How The Brain Works Essay - 1307 Words

Current research shows that mental events cause physical events, and scientists believe examining single nerves is the key to understanding how the brain works as a complete unit. Understanding the brain at the nerve cell level will allow scientists to understand how human consciousness works (Blakeslee, 1992). Furthermore, the brains thalamus is identified as the possible sensory connector because it fires 40 impulses per second that sweep through the entire brain (Blakeslee, 1995a). These findings are a serious implication to Dualism because it states the mind is not physical. If the mind is not physical, it cannot affect the physical body, so the Dualist theory of two-sided interactions between the body and mind are false. The†¦show more content†¦Linking the mind to the brain would invalidate Searles (1980) explanation that artificial intelligence is impossible because the brain is irrelevant when the mind is concerned. In other words, programs require machines to run, b ut the mind is independent of the brain. Recent findings suggest that the brain is directly linked to the mind, so even creating AI machines will be possible in the future because the mind is obviously linked to the body through the brain and the nervous system. Although new theories on human consciousness will obviously assist AI engineers, those theories will question the reliability of Dualism because they suggest that mind is a material substance that takes a certain space and creates certain manifestations in the body. In reality, it is possible that the mind is a material substance. For example, the human eye cannot observe atoms, but they are physical substances, so there is no reason to define mind as an immaterial substance based on the fact that it cannot be perceived. Even though the mind is invisible to the human senses, it is possible to observe the mind. Armstrongs (1980) proposal is that the consciousness is the observer of the current state of mind. While the human m ind is automatically aware of its perceptions in the brain, a persons consciousness is aware of the minds awareness of those perceptions (Armstrong, 1980). However, Armstrongs theory has two implications for Dualism. While Dualism defines mind as aShow MoreRelatedHow The Brain Works Or How It Is Connected?1347 Words   |  6 Pagesyou ever wondered how the brain works or how it is connected? Outside the brain may just appear to be a handful of pink and gray muscle, however, as you enter the human brain, it unveils an extremely complex circuit, connecting you with the rest of your body, the brain contains almost 100,00 miles of blood vessels and billions of cells. The brain is a library of information, remembering information and processing it as quick as 11 million bits per second (The Human Brain). The brain is a very copiousRead MoreHow Does the Brain Work?1754 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom Cancer research to help Neurologists find new cures or new treatments to Neurological disorde rs that affect the lives of many people in America. The brain is a very complex organ that researchers are still trying to fathom. â€Å" †¦ I DO know that scientists are working to understand HOW the brain works and are trying to figure out exactly how it is hard-wired, so they can then explain WHY we have certain reactions, develop diseases, etc.† said Ms. Buchanan. The main parts are the Frontal lobe, CentralRead MoreHow Does the Brain Work? Essay2919 Words   |  12 PagesHow do we learn? What makes us smart and how do we remember what we have learned, what can I do to motivate myself and others, what makes us do the things we do? These are all questions that a student teacher needs to have answered in order to be able to teach effectively. Following are some explanations that have guided my understanding of how I have learned and how I can become more effective in my teaching practice. The brain is a good place to start when we talk aboutRead MoreHow the Human Brain Works The human brain is one of the most amazing organs in a body and at the600 Words   |  3 PagesHow the Human Brain Works The human brain is one of the most amazing organs in a body and at the same time the most mysterious. It is the control center of the body and it’s important to understand the complexity of the human brain. Although your brain functions as a whole, it consists of three main parts, The Central Core, the Limbic System, and the Cerebral Cortex. Then those parts break into even smaller parts. The brain is just like the computer, it depends on certain parts to work correctlyRead MoreCompare and Contrast How Cocaine, Ecstasy, Heroin and Cannabis Work in the Brain1243 Words   |  5 PagesCompare and Contrast how Cocaine, Ecstasy, Heroin and Cannabis Work in the Brain Drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and cannabis, are of natural or synthetic origin, which can alter the emotional state, perception, body functioning and behaviour of an individual. Drugs are known to work in the brain by activating certain brain circuits via different mechanisms, and stimulate or inhibit different neurons in the pathway. However, due to the effects of each drug being different, aRead MoreHow Bipolar Disorder Affects The Way A Person s Brain Works Essay1614 Words   |  7 PagesOur Invisible Youth Bipolar disorders are one of several different medical conditions called depressive disorders which influence the way a person s brain works. In the United States alone this is a widespread phenomena and it is estimated that more than 17.4 million people have some type of a depressive disorder each year. This disorder has been arranged into four types of classifications: Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymic Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. The classificationsRead MoreAm I Dreaming: How Our Brains Really Work Essay2568 Words   |  11 PagesJennifer’s locker. She was standing there by herself with nothing but a smile on her face and books in her hand. We both walked up to her and gave her a hug that confused the crap out of her. Then next thing I knew Rebekah began to say, â€Å"are you okay?† and â€Å"how did it happen?† which confused her even more. It was my turn to chime in and that’s when I said, â€Å"I’m sorry about yo u and Cameron. He’s a jerk for breaking up with you.† She didnt say anything just looked at us like we were crazy†¦ which we kind ofRead MoreRaising Bilingual Children : How Do Bilingual Baby s Brains Work And What Are Parents?1585 Words   |  7 Pagesproblems such as hunger, thirst, or sleep. However, when they grow up they start to speak. Especially families who live far from their home country are nervous about their children’s future. They wonder about their bilingual infants: how do bilingual baby’s brains work and what are parents’ responsibilities for them? Parents are also looking for answers to questions such as: Are they aware of hearing two different languages? What are the common problems when they start school? Should they start daycareRead MoreBrain Mapping1308 Words   |  6 PagesBrain Mapping Kaitlin Pollock Brain Mapping The brain controls thinking, moving, or any actions that are taken by a single person. Actually figuring out how the brain works is a very interesting topic. One way they do this is by using brain mapping. Brain mapping is the study of the brain using imaging, and they use these imaging machines to make a map of the neurons and synapses in our brain to figure out why people are the way they are. The history of brain mapping is important to understandingRead MoreThe Secret Lives of The Brain1377 Words   |  6 Pages PART I. Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain, was very straight forward and extremely intriguing. As David Eagleman, a neuroscientist, elaborates on the American criminal justice system, he brings out important factors that I believe everyone should be focusing on in this country. He states that our actions are not only made up by our unconscious mind, but the way we perceive things is controlled by our unconscious ability to even realize we are controlling it. The conscious mind not only

Developing an Analytical Approach to Industrial Relations...

