been rendered unconscious for 48 hours. ‘She claimed she had been raped 17 times in one day by Iraqi police in the presence of American soldiers.’[20]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another report originated from Mohammed Daham al-Mohammed who heads an Iraqi group, the Union of Detainees and Prisoners.   According to a-Mohammed he was informed of a â€Å"mother of four† who had been arrested in December of 2003 and killed herself after being raped by US guards who forced her husband to watch while incarcerated at the Abu Ghraib jail.[21]    According to the woman’s sister the rape victim committed suicide.[22] The victim had told her sister of incidents of physical abuse outside of the rape.   In one account she recalled a American male pulling her by the hair and forcing her to look at her husband while the American took off her clothing.   After this incident the rape took place.   Once released, the woman was afraid to face her husband since he had witnessed the rape and asked her sister to help her commit suicide.[23]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A former male prisoner reported incidents where women were constantly removed from their cells to private rooms.   The prisoner explains: They had to pass in front of our tent and cried out, Find a way to kill us.[24] Human Rights groups explain that rape for a Muslim woman shames the entire family which is why these women would rather die having suffered a rape.[25] Khamas recalls an incident in which she visited a woman at the Abu Ghraid jail and a female prisoner told her about a rape, but whispered in her ear despite the fact that no one else was present.[26]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Khamas, Mohommed and Hoda Nuaimi, a professor in politics at Baghdad University report that: â€Å"†¦three young rural women from the Sunni Muslim region of Al-Anbar, west of Baghdad, had been killed by their families after coming out of Abu Ghraib pregnant.Nuaimi said that in the case of another such woman, who was four months pregnant, her brother had been reluctant to kill his sister because he considered her a victim.†[27]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Luke Harding reports that the first information about abuse of female victims at the Abu Ghraib jail, a US facility first came to light by a note smuggled out of the prison by a female prisoner.[28]   In the note the woman claimed that women were being raped by US personnel and many of them had become pregnant.   The note also begged the Iraqis to â€Å"bomb the jail to spare the women further shame.†[29]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Swadi, a female lawyer among seven representing the female detainees indicated that the abuse was not limited to the Abu Ghraib jail and was happening all over Iraq.[30] The shame associated with rape and the consequence for family disgrace were evident in the following account from a female prisoner at al-Kharkh, a US military base: She was the only woman who would talk about her case. She was crying. She told us she had been raped†¦Several American soldiers had raped her. She had tried to fight them off and they had hurt her arm. She showed us the stitches. She told us, We have daughters and husbands. For Gods sake dont tell anyone about this.’†[31]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Luke Harding also reports that an investigation conducted by the US Military which was headed by Major General Antonio Taguba confirmed the contents of the note smuggled out of the Abu Ghraib facility.   Moreover, digital photographs, according to Tajuba’s findings also depitcted US personnel engaging in sexual contact â€Å"with and Iraqi woman.†[32] Tajuba’s investigation also found videotapes of nude female prisoners.[33]   There are additional photographs of Iraqi women being forced at gun point to â€Å"bare their breasts.†[34] While these photographs have been relased to Congress they have not been released to the public.[35]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In May of 2004: â€Å"an Iraqi woman in her 70s had been harnessed and ridden like a donkey at Abu Ghraib and another coalition detention centre after being arrested last July.†[36] UK Labor Member of Parliament Ann Clwyd investigated the incident and confirmed that it was in fact true.   The Iraqi elderly woman had been held without charge for at least three weeks during which time â€Å"she was told that she was a donkey.†[37]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Luke Harding explains the devastating consequences for female rape victims which only accentuates the abuse involved.   According to Harding: â€Å"Honour killings are not unusual in Islamic society, where rape is often equated with shame and where the stigma of being raped by an American soldier would, according to one Islamic cleric, be unbearable. The prospects for rape victims in Iraq are grave; it is hardly surprising that no women have so far come forward to talk about their experiences in US-run jails where abuse was rife until early January.†[38]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the time of writing, Harding describes another incident of physical and mental abuse agianst female detainees in Iraq in which the private military personnel are activiely involved.   Five women, according to Harding were being held in â€Å"solitary confinement† in cells measuring just 2.5 meters in length and 1.5 meters in width at Abu Ghraib.[39] Captain Dave Quantock who was then in charge of the prisoners at Abu Ghraib told journalists that all female prisoners at Abu Ghraib are kept â€Å"in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day.†[40]   The only entertainment the women are allowed is access to the Koran.[41]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mystery surrounds the grounds upon which the five females in solitary confinement are held.   The general term used is that they are held as â€Å"security detainees.†[42] Swabi maintains that these women are being held â€Å"for who they were married to and their potential intelligence value.