Revenue Management in Hospitality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Revenue Management in Hospitality - Assignment Example The top 20 theme parks in North America have reported a footfall of 135.1 million with an annual rise of 2.7% over its 2012 levels, whereas top 10 theme parks in Latin America have witnessed a 3.8% growth in foot fall. Such increased level of foot fall is characterised by growth in leisure and international travels. Leisure travels witnessed an absolute growth of 11% from 2004 – 2013, whereas international arrivals saw a growth of 51%. The total visits of the top 20 theme parks in North America saw an absolute growth of 17% from 2004 – 2013, while the US population grew at 9% over the years. Disneyland opened in 1955 and Disneyland California Adventure was established in the year 2001 and offers host of services that include attractions, rides, shows, refreshment stands, merchandise shops and diners which are clubbed under various names like Carls land, Condor flats, Hollywood land, Buena vista street, paradise wharf, pacific wharf and bug’s land. It also extended its service portfolio to resorts and spas. Disney resorts have 2400 rooms, conference space of 180,000 and 50 vacation clubs. Down town Disney is another attraction that is spread across 15 acres that offers entertainment, dining and shopping facilities. It is next to Disneyland and Disney California adventure ((Disneyland. 2015a). Though Disneyworld is the market leader in the theme park industry, it still faces acute direct competition from Merlin entertainment and Universal studios. Disney’s theme park has witnessed highest total attendance of 132.5 million compared to Merlin and Universal group’s 59.8 million and 36.3 million. Merlin entertainment and Universal studio have witnessed high growth rate in foot falls from 2010 – 2013. All the three theme park groups have presence across various regions vis-a-vis US, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Merlin has more than 10 theme parks in different states of the US that makes Disney and Universal studios the only competitors in

Global Corporate Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global Corporate Governance - Essay Example e legislature develops a platform that regulates the company’s decisions and interactions with other partners to safeguard all stakeholders’ interests. The executive arm of government also formulates policies and enforces all legal provisions while the judiciary interprets laws and policies to compliance. Implementation of established laws also stipulates liabilities and remedies in cases of infringed rights (Daft and Marcic 60-63). The company particularly experienced government intervention in its case against Samsung in which Samsung was accused of infringing Apple’s intellectual property right. In the case, government intervention protected the company’s interest in its innovation and therefore promoted its revenues from the protected products. The case also identifies the effects of government regulations in controlling the company’s actions towards its stakeholders because any illegal act is punishable by law (Svensson 1). Competition is another external environmental factor that affects the company and emanates from organizations that supplies products with similar utility. It affects Apple’s market control as well as profit levels because of relatively reduced sales volumes and scarcity of resources (Daft and Marcic 64). Competition from other companies such as Samsung that produces and sells products with similar technological applications offers consumers alternatives that lead to shared market. Consequently, apple has to develop strategies for acquiring and retaining customers, whether through price reduction, improved quality, or product diversification. The stiff competition has also made the company a victim of counterfeit products as its competitors have been accused and convicted of unlawfully copping its technology, an issue that grants the competitors a market advantage against Apple (Svensson 1). Human resource management is a sensitive issue that drives an organization’s productivity, and Apple has been keen on its personnel

Athletics In MacGregors Sporting Landscape Essay Example for Free

Athletics In MacGregors Sporting Landscape Essay However, using tactics which corroborate teamwork and competitive factors which in theory will motivate students to strive and increase their participation levels. 1. 0 Introduction This report will provide a detailed analysis of the participation of athletics in Macgregor’s microcosm as the societal norm believe that the status quo is â€Å"uncool†, it is known that the position of Australia’s porting landscape is very weak as there is a lack of participation within Australia as a whole This can be answered by a simple formula created to find the reason why some sports have a lack in participation in mainstream society today, Figueroa’s framework, this formula is divided into Levels listed in the following Cultural, Structural, Institutional, interpersonal and individual levels, nonetheless, it Is concluded that it is up to the individual of whether they decide to participate in Athletics or not. 2. 0 Figueroa’s Framework The social factors that influence an individual’s decision to participate in Athletics may indirectly or directly impact them by shaping their values, attitudes and beliefs. Knowing this the individual may find themselves being subjective to the people and also the certain factors they face in society ranging from cultural differences to peers to themselves. Sociologist, Peter Figueroa, develop a framework that analyses the equity of social resources that can also be implemented into the participation of athletics. . 1 Individual Level It can be argued that when it comes to equity and access issues, the individual level is the most important. This is because, while all levels of Figueroa’s Framework can identify how equity and sporting opportunities are presented to an individual, in the end it is the individual’s choice that will determine his or her access and level of participation in physical education. Kiss, 2012) This level is specific to Macgregor’s sporting landscape as it highlights the lack of participation in students; nonetheless, these decisions about sport and physical activity are ultimately made by the individuals Genes, values, attitudes and personalities which are specific to each individual. 3. 0 Action plan In Macgregor’s deteriorating athletics program, the lack of participation in the carnivals can link to many reasons why they don’t compete in such events. Study shows that the majority of students would prefer to sit and chat with their friends instead of competing in athletics, however, to allow students to participate, an action plan was developed to; in theory create a more fun and enjoyable carnival thus increasing participation levels, using successful methods utilized in Australian sports such as Cricket, NRL, AFL, etc. The ideologies used within these sports can be integrated within the society of Macgregor’s microcosm shaping the status quo of Macgregor’s Athletics program in a more positive, enjoyable way. . 1 Justification of Action plan Throughout sporting history there are various techniques to strive for in order to have a successful carnival, the majority of successful sports share many similar techniques to better improve the participation of athletes in Australia such as making it more interactive for the audience thus improving their participation rates; for example, in tennis they implement a board that measures the speed of the serve for each game as well as the Olympics which show the world record for each event. nowing this; a supposed board that lists all the records of each event is shown publically pre-athletics carnival and during for students to observe and in theory become more motivated and strive to train and compete in the events believing they are able to break that record thus improving participation rates. Secondly, the appearance of famous sporting athletes have known to improve the participation of sports for example, NBA players frequently appear in many occasions of street basketball games as it obviously creates publicity, however, also improves the participation due to the fact that this allows the ‘average basketball fanatic’ who normally would watch their idol from the comfort of their own television, but in fact they are able to play side by side with their idol increasing their moral and motivation to play. This can also be implemented in the athletics carnival by having the famous athlete participate and motivate the students to join in and also create a slight sense of competition. Finally, it is a fact that Australians love to play team based sports as listed, AFL, Cricket, Football, NRL, Soccer, Basketball, Rugby League are in the top 10 Australian sports; this is 7 of the 10 sports that are shown. With this in mind, Students would be required to form groups of 3 and compete in the athletics carnival, with a twist; each event would hold a certain amount of points varying on the position the student places, 10points for 1st, 7points for 2nd, 5point for 3rd and participation will be worth 2 points. The team that scores the highest points will be rewarded with a prize, such as vouchers, etc. 4. 2 Links to survey results The action plan created was based on a census of the whole school to observe whether they would participate in athletics and their reasons to not. To justify the particular choices created in the action plan by showing the statistics which have guided the development as the spikes in the statistics assist in improving the participation by surveying the trend. The reason a record chart was implemented as it adds a competitive flair and students receive social rewards within the athletics carnival as 19% of students feel that there is no reward for students if they win the events, this will help students strive for the record instead of just trying to win. A massive 27% of students feel that they are not good enough for the athletics carnival and believe there is no point to participate and simply just socialize with their peers, with the appearance of a famous athlete; students would be motivated to part take in the events as the special guest can provide moral support and advice to improve their technique, etc. during the carnival as they can join in with the students. By creating team based events the 80% of students that prefer team sports are able to participate and at the same time fill the social void according to the 25% as they strive to motivate fellow teammates and allow each other perform better overall, also considering the 66% that would participate in the carnival if their peers were to join in. (Buckley, et al, 2013) 4. Links to research material including the individual level of the framework The research gathered of Figueroa’s framework on the individual level, it is realised that students values and beliefs are to strive for competition and rewards, as these factors have been fulfilled it will allow students to participate in a more enjoyable way, due to the fact that an individual’s values and beliefs reflect directly upon their parents, siblings and peers, however, it is proven that the individual learns to behave through the experience they have accumulated from mainly their peers, also the fact that students view the sports society in a ‘boring’ manner, they often assume they cannot socialise with their peers which majorly affect their participation rates. 5. 0 Conclusion