Using theoretical frameworks outlined in the lecture given in week 3, explain to Ms CCCCC the different ways in which the employment relationship can be conceptualised Dear Ms CCCCC, firstly we want to define what industrial relations is. An industrial relations is a policy that approaches the employees, and acts as a reference for the management, where the actions that underlies the industrial relations is set by a formal authority in the organisation (Brewster, Gill, Richbell, 1981). The legislation of industrial relations, Fair Work Act 2009 is important, as it has a goal to create fairness with obligations and rights between an employer and employee. Any changes or development in the legislation will have obvious impact on the†¦show more content†¦Each has their own objectives and leaders, with their own legal loyalties. There are two important and major groups within pluralism, trade union and the management. The trade union are handling in the best interest of the employees, and is therefore fundamental. Thereby, we have Radical or Marxist, where the industrial relations are looked at as a society of capitalism. The management has their own interest compared to the employees, and therefore conflict between an employer and employee is inevitable. They are also against HRM, as they look at it as manipulative of the workers. Trade unions is a reaction and exploitation to the management, and working towards a radical change in the society. Therefore Ms CCCC it is important to accept and respect that the employment relationship is interdependent, a psychological contract Rousseau (1990), which means that the contract is mutual, and there has to be cooperation on both of the sides. I would say, to acctually conceptualise the employment relationship, I would recommend to take actions and decisions that can create trust between your relationship. There will be positive impact when there are higher level of trust in an organisation, and increases loyalty. I would also say that employer branding and segmentation is important, where it can make the work for the employer more personalised, and the effort to understand, negotiate and acctually do the work more efficiently increases.Show MoreRelatedHuman Relations Movement1552 Words   |  7 Pagesassignment is the human relations movement and how it eradicated the influence of the classical and scientific management in the industry today. This approach raises some important qu estions about what are the keys function of the classical-scientific management theory, and the contrast of the worker in the classical-scientific and behavioral management. Some additional points need to be considered such as the Hawthorne studies and also the most important aspect covered is the Industrial Revolution thatRead MoreCase Study Solving3562 Words   |  15 PagesCase Study Method in Management Management education is mainly aimed at developing managerial skills in students. Amongst the various methods adopted in teaching management and management functions, the case study method developed in 1910 in U.S.A. and is now being propagated during the last decade or so, providing opportunities to both the teacher and the taught to promote managerial I understanding and competence, since it helps in contemplation and discussion of an actual situation. It is aRead MoreImpact Of Technology On Development Of Society1723 Words   |  7 Pages1. How has technology impacted development, both negatively and positively? One of the most interesting factors of social transformations in the modern post- industrial society is the widespread influence of modern information technologies on society. There is no precise opinion about positive or negative effects of technologies on the development of society. It mostly depends on the people, who use them, and what purposes they pursue. Information technologies have radically changed the workRead MoreThe Main Goals Of Organisations World Wide Essay1500 Words   |  6 PagesClassical Perspective The industrial revolution, which emerged between the 18th and 19th century, brought about new technology allowing for mass production (Hudson, 1992). These technologies brought new problems and so managers had to respond quickly. The response was the emergence of the classical perspective (Samson, Catley, Cathro, Daft, 2012). The classical perspective is a theory which focuses on improving productivity through a scientific and rational approach (Samson et al., 2012). ThisRead MoreHris Project1406 Words   |  6 Pages(HRISs) and their strategic and operational use in a health care organization. Certain topics include: • Role and functions of a HRIS for human resources management • Relationship of a HRIS to other information systems • Process of planning, developing, and implementing a HRIS • Implications of effective HRIS utilization for health services managers Managing human resources effectively requires information from several sources. Computer technology enables hospitals and other health care organizatoinRead MoreInternational Management Study3118 Words   |  13 Pagesindustry-related uncertainties and some firm-specific uncertainties. -Endogenous- Uncertainties that arise from within the firm, and include managerial perceptions, attitudes and organizational perspectives. -Top two exogenous risks facing business leaders and policy makers for 2012 and the next decade would be severe income disparity (The unequal distribution of household or individual income across the various participants in the economy) and chronic fiscal imbalances (situation where all of the future debtRead MoreSustainability, Equity And Biodiversity1455 Words   |  6 Pagesresponsible and showing respect for the environment. Children are helped to develop curiosity, cooperation, and problem solving skills, and to â€Å"interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect† (DEEWR, 2009). These are the building blocks of eco-literacy and will lead to changes in behaviours. At this early age the child is developing his world-view, and through sustainable education he can be offered a view that holds sustainable practices and equality in the highest regard. EducationalRead MoreHuman Resource Department : Human Resources Essay1751 Words   |  8 Pagesand industrial relations, that is, the balancing of organizational practices with requirements arising from collective bargaining and from governmental laws (Klerck, 2009). According to Buettner (2015), activities of the human resource department includes job design and analysis, workforce planning, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, compensation (remuneration), and legal issues. Human resource department started as a result of the human relations movementRead MoreHewden SWOT Analysis1545 Words   |  7 Pagesmarket leader in the construction rental industry based in the U.K. Today the company is employing 1,400 professionals and focuses on delivering outstanding solutions across a wide range of industry sectors such as construction, infrastructure, industrial and environmental. In 2010, Hewden was acquired by Sun Capital Partners Inc., a U.S. based investment firm. This case study is an attempt to analyse the internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external (opportunities and threats) factors affectingRead MoreTheoretical Orientation And Framework. Employer-Employee5229 Words   |  21 Pages(1997) sees the role of the state in capitalist societies as contentious and that there is no agreement on the most powerful actor in industrial relations. Liu (1997) asked whether state agencies are embedded within class and economic processes or autonomous from society. Different theoretical viewpoints can be identified on the role of the state in industrial relations. These include liberal, functional, structural, social democracy, pluralism, corporatism, statism and structural neo-Marxism. Liberal