†[43] Be that as it may, the degree of abusse cannot be justified.   Under both US and International laws the cruel and inhuman treatement of prisoners at anytime is unlawful.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   International humanitarian laws contained in the Geneva Conventions 1949 of which the United States ratified since 1955 requires that during times of war and peace all prisoners are to be treated humanly.[44] More over the Geneva Convention IV specifically prohibits rape and indecent assault on women.   Article 27 provides as follows: â€Å"Women shall be especially protected against any attack on their honour, in particular against rape, enforced prostitutiOn, or any form of indecent assault.†[45]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Judicth Gail Gardam and Hillary Charlesworth argue that women have always been at risk of violence in armed conflict.   Although the emphasis has always been on sexual violence there have been other forms of violence against women.   Gardam and Charlesworth note that the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action called for governments worldwide to map out plans for combatting: â€Å"the effects of armed or other kind of conflict on women, including those living under foreign occupation.†[46] The Iraqi conflict and occupation and the violence against women is therefore nothing new.   What is perhaps more surprising is the fact that it could happen in light of international laws and attention to violence against women in the past. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An irony arises out of these reports.   The US invasion has been called â€Å"operation Iraqi freedom† which presupposes a vastly humanitarian effort.   Yet in the course of fighting for Iraqi freedom, those sent to fight for the cause have added to the problem.   Roger Normand alleges that the US personnel in Iraq are: â€Å"†¦violating almost every law intended to protect civilians living under foreign military occupation.[47] While many of   these crimes are being committed by private military companies,   the world at large and the Iraqi populace draw no distinction between the US soldiers and the security companies employed by them to help the cause. The private military and security personnel are agents of the US government and as such the US government is vicariosuly liable for the misconduct of the private miliatary contractors.   As long as they are permitted to continue working with and for the military and as long as they continue to violate international law particularly article 27 of the fourth Geneva Convention, the US must take responsibility for the ills committed by them.   They cannot take the benefit without the burden.    Bibliography Center for Economic and Social Rights.(n.d.) â€Å"New Report Documents Extensive U.S. War Crimes In Iraq†. Available online at: http://www.ccmep.org/2004_articles/iraq/061104_CESR.htm Retrieved December 11 2007 Chatterjee, Pratap. (May 12, 2004) â€Å"Private Contractors and Torture at Abu Ghraib, Iraq.† Democracy Now. Available online at: http://www.democracynow.org/2004/5/12/private_contractors_and_torture_at_abu Retrieved December 11, 2007 Conachy, Jamers. (May 3, 2004) â€Å"Private Military Companies in Iraq: Profiting from Colonialism.†International committee of the Fourth Amendment. Available online at: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/may2004/pmcs-m03.shtml Retrienved December 11, 2007 Fainaru, Steve. (June 16, 2007) â€Å"Iraq Contractors Face Growing Parallel War: As Security Work Increase, So do Casualties.† Washington Post Gardam, Judith, Gail and Charlesworth, Hillary. (Feb. 2000) â€Å"Protection of Women in Armed Conflict†. Human Rights Quarterly Vol. 22 No. 1 pp 148-166 Geneva Convention Harding, Luke. (May 12, 2004)† Focus Shifts to Jail Abuse of Women.† The Guardian. Harding, Luke. (May 20, 2004) â€Å"Rape in Iraq: The other prisoners.† The Guardian. Isenberg, David. (Sept. 4, 2004) â€Å"A Fistful of Contractors: A Case For a Pragmatic Assessment of Private Military Companies in Iraq.† British American Security Information Council, Research Report. Kabbara, Rouba. (May, 29, 2004) â€Å"Human Rights Groups: Iraqi Women Raoed at Abu Ghraib Jail.† Peace Women Available online at: http://www.peacewomen.org/news/Iraq/May04/Women%20in%20Prison.html   Retrieved Deember 10 2007

Birds Die Too :: essays research papers

Birds Die Too   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Kate Chopins â€Å"Story of the Hour†, several elements contribute to the overall meaning of the story itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Her death is foreshadowed in the beginning when it mentions that she was â€Å"afflicted with heart trouble†. Because of this, when her sister told her that her husband had died, it was done so delicately. After Mrs. Mallard is told, is where the story really begins to set a tone of elegiac settings, and how she is expressing herself is in direct contrast to weather, i.e. ‘the storm of grief†. When Mrs. Mallard goes to her room and sits down to rest, she begins to notice how lovely the weather is outside, and here the tone takes a sudden change from elegiac to soothing and peaceful. She notices the trees that are â€Å"aquiver with new spring life† and the â€Å"delicious breath of rain†. Not only are these segments directly related to her change of emotion, but they are also foreshadowing the Birjoy she will feel momentarily. She begins to realize she is â€Å"free† from whatever responsibilities she held to her husband, an d is consumed with â€Å"monstrous joy† that she will be living â€Å"for herself†. Other symbols besides the weather, is also the bird she first notices when she first retires to her room to be alone with her grief. The birds are happy, singing, and carefree of any limitations. Also the door when her sister, Louise, begs her to open the door. She is also symbolically opening the door to her new life, the one she will live in total liberation with the restraints of her husband. She begins to also look at life with new eyes, seeing it in a different light, no longer seeing as a life of repression. She loved him, but not as much as she suddenly loves herself. This is a reaction that should be expected from her, however, it is not widely popular (due to when this story was written). She had been married expecting to live her life playing the perfect little wife, and had actually almost managed to convince herself that she enjoyed it. However, when she realizes her freedom, she is ecstatic, as any sane person would be. And even though her husband was obviously a good, kind man whom she â€Å"never looked upon with anything but love† she was still not living for herself, and no one can be truly happy if they aren’t happy with themselves first.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 18