Family and the Sociological Theories Essay Example for Free

Family and the Sociological Theories Essay Since time immemorial, men have been petrified by sociology. The most basic definition of sociology is the study of human social behavior and grouping (Alexander, 1982). Sociology largely focuses on social relationships and the ramifications of these relationships on peoples’ behavior. There have been numerous attempts to understand and explain seemingly challenging situations in a society. These attempts constitute the various sociological theories which are geared towards giving explanations to the various phenomena in the society (Alexander, 1982). It is within the scope of this study to highlight on the impact of the sociological theories on the family institution. Introduction Sociological theories are sets of statements that endeavor to offer explanations to problems, phenomena, or human behavior (Alexander, 1982). Normally these theories are both explanatory and are versed with the ability to predict predictive on some occurrences in society. Essentially such a theory can assist in seeing the synergy among seemingly remote social phenomena (Turner, 2006). The family is the basic social institution and everyone belongs to one. The behaviors of the various family members in one family may be petrifying. There are various explanations of the various behaviors and phenomena in the family offered by the three sociological theories (Turner, 2006). The impacts of these behaviors as explained by the sociological theories are quite interesting and will be studied in this study. The sociological theories in mind are the functionalism, conflict, and interactionism theories. The events of the various members in the family can be sufficiently summarized by the explanations offered by these theories. It is from these events that the characteristics and roles of the various family members are based. This study will highlight the particular impact of each of theses theories on the family institution. Methodology Various relevant literary materials featuring research done on the subject of sociology and sociological theories are studied keenly in bid to reveal on the explanation of sociology and social behavior through the sociological theories. The data gathered and analyzed in the study is carefully studied to shed some light on the interesting history in the impact of the various theories on the occurrences witnessed in the family institution. The studies did not leave behind information which highlighted on the impact of these theories on the behaviors of individual family members and how they interact. The results are collected from these secondary sources, analyzed and presented using the trendiest of modern scientific methods. The interplay between the various sociological theories as they impact the family institution will be highlighted in the discussion part of this study. The conclusion part of the study will involve a recap of the issue of sociology and the sociological theories and the synergy between them. Literature Review Alexander (1982) portrays sociology as a very intricate area to comprehend as it has always being perceived by man. Sociology is perceived in the three major sociological theories. These theories postulate that the occurrences in the society can be summarized by the functionalism, conflict, and interactionism theories. Taking the case of the family institution, for instance, behaviors of the various family members and the phenomena in the family can be fully explained by the various sociological theories. According to the functionalism theory, the family is an anthology of interdependent parts which have a penchant toward a common goal. In the same institution there are functional necessities that must be met for it to survive (Alexander, 1982). The occurrence of some peculiar phenomena is for the purpose of serving a required function in the family (Turner, 1988). In this theory, society is likened to a living organism because both are made up of interdependent parts and systems which function in harmony for the overall functioning of the larger body. Most literary materials concur that each member of the family is pivotal in the ultimate of the successful family union. There are a number of criticisms of functionalism theory presented by some materials. There are several materials which view this theory as indistinct and lacking in sufficient methods. Despite the fact that there are a number of there a couple of materials offering criticism, this theory stands steadfast in explaining the phenomena (Turner, 1988). The conflict social theory contends that individuals and groups in a given society have various amounts of resources and that the more affluent social classes and individuals use their power to take advantage of groups with less power (Turner, 2006). This exploitation is largely through economics or by force. It is this disparity in the society which catalyses social disorder. In the family scenario, the theory is portrayed in the ensuing conflicts within the family members and its serves to offer explanation that this conflict is as a consequence of social conflicts in the family institution. There are a couple of materials which portray the family institution as revolving around the conflict perspective of sociology. In fact the essence of formation of the family is more often than not a function of the couples’ rebellion from the larger parent family (Turner, 2006). Interactionism is a sociological perspective in which human beings are surrounded by meaningful objects and symbols. These meaningful symbols include material things, events, fellow people, associations, and even plain symbols. These symbols are revered as superb and important in human communication. They carry with them common social meaning that is naturally understood and adored by all members of a society (Alexander, 1982). The case of the family presents such a situation where the members of the families are driven by the symbols known and respected by all in that family. The fact that the family as a social institution is made in the interactionism perspective makes the unit stronger and unwavering. For instance the children look up at the prowess of the parents and this fortifies the bond between them. Research Findings In summary the study revealed the following: first it was found that the various human behavior and phenomena are fully explained through the three major sociological theories (Alexander, 1982). In the family institution, functionalism theory is quite rife. It is the same theory which provides the essence of the various family members to continue being in the institution. Every member of the family is supposed to play some very vital role in the attainment of the common good of the family (Turner, 1988). The family life and phenomena is explained further by the social conflict theory. According to this theory the occurrences and events witnessed in the family are primarily caused by the struggles against conflicts in that family. This clearly defines the reserved feelings of each of the members of the family towards each other. Then there is the al important interactionism theory which defines largely the in built feelings of each family member. It is regarded that the family members have grounds of commonality which they look up to. Each one of the family members is deemed to be conversant with these unwritten laws governing the family. They al work and behave in manners likely to suggest that they are aiming at the same goals (Turner, 2006). Research Discussion This study has done tremendous work to highlight on the intriguing issue of unraveling the cause for sociology. In the family institution, the theory of functionalism makes the family come up together in the first place (Alexander, 1982). At some age one feels that they need to have the responsibilities expected of him in the family by marrying. Those who attempt to alter the norm of the duo in the institution by adopting the single parent euphoria at the end of the day find it quite difficult. This follows the coming up of children since the society expects that. The parents look at the children as very important now and in their future old age. The children depend on the parents largely for basic and other needs. This realization makes the two groups stay in harmony since they need each other (Alexander, 1982). According to the social conflict theory, the family comes up in the first place owing to the need of the couple to move away from shared resources (Turner, 1988). They start their own home and live happily. This perspective explains the trend in divorce and such other attempts of reversing the union. They are a consequence of the conflicts in the family. The conflicts between the children and parents define sour relations where the children in this case are said to be unruly and rebellious (Alexander, 1982). The society sees such groups as erroneous without knowing the epicenter of the situation. Interactionism explains a great deal the respect parents command from their children. These children perceive their parents as symbols of success and therefore form a liking for them. Â  This perspective also explains the parents’ initiatives of introducing the children to healthy social ethics and institutions like the church and school. It is from these places where the children will learn to be responsible by heeding those generally accepted symbols (Turner, 2006). Conclusions From the discussion in the study, the behaviors of members of the society are best explained by the sociological theories (Alexander, 1982). Therefore, it is in order to conclude the family institution is largely dependent on the perspectives of sociological theory. These theories clearly and sufficiently explain the occurrences and the behavior of the various members of the family. The failure of each member to participate in the expected duty is quite consequential in determining the satisfaction level derived from the institution (Turner, 1988). References Alexander J. (1982). Theoretical logic in sociology. Abingdon Oxford: Taylor Francis. Turner J. (1988). A theory of social interaction. Palo Alto, California: Stanford University Press. Turner J. (2006). Handbook of Sociological Theory. New York: Springer.

Abortion :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abortion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When one thinks about a topic that would have several different opinions, many things can come to mind. One thing that came to my mind was abortion because it is one of the most controversial issues in the United States, possibly the world. I reviewed several articles from several different sources and came to see that everyone sees the topic of abortion is a different way. Some see it simply as an election issue, and some see it as murder and think it should be banned. The articles I reviewed came from BBCnews.com, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Public Agenda.com.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tony Blair is one man that looks at abortion and wonders why it is an election issue. Tony Blair quoted, â€Å"Abortion is a very key issue. The policy supported by Mr. Howard is one that we would commend, on the way to a full abandonment of abortion.† This quote shows that Mr. Blair is one of the people who believe that abortion should be banned as well. The Catholic church supports him in this argument. But what about the thirteen year old girl who was raped. Should she be allowed to have an abortion when she becomes pregnant? She will not have this option if it is banned. According to the public agenda, more than three quarters of the American people believe that a woman should be allowed to have an abortion if having the child will affect the mothers health, if a woman is raped, or commits incest. This drops to thirty four percent when a woman wants to have an abortion because of economic issues, such as thinking they cannot afford to have a baby.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The majority of the people believe that the government should not involved with the topic of abortion. I strongly agree with this. The one thing that really makes me angry is to see the American soldiers over in Iraq dieing to get rights for the people of Iraq, but yet the government is trying to take away our rights in America. A woman should be able to do what she wants with her body.

Scarlet Letter : Importance Of Pearl :: essays research papers

In the book The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a character is brought to life with a patchowrk of personality and her existance is one of amazing symbolism. Hawthorne introduces young Pearl Prynne. She is a bastard child who not only puts her unholy mother, Hester Prynne through much torment, but puts through hell the secret man who fathered her. Pearl affects Hester deeply in numerous instances throughout the story. Hester first decides to dress her daughter all in scarlet, the color of the shameful letter on her chest. During their adventures into the woods Pearl plays a game where she throws small flower spears at the 'A' on her mother's chest and when each stalk hits its target Pearl dances around gleefully, as if laughing at the fact of Hester's sin. Later, by the shore Pearl dons on herself an 'A' made of seaweed and parades around infront of her mother smiling and pretending to be like Hester: "Pearl took some eelgrass, and imitated , as best she could, on her own bosom, the decoration, with which was so farmiliar on her mother's."(Hawthrone pg171) Her father, Rev. Arthur Dimmsdale, whose identity is kept secret for most of the story, is tortured by the "elf-child" in many ways, but unlike Hester, he has the priveleage of not living with her. When Arthur sees Pearl in the Governers hall for the first time truly, his heart is in pain. The conciousness of his sin starts to weigh down upon him. Dimmsdale being a clergymen, is constantly begging for forgiveness in the privacy of his own home, trying to rid himself of the sin, and clean his hands of Peal Prynne, the devil spawn child of Hester. Later in the book, Arthur is found, half mad, on the scaffold, where Hester stood just 7 years before. There Pearl sets in her hooks, asking questions that send Dimmsdale unsteady: "Wilt thou Stand here with Mother and I, tomorrow noontide?"inquiered Pearl."(Hawthorne148) Pearl Prynne is a unique character, and as an authour, Hawthorne gives her many different hiddden symbols, all of which she was able to express with her fairy like childhood. "Pearl has for every reader some unreality too.