Lying Essay Example For Students

Lying Essay Is it ever OK to lie? Is a lie ever morally required? If the answer toeither of these questions is yes, then what are we to make of the ninthBiblical commandment, Thou shalt not bear false witness, or the rule weoften hear from parents and teachers, Honesty is the best policy?In this paper, well look at the ethics of lying through the lenses of twoof the most influential ethical theories in the history of philosophy. Thefirst is centered on the idea that the moral worth of an action depends onits results. It is called utilitarianism, and later we will look at aclassic version of utilitarianism defended by John Stuart Mill. This theorysays that, of the possible actions open to you, you should choose the onethat will do the greatest good for the greatest number, that is, the onethat will maximize happiness. The other theory is that morality is based onrights and duties. It is known as deontology. This theory says that we arerequired to perform certain moral duties regardless of the con sequences. Truthfulness is a virtue; there is no denying it. We admire the firstAmerican president, George Washington, because, as the story goes, whenasked by his father whether he had cut down the cherry tree on the familysproperty, he responded, I cannot tell a lie. I cut down the cherry tree.Things are not always so clear-cut, though, as the following examplesillustrate: 1. You have a date for a formal dance. You dress up in your finestclothes and greet him when he arrives at your door. He asks, How do Ilook? The truth is that he looks foolish. His suit does not fit right-the sleeves are too short, and the pants are too long. Furthermore,his hair is totally overdone. What do you tell him? If you were in hisposition, would you want to know the truth? 2. Your favorite great aunt, Veronica, a widow, has a beloved dog namedFifi. Today Fifi was hit by a car and killed. Aunt Veronica, long illwith cancer, is in the hospital and the doctors say she will notsurvive the night. You know this will be your last visit with her, andshe asks how Fifi is. Do you tell her the truth? If you were in herplace, would you want to know?Although it may not be clear what to do in these situations, many think itis clear that the decision should be based not on some abstract rule, buton careful consideration of the consequences of the proposed actions. Totake action without considering what will happen seems heartless andinhumane. So, these two examples make a powerful case in favor of the firstresults theory of morality, and also in favor of lying in certain specialcircumstances. John Stuart Mill is known as the father of this theory of morality. Youcan find the right thing to do in each of the above situations bydetermining exactly who will be affected by your choice (includingyourself) and calculating which choice will make everyone happy. (Mill, J. S. 2002) Mill wanted his theory to be a practical guide to decision makingthat accurately reflects the way good people instinctively act. Nevertheless, there are a few problems with Mills view. First of all, Millsaid that the right action is the action that produces the greatesthappiness. But, how should we define happiness? Is it wealth, health, fame,glory, or something else? Happiness seems like a very vague concept onwhich to base a theory. And, Mills theory seems overly demanding. Many ofyour moral decisions affect people about whom you know nothing. How willyou take them into account? And, how far down the road do you have to look?Most of us have trouble calculating the consequences of our actions fornext weekend, never mind next year. Third, and most importantly, it isdifficult for Mills theory to accommodate basic human rights, as thefollowing thought experiment illustrates. .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 , .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 .postImageUrl , .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 , .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448:hover , .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448:visited , .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448:active { border:0!important; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448:active , .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448 .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9188e00f1f7d3de755655a927832f448:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Pompeii catastrophe EssayImmanuel Kant (1724-1804) championed the second ethical theory, which saysthat there are some absolute moral rules. Kant argued in favor of thisrule theory on the grounds that obeying rules is required to show respectfor individual rights. He wanted everyone to obey commands such as Thoushalt not kill, Thou shalt not bear false witness, and Thou shaltprotect the innocent, without trying to calculate what will happen. ForKant, the only thing that matters is that you set your mind on doing yourduty; the results are not relevant. Because this theory does not attempt tomaximize happiness, it avoids the three problems with Mills theorydiscussed above. Despite its merits, Kants theory has a serious conceptual difficulty. Kantseemed to think that his absolute rules always clearly command one action. But, that just isnt true. Consider what is known as the Anne Frank caseDuring the Nazi occupation of your country, you are hiding a number ofJewish people behind a false wall in your attic. You know the Nazi secretpolice are trying to round up these people to murder them. A Nazi officerknocks at your door and asks if you are hiding any Jews in the attic. Whatshould you say?According to Kants theory, you have a duty to tell the truth to theofficer, but you also have a duty not to cause the death of innocentpeople. So, this is a case in which our apparent duties conflict. Yet, Kant addressed cases like this. Allowing someone to be killed is notthe same as causing their death. (Kant, I. 1956) According to his theory,if the Nazis come to your door, and there are Jews in your attic, you musttell the truth, because once you leave the attic, you have no idea whetherthe Jews stayed there or instead ran out the back door to the alley. Suppose they ran out the back door to the alley. You decide you want tosave them by lying, but you think they are still in the attic. So, you tellthe Nazis to go look in the alley. By lying you have accidentally becomethe cause of their death; your intention to save their lives has backfired. In other words, you cannot determine what is right or wrong by trying tocalculate results. Telling the truth is the only way of preserving yourmoral integrity in this situation. This solution is clever, but somewhat paradoxical. The paradox is simplythat, for all his talk of ignoring consequences in moral decision making,in his theory Kant has to resort to possible consequences in order tomotivate his claim that we should tell the truth to the killers. Do youthink there is a solution to this paradox?It seems obvious from the cases weve considered in this paper that bothmoral theories form important parts of our ordinary, day-to-day moralreasoning. Yet, these theories were developed in opposition to one another. Do you think there is a way to combine them? ReferencesFrank, A. (1998). Anne Frank: The diary of a young girl. New York:Scholastic. (Original work published 1947)Kant, I. (1956). Groundwork for the metaphysic of morals (H. J. Paton,Trans.). New York: Harper and Row. (Original work published 1785)Mill, J. S. (2002). Utilitarianism. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett. (Originalwork published 1863)

