Monday, August 24, 2020

Evaluate the appropriateness of the operating systems elements in Essay

Assess the propriety of the working frameworks components as far as their commitments to profitability and generally adequacy - Essay Example The Toyota creation framework like some other framework has its own particular manner of completing its tasks. It has a technique of improving relying upon the set gauges. This targets including the investment of its staff to help kill pointless squanders. The goal of the framework is make the conveyance increasingly successful by decreasing time taken between when a request is given and when conveyance is made to the customers. Much the same as any association or framework, the Toyota Production System centers around making their results of high caliber as well as of lower cost of creation, to augment on the benefits. Also, it is targeting accomplishing laborers fulfillment, reasonable treatment, and professional stability among its laborers (Chiarini 2012 pg 345). The last target is to give the organization adaptability in relationship with patterns in the neighborhood and worldwide markets, to accomplish most extreme benefit through decrease of overhead expenses and understanding a manageable flourishing. Complete disposal of all waste, lopsidedness in all areas of work and overburden, permits individuals from staff to work easily and productively. Furthermore, fundamental beliefs of the framework are based on normalization that guarantees safe techniques for creation and supported nature of creation. Toyota people group is steel trying to improve its standard procedures and strategies so as to get most extreme quality, kill squander, and expand proficiency in a procedure known as kaizen. The procedure is applied in all the creation components of the organization. Kaizen is a center component in the Toyota creation framework. Like in all huge scope creation frameworks, Toyota requires all undertakings both mechanical and human be indicated and correctly normalized to guarantee highest caliber, improve creation proficiency, and take out waste. In this area of creation framework, the individuals from staff follow intently these normalized works and

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Exploratory Study Of Improving Manufacturing Process In India And Aust

Question: Talk about the Exploratory Study of Improving Manufacturing Process in India and Australia. Answer: Foundation Conventional assembling in Australia has been on decay and yet new ways to deal with assembling have developed quick. Assembling associations are presently focused towards bringing advancement and as opposed to selling items; they work to convey answers for their clients. Associations currently chip away at organized connections and data streams to cause enhancements in the frameworks so as to contend in the worldwide scene. The assembling associations have blends of produced arrangements that can be mass modified, customized, high worth high volume and low worth low volume(Young, 2008). Definitions Procedure Improvements: Process upgrades can relate significantly to progress in the nature of procedures. Lean: Lean reasoning depends on the rules of waste end from different degrees of the board and procedures. Six Sigma: It includes execution of specific standards and methods detailed to achieve demonstrated quality in forms. Legitimization According to the data gave via Automotive Products Manufacturers Association, the sum spent on the assembling development by Australian organizations between the years 2007 and 2011 was $4.5 billion. 5% of the absolute worth expansion was contributed by the vehicle producing part. The advantages of advancement have likewise changed the manner in which gracefully chains work. For example, assembling of light-weight segments as carbon-fiber composites created utilizing metals like aluminum and titanium can diminish the vehicle mass, improve fuel utilization and lessen gas outflows from vehicles. Be that as it may, regardless of these changes, the ongoing years have seen a decrease in assembling industry yield in Australia and in this way, there is a need to make upgrades in assembling forms in Australian and Indian associations (Mentha, 2013). Indian assembling industry shows a moderate development as it is tormented by an assortment of difficulties since the period of industrialization. In spite of being in the best ten rundown of the assembling nations of the world, Indian assembling esteem includes is just 1.8%. Indeed, even at the hour of the world budgetary emergencies, the decrease in MVA development in India was very noteworthy when contrasted with different nations like Australia. While the normal decrease on the planet was from 5.4% to 2% for MVA, in India the development was down from 7.3% to 0.2%. It has been seen that absence of mechanical and advancement capacities are the significant reasons for assembling difficulties. In this manner, there is a requirement for making enhancements in assembling associations in India(Alba, 2014). Point and targets Point of this examination is to investigate the innovative upgrades that can be made in the assembling procedures of Australian and Indian associations. To accomplish this point, goals of the exploration would be: Investigation of assembling innovation patterns Comprehension of techniques utilized by associations worldwide to improve their assembling practices(Mastellari Renegar, 2015) Investigating producing practices of the Indian Australian associations to distinguish scope for development Making suggestions for improving assembling practices of Indian Australian associations. Writing survey Joined Nations International Standard Industrial Classification gives the meaning of assembling as any physical or concoction change of crude materials or any parts to make new items. ABS isolates producing into nine sub-divisions, 46 gatherings, and 153 classes(UK SIC, 2016). Figure 1: Australian Manufacturing Landscape (Clark, Geer, Underhill, 1996) Australian Scenario In Australia, there is an immense assortment of exercises that are done under assembling for different enterprises like food, material, wood, printing, minerals, metals, hardware and others(Srivastava Jena, 2011). Assembling represents the 10% of the GDP of Australia and the two columns on which the business remains steadfast in the nation are advancement and productive individuals the board rehearses. The methods utilized by Australia fabricating associations endeavor to make an incentive notwithstanding expanding productivity with the end goal that business destinations of an assembling association can be met. It has been seen that associations that are overseen better can show a higher profitability of work and in this way, the element of the administration of representatives is another significant zone of training in Australian assembling organization(Green, 2009). Indian Scenario Lower FDI, lower levels of Research Development exercises, absence of innovative refinement, and inaccessibility of talented labor are a portion of the significant difficulties looked by Indian assembling organizations(Kanda, 2013). The requirement for this improvement is increasingly articulated while considering the ongoing patterns of ruling imports influencing activities of Indian producers. Prior, Indian assembling organizations were rehearsing isolation among household and abroad market to such an extent that greater items were traded while second rate quality merchandise were sold inside the nation. Be that as it may, with merchandise originating from different nations, this methodology gets incapable. The opposition originating from these imports and from associations coordinating entering Indian through FDI, there are decrease in costs, upgrades in quality, upgrade in execution, assortment in item ranges, and improvement in services(Mandal, Shah, Love, 2000). On the off chance that Indian makers need to continue this opposition, it is tough time that they receive more up to date and improved practices to hold their fairly estimated worth. These associations may need to look for new procedures, new plans and new channels to improve its offices and bring productivity. Upgrades are required in a few measurements including quality, innovation, gracefully chain, and item introductions(Chandra Sastry, 1998). Requirement for Improvement Improvement in the nature of procedures and upkeep of worthy execution levels is vital for an assembling association. There are an assortment of progress strategies that are accessible for the assembling area, for example, lean, six sigma, Agile administration, TQM, JIT, Kiazen, Poka-Yoka, Process Excellence, Hoshin Planning, reengineering, structure of tests, thus on(MURUGESAN, RAJENTHIRAKUMAR, CHANDRASEKAR, 2016). Assembling organizations for the most part utilize scoring framework for posting process improvement execution models and study different systems best approach might be picked for development. The greater part of the Fortune 500 organizations have Six Sigma programs executed for process upgrades in their administration structure itself(Gershon, 2007). There is a reasonable requirement for development in the assembling forms utilized in India just as its human asset the board rehearses need improvement. Hence, the exercises gained from the assembling associations worldwide that show great execution considering the development and individuals factor can help plan upgrades in Indian manufacturing(Low, Kamaruddin, Azid, 2013). In this way an investigation is proposed on the assembling procedure enhancements to such an extent that the acts of assembling associations from Australia and India would be concentrated just when contrasted to such an extent that exercises can learn with think of requirements for improving assembling forms utilized in Indian and Australian assembling industry. With these enhancements, it very well may be normal that Indian producers would have the option to pick up the abilities of developing and would realize more productivity in their current practices(Achtmeyer, 2008). Task Organization With the end goal of this investigation, a solitary assembling association of Indian root would be thought of. The picked association is Ashok Leyland which is the second biggest maker of business vehicles in India and has a turnover of over US $2.5 billion. The examination would investigate the assembling procedures of the association and distinguish that procedure related difficulties that are looked by the association with the end goal that the exercises gained from investigation of Australian assembling can be utilized to make explicit proposal for the association to improve its assembling processes(Krishnaveni Vidya, 2015). Ends This paper introduced a proposition which planned for learning the strategies for assembling process improvement from Australian assembling industry and apply the exercises to improve the assembling practices of Indian associations. For this, an examination was proposed which would incorporate an investigation of Australian assembling and Indian assembling with the end goal that the two locales can be thought about and fabricating improvement techniques are recommended. An Indian assembling association, Ashok Leyland which makes business vehicles was picked for getting further into the assembling practice and applying the exercises by and by to a genuine association. The final product of the examination would be suggestions for development of assembling procedures of Indian associations. References Achtmeyer, W. F. (2008). Ceaseless Process Improvement at Deere Company. Fold School of Business. Alba, J. M. (2014). Modern improvement in North African nations A factual profile. UNIDO. Chandra, P., Sastry, T. (1998). Intensity OF INDIAN MANUFACTURING: Findings of the 1997 Manufacturing Futures Survey . Vastrapur, Ahmedabad : Indian Institute of Management . Clark, C., Geer, T., Underhill, B. (1996). THE CHANGING OF AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING. Ward of Australia. Dudman, A., Wearne, S. H. (2003). Proficient Engineers Needs for Managerial Skills and Expertise . EMTA. Gershon, M. (2007). Picking Which Process Improvement Methodology to Implement. Sanctuary University. Green, R. (2009). The executives Matters in Australia: Just how gainful right? Australian Government. K

Monday, July 20, 2020

Riot Recommendation Funny Family Memoirs

Riot Recommendation Funny Family Memoirs This round of Riot Recommendation is sponsored by Biographile. Love true stories about fascinating people? So do the folks at  Biographile, a website dedicated to helping readers discover a rich mix of real lives through author interviews, news updates, reviews, essays, contests, and more. One of their latest QAs is an  exclusive interview  with the hilarious comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan, whose  explosively funny memoir  recounting the joys and horrors of raising five kids (in a two-bedroom apartment) is just out from Crown. _________________________ Family life is funny. It just is. And it doesnt matter if youre from a fun family, or one that puts the fun in dysfunctional. Youve got stories. The only thing better than laughing til you cry while you recount your own ridiculous family moments is  reading about someone elses. So today we want to know: what are your  favorite side-splitting family memoirs? Sign up for True Story to receive nonfiction news, new releases, and must-read forthcoming titles.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Shaming Offenders Essay - 654 Words

Shaming Offenders The shaming of offenders has been in existence since the late 18th century. It was a form of corrections that was used to serve justice by offenders who had committed criminal acts. Offenders who had committed crimes against person or property were likely to be handed a sentence of shaming. In lieu of serving a sentence in a cell or incapacitated place, an offender could be sentenced to some degree of public punishment that would attempt to reform the offender and help him see the error of his ways. Popular methods of late 18th century shaming included the whipping post, the pillory, stocks, branding, banishment, the dunking stool, and the use of the brank. All of these devices were used to demonstrate public†¦show more content†¦But an offender must feel some effect from the shaming process in order for it to be functional. According to Douglas Litowitz and his article Shaming Offenders, any for of public humiliation serves all four goals of corrections consecutively. The rehabilitation process is met by the admission of the offenders guilt. Restitution is achieved by having the offender publicly apologize for the wrong doings that have been committed against the general public. The goal of deterrence is met by the humiliation of the shameful act that must be performed by the offender. Protection of the public is made visible to all in society by the shameful act being visible to all those around. If the shaming of an offender carries out one of the four purposes listed above, then it has done its job. Or has it? There are many people out there that feel that shaming does not help reduce crime and the recidivism rates of criminals. In the Litowitz reading, it says that the shaming of an offender will only work if the offender knows what shame is. It is a case of a person possessing the concept and emotion of shame. Those who have it or know what it brings can be deterred from the shaming experience. But for those who are foreign to shame, the proces s of shaming is of little to no use. Offenders who do not know what shame is are more likely to exhibit ulterior emotions such asShow MoreRelatedThe Criminal Justice System Deals With The Risk And Management Of Sex Offenders2679 Words   |  11 Pagesways in which the criminal justice system deals with the risk and management of sex offenders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), from December 2013 to December 2014, the amount of recorded sexual offences has risen by 32 percent to 80,262 for England and Wales (ONS, 2015:13). The most serious cases of sex offending will result in a custodial sentence. From 2005 to 2011 the proportion of offenders who received a custodial sentence for committing sexual offences is between 55 andRead MoreThe Strengths And Weaknesses Of Braithwaite s Reintegrative Shaming Theory869 Words   |  4 PagesWith the limitations of traditional criminological theories and the failings of the traditional criminal justice system, John Braithwaite’s reintegrative shaming theory provides a refreshing alternative to previous retributive and penal approaches (Braithwaite, 1989; White, Haines Asquith, 2012). With its emphasis on cultural integration, the theory has shown utility amongst practitioners and academics (Kim Gerber, 2012; Hay, 2001). However, despite its value, Braith waite’s theory has not beenRead MoreCritic of Shame Is Worth a Try790 Words   |  4 Pagespotential of shaming know that it is â€Å"cheap, efficient, and an appropriate alternative to short jail sentences† (571). Any crime that is committed must have a punishment linked to it to avoid a repeat of the offense. Serious crimes, for example, those that involve a murder obviously need the jail sentence that comes along with them. Nonviolent crimes, such as theft or littering could receive cheap and personal punishments with the implementation of shaming. Those against shaming are mostly thoseRead MoreThe Role Of Shaming And Its Effect On Society1713 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to John Braithwaite (1989), â€Å"Cultural commitments to shaming are the key to controlling all types of crime† (p. 55). Shaming is related to showing expressions about a certain act and making the offender feel guilty for the criminal act that they engaged in. The two different ways to shame criminal offenders are reintegrated and disintegrative. These two ways of shaming are extremely different, yet have a similar effect on the offenders after they commit a crime. These two different ideas bothRead MoreRestorative Justice Essay954 Words   |  4 Pagesthe offender from committing further crimes, but it does neither repair the harm caused, nor help them acknowledge their responsibility, instead it stigmatises them, worsening the situation instead of improving it (Johnstone 2003). â€Å"Stigmatisation is the kind of shaming that creates outcasts; it is disrespectful, humiliating† (p.85). It breaks the moral bonds between offender and community and can result in the creation of a destructive cycle that may result in fear and isolation. The shaming by stigmatisationRead MoreSociety s Ideology On Crime1163 Words   |  5 Pagesreintegrating offenders back into society. Society’s ideology on crime is often shaped from what they see and what they hear. The media often times places a strong emphasis on punishment when a crime is committed and the idea of reintegrating a variety of offenders back into society is unsettling for many. This can create stigmas and barriers for offenders to become productive members of society. â€Å"Simply defined, offender reintegration is all activity and programming conducted to prepare an offender to returnRead MoreTaking a Look at the Labeling Theory909 Words   |  4 Pagesdefined as a crime to be problematic. Among the issues addressed by labeling theory are defining deviance ba sed on primary deviance through implementing a label on the offender, discrimination by formal institutions, as well as the public based on what is defined as deviance, and continued deviance based on the label placed on offenders, which is known as secondary deviance in the labeling theory. Unlike traditional theories of deviance that use an absolute definition of deviance, labeling theory isRead MoreThe Four Theories Of Restorative Justice844 Words   |  4 PagesReintegrative Shaming Theory- The main claims of the theory are: â€Å"(1) tolerance of crime makes things worse; (2) stigmatization, or disrespectful, outcasting shaming of crime makes crime worse still; while (3) reintegrative shaming disapproval of the act within a continuum of respect for the offender, disapproval terminated by rituals of forgiveness, prevents crime† (Braithwaite, 2003, pg.47). According to Braithwaite, the restorative nature of the theory have work in Asia and the West. The shaming from theRead MoreCommunity Service For Nonviolent Offenders1159 Words   |  5 Pagesas a law-abiding citizen, although many people have suggestions on what is less cost-effective on how to rehabilitate a criminal and to free up the prison system for the violent offenders. A few think that community se rvice for nonviolent offenders can help them understand their wrong doings, others believe that shaming is beneficial, and some believe that putting them in prison is another form of rehabilitation. Therefore, I believe that if a person wants to change it will need to come from withinRead MoreA Article On Condemn The Crime, Not The Person1179 Words   |  5 PagesIn her article, â€Å"Condemn the Crime, Not the Person,† June Tangney argues that shaming causes more harm than good. She focuses on alternatives to traditional sentences instead of shaming and incarceration. As a more recent trend, officials are using shaming sentences more and more. Tangney states that it is important to know the distinction between shame and guilt. Tangney states, that research has shown feeling of guilt â€Å"involve a sense of tension and regret over the bad thing done.† Guilt makes