Impact of Electric Vehicles Essays -- Environment, Energy, Global Clim

Today, energy security and global climate change are two major problems affecting people and the environment worldwide (IEA, 2010). These problems are highly integrated with each other and mitigating global climate change without affecting the energy security is becoming a significant challenge for many governments and policy makers in the twenty-first century (Brown & Sovacool, 2011). In recent years, energy security has become a major concern in many jurisdictions with increasing energy demand, rising energy costs, and energy production and supply issues (IEA, 2010). According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Energy security can be described as, â€Å"the uninterrupted physical availability at a price which is affordable, while respecting environment concerns† (IEA, 2011). The global demand for energy is rapidly growing with increasing human population, urbanization and modernization across the world (Asif & Muneer, 2008). In the past two decades, the global primary energy consumption had increased by 45 %, and it is expected to continue to grow by 39 % over the next two decades (BP, 2011). Today, fossil fuels – notably oil, gas and coal, are the major sources of primary energy to meet the world energy requirements. In 2008, nearly 81% of the global primary energy needs were met by fossil fuels, representing oil - 33.2 %; coal - 27%, and natural gas - 21.1% [ref]. The fossil fuels accounted for the greatest share of global primary energy supply and the rest is met by hydro, nuclear, biomass, geothermal, wind and solar. According to the World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2011 Golden Age of Gas (GAS) scenario, fossil fuel supplies will continue to be the dominant energy sources and account for more than half of the increase of ... ...ain consistency of the analysis. †¢ Equal allocation: In this approach, it is assumed that the generated wind electricity is equally allocated to all the EVs regardless of individual requirements. †¢ Demand allocation: In this approach, it is assumed that the generated wind electricity is allocated to each EV based on its respective demand, such that charging the EVs with higher demand is preferred to charging the EVs with lower demand. This research also considers the effect of introducing electric vehicles for weekday commuting purposes in passenger transportation and discusses the overall carbon impact of commuting; the results are extrapolated for various commuting distances. This research work used Prince Edward Island, specifically the city of Summerside, as a case study, but the general approach can be applied to other cities, provinces or regions.

Patch Adams

Patch Adams Patch Adams is very interesting to watch. From the beginning of the story, there is the willingness of the viewers to watch the movie till the end. It is simple but not on its meaning. It does not only talk about the life of patch, the doctors, patients, students but also the nurses who are always in the side of the patients. Its focus is more on personality. Meeting people that will pull you down then lift you up and changing their views is one of your amazing deeds and help.And even there are those people who helped you to build your dreams they must never be the reason to break it instead they will be the one who strengthen you to pursue it, even if they will be gone someday. It has a message that is no matter what; don’t let something to discourage you from what you love and who you are. It is not just any movie that will make you cry because of sad parts but because of the fact that even you have done good things it might followed by bad happenings. There are things that can not be prevented.It is the best example for many cases of being confused in oneself, not only in mental capacity of thinking but also the ability to know yourself. Patch was helped by this brilliant man, Arthur Mendelson, to see through problems which made me realize on simple things. Patch is not just an ordinary man. He knows the feeling when you give and help which gave him a reason to be a doctor. He might think of the wrong solution yet it led him to the corner of his way to the right direction. When Patch is treating patients in his clinic with his classmates as volunteers, he shows that we are a community that can help each other.There are these services that do not only look for payments but for the happiness and benefit they will bring to other people. He heals people in a beautiful way, more in a funny way. Breaking rules is not always a bad thing. Sometimes it will let you know that there are things not to be followed to have a better result. Maybe as a do ctor, you know everything in the book but what makes you sad is that you can’t even make an old woman to eat. You may have understood everything but how about to make someone eat? And as the main point for doctors, we should not just prevent death but also to maintain life.

Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 4

Poppy was staring without appetite at a dinner tray of chicken nuggets and french fries when Dr. Franklin came in the room. The tests were over. The CAT scan had been all right, if claustrophobic, but the ERCP had been awful. Poppy could still feel the ghost of the tube in her throat every time she swallowed. â€Å"You're leaving all this great hospital food,† Dr. Franklin said with gentle humor. Poppy managed a smile for him. He went on talking about innocuous things. He didn't say anything about the test results, and Poppy had no idea when they were supposed to come in. She was suspicious of Dr. Franklin, though. Something about him, the gentle way he patted her foot under the blanket or the shadows around his eyes . . . When he casually suggested that Poppy's mother might want to â€Å"come for a little walk down the hall,† Poppy's suspicion crystallized. He's going to tell her. He's got the results, but he doesn't want me to know. Her plan was made in the same instant. She yawned and said, â€Å"Go on, Mom; I'm a little bit sleepy.† Then she lay back and shut her eyes. As soon as they were gone, she got off the bed. She watched their retreating backs as they went down the hall into another doorway. Then, in her stocking feet, she quietly followed them. She was delayed for several minutes at the nursing station. â€Å"Just stretching my legs,† she said to a nurse who looked inquiringly at her, and she pretended to be walking at random. When the nurse picked up a clipboard and went into one of the patients' rooms, Poppy hurried on down the corridor. The room at the end was the waiting room – she'd seen it earlier. It had a TV and a complete kitchen setup so relatives could hang out in comfort. The door was ajar and Poppy approached it stealthily. She could hear the low rumble of Dr. Franklin's voice, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. Very cautiously Poppy edged closer. She chanced one look around the door.She saw at once that there was no need for caution. Everyone in that room was completely occupied. Dr. Franklin was sitting on one of the couches. Beside him was an African-American woman with glasses on a chain around her neck. She was wearing the white coat of a doctor. On the other couch was Poppy's stepfather, Cliff. His normally perfect dark hair was slightly mussed, his rock-steady jaw was working. He had his arm around her mother. Dr. Franklin was talking to both of them, his hand on her mother's shoulder. And Poppy's mother was sobbing. Poppy pulled back from the doorway. Oh, my God. I've got it. She'd never seen her mother cry before. Not when Poppy's grandmother had died, not during the divorce from Poppy's father. Her mother's specialty was coping with things; she was the best coper Poppy had ever known. But now . . . I've got it. I've definitely got it. Still, maybe it wasn't so bad. Her mom was shocked, okay, that was natural. But it didn't mean that Poppy was going to die or anything. Poppy had all of modern medicine on her side. She kept telling herself this as she edged away from the waiting room. She didn't edge fast enough, though. Before she got out of earshot, she heard her mother's voice, raised in something like anguish. â€Å"My baby. Oh, my little girl.† Poppy froze. And then Cliff, loud and angry: â€Å"You're trying to tell me there's nothing?† Poppy couldn't feel her own breathing. Against her will, she moved back to the door. â€Å"Dr. Loftus is an oncologist; an expert on this sort of cancer. She can explain better than I can,† Dr. Franklin was saying. Then a new voice came – the other doctor. At first Poppy could only catch scattered phrases that didn't seem to mean anything: adenocarcinoma, splenic venous occlusion, Stage Three. Medical jargon. Then Dr. Loftus said, â€Å"To put it simply, the problem is that the tumor has spread. It's spread to the liver and the lymph nodes around the pancreas. That means it's unresectable – we can't operate.† Cliff said, â€Å"But chemotherapy . . .† â€Å"We might try a combination of radiation and chemotherapy with something called 5-fluorouracil. We've had some results with that. But I won't mislead you. At best it may improve her survival time by a few weeks. At this point, we're looking at palliative measures – ways to reduce her pain and improve the qualityof the time she has left. Do you understand?† Poppy could hear choking sobs from her mother, but she couldn't seem to move. She felt as if she were listening to some play on the radio. As if it had nothing to do with her. Dr. Franklin said, â€Å"There are some research protocols right here in southern California. They're experimenting with immunotherapy and cryogenic surgery. Again, we're talking about palliation rather than a cure – â€Å" â€Å"Damn it!† Cliff's voice was explosive. â€Å"You're talking about a little girl! How did this get to – to Stage Three – without anybody noticing? This kid was dancing all night two days ago.† â€Å"Mr. Hilgard, I'm sorry,† Dr. Loftus said so softly that Poppy could barely pick up the words. â€Å"This kind of cancer is called a silent disease, because there are very few symptoms until it's very far advanced. That's why the survival rate is so low. And I have to tell you that Poppy is only the second teenager I've seen with this kind of tumor. Dr. Franklin made an extremely acute diagnosis when he decided to send her in for testing.† â€Å"I should have known,† Poppy's mother said in a thick voice. â€Å"I should have made her come in sooner. I should have – I should have – â€Å" There was a banging sound. Poppy looked around the door, forgetting to be inconspicuous. Her mother was hitting the Formica table over and over. Cliff was trying to stop her. Poppy reeled back. Oh, God, I've got to get out of here. I can't see this. I can't look at this. She turned and walked back down the hall. Her legs moved. Just like always. Amazing that they still worked. And everything around her was just like always. The nursing station was still decorated for the Fourth of July. Her suitcase was still on the padded window seat in her room. The hardwood floor was still solid underneath her. Everything was the same – but how could it be? How could the walls be still standing? How could the TV be blaring in the next room? I'm going to die, Poppy thought. Strangely enough, she didn't feel frightened. What she felt was vastly surprised. And the surprise kept coming, over and over, with every thought being interrupted by those four words. It's my fault because (I'm going to die) I didn't go to the doctor's sooner. Cliff said â€Å"damn† for me (I'm going to die). I didn't know he liked me enough to swear. Her mind was racing wildly. Something in me, she thought. I'm going to die because of something that's inside me, like that alien in the movie. It's in me right now. Right now. She put both hands to her stomach, then pulled up her T-shirt to stare at her abdomen. The skin was smooth, unblemished. She didn't feel any pain. But it's in there and I'm going to die because of it. Die soon. I wonder how soon? I didn't hear them talk about that. I need James. Poppy reached for the phone with a feeling that her hand was detached from her body. She dialed, thinking, Please be there. But this time it didn't work. The phone rang and rang. When the answering machine came on, Poppy said, â€Å"Call me at the hospital.† Then she hung up and stared at the plastic pitcher of ice water by her bedside. He'll get in later, she thought. And then he'll call me. I just have to hang on until then. Poppy wasn't sure why she thought this, but suddenly it was her goal. To hang on until she could talk to James. She didn't need to think about anything until then; she just had to survive. Once she talked to James, she could figure out what she was supposed to be feeling, what she was supposed to do now. There was a light knock at the door. Startled, Poppy looked up to see her mother and Cliff. For a moment all she could focus on was their faces, which gave her the strange illusion that the faces were floating in midair. Her mother had red and swollen eyes. Cliff was pale, like a piece of crumpled white paper, and his jaw looked stubbly and dark in contrast. Oh, my God, are they going to tell me? They can't; they can't make me listen to it. Poppy had the wild impulse to run. She was on the verge of panic. But her mother said, â€Å"Sweetie, some of your friends are here to see you. Phil called them this afternoon to let them know you were in the hospital, and they just arrived.† James, Poppy thought, something springing free in her chest. But James wasn't part of the group that came crowding through the doorway. It was mostly girls from school. It doesn't matter. He'll call later. I don't have to think now. As a matter of fact, it was impossible to think with so many visitors in the room. And that was good. It was incredible that Poppy could sit there and talk to them when part of her was farther away than Neptune, but she did talk and that kept her brain turned off. None of them had any idea that something serious was wrong with her. Not even Phil, who was at his brotherly best, very kind and considerate. They talked about ordinary things, about parties and Rollerblading and music and books. Things from Poppy's old life, which suddenly seemed to have been a hundred years ago. Cliff talked, too, nicer than he had been since the days when he was courting Poppy's mother. But finally the visitors left, and Poppy's mother stayed. She touched Poppy every so often with hands that shook slightly. If I didn't know, I'd know, Poppy thought. She isn't acting like Mom at all. â€Å"I think I'll stay here tonight,† her mother said. Not quite managing to sound offhand. â€Å"The nurse said I can sleep on the window seat; it's really a couch for parents. I'm just trying to decide whether I should run back to the house and get some things.† â€Å"Yes, go,† Poppy said. There was nothing else she could say and still pretend that she didn't know. Besides, her mom undoubtedly needed some time by herself, away from this. Just as her mother left, a nurse in a flowered blouse and green scrub pants came in to take Poppy's temperature and blood pressure. And then Poppy was alone. It was late. She could still hear a TV, but it was far away. The door was ajar, but the hallway outside was dim. A hush seemed to have fallen over the ward. She felt very alone, and the pain was gnawing deep inside her. Beneath the smooth skin of her abdomen, the tumor was making itself known. Worst of all, James hadn't called. How could he not call? Didn't he know she needed him? She wasn't sure how long she could go on not thinking about It. Maybe the best thing would be to try to sleep. Get unconscious. Then she couldn't think. But as soon as she turned out the light and closed her eyes, phantoms swirled around her. Not images of pretty bald girls; skeletons. Coffins. And worst of all, an endless darkness. If I die, I won't be here. Will I be anywhere? Or will I just Not Be at all? It was the scariest thing she'd ever imagined, Not-Being. And she was definitely thinking now, she couldn't help it. She'd lost control. A galloping fear consumed her, made her shiver under the rough sheet and thin blankets. I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to – â€Å"Poppy.† Her eyes flew open. For a second she couldn't identify the black silhouette in the darkened room. She had a wild idea that it was Death itself coming to get her. Then she said, â€Å"James?† â€Å"I wasn't sure if you were asleep.† Poppy reached for the bedside button that turned on the light, but James said, â€Å"No, leave it off. I had to sneak past the nurses, and I don't want them to throw me out.† Poppy swallowed, her hands clenched on a fold of blanket. â€Å"I'm glad you came,† she said. â€Å"I thought you weren't going to come.† What she really wanted was to throw herself into his arms and sob and scream. But she didn't. It wasn't just that she'd never done anything like that with him before; it was something about him that stopped her. Something she couldn't put her finger on, but that made her feel almost . . . frightened. The way he was standing? The fact that she couldn't see his face? All she knew was that James suddenly seemed like a stranger. He turned around and very slowly closed the heavy door. Darkness. Now the only light came in through the window. Poppy felt curiously isolated from the rest of the hospital, from the rest of the world. And that should have been good, to be alone with James, protected from everything else. If only she weren't having this weird feeling of not recognizing him. â€Å"You know the test results,† he said quietly. It wasn't a question. â€Å"My mom doesn't know I know,† Poppy said. How could she be talking coherently when all she wanted to do was scream? â€Å"I overheard the doctors telling her. . . . James, I've got it. And . . . it's bad; it's a bad kind of cancer. They said it's already spread. They said I'm going to . . .† She couldn't get the last word out, even though it was shrieking through her mind. â€Å"You're going to die,† James said. He still seemed quiet and centered. Detached. â€Å"I read up on it,† James went on, walking over to the window and looking out. â€Å"I know how bad it is. The articles said there was a lot of pain. Serious pain.† â€Å"James,† Poppy gasped. â€Å"Sometimes they have to do surgery just to try to stop the pain. But whatever they do, it won't save you. They can fill you full of chemicals and irradiate you, and you'll still die. Probably before the end of summer.† â€Å"James – â€Å" â€Å"It will be your last summer – â€Å" â€Å"James, for God's sake!† It was almost a scream. Poppy was breathing in great shaking gulps, clinging to the blankets. â€Å"Why are you doing this to me?† He turned and in one movement seized her wrist, his fingers closing over the plastic hospital bracelet. â€Å"I want you to understand that they can't help you,† he said, ragged and intense. â€Å"Do you understand that?† â€Å"Yes, I understand,† Poppy said. She could hear the mounting hysteria in her own voice. â€Å"But is that what you came here to say? Do you want to kill me?† His fingers tightened painfully. â€Å"No! I want to save you.† Then he let out a breath and repeated it more quietly, but with no less intensity. â€Å"I want to save you, Poppy.† Poppy spent a few moments just getting air in and out of her lungs. It was hard to do it without dissolving into sobs. â€Å"Well, you can't,† she said at last. â€Å"Nobody can.† â€Å"That's where you're wrong.† Slowly he released her wrist and gripped the bed rail instead. â€Å"Poppy, there's something I've got to tell you. Something about me.† â€Å"James . . .† Poppy could breathe now, but she didn't know what to say. As far as she could tell, James had gone crazy. In a way, if everything else hadn't been so awful, she might have been flattered. James had lost his consummate cool – over her. He was upset enough about her situation to go completely nonlinear. â€Å"You really do care,† she said softly, with a laugh that was half a sob. She put a hand on his where it rested on the bed rail. He laughed shortly in turn. His hand flipped over to grasp hers roughly; then he pulled away. â€Å"You have no idea,† he said in a terse, strained voice. Looking out the window, he added, â€Å"You think you know everything about me, but you don't. There's something very important that you don't know.† By now Poppy just felt numb. She couldn't understand why James kept harping on himself, when she was the one about to die. But she tried to conjure up some sort of gentleness for him as she said, â€Å"You can tell me anything. You know that.† â€Å"But this is something you won't believe. Not to mention that it's breaking the laws.† â€Å"The law?† â€Å"The laws. I go by different laws than you. Human laws don't mean much to us, but our own are supposed to be unbreakable.† â€Å"James,† Poppy said, with blank terror. He really was losing his mind. â€Å"I don't know the right way to say it. I feel like somebody in a bad horror movie.† He shrugged, and said without turning, â€Å"I know how this sounds, but . . . Poppy, I'm a vampire.† Poppy sat still on the bed for a moment. Then she groped out wildly toward the bedside table. Her fingers closed on a stack of little crescent-shaped plastic basins and she threw the whole stack at him. â€Å"You bastard !† she screamed, and reached for something else to throw.