Swot Cheesecake Factory Essay Example

Swot: Cheesecake Factory Essay The Cheesecake factory founded in 1972 by Evelyn and Oscar Overton has been one of the most famous family eatery in America. Just the name along sets it apart as an iconic and delectable place, you can tell that cheese cakes are just one of many of the restaurants specialties that it has to offer. Back in Detroit within the 1940s Evelyn created her own original recipe for cheese cake where Evelyn and Oscar open there own cheese cake shop together. That’s until Evelyn gave birth to their kids David and Renee where they closed up shop to focus on their family. Though never giving up on her passion of baking Evelyn supplied the local restaurants with her original take on cheesecake which was in high demand. Into the couples 50s they moved to los angels and with their last savings opened up a restaurant and dubbed it the cheese cake factory. The years werent favorable and hard but they persevered, and in 1975 that led to expansions and opening of newer locations left and right, Evelyn’s recipes of cheese cakes grew to over 20 varieties and other desserts. The company grew so much that Oscar had to hire truck drivers to accommodate the out of state customers. We will write a custom essay sample on Swot: Cheesecake Factory specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Swot: Cheesecake Factory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Swot: Cheesecake Factory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Than in 1978 David Overton (son of Oscar and Evelyn) open up the first cheese cake factory restaurant in Beverly hills with little knowledge but a strive and intuition of making a great restaurant expertise perfect with generous portions and unlimited inventive menu selection the cheese cake factory was a success and within 30years later and over 100+ restaurants the cheese cake factory grew to the momentum house hold name it is today; Growing from a small kitchen in Oscar and Evelyn’s basement to stand as a place that is a must to dine in didn’t come without its trials and tribulations. Though without much sorrow and having Evelyn’s famous cheesecake grew in clientele that stretch from Detroit throughout California spear heading the restaurant, and with David Overton taking the intuitive to help his family dream into house hold name. As it stood the test of time with many highs and lows the cheese cake factory is a well known establishment in the states, as place with great food at excitable prices but still must all ways strive to meet the growing public needs and beat out the competition. To ensure the business is at an up keep companies utilize SWOT; SWOT refers to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. SWOT is a process where the management or financial team identifies the internal and external factors that will affect the company’s future performance. The company’s strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors. Opportunities and threats deal with factors external to the company-environmental factors. SWOT is done as part of the overall corporation planning process in which financial and operational goals are set for the upcoming years and strategies are created to accomplish these goals. My beliefs on the cheese cake factory SWOT analyst would be the following. The cheese cake factory strengthens as of today are that the brand stands strong at 164 strong in over 36 states, 13 being fine dining restaurant as grand luxe cafe two full scale bakeries and 1 Pan Asian restaurant named rock sugar. An American style restaurant with a humble beginning of making cheesecakes from an oven in their basement selling them to local restaurants to being a household family name, Prides themselves on their world famous cheese cakes that has help make it the ninth largest restaurant company in the United States measured by market capitalization. The restaurant established the future chains pattern of offering an eclectic menu, big portions, and signature dessert dishes. The cheesecake factory continues to set mile stones for itself and distances from its competitors. As a leader for how franchise restaurants should be monopolize, strength in numbers backed with history and wholesome food, iconic name and signature dish. With any giants strengths there’s always there weaknesses. Though the cheese cake factory has accomplish a lot in their time though the multitude of stores lack their own look it’s the same ball and chain aside from their grand luxe restaurants modeled after Italian, French, and Austrian styles. The Cafe offers, in addition to American and European-style food, Thai, Malaysian, Caribbean cuisine, and others. With that being said if there isn’t change in the stores the menu though has grown with the times well over 200+ options to choose from isn’t user friendly and can have a longer wait time getting the guest in and out in a timely matter. speaking more on the menu is the overall weakness that have been criticize by Robert Bishop Oct 26, 2010 in men’s health magazine That the average sandwich at the restaurant contains 1,400 calories and their heavy promotion of large servings of high calorie and high fat foods, and a corresponding lack of healthy menu options. For these reasons, the chain was dubbed the worst family restaurant in America . Also a recent study shows that The United States Department of Agricultures Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion states in its dietary guidelines that a typical adult should consume about 2,000 calories and no more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day Cheesecake Factorys Bistro Shrimp Pasta dish had more calories than any other entree from a national chain restaurant at 3,120 calories, with 89 grams of saturated fat. The 2013 report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest also noted that The Cheesecake Factorys Crispy Chicken Costoletta has more calories (2,610) than a 12-piece bucket of fried chicken from KFC. Though the cheese cake factory is doing well for now their weakness of having such an unhealthy menu will bring about problems of health to the general public. From what I have gathered from Cheesecake factories SWOT analysis I can say that their strength is that the company is a wholesome American family corp. With over 160 restaurants under its belt has expanded into fine dining and is breaching culture cuisine boundaries in its expansions. As well the cheese cake factory is best known for their signature dishes the cheese cake an original recipe is still unmatched but always sought after. Their main weakness is that most items on the menu aren’t healthy one meal is taking in the total intake in calories for an adult for an entire day. Which more and of the public is getting wind of from the media. Once one company broadcast that they are adding a healthier menu than consumers will start looking more into what other restaurants offer health wise. Especially families which are mostly the big contributors in most family orientated restaurants. So I propose that with their name and surplus of restaurants they could practice cooking healthier items and substituting the materials they use in the meals with alterative products. By experimenting in the many restaurants to see if the consumers can see the difference in the meals taste, the restaurant would be under scrutiny into the transition before making it public. There’s nothing worse than a change, taking place that can result loss for the company. By doing so believe will give the cheesecake factory a leading edge.

Underage driving

Underage driving There are many responsibilities that come with the privilege of driving a motor vehicle. One of the most important responsibilities of driving is safety. As a driver, you are not only responsible for yourself and your vehicle. You are also responsible for the safety of your passengers riding in the vehicle with you. It is said that Young drivers are involved in more accidents than any other age group. But it's not really a fact. Defensive driving, driving within posted speed limits, not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and always wearing a safety belt are primary defenses against serious injury and death. A young person under the age of 16 is considered a juvenile. A person under the age of 18 is a minor. Below is some information on legal issues affecting youth. Where applicable, consult with an attorney. Teens in Kansas can get their driver's permit when they are 14 years of age however in most of other states including Washington you have to be at 15 years and 6 mo nths of age.Ã¥ ºÅ"ä ¸ ­Ã© â€¹Ã¨ » ¢Ã¥â€¦ Ã¨ ¨ ±Ã¨ © ¦Ã© ¨â€œÃ¥   ´You are able to get your Temporary license at age 16 there are rules that there shouldn't be. Even though it might seem that minors and juveniles are less experienced in driving then adults it's really not true. I researched this subject and I think that a person at the age of 16 should get their adult license right when they pass the drivers test instead of the Temporary license because one they know how to drive and most of them drive better then adults. The number of passengers shouldn't be limited.Each teen must have a limited of 50 hours of driving before taking the driver's test and there shouldn't be a problem because they are experience just as any adult...

Your Trucker Future Forecast

Your Trucker Future Forecast Wondering what the state of the trucking industry looks like from the vantage point of industry insiders? If so, then keep reading! TruckingInfo.com recently looked at a nationwide GE Capital forecasting survey given to mid-market trucking company execs. The results? Company insiders see a trend towards growth over the coming year, in business, employment, and equipment expenditures. Execs point to growing optimism in the national economy as a key factor.The outlook over the next 12 months isn’t completely rosy, however. Execs also anticipate a number of challenges including key regulatory concerns involving the hours of service regulations, CSA, and reauthorization of the highway bill. Retention of quality staff, fluctuations in oil and gas prices, and commodity costs are also concerns.What should you make of these results? Well, if you’re looking to become a driver, the overall outlook is a good one! An optimistic outlook on hiring means that now could be a great time to make a move if you’ve been thinking of becoming a driver. So make your move and find yourself on the road to a new career!GE Capital Survey Forecasts Expanding Trucking IndustryRead More at TruckingInfo