The blackness began to lighten into swirls of color, colors that eventually resolved into lines and shapes around me. I gazed around as the world formed and soon felt solidity beneath my feet. My own body was taking on substance again, the light and hollow sensation disappearing. Feeling and movement returned to me, and for half a second, I thought I had imagined everything that happened in the parking lot. Then I was struck by a sudden and overwhelming sense of wrongness. First off, as I blinked the world into focus, it became obvious that I was no longer at the bowling alley. I was inside a room with vaulted ceilings and no windows. It appeared to be a courtroom, complete with a jury box and judge's stand. All the decor was black: red-veined black marble on the walls and floor, black wood trim, black leather chairs. Everything was very sleek and modern, clean and sterile. The next thing I noticed was that I wasn't in the body I'd just been in. My perspective on the world was from a greater height. The weight of my limbs and muscles felt different too, and I wore a simple linen dress instead of my Unholy Rollers shirt. Although I couldn't see myself straight-on, I had a good idea which body I was wearing: the first one. My mortal one. The one I'd been born to. Yet it was neither the body nor unfamiliar room that felt so wrong. They were surprises, yes, but nothing I couldn't adapt to. The wrongness came from nothing tangible. It was more a feeling in the air, a sensation that permeated my every pore. Even with the vaulted ceilings, the room felt stuffy and tight, like there was no air circulation whatsoever. And even though there wasn't any actual odor, I just kept imagining stagnation and decay. My skin crawled. I felt smothered by hot, humid air – yet was also chilled to the bone. I was in Hell. I had never been there, but you didn't really need to have been to know it. I was sitting at a table on the left side of the room, facing the judge's bench. Behind me, separated by a railing, was the audience seating. I squirmed around to peer at it. Right before my eyes, people began to materialize in the seats. They were wildly different in appearance: male and female, all races, various states of dress. Some were as prim and neat as the courtroom around us. Some looked like it had been quite an ordeal for them to get out of bed. There was no uniformity to their appearances. There weren't even immortal auras to tip me off, but I was willing to wager anything that they were all demons. A murmur of conversation began to fill the room as the demons spoke to each other, a droning almost more frightening than the silence that had originally met me. No one talked to me, though plenty of sets of eyes studied me disapprovingly. I didn't recognize anyone here yet and felt vulnerable and afraid. There was an empty seat next to me, and I wondered if someone would be joining me. Was I entitled to a lawyer for this . . . whatever it was? It had all the trappings of a regular courtroom, but I could hardly expect Hell to be reasonable or predictable. I honestly had no clue what was about to happen. I knew it had to be about my contract, but Hugh hadn't gone into a lot of specifics when he'd said that my case would eventually â€Å"be reviewed.† There was a table on the right side of the courtroom, one that mirrored mine in size and placement. A man with irongray hair and a handlebar mustache sat down at it, placing a briefcase on the table's surface. He wore an all-black suit – including the shirt – and looked more like a funeral director than a prosecutor, which is what I assumed he was. As though sensing my scrutiny, he glanced over at me with eyes so dark, I couldn't tell where pupil ended and iris began. They sent a new chill through me, and I changed my assessment of him. Funeral director? More like an executioner. Once the gallery was nearly full of spectators, a side door near the front opened. Twelve people filed out toward the jurors' box, and I caught my breath. I still couldn't sense any immortal auras in this room. Maybe it wasn't necessary in Hell or maybe there were just too many immortals in here for it to be comfortable. Regardless, just as I'd been certain all the spectators were demons, I could tell that half of the jurors were angels. It was in their eyes and their disposition. There was a way they carried themselves that differed from everyone else, even though the angels were dressed no differently. Also, the angels seemed to be conscious of the wrongness I'd felt in here. They kept glancing around, small looks of disgust on their faces. At first, it seemed kind of crazy that angels would be in Hell, but then I realized that, unlike Heaven, there were no gates or barriers to keep anyone out. And unlike mortals, angels had the ability to leave here when they chose. I suppose it m ade it easy to do business visits like this. Still, I found myself heartened by the sight of the angels. If they were going to be involved in deciding my case, then surely they would be sympathetic. â€Å"Don't count on any help from them.† It was the prosecuting demon with the dark eyes, leaning across his table and addressing me in a low voice. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† I asked. He inclined his head toward the jurors. â€Å"The angels. They've got a nagging sense of justice, but they also don't have a lot of sympathy to those who sold their souls. They figure you made your bed, you have to sleep in it. Pretentious bastards, the lot of them.† I turned back toward the jury and felt a sinking in my stomach. Some of the angels were watching me, and although there wasn't open disdain on their faces, like the demons, I could still see condescension and scorn here and there. I saw no sympathy anywhere. With so much chatter in the now-crowded room, it was hard to imagine being able to single out any one voice – but I did. Maybe it was because it was one I'd grown so familiar with in the last ten years, one that I had fallen into the habit of jumping to whenever it spoke. Tearing my gaze from the jury, I peered around until I found the voice's owner. Sure enough. Jerome had just entered the courtroom. Even in Hell, he still wore the John Cusack guise. Mei was with him, and it was the sound of their conversation that had caught my attention. They made their way to some seats near the front, on the opposite side of the room from me, that I presumed had been left open for them. A pang of relief shot through my chest. Finally, familiar faces. I opened my mouth to speak, to call out to Jerome . . . just as his eyes fell on me. He paused in his walk, fixing me with a look that pierced straight to my heart. Then, without any other sort of acknowledgment, he looked away and continued his conversation with Mei as they went to their seats. The words died on my lips. The coldness in his gaze left no question that all the laid-back ease at the bowling alley had been a scam. Jerome was not on my side. And, if my empty table was any indication, no one was on my side. A guy in a much more cheerful suit than the prosecutor walked to the front of the room and called the court to order. He announced the entrance of Judge Hannibal, which would have been a hilarious and absurd name in other circumstances. Everyone stood, and I followed suit. The show of respect kind of surprised me. The adherence to procedure did not. Judge Hannibal entered through a door opposite the jury's. For a moment, I simply thought, He's so young. Then, I remembered I was thinking like a human. No one in this room – except me – wore their actual form. All of them were beings of incalculable age, and the twenty-something, blond surfer appearance of Judge Hannibal was just window dressing. He flashed everyone a big grin, perfect white teeth standing out against his tanned skin. He riffled through some papers in front of him. â€Å"All right,† he said. â€Å"So, what . . . we have a contract dispute with a succubus? Letha?† He glanced around, like there was some big mystery about who I was. His gaze landed on me, and he nodded to himself. â€Å"Who's prosecuting? You? Marcel?† â€Å"Yes, your honor,† said the dark-suited demon. Judge Hannibal chuckled. â€Å"This is even less fair than it already was.† He glanced back at me. â€Å"You got a lawyer, honey?† I swallowed. â€Å"Er, no. I don't think so. Should I? Do . . . do I get assigned one?† He shrugged. â€Å"We could dredge some imp up if you don't want to defend yourself. Or we can summon someone, if you've got anyone in mind.† At the mention of an imp, Hugh's name immediately popped up in my head. I wouldn't have even cared about the defense aspect. I just wanted to see a friendly face here. Was it that easy? I could just ask, and they'd bring Hugh here . . . to Hell? As soon as I had the thought, I dismissed it. Hugh had already risked so much for me. How could I ask him to stand against our superiors, to defend me against all those cold, glaring eyes? And what good could come of it? He'd probably get in more trouble if I actually won – which didn't seem likely, judging from Hannibal's earlier comments. I was on the verge of telling them I'd just defend myself when there was an explosion of light in the aisle beside me. I leaped to my feet in fear and wasn't alone in doing so. A cyclone of silver and white light slowly coalesced into a familiar and very welcome form: Carter. Like everyone else, a day in court appeared to make no difference for how he dressed – save that he was wearing the cashmere hat I'd gotten him last Christmas. Glancing up at the judge, Carter took off the hat and held it before him in an attempt at respect. I wanted to throw myself sobbing into his arms. â€Å"What is this?† demanded Judge Hannibal. Those who had been startled slinked back to their seats. â€Å"Sorry,† said Carter amiably. â€Å"I would've come in the normal way but didn't know how else to get her lawyer in.† Was Carter going to be my lawyer? Hope sprang anew within me until another burst of light erupted beside him . . . and Roman appeared. Chaos of a different sort broke out, and suddenly, I was a sideshow. Outrage shone on angel and demon faces alike. Half the room was on its feet. I hadn't been able to sense any immortal auras, but I could feel the swell of power bursting from nearly every individual as they advanced on Roman. â€Å"Nephilim!† â€Å"Destroy him!† We were on the verge of a full-fledged mob attack when Hannibal banged his gavel on the desk. It made a sound like thunder, hitting hard. A palpable wave of power radiated out from him, nearly knocking a few people off their feet. The growing magic in the room dissipated. â€Å"Sit down,† he snapped. â€Å"This is hardly the time or place for everyone to start playing hero.† â€Å"There's a nephilim in the room!† protested someone in the back. â€Å"Yes, yes. Thank you, Captain Obvious,† said Judge Hannibal. â€Å"And I daresay the hundred or so of us can take him if he gets out of line. That's not in question. What is, however, is why he's here and shouldn't be immediately smote.† That was directed to Carter. â€Å"He's her lawyer,† said Carter. Hannibal's eyebrows rose in true surprise, with no sign of his earlier smugness. â€Å"A nephilim?† â€Å"There are no rules against it,† said Carter mildly. â€Å"Any immortal can serve, right?