JPMorgan Chase Essay

Introduction J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. is a prominent and successful Fortune 500 company. It is the largest bank in the United States by assets. CEO James Dimon, has lead the J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. through multiple risky events. J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. has been facing multiple fines and settlements due to its failure to abide by its own code of conduct. The company has failed to follow procedures and regulations on numerous occasions. The company is becoming notorious for making unethical decisions and simply not following the guidelines. This year J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. agreed on a thirteen-billion dollar settlement regarding unethical selling of mortgage-backed securities. The selling of these mortgage-backed securities played a role in causing the financial crisis of 2008. An article found on BBC’s website does a good job of explaining this in basic simple terms. Between 2004 and 2006 US interest rates rose from 1% to 5. 35%, triggering a slowdown in the US housing market. Homeowners, many of whom could only barely afford their mortgage payments when interest rates were low, began to default on their mortgages. Default rates on sub-prime loans – high risk loans to clients with poor or no credit histories – rose to record levels. The impact of these defaults were felt across the financial system as many of the mortgages had been bundled up and sold on to banks and investors (http://news. bbc. co. uk/). This report explains and elaborates on J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. ’s role in the financial crisis. It expounds on what the company violated and unethically did to have caused the current settlement negotiation. Using multiple online resources, we gathered information plentiful enough to analyze the company’s practices and determine what steps must be taken to avoid future discrepancies. Through social media we observed how consumers’ feelings towards the company are being impacted by the current tentative settlement regarding the mortgage-backed securities. The stock market was observed and studied throughout the course of J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. ’s negotiations. It is vital to understand how shareholders are being impacted as they are a key role in a company’s success and resources. Using the information gathered this report suggests steps to take in improving not only how J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. is thought of but how the company does business. JPMorgan Violated Both Banking and Securities Laws On January 24, 2012 President Barrack Obama gave his State of the Union speech in which he stated, â€Å"Our working group is focusing on conduct related to the pooling and creation of mortgage backed securities, issues related to conduct that created the crash, not abuses that happened after the crash† (Obama). He aims to create a mortgage crisis unit that will investigate the major banks that took part in unethical practices that lead to the crisis. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will co-chair the unit. The mortgage crisis unit includes officials from the Justice Department, Securities, Exchange Commission and Internal Revenue Service. Obama said in his speech that the unit â€Å"will hold accountable those who broke the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans. † (http://www. bloomberg. com). JPMorgan Chase violated not only banking laws but also securities laws. J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. constituted recklessly unsafe practices, which resulted in misconduct and losses. An article on www. wallstreetonparade. com stated, â€Å"The Bank (Chase) failed to ensure that significant information related to the credit derivatives trading strategy and deficiencies identified in risk management systems and controls was provided in a timely and appropriate manner to OCC examiners. †(Marten). The article also stated that â€Å"The SEC focused on JPMorgan’s ineffective internal controls and failure to keep the Audit Committee of its Board informed in timely manner as required under its own rules and under the Sarbanes- Oxley Act. † (Marten). In other words, JPMorgan broke the rule of the code of conduct which stated that â€Å"No one at J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. should ever sacrifice integrity or give the impression that they have even if they think it would help the firm. † (www. jpmorganchase. com). The SEC found that J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. Chase violated securities laws by filing false information to the SEC. According to the SEC, the company failed to maintain internal control over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, filing of inaccurate reports with the Commission. The SEC, in its settlement document stated that J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. violated Sections 13(a), 13(b) (2) (B) of the Exchange Act and Rules 13a-11, 13a-13, and 13a-15. The JPMorgan Chase code of conduct represents fundamental assets that can be done on behalf of the company. In other words, there are policies that are applied to the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Accounting Officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co. The purpose of the code of conduct is to endure commitment to integrity. The Code of Conduct is important for JPMorgan Chase & Co. because it lays out the responsibility and expectations that the company has to represent to customers. The company is also responsible for ethical decision-making, which means that doing the right thing whereas speaking up about any violation of the company. According to the Code of Conduct, â€Å"No business unit or location in the Company can adopt policies that are less restrictive than the Code, but some do have rules that are more restrictive. † (www. jpmorganchase. com). The Code means that the business should know and follow all policies even if the rules are hardcore. The Code of Conduct has a decision tree on the company’s website where you would ask yourself a question like, â€Å"Is it legal? † or â€Å"Does it comply with our Code and our Company policies, and the principles of ethical behavior they reflect? † These questions are important when it comes to making decisions. If neither of the questions comply with your decisions, then it could result in some serious consequences. Sharing concerns and reporting violations is very important when it comes to a company’s reputation. According to the Code of Conduct, you should share your concerns without fear, report legal or regulatory preceding that involve you personally. Breaking any security law or banking laws and result in consequences. It is important to speak up about any violations that could result in unethical conduct related to financial services. Maintaining accurate records is also an important task when it comes to a company. According to the company website, â€Å"Internal accounting controls and record keeping policies are essential to the successful operation of our Company and our ability to meet our legal and business requirements. Each of us is responsible for being accurate, complete and honest in Company records and for complying with all of the controls, policies and procedures we have in place. † (www. jpmorganchase. com). False records are unethical and could tarnish the company’s reputation. JPMorgan Chase & Co. ’s major direct holders are James Crown, James Dimon, Douglas Braunstein, Daniel Pinto, and Frank Bisignano. These shareholders own stock in the company. These main holders have the main shares in this company. According to JPMorgan Chase & Co. , outside activities is important because doing outside activities could cause conflict not only for the company but for shareholders as well. By selling stock the company gets money almost no catch. There is no interest to pay and no requirement to pay the money back at all. Even better, equity financing distributes the risk of doing business among a large pool of investors. If the company fails, the founders don’t lose all of their money, they lose several thousand smaller chunks of other people’s money. The money the company makes of its investors is used to pay for its fines and fees. This is why there is much anticipation with the negotiation of the settlement regarding the selling of mortgage-backed securities. This chart from yahoo’s finance reports shows that in October, during the negotiation of the settlement, stock dropped: Settlement & Resolution J. P. Morgan & Chase Co. is under investigation for these unethical practices and risk losing a large sum of money as settlement, as well as criminal charges being placed upon them for their dishonorable actions. There are many legal steps that are being taken to resolve the issue at hand. Some of these steps include hiring an independent monitor or other third party firm to oversee these measures along with ensuring that J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. follows the appropriate guidelines set forth legally and prevent them from practicing any further unethical actions. The person or firm hired must examine each and every home loan before J. P. Morgan Chase will be able to be packed into any type of investments. In order for JP Morgan Chase to continue with home loans and recover from there scandalous acts, they must meet the obligation presented to them and hire an overseer, whether an individual or firm, and have the issues resolved by the end of 2017. Steps that J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. can take to improve its disgraceful situation are: to make some kind of assistance available to the individuals that were hit hard and greatly affected by these poor business practices inflicted by the company. This can be obtained by offering the individuals who invested in some type of loan through J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. an opportunity to refinance their current loan, the donation of bank- owned properties, and new mortgage loans to low and moderate income families (O’Toole). This will hopefully help the individuals that now owe more on their houses then they are worth, and are thus upside down on their loans due to the unethical practices of JP Morgan Chase. If this proves beneficiary to the individuals who took out the loans, JP Morgan may just be able to recover their reputation, if not they will have to live with the disreputable name they have now created. JP Morgan Chase can also buy back all of the mortgages that they put these poor individuals into in the first place in hopes that the individuals may climb out of the dark hole of debt that they were lured into by the scandalous actions of the Chase employers. JP Morgan Chase must help the individuals out of their debt inflicted by the bank if there is to be any hope at recovering their reputation and solving the discriminating issues at hand. This can only be obtained by them offering their support and assistance to find as well as ensure them a better financial loan option. JP Morgan Chase must make right on their word for any betterment to be observed. They can and should take the blame for their wrongful actions by stating that they know they were wrong and immoral in their actions and present the individuals with an apology as well as an ethical solution to fix and make good the issues at hand. JP Morgan must make it right for the individuals who entrusted in them to give them ethical and proper loan assistance in the first place. They need to bail the individuals out of the debt they mischievously placed them in. JP Morgan Chase banks can better themselves in the long run by can buying back all the mortgages that they sold to individuals in the first place. Mortgage loans that they knowingly sold without compliance to the mortgage standards set forth. They can also provide help to their employees who may be under investigation as well by taking full responsibility for the unethical situation and not placing the immoral conduct of the bank on the employees and forcing them to get into trouble. They need to back their employees because some who knew it was wrong didn’t want any part of the unethical situation, but JP Morgan Chase required the employee to perform the immoral practices anyways with the threat that they would lose their jobs if they didn’t abide. The company says it â€Å"is fully reserved for this settlement,† implying it has cash and other savings on hand to meet the requirements. JPMorgan will finish providing relief to borrowers by the end of 2017, the company says (Arnold). The following is a quote from Jamie Dimon: â€Å"We are pleased to have concluded this extensive agreement †¦ and to have resolved the civil claims of the Department of Justice and others. † â€Å"Nonetheless, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, Sacramento U. S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner and other officials involved in investigating JPMorgan’s mortgage actions called the settlement a significant government victory† (McCoy). This settlement will resolve a large amount of state and federal investigates into JPMorgan Chase’s selling of mortgage backed securities between 2005 and 2008. Concluding results An article on http://www. scpr. org explains how the settlement money will be distributed, â€Å"Q: How much money will end up in the hands of homeowners? A: The state attorney general’s office said $4 billion of the $13 billion settlement will go toward helping consumers nationwide. That could come in the form of mortgage payment reductions or loan modifications for homeowners, the office said in a press release. The office said they had no estimate on how much of the $4 billion borrower’s relief would go to California homeowners, but they believe the state will receive a â€Å"good amount of relief. † JPMorgan declined to comment on the percentage that will be directed to Californians. Separate from the borrower’s relief, California did receive nearly $300 million in damages out of the $13 billion settlement that will go to public employee and teacher pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTRS. Q: What will determine which homeowners get money from the $4 billion portion of the settlement? A: The state attorney general’s office said Californians who may qualify for the relief would likely have gotten mortgages with Washington Mutual and Bear Stearns, which are now part of JPMorgan. Stuart Gabriel, director of the Ziman Center for Real Estate at UCLA, said he thinks state agencies may reach out to individuals who are in danger of foreclosure and offer some mortgage modification, such as interest rate relief. Q: When will homeowners receive this money? A: It’s unclear how soon Californians could qualify to receive a portion of the borrower’s relief. The state attorney general’s office said the agency that will handle those decisions hasn’t been determined yet. Q: Will the settlement have an effect on the housing market? A: Gabriel said he doesn’t think there will be any perceptible effect on the direction of the housing market as a result of the settlement. He said what’s notable is that JPMorgan had to pay a large fine. The $13 billion JPMorgan settlement is roughly three times more than what BP paid to settle criminal charges related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, according to Gabriel. â€Å"It’s a big deal for JPMorgan and it’s a big win for the U. S. government,† Gabriel said. â€Å"It’s a win for the point of view that there were fraudulent practices in the packaging of mortgages into mortgage-backed securities on the part of major investment houses. † Gabriel said he doesn’t think this is the end of such settlements and the government is â€Å"in all likelihood working its way around Wall Street now with the precedent of a very big settlement in its back pocket. † Q: Is the foreclosure crisis over? A: Reports show the number of foreclosures has steadily declined. But Peter Kuhns of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment said it’s still a major problem. â€Å"It’s massive. † Kuhns said. â€Å"There are estimates that somewhere close to a third of all California homeowners with mortgages are underwater on their loans, that they owe more money than their house is worth. † Kuhns said he hopes that the $4 billion borrower’s relief will go toward helping homeowners reduce the amount of money they owe on their mortgage payments. † (lee) This shows progress but it will not be enough to keep the company’s consumer’s happy. J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. must maintain an ethical and professional work pace. It will take time but doing things correctly, the company’s reputation can be salvaged. Shareholder’s don’t seem to be losing trust since the agreement on the settlement. Shares are at a healthy fifty-seven. The Board of Directors must put these changes into action as soon as possible. They must start the process towards recovery at once.