Human Resource Management Outsourcing Adoption Among Chinese SMEs Dissertation

Human Resource Management Outsourcing Adoption Among Chinese SMEs - Dissertation Example All four objectives have been achieved. The study finds that the drivers of HRMO adoption at the Chinese SMEs include lack of expertise, cost savings (although they lack the in-depth knowledge of cost calculations), political factors such as labour laws, and lack of internal capability. Basing their decisions on the transaction cost theory, the SMEs recognize that outsourcing offers advantages such as economies of scale and access to expertise. This has enhanced the adoption of HRMO among the Chinese SMEs. However, despite some amount of adoption, the SMEs in this study demonstrate their incapability and inefficiency in managing HR outsourcing and in HRMO adoption. They acknowledge that they lack the resources and capabilities which also reflect in the vendor selection process. Those that have not outsourced express lack of confidence on the vendors’ quality or their firm size does not justify the costs of outsourcing. The SMEs are unable to anticipate their needs as well as t he contingencies. The SMEs are reluctant to outsource because of lack of trust on the vendors’ abilities, firm-specific knowledge (which gives rise to lack of trust), fear of opportunism, and lack of negotiating skills. The SMEs do not have the expertise to evaluate the contractors; they do not appear to have the expertise to evaluate the risk-bearing costs, essential to managing contracts of outsourcing. The study suggests that the cultural influence has been the biggest barrier to HRMO adoption among the Chinese SMEs but along with it political and economic factors are equally responsible. With the western influence, SMEs in China do recognize that they need to change their strategy but appear to be unsure of their decisions. Or they may be reluctant to accept responsibility for their decisions. In light of the above, recommendation for an HRMO strategy for the SMEs in China has been made. The model suggests initial identification of needs, assessing and comparing of intern al and external capabilities are ore-requisites. Recruitment and selection being the key concern of the SMEs, these should be outsourced to POEs or head hunters who have the necessary skills. Another key criterion that SMEs have to focus on is on evaluating the agent prior to signing the contract. Support of government should be taken to identify the right agent. Before signing the contract cost evaluation is vital which includes costs not just related to the actual work but unforeseen costs such as monitoring costs, termination costs, control costs. The agent should function as an extension of the organization and work in cohesion with the principal. The relationship should be build with a long-term focus which also helps control costs. The study concludes by highlighting the limitations and recommending areas for further study. Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Research Background 1 1.2 Rationale for the Study 2 1.3 Research objectives 2 1.4 Organization of the Study 3 Chapter Two: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction 4 2.2. Definitions and Background Overview 2.2.1. Definition of SME 4 2.2.2. SMEs’ in China 5 2.2.3 HRM Functions (Human Resources Management) 6 2.2.4 Outsourcing 6 2.3 HRM Outsourcing 7 2.3.1 Rationale for HRM outsourcing 8 2.4 Economic Theories underpinning Outsourcing 2.4.1 Transaction Cost Economies 9 2.4.2 Principal-agent Theory 11 2.4.3 Porter’s Value Chain Framework 12 2.5 SMEs and HRM outsourcing 13 2.6 Advantage

Role of Promotion in Retailing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Role of Promotion in Retailing - Essay Example The objective of the paper is to show the promotional strategies of Adidas that have been used by the company as a part of its initiatives within 2012 London Olympics as their promotion campaign. The paper also shows the role of promotion in retailing as well as the advantages of promotion and the line marketing of Adidas. Promotional Strategies: Adidas for London Olympics 2012 Promotion is one of the most essential tools in marketing of a product. The elements of promotion are advertising, personal selling, publicity, sales promotion and direct marketing. A company makes a promotional mix to identify the budget to conduct the promotion and to recognise the importance that is to be provided to the various elements of promotional mix. The objectives of the promotional plan include augmentation of sales, recognition of the new product, brand equity creation and corporate image creation among others (McGoldrick, 2002). ... t with a outlook to meet up the necessities of the promotion Promotion helps in improving the morale as well as the satisfaction of the job of the employee By improving the morale of the employees, promotion ultimately helps in improving the organizational health It creates alertness of the survival of the product as well as the service provided Promotion helps a company to enlarge its market share Promotion provides information regarding the products as well as the services to the consumers that produces an incentive for the consumers to procure the products as well as use the services (McGoldrick, 2002) Adidas is known as one of the prominent sportswear manufacturers of the world. The Adidas Group was established by Adolf Dassler on 1949 with its headquarters in Germany. The first as well as the foremost global achievement of the brand was celebrated in 1954 when Germany won the championship of soccer. In middle of the 1980’s, the group had certain commercial breakdown but i n 1995 the Adidas Group regained its momentum and to stay in a competitive market with Nike, in 2006 Adidas had taken over Reebok. The company sponsors many games with their own capital and its sportswear such as soccer and Olympics among others (Adidas Group, 2012). To grow to be the top retailer and provide with quality products are the main visions of Adidas. Retailing is important to show the breath of the product, to build division in markets where traditional structure of wholesaling does not exist and to influence the knowledge from own retail for the whole organization (Adidas Group, 2012). Adidas is going to be the official partner regarding sportswear for the London Olympics for the year 2012 (Guardian News and Media Limited, 2012). Adidas will act as the official partner for the team

English Language Coursework - Task One and Introduction Essay Example for Free

English Language Coursework Task One and Introduction Essay Task One Robin Lakoff devised a theory of language and gender differences. She believed that women had a greater lexis when describing subjects such as colours where men would have a greater lexis in subjects such as sports. Lakoff also believed that women use more prestige grammar and clear pronunciation with more intensifiers than men. Therefore I have chosen to see whether these patterns occur within boys and girls aged 7-8 to see if they have developed these attributes even at an early age. The audience I feel that would be appropriate to my research are people who work with or study children, A level or university students and people with a general interest of this topic. This is because by working with children you will be keen to pick up new information to help you with your work so you may find some here and an A level student taking English language may look at this for an example. By observing the speech of childrens language I will be able to decide whether there is a difference in gender. People are influenced throughout their lives; they are influenced by things such as their environment, media and social groups. At an early age children are looking towards their families and peers to see how they should act. This shows children are aware upon how to communicate with others, therefore leading the possibility that even at a young age they have the same traits as an adult. The research question I have concluded with is, are language and gender differences apparent within children ages 7-8 as there are in adults? Robin Lakoff stated that there are differences in spoken language between men and women so I have decided to see if children still have these differences. The reason for this is because at such an early age every child is thought of the same and it is hard to see a dominate gender; this was a key issue with early studies of men and women. Robin Lakoff also said women use hypercorrect grammar and pronunciation but since the children are only 7-8 years old they are still learning basic English skills. This means that this point will not apply here since the children are young. I have chosen this topic area because I was not aware that there was a gender difference in language until I was taught it. I have taken a interest in this because men and women are both educated in the same way and thought to be brought up the same so I believed that they would have the same attitude in language. Another reason I have chosen this is because women are seen as the less dominate gender but when I was a child I was not aware of this so I am interested to see if there are signs of this even at such a young age. I expect to find that even at an early age the boys will interrupt more as they tend to be very energetic whereas the girls will be more descriptive in describing an object. Introduction When studying English language I found out that there was gender differences within speech, this took my interest as I believe that women now are equal to men. I felt that some of these differences maybe because of the language men and women use. When researching this topic I found out that Robin Lakoff devised a theory that there are differences between the language of men and women and how males are more dominant speakers than females. This is because females are believed to be less assertive and tend not to interrupt during conversation like men do. This could branch onto discrimination as this a topic seen throughout life and it may give reasons to why females are discriminated more than males since they are not seen as the dominate gender. Another reason why I am doing this because I am interested how we develop our skills when we are young, why we develop them and who influences us on the language we use. I think the way we brought up and the language we are taught to use plays a big role in our society because I feel that each person uses their own distinctive language from each one and another, this is because I could tell a friend from another purely because of the vocabulary and dialect the person uses. Therefore I wanted to look to see if this still applies to boys and girls at a young age where they are seen to be innocent and they would not pick up on these differences. I will do this by talking to children ages 7-8 the same questions and taking down their response. The problem that may arise with this is that some children are more confident than others; this means they will not be as shy with their response as another child would.