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Parenting Styles And Their Influence On Children - 1264 Words

In some point of your life you may become a parent but just because you have a child or children does not mean you have the fundamentals of being a good parent. Raising children you should be ready to teach, construct develop have conformity in the home and nature skills into your child so they are ready for society and the world in their near future. When parenting a child there are serval ways to raise children. Many parents prefer different methods over others. Some parenting styles are use more than others and are much favorable than others. Different parenting styles bring out different characteristic and different reactions in a child social life and the way he or she may respond to life situations. Sometimes the style of parenting can even change as the child gets older and develop. Parenting styles could be understood as a context that moderates the influencing of specific parenting practices on the child (Darling Steinberg (1998). According to Windsor, A.L., Murrell, V.S, Magun-Jackson., S. (2015) Baumrind (1967) distinguished three main parenting skills Authoritarian, Authoritative and Permissive based on the degree of prenatal responsiveness and prenatal demandingness provided to the child. Years later Maccoby and Martin (1983) added Neglectful parenting styles to Baumrind three parenting styles models. You have some parenting styles that can destroy a child mentally, physical, emotionally and sometimes spiritually. To continue, as I mentioned there are fourShow MoreRelatedParenting Styles And Their Influence On Children798 Words   |  4 PagesParenting styles have a direct correlation to how a parent interacts with their child and how their child interacts with them. Diana Baumrind was a developmental psychologist that came up with four basic parenting styles that influence how children behave throughout their life (Kopko,2007). The parenting styles consist of authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and uninvolved. An authoritarian style is characterized when a parent barely shows warmth to their child and has desires to control theirRead MoreParenting Styles And Their Influence On Children995 Words   |  4 PagesParenting Styles Today, being a parent is obviously challenging in several different directions. Every parent has different opinions on how they believe they should parent and punish their children. Parenting styles can be described as the way in which a family is structured. There are four major parenting styles that are all used today. The four styles include authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved parenting. Each one of these styles have their advantages and disadvantages. EvenRead MoreParenting Styles And Their Influence On Children951 Words   |  4 Pages In this day in age there are various approaches to raising children. Each parent(s) must decide for them selves which style best fits their beliefs and abilities. Many parents come to the conclusion that they will try their best and just hope that their children learn right from wrong and the abilities they need to succeed in life. However, what most parents do not always realize is that the style of parenting they are using may have a bigger impact on their child than they are aware of. For theRead MoreParenting Styles And Their Influences On Our Children Essay2140 Words   |  9 PagesParenting Styles and Their Influences on Our Children The Community College of Philadelphia By: Maria Maldonado November 22nd, 2016â€Æ' The Introduction Thesis- It is my belief that in order to provide a framework of parenting that would allow for the best probable outcome for a child’s development it is important to take a stance in which we provide reasonable demands from our children while providing equal responsiveness to their needs. Majority of us are born with two arms, two legs, a head andRead MoreAttachment Theory and Parenting Style Influence on Children Essay1185 Words   |  5 PagesHow the child is raised and the parenting style used is a significant influence on that development by affecting the relationship between parent and child. This supports the Attachment theory in which emphasizes relationship between the child and caregiver as a key factor in development. My Caregiver’s Parenting Style My parents, my father specifically, believed that children should obey their elders without question and without hesitation. This outlook on parenting stems from their cultural backgroundRead MoreHow Parenting Styles Influence Children s Learning And Development1976 Words   |  8 PagesAs we have discovered, children are active learners from birth and parents are seen as children’s first educators. â€Å"Children of all ages need encouragement, adequate nutrition, shelter, parental interest in their schooling, and consistency in rules and expectations† (Barnes, 2006; Mental Health America, 2009, in Lamanna, Reidmann and Stewart, 2014:230) this should be in correspondence to the child’s age or development level. This chapter is going to explore theory from Baumrind to discover how differentRead MoreConsequences to Authoritarian Parenting 868 Words   |  4 Pagesadolescence offers the prospect to influence the child regularly. Parenting styles figures in as a prime part of a child’s mental health and behaviour. Parenting refers to the parent’s actions and reactions to their child, including expectations, beliefs and values. Diana Baumrind (1971, 1991), psychologist, based parenting on two aspects including control and warmth. Baumrind used the combination of these aspects in different ways to identify the four styles of parenting used today, consisted of, authoritativeRead MoreThe Fbi Behavior Analysis Unit1443 Words   |  6 PagesKarley Pecosky Psychology Parenting Styles The FBI Behavior Analysis Unit can profile a person down to the type of household they grew up in. Behavior as an adult, especially of a psychopath, is usually in correlation to a traumatic event of their childhood, usually involving their parents. The FBI has the ability to analyze all the behaviors of a person and tell you what kind of car they are mostly likely to drive, what profession they are most likely involved in, and in most cases, links toRead MoreDevelopment Of Infancy And Early Childhood1385 Words   |  6 Pagesdevelopment that occur during this time set the stage upon which further and more specific aspects of development will occur. There are many different external and internal components which influence and guide development during this time. These components include the individual’s family, including more specific parenting styles, as well as early education and the individual’s social environment. Each of these various aspects of development plays a critical and widespread role in these initial stages of developmentRead MoreEssay on Infancy and Early Childhood Development1654 Words   |  7 Pagesinteraction. Development begins during the prenatal period on up to the early years and depends on the nutritional, medical, emotional, and intellectual support of parents, family members, caregivers, and teachers (Cherry, 2011). Parenting styles also play a role in what influences development as well as early childhood education programs. During the prenatal period when a child’s development begins, thus being aware of many factors that can damage the fetus and the development of a healthy child. In

