Impact on compensation policies in modern organisations

How Athens Played a Significant Role in Greek History

How Athens Played a Significant Role in Greek History Chapter I. The Physical Setting of Athens 1. The Importance of Athens in Greek History To three ancient nations the men of the twentieth century owe an incalculable debt. To the Jews we owe most of our notions of religion; to the Romans we owe traditions and examples in law, administration, and the general management of human affairs which still keep their influence and value; and finally, to the Greeks we owe nearly all our ideas as to the fundamentals of art, literature, and philosophy, in fact, of almost the whole of our intellectual life. These Greeks, however, our histories promptly teach us, did not form a single unified nation. They lived in many city-states of more or less importance, and some of the largest of these contributed very little directly to our civilization. Sparta, for example, has left us some noble lessons in simple living and devoted patriotism, but hardly a single great poet, and certainly never a philosopher or sculptor. When we examine closely, we see that the civilized life of Greece, during the centuries when she was accomplishing the most, was peculiarly centered at Athens. Without Athens, Greek history would lose three quarters of its significance, and modern life and thought would become infinitely the poorer. 2. Why the Social Life of Athens Is So Significant Because, then, the contributions of Athens to our own life are so important, because they touch (as a Greek would say) upon almost every side of the true, the beautiful, and the good, it is obvious that the outward conditions under which this Athenian genius developed deserve our respectful attention. For assuredly such personages as Sophocles, Plato, and Phidias were not isolated creatures, who developed their genius apart from, or in spite of, the life about them, but rather were the ripe products of a society, which in its excellences and weaknesses presents some of the most interesting pictures and examples in the world. To understand the Athenian civilization and genius it is not enough to know the outward history of the times, the wars, the laws, and the lawmakers. We must see Athens as the average man saw it and lived in it from day to day, and THEN perhaps we can partially understand how it was that during the brief but wonderful era of Athenian freedom and prosperity[*], Ath ens was able to produce so many men of commanding genius as to win for her a place in the history of civilization which she can never lose. [*]That era may be assumed to begin with the battle of Marathon (490 B.C.), and it certainly ended in 322 B.C., when Athens passed decisively under the power of Macedonia; although since the battle of Chaeroneia (338 B.C.) she had done little more than keep her liberty on sufferance.

Microsoft Zune Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Microsoft Zune - Essay Example On the other hand, through Apple iPod music can be played and the user can as well store videos, songs as well as their digital pictures so that they can listen and view them as an when required by the user. The videos can as well be watched on iPod and on the television by means of optional iPod AV cable (Apple, n.d.). Strategy Followed By Microsoft Zune In light of severe competition among the digital media brands, it becomes necessary for the firms to keep themselves updated with the new strategies to beat the competition. It has been noticed that Microsoft Zune has been trying to enlarge the features of Zune players with other hardware devices such as mobile phones, PCs as well as Televisions. It is worthy of mentioning that the strategy followed by Zune has been aimed at beating the competition that Apple presents. Microsoft has added Wi-Fi into the Zune in order to improve the features of the Microsoft Zune. The company aims at delivering its customers with new software, device s as well as services (Ganapati, 2009). Issues Related To Microsoft Zune It has been noted that the Microsoft Zune has faced certain problems. ... The other issue as identified is that although Microsoft claims to be quite compatible, the issue is that the users want their music service to be quite compatible not with the operating systems but with iPods as well (Adkins, 2006). It has also been noted that since the Zune is loaded with too much features it becomes difficult for the users to operate the device (Adkins, 2006). The product seems to have a neutered network. It can be mentioned that adding up of the wireless service in the device has been valueless since the feature did not work with more than half of the music users purchasing from Microsoft. The battery life was also too low. Despite Microsoft Zune’s efforts to provide wireless sync, it has been noticed that the device is quite slow (Slideshare, 2010). Adding up of the radio can also be considered as an issue with the system. The users may not purchase such an expensive device for listening to radio. The user’s needs to make use of the external antenn a in order to listen to the radio else the response of the radio is too poor (Dilger, 2007). Competitors of Microsoft Zune The primary competitor of Microsoft Zune is Apple iPod Nano. The secondary competitors of Microsoft Zune are Sony NWZ-A818 as well as Creative Zen. It has been found that the battery life of Sony NWZ-A818 is quite superior and even the sound quality is good. There are many features in Creative Zen and it has quite a big screen (CBS Interactive, 2011). It has been noted that the revenues of Zune reduced by around 54% and there was decline in the revenues of the company’s earnings in the entertainment as well as device divisions in the year 2008 (Slideshare, 2010). The sales of the mobile device were about 27 million in the year 2008. The figure

Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Review - Assignment Example decisions in terms of using the environment in a way that it will be protected from degeneration and pollution which if they would occur would leave the ecosystem in a state that would not support future generations. It entails proper use of resources in order to ascertain that there is continued existence of natural resources, whereby people are required to use resources in a way that they ensure their actions have reduced or no negative impact on the environment. The three videos put emphasis on how people should make it their sole aim to protecting the environment to support humanity into the future. The videos explain that to be able to make the environment sustainable for human life into the future, it is the duty of everyone to ascertain that their actions are in line with the goal of environmental sustainability. I think that the videos are viable in that they explain why humans need to protect the environment through responsible practices so as to ensure that natural resources remain in existence and there is minimal pollution. Sustainability will ensure that humans have access to clean water, food and fresh air, which will be achieved if humans do not become a threat to their way of life by polluting the environment (Igloo