The Power On Self Test :: essays research papers

The Power On Self Test When the system is powered on, the BIOS will perform diagnostics and initialize system components, including the video system. (This is self-evident when the screen first flicks before the Video Card header is displayed). This is commonly referred as POST (Power-On Self Test). Afterwards, the computer will proceed its final boot-up stage by calling the operating system. Just before that, the user may interrupt to have access to SETUP. To allow the user to alter the CMOS settings, the BIOS provides a little program, SETUP. Usually, setup can be entered by pressing a special key combination (DEL, ESC, CTRL-ESC, or CRTL-ALT-ESC) at boot time (Some BIOSes allow you to enter setup at any time by pressing CTRL-ALT-ESC). The AMI BIOS is mostly entered by pressing the DEL key after resetting (CTRL-ALT-DEL) or powering up the computer. You can bypass the extended CMOS settings by holding the key down during boot-up. This is really helpful, especially if you bend the CMOS settings right out of shape and the computer won't boot properly anymore. This is also a handy tip for people who play with the older AMI BIOSes with the XCMOS setup. It allows changes directly to the chip registers with very little technical explanation. A Typical BIOS POST Sequence Most BIOS POST sequences occur along four stages: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Display some basic information about the video card like its brand, video BIOS version and video memory available. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Display the BIOS version and copyright notice in upper middle screen. You will see a large sequence of numbers at the bottom of the screen. This sequence is the . 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Display memory count. You will also hear tick sounds if you have enabled it (see Memory Test Tick Sound section). 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once the POST have succeeded and the BIOS is ready to call the operating system (DOS, OS/2, NT, WIN95, etc.) you will see a basic table of the system's configurations:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Main Processor: The type of CPU identified by the BIOS. Usually Cx386DX, Cx486DX, etc..  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Numeric Processor: Present if you have a FPU or None on the contrary. If you have a FPU and the BIOS does not recognize it, see section Numeric Processor Test in Advanced CMOS Setup.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Floppy Drive A: The drive A type. See section Floppy drive A in Standard CMOS Setup to alter this setting.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Floppy Drive B: Idem.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Display Type: See section Primary display in Standard CMOS Setup.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  AMI or Award BIOS Date: The revision date of your BIOS. Useful to mention when you have compatibility problems with adaptor cards (notably fancy ones).  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Base Memory Size: The number of KB of base memory. Usually 640.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ext. Memory Size: The number of KB of extended memory.

Hinduism and Buddhism, and Their Respective Elements

Two known eastern religions and philosophies shared the area of India for centuries, which probably lasts up to this date. These two are Buddhism and Hinduism. Since both concept of Buddhism and Hinduism originated from a single source, it would be possible to identify similar concepts between the two, or at least some form of derivative of a concept belonging to one of the two mentioned religions and philosophies. The focus of this paper primarily entails the comparison between the two great religion philosophies of Buddhism and Hinduism. There is bound to be a difference between them, as one of them originated earlier than the other.One cannot simply judge that the latter one is a mere copy of the one that existed before it. In relation to death and the afterlife, there are two concepts which can be identified in both Buddhism and Hinduism: Reincarnation and Samsara, the Wheel of Life wherein rebirth is usually based. For now, it is best if the both Buddhism and Hinduism be discern ed and identified as a separate entity. The Two Eastern Religion Philosophies: Buddhism and Hinduism As mentioned earlier, the two primary religions and philosophies that proliferated in India were Buddhism and Hinduism. Both of which had a significant amount of followers.Buddhism and Its History. Basically, Buddhism is the basic religion to which its disciples and members follow the scriptures and teachings of Buddha. After Buddha's death, its followers—mostly monks—congregated in order to discuss which scriptures and teachings would fit best to the aims of Buddha and the proliferation of Buddhism around India, and in other parts of the world. Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism after witnessing a carnage he produced. After being converted, he dedicated his life and a whole lot of structures to Buddhism, and to Buddha—his life and death.He ordered the construction of numerous pillars which contained the scriptures and teachings of Buddha, spreading it through these stone pillars (Boeree 1999). It was Emperor Ashoka who allowed Buddhism to proliferate across India and beyond its borders, sending messengers to promote Buddhism within those areas. Hinduism: a Brief History. It has been mentioned by historians that Hinduism dates back around 5,000 years ago, proving that it is a much older religion than Buddhism. The word was actually derived from the river â€Å"Indus†, from an area of which it originated (Kolanu 2009).The daily practices of the area's inhabitants gradually turned into a religion or concept, upon which it revolves around the peoples' religious, philosophical, and cultural practices native to the Indian sub-continent (Kolanu 2009). It has had many names before Hindu. However, many of its followers would prefer to call it as Hindu, after the name—or at least a close version of it—of the place wherein it originated. It would be later known in history as one of the main religions in India, which is still qu ite true today—Islam is the second main religion during the contemporary period.The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. The Four Noble Truths is one of the basic doctrines that Buddhist follow. It basically involved the dispossession of material things, which Buddhist do not really need. The First Noble Truth entails the realization that every aspect of existence is unsatisfactory as these are all subjected to birth, decay, disease, and death (Lorentz 2007). The Second Noble Truth is the cause of dukkha. The Third Noble Truth entails the freedom from dukkha, wherein one is required to remove the craving of the senses.The Fourth Noble Truth leads to the end of the dukkha by following the Eigthfold path: Perfect understanding, Perfect Thought, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood, Perfect Effort, Perfect Mindfulness, and Perfect Concentration (Lorentz 2007). India's Caste System. Hinduism entailed a social hierarchy in which identified their society, based on social ra nkings upon which was born into, or had been reborn into. When the Aryans came to the Dravidian-occupied Indian subcontinent, they implemented a caste system which separated them from the Dravidian.It composes of four major components wherein the bottom was reserved for the Dravidian people. The topmost was known as the Brahmin class, made up of religious officials. The second was the Kshatriya, which was reserved for warriors and rulers. The third was the Vaishya, which was reserved for artisans and other skilled workers like farmers. The last one was the Shudra, wherein they serve the higher castes (Flesher 1997). Intermarriage was disallowed because they believe that it will reduce their rank. One is also required to perform well, and promote goodness in order to maintain the rank or move upward when they are reincarnated.The opposite happens to those who promote evil. It has also been mentioned that some Buddhist from other areas practice the same Caste system implemented by the Aryans. However, they implemented new ideas in order to promote equality among the classes, which is a chief principle of Buddhism. The Life of Buddha: Who was He anyway? Buddha was said to have been born in the body of Siddhartha Gautama, the prince of Kapilavastu which was near the Indian-Nepalese border, during the fifth century B. C. (Delattre 2009).At around this time period, India had a prolific spiritual heritage, with Hinduism at the forefront. It has been described in spiritual scriptures—probably from Hindu sources—that an ascetic will be born and become the greatest spiritual teacher. This ascetic would also realize the ultimate truth (Lorentz 2007). It has also been mentioned in Hindu scriptures that after the prince was born, seven Brahmin priests observed the baby, concluding that the baby will become a great spiritual leader who will leave his royal status behind him; the basic principle of Buddhism.However, his father wished for him to become a Great K ing, giving him the best education which a prince deserved. His curiosity of the world beyond the walls of their palace urged him to sneak out and realize the truth about the world they lived in. After this realization, he vowed to help the people by living life as an ascetic, leaving his royal status behind. While on his spiritual quest, he went under the wings of great teachers, to which he was able to surpass. Realizing that there is still dukkhas to be flushed away, he left his teachers and practiced by himself.He was able to attain his complete spirituality without the practice of extreme asceticism. For the next four or so decades, he ordained new followers and taught them what he had learned from his spiritual quest (Lorentz 2007); he became Buddha. End of the World at the Presence of Seven Suns In Buddha's sermon of the Seven suns, he envisioned that Seven suns would appear on the sky and wreak havoc towards the Earth, through a series of cataclysmic events (Jayaram 2007). T his will occur after many hundreds and thousands of years in the future; as do all â€Å"end-of-days† prophecies.In Buddha's version, the presence of the seven suns will cause the following: first sun would cause severe drought; second sun will evaporate streams and ponds; third sun will evaporate great rivers like the Ganges; fourth sun, after a long lapse, would evaporate the great lakes; After another long lapse, a fifth sun will gradually drain oceans; After yet another long lapse, a sixth sun will scorch the earth and cause volcanic eruptions; After another long interval, the seventh sun will turn the earth into a ball of flame and then explode and disappear. A Slight Taste of Death and the AfterlifeBoth Hinduism and Buddhism believed in reincarnation, as the caste system which they followed required reincarnation to reward or punish people. However in Buddhism, one must attain Nirvana—enlightenment–in order to escape the endless cycle of reincarnation. If the person failed to do so, he or she will be reborn into one of the following six states of life: Heaven (has 37 different levels), Human life (under the caste system), Asura (Demi-Gods), Hungry ghost (taken literally), Animals (those who have killed animals), and Hell (the lowest level) (Tang, Urbandharma.org 2002). References Boeree, C. G. (1999). The History of Buddhism. Retrieved May 19, 2009 from Delattre, M. (2000, November 18). The Illustrated Life of the Buddha. Retrieved May 19, 2009 from Flesher, Paul. (1997, February 8). Social Organization: The Caste System. Retrieved May 19, 2009 from Jayaram, V. (2007). Buddha's Discourse on the End of the World.Retrieved May 19, 2009 from Kolanu, P. (2009). The History of Hinduism. Retrieved May 19, 2009 from Lorentz, M. (2007). Buddhism. Retrieved May 19, 2009 from Tang, T. H. (2002, March 22). Buddhist View on Death and Rebirth. Retrieved May 19, 2009 from