Night World Secret Vampire Chapter 8 Free Essays

string(103) " what do you eat for a midnight snack\?† Phil asked, his green eyes somber and almost childlike\." When the Jetta turned into the parking lot of a7-Eleven, James smiled. There was a nice isolatedarea behind the store, and it was getting dark. He drove his own car around back, then got out to watch the store entrance. We will write a custom essay sample on Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 8 or any similar topic only for you Order Now When Phil came outwith a bag, he sprang on him from behind. Phil yelled and fought, dropping the bag. It didn’tmatter. The sun had gone down and James’s powerwas at full strength. He dragged Phil to the back of the store and put him facing the wall beside a Dumpster. The classicpolice frisking position. â€Å"I’m going to let go now,† he said. â€Å"Don’t try torun away. That would be a mistake.† Phil went tense and motionless at the sound of hisvoice. â€Å"I don’twantto run away. I want to smash your face in, Rasmussen.† â€Å"Go ahead and try.† James was going to add,Makemy night, but he reconsidered. He let go of Phil, who turned around and regarded him with utter loathing. â€Å"What’s the matter? Run out of girls to jump?† hesaid, breathing hard. James gritted his teeth. Trading insults wasn’t going to do any good, but he could already tell it was going to be hard to keep his temper. Phil had that effect on him. â€Å"I didn’t bring you out here to fight.I brought you to ask you something. Do you care about Poppy?† Phil said, â€Å"I’ll take stupid questions for five hundred, Alex,† and loosened his shoulder as if gettingready for a punch. â€Å"Because if you do, you’ll get her to talk to me.You were the one who convinced her not to see me,and now you’ve got to convince her that shehastosee me.† Phil looked around the parking lot, as if calling for somebody to witness this insanity. James spoke slowly and dearly, enunciating eachword. â€Å"There is something I can do to help her.† â€Å"Because you’re Don Juan, right? You’re gonna heal her with your love.† The words were flippant,but Phil’s voice was shaky with sheer hatred. Not just hatred for James, but for a universe that would givePoppy cancer. â€Å"No. You’ve got it completely wrong. Look, youthink I was making out with her, or trifling with her affections or whatever. That’s not what was going onat all. I let you think that because I was tired ofgetting the third degree from you-and because Ididn’t want you to know what we weredoing.† â€Å"Sure, sure,† Phil said in a voice filled with equal measures of sarcasm and contempt. â€Å"So whatwereyou doing? Drugs?† James had learned something from his first encounter with Poppy in the hospital. Show and tellshould be done in that order. This time he didn’t sayanything; he just grabbed Phil by the hair and jerked his head back. There was only a single light behind the store, butit was enough togive Phil a good view of the baredfangs looming over him. And it was more thanenough for James, with his night vision, to see Phillip’s green eyesdilate as he stared. Phillip yelled, then went limp. Not with fear, James knew. He wasn’t a coward.With the shock of disbelief turning to belief. Phillip swore. â€Å"You’rea †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Right.† James let him go. Phil almost lost his balance. He grabbed at theDumpster for support. â€Å"I don’t believe it.† â€Å"Yes, you do,† James said. He hadn’t retracted hisfangs, and he knew that hiseyes were shining silver.Philhadto believe it with James standing right infront of him. Phil apparently had the same idea. He was staringat James as if he wanted to look away, but couldn’t.The color had drained out of his face, and he keptswallowing as if he were going to be sick. â€Å"God,† he said finally. â€Å"I knew there was something wrong with you. Weird wrong. I could neverfigure out why you gave me the creeps. So this is it.† I disgust him, James realized. It’s not just hatred anymore. He thinks I’m less than human. It didn’t augur well for the rest of James’s plan. â€Å"Now do you understand how I can help Poppy?† Phil shook his head slowly. He was leaning againstthe wall, one hand still on the Dumpster. James felt impatience rise in his chest. â€Å"Poppy hasa disease. Vampires don’t get diseases. Do you needa road map?† Phillip’s expression said he did. â€Å"If,†James said through his teeth, â€Å"I exchangeenough blood with Poppy to turn her into a vampire,she won’t have cancer anymore. Every cell in herbody will change and she’ll end up a perfect specimen: flawless, disease-free. She’ll have powers thathumans don’t even dream of. And, incidentally,she’ll be immortal.† There was a long, long silence as James watchedthis sink in with Phillip. Phil’s thoughts were toojumbled and kaleidoscopic for James to make anything of them, but Phil’s eyes got wider and his facemore ashen. At last Phil said, â€Å"You can’t do that to her.† It was thewayhe said it. Not as if he were protesting an idea because it was too radical, too new.Not the knee-jerk overreaction that Poppy had had. He said it with absolute conviction and utmost horror. As if James were threatening to steal Poppy’ssoul. â€Å"It’s the only way to save herlife,†James said. Phil shook his head slowly again, eyes huge andtrancelike. â€Å"No. No. She wouldn’t want it. Not atthat cost.† â€Å"What cost?† James was more than impatientnow, he was defensive and exasperated. If he’d realized that this was going to turn into a philosophical debate, he would have picked somewhere less public.As it was, he had to keep all his senses on the alertfor possible intruders. Phil let go of the Dumpster and stood on his owntwo feet. There was fear mixed with the horror in his eyes, but he faced James squarely. â€Å"It’s just-there are some things that humansthink are more important than just staying alive,† hesaid. â€Å"You’ll find that out.† I don’t believe this, James thought. He sounds likea junior space captain talking to the alien invadersin a B movie.You won’tfind Earth peoplequitethe easymark you imagine. Aloud, he said, â€Å"Are you nuts? Look, Phil, I wasborn in San Francisco. I’m not some bug-eyed monster from Alpha Centauri. I eat Wheaties forbreakfast.† â€Å"And what do you eat for a midnight snack?† Phil asked, his green eyes somber and almost childlike. â€Å"Or are the fangs just for decoration?† Walked right into that one, James’s brain told him.He looked away. â€Å"Okay. Touch?. There are somedifferences. I never said I was a human. But I’m notsome kind of-â€Å" â€Å"If you’re not a monster, then I don’t knowwhat is.† Don’t kill him, James counseled himself frantically.You have toconvincehim. â€Å"Phil, we’re not like what you see at the movies. We’re not all-powerful. We can’t dematerialize through walls or travel through time, and we don’t need to kill to feed. We’re not evil, at least not all of us. We’re not damned.† â€Å"You’re unnatural,† Phillip said softly, and James could feel that he meant it from his heart. â€Å"You’rewrong. Youshouldn’t exist.† â€Å"Because we’re higher up on the food chain thanyou?† â€Å"Because people weren’t meant to †¦feed †¦ on other people.† James didn’t say that his people didn’t think ofPhillip’s people as people. He said, â€Å"We only do whatwe have to do to survive. And Poppy’s already agreed.† Phillip froze. â€Å"No. She wouldn’t want to becomelike you.† â€Å"She wants to stay a!ive—or at least, she did, before she got mad at me. Now she’s just irrationalbecause she hasn’t got enough of my blood in her tofinish changing her. Thanks to you.† He paused, then said deliberately, â€Å"Have you ever seen a three-weekold corpse, Phil? Because that’swhat she’s going to become if I don’t get to her.† Phil’s face twisted. He whirled around and slammed a fist into the metal side of the Dumpster.†Don’t you think I know that?I’ve been living withthat since Monday night.† James stood still, heart pounding. Feeling the anguish Phil was giving off and the pain of Phil’s injured hand. It was several seconds before he was ableto saycalmly,†And you think that’s better than whatI can give her?† â€Å"It’s lousy. It stinks. But, yes, it’s better than turning into something that hunts people. Thatusespeo ple. That’s why all the girlfriends, isn’t it?† Once again, James couldn’t answer right away.Phil’s problem, he was realizing, was that Phil wasfar too smart for his own good. He thought too much.†Yeah. That’s why all the girlfriends,† he said at last,tiredly. Trying not to see this from Phil’s point of view. â€Å"Just tell me one thing, Rasmussen.†Phillip straightened and looked him dead in the eye. â€Å"Didyou†-he stopped and swallowed-â€Å"feed on Poppybefore she got sick?† â€Å"No.† Phil let out his breath. â€Å"That’s good. Because if you had,I’d have killed you.† James believed him. He was much stronger than Phil, much faster, and he’d never been afraid of ahuman before. But just at that moment he had nodoubt that Phil would somehow have found a way to do it. â€Å"Look, there’s something you don’t understand,†he said. â€Å"Poppy did want this, and it’s something we’ve already started. She’s only just beginning tochange; if she dies now, she won’t become a vampire.But she might not die all thee way, either. She couldend up a walking corpse. A zombie, you know?Mindless. Body rotting, but immortal.† Phil’s mouth quivered with revulsion. â€Å"You’re justsaying that to scare me.† James looked away. â€Å"I’ve seen it happen.† â€Å"I don’t believe you.† â€Å"I’ve seen it firsthand!†Dimly James realized hewas yelling and that he’d grabbed Phil by the shirtfront. He was out of control-and he didn’t care.†I’ve seen it happen to somebodyIcared about, allright?† And then, because Phil was still shaking his head:†I was only four years old and I had a nanny. Allthe rich kids in San Francisco have nannies. Shewas human.† â€Å"Let go,† Phil muttered, pulling at James’s wrist.He was breathing hard-he didn’t want to hear this. â€Å"I was crazy about her. She gave me everythingmy mom didn’t. Love, attention-she was never too busy. I called her Miss Emma.† â€Å"Let go.† â€Å"But my parents thought I was too attached to her.So they took me on a little vacation-and they didn’tlet me feed. Not for three days. By the time they brought me back, I was starving. Then they sent MissEmma up to put me to bed.† Phil had stopped fighting now. He stood with hishead bowed and turned to one side so he wouldn’thave to look at James. James threw his words at theaverted face. â€Å"I was only four. I couldn’t stop myself. And the thing is, I wanted to. If you’d asked me who I’d rather have die, me or Miss Emma, I’d’ve said me. But when you’re starving, you lose control. So I fed on her, and all the time I was crying and trying to stop. And when I finally could stop, I knew it wastoo late.† There was a pause. James suddenly realized that his fingers were locked in anagonizingcramp. He letgo of Phil’s shirt slowly. Phil said nothing. â€Å"She was just lying there on the floor. I thought,wait, if I give her my own blood she’ll be a vampire, and everything will be okay.† He wasn’t yelling anymore. He wasn’t even really speaking to Phillip, butstaring out into the dark parking lot. â€Å"So I cut myselfand let the blood run into her mouth. She swallowedsome of it before my parents came up and stoppedme. But not enough.† A longer pause-and James remembered why hewas telling the story. He looked at Phillip. â€Å"She died that night but not all the way. The twodifferent kinds of blood were fighting inside her. Soby morning she was walking around again-but shewasn’t Miss Emma anymore. She drooled and her skin was gray and her eyes were flat like a corpse’s.And when she started to-rot-my dad took her out to Inverness and buried her. He killed her first.† Bilerose in James’s throat and he added almost in a whisper, â€Å"I hope he killed her first.† Phil slowly turned around to look at him. For thefirst time that evening, there was something otherthan horror and fear in his face. Something like pity, James thought. James took a deep breath. After thirteen years of silence he’d finally told the storyto Phillip North,of all people. But it was no good wondering aboutthe absurdity. He had a point to drive home. â€Å"So take my advice. If you don’t convince Poppyto see me, make sure they don’t do an autopsy onher. You don’t want her walking around without herinternal organs. And have a wooden stake ready forthe time when you can’t stand to look at heranymore.† The pity was gone from Phil’s eyes. His mouth wasa hard, trembling line. â€Å"We won’t let her turn into†¦ some kind of halfalive abomination,† he said. â€Å"Or a vampire, either. I’m sorry about what happened to your Miss Emma,but it doesn’t change anything.† â€Å"Poppyshould be the one to decide-â€Å" But Phillip had reached his limit, and now he was simply shaking his head. â€Å"Just keep away from my sister,† he said. â€Å"That’s all I want. If you do, I’ll leaveyou alone. And if you don’t-â€Å" â€Å"What?† â€Å"I’m going to tell everybody in El Camino what you are. I’m going to call the police and the mayorand I’m going to stand in the middle of the streetand yell it.† James felt his hands go icy cold. What Phil didn’t realize was that he’d just made it James’s duty to killhim. It wasn’t just that any human who stumbled onNight World secrets had to die, but that one activelythreatening to tellabout the Night World had to die immediately, no questions asked, no mercy given. Suddenly James was so tired he couldn’t seestraight. â€Å"Get out of here, Phil,† he said in a voice drainedof emotion and vitality both. â€Å"Now. And if you reallywant to protect Poppy, you won’t tell anybody anything. Because they’ll trace it back and find out thatPoppy knows the secrets, too. And then they’ll killher-after bringing her in for questioning. It won’tbe fun.† â€Å"Who’re ‘they’? Your parents?† â€Å"The Night People. We’re all around you, Phil.Anybody you know could be one-including themayor. So keep your mouth shut.† Phillip looked at him through narrowed eyes. Thenhe turned and walked to the front of the store. James couldn’t remember when he’d felt so empty. Everything he’d done had turned out wrong. Poppywas now in more kinds of danger than he couldcount. And Phillip North thought he was unnatural andevil. What Phil didn’t know was that most of thetime James thought the same thing. Phillip got halfway home before he rememberedthat he’d dropped the bag with Poppy’s cranberryjuice and wild cherry Popsicles. Poppy had hardly eaten in the last two days, and when she did get hungry, it was for something weird. No-somethingred,he realized as he paid for a second time at the 7-Eleven. He felt a sick lurch in his stomach. Everything she wanted lately was redand at least semiliquid. Did Poppy realize that herself? He studied her when he went into her bedroom togive her a Popsicle. Poppy spent most of the time inbed now. And she was so pale and still.. Her green eyes werethe only alive thing about her. They dominated herface, glittering with an almost savage awareness. Cliff and Phil’s mother were talking about gettinground-the-clock nurses to be with her. â€Å"Don’t like the Popsicle?† Phil asked, dragging achair to sit beside her bed. Poppy was eyeing the thing with distaste. She tooka tiny lick and grimaced. Phillip watched her. Another lick. Then she put the Popsicle into anempty plastic cup on her nightstand. â€Å"I don’t know †¦ I just don’t feel hungry,† she said, leaning backagainst the pillows. â€Å"Sorry you had to go out fornothing.† â€Å"No problem.† God, she looks sick, Phil thought.†Is there anything else I can do for you?† Eyes shut, Poppy shook her head. A very smallmotion. â€Å"You’re a good brother,† she said distantly. She used to be so alive, Phil thought. Dad calledher Kilowatt or Eveready. She used to radiateenergy. Without in the least meaning to, he found himself saying, â€Å"I saw James Rasmussen today.† Poppy stiffened. Her hands on the bedspreadformed not fists, but claws. â€Å"He’d better keep awayfrom here!† There was something subtly wrong about her reaction. Something not-Poppy. Poppy could get fierce,sure, but Phil had never heard that animal tone inher voice before. A picture flashed through Phil’s mind. A creaturefromNight of the Living Dead,walking even though its intestines were spilling out. A living corpse likeJames’s Miss Emma. Was that really what would happen if Poppy diedright now? Was she that much changed already? â€Å"I’ll scratch his eyes out if he comes around here,†Poppy said, her fingers working on the spread like acat kneading. â€Å"Poppy-he told me the truth about what hereally is.† Strangely, Poppy had no reaction. â€Å"He’s scum,†she said. â€Å"He’s a reptile.† Something about her voice made Phillip’s fleshcreep. â€Å"And I told him you would never want to become something like that.† â€Å"I wouldn’t,† Poppy said shortly. â€Å"Not if it meanthanging around withhimfor eternity. I don’t want to see him ever again.† Phil stared at her for a long moment. Then heleaned back and shut his eyes, one thumb jammedagainst his temple where the ache was worst. Not just subtly wrong. He didn’t want to believe it, but Poppy wasstrange.Irrational. And now thathe thought about it, she’d been getting stranger everyhour since James had been thrown out. So maybe she was in some eerie in-between state. Not a human and not a vampire. And not able tothink dearly. Just as James had said. Poppy should be the one to decide. There was something he had to ask her. â€Å"Poppy?† He waited until she looked at him, her green eyes large and unblinking. â€Å"When we talked,James said that you’d agreed to let him-change you.Before you got mad at him. Is that right?† Poppy’s eyebrows lifted. â€Å"I’m mad at him,† sheconfirmed, as if this was the only part of the questionshe’d processed. â€Å"And you know why I like you?Because you’ve always hated him. Now we bothhate him.† Phil thought for a moment, then spoke carefully. â€Å"Okay. But when youweren’tmad at him, back then,did you want to turn into-what he is?† Suddenly a gleam of rationality showed in Poppy’s eyes. â€Å"I just didn’t want to die, â€Å"she said. â€Å"I was so scared-and I wanted to live. If the doctors could doanything for me, I’d try that. But they can’t.† Shewas sitting up now, staring into space as if she saw something terrible there. â€Å"You don’t know what itfeels like to know you’re going to die,† shewhispered. Waves of chills washed over Phillip. No, he didn’tknow that, but he did know-he could suddenly picture vividly-what it was going to be like forhimafter Poppy died. How empty the world was going tobe without her. For a long time they both sat in silence. Then Poppy fell back onto the pillows again. Phillipcould see pastel blue smudges under her eyes, as ifthe conversation had exhausted her. â€Å"I don’tthinkitmatters,† she said in a faint but frighteningly cheerfulvoice. â€Å"I’m not going to die anyway. Doctors don’t know everything.† So that’s how she’s dealing with it,Phillipthought.Total denial. He had all the information he needed, though. He had a clear view of the situation. And he knew whathe had to do now. â€Å"I’ll leave so you can get some rest,† he said to Poppy, and patted her hand. It felt very cool andfragile, full of tiny bones like a bird’s wing. â€Å"Seeyou later.† He slipped out of the house without telling anyone where he was going. Once on the road, he drovevery fast. It only took ten minutes to reach the apart ment building. He’d never been to James’s apartment before. James answered the door with a cold, â€Å"What areyou doing here?† â€Å"Can I come in? I’ve got something to say.† James stood back expressionlessly to let him in. The â€Å"place was roomy and bare. There was a singlechairbeside a very cluttered table, an equally clut tered desk, and a square unbeautiful couch. Cardboard boxes full of books and CDs were stacked inthe corners. A door led to a spartan bedroom. â€Å"What do you want?† â€Å"First of all, I have to explain something. I knowyou can’t help being what you are-but I can’t helphow I feel about it, either. You can’t change, andneither can I. I need you to understand that from the beginning.† James crossed his arms over his chest, wary anddefiant. â€Å"You can skip the lecture.† â€Å"I just need to make sure you understand, okay?†Ã¢â‚¬ What do youwant,Phil?† Phil swallowed. It took two or three tries before he could get the words out past the blockage of hispride. â€Å"I want you to help my sister.† How to cite Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 8, Essay examples

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Internet - Jungle essays

Internet - Jungle essays When I think of the Internet, I think of something that started out as absolutely nothing other than an idea. I think of something that meant nothing to advertisers or students doing research papers. When I think of the Internet I think of something that evolved into one of the worlds most powerful resources for communicating, and as we speak is becoming even greater. The expansion of the Internet is unprecedented. Television reached 50 million people in 13 years; the Internet took only four. And there are no signs that its growth is stopping. The Internet is going to keep becoming more powerful whether it is in the worlds best interests and whether the world is ready or not. The Internet was developed as a source of continuously updated information that would provide information to users about almost any topic that they needed. So why is it that users, especially teenagers and young adults use the Internet for other purposes that are against many cultures and traditions all over the world? The reason is probably the fact that the teenagers' parents do not talk with them. The teenagers are not told about what the Internet contains and so when they 'explore' on their own and come across uncensored pictures, etc. they think that they can use the Internet for such purposes. Their parents do not make them aware of their family values and so the children think that they can do anything they want. They should be told about what is accepted in their family and what is not. There are a myriad of potential detrimental effects of Internet globalization. For one there is the further marginalization of the global poor and disenfranchised, (particularly the functionally and computer illiterate). Also, the "unknown factor," the unintentional unleashing of destructive forces or creation of negative effects that we have no way of foreseeing. Next, the potential for abuses by governmental groups, individuals against Net users, etc. Ce...