For developing countries what are the advantages and disadvantages of Assignment

For developing countries what are the advantages and disadvantages of participating in the global garment industry - Assignment Example creasing development in this industry is due to the availability of a cheap work force, ready market and easy transportation due to its negligible weight (TAYLOR, 2009). Developing countries have maximized their raw materials and there has been dramatic increase in the production which now accounts for about 70% of the world export on clothing. However, the garment industry is not left far behind as it accounts for about 3.2% of the world’s manufacturing export (TAYLOR, 2009). Developing countries’ involvement in the global trade, especially in the garment industry has both positive and negative impacts. On the positive impacts is the fact that this industry has increased the level of employment reducing unemployment in developing countries, which has been one of the major epidemics. For example, in Bangladesh, about 1.5 million workers are absorbed in these industries which are about 65% of the total workforce (Hoque, 2005). In Morocco, about 40% of the total human resources are also absorbed into this industry. Second advantage is the increased level of foreign exchange or export earnings. These increased earnings are very vital in any developing countries since it is a source of revenue through which the government injects into development projects so as to improve the living standards of its citizens (TAYLOR, 2009). In Bangladesh, this industry contributes to about 75% of the country’s total export earnings. In Mauritius, it is about 64%, while in Sri Lanka it is about 50%, and in Tunisia it is about 40%. Next is that it has some considerable total added value of merchand ise exports. This is evident in countries such as Bangladesh which is about 55%, Turkey being 28%, while in Morocco and Pakistan it is 20% (TAYLOR, 2009). On the other hand, linearization of trade has disadvantages in all industrial sectors, garment industry being inclusive. First is that these developing countries have removed all the trade barriers which may later lead to