Analysis of Harrah’s Entertainment Case: Rewarding Our People

Chris Martin BADM 7070 11/23/12 Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. : Rewarding Our People Marilyn Winn faces a tough challenge to improve employee satisfaction and motivation in a struggling economy that has just experienced the 9/11 disaster. Many of Harrah’s employees feel that the incentive program that Winn has implemented sets goals that are too aggressive while others feel a sense of entitlement for the bonuses.Both of these cases do not help Winn improve employee motivation and customer service. Winn needs to find a way to revise the employee rewards program that she has implemented to reduce turnover, improve employee motivation, and, ultimately, improve customer satisfaction. In order to get employees at Harrah’s motivated, Winn should implement an employee drop box for any feedback of the current reward system or innovative ideas on how the system could be changed.The purpose of this drop box would be to send a message to the employees that Harrah’s va lues its employee’s opinions and cares about its employees. If employees feel that they have a say regarding the development of the system, it will lead to better satisfaction with the system overall and thus be more likely to motivate them to better serve Harrah’s customers. This feedback system could also improve turnover, as employees would feel more valued by the company.Winn could also customize current system to give employees the option to receive vouchers that are worth more than the cash reward. By getting a physical reward, employees are less likely to feel entitled to the reward. Implementing these two plans could greatly improve employee satisfaction and could help to achieve Harrah’s most important goal: customer service.

John Dickinson essays

John Dickinson essays Born in Talbot County, MD., November 8, 1732, John Dickinson had a big effect on the way American History happened. He was born into a relatively wealthy family, his father being first judge to the Court of Pleas in Delaware. He got his education at the Temple in London, studying law. That was the most prestigious education that a student could hope for. John was very lucky as a young man being born into a rich family and getting the best education he could hope for. He was much better off then some of the people he would work for in later years. Not as many people have heard of John Dickinson as they have of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin and that is due to his steadfast opposition to the Americas becoming independent. Dickinson tried to mollify the language and actions of the congress because he was opposed to the separation from Great Britain. He also did not vote for or sign the Declaration of Independence. John Dickinson had a nickname, Penman of the Revolution, he was called this because he wrote many things about the revolution and how he felt about it. Some of the things that he wrote were Letters of a Pennsylvania Farmer, this was a series of essays published by Benjamin Franklin in 1768. These essays were also translated into French and published in Paris. John Dickinson had a big affect on the American Revolution and should be more remembered but, because he opposed the Declaration of Independence the history books dont care about him. ...