Monday, March 2, 2020

Political Geography and Sovereignty of Palestine

Political Geography and Sovereignty of Palestine There are eight criteria accepted by the international community used to determine whether an entity is an independent country or not. A country need only fail on one of the eight criteria to not meet the definition of independent country status. Palestine (and I shall consider either or both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in this analysis) does not meet all eight criteria to be a country; it fails somewhat on one of the eight criteria. Does Palestine Meet the 8 Criteria to Be a Country? 1. Has space or territory that has internationally recognized boundaries (boundary disputes are OK). Somewhat. Both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have internationally recognized boundaries. However, these boundaries are not legally fixed. 2. Has people who live there on an ongoing basis. Yes, the Gaza Strips population is 1,710,257 and the population of the West Bank is 2,622,544 (as of mid-2012). 3. Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money. Somewhat. The economies of both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are disrupted by conflict, especially in Hamas-controlled Gaza only limited industry and economic activity is possible. Both regions have exports of agricultural products and the West Bank exports stone. Both entities utilize the new Israeli shekel as their currency. 4. Has the power of social engineering, such as education. Somewhat. The Palestinian Authority does have social engineering power in fields such as education and healthcare. Hamas in Gaza also provides social services. 5. Has a transportation system for moving goods and people. Yes; both entities have roads and other transportation systems. 6. Has a government that provides public services and police or military power. Somewhat. While the Palestinian Authority is permitted to provide local law enforcement, Palestine does not have its own military. Nonetheless, as can be seen in the latest conflict, Hamas in Gaza does have control of an extensive militia. 7. Has sovereignty. No other State should have power over the countrys territory. Somewhat. The West Bank and Gaza Strip do not yet have full sovereignty and control over their own territory. 8. Has external recognition. A country has been voted into the club by other countries. No. Despite the super-majority of United Nations members approving United Nations General Assembly resolution 67/19 on November 29, 2012, giving Palestine non-member state observer status, Palestine is not yet eligible to join the United Nations as an independent country. While dozens of countries recognize Palestine as independent, it has not yet attained full independent status, despite the UN resolution. If the UN resolution had allowed Palestine to join the United Nations as a full member state, it would have immediately been recognized as an independent country. Thus, Palestine (nor the Gaza Strip nor the West Bank) is not yet an independent country. The two parts of Palestine are entities that, in the eyes of the international community, have yet to obtain full have international recognition.

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Business Process Analysis and Measurement Paper (Wal-Mart is the Essay

Business Process Analysis and Measurement Paper (Wal-Mart is the organization) - Essay Example Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is the major retail organization in the United States which has been given number one rank on the Fortune 500 Index by Fortune Magazine (Hayden, Lee, McMahon, & Pereira, 2002). The Wal-Marts massive and great size, makes it wields incredible power and economic king. It has driven lesser retailers out of commerce; forced companies to be well-organized, frequently leading these suppliers to move industrial jobs overseas; and changed the methods that up till now large and established organizations were using. Wal-Mart has existence or death decisions over all the customer supplies industries that survive in the US, for the reason that it is the number-one supplier-retailer of the majority of customer goods, they sell not only toys, clothes, and shoes as well as home applications, electronic goods, sporting products, food, bicycles, groceries (Anderson, 2003). Wal-Mart has long been attached in world’s economy. The stores have facilitated customers to carry ou t most of their shopping in one convenient place, for that reason cutting down the quantity of time needed to carry out our shopping contrasted to going all over city to shop for what customers want on everyday basis. In recent times, people have been arguing whether Wal-Mart is in actual beneficiary or not to the financial system, and regarding the method it delights its employees. One group of such type calls its self the Wal-Mart watch and they are a set of widespread persons that share similar visions on how Wal-Mart is damaging to the economy and how poorly it treats its workers On the other hand there are community who almost beg Wal-Mart to approach to their city or town and construct a Wal-Mart shopping center (Bianco & Zellner, 2003). This section is presents the detailed analysis of the main four processes that the Wal-Mart uses to determine process performance in their daily business. The basic and most important intention and Wal-Mart are not direct competitors for the

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Perspectives on Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Perspectives on Operations Management - Essay Example An efficient operations strategy can help the business entities to win the race and stand at top of the crowd in competitive environment. Operations Strategies for new Wal-Mart store X Company is the chain of independent retail outlets in Hartwell in Essex and opening a new Wal-Mart store at edge of the town. The advice is needed about the potential operation strategy in response to the recent opening of Wal-Mart store. I have prepared a plan for the future business operation strategy for the new Wal-Mart store. There are some extracts of my research are mentioned below Operational Strategy According to many successful financial advisors, Operations strategy for any business has a direct impact on the profitability levels and corporate strategy. Structural design is the main element of the operations strategy. As the Company X is running its business as a retail outlet and want to set the new business operation strategy for new Wal-Mart store. There are some key points for the struct ural design of new operations strategy. Meet the target demand: As the company is opening its new Wal-Mart store at the edge of Essex. So the target customers are the people of Essex. In addition, the company can take advantage form the new customers because of the location of new Wal-Mart store. It is clear that, the company is going to meet with the high level of customer demand. In this case, the company need to ensure first that it have the capability to meet with the high level of demands. For this purpose, company should access the target demand level and take certain steps to meet with the target demand. Cost of the products: If the company want to win the competitive race, then it should set the prices of their products that are unbeatable. Management should set the prices that provide the good value for their products. Services: The management of the new Wal-Mart store should ensure to provide the high quality services to potential customer. The management should provide th e services according to the customers’ necessity. Use of Technology: In current modern trends, technology is referred as a primary toll for an efficient operations strategy. In the case of retail business technology can be used in effective manner to manage the day to day operations of the business. For example, use of security cameras to keep an eye on any unusual activity or use of bar code reader to track all the sales in efficient manner. Layout and design of new Wal-Mart store: The secret of efficient operations strategy for any retail business lies in the layout and design of retail outlet. That’s why the management of the new Wal-Mart store should set a catchy layout and design for its new store that will save the time of potential customers. The layout should be in such way that enables the customer to access all the necessary things easily. The management should set the service layout that can create an open shopping environment that helps the customers to fin d the things what they are looking for quickly. Selection of Employees: Selection of staff for new Wal-Mart store is one of the primary factors that can help to develop good operations strategy. Skilled and trained staff can help to manage the routine operations in more appropriate

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Merciless Dogs :: essays research papers

Ever wonder why politicians are merciless dogs? Of course you have. Well, here's the answer. Machiavelli's classic text on acquiring and maintaining political power laid the foundation for modern politics, for better or for worse, and remains its bedrock. Machiavelli was an Italian patriot and a long-time member of the Italian hierarchy as a sort of political consultant, having been recently ejected from his position when he wrote this manual. Italy was then in a turbulent political situation, seemingly under attack from all quarters, and very unstable. The author wrote this treatise and sent it to Lorenzo Medici -- the Prince, as it were, who was ultimately responsible for Machiavelli's dispension. Such a loyal patriot was our good author that he actually wrote this book and sent it to him as a gift. Well, what does it contain? Just about everything that anyone would want to know about how to acquire political power, and how to keep it. Machiavelli covers just about every conceivable situation: how to rule a brand new land colonly, or one that has been taken over; how a Prince should bear him or herself; how they should keep faith; how to maintain their army; how to keep tabs on the commoners and the nobles, and much more. He includes many maxims and principles that have been taken up time and time again in the nearly 500 years since the publication of this slim volume. One need only look at the current political landscape to see just how inudated these principles have become in the political philosophies of our world leaders, e.g., Machiavelli's idea that it is better to go to war on your enemy's turf before they come to your own, in order to minimize losses, and his famous statement that it is better to be feared than to be loved -- but try your best not to be hated. Many have condemned the ideas and principles contained herein because they eschew moral and ethical standards in deference to pragmatic political gain. Well, wake up, folks. Politics is a dirty game and always has been. It is viscious, ruthless, and takes no prisoners -- a truly dog-eat-dog world. It is not for the faint of heart. Machiavelli tried to tell us this 500 years ago; it's about damn time we started listening. The writing style used in the book is very, very simple, and it is extremely short. Merciless Dogs :: essays research papers Ever wonder why politicians are merciless dogs? Of course you have. Well, here's the answer. Machiavelli's classic text on acquiring and maintaining political power laid the foundation for modern politics, for better or for worse, and remains its bedrock. Machiavelli was an Italian patriot and a long-time member of the Italian hierarchy as a sort of political consultant, having been recently ejected from his position when he wrote this manual. Italy was then in a turbulent political situation, seemingly under attack from all quarters, and very unstable. The author wrote this treatise and sent it to Lorenzo Medici -- the Prince, as it were, who was ultimately responsible for Machiavelli's dispension. Such a loyal patriot was our good author that he actually wrote this book and sent it to him as a gift. Well, what does it contain? Just about everything that anyone would want to know about how to acquire political power, and how to keep it. Machiavelli covers just about every conceivable situation: how to rule a brand new land colonly, or one that has been taken over; how a Prince should bear him or herself; how they should keep faith; how to maintain their army; how to keep tabs on the commoners and the nobles, and much more. He includes many maxims and principles that have been taken up time and time again in the nearly 500 years since the publication of this slim volume. One need only look at the current political landscape to see just how inudated these principles have become in the political philosophies of our world leaders, e.g., Machiavelli's idea that it is better to go to war on your enemy's turf before they come to your own, in order to minimize losses, and his famous statement that it is better to be feared than to be loved -- but try your best not to be hated. Many have condemned the ideas and principles contained herein because they eschew moral and ethical standards in deference to pragmatic political gain. Well, wake up, folks. Politics is a dirty game and always has been. It is viscious, ruthless, and takes no prisoners -- a truly dog-eat-dog world. It is not for the faint of heart. Machiavelli tried to tell us this 500 years ago; it's about damn time we started listening. The writing style used in the book is very, very simple, and it is extremely short.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Japan-2011-Earthquake-Case-Study Essay

Japan is an island nation located in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia. Japan is an archipelago of 6,852 islands. The four largest islands are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, together comprising about ninety-seven percent of Japan’s land area. Japan is a major economic power and has the 3rd largest nominal GDP Its GDP per capita is $34,739 or the 25th highest in the world in 2011 Population is approximately 127 million people, which is the 10th largest population in the world. One of the world’s highest life expectancy at 81. 25 years of age. Ageing population with people 23% of the population are over 60 years old fertility rate below replacement level at 1. 39 children per woman while the uk’s fertility rate is 1. 9 Occurred at 2:46pm Tokyo time on the 11th of March 2011. It was a Magnitude 9 earthquake its amplitude was 100x that of Haiti’s 7. 0 Lasted for 3-6 minuets but there were strong aftershocks. The epicentre was 24 km deep, was 72 KM off the coast of sendai. A 400 to 500 km long segment of the north american plate which was being subducted Japan lies at a major triple junction of three major plates which interact in a complex and unpredictable way. The leading edge of the Pacific plate subducts beneath the westward moving Eurasian plate creating the worlds deepest known trench i. e. Marianas trench. In this same area the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Philippine plate. Factors that contributed to the vunerability: Off Sendai there is a very old oceanic crust which is cooler and denser, it was assumed that the crust would easily slide into the mantle so only small earthquakes are predicted. Warping of the pacific plate means that it gets stuck rather than sliding smoothly into the mantle causing pressure build up. Rugged Ria coastline, many inlets caused tsunami waves to be concentrated, causing waves to encroach further. 70% of Japan is mountainous, making settlements cramped into narrow low lying coastal areas. Much of japans land is reclaimed which is very susceptible to liquefaction or ground shaking potentially causing landslides Government officials admitted that officials were too complacent & believed in technical infallibility. Japan earthquake and tsunami – 2011 Effects of the Earthquake: Primary effects: Magnitude quake of 9 that lasted for 3-6 minutes. This caused lots of ground shaking that triggered lots of secondary effects Secondary effects: Physical: An 10-meter tsunami was seen at the port in Sendai, near the epicenter. Japan’s east coast was moved up 4meters out into the Pacific Ocean, some areas sunk by more than a meter. Ground shaking caused buildings to collapse; some caught fire due to gas pipes bursting. The tsunami swept inland, mainly along the north-east coast swallowing boats homes vehicles trees and anything else. 50sq kilometres of land were flooded. When water receded trains, had vanished, ships and cars were tossed everywhere. Tokyo’s earthquake proof skyscrapers were swaying lots however damage was limited. An oil refinery exploded in the town of Ichihara, a commuter town of Tokyo. In Sendai the areas nearest to the focus, areas near the sea were very badly damaged, but inland near the city was largely undamaged. In Mionami-Sanriku only half the population of 17000 escaped alive and nearly all buildings were destroyed. Over 25,000 dead or missing due to the tsunami however many more would have perished if the early warning system hadn’t been in place. Aftershocks continued for two weeks terrifying people, there were 700+ recorded. A tsunami measured at anywhere from one meter to 7. 3 meters hit at various places along the coast Aftershocks were continuing, with one hitting magnitude 7. 1, according to the USGS. Tall buildings swayed violently in central Tokyo as the aftershocks hit. Other effects: Half a million people were made homeless for weeks, 150,000 people lived in temporary shelters. At least 1 million homes did not have running water, 6 million homes did not have electricity & cars queued for rationed petrol. There were shortages for food, water & medical supplies. Japan earthquake and tsunami – 2011 Hydrogen explosion and the melt down of two nuclear reactors in Fukushima nuclear powerplant caused wide spread panic and evacuation due to the spread of nuclear material. They melted down due to the tsunami breaking over the 8meter high barrier and engulfing the backup generators which cooled the rods. Panic selling occurred in global markets due to the panic of a nuclear disaster Responses: Immediate responses: A Tsunami warning was issued 3 minutes after the earthquake. Rescue workers searched the decimated coastline of submerged homes for survivors. Helicopters plucked survivors from wreckage or rooftops. 100,000 soldiers were mobilised to establish order, distribute bottled water, food and petrol . Offers of aid came in from lots of different countries including the USA and China. The UK sent 63 fire service search and rescue specialists, two rescue dogs and a medical support team. People were rescued after being trapped for several days. An exclusion zone was set up was set up around the Fukushima nuclear plant. Homes were evacuated and iodine tablets which prevent radiation sickness were distributed. There were no cases of looting or violence. Social networking such as Twitter were bringing updates on the situation far earlier than the media, showing how modern technology can be used in disaster situations. Long term responses: Japan has the world’s highest debt and the cost of the repair will force the government to borrow more still. Private companies faced hardship due to businesses being destroyed, however Japan is a developed MEDC and will recover over time. Japan’s previously thought infallible tsunami defences will be reviewed and rebuilt stronger so that if another tsunami occurred of the same scale the area would be better protected. Now what are the developments in 2012? Japan still has a quarantine zone around the Fukushima plant where radiation levels are high. Caesium levels in fish stocks off the coast for Japan are still high, this may be a long lasting effect on the environment that could cause damage to the food chain or decreased biodiversity. Fears of more nuclear disasters such as Japan may occur in Europe for example In Germany, Europe’s largest economy and power market, seven nuclear power plants have been closed .