Case study of cyanotic congenital heart disease

Case study of cyanotic congenital heart disease Baby J, a 3-week-old infant, was admitted to Ward 5A since birth due to severe central cyanosis caused by several congenital heart problems. Soon after birth, he suffered from respiratory distress, where his initial SaO2 was only about 70%. He was resuscitated and given 5 nanograms/kg/min of Prostin (Prostaglandin E2). On appearance, he was dusky-looking and his peripheries were cold and cyanosed. He was started on biphasic continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) via an apnoea mask and also given positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) as an adjunct. His CPAP was delivered using nasal cannula the following day after his SaO2 increased to 80% and he remained on CPAP for the first 5 days after birth, which subsequently was weaned off. Antenatal scans found pulmonary atresia, overriding aorta and ventricular septal defect (VSD). Postnatally, cardiac catheterisation confirmed the antenatal findings with extra major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs). He tolerated feeding via TPN and was given 6ml of EBM (expressed breast milk) at intervals of 2 hourly. Bottle feeding was attempted on 28/09/09 and he tolerated the feedings well. Recently, the feedings increased to 44ml 2 hourly. Baby J passed urine normally and his stools were of normal consistency. Past Medical and Surgical History Baby J underwent a cardiac surgery on 1/10/09 through a median sternotomy and a Melbourne shunt was inserted to create an aortopulmonary connection. He was also diagnosed with Alagilles syndrome (an autosomal dominant inherited disorder affecting the heart, liver, spine, kidney and central nervous system). Family History Baby Js father was diagnosed with Alagilles syndrome as a child. He has congenital spinal abnormalities, cardiac defects (atrial septal defect, ASD, pulmonary stenosis and right ventricular dysfunction). Baby Js mother suffered from depression for about 3 years now. She also has asthma and a high BMI of 40. During pregnancy, Baby Js mother was on anti-depressant (Fluoxetine 20 mg OD) and inhalers (Becctide and Ventolin). Drug History NKDA Medication Dosage Frequency Aspirin 15mg OD Frusemide 3mg BD Spironolactone 3mg BD Social History Baby J is the 3rd child in the family. He has one brother and 2 sisters. His brother was also diagnosed with Alagilles and suffers from cardiac anomaly. Baby Js mother is a non-smoker and she did not drink alcohol while conceiving him. Systemic Enquiry Neurological None to note. Cardiovascular See above. Respiratory Cyanotic. Gastrointestinal None to note. Opened bowel normally with normal stools. Genitourinary None to note. Passed urine normally. Haematological None to note. No fevers or rigors Musculoskeletal None to note. Endocrine None to note PHYSICAL EXAMINATION General Inspection Not distressed or in pain. Alert and non-lethargic. Apyrexial (Temperature 37.1 0C) Mild bluish discolouration of lips and tongue. SaO2 83% on room air. Heart rate: 156 bpm RR: 48/min Anterior fontanelle normal. Cardiovascular Examination Examination Findings BP Pulse rate 78/ 45 mmHg 156 bpm (regular, normal volume, character) No radial-radial delay or radio-femoral delay. Normal radial/ brachial/ femoral pulses. Normal carotid pulses. Inspection Hands and nails Face and tongue Precordium Ankle Non-cyanotic fingers. CRT No finger clubbing/ splinter haemorrhages. Non-pallor palmar creases. Deep-set eyes, prominent forehead (features of Alagilles syndrome) Non-pallor conjunctiva Mild central cyanosis (bluish tinge to tongue) Median stenotomy scar. No peripheral oedema (rarely seen in children) Palpation Central trachea. No thrills or left parasternal heave. Auscultation HS=I+Single II (muscular pulmonary atresia) + Ejection click (due to high flow across aortic valve) and continuous murmur. Respiratory Examination Examination Findings Inspection Hands Mouth Eyes Chest wall Not breathless or in distress. Breathing at ease. No peripheral cyanosis. No finger clubbing. Mild bluish tinge to tongue. No jaundice and non-pallor conjunctiva. Normal AP diameter. Symmetrical movement of chest wall with respiration No accessory muscles used in respiration. Trachea Central, no tracheal tug Percussion Generally, resonant to percussion. Auscultation Vesicular breath sounds. Normal air entry. No wheeze or added sounds. Summary of Problems Baby J suffered from severe cyanosis immediately post-delivery due to closure of ductus arteriosus. To maintain the patency of the duct, he was given prostaglandin E2. However, this was just a temporary measure to maintain a duct-dependent pulmonary circulation. A more definitive treatment for Baby J was to establish a direct connection between the aorta and the pulmonary artery by a shunt in order to promote growth of central pulmonary artery. Differential Diagnosis *Most likely differential for Baby J bolded. Differentials of cyanosis:- Primary pulmonary disease Cyanotic congenital heart disease Reduced or duct-dependent pulmonary circulation Tetralogy of Fallot Pulmonary atresia Tricuspid atresia Abnormal mixing Transposition of great arteries Total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (all draining into right atrium) Single truncus arteriosus Persistent pulmonary hypertension due to persistent fetal circulation Anaemia Asphyxia Sepsis Metabolic disorder Methaemoglobinaemia due to haemolytic anaemia Management Plan Initial management:- Respiratory distress at birth Resuscitation, give CPAP and PEEP to maintain oxygenation to lungs, immediate Prostin (5ng/kg/min) Check breathing Maintain circulation IV fluids Routine bloods and ABG Continuous monitoring oxygen saturation and vitals Cardiology review- echo and CXR Echo findings consistent with Fallot tetralogy with MAPCAs CXR found cardiomegaly Feeding via TPN (6ml/kg/2 hourly) Further management:- Cardiac catherisation to assess for cardiac anomaly Cardiology experts advised surgery to establish connection between aorta and pulmonary artery to increase pulmonary blood flow. Melbourne shunt was inserted via median sternotomy on 1/10/09. Echo post-op showed good flow in small pulmonary arteries and patent central shunt. Continue monitoring oxygen saturation aim to keep above 75% Perform ECG Monitor temperature post-op If pyrexial, culture blood and give vancomycin and