† Hannibal glanced uneasily at a woman seated at a corner desk who had been typing away steadily on a laptop. I'd taken her for the court reporter, but she was apparently some sort of consultant too. She made a face. â€Å"Technically, he can serve,† she said. â€Å"Our laws don't specify.† â€Å"But they do specify that anyone the defendant chooses is exempt from punishment,† said Carter, as cagey as any lawyer. A cruel smile played at her lips. â€Å"Whoever is summoned to serve as lawyer is exempt from punishment during court and afterward when they return to their normal jobs. I'm guessing this . . . creature is not in our personnel files.† With Hell, the devil really was in the details. Hugh had always warned me to be careful with even the smallest wordings because Hell would use them to its advantage. It took me a moment to fully get why she was so pleased. Any immortal could serve as a lawyer in a case like this, it seemed. And, going on the first part of what she'd said, no one could do anything to Roman while he was my lawyer, despite the normal immortal reaction to promptly destroy all nephilim. There would be no mass smiting in the courtroom. It was the second part of her words that was tricky. Those drafted as lawyers allegedly couldn't be punished for their legal performances when they returned to their regular duties, which would've been good to know when I was considering summoning Hugh (though I knew there were a million subtle ways a disgruntled demon could still get back at someone on the sly). But Roman didn't have any regular duties for Hell, aside from an unofficial deal with Jerome that I had no doubt my archdemon would disavow all knowledge of. Roman couldn't be protected when he â€Å"went back to work† because he didn't work for Hell. The instant this trial ended and he was out of the role of lawyer, he was subject to the whims of Hell. â€Å"Well,† said Hannibal. He looked down at me. â€Å"At least it'll make this case more interesting. Sure, whatever. You want the nephilim as your lawyer?† I wanted to say no. Some part of me half hoped that if I refused and Roman never became my lawyer, he would be free of the retribution that awaited him afterward, that he could simply escape now. Except, as I glanced between him and Carter, a terrible certainty settled over me. It didn't matter if Roman became my lawyer or not. He wasn't getting out of here. It was reflected in Roman's eyes as they met mine. When Carter had brought him here, it was a one-way trip. If I didn't accept him as my lawyer, I was simply speeding Roman to his death. I nodded and felt my heart lurch as I sealed his fate. â€Å"Er, yes. Yes, your honor. I'd like him as my lawyer.† There was a murmur of disapproval throughout the courtroom. Carter slapped Roman encouragingly on the back and then went to find a seat in the gallery. Roman took the empty chair beside me. He was a sharp contrast to Marcel. Roman had no briefcase, not even a single piece of paper, and was still wearing the clothes he'd had on earlier: jeans and a sweater. â€Å"What are you doing?† I hissed to him, grateful for the cover of the other voices. â€Å"This is suicide!† â€Å"You didn't really think I'd abandon you to them, did you?† he asked. â€Å"And who knows your case better than me?† â€Å"They'll kill you when it's over, whether I win or lose.† Roman gave me a lopsided smile. † ‘It is a far, far better thing that I do – ‘ â€Å" â€Å"Oh, shut the fuck up,† I said, afraid I was going to start crying. â€Å"You're an idiot. You shouldn't have come here.† â€Å"You remember our talk about purpose and meaning?† he asked me, the smile disappearing. â€Å"Well, I think this might be mine. I think this is what I was meant to do, Georgina.† â€Å"Roman – â€Å" But there was no time for any more conversation. Judge Hannibal was banging the gavel – this time, sans thunder – trying to calm everyone down. They were still worked up about the idea of a nephilim walking freely in their midst. â€Å"Enough, enough,† Hannibal said. â€Å"I know we're all shocked and awed, but get over it. We'll deal with him later. If there's no more drama in store, do you mind if we get started?† He glanced between the lawyers. â€Å"I'm ready when you are, your honor,† said Marcel. Roman nodded. â€Å"Let's do this.†

Lawn Industry of Pakistan

Letter of Acknowledgement Ms. Saadiyeh Saad Course Convener Methods of Business Research CBM – Karachi. Dear Madam, As per instructions, we are submittings this case-study like research report on Lawn Industry of Pakistan discussing the factors impacting the intensification of lawn fabrics in Pakistan. We would like to thank you for being so helpful and supportive in the teaching us this subject in such a manner that after its completion, our concepts are literally clear regarding various methodologies involved in researches. Beyond any doubt, it is just an outcome of your comprehensive and procedural approach of teaching that we have made this report without scantiness of any kind. We are really obliged for your support, Madam. Regards, Nasir R. Zaidi Pakistan Business Research (PBR) is a nation wide advisory services agency and market research firm. Primarily, it focuses on assisting retail industry executives and vendors serving retailers to achieve competitive differentiation and market success through business-driven short term investments. PBR provides facts based research and customer centric strategies to enable better offerings from vendors and more effective business investments by retailers. PBR helps clients gain clarity, obtain precise perspective and formulate course of action on critical business issues. Founded in 2009 by a group of IoBM Grads, PBR provides custom marketing research, syndicated research and evidence-based consulting to leading organizations in the financial services, life sciences and consumer goods industries. Through quality research, advanced analytics and deep industry knowledge, PBR delivers data-driven solutions and strategies that enable clients to better understand customers, define products, and shape market opportunities in order to increase revenues and grow the value of their