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

The Differences Between The Civilizations And River Valley...

1. The civilizations in river valleys both had communities that were forced to work together due to the lack of agricultural resources. They each had to focus on maintaining canals, dikes, weirs, and other structures related to the valleys. Floods were constantly a threat, and so each civilization had a different view on nature’s aspects. Mesopotamians tried their best to please the kings and queens of nature, while Egyptians trusted supernatural powers. The difference in religious thoughts led to contrasting attitudes towards life after death and therefore burials. Egyptians displayed the majority of their wealth on their tombstones. Rulers of Egypt had several rooms dedicated to their passing, so as to provide a better afterlife. Mesopotamians built new cities, walls, palaces, and religious buildings, as final exhibitions of their existence. River valley civilizations had different opinions on the role of women. Mesopotamians women in the second millennium had little freedom , but Egyptians women had a high level of respect, as referred to in poems and books. 2. Chinese practice found technological advances to be a huge success when it came to growth of the country. Legendary rulers of china were the ones credited with the development of large technologies. One example includes the introduction of bronze tools. They were used to clear forest and harvest agricultural products. About a thousand years later, iron was invented. Iron proved to be a better form of metal to workShow MoreRelatedComparing The River Valley Civilizations1509 Words   |  7 PagesComparing and Contrasting River Valley Civilizations In the following treatise, the research that will be presented will provide criteria involving similarities and differences in three attributes of life in the four primary river valley civilizations. The river valley civilizations are composed of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and China. While each of these civilizations is unique in their habits and traditions, they share many similar qualities. For this work to be as comprehensive asRead MoreSimilarities Between Civilizations And Ancient Civilizations1403 Words   |  6 Pages Although the Mesopotamia civilization was thought to be located in between the Tigris and Euphrates river , which is now west of Iraq , and the Indus Valley civilization was thought to be located near the Indus Valley , now New Delhi , India , these two civilizations have many similarities and also many differences . These specific similarities and differences range from location , religion , way of life , types of governments , political structures , social structures , intuitions and many moreRead MoreThe Mesopotamia And The Nile River Valley1596 Words   |  7 Pagesand the Nile River Valley. These two civilizations are two of the most favorable ancient civilizations. Although these civilizations are similar in many ways, the small, but impacting differences it what makes these two civilizations stand out the most. The Nile River Valley was located in northern Africa in a country called Egypt. Mesopotamia was located in modern day Iraq, Iran, Syria, Kuwait, and parts of Turkey. The origin of Mesopotamia comes from the meaning â€Å"between two rivers.† The land isRead MoreComparing The Nile, Mesopotamia, And Indus Civilizations1475 Words   |  6 PagesComparing the Nile, Mesopotamia, and Indus Civilizations The civilizations of the Nile River valley, the Mesopotamia valley, and Indus Valley marked human progress toward fixed settlements and the development of a rich culture. These civilizations shared many characteristics that contributed to their success. What made these civilizations unique were the contributions that each one gave to the world. They contributed their own ideas and accomplishments in the areas of religion, science, and mathematicsRead MoreThe Rise Of Civilizations On Egypt And Mesopotamia1530 Words   |  7 PagesThe rise of civilizations in Egypt and Mesopotamia occurred around the same time and the environment and natural forces affected the similarities and differences in social, political, and economic stability. There were many similarities and differences between both of these countries as well. In both cases, it was the river valley and geography that affected the agriculture, religious views, and government structures. The Mesopotamian and Egyptian civil ization developed in the Middle East and wereRead MoreMesopotamia vs. Indus River Valley Essay707 Words   |  3 Pages Indus River Valley 9/26/12 Ancient Mesopotamia and the Indus River Valley civilization were two incredibly productive and successful empires. While Mesopotamian politics were slightly less focused on religion and more on other aspects, the two societies shared many social characteristics. They both had defined social hierarchies, as well as similar views on gender roles. These traits are helpful in explaining the similarities and differences between the twoRead MoreEarly Agricultural Societies, And River Valley Civilizations952 Words   |  4 Pagesthe ideas to fit them further. Societies have began as simple as hunters and gatherers, and eventually the region may develop into a full blown civilization. Early agricultural societies, fully developed agricultural societies, and river valley civilizations are a few of the basic forms of society. While they may sound incredibly similar, there are differences. And even though societies are of the same type, it does not mean they are the same in every aspect. Early agricultural societies date as farRead MoreMesopotamia, Egypt, and Indus Valley Essay813 Words   |  4 Pagesbeing the first civilizations, Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. They had many similarities, such as characteristics of early civilizations and social structures, but they also had their differences. The most embossed differences included the divergent geography, prior belief, trade, relations with other civilizations, and politics. The earliest societies, such as Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt exhibiting indicator traits of civilization developed along the floodplains of great rivers, the Tigris andRead More Seeds of Trees Essay1172 Words   |  5 Pages According to the encyclopedia Encarta, a civilization is an advanced state of a society possessing historical and cultural unity. There are four early river valley societies that had successfully met the requirements to be called civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and India. These four civilizations encompass several similarities as to how they developed, including location, spirituality, governmental structure and forms of written communication. Location played a fundamental role in theRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Civilizations, Mesopotamia And Ancient China868 Words   |  4 PagesMany of the early world civilizations had similar experiences when evolving to become the influential societies that affected other societies. They were called the first civilizations because they were able to form the first functional communities, successful systems of organized laws over people, the distinction of social classes, economic income, and development of arts and educations. Two of histories well-known civilizations, Mesopotamia and Ancient China had similar experiences in the beginnings

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Santiago s Respect For The Natural World - 1057 Words

Santiago’s Respect for the Natural World For a fisherman, the natural world is what supplies their livelihood. The relationship between them can take many forms varying on the type of man, or just the luck of a person. This is what causes each man, old or young, to see the natural world in different forms. In Ernest Hemingway’s, The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago, an old fisherman, has had a long relationship with the natural world. Throughout his life, Santiago has endured hardships and fortunes. Unlike younger fishermen, he does not see the natural world as an enemy but rather as an equal. His life experience in fishing helps him to see the natural world differently. Santiago is a fisherman whose connection with the natural world has grown into a relationship of understanding and respect. Santiago’s connection to the natural world is seen through his relation with the animals that live in the sea. For example, Santiago’s connection to the sea animals is f irst seen when he hears the flying fish in the darkness of the night. â€Å"He was very fond of flying fish as they were his principal friends on the ocean†(49). The old man is isolated whilst out at sea, being a fisherman for so much of his life. This isolation has led to a friendship formed between the flying fish and Santiago. He also calls the flying fish his principal friends on the ocean, further establishing the presence of a mutual relation with the fish. Soon after, Santiago encounters the turtles eating theShow MoreRelatedThe Merchant Of The Old Man And The Sea1096 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is the role of the sea in The Old Man and the Sea? The rich waters of the Gulf Stream provides many animals/figures that the old man observes and greets. Through Santiago’s interactions with these figures, his character emerges. In fact, Santiago is so connected to these waters, which he thinks is cheerful as a sometimes fickle lover, that the sea acts almost like a lens through which the reader views his character. Santiago’s interaction with the weary warbler, for instance, shows not onlyRead MoreThe Alchemist By Paulo Coelho1652 Words   |  7 Pages can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river? The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back My son, you are on the other side . -Takahashi The Alchemist, a novel by Paulo Coelho, about a boy named Santiago who had to go through multiple obstacles to fulfill his Personal Legend. A Personal Legend is the only way one can live their life in satisfaction and happiness. In Buddhism, Enlightenment is the state of inner body peace. In The Alchemist, PauloRead MoreAn Eco Friendly Attitude And Environmental Awareness Essay1767 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Today man has exploited his home to the extent that there is a greater need to go back to old life. With the emergence of science and technology there is a gradual depletion of environmental resources. It is often taken for granted that natural resources are to be exploited for sound economy. The issues like rampant sand mining, ever increasing greenhouse gases like heavy emission of carbon dioxide, gradual depletion of ozone layer, spread of epidemics, unheard diseases, e-waste dumpingRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea3663 Words   |  15 Pagesand Plot The novella is organized in chapters and chronological order. It covers a total of five days; the day before Santiago catches the Marlin, the three days of battle, and the day after Santiago returns home with his prize. It also covers the four nights to go along with these days. In the beginning of the story, even after eighty-four days without a catch, Manolin and Santiago are still hopeful that his luck will come back. They follow their regular routine, discussing baseball and eating dinnerRead MoreAnalysis Of Esmerelda Santiago s Life2186 Words   |  9 Pagesconsciousness, deviance and traditional authority. I will start by analyzing Esmerelda Santiago’s life. Following that, I will analyze my life and will finish with a conclusion that draws out the comparisons and differences of both. To begin, Esmerelda Santiago and her family immigrated into the United States from Puerto Rico. Immigration means, the movement of persons into a non-native country. At this point in time the family only consisted of Esmerelda, her seven younger siblings, Mami, Tata, Tà ­o ChicoRead MoreRizals Love Affair to Josephine Bracken1640 Words   |  7 Pageshis eye treated by Rizal. Rizal was immediately attracted to Josephine. He called her ?dulce estranjera,? or sweet foreigner. The loneliness and boredom of exile may have taken its toll as he found himself falling in love quite easily. However, Rizal?s sisters suspected Josephine of being a spy for the Spanish authorities and a threat to his security. There is some disagreement among historians as to whether Rizal and Bracken, who lived together as man and wife, ever got married. Miscarriage JosephineRead More Biology, Pragmatism and Contradiction Essay3857 Words   |  16 Pagesdemonstrate how Maturanas biology dilutes the principal argument against American Neo-pragmatism. This criticism uses the argument of performative contradiction as it has developed in the European Neo-Kantian philosophy. Thus, I begin by presenting Apel. s arguments which are contrary the perspective of the detranscendentalization of the Post-Nietzschenian philosophy. I conclude that analytical philosophy is a fecund point of contact between Maturanas biology and American Pragmatism, and that analyticRead MoreErnest Hemingway Essay6491 Words   |  26 PagesConclusion VII. Bibliography I. Introduction Across more than half a century, the life and work of Ernest Hemingway have been at the center of controversy and intrigue. From the moment he embarked on his career as a writer, he presented himself to the world as a man’s man, a sportsman, a street-wise reporter, a heroic, battle-scared soldier, and an aficionado of the Spanish bullfight, among other talents. His legend and mastery of so many abilities almost seems to colossal for one man, yet those who knewRead MoreRepublic Act and Bills of the Philippines5877 Words   |  24 PagesPROGRAM (NSTP) FOR THE TERTIARY LEVEL STUDENTS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7077 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1706, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE 14 Republic Act 6725 AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE PROHIBITION ON DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN WITH RESPECT TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE OF THE LABOR CODE, AS AMENDED. http://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-6725 11 Republic Act No. 7277 AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE REHABILITATION, SELF-DEVELOPMENTRead MoreGoal Movie Review10720 Words   |  43 PagesInformation Like every kid, Santiago Munez has a big dream. But unlike every kid, he’s given the rare opportunity to make that dream come true—if he’s willing to put his fears aside, travel thousands of miles from home, and hold his own with some of the best in the world. The intense pressure and personal sacrifice prove costly for Santiago on his quest—but will they be enough to keep this gifted, determined young athlete and fledgling hero from his ultimate â€Å"Goal†? When Santiago crossed the border into

Monday, December 23, 2019

Energy from waste Killing two birds with one stone...