gentamicin. Start on aspirin, frusemide, spironolactone and paracetamol PRN. Increase feed to 150ml/kg/day via bottle Relevant Investigations and Results: Bloods results (2/10/09) after cardiac surgery FBC Hb Platelets WBC 15.2 230 10.5 UE Na+ K+ Cl Urea Creatinine 142 4.7 100 3.9 77 LFTs Alk P AST ALT Pro Alb 274 29 31 55 27 CRP 100 Echo Results on 18/09/09 Pulmonary atresia, MAPCAs, VSD, overriding aorta. Results on 2/10/09 Patent central shunt with good flow to small pulmonary arteries. MAPCAs flow demonstrated from joined aortopulmary branches. X-ray of whole spine Single AP view of thoracolumbar spine no abnormality found. Reflective Commentary: Tetralogy of Fallot Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the commonest cause of cyanotic congenital heart disease. It has 4 cardinal anatomical anomalies:- [1] Large outlet VSD Overriding aorta with respect to ventricular septum Right ventricular outflow obstruction (infundibular and valvular pulmonary stenosis) Right ventricular hypertrophy Epidemiology TOF affects 3-6 infants in every 10, 000 births. [1] Aetiology [4] The aetiology is unknown, but evidence suggests a multifactorial cause. Antenatal risk factors are:- Maternal rubella (or other viral infections during pregnancy) Poor antenatal nutrition Maternal alcohol use Maternal age > 40 years Diabetes Children with Down syndrome have a higher risk of TOF. Presentation [4] Symptoms Very few infants present with severe cyanosis in the first few days of life with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation. Most infants are diagnosed by murmur at the age of 1-2 months. Feeding difficulty and failure to thrive. Tet spells episodes of bluish pale skin during crying or feeding. Squatting is classical of infants with TOF. Exertional dyspnoea usually worsens with age. Physical examination Smaller than expected for age. Peripheral cyanosis is normally found at birth, and after 3-6 months, finger clubbing may develop. Cardiac examination:- A thrill at left sternal border. Ejection systolic murmur heard over the pulmonic area and the left sternal border. In babies with aortopulmonary collaterals, continuous murmurs may be detected The S2  is usually single. Diagnosis Diagnosis is through history and clinical examination, supported by chest x-ray and ECG, and confirmed by echocardiography. Bloods Haemoglobin and haematocrit are usually increased in relation to the degree of cyanosis. The arterial oxygen saturation varies from 65-70%. ECG ECG shows right ventricular hypertrophy (+ right axis deviation) and may also show right atrial hypertrophy. Imaging Radiography Classical boot-shaped heart. Echocardiography Used to diagnose ductus arteriosus, VSD, or ASD with Doppler echocardiography. *Comparison of Baby Js presentation to the classical presentation Baby J had severe pulmonary atresia (muscular in origin) due to a severely malrotated infundibular septum. He suffered from life-threatening cyanosis at birth which had to be attended to promptly by maintaining the patency of ductus arteriosis using prostaglandin E2. As he was highly symptomatic, a palliative surgery to increase pulmonary blood flow had to be done where he underwent placement of Melbourne shunt connecting his aorta to MAPCA. This was done hoping to promote the development of main pulmonary artery. Baby J also had another problem which was the 50% possible chance of inheriting Alagilles syndrome (autosomal dominant) from his father. His LFTs were checked for any liver abnormality which is commonly implicated in this syndrome. He also had spine X-ray to exclude spinal deformities. He will be having ophthalmology review soon as well. GMC theme 2: Treatment Acute treatment [4] Neonates with severe cyanosis due to ductal constriction are given an infusion of prostaglandin E2(0.05 to 0.1  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼g/kg/min IV) to reopen the ductus arteriosus. Tet spells are usually self-limiting and followed by a period of sleep. If prolonged (> 15 mins), treatment consists of:- [4] placing infants in a knee-chest position sedation and pain relief morphine  IM. IV fluids are used for volume expansion. Propanolol  IV acts as peripheral vasoconstrictor. Bicarbonate to correct acidosis. Muscle paralysis and artificial ventilator to reduce oxygen demand. Symptomatic or palliative treatment in first few months Palliative surgery can be performed in patients who are not suitable for complete repair or patients with tet spells. One of the commonly used procedures is the Blalock-Taussig shunt where the subclavian artery is connected to the ipsilateral pulmonary artery with a prosthetic graft. Baby J had a relatively new shunt placement (first developed in Melbourne) which connects the major aortopulmonary collateral artery (MAPCA) to aorta. This has been shown to promote the growth of central pulmonary artery. [2] Melbourne shunt: illustrates the completed shunt with the pulmonary artery anastomosed to the posterior and left lateral aspect of the ascending aorta close to the sinotubular junction. Adapted from Ref [2] Corrective Surgery Since TOF is a progressive disorder, Baby J will require a more definitive corrective surgery. Nowadays, surgery is commonly performed electively at around 6 months of age (or before 1 year). The timing of complete surgical repair on Baby J will depend on numerous factors like further symptoms, severity of lesions (multiple VSDs, pulmonary atresia),etc. Complete repair is achieved by patch closure of VSD and widening of right ventricular outflow tract. Perioperative mortality rate is   Primary repair is beneficial in terms of preventing long-term right ventricular outflow obstruction and the consequential development of right ventricular hypertrophy, prolonged cyanosis, and postnatal angiogenesis. [1] Summary Survival in children with simple forms of TOF is promising and quality of life is good. Studies showed that survivors are in NYHA 1 class with minimal reduction in exercise capacity. However, Baby J has a rather severe form of TOF and it is difficult to predict his prognosis as for now. This will depend on his progress after corrective surgery repair done. He will need life-long cardiac review and this can be quite stressful for the child and the family as well. Baby J is fortunate to have good supportive parents who are both rather anxious about the childs condition during the interview.