Biomes and Organisms that Live Within Them Essay Example

Biomes and Organisms that Live Within Them Essay Example Biomes and Organisms that Live Within Them Paper Biomes and Organisms that Live Within Them Paper Biomes are large part of the earth that supports its existence. It refers to terrestrial habitats that are best differentiated according to their type of weather, fauna and flora (WorldBiomes, 2003). It was also defined by Campbell as the world’s major communities grouped according to its major vegetation and acclimatization of organisms to that specific environment (UCMP, 1996). Biomes were altered due to human activities and conservation of biomes is a major concern nowadays. Â  In many parts of the world, different types of biomes are divided depending on the type of climate it contains. There are many ways of categorizing the types of biomes in our environment. According to WorldBiomes (2003), there are five major biomes that are classified into aquatic, desert, forest, grasslands, and tundra. Forest Biomes characterize the biggest and most ecologically complicated systems since it contains variety of species, trees, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, insects and micro-organisms which has different type of weather and environment. Forest biomes have been a major area of concern in conservation due to massive forest degradation in the past and at present. Specifically boreal and rainforest are being deforested at a distressing rate of disappearing species of plants and Giant horsetails, club mosses, and ferns which grew up to 40 feet tall were the original forest species in the world and ancient plants and arthropods also inhabited the land (UCMP). It continued to exist and changed through time, various types of species evolved in which gymnosperms dominated the forests in the early periods of Paleozoic and Triassic period. As time passed by, the first flowering plants in the Cretaceous period come into sight simultaneously other kind of species emerged like insects, birds, and mammals. Due to some changes in the environment, species and forests were also altered giving way to a new kind of forest to grow in the surrounding. One-third of earth’s land area is occupied by the vastness of forests. Today, it is divided into many kinds of forests but there are only three major types which are grouped according to latitude, it includes tropical forests which is characterized by the presence of evergreen angiosperm trees located in warm and damp conditions, temperate rain forests are typified by evergreen conifers or tree ferns located at mild and wet environment throughout the year, and boreal forests is the largest forest biomes and also called as the taiga biome which can be found in areas with cold climates and long winters. Most boreal forests are inhabited by different organisms, birds and mammals like deer, wolves, rodents, and a small number of reptiles. In the temperate forests, most of the organisms found are the smaller and cold blooded animas like snakes, turtles, amphibians and plant species includes maple, elm, oak, and cedar. While primate species, birds, insects, mammals, invertebrates, termites, vertebrates, orchids and moss are found in tropical rainforests. In the forest, the symbiotic relationship which refers to close ecological relationship between two or more different species or organisms that benefits from each other and may benefit at the expense of the other and in some cases neither organisms can gain an advantage, between birds and mammals and even fish for example likes to eat fruits from trees and when these fruits fell to the ground, the seeds that are taken by the animals are dispersed into different parts of the forest land and eventually the seeds will grow and produce more and more trees. Another example is the relationship between the bee and the flower which also inhabit the forest, bees soar from flower to flower to collect nectar which are the source of food of bees and in turn bees with pollen from their hairy bodies will drop it to the flower making it pollination complete. In this situation, both bees and flowers benefit from the said process. This type of relationship is an example of mutualism in which both species benefit from the activity. On the other hand, parasitic relationship involves only one species benefit from an activity and the other is harmed. Example of this is the relationship between the parasite (tapeworm) and animals like pigs and cows. Tapeworms are fragmented flatworms that live in the stomachs of animals and even humans, they dig up for food through the host’s digested food leaving the host with no nutrients. Parasitic relationship is also evident in plants where aphids usually attack and eat the sap from the plants. Commensalism is another relationship that exists in a forest biome where only one species can take an advantage and the other is unaffected. One of the best examples is the relationship between the grape vine and a tree, the grape vine is strongly attached to the tree and almost climbing to the canopy to support itself. It is true that the tree is not disturb from the vine not either the grape vine affects the trees.

The Catcher in the Rye Passage Summary Essays

The Catcher in the Rye Passage Summary Essays The Catcher in the Rye Passage Summary Essay The Catcher in the Rye Passage Summary Essay Essay Topic: The Catcher in the Rye In passage 26.16 in The Catcher in the Rye, Holden reveals his anger towards the kid who had written â€Å"F*** you† on the wall. Holden is filled with anger in this passage because he didn’t want innocent children’s minds to be corrupted. The example shows how Holden is a â€Å"Catcher in the Rye†, saving kids from the crookedness of the world. It then enabled Holden to visualize a scene where he is punching the kid who had written â€Å"F*** you â€Å" on the wall. The scene is ironic because Holden wants to be â€Å"the catcher in the rye† for kids while in the same time wants to hurt other people. Holden’s animosity towards the â€Å"perverty perverted bum† is evident when he says, â€Å"I kept wanting to kill whoeverd written it†. The statement that was written on the wall affected Holden. â€Å"I saw something that drove me crazy It drove me damn near crazy†. The way Holden repeats the line, â€Å" drove me crazy†, shows how much he was affected by it and how Holden realized that â€Å"Phoebe and all the other little kids would see it, and how theyd wonder what the hell it meant, and then finally some dirty kid would tell themall cockeyed, naturallywhat it meant†. The anger exhibited by Holden shows a different side of him. On one side, we see Holden Caulfield as a boy who didn’t try too much at school and doesnt give much effort at life, but we now see Holden who deeply cares about how the younger children will react towards such words that they have never seen before. Even though Holden’s tone is very annoyed and ang ry about how one could write such words, Holden has good intentions in the words he say. With little kids, Holden sees potential in them and wants to keep all of them innocent as long as he can, since he feels that when they get exposed to the real world, many of them will turn into â€Å"phonies.† This feeling Holden has shows how he feels angry towards himself. He is something he doesnt want to be, and rath

Othello and Iago essays

Othello and Iago essays 1. Iago's motive for desiring the destruction of Othello: A few possible reasons for his motive: i Loves evil for his own sake i Stem from a thwarted desire for Desdemona i Jealousy of Cassio's position to the rank of Lieutenant - and hatred for Othello for making that promotion i Belief, or suspicion, that both Othello and Cassio have seduced Emilia, his wife i Stem from colour and race prejudice i Envy of high social position and power "The main theme is the way in which a jealous villain - though apparently honest - succeeds in infecting an essentially noble man with his own jealousy; and in so doing, drags him down to his own level."" # Above all - Iago's exploits his own knowledge that there is very often a vast difference between what appears to be the truth and what is really the truth. ( appearing truth and real truth = very thin line) i Genuine qualities vs. bombastic egoist i Primarily a soldier = sense of honour i Conflict within himself (stems from the fact that he is not accustomed to the subtle and sophisticated values of civilised' Venice) i Conflict that in compounded by the fact that although he is a Christian he stills retains elements of a pagan nature. i Dignified self-control ~ degenerates ~ surrender to uncontrolled passion. i Essential feature of his character is passion i Essential feature of passion = knows no bounds or moderation = drives a man to extreme action. i His passion came out in JEALOUSY i No cause for his jealousy = tenders his tragedy all the more cruelly ironic and intense. i He loved Desdemona till the end i IRONIC = he believed he is cleaning h ...