Energy from waste? Killing two birds with one stone Panacea to Energy crisis and waste treatment Have you imagined that electrical appliances would be useless in one day? Have you ever thought of living in total darkness? Concerns over energy crisis are alarmingly growing. Fossil fuels are estimated to deplete within 100 years at current consumption rate1. Being a member of global village, every cities and countries in the globe are responsible to pay joint effort to remedy the situation. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the fifth assessment report on 13 April, urging policymakers to put a halt to the use of non-renewable energy sources at once2. â€Å"The high speed mitigation train needs to leave the station very†¦show more content†¦Chemical conversion has two methods to generate electrical energy, i.e. direct and indirect. The direct method is the combustion of MSW6. Since every matter stores energy, a direct burning of MSW generates heat, which in turn provides energy to drive the motors for electricity production6. The indirect method is pyrolysis, followed by gasification7. Pyrolysis is a term describing the segregation of substance after thermal cracking and condensation8; gasification is a process of converting carbon-containing compound into energy-rich fuels under specific condition8. To illustrate these two concepts, you can think of the process of turning paddy to grain, and then to a bowl of rice. To separate grain from paddy, we need tools like paddy separator and husker aspirator. By breaking paddy into smaller pieces, followed by segregation, we can obtain grains, which can be further processed to useful materials, and husks. This procedure echoes with pyrolysis, a process that uses machineries to separate useful and non-useful materials after breaking down the input substances to other materials. At this stage, what we have obtained is grain. To convert it to rice that can be consumed by human, we have to polish it and cook it. This action describes gasification, which turns carbon-containing compounds (grains) to energy-rich fuel (cooked rice) underShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesan Urban World †¢ Howard Spodek 53 3 Women in the Twentieth-Century World Bonnie G. Smith 83 4 The Gendering of Human Rights in the International Systems of Law in the Twentieth Century †¢ Jean H. Quataert 116 5 The Impact of the Two World Wars in a Century of Violence †¢ John H. Morrow Jr. 161 6 Locating the United States in Twentieth-Century World History †¢ Carl J. Guarneri 213 7 The Technopolitics of Cold War: Toward a Transregional Perspective †¢ Gabrielle HechtRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesWeidemann-Book Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on appropriate page within text. Copyright  © 2011, 2007, 2005, 2002, 1998 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproductionRead MoreIgbo Dictionary129408 Words   |  518 Pagescolloquial conjunction demonstrative English enclitic especially extensional suffix Hausa inflectional suffix interjection interrogative literally noun numeral proper name preposition pronoun possessive pronoun quantifier usually verb Yoruba derived from Igbo Dictionary: KayWilliamson. Draft of Edition II Editor’s Preface The present Igbo dictionary is a much revised and expanded version of the Igbo dictionary published by Kay Williamson, Ethiope Press, Benin City in 1972. Professor WilliamsonRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pageswell-known successes. While mistakes provide valuable learning insights, we can also learn from successes and find nuggets by comparing the unsuccessful with the successful. With the addition of Google and Starbucks, we have moved Entrepreneurial Adventures up to the front of the book. We have continued Marketing Wars, which many of you recommended, and reinstated Comebacks of firms iii iv †¢ Preface rising from adversity. I have also brought back Ethical Mistakes, because I believe that organizationsRead MoreTop 1 Cause for Project Failure65023 Words   |  261 PagesAnish Mathai Mathew [PMP|MBA] Temenos T24 PROGRAM MANAGER at Union National Bank Featured discussion In your experience, what is the TOP #1 cause for Project failure? From experience, the following are the TOP10 causes of Project failure that Mathew can think of (they are not in any kind of order): #1. Lacking Sponsor s Involvement/Ownership #2. Halo Effect (Wrong Man for the Job) #3. Poor HR Management #4. Poor/Inadequate Project Communications #5. Ignoring Project Stakeholders Read MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pagesthe publisher Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone: ( 44) 1865 843830, fax: ( 44) 1865 853333, e-mail: permissions@elsevier.co.uk. You may also complete your request on-line via the Elsevier homepage (www.elsevier.com), by selecting ‘Customer Support’ and then ‘Obtaining Permissions’ British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloguing

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Carib Notes Free Essays

TOPIC Dancehall music STATEMENT OF PROBLEM An investigation into the impact of dancehall music on the values and attitudes of teenagers between the ages 14-18years at Manchester High School. RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. What is dancehall music? 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Carib Notes or any similar topic only for you Order Now What effects does dancehall music have on the attitudes and values of youth at Manchester High School? 3. Where dancehall music has a negative effect on the attitudes and values of teenagers, what measures can be implemented to alleviate this problem? 1) Male Female 2) Age: 13- 15 16- 18 19- 21 22- 24 25- 27 28- 30 3) Do you listen to dancehall music? YES NO 4) Which of the following options best describes your reason for listening to dancehall I enjoy it The music speaks about reality I don’t know I grew up hearing it Other ________________________________________†¦ 5) How often do you listen to dancehall music? ________________________________________†¦Ã‚   6) Who is your favourite dancehall artist ________________________________________†¦ 7) What is your favourite dancehall song ________________________________________†¦ 8) Do you have a job? YES NO 9) How would you describe your performance in school? Excellent Good Average Fair Satisfactory Unsatisfactory 10) Are you sexually active? YES NO 11) Do you believe that sexual content of some dancehall songs influence your sexuality   Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly Disagree 12) What do you think about homosexuality ________________________________________†¦ 13) Do you think that Dancehall music perpetuates crime and violence within the Jamaican society? YES NO   14) Do you believe that most dancehall songs degrade women? YES NO   15) Do you believe that dancehall music strongly impacts your view of gender roles within the society? YES NO 16) How to cite Carib Notes, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Critical Race Theory free essay sample