Deaf Technology :: essays research papers

-TTY TTYs (also called Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD) and text telephones) are used for two-way text conversation over a telephone line. They are the primary tool used by deaf people (and some hard of hearing people) for telephone conversation. Other visual telecommunications technologies and services, such as Internet chat and messaging, email, e-paging, and fax and e-mail are also used in telecommunications by people who are deaf or hard of hearing. -TRS Telecommunications relay services (TRS) provide voice telephone users and people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-disabled to communicate over a regular telephone line. TRS is mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act and is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. There have been many new improvements in TRS in the last several years. These improvements give users choices that make TRS calls more natural and â€Å"functionally equivalent† to voice telephone communications. -Video relay service Using a high-speed Internet connection or ISDN, a video connection is established; a qualified sign language interpreter relays the conversation with the voice telephone party. -CapTel Captioned Telephone is a new product of Ultratec, being tested in several states. CapTel is an innovative service in which the operators repeat the words of the hearing party into an automatic speech recognition system for rapid transcription. Voice and data are carried on one line so that the hard of hearing or deaf user can monitor the speech as well as see the transcription. The CapTel phone is set up for â€Å"dial through† so that the user does not need to dial the relay service first. -ASR Automatic speech recognition is the most successful and accurate of these applications. It is currently making a use of a technique called â€Å"shadowing† or sometimes called â€Å"voicewriting.† Rather than have the speaker’s speech directly transcribed by the system, a hearing person whose speech is well-trained to an ASR system repeats the words being spoken. This technique can greatly improve the accuracy of the system compared to direct ASR transcription of speech while that speaker is engaged in conversation or lecturing to a group of people.