How the Railroads Introduced Time Zones

How the Railroads Introduced Time Zones Time  zones, a novel concept in the 1800s, were created by railroad officials who convened meetings in 1883 to deal with a major headache. It was becoming impossible to know what time it was. The underlying cause of confusion was simply that the United States had no time standard. Each town or city would keep its own solar time, setting clocks so noon was when the sun was directly overhead. That made perfect sense for anyone who never left town. But it became complicated for travelers. Noon in Boston would be a few minutes before noon in New York City. And Philadelphians experienced noon a few minutes after New Yorkers did. And on and on, across the nation. For railroads, which needed reliable timetables, this created a huge problem. Fifty-six standards of time are now employed by the various railroads of the country in preparing their schedules of running times, reported the front page of the New York Times on April 19, 1883. Something had to be done, and by the end of 1883 the United States, for the most part, was operating on four time zones. Within a few years, the entire world followed that example. So its fair to say the American railroads changed the way the entire planet told time. The Decision to Standardize Time The expansion of the railroads in the years following the Civil War only made the confusion over all the local time zones seem worse. Finally, in the spring of 1883, the leaders of the nations railroads sent representatives to a meeting of what was called the General Railroad Time Convention. On April 11, 1883, in St. Louis, Missouri, railroad officials agreed to create five time zones in North America: Provincial, Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. The concept of standard time zones had actually been suggested by several professors going back to the early 1870s. At first, it was suggested that there be two time zones, set to when noon occurred in Washington, D.C.  and New Orleans. But that would create potential problems for people living in the West, so the idea eventually evolved into four time belts set to straddle the 75th, 90th, 105th, and 115th meridians. On October 11, 1883, the General Railroad Time Convention met again in Chicago. And it was formally decided that the new standard of time would take effect a little more than a month later, on Sunday, November 18, 1883. As the date for the big change approached, newspapers published numerous articles explaining how the process would work. The shift only amounted to a few minutes for many people. In New York City, for instance, the clocks would be turned back four minutes. Going forward, noon in New York would occur at the same moment as noon in Boston, Philadelphia, and other cities in the East. In many towns and cities, jewelers used the event to drum up business by offering to set watches to the new time standard. And though the new time standard was not sanctioned by the federal government, the Naval Observatory in Washington offered to send, by telegraph, a new time signal so people could synchronize their watches. Resistance to Standard Time It seems most people had no objection to the new time standard, and it was widely accepted as a sign of progress. Travelers on the railroads, in particular, appreciated it. An article in the New York Times on November 16, 1883, noted, The passenger from Portland, Me., to Charleston, S.C., or from Chicago to New Orleans, can make the entire run without changing his watch. As the time change was instituted by the railroads, and voluntarily accepted by many towns and cities, some incidents of confusion appeared in newspapers. A report in the Philadelphia Inquirer on November 21, 1883, described an incident where a debtor had been ordered  to report to a Boston courtroom at 9:00 on the previous morning. The newspaper story concluded: According to custom, the poor debtor is allowed one hours grace. He appeared before the commissioner at 9:48 oclock, standard time, but the commissioner ruled that it was after ten oclock and defaulted him. The case will probably be brought before the Supreme Court. Incidents like that demonstrated the need for everyone to adopt the new standard time. However, in some places, there was lingering resistance. An item in the New York Times the following summer, on June 28, 1884, detailed how the city of Louisville, Kentucky, had given up on standard time. Louisville set all its clocks ahead 18 minutes to return to solar time. The problem in Louisville was that while the banks adapted to the time standard of the railroad, other businesses did not. So there was persistent confusion about when business hours actually ended each day. Of course, throughout  the 1880s  most businesses saw the value of moving permanently to standard time. By the 1890s standard time and time zones were accepted as ordinary. Time Zones Went Worldwide Britain and France had each adopted national time standards decades earlier, but as they were smaller countries, there was no need for more than one time zone. The successful adoption of standard time in the United States in 1883 set an example of how time zones could spread across the globe. The following year a time convention in Paris began the work of designating  time zones worldwide. Eventually, the time zones around the globe we know today came into use. The United States government made the time zones official by passing the Standard Time Act in 1918. Today, most people simply take time zones for granted and have no idea that time zones were actually a solution devised by the railroads.

Free Essays on Eugene ONeil-Long Days Journey Into Night

O’Neill and Family Through the Lens of Long Day’s Journey into Night The family of Eugene O’Neill is what Long Day’s Journey into Night is truly about. This touching play served O’Neill as a means to document, establish, embellish, and immortalize his pain, suffering, and trials within himself and his family. For the most part what O’Neill wrote was largely true, although there are some instances where something of a â€Å"poetic license† was taken in relating the facts. The basis of this play was not for monetary gain, fame, success or even notoriety, but for self-realization. O’Neill had a deep-felt need to relate and even expunge himself of so much of what was always on his mind. Long Day’s Journey into Night was written in 1939, while Eugene’s last â€Å"formal† play that was produced was in 1934. (Gelb 3). This lends credence to the fact that Long Day’s Journey into Night was indeed written for himself, as a necessity rather than as another production in his professional life. Another aspect of this play that bears great relevance to determining O’Neill’s motivation and drive for it is a quote from O’Neill’s wife â€Å"He explained to me that he had to write the play, he had to write it because it was a thing that haunted him and he had to forgive his family and himself.† Lastly, there is the fact that O’Neill had it put in his will that Long Day’s Journey into Night was not to be released until three years after his death. All of this irrefutably demonstrating the fact that O’Neill’s creation of Long Day’s Journey into Night was an internal drive, an intrinsic need to chronicle the trials of his life and those around him. Throughout O’Neill’s works there are ! often thinly veiled references to members of his family, but none to pointed or open for fear of alienating his own family. The key event that finally broke the ice and leveled the playing field for O’Neill, as far was writi... Free Essays on Eugene O'Neil-Long Day's Journey Into Night Free Essays on Eugene O'Neil-Long Day's Journey Into Night O’Neill and Family Through the Lens of Long Day’s Journey into Night The family of Eugene O’Neill is what Long Day’s Journey into Night is truly about. This touching play served O’Neill as a means to document, establish, embellish, and immortalize his pain, suffering, and trials within himself and his family. For the most part what O’Neill wrote was largely true, although there are some instances where something of a â€Å"poetic license† was taken in relating the facts. The basis of this play was not for monetary gain, fame, success or even notoriety, but for self-realization. O’Neill had a deep-felt need to relate and even expunge himself of so much of what was always on his mind. Long Day’s Journey into Night was written in 1939, while Eugene’s last â€Å"formal† play that was produced was in 1934. (Gelb 3). This lends credence to the fact that Long Day’s Journey into Night was indeed written for himself, as a necessity rather than as another production in his professional life. Another aspect of this play that bears great relevance to determining O’Neill’s motivation and drive for it is a quote from O’Neill’s wife â€Å"He explained to me that he had to write the play, he had to write it because it was a thing that haunted him and he had to forgive his family and himself.† Lastly, there is the fact that O’Neill had it put in his will that Long Day’s Journey into Night was not to be released until three years after his death. All of this irrefutably demonstrating the fact that O’Neill’s creation of Long Day’s Journey into Night was an internal drive, an intrinsic need to chronicle the trials of his life and those around him. Throughout O’Neill’s works there are ! often thinly veiled references to members of his family, but none to pointed or open for fear of alienating his own family. The key event that finally broke the ice and leveled the playing field for O’Neill, as far was writi...

RANDOMNESS

RANDOMNESS Nathan Bransford wrote recently about the randomness of bestsellers. In other words, there isnt some magical power that preordains the qualities of a story that breaks records and defies the odds. Sometimes a perfect storm just comes together. Like the mega waves he describes at sea, the ones that appear from nowhere and make a huge impression in that vast, monstrous water, they just happen and cant be fore casted. http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2012/06/randomness-of-bestsellers.html And yet, we keep trying to understand the process. Whats worse,in my opinion, and this is a BIG gripe with me, is that we also bash traditional publishers for producing books that do not do well. Thats talking out of both sides of our mouths. We try to think we can duplicate bestseller status, and really learn how to define the path to such a level, as if there was a manual somewhere. That logic should also mean that if we can predict great books, then we know enough to avoid a bad one. The deal is, people, is that we can only write our best.Publishers can only attempt to predict what will sell. eaders can only pretend to recognize a debut book as a bestseller. The fact is that nobody has mastered how to make a bestseller. There is no HOW TO WRITE A BESTSELLER FOR DUMMIES. Just spoke to someone this week who justified self-publishing Hes only trying to assuage his own conscience, the one thats attempting to rationalize into a hazy reality that he probably has no chance with traditional publishing. So he says theyve lost touch, can no longer produce quality material, thus leaving him no choice but to proceed with self-publishing since it has equal credibility. This is my reality . . . and my explanation of publishing: The more seasoned, experienced people who lay their eyes and hands on your manuscript, the better the book. Note, I did not say traditional or self-published. Multiple layers of review and decision making goes into traditional publishing. If you self-publish, make sure you put the same degree of attention into your manuscript as a traditional publishing house would put into it. Hire editors. Hire a cover designer. Hire a for matter. That is, unless you are experienced yourself. That doesnt mean read instructions and learn as you go. Sure, you CAN learn as you go, but do not go it alone. Youll never see the landmines, no matter how many blog posts you read about the business. This business isnt about randomness. Its about diligence and focus to detail. Nothing is fool-proof. Failure exists. Less than satisfactory happens. But your odds improve the more experience you put into your books development, writing,and promotion. Instead of trying to orchestrate a bestseller, just write your best. Then recognize what you should and should not do. Be daring in your writing. Be grounded in your publishing, no matter which route you take.