products and brands. PBR’s Key Services: Since its inception in 2009, PBR has providing services of a full-fledge research firm that specializes in helping companies understand current customers, lost customers, potential customers and employees (internal customers) and track the factors that affect customer satisfaction, loyalty, awareness, and purchasing behaviors. Undergoing rapid developments since its establishment in 2009, PBR is a market research company  with already many standing client relationships in place and a strategic plan for strong and consistent growth. Core Values: Invest in continuous learning to improve the quality of work and the development of our employees Exhibit an ethical â€Å"can-do† attitude and practice what we preach. Form lasting partnerships with our customers and suppliers; Foster a rewarding and fun environment for employees; Further our commitment to the community. Provide products and services that exceed our clients’ expectations in terms of accuracy, quality and timeliness. Brand Research & Consulting: Brands play a critical role in purchase decision making. They are the customer-facing expression of your business strategy. So why do so many companies know so little about their brands? Whether you are just starting to define your  brand  or you have an established brand that you are  managing – accurate and timely information is available only through  adequate brand research. PBR’s  branding research  concentrates on six key areas to give the critical information you need to manage your brand; 1. Creating a new brand strategy 2. Understanding how far your brand can stretch 3. Brand architecture 4. Brand management 5. Revitalizing brands 6. Brand positioning New Products / Services Research: The failure rate of  new product  launches is very high. Some estimates are that less than 20% of new products succeed! In order to increase your chances of new product success, turn to Pakistan Business Research (PBR). Our experience in marketing research for identifying, developing and launching new products is second to none. Using both qualitative and quantitative research, we can help you identify customer dissatisfaction and unmet needs, generate and screen new product concepts, evaluate market feasibility (demand and value), identify compelling marketing benefits and messages and track introduction, awareness and trial. Introducing new products without marketing research is like driving blind – much too risky! In short, just let PBR help you navigate your way to successful product introduction. Additional Areas of Expertise Advanced Statistical Analyses: PBR has an on-site online module to conduct  advanced statistical functions  such as multiple regression (driver analysis), cluster analysis, factor analysis, perceptual mapping (multidimensional scaling), structural equation modeling and data mining. Marketing Surveys: In addition to our market research specialties, PBR is well experienced in conducting different types of marketing research including all types of Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer research studies, advertising effectiveness, attitude testing, marketing effectiveness, market segmentation, positioning and a lot more. Pragmatic Execution: Our business research can help you not only design but also execute the best possible marketing surveys taking into consideration which aspects of your marketing efforts are being measured, available contact information, market segment, market size and structure, available budget etc. PBR’s Marketing Research Process: Our marketing research process  includes the systematic identification, collection, analysis and distribution of information for the purpose of knowledge development and decision making. The reasons and times at which your company or organization might consider performing marketing research varies, but the general purpose of gaining intelligence for decision making remains constant throughout. Customers occupy the central role in the marketing research process. As a company or organization, the overwhelming majority of research you are currently considering likely revolves around your customers: †¢ Current customers †¢ Prospective customers †¢ Lost customers †¢ Members †¢ Community †¢ Employees (internal customers) Shareholders (internal customers) Whether you are creating a new marketing research program or perhaps revising an existing marketing research program, what are the steps you should take? While there are dozens of little steps along the way, each of these steps fits into one of the 6 major steps of the marketing research process. They are; Step 1: Identifying and define the problem Step 2: Develop the approach Step 3: Establis h research design and strategy Step 4: Collect the data Step 4: Perform data analysis Step 5: Report and present Problem Definition – The Case : PBR’s two month old client, KOHINOOR TEXTILES wanted to invest some money into opening a seasonal lawn boutique brand. KOHINOOR TEXTILES was aware that rigorous market research and analysis would be required in order to determine potential for such a venture as related to price, quality, sales, marketing, culture and lifestyle and trends of already existing lawn brands. The client, already possessing a favourable market share in fashion industry, had noticed that the demand of lawn products was on the increase during Spring and Summer seasons and a larger number of brands were on a sharp growth pattern when other smaller competitors sprung up and began taking some of the market share. Yet this client also noted that out of 10 or 15 such lawn manufacturing companies, only about 3 or 4 were highly successful. So we were brought in and asked, what factors make lawn exhibitions so successful? – Is the demand ever increasing? – Is the supply meeting the demand? – Is this only seasonal or is it a year round trend? And lastly, would a lump-some investment towards manufacturing and selling high quality lawn be fruitful for a firm? Developing the Approach: With these queries and predicaments in mind, PBR called upon