How does Steinbeck present the character of Crooks Essay

In the novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men†, the character of Crooks is used by John Steinbeck, the author, to symbolise the downgrading of the black community occurring at the time in which the novel was set. Crooks is also significant as he provides an insight into the reality of the American Dream and the feelings of the people in the ranch; their loneliness and need for company. Steinbeck presents Crooks as a victim of racism and throughout the book, he is called by the name ‘nigger’. Being black, Crooks is hated on the ranch. â€Å"Ya see, the stable buck’s a nigger†. The use of this word dehumanises Crooks and shows how black people at the time, had no rights at all. He also says, â€Å"If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it† and this shows his anger about being brutalised. However, another quote shows how threatened violence is used against black people and how the same term ‘nigger’ is repeated throughout the book. â€Å"Listen nigger(†¦ ), you know what I can do if you open your trap? (†¦ )I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny†. Curley’s wife takes advantage of Crooks having a go at her and threatens Crooks into getting lynched. Lynching was very common in the 1930’s and Crooks ‘seemed to grow smaller’. The use of this oxymoron emphasises how he tries to fight back yet Curley’s wife’s social status was better than Crooks’ mainly because of his race. Furthermore, Curley’s wife uses the word ‘nigger’ and it also dehumanises Crooks and puts him ‘in his right place’. Curley’s wife is also near the bottom of the social ladder as well as Crooks worldly Despite the fact that Crooks is a victim of racism, Steinbeck presents Crooks as a dignified human being. At first glance, this is not obvious as Crooks sleeps in what is described as ‘a long box filled with straw’. This quote shows how he is presented as an animal because black people at that time, were treated as slaves. Not only does Steinbeck give him a life and a voice, but he tries to show Crook’s life in the book with how black people were treated in real life. Steinbeck also tries not to represent Crooks as ‘just a slave’. Steinbeck tries to defend Crooks by writing about how he stood up for his rights against Curley’s wife when she entered his private space, â€Å"I had enough (†¦ you got no rights comin’ in a coloured man’s room. You got no rights messing around in here at all. † This quote shows how Curley’s wife tries to use her superior social status against Crooks as well as dehumanising him. Another quote shows how not only does he care about himself and how he treats himself, but he also cares for the horses and the other animals in the barn. â€Å"Crooks has his apple box over his bunk, and in it a range of medicine bottles, both for himself and for the horses†. It also shows that he is well organised and that he cares for the animals like he cares for himself. He also takes pride in what he does. Another quote shows how even though he knows he has rights, they are still worth nothing, â€Å"And he had books too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California Civil Code for 1900’s†. This quote also shows that he is worried about his education and that he is intelligent even though others on the ranch thought that black people aren’t clever. The books must have been used a lot and so he knows the rights that he should have. Therefore, Crooks is presented as a dignified human being despite the fact that he is disregarded and mistreated by others on the ranch. Although Crooks is a dignified human being, Steinbeck also presents him as a cruel and unpleasant man at times. This is shown most obviously when Lennie attempts to make friends with him in part four of the novel. At first, when Lennie tries to enter his room, Crooks says, â€Å"you got no rights to come in my room. This here’s my room†, and he becomes very defensive. The fact that he repeats the phrase ‘my room’ shows he is feeling vulnerable. His room is the only place where he can have some privacy and have a sense of safety and this is important to Crooks because he doesn’t have much and is frequently abused by those around him. Steinbeck also writes, ‘Crooks said sharply’ and the word ‘sharply’ supports this idea because it shows it is an immediate reaction to the intrusion. It is also like a defence mechanism as he feels slightly paranoid about what is about to happen. He lets Lennie in his room eventually but he continues to torment him, ‘his voice grew soft and persuasive’. Crooks tries to use persuasive language in order to insult Lennie and take advantage of his condition. â€Å"Sp’ose George don’t come back no more(†¦ )what’ll you do then? † Crooks takes the chance to fight back from how he has been tortured in the past. He also wanted to make Lennie feel how he has been feeling for most of his life; lonely and isolated. Yet Lennie tries to fight back and Crooks gets scared and tries to carm him down. Crooks is also presented as powerless, as previously discussed it is perhaps this lack of power that leads to his bitterness. One quote shows how Curley’s wife threatens him and Crooks sits down and doesn’t fight back, â€Å"Crooks had reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality, no ego-nothing to arouse either like or dislike†. Steinbeck tries to use metaphorical language to show that Crooks doesn’t want to be seen and that he fears for himself. It also shows that he is at the bottom of the social hierarchy mainly because he is the only black person on the ranch. The repetition of the word ‘no’ and ‘nothing’ dehumanises Crooks and makes him feel like he has nothing and he has no rights. He is also paradoxical because sometimes he insists on himself having some rights yet he is still lonely. This is why when Lennie tries to enter his room, he has a go at him explaining them. It wasn’t until after he spoke that he realised that he could finally have some company. In those days, black people were presented as ‘lower class’ compared to others and Steinbeck embeds this in the novel to make Crooks feel powerless Another quote shows how Crooks does have some rights even though he doesn’t like them, â€Å"A coloured man got to have some rights even if he don’t like them. It shows how Crooks knows he has rights and that it is a defence mechanism against others being racist towards him. However, when Curley’s wife interrupts them, he tries to defend himself explaining his rights but they were all worth nothing and after she went, when Crooks said do Candy that he was ‘jus’ foolin’ yet on the inside, he knows that he can never get out of the situation others put him in. When Steinbeck presents Crooks as powerless, this also links in with him being lonely and isolated. When Crooks is talking to Lennie, he explains how a black person like him has no friends and no company, â€Å"Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody-to be near him,’ he whined, ‘A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody†. This shows how he is a symbol of loneliness and Crooks tries to express his feelings. Out of all the people in the ranch, the only person he could express his feelings to was Lennie, who cannot fully sympathise or understand Crooks’ situation. Not only is Crooks a symbol of loneliness, but so are Candy and Curley’s wife because they are also marginalised in the ranch. The way Steinbeck doesn’t give Curley’s wife a name dehumanises her and makes her feel lonely. Another quote goes to Crooks’ past and how things in those days were the same, yet he didn’t know. â€Å"I ain’t a Southern Negro†¦ I was born right here in California†¦ The white kids come to place at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them†¦ My ol’ man didn’t like that. I never knew till long later why he didn’t like that. But I know now. † Racism was a big issue in those days and that’s why Crook’s dad didn’t like him mixing with the other white kids. The way he says ‘I ain’t a Southern Negro’ shows that he isn’t the ‘typical slave’ that other black people were in the 1930’s and that most of the black people in America were from the South. He soon became aware of racial prejudice and he doesn’t mix easily with others on the ranch, â€Å"He kept his distance and demanded that other people kept theirs†. Crooks is also separated because he can’t sleep in the bunk house with the others mainly because of his race. Crooks is also presented as weak and damaged as he suffers both physical and emotional pain. His name represents how he has a crooked back, â€Å"His body was bent over to the left by his crooked spine, and his eyes lay deep in his head†¦ And he had thin, pain-tightened lips which were lighter than his face†. Steinbeck tries to emphasise how Crooks is in a lot of pain, yet he is still treated badly by the ranchers. His physical disabilities parallel with other characters including Lennie who is taken advantage of by Crooks because he behaves like a child. Crooks is also the only person in the novel who doesn’t have any hopes or dreams. One moment in chapter four shows how Crooks has high hopes when Lennie and Candy talk about the dream but he dismisses it after Curley’s wife destroys him verbally, â€Å"I never seen a guy really do it, I seen guys nearly crazy with loneliness for land†¦ If you†¦ guys would want a hand to work for nothing-just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand†. Crooks talks about how he has seen many people who have passed through the ranch with dreams yet most of them have failed. When Candy spreads their dream, he has high hopes, but when Curley’s wife interrupts them, she reminds him that he has no hope of sharing the dream. In my opinion, Steinbeck does present Crooks as a victim of racism as he is like an outcast because of his colour and Steinbeck used him to show the hatred of black and white people in the 19th century. He also presents him as a dignified human being because unlike most black people at the time, Crooks did have an education. He likewise presents him as cruel and unpleasant because he enjoys torturing Lennie because he is weakened by his mental illness and he is also powerless because he is treated like all the other black people in America at the time, he has no rights at all. He is also presented as lonely and isolated because he is dehumanised and separated from the other ranchers mainly because of his race, and he is also presented as weak and damaged both physically and mentally because of his crooked back and the loneliness that he feels. Ultimately, Crooks is a very complex character, one who has suffered and slightly gained but he is definitely presented as a victim of society. Crooks Crooks is a lively, sharp-witted, black stable-hand, who takes his name from his crooked back. Like most of the characters in the story, he admits that he is extremely lonely. When Lennie visits him in his room, his reaction reveals this fact. At first, he turns Lennie away, hoping to prove a point that if he, as a black man, is not allowed in white men’s houses, then whites are not allowed in his, but his desire for company ultimately wins out and he invites Lennie to sit with him. Like Curley’s wife, Crooks is a disempowered character who turns his vulnerability into a weapon to attack those who are even weaker. He plays a cruel game with Lennie, suggesting to him that George is gone for good. Only when Lennie threatens him with physical violence does he relent. Crooks exhibits the corrosive effects that loneliness can have on a person; his character evokes sympathy as the origins of his cruel behavior are made evident. Perhaps what Crooks wants more than anything else is a sense of belonging—to enjoy simple pleasures such as the right to enter the bunkhouse or to play cards with the other men. This desire would explain why, even though he has reason to doubt George and Lennie’s talk about the farm that they want to own, Crooks cannot help but ask if there might be room for him to come along and hoe in the garden.