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Art - Essay Example This â€Å"something that can be conceived but not seen nor made visible† is often referred to as the sublime, a quality of transcendent greatness â€Å"with which nothing else can be compared and which is beyond all possibility of calculation, measurement or imitation† (Wikipedia, 2006). The presence of this sublime element, then, inspires the imagination in a specific direction based on which elements remain visible or understandable. Its significance is in the way in which it brings attention to the uncertainty of meaning inherent in the work, such that no resolution makes itself apparent. To understand how emotions or the sublime can be communicated through visual art, the work of modern artists Marcel Duchamp, with his â€Å"Nude Descending a Staircase #2†, and Amedeo Modigliani, with â€Å"Head of a Woman†, will be compared in terms of their materials, subject matter, content, composition, color and impacts of context or the time period in which they were produced. In terms of materials, both works of art are oil paintings placed on stretched canvas. Thus, they each represent a two-dimensional surface with little room for actual depth or movement. Although numerous means had been devised to create the illusion of depth in flat surfaces such as this, neither artist makes much use of these devices, instead allowing their backgrounds to remain relatively dark and formless. There are hints, however, at some form of space created in each. In Duchamp’s painting, for example, there is a hint of the stairway mentioned in the title in the bottom left corner offset by a somewhat smoother, flatter surface in the upper right corner. Because of the juxtaposition with the figure in the center, this latter surface seems to fall back, providing a shallow space within the painting. Modigliani also provides some sense of depth in his painting with unidentifiable dark-colored spaces to the right of the

Management of Organizations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Management of Organizations - Research Paper Example This also includes fulfilling the requirements for activities such as recruitment of new members of management teams, establishing business relationships with other organizations and coming up the best platform for increasing the intellectual property rights of an organization. To be successful in delivering the best for this career, it is essential that become enlightened on a number of key skills. These skills are as stipulated below. It is clearly vital to note that this job requires one to be very excellent in making quality business strategies. To be successful here, it is necessary that I have excellent qualitative and quantitative skills. In addition, as a key member of an organization, I should also have excellent electronic commerce skills. This will facilitate smooth execution of business functions globally hence increasing the companies competitive advantage (Miles,

The after life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The after life - Essay Example The following paper uses scholarly articles, e-books, and authentic articles available online, to explain the concept of life after death in the religion of Islam. It will also enlighten the reader about the factors that if performed in the world can lead to happier times in the life hereafter. Many people are scared to die perhaps because they are not aware of the fact that what will happen next. However, Islam is one religion that explains thoroughly as to what awaits an individual in life hereafter. It also lays down the principles that are of benefit in this life as well as the hereafter. Therefore, it is these principles or in the nonprofessional terms the deeds that will describe the quality of life beyond this tangible world. Nevertheless, before unfurling the concept of life after death it is important be familiar with the concept of Islam and its teachings in general. Islam: As a Religion Islam is a religion based on the oneness of God named Allah and in the believe that Muh ammad is his last prophet. Muhammad was born in the Arab world which was back then lead an ignorant life. Rights were denied to females, female child was buried alive and there was law that could protect people. Thus, Prophet Muhammad was sent as a mercy to the people of Arab and the entire humanity. It is believed that the prophet received revelations from God through angel Gibereal, the revelations were conserved on different mediums in the life of the prophet and after his demise the revelation were compiled in the form of a book which was called Quran. All the verses in the Quran are as authentic as they were revealed to the prophet Muhammad, i.e. not even a single word has been changed since then. The teachings of Islam stand erect on the five pillars and the 7 articles of faith that include the following: Articles of Faith 1. Oneness of Allah (no one is worthy of worship except one God) 2. Predestination 3. In the angels of Allah 4. In the messengers of Allah (The Prophets) 5. In the day of Judgment 6. In life hereafter. Pillars of Islam 1. Witness (Islamic Creed) 2. 5 daily prayers 3. Fasting in the prescribed month 4. Alms giving (Zakat) 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj: At least once in a life time) However, the Articles of Faith can be grouped in to three broader categories: 1. Oneness of Allah 2. Prophet hood 3. The day of judgment A Muslim is required to believe in the above-mentioned categories. It is the category i.e. the Day of Judgment that sheds light upon the life after death. The evidence in the Holy book of Muslims, the Quran provides evidence in the following verse: â€Å" Did you not think that We had created you in play and that you would not be brought back to us?† (Quran, chapter number: 23, Verse number: 115). â€Å"And those who disbelieve say ‘when we have become dust we and our fathers, shall we really be brought forth again?’† (Quran chapter number 27, Verse Number: 67) The above-mentioned verses make it inc umbent upon the Muslims to believe in life after death. In addition, in the Holy Quran Allah has promised a glorious life that will be for the believers alone. Moreover, it will be a reward for those believers who spent their life in remembrance of God, fearing him, and following the teachings of his beloved prophet Muhammad who is also considered the seal of prophets (Egan 10-11). The

Research Proposal. We Can Do It Poster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research Proposal. We Can Do It Poster - Essay Example Howard Miller in 1942, who worked under the supervision of Westinghouse Company’s War Production Committee. Initially, its aim was to recruit women only for Midwest Westinghouse factory for two weeks, later on with the passage of time feminist campaigns used it for the sake of their identity. Aspire behind the creation of these posters, was to inspire women to take part in jobs considered for men. For example jobs at mills and weapon industries, civilian services and even in military. Due to the shortage of labor, women were encouraged to enlist themselves in workforce. (2) Lately the famous â€Å"We can do it poster!† is referred to as â€Å"Rosie the Riveter†. The woman in the poster was an inspirational model for women in the time of war. Her confident and definite gaze; showed the responsible citizen doing the right act at the right time, in the times of catastrophe. Her pose negates the feminine modesty and portrays more of a courageous and daring side. The show of bicep, explains the power and capability woman owns. Muscular arm also displayed the kind of rigorous effort female gender can put in, negating their own image as sleek and slender creatures. Her uniform portrayed the aim and responsibility of an individual, who realized the importance of duty call in a trying time and hence the strength of a nation rely on both men and women. Her uniform also showed the association of woman with a competitive job other than domestic jobs. Her logo on collar and bandana depicts the readiness and willingness of feminine approach to work in complex circumstances for stabilizing the nation. The neatly pulled back hair and definite lines on her face, showed the dedication and determination, a woman can put in rather than her presumed image. The most interesting fact about the World War II was its idea of war, was more dependent upon the productivity rather than the military action itself. The motivational and awakening poster for women showed th at, their male family members need them to provide with arms and weapons. Therefore, industries need workforce which was easily replaced by women. The change in the duty bond mother, wife and sister was amazing. They not only took better responsibility but proved to be more intellectual and capable up till now. Their participation in industrial development increased afterwards. Almost 18 million American women worked during the World War II thus, the government recognized the need of day care centers and nurseries for their children at close proximity to work place. Therefore several day care centers and nurseries were provided by the employers to facilitate the female labor. However, after the war was over in 1944, only 16% of women were left in the weapon industries. (4) The idea of becoming substitute needs more attention and research. Many of the female industrial labor faced harassment after the war from male employees. They faced forced termination and ceased job vacancies aft er the war. However, the change during the time of war occurred and awakened the need of â€Å"recognition† in women never slept again. The efforts and participation put in by American women in the time of war could not be easily neglected once the war was over. The feeling of being able to earn living and learn the trade of life liberated women to fight against the forced termination from jobs. A public survey in 1947, showed the unacceptable behavior of men towards working women and the reminder of

History of the Chernobyl Catastrophe Term Paper

History of the Chernobyl Catastrophe - Term Paper Example The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Number 4 located in the city of Prypiat in north central Ukraine exploded on April 26th, 1986 (Newtan 137). This is one of the world's worst and most catastrophic nuclear events. It is recorded to be at a scale ten times the magnitude of the atomic bomb explosion of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War (Brack 71). The explosion had a tremendous effect on the people living in the region as well as people living in nearby countries. This is because the radioactive substances of the explosion were transferred by wind to other nations in the then communist bloc of Eastern Europe. The subsequent evaporation of these radioactive materials led to tremendous suffering and detrimental effects on both humans, plants and animals in the region. A lot of subsequent events suggest that the Chernobyl disaster had a strong effect on the fetuses which led to the birth of deformed babies. Another issue was the prevalence of cancer and typhoid amon gst children. This paper examines the relationship between this nuclear incident and the political, social and environmental structures of the Soviet system. The paper views how the inactions and failures of the Soviet government led to serious consequences for the communities in and around the areas affected by the nuclear disaster. The paper goes on to identify the effects of the nuclear incident on the environment of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia that was affected by the radioactive substances... These three points indicate that there were significant and clearcut failures of the Soviet authorities in taking relevant steps to prevent and/or contain an incident of the magnitude of the Chernobyl disaster. Aleksievich & Gessen identify that there was a woman who clinched to her husband whilst he was dying. This was something that responsible health officials should have prevented. Although the nurses warned the woman saying â€Å"that is not a person anymore. That is a nuclear reactor† (51), the failed to stop the woman. This means that inevitably, the woman also suffered some kind of damage. If the nurses and the health authorities had the right measures in place, people would have passed on humanely in isolated conditions and there would have been less implications for the wider society. In an effort to contain the incident, hunters were dispatched to evacuate villages and killed household pets. This is something that is absolutely unprofessional and shows that the Sovi et regime concentrated more on other things and absolutely neglected disaster relieve organizations and agencies. On the site, there was strong evidence that the persons dispatched had little experience and materials to contain the effects of the reactor. Soldiers and engineers hurled lead and stones into the plant with the hope of containing the fire (Mould 17). This was clearly unprofessional and they were obviously not prepared for such an event. Also, there is clear evidence that the Soviet Authorities used propaganda to secure public confidence. This boils down to the complicated structure of governance of the Soviet Union which involved a desire to keep the system working at all costs (Carter & Christensen 202). In Alesievich & Gessen's accounts, the