A case study consisting of the students and the lecturers in the Faculty of Engineering. Gundo . V. Maswime1, Belinda Johnson2 School of Politics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus KEYWORDS: Otherness Critical race theory Binary paradigm Vygotsky’s theory Piaget’s theory Thomas‘s Theorem A B S T R A C T This action research paper explores the perceptions of black Engineering students on the existence of racial bias amongst white lecturers. This enquiry leans on Derrick Bell’s Critical Race Theory adopting that racism is normal and engrained feature in our society and adapting it to being that, rather, it is the belief that racism is a part of our society that is normal, for pedagogical reasons. It was established that the impression black students have is that of the existence of a subtle form of racism manifesting as academic sabotage. Many students also indicated a cynicism towards the efforts of the University authorities in curbing racism as being rhetorical. The paper does not attempt to ascertain if racism exists on the campus or to prove its prevalence. Vygotsky’s theory of race as part of common education and the transmission of knowledge within a society is explored leading to the recommendation of Piaget’s theory that suggests the construction of new knowledge systems to induce a positive transformation in society. 1Gundo Maswime currently working on a Masters in engineering (geotechnics). The initial paper was compiled to meet the requirements for the conference of a B. Social. Science Honours. E-mail: [emailprotected] com 2Belinda Johnson is a Lecturer in the School of Politics (UKZN) and a PhD candidate. She teaches Research Methods amongst other modules. Introduction The University Of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) came into being as a result of the merger between the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville. The institutional cultures of these two Universities were very different before the merger. While the University of Durban-Westville was, before the amalgamation, regarded as a Black institution the University of Natal on the other hand was considered a white University in the loose common language accepted in South Africa. The new University had to either straddle these two legacies and traditions or abandon both completely for a completely new identity. In an unpublished study commissioned by an ah hoc committee of the University’s Students Representative Council conducted on causes of low pass rates amongst black students at the former University of Natal, a distinction was drawn between â€Å"old-fashioned† racism and â€Å"modern† racism. It was further elaborated that in instances where the â€Å"old-fashioned† reprobate racist feels that his/her form of racism is socially or politically unacceptable, they may â€Å"upgrade† to the modern form of racism. The Department of Optometry within the former University of Natal in 2003 conducted an inquiry after students suggested that racism was behind their lack of success. Allegations of racism were also expressed by student leaders in the Alternatives to Violence Leadership Conference at the Pietermaritzburg Campus in 2003 organised by the Leadership Office of the University. In the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine (a campus of UKZN), many racially charged episodes, and some confrontational, between Indian staff and Black students were reported in 2002, 2003, and 2004 respectively. A study done in Pietermaritzburg by Ms Marie Odendall of the Leadership Office observed; Taking into account the country’s history of radicalized unequal power relations and the way these shaped individual subjectivities, one could investigate how if at all, the institutions’ social and discursive practices, both curricular and co-curricular, challenge both Black and White students and staff to reshape their subjectivities towards equality and away from inferiority and superiority; away from authoritarianism towards minimal domination, and respect and care for self and others (Odendaal 2001). The learning community in Higher education institutions comprises of students and lecturers in a complex melting pot of cultures. They also reflect the colonial baggage and apartheid debts of our past. There has always been a block of opinion that, despite the former Natal University’s claim of rejecting apartheid, the old University of Natal was seen as discriminatory and neoliberal. There is a need to rebrand the University to counter this stigma. A Perception is an individual’s interpretation of the world which becomes that individual’s reality. A world view or personal philosophy emanates from a perception regardless of whether or not it is based on facts or fallacy. A perception is a process by which people translate sensory impressions into a coherent and unified view of the world around them (Online Business Dictionary). Though necessarily based on incomplete and unverified (or unreliable) information, perception is the reality and guides human behaviour in general. Otherness is the quality or state of being different, especially if exotic or unfamiliar. Anatone Broyard, the celebrated American Literary Critic is quoted to have said, before a trip to Europe, that; â€Å"were going to see in Europe religion, royalty, picturesqueness and otherness. It can be deduced that otherness or the perception thereof is not an inherently retrogressive quality as the tone of this paper may unintentionally insinuate. Since the advent of democracy in South Africa, the student profile in the higher education sector has seen a rapid demographic change. A surge in enrolment of black students was observed across the academic spectrum making black students a majority in almost all institutions of higher learning. UKZN has between the years 2000 and 2004 seen an increase of 42. 6% in enrolment of black African students. Inevitably, some of these students come from rural or township schools were there has been no interracial interaction at any level whatsoever. As universities increase black representation to fulfil morally obliging equity imperatives, the challenges of both staff and students to handle the feeling of otherness and to finally interact closely with what has always been at a distance are beginning to strangle the values of academia and squeezing out stereotypes that would have otherwise remained in oblivion. Various investigations of the existence of racism in higher education institutions have been undertaken in post-apartheid South Africa (Robus, 1999; De la Rey 2001; Duncan 2005). This has been part of a larger net of research efforts that aim to investigate the psychopathology of racism most often by profiling the offender. This applied qualitative research focuses only on the perceived existence or non-existence of racism in the Engineering Faculty of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in the minds of the students. Instead of investigating the existence and psychopathology of racism, it is rather the question of whether African students believe that it does or does not exist and why they believe thus. The frame of reference of the â€Å"could have been† or the â€Å"has been† victim the student- is the subject of interest of this research endeavour. The concern generated by the low out-put of graduates in technical disciplines and the obvious demand for infrastructure development skills in South Africa is a justifiable one. This has resulted in more research being done on where possible bottlenecks and learning impediments that compound the drop-out rate are. Psychological factors have been the subject of much of the transformation debate. The, now annualized, Higher Education Summit (April 2010) has, recognised the need for; â€Å"A re? examination of our understanding of the post? apartheid South African university, 15 years after the advent of our democracy. This is to be done with the objective of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. addressing the challenges raised in the Report of the Ministerial Committee on Transformation and Social Cohesion and the Elimination of Discrimination in Public Higher Education Institutions† Transforming higher education institutions at staff level is considered a progressive step in the transformation process. The question that is not asked is what attributes of being white, except the student’s perception of the lecturer’s racial attitude as perceived by the student calls for staff transformation? There is a need for an understanding of what the extent of the students’ belief in the existence of lecturer-to-student racism is. Employing the binary paradigm to arrest the scope, the paper investigates perceptions of racism practised by white lecturers towards black students. In mid-February 2005 a group of 3 elected student leaders with the guidance of The Council for Higher Education (CHET) and the Centre for Higher Education and Training (CHET) approached Professor H. P Africa and requested him to conduct an audit of failure amongst black students in UKZN. The operational terms of reference included amongst 5 other items; †¢ To investigate the impact of institutional culture and stereotypes on the relationship between teaching staff and students †¢ To recommend the necessary steps to be taken to improve the situation and to create a new ethos of behaviour and attitude of the academic staff. The Engineering Faculty in UKZN subsequent to the merger has been marred with sporadic acts of demonstrations against racism and demands for changes of attitudes of white lecturers by black students. Part of these acts could indeed be dismissed as an extension of the activism and political volatility that was a characteristic in the so called Black Universities of which the University of Durban Westville was. What cannot be dismissed however are the potential effects of psychology induced academic non-performance. Also, policies that go further than prescribing behaviour to address attitudes will prove more effective in transforming the psychological paralysis that active, imaginary and passive discrimination may afflict on black African students. This particular research puts the student at the centre of the research question. It may be that the students do not feel that they experience any form racial prejudice in which case research into race relations as a learning barrier may become irrelevant and we can thus focus on other factors that may have a bearing on graduate output. The study provides resources to guide bridging programs and enable institutions to better handle the typical scenario of black students interacting with white lecturers. That it is a student-to-student interaction between researcher and respondent gives it a deeper and more honest perspective that can be valuable to the policy maker. It also can potentially reveal the more subtle concepts of the psychology of the student against the back drop of his/her environment. It is also worth noting that a normative discourse is highly fact-sensitive in that adding one new fact can alter perspectives radically. To know a mind-set with an interpretation of its state can thus go a long way in improving interactions. The basic approach of the study is exploratory. The two main areas of inquiry regard classroom encounters students have with the academic faculty. There could be a contestation about the extent of the impact of attitudes and perceptions to the extent that a case may be put forward on whether an investigation of this kind is justifiable. This should be settled by drawing from the mission and vision of higher education in general and UKZN in particular. UKZN’s quest to be a Premier University of African Scholarship that is internationally competitive will require that it espouses democratic values of fairness, vhuthu/ubuntu and justice. It is only logical therefore that any act or purported act that contradicts these values is subjected to investigative testing. This endeavor thus comprises an academic and a social component. The fact that Critical Race Theory has a restorative leaning as opposed to being a pure scholastic endeavor makes it an all the more worthwhile scholarly pursuit in this regard. The study was done by firstly constructing the essential elements of Critical Race Theory and various applications and case studies of the same. The second phase was the compiling and administration of questionnaires overlapping with the initial phase. A copy of the questionnaire is appended. Literature Review Despite the tremendous strides resulting from civil rights legislation, racism remains one of the most pressing social problems in the US (Jackson Solis, 1995). This statement finds resonance in South Africa. According to Rosaddo (1990) racism emerged in the 16th century as a result of European expansionism and has persisted to the present as a socially constructed system of values to justify the evil of human exploitation for socioeconomic advantage. Racism is the outward manifestation of an inward system of values deliberately designed to structure privilege by means of an objective, differential, and unequal treatment of people, for the purpose of social advantage over scarce resources. This values system justifies power of position by placing a negative meaning and value on perceived or actual biological/cultural differences. William. Thomas and Dorothy Swaine Thomas (1928), who are numbered among the founders of American sociology, enunciated a crucial concept, the so called Thomas‘s Theorem-also known as the self-fulfilling prophecy. According to this theorem, If a situation is defined as real, it is real in its consequences. Racism is classified by Mark P Zanna as divided in to two forms. Dominative racism which is the manifest or conspicuous form of racism where the reprobate acts out bigoted beliefs that depicts what Zanna calls â€Å"the open lame of racism†. Aversive racism on the other hand is a more subtle and circumlocutory form associated with more erudite, sophisticated and cultured whites (Zanna 2004). The racially intolerant campus climate has many consequences. As Altbach (1991) notes, White students remain liberal in their attitudes towards race relations, although there seems to be an undercurrent of resentment against affirmative action and other special programs for the h istorically disenfranchised. In a study at a small public university in California, Loo and Rolison (1986) found that black students were significantly more likely than Whites to be socially isolated and less likely to feel that the university reflected their values. These differences were explained by the pressure on black students to acquire the culturally dominant White, middle-class values of the campus, as well as the fact that only a small percentage of the student body was an ethnic black. Suen (1983) found that Black students not only scored higher on alienation scales, but also were more likely to drop out than were White students. Differing perceptions of the same behavior carry over into how racism is defined. In a study of students at Stanford University, White students reported that an irrational attitude of hostility against individuals and groups because of their background or membership in one race constituted racism (Bunzel, 1991). Thus, any group or person could be racist. For Black students, the structural components of racism were more salient and definitions that refer to institutional racism and oppression of one group by the racial group in power were preferred (Bunzel, 1991). However, students reporting a first-hand experience of racism were fairly low. Among Whites, 5% reported a first hand experience of racist behavior, for Blacks, it was just under 30%. The focus of the research will be that of the binary paradigm of racism (Hacker 1992) because it arrests the scope of the research by minimizing the variables. In his eminent volume, â€Å"Two Nations†, Hacker clearly demonstrates that for pedagogical reasons, it is sometimes convenient to assume that racism occurs between blacks and whites only and then infer the findings and theories to other races with necessary adjustments. While considerable research has been done on racism in higher education (Robus, 1999; De la Rey 2001; Duncan 2005), most of it is a quantitative study of the out put of the different races, the question of access by the black subgroups and descriptive research on the status quo and problems of language and the inadequacies of the high school system as a contributor to high drop out rate at tertiary level. This research puts the opinion of the student concerned as its focus. It offers a black scholarship perspective of an issue mostly approached in positivist angles. Pervious research initiatives have, in the main, exhausted the questions of both extent, form (Kawakami, et al. , 2007) and impact (e. g. Crocker and Schwartz 1985) of racial prejudice on the victim and less on the perception. In regards to racism, perceptions and reality may not be reconcilable but the research may provide insight into the impact of perceived discrimination. The fact that people act to â€Å"their† reality, whether or not true, causes people to behave in a manner that makes the original meaning actually come true. T. Hall (1969) and James J. Gibson (1950) submit that the fact that two people looking at the same object do not see the same thing may be a result of two different types of vision ; the visual field in the eye and the visual world in the brain. The visual field is made up of the light, colours and figures recorded by the retina. The visual world is made up of all the sociocultural experiences stored in the mind that define the image in the retina, giving it an interpretive meaning called perception. Though the image is in the eye, perception is in the mind. What people actually see is not the reality of the image, but the reality of the perception. And this perception, the visual world, derives from our worldviews, our operational paradigm, our system of beliefs and values that shape our world and enable us to make sense of the reality we experience. Biasco et al. (2001) surveyed 10% of the student body at the University of West Florida to explore racial discrimination, the differing perceptions of black and non-black students, and possible factors responsible for racial discrimination. Sixty-seven percent of the respondents stated they had experienced discrimination at the university: 15% daily, 18% monthly, and 13% annually (Biasco et al. ). A racial comparison clearly showed that a higher percentage of black students perceived discrimination. Sixty-six percent of Black students and forty-one percent of White students in the study reported experiencing racial discrimination. On a general level, 74% of Whites and 85% of Blacks believed in the existence of racial hostility. Additionally, 34% of Blacks, compared to only 11% of Whites, stated that fraternities and sororities were a factor in discrimination. Similar results were reported for perceived discrimination toward students by professors. Forty percent of Blacks and 11% of Whites indicated a discrimination experience with professors. These racial discrepancies suggest that both the experiences and perceptions of Blacks and Whites vary broadly. Theoretical Framework The Critical Race theory came to the fore in the mid 1970’s with the early work of Derrick Bell and Allan Freeman. It was a consequent of a need to understand the more subtle varieties of racism for application in the legal profession. The theory then was a remarkable detour to mainstream theories of racism to the point that Freeman is quoted to have informally said that â€Å"if you are on a short tree during a flood, you may need to climb down before finding shelter in a taller, safer one†. The point of departure of this theory is to assume that race is normal and engrained feature in our society. This point becomes easier to adopt in this research in that, though the theory has American descent, South Africa can only be worse in terms of being prejudiced because racism was once institutionalized and gazetted as a policy. The theory further acknowledges that legislative efforts against discrimination can only curb the more horrific and extreme forms of injustice. Starting from a premise that each civilization constructs its own social realities to advance its own self interest, it sets out to construct its words with its rules, practices and assignments of power and prestige using words, stories and silence. Within the context of the Critical Race Theory, the Derrick Bell further premised what he calls interest convergence. According to this concept, whites will always find ways of reproducing their privileges to perpetuate their dominance by only allowing transformational advances that also promote their interests. The base of this theory in the research is in that the activities of the research will be conducted with sensitivity towards the identification of avarice forms of prejudice that play into the Critical Race Theory. The Critical Race Theory’ s emphasis on perspectivism rather than eccentricity will enable the research effort to comb out tendencies that are negligible to the lecturers while being major to the students in question. In attempting to formulate an analysis of the responses, there was a need to inquire if the respondents are alleging the existence of race bias that is of a manner consistent with the Marxist Theory of Racism. According to Carl Max, certain advantaged groups will attempt to protect their interest and perpetuate their dominance by acting differently towards different races in a manner that sows division. They may also favour certain individuals in one racial group to better manage and defend their practices. In Vygotsky’s theory of race the emphasis is on education and the transmission of knowledge from older to younger generations. Just like manners, Vygotsky’s believes attitudes towards other races are taught at home. In Piaget’s theory the emphasis is on the construction of new knowledge that has the potential for transforming culture, society, and history. Both theories are lacking in their recognition of and accounting for the emancipatory interest of humans. Authors differ in their views of the extent to which the inequalities in higher education participation of the different race groups are the fault or responsibility of higher education per se or an extension of existing general societal trends. It is also argued, on the other hand, that institutions of higher learning leave the situation to deteriorate before they overrun or compensate for accrued disadvantage (Hale, 2006). Woodrow (2003) presented four myths that are commonly heard within the higher education sector as arguments against promoting equity. These are; 1. It is not the prerogative of higher education to promote equity 2. Equity is the enemy of excellence, it lowers standards 3. Only institutions that are desperate to recruit students should prioritize equity 4. We are in favour of equity and promotion of access; we just do not have the resources to do it. Another way to look at the self-perpetuation of racism is through the lack of acknowledgement on the part of the person who is being discriminated against. Just as the aversive racists are not aware of the racism that they have developed, the people who are discriminated against are in denial, which precludes them from taking steps that may initiate social change. These people try to keep up their own self-esteem by denying the acts against them. This could in turn prevent people from trying to change the way they are treated, prolonging the cyclical nature of aversive racism which is a subliminal and more subtle form of racism that may be elusive to detect even for the perpetrator. Also, the contemporary cognitive approach explains that prejudice creates a negative perception, which will in turn justify the prejudice. This shows the cyclical nature of racism. Generally, there are certain sub-group students that have been known to under perform. Students from advantaged backgrounds were seen to score better academic aggregates than their disadvantaged counter parts. It has been established that students who come from non-English backgrounds performed less well than native English speakers and those that come from educationally deprived systems fared worse than their more privileged colleagues (Gibbs Murphy, 1996). In the South African context, these sub-divisions implicitly insinuate a racial divide. A national policy to drive the process of educational transformation minding he fact that the weaknesses and problems of higher education in this regard are vast and complex need urgent consideration. The absence of national legislation will surely result in some institutions in higher learning choosing not to transform at all. (CHE, 2000; 1). If academic practices imply unity and order, then something has not been said and the same has been suppressed in order for that unity to emerge. The impact of this unity on the student o f colour is alienation (Mann, 2001; 1) | | | Since the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994, much effort has been expended on overcoming the institutionalised racism that characterised apartheid. The transformation of higher education, particularly with regard to the merging and incorporation of institutions, is such an example. The argument, which relies on Essed’s notion of everyday racism, infused with insights from discursive psychology, is