Working Remotely The Pros and Cons of Remote Work

Working Remotely The Pros and Cons of Remote Work Working 9 to 5 When I worked in a â€Å"9 to 5† job as a legal services attorney, I used to stop at the gym on my way back from morning court dates. No one really knew at what time I was finished in court, and I always got my work done, staying late if necessary. So I never got in trouble for my liberties. And while I felt a little guilty about pushing the boundaries of my workday, overall I was happier. I could both keep my job and do other things that were important to me. What made me less happy was that I didn’t spend as much time as I wanted with my family, who lived in a different state. With just two or three weeks’ vacation, I did not have much flexibility. I would travel for short weekends, never feeling like I had enough time to spend with the people I loved. The Pleasures of Flex Time and Working Remotely Now that I am a business owner working from home, my flexible hours are a given. I make my own schedule (which includes  9:30am yoga classes). I can travel whenever I want, to anywhere I want, as long as there’s a phone and internet connection. Sure I work every day, but at least I get some changes of scenery. It would be hard for me to adjust now to a job that required me to be in an office for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week. A remote job, however, I could handle. Especially if it came with flex time and â€Å"unlimited vacation,† perks which many companies are starting to offer. I’m not alone in my sentiments. It turns out remote workers are happier and more productive, and feel more valued than non-remote employees. And a Harvard Business Review article cited a survey conducted by Fractl which found that â€Å"after health insurance, employees place the highest value on benefits †¦ such as flexible hours, more paid vacation time, and work-from-home options.  Not surprisingly, parents are the demographic most enthusiastic about flexible hours and work-life balance. They value these perks even more than health insurance when considering potential job offers! Remote Working Trends FlexJobs reports that 3.9 million U.S. employees work from home at least half of the time, more than double the number from 13 years ago. Interestingly, older workers (over 35) are more likely to telecommute than younger ones. Oh yes, I remember that up until age 35, I found it natural to go to an office and stay there all day! I must admit this data on rising remote work surprised me. I had recently heard about big companies like Yahoo, IBM, and Bank of America going in the opposite direction. They have called thousands of remote employees back into the office – resulting in widespread layoffs. The idea was that remote workers were not able to collaborate and participate in company culture to the extent these companies needed. There were also some situations where employees took inappropriate advantage of their right to work from home. Achieving Balance As with anything in life, balance – and communication – are key. Some companies, like Buffer and Basecamp, function well with fully remote teams. They have robust systems in place to ensure collaboration and communication. Other organizations do better having their employees in person, but allowing flexibility when, for instance, an employee’s child has a doctor’s appointment. And some positions at the same company can be better suited to remote work than others. I’m hearing from some clients that they have been working remotely in their current positions, but to advance to higher levels they need to be physically in the office. That makes sense to me. The benefits to employees of working remotely are clear, and so are the down-sides – like weaker relationships with colleagues, and the pull to procrastinate. Different personalities are suited to different levels of freedom. Benefits for Companies For companies, there are cost-saving benefits to leveraging remote workers. People who previously had to fly from across the globe for meetings, now can attend remotely with the same result. Software platforms (Zoom, Dropbox, GoogleDocs, Slack, etc.) make collaboration easy across continents, and new companies are springing up to take advantage of remote working trends. Remote workers’ productivity is also less affected by things like snow days (better for the company, perhaps, but maybe not as great for the worker who wants to go make snow people with the kids). One company, Kolabtree, predicts that by 2020, 50% of the U.S. workforce will be freelancing. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do think companies need to take care of their employees well and do whatever they can to keep workers happy. If given the right flexibility, even I would consider becoming an employee again! Are you considering working remotely and want help tailoring your resume or LinkedIn profile for the position? Contact us. Well be happy to help you focus your career documents for the job you want.

How to Separate Salt and Sand †3 Methods

How to Separate Salt and Sand - 3 Methods One practical application of chemistry is that it can be used to help separate one substance from another. The reasons materials may be separated from each other is because there is some difference between them, such as size (separating rocks from sand), state of matter (separating water from ice), solubility, electrical charge, or melting point. Separating Sand and Salt Students are often asked to separate salt and sand to learn about mixtures and to explore the differences between forms of matter that can be used to separate mixture components.Three methods used to separate salt and sand are physical separation (picking out pieces or using density to shake sand to the top), dissolving the salt in water, or melting the salt.Probably the easiest method to separate the two substances is to dissolve salt in water, pour the liquid away from the sand, and then evaporate the water to recover the salt. Physical Separation of Salt and Sand Since both salt and sand are solids, you could get a magnifying glass and tweezers and eventually pick out particles of salt and sand. Another physical separation method is based on the different densities of salt and sand. The density of salt is  2.16  g/cm ³ while the density of sand is 2.65  g/cm ³. In other words, sand is slightly heavier than salt. If you shake a pan of salt and sand, the sand will eventually rise to the top. A similar method is used to pan for gold, since gold has a higher density than most other substances and sinks in a mixture. Separating Salt and Sand Using Solubility One method of separating salt and sand is based on solubility. If a substance is soluble it means it dissolves in a solvent.  Salt  (sodium chloride or NaCl) is an ionic compound that is soluble in water. Sand (mostly silicon dioxide) is not. Pour the salt and sand mixture into a pan.Add water. You dont need to add a lot of water. Solubility is a property that is affected by temperature, so more salt dissolves in hot water than cold water. Its okay if the salt doesnt dissolve at this point.Heat the water until the salt dissolves. If you get to where the water is boiling and there is still solid salt, you can add a bit more water.Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool until its safe to handle.Pour the salt water into a separate container.Now collect the sand.Pour the salt water back into the empty pan.Heat the salt water until the water boils. Continue boiling it until the water is gone and youre left with the salt. Another way you could have separate the saltwater and sand would be to stir up the sand/saltwater and pour it through a coffee filter to capture the sand. Separating Mixture Components Using Melting Point Another method to separate components of a mixture is based on melting point. The melting point of salt is 1474 °F (801 °C), while that of sand is  3110 °F (1710 °C). Salt becomes molten at a lower temperature than sand. To separate the components, a mixture of salt and sand is heated above  801 °C, yet below  1710 °C. The molten salt may be poured off, leaving the sand.  Usually this in not the most practical method of separation because both temperatures are very high. While the collected salt would be pure, some liquid salt would contaminate the sand, like trying to separate sand from water by pouring off water. Notes and Questions Note, you could have simply let the water evaporate from the pan until you were left with the salt. If you had chosen to evaporate the water, one way you could have sped up the process would have been to pour the saltwater into a large, shallow container. The increased surface area would have exchanged the rate at which water vapor could have entered air. The salt did not boil away with the water. This is because the boiling point of salt is much higher than that of water. The difference between boiling points can be used to purify water via distillation. In distillation, the water is boiled, but is then cooled so it will condense from vapor back into water and can be collected. Boiling water separates it from salt and other compounds, like sugar, but it has to be carefully controlled to separate it from chemicals that have lower or similar boiling points. While this technique can be used to separate salt and water or sugar and water, it would not separate the salt and sugar from a mixture of salt, sugar, and water. Can you think of a way to separate sugar and salt? Ready for something more challenging? Try purifying salt from rock salt.