some its most outstanding and proactive researchers to help KOHINOOR TEXTILES embark on a journey to launch their lawn prints. The team consisted of: Mr. Nasir ZaidiDirector – Research Affairs (PBR) Mr. Salman AnisManaging Director – Analysis (PBR) Mr. Ahsan Rasheed Head – Research Coordinator (PBR) Mr. Hassan GhoriResearch Method Analyst (PBR) Establishing Research Objective & Design: The research objective was to find what factors were making lawn exhibitions so successful? After lengthy discussions, it was decided that it would be best to get into the customers’ mind directly (primary research) about what makes lawn exhibitions so successful. The team sat together to construct a way of finding out facts on the growing trends of lawn and the entire fashion industry at the same time. After a lot of deliberations and keeping in view the dynamic state of affairs in lawn industry, it was decided that the target market was ALL WOMEN FALLING IN 18+ AGE RANGE. With further more analysis and options, the following questionnaire was constructed for a survey of a sample of a 100 (hundred) women. Questionnaire We, the final year students of College of Business Management (CBM), are conducting a research into â€Å"HOW BRANDED LAWN IS TURNING INTO AN INDUSTRY† and the â€Å"INCREASING TREND OF LAWN CULTURE IN PAKISTAN†. We shall be thankful if you can spare two minutes of your time and fill this short questionnaire. 1. Never ask a woman her age, but what’s your ‘age range’? a. 16-25________ b. 26-30________ c. 31-35________ d. 36+________ 2. You are currently†¦ a. In school________ b. In college________ c. Employed________ d. A housewife________ 3. In the recent past, how many Lawn Exhibitions have you attended? . 1 – 2________ b. 3 – 4________ c. 5 – 6________ d. 7 and above________ 4. Do you prefer Lawn over other fabrics? a. Yes________ b. No________ c. Depends on the occasion________ d. Only in summers________ 5. Which one of the following factors according to YOU makes Lawn Exhibitions so successful? a. Price____ ____ b. Quality________ c. Availability________ d. Advertisement________ e. Other (please specify) 6. What is the Maximum Price you are willing to pay for a Lawn suit? a. 1’000 – 1’999 PKR________ b. 2’000 – 2’999 PKR________ c. 3’000 – 3’999 PKR________ d. ’000 – 4’999 PKR________ 7. Lawn is best for†¦ a. Formal occasions________ b. Casual wear________ c. Mix of both a & b________ d. Daily use________ 8. How many hours would you say you watch Fashion TV or Style 360 in any given week? a. Don’t watch either________ b. 1 – 7 hours________ c. 8 – 14 hours________ d. 15 + hours________ 9. Which factor has affected / influenced your Lawn buying behavior the most, if at all? (Choose the best option) a. Plain necessity________ b. Media________ c. Growth in the Fashion Industry________ d. Need for purchase of high quality products________ 10. Does television have a direct affect on your buying behavior? a. Never________ b. Rarely________ c. Sometimes________ d. Definitely! ________ 11. What’s your opinion towards Bollywood stars endorsing products of a Pakistani Lawn manufacturer? a. That’s a good thing________ b. Whatever helps sell merchandise†¦________ c. Neutral________ d. It shouldn’t happen†¦ Pakistan Zindabad! ________ 12. What’s the number one source to hearing about so many exhibitions? a. Friends________ b. Television________ c. Billboards________ d. Radio________ 13. Is there a limited availability of high quality lawn? . Yes________ b. No________ c. There are plenty of copies in the market________ 14. Which Lawn manufacturer according to you is the best? (please write down your answer) __________________________________________ 15. What are the two main reasons (in your viewpoint) that have caused a significant increase in the number of high quality lawn manufacturers and the growth of lawn exhibitions in the Pakistani market? a. Increase in demand! ________ b. People becoming more aware of their physical presence________ c. Increasing number of occasions to attend! ________ d. It’s too hot for wearing other clothing material________ e. Any other (please specify)______ 16. Which one of the following exhibitions HAVE YOU attended thus far in 2010? (Please place a ‘tick-mark’) JOFA (HSY) MAUSUMMERY GUL AHMED SONIA BATLA AL KARAM SOBIA NAZIR LAKHANI LAWN SANA SAFINAZ MARIA B. V9 LAWN PRINTS JUNAID JAMSHED FIRDOUS 17. Which Lawn exhibitions DID YOU attend in the year 2009? (Please place a ‘check-mark’) JOFA (HSY)MAUSUMMERY GUL AHMED SONIA BATLA AL KARAMSOBIA NAZIR LAKHANI LAWNSANA SAFINAZ MARIA B. V9 LAWN PRINTS JUNAID JAMSHEDFIRDOUS 8. Rate the following Lawn Exhibitions, only those you have attended, on a scale of 1-5 (1 being the worst possible rating and 5 being the best) based upon price, quality, and design of each, in YOUR mind! (please ‘circle’ your choices) V9 Lawn Prints (Vaneeza Ahmed): Price1 2345 Quality1 2345 Design1 2345 Mausummery: Price1 2345 Quality1 2345 Design1 2345 Gul Ahmed (Ideas): Price1 2345 Quality1 2345 Design1 2345 Junaid Jamshed: Price1 2345 Quality1 2345 Design1 2345 JOFA (HSY): Price1 2345 Quality1 2345 Design1 2345 Sana Safinaz: Price1 2345 Quality1 2345 Design1 2345 Data Collection: With the questionnaire complete, it was time for collecting data from a total sample population of 100 (hundred) women. The objective was to collect data from school and college going girls as well as go a to a lawn exhibition itself to gather data through a survey! The response was overwhelming as it took just an hour to get 50 forms filled in the College of Business Management (CBM) alone although, the remaining were filled at Vaneeza’s V9 Lawn Prints Exhibition which was quite trivial yet fascinating! For the results of the research carried out, lets go to Data Analysis which is self-explanatory. In the recent past, how many Lawn Exhibitions have you attended? [pic] Do you prefer Lawn over other fabrics? Which one of the following factors according to YOU makes Lawn Exhibitions so successful? What is the Maximum Price you are willing to pay for a Lawn suit? Lawn is best for†¦ How