that higher education institutions are racialized through the intricate interweaving of macro-level processes and discourses that recur in everyday talk and practices. In 1991, after a tumultuous period of protest in universities, and after the release of Nelson Mandela, the Universities Amendment Act, in which the first steps towards creating a single education system were taken, was passed (Nicholas, 1994). South African higher education was created as a highly racialized space through deliberate acts of policy during the Apartheid era. Duncan (2005) argues that these spaces continue to be racialized not only though the history of higher education, but also through socialisation, staffing composition and the politics of space. With all the interventions that have been implemented since the new dispensation it might as well be that there is not enough racism to warrant a fast tracked transformational overhaul of the higher education sector. It may be that perceptions of students did not change when real change was taking place in which case the stake holders need to now focus just on perceptions. Research Methods Whereas it is very common to test theories in social research, the research approach used is that of the Grounded theory in that the theory will be formulated based on the data rather than being tentative and abstract. As Glaser and Strauss (1967 pp 1-2) explains it, the Grounded theory begins with entering the field of work without a hypothesis. Then use observations from the field work to elucidate what happens. The last part is to concoct and develop an explanation as to why it happens, based on the interpretation of the observations. Theoretical population Thus the theoretical population is any black middle class to lower class student in an institution of higher learning encountering white lecturers. The theoretical population is from a diverse cultural background within South Africa. The social background of the students was identified with the view to establish if prior exposure to whites may affect their perceptions. The Howard college campus was chosen for accessibility of sampling candidates and to fix the variable of the campus to one so that campus to campus trends are not analysed for comparison. Study population The study population is black students that are students in the engineering faculty. Within the group, the variations are mostly in tribal affiliation whilst the socio-economic status is, for all practical purposes, assumed to be uniform. Sampling frame Through the medium of a questionnaire with a fixed set of questions, and interviews, probing questions were formulated to explore the mind set of the Engineering students that comprise the theoretical population in a public opinion poll running for 2 days. The field work was done on male and female African Engineering students on the Howard College Campus. The unit of analysis, black engineering students was sampled in a probabilistic, systematic and random nature. They were accosted at the main entrances of the three engineering buildings on Howard College Campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. This is systematic in that there is no replacement of units that have been used. The respondents were not helped by the interviewer in answering the questions beyond instructive assistance to provide clarity. The sample that completed the questionnaires had 33 students while 2 interviews were conducted with student representatives from the Student Representative Council. The questions and responses were systematically classified to ensure that quantitative comparisons can be made. Based on the data captured, palpable predispositions were recognized as well as some subtle trends. These were then used to formulate an explanation of why the observations are in the manner in which they are. This qualitative research is a mix between exploratory and explanatory research in that it begins by delineating if African Engineering students believe that racial discrimination exists in their faculty and, if they believe it does, what is the perceived extent of racial discrimination by their lecturers at the University of KwaZulu-Natal which is the exploratory aspect of the enquiry. It is noted that the population size is statistically deficient in capturing the essence of the research question in terms of the number of students that completed the questionnaires. The following precautions were taken in anticipation of the following problems. |Problem |Remedy | |Respondent feeling that the interview is an illegitimate subterfuge |A cover letter was prepared to address such fears | |to advance a certain genda | | |Respondent feeling uncomfortable that information gathered from the |Sensitive questions were omitted where possible and respondents were| |interview will not be kept confidential |assured of confidentiality | |Respondent giving normative answers |Sensitive questions were omitted | |Respondents feeling that their lack of knowledge may make them look |It was emphasized that there are no right or wrong answers | |stupid | | Measurement of variables The opening statement in the questionnaire is intended to reassure the respondent that there are no incorrect answers. It also re affirms confidentiality of the exercise by encouraging anonymity. The questionnaire has 9 questions structured to gradually probe the subject with increasing intensity to avoid â€Å"shocking† the respondents. The first question is meant to stimulate interest and make the student at ease. Question 2 and 3 are meant to gather useful biographical information about the respondent. Students from rural and township schools are postulated to have more belief in the existence of racism that may be encouraged by their lack of understanding of some of the mannerisms of white people due to lack of exposure. Also, as students get to third and forth year, it is expected that they may begin to develop genial relations with their lecturers which may introduce a change of perception. Question 4 is general in that it enquires about the personalities of lecturers without mentioning race. It is meant to contrast question 5 subtly by being a similar question but now with race introduced making it a control of the experimental process. How differently the respondent answers this is noted and the consistency in future questions is also observed. Question 6 and 7 give the respondent an opportunity to remember that there could be better white lecturers than black African lecturers and then requests the respondent to try and remember if there are actual incidents they can remember. This makes them remember to relate what they answer to what they experience and not just what they think. It also is intended to subconsciously remind the respondent to be honest. In question 8 and question 9, the impact of racism on the student’s confidence is probed. If the respondents feel undermined, that then introduces the inferiority complex and lack of confidence. While the mind of the respondent is delving into the psychological impact of the perceptions of racism, question 8 enquires if they believe the system or management has the necessary policies and tools to protect them. This question will delineate if there is a sense of hopelessness and despair about the status quo. Results The results for each question were analysed individually before links and patterns were analysed. This was done to make the process of analysis easier to manage because it is done in steps. The first question was not analysed since its purpose in inconsistent with the core business of the research question. The results are as follows; [pic] | | Fig 1: Many students seem to be convinced that their lecturers are friendly. The higher percentage of unsure students could have something to do with the fact that the respondents want to know what the questionnaire is all about before they disclose their opinions. [pic] Figure 2: This question seems to have given the first indication of the fact that the questionnaire is about race relations or racism. There is a will to engage and express the existence of racism. 16. 7 % could be responding by exaggerating to make their point. [pic] Figure 3: Most of those that agree that there are white lecturers that treat then better than black lecturers are in their 3rd and 4th year of civil engineering. Further enquiry reveals that there is only one black lecturer at this level which raises the question of validity of observation with respect to senior civil engineering students. [pic] Figure 4: The majority (41. 7%) believes that white lecturers underestimate them. While 16. %, the same number that claims in figure 2 that all white lecturers have a negative attitude towards them. Analysis of responses from individual questionnaires show that the responses to this question do not come from the same candidates as in figure 2 [pic] Figure 5: ironically, the resp onse to this question points to the fact that while the majority of students are firm in their belief of the existence of racism, a lesser number has experienced racial discrimination. This is evidence that the study is dealing with a perception rather than reality. [pic] Figure 6: There is a unanimous belief that a racist lecturer could easily practice racism with impunity. While none of the respondents was willing to elaborate on their opinion, there is a possibility that this response is also motivated by fear and an intention to get management to respond decisively. [pic] Figure 7: While only one example was put forward, many students seem to be aware of incidents. There could be urban legend on racism or genuine reports of racial discrimination but the fact that virtually no lecturer has ever been punished for it raises questions of its validity against what could be complacence of the authorities. [pic] Figure 8: That 58. 3% categorise the incident as academic is a concern in that it could have negative psychological consequences on the students. Even in the event of urban legend, a strong belief in the existence of racial sabotage can impact on the academic performance of the student. [pic] Figure 9: It is not surprising that there is a belief that white students are getting racially motivated favours. None of the respondents gave an example or incident of such a case but the trend so far justifies why such belief can be anticipated. [pic] The graph above indicates a weighed average of what percentage of lecturers are perceived to be racist as explained by the students. Students that believe that all lecturers are racist and those believing that none of the lecturers are racist were excluded from the plot. However, 3 students believed that 0% were racist while 2 students believed that 100% were racist. The consequent of this observation is to shift the peak by approximately 4% to the left. This will roughly put the peak at 62%. This is thus adopted as the percentage of white racist lecturers as per the perception of black students. Review of results It is surely impossible to accurately itemise and rationally and appraise the impact of an attitude or a perception in a manner that may not invite academic excommunication. However, beyond these limitations, interactions with respondents that went beyond the formalities of the questionnaire reveal a serious problem with regards to race relations between staff and students. Professor Africa’s report mentions that amongst the causes of student failure are problems he categorises as; †¢ Attitudinal †¢ Racial †¢ Academic The relative weight of each of these factors is the subject of further research. With the liberty that Critical Race Theory accords to storytelling, it is important to cite some of the incidents that linger in the mind of Black students in the Engineering Faculty that were shared during the course of the research. A Professor who had told a class that he knows it for sure that second language speakers do not pass his course in the first instance. This prophesy fulfilled itself when the semester ended. The surprise twist to the black students in class was when one of them, with a rare Zulu surname that happens to be spelt like an English surname managed to pass the course on the first instance. This baffled his classmates more so because he was known to be amongst the weak students in his study group of 8 or so students who had all failed the course. In yet another school, a white Professor had alluded that though he has seen black engineers before, he is yet to meet one good black engineer. This incident was reported to the university authorities more than 4 years ago and has been a sore point for many subsequent students in class. In a recent case, the same professor presided in the disciplinary hearing of a black lecturer who has since been dismissed. In this hearing, the defence enquired if it was true that the professor had a case relating to his comments about black engineers to which he agreed. The professor had announced his intention to retire at the end of 2010, more than 5 years after the disciplinary process was due to commence, to which the university requested that he stays for one more year. At this point, it is crucial to problematize the Critical Race Theory’s tendency to respect urban legend and scientific facts. But should the above tales be sooth then a grave cause of concern should follow the probability that this could be a microcosmic representation of the macrocosm. In the Prof Africa report, students report incidents of intimidation from white lecturers. There are reports of postgraduate students who threatened to deregister their course because of the demeaning comments that a lecturer made against them. When black students receive this type of treatment from white lecturers, with the history of this country in tow, it becomes fodder to the perception of racial stereotyping and bias. There is an attitude in some quotas that black students cannot cope with Engineering. This attitude which borders on racism further argues that because Africans are not good in Mathematics, it is thus impossible that they can handle Engineering. The tragedy in this is that some of these beliefs are held by lecturers teaching the same subjects which makes for a classical case of self fulfilling prophesy. A number of black student feel that white lecturers are unapproachable. The old adage of ‘ who will guard the guardians† is the main question. The findings confirm those of the study conducted in 1999 that there is a perception that some staff look down upon students. The same study further alleged that white students are treated better that black students. Sadly in one school within the engineering cluster, black students interviewed consistently referred to one black lecturer who was completely unapproachable to black students but very â€Å"nice† to white students. This alleged reprobate would be very clear about contents of examinations to white students. One white student is alleged to have assembled a few of his black friends to explain what he was let into as the contents of the examination and made it clear that he was doing this in protest to the Professor’s skewed racial tendencies. The same Professor has been a beneficiary of a major promotion which amongst black students is proof that there is an incentive from the university awaiting those that discriminate against black students. There were a few incidences cited were students received results saying they have failed and in persistent enquiry found that they had passed. One such incident involves a student that was given a mark of 40% which was later changed to 80% in the remark and another in a different school whose mark evolved from 0% to 2% then 18% and finally 50% in 2 weeks. While the former case was dismissed as a transcription error by the lecturer, to the student and his friends it is interpreted as a confirmation that the white lecturers in Engineering believe that a black student has failed unless proven otherwise. There are unreported stories in this paper that were left out because the authenticity was suspect. It is worth noting that none of the 9 first year respondents believe that racism exist. The significance of this observation is that the perceptions of racism are not a continuation of long held beliefs but a reaction to experiences and observation by the students. Also it is only at second year level that modules from the respective engineering schools are taught. First year students are essentially science students. Conclusion Since 1994, South Africa has committed itself to non-racialism. Yet due to an extensive institutionalisation of racism that transpired over more than 3 decades and centuries of racist ideology, de-familiarisation of an entrenched attitude that racism is bay assuming the non-existence of its existent manifestations is suicidal. When a student enrols at a university, the university in principle undertakes to ensure that the student will be provided with an enabling environment in which to exercise determination and invoke mother wit to acquire a qualification. In Professor Africa’s words; ‘An overarching environment for students’ success should be based on the principle that the University is there to ensure that the average student who is admitted to an academic program will succeed. It is counterproductive for the student to be in an environment that is alienating, unfriendly or were he/she feels an outsider. The University must be a place where the student feels affirmed and he/she must feel that the institution is there for him/her. Statements like â€Å"you will fail like flies† or â€Å"this class is too large, next year only 10% of you will be here† have no place in a progressive, student friendly institution. ’ Acrimonious relations between staff and students breed disrespect, suspicion and tension. Unfortunately, the latter seems to be a representation of the status quo in some of the Engineering disciplines at UKZN. The research into the nature and perceptions of race relations on campus indicates that the university is a microcosm of society and faces the same problems as society at large. South African higher education was created as a highly racialized space through deliberate acts of policy during the Apartheid era. Duncan (2005) argues that these spaces continue to be racialized not only though the history of higher education, but also through socialisation, staffing composition and the politics of space. Our analysis suggests that this state of affairs could be contributing towards a widespread perception of the unabated existence racial prejudice at the Faculty of Engineering. Since as early as 1990, measures have been taken and legislation has been passed that were aimed at redressing the disparity created in higher education institutions by the institutional racism of Apartheid. Tertiary education has thus been an area that has faced substantial structural transformation. And yet, it remains a highly racially tense environment Very few students believe that the dominative form of racism exists as theorised by Zanna (2004). Aversive racism on the other hand is a more subtle and circumlocutory form associated with more erudite, sophisticated and cultured whites (Zanna 2004). It seems that the average black student in the Engineering Faculty subscribes to the existence of the avarice form of racism as existent in the faculty amongst white lecturers. There is also an observed belief that as many as 70% of those believed to be racist know that there are racist. While all respondents believe that the consequent is sabotage in academics with impunity from the perpetrator shows that it could be the sophistication and wit of the perpetrator that has made it almost impossible for the lecturers to bear the consequences. The research will against this background managed to unearth perceptions of the existence of aversive forms of racism. It is crucial to also note that the students were interviewed around examination time which is a stressful period. This could also fuel a general sense of negativity and hopelessness amongst any student to the point that it can affect the objectivity of their responses. The interview was rather rushed because the interviewee was going for a meeting in Durban. This however could be the reason why the answers were very much direct which is a positive development. It limited long winding answers that derail the interview. On the question of what changes could be done to improve perceptions and ultimately relations, it seems that the students are not very keen on bridging the gap. It could be that there is a feeling that their white lecturers may not be interested in building good relations with them. It could also be the African mannerism of not expecting to relate to an older person beyond acting on their advice irrespective of what perceptions of them one has. The relationship between white students and white lecturers could be the source of curiosity and allegations of favour by race that black students accuse their white lecturers of. Piaget’s theory that puts emphasis on the construction of new knowledge in order to transform culture, society, and history is recommended as a comprehensive attempt to redress the challenge. At University, this may prove to be too late to achieve. A strategy developed in response to this set-up must be devised to give lecturers an insight into the perceptions that the students of colour have about them and recommend practical activities that lecturers can engage in to deal with this mind set issues. There is a strong perception amongst students that the racist attitude of some white lecturers is the reason behind high failure rates in Engineering. Remarks uttered with a reasonable modicum of â€Å"innocence† or ignorant naivety such as ; â€Å" our black students have difficulties grasping abstract concepts†, our black students have difficulties with Mathematics and hence Engineering are cited by some respondents and also feature in the Professor Africa report. There are many instances where students feel they were given borderline marks to deliberately ensure that they do not meet the requirements for postgraduate studies. Critical Race Theory teaches us that racism is inherent and that there is a need to devise active measures to discourage it and to educate society and de-familiarise the familiar. Recommendations Although the reported perception of racial bias on this campus was generally igh and most often in the form of subtle racism, the problem remains when some students perceive differential treatment based on their race. After careful consideration of this information, it seems advisable for all universi ties and colleges to assess the status of race relations on their campus. The assessment could start with a survey of administrators, faculty, staff, and students to learn about their perceptions of race relations. Selecting student and faculty representatives to serve as mediators in cases of racial or ethnic complaints may help improve the racial environment (Marklein, 1990). Finally, fostering ethnic social networks may help some universities lower high attrition rates (Nagasawa Wong, 1999). Providing workshops on racial sensitivity and diversity for administrators, faculty, and staff (Gordon, 1991) is indicated for our university and may be beneficial to other universities. Developing student organizations to foster ongoing discussions about race relations and to sponsor annual events to celebrate diversity (Kent, 1996) also may help improve race relations. Providing information about racial sensitivity and diversity in student orientation and increasing course content on diverse cultures and ethnic studies also are suggested (Kelly, 1990). Sentiment has it that an ombudsman form of intervention is not ideal. Currently the responsibility is shared between the offices of Organizational Culture and Equity and Transformation. These offices should consult with stakeholders to formulate a Code of Conduct in this regard. The University should resolve that every single case of racism reported must be addressed irrespective of the negative publicity the institution may incur or the impact on the academic enterprise. Canons of fair play and decency must govern the relationships within and without the University. The view that student are at the bottom of the academic food chain and thus do not deserve a modicum of respect should belong to the past together with academic conceit and arrogance that mask racism and other discriminatory tendencies adulterant to the interaction between staff and students. The lines of communication between staff and students across the races must be kept open and reinforced formally and informally. Mutual respect should be the overarching governing principle. Lecturers are hardly ever trained on how to lecture, let alone handle diversity. This intervention is recommended. In some western countries, lecturers are taken through training on how to handle various lecture room scenarios and attitudes. This initiative could ameliorate culture clashes. An open relationship between staff and students will go a long way in creating an atmosphere of trust between staff and students. This will only occur if democratic values that 1994 ushered are embodied in all dealings with â€Å"others†. The Student Representative Council must actively engage the University community and bring them to task about measures to harmonize relationships within the university community in general and between Black students and White lecturers in particular.