The Radetzky March in 19th Century Europe's Belle Epoque Essay

The Radetzky March in 19th Century Europe's Belle Epoque - Essay Example Although this period is oftentimes viewed as a period of peace and prosperity, Roth is able to paint a much more differentiated portrait of a time in which the glory won by an older generation is misunderstood and unappreciated within the subsequent generations; ultimately leading to the downfall of the empire. The first of such characters that is discussed is that of the grandfather (Trotta von Sipolje). A reluctant soldier and mis-characterized hero, Trotta von Sipolje seeks a discharge from the army upon circulation of the incorrect details regarding the incident which took place at the Battle of Solferino. Although a selfless act of bravery was committed by the grandfather, he was completely and entirely unprepared for the level of adoration and propaganda that the state would append to his exploits. Due to this incorrect attribution and praise, the Trotta von Sipolje sought to divorce himself from the military and to a large extent the empire to which he had so dutifully served in an attempt to gain a degree of anonymity within society. Although the events surrounding the world at that time required a generation that was dutifully aware of the events that were taking place, Trotta von Sipolje was instead happy to be blissfully unaware of the circumstances that gripped the nation and demanded action and participation in order to remedy. The extent to which Trotta von Sipolje or the subsequent generations that were discussed could have effectively instigated a change in the course of the nation and/or the empire is doubtful. The author sets about to present a nearly predetermined course that must necessarily be followed. Although it is pointless to second guess history or to make suppositions for what instances might have unfolded at a different rate or differently given another course of action being pursued, it is nonetheless useful to consider how a different subset of actions might have affected a different result of the given period in question. Additio nally, it is interesting to note that the reactionary thought patterns of the younger generation were much more muted than one might be predetermined to realize. Whereas it is often the case that a more stoic and conservative generation precedes a more radicalized and discontent younger generation, such is not seen as directly within Roth’s book. Rather, the younger generations attempt to grasp on to the sense of empire and honor that the older generation portends; however, such is a failed construct and they youth are left with neither the empire that they inherited or the strong sense of duty and/or honor that the older generation espoused. This lack of aggressive reactions is represented by the way that Carl Joseph reacts to the orders he gives to fire upon his own countrymen near the border. The changes views of the nation are herein presented due to the fact that Carl Joseph, the son of Trotta von Sipolje) has few qualms regarding gunning down the striking workers who bo re legitimate grievances. Instead of a situation that presented itself to his father, Carl Joseph embraces the military regimentation as a way of ignoring the pressing humanitarian concerns of the modern society that greets his per view. Rather than providing a thoughtful commentary on the positive and negative aspects of the

Pratical Marketing Communications Re-sis Assignment . (I orderd the Essay

Pratical Marketing Communications Re-sis Assignment . (I orderd the same assigment and the writter did it incorrectly therefor - Essay Example The target market for the M-PESA mobile money service ranges from business owners who can be paid their bills using the service to the Safaricom network users who spend a lot of time and money to send money to their friends and families or to pay their bills, and in Kenya, some of the closest rivals of the service are Airtel money, Yu cash and Orange money. Safaricom Kenya limited uses successful business and media personalities to endorse their product such as Jaguar and Size 8 who are some of the most celebrated media personalities in the country. The use of Jaguar, a celebrated musician in the country whose story of rags to riches identifies with most of Safaricom mobile services subscribers was well informed as the musician is seen by many young people as their role model in their quest to pull themselves out of poverty. The â€Å"Niko na Safaricom† advert that was performed by the Safaricom choir was hailed as one of the best musical adverts ever shot in the country and i t became a household song soon after its release. Point of sale promotion also encouraged many people to register for the service as the registration was free and SIM cards were sold at subsidised rates. The introduction rates for the service, although they were perceived to be fair, they were relatively expensive to most of the M-PESA service users The company also uses the social media to encourage its subscribers and the subscribers of their rival companies to subscribe to the service by asking quizzes about the benefits and the products within the M-PESA service on its facebook fan page. Introduction The purpose of this report is to analyse the various communication elements that Safaricom Kenya limited has included in its communication mix to sell its M-PESA mobile money service to its subscribers. This report has highlighted the main communication techniques that the company has adopted that ranges from celebrity endorsements by popular media and business personalities in the country to advertisements. Point of sale promotions, the way the product is packaged within other services offered by the company, its advertisement strategies and how it has used the social media and especially facebook to market the M-PESA mobile money service (Kloeppinger-Todd & Sharma, 2010, p239). The report will compare the brand with other similar services that are offered by its rival companies; however, due to the large number of services that the company offers, the report will not look at the communication mix that the company has used to market its other products and services (Pike, 2008, p56). Product history Safaricom M-PESA service has been in existence in Kenya since the year 2007 when it was launched, it was launched as a mobile money transfer service that would enable its users to transfer money to other subscribers of the network. However, it was advanced to incorporate sending of money to other mobile subscriber networks such as Celtel, which is currently Bharti Airtel Kenya and Telkom Kenya. The M-PESA mobile money service entails services such as depositing and withdrawing of money, transferring of money to other users and non-users, purchasing of airtime, pay bills and transferring of money between the service and a bank account of the user in some