many hours would you say you watch Fashion TV or Style 360 in any given week? Which factor has affected / influenced your Lawn buying behavior the most, if at all? Does television have a direct affect on your buying behavior? What’s your opinion towards Bollywood Stars endorsing products of a Pakistani Lawn manufacturer? What’s the number one source to hearing about so many exhibitions? Which Lawn manufacturer according to you is the best? What are the two main reasons (in your viewpoint) that have caused a significant increase in the number of high quality lawn manufacturers and the growth of lawn exhibitions in the Pakistani market? Quality of V9 prints in view of women: Price of V9 prints in view of women: Price of Mausummery prints in view of women: Quality of Mausummery prints in view of women: Price of Gul Ahmed prints in view of women: [pic] Quality of Gul Ahmed prints in view of women: [pic] Price of Junaid Jamshed prints in view of women: [pic] Quality of Junaid Jamshed prints in view of women: [pic] Price of Jofa (HSY) prints in view of women: [pic] Quality of Jofa (HSY) prints in view of women: [pic] Price of Sana Safinaz prints in view of women: [pic] Quality of Sana Safinaz prints in view of women: [pic] Hypothesis Testing H0: People attending exhibition in 2010 has increased than in 2009 HA: People attending exhibition in 2010 has not increased than in 2009 [pic] H0: Attending Exhibitions and watching television are dependent HA: Attending Exhibitions and watching television are independent Significance Level: 5% Test Statistics: Chi-Square test on independence [pic] [pic] How many hours would you say you watch Fashion TV or Style 360 in any given week? [pic] As P>0. 05 therefore we donot reject Ho Conclusion: As the test that the given data provides sufficient evidence to conclude that attending a lawn exhibition depends upon the watching Fashion TV or Style 360 Ho: There is no preference of lawn with regards to age H1: There is preference of lawn with regards to age Significance Level: 5% Test Statistic: Chi-Square test on independence Case Processing Summary | | |Cases | | |Valid |Missing |Total | | | |Count | | | |Do you prefer Lawn over other fabrics |Total | | | |YES |NO | |Pearson Chi-Square |12. 961a |9 |. 164 | |Likelihood Ratio |13. 120 |9 |. 157 | |Linear-by-Linear Association |2. 670 |1 |. 02 | |N of Valid Cases |89 | | | |a. 12 cells (75. 0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is . 45. | | | |Symmetric Measures | | | |Value |As ymp. Std. |Approx. Tb | | | | |Errora | | |a. Not assuming the null hypothesis. |b. Using the asymptotic standard error assuming the null hypothesis. | |c. Based on normal approximation. | As P>0. 05 therefore we do not reject H0 Conclusion: The test suggests that there is preference with regard to age. H0: People seek high quality lawn when paying the price HA: People are willing to pay the price for any quality of lawn |Case Processing Summary | | |Cases | | |Valid Missing |Total | | | |Count | | | |Is there a limited availability of high quality lawn |Total | | | |Yes |No |There are | | | | | |plenty of | | | | | |copies in the | | | | | |market | |Chi-Square Tests | | |Value |df |Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)| |Pearson Chi-Square |8. 791a |6 |. 186 | |Likelihood Ratio |9. 176 |6 |. 164 | |Linear-by-Linear Association |. 45 |1 |. 358 | |N of Valid Cases |90 | | | |a. 6 cells (50. 0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is . 26. | |Symmetric Measures | | | | Value |Asymp. Std. |Approx. Tb | | | | |Errora | | |a. Not assuming the null hypothesis. | |b. Using the asymptotic standard error assuming the null hypothesis. | |c. Based on normal approximation. | [pic] As P>0. 05 do not reject H0 Conclusion: People seek high quality lawn when paying the price H0: Sources of media hearing about exhibitions has increased attendance in exhibition in 2010 H0: Sources of media hearing about exhibitions has not increased attendance in exhibition in 2010 Significance Level: 5% Test Statistic: Chi-square test of independence |Chi-Square Tests | | |Value |df |Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)| |Pearson Chi-Square |22. 05a |27 |. 711 | |Likelihood Ratio |20. 282 |27 |. 819 | |Linear-by-Linear Association |. 002 |1 |. 963 | |N of Valid Cases |90 | | | |a. 34 cells (85. 0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is . 01. | As p>0. 05 therefore do not reject H0 Conclusion: The data provides sufficient evidence that hearing from the given sources of media have lead to an increase in attending the exhibitions Conclusion / Recommendations for the Client: After conducting the research, we found that; – More and more women are attending lawn exhibitions are every year, the figure of exhibitors is increasing. – Lawn is becoming formal way of dressing. – Women keep the factors of price and quality when they go to purchase lawn suits. – The best price range in which maximum number of prospective buyers come is from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000. – For promotion of lawn prints, Fashion TV and Style 360 can be used for advertisement as most of the target population watches it. – Famous media persons (singers, models and actresses) should be hired to promote lawn. – Television and Billboards play a pivotal role in reaching target audience. According to most of the women, there are still numerous predicaments in quality of lawn which is being offered in Pakistan, therefore, KOHINOOR TEXTILES can come with better quality lawn and fulfill the demand! The aforementioned conclusions are drawn after they w ere statistically proven and consequently, we recommend KOHINOOR TEXTILES to keep in view the findings of research with respect to women preferences, price sensitivity and quality consciousness and come up with new lawn prints so that their probability of success is increased upto a large extent. ———————– Customer Satisfaction & Loyalty Research Brand Research Customer Retention & Win Back Solutions Employee Research New Product Development Philosophy Promise People Product