Using Accessors and Mutators in Java

Using Accessors and Mutators in Java One of the ways we can enforce data encapsulation is through the use of accessors and mutators. The role of accessors and mutators are to return and set the values of an objects state. Lets learn how to program accessors and mutators in Java. As an example, well use a Person class with the state and constructor already defined: Accessor Methods An accessor method is used to return the value of a private field. It follows a naming scheme prefixing the word get to the start of the method name. For example lets add accessor methods for firstname, middleNames and lastname: These methods always return the same data type as their corresponding private field (e.g., String) and then simply return the value of that private field. We can now access their values through the methods of a Person object: Mutator Methods A mutator method is used to set a value of a private field. It follows a naming scheme prefixing the word set to the start of the method name. For example, lets add mutator fields for address and username: These methods do not have a return type and accept a parameter that is the same data type as their corresponding private field. The parameter is then used to set the value of that private field. Its now possible to modify the values for the address and username inside the Person object: Why Use Accessors and Mutators? Its easy to come to the conclusion that we could just change the private fields of the class definition to be public and achieve the same results. Its important to remember that we want to hide the data of the object as much as possible. The extra buffer provided by these methods allows us to: Change how the data is handled behind the scenes.Impose validation on the values that the fields are being set to. Lets say we decide to modify how we store middle names. Instead of just one String we can now use an array of Strings: The implementation inside the object has changed but the outside world is not affected. The way the methods are called remains exactly the same: Or, lets say the application that is using the Person object can only accept usernames that have a maximum of ten characters. We can add validation in the setUsername mutator to make sure the username conforms to this requirement: Now if the username passed to the setUsername mutator is longer than ten characters it is automatically truncated.

My Religion Lab Assignment 4, Thirteen Principles of Faith

My Religion Lab 4, Thirteen Principles of Faith - Assignment Example The second principle listed above pertains to the unchanging nature of the Torah. The ninth principle states that the Torah will always remain unchanged. The Jewish view the Torah as the law given to them by God through his prophet Moses. The Torah should not be altered in its state as it is a divine law ordained by God. No human being has any authority over adding, subtracting or altering the Torah from its original state. Jewish faith also believes that God will not change the law by giving them another Torah. One of the strongest principles of Jewish faith establish the place of Moses as a prophet of God. The principle asserts that Moses is God’s prophet. Moreover, Jewish faith practitioners view Moses as the greatest of God’s prophet to have ever existed in the history of their faith. The supremacy of Moses is established by his role in leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt through God’s divine guidance. Furthermore, God gave the Torah to Moses who then passed it to the people. The Torah became God’s law and Moses God’s greatest practices. These principles affirm the fundamentals of Jewish

Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Response paper - Essay Example A neighbor says: â€Å"Good fences make good neighbors†, but for the main character this claim is vague. He cannot guess whether this claim is right or wrong. Frost introduces different metaphors and comparisons trying to compare the issues of privacy of the modern society with the laws of nature. He talks about animals and he says that there is no need to hide from each other and to build the walls. Another neighbor opposes to him and sticks to his point claiming that it is better to be separated from each other and live one’s life the way he wants. We can see that the boundaries between neighbors are too thin and the rights of individuals can hardly be protected. On the one hand, to build a wall is to show respect to the privacy of another person, but on the other hand, it underlines a feeling of estrangement: Moreover, there are essential contradictions raised by the author, when he wants to discuss whether it is relevant to build walls or it is easier to destroy them? These questions are of crucial importance for the contemporaries, when the issues of privacy are high on the agenda. Nowadays privacy really became crucial. There is no doubt that a desire of freedom was embodied in individual privacy of the society. Further on, it is relevant to claim that the issues of privacy are too much desirable by some people and they are ready to live on their own and to be detached from others. Dependency is awful for our contemporaries, we struggle for independence and it represents our primary goal. Independence and freedom are two basic pillars of the modern society, in which only free person can be happy. It is hard to sustain these two pillars, but it is even harder to destroy them. Whether Frost right or wrong, but he makes us think about people around us and to show that humane treatment is one of the first and foremost things in the world. It is easy to build

Williams Syndrome - Genetic Pediatric Illness Research Paper

Williams Syndrome - Genetic Pediatric Illness - Research Paper Example   After some time, A.J. Beuren came across his own set of 11 patients who also had the same symptoms as described by Dr Williams in the past. Thanks to his contribution to the study of what was then an unknown illness, the disease was named after the two men who contributed the most its understanding, Williams-Beuren Syndrome. However, the illness has also come to be known by other illnesses over the years. Physiopedia (2011) lists the other names as follows: Dr. Aneal Khan M.D., who authored an article regarding Williams Syndrome for Medscape Reference (2011) described the clinical manifestation of the illness to include; â€Å"a distinct facial appearance, cardiovascular anomalies that may be present at birth or may develop later in life, idiopathic hypercalcemia, and a characteristic neurodevelopmental and behavioral profile†. The disease does not seem to afflict anyone specific gender, ethnicity, race, or socioeconomic background. However, it does seem to be most prevalent among children, affecting 7500 of every 20000 births. The most common symptoms of the birth defect according to Dr Rob Hicks (2011) include but are not limited to: Various in-depth studies of the illness link Williams Syndrome to the genetic makeup of an individual. Dr Rob Hicks (2011), author of â€Å"Williams Syndrome† for BBC Health explained that WS afflicted individuals most often have a defect in the DNA chain of chromosome 7 with about 26 genes deleted from its long arm. Unfortunately, chromosome 7 is one of the most important elements of the human gene as this particular gene is tasked with the manufacture of the protein elastin which according to Dr Hicks (2011), is â€Å"is responsible for providing strength and elasticity to blood vessel walls. â€Å" Babies born with Williams Syndrome are often underweight upon birth with difficulty in gaining weight and have certain development defects such as speech problems with the ability to speak not becoming present until the age of 3. However, the most concerning matter of this illness is the widespread Cardiovascular complications associated with it.  Ã‚  

Why Is Indian Currency Falling Economics Essay

Why Is Indian Currency Falling Economics Essay The value of Indian currency has weakened over the last 15 years. The Indian rupee fell 0.7 per cent against the US dollar at 55.71 on the back of a weak trade data. The Indian rupee has shed close to 25 per cent value over the past one year.  It is likely to fall further.   1) Exports falling: One of the main reasons for Indian currency falling is the exports falling which leads to trade deficit. The demand for US$ goes up with the increase in trade deficit. Indias trade deficit increased to $ 15.5bn in July 2012 which is significantly higher than $ 10.3bn reported in June 2012. The trade deficit occurs when a country imports more goods and services than exports.   2) Current account deficit could rise: India is not being able to achieve the export target of $ 350bn. Due to this; Indias current account deficit could be higher than expected. This occurs when import of goods and services is higher than their exports. A higher current account deficit contributes to weaken the currency.   3) Dependence on foreign flows: In order to finance the current account deficit India needs strong foreign capital. However, the probability of allocating more money by the foreign invertors to India is poor. Therefore, India requires reforms to reduce deficits and to boost up the growth in infrastructure through investment.   4) Fiscal deficit: A fiscal deficit occurs when governments expenditure exceeds the earning through taxes and other sources of income. The government borrowing from the Reserve Bank of India shows the fiscal deficit. It is important for countries to keep it under control. A large fiscal deficit forces central banks to print more money and stoke inflation which decreases the value of money.   5) Growth slows: To sustain the high expenses and boost exports, India needs a strong growth rate. However, the balance of payment is not positive. It is expected that India will grow at less than 6 per cent in 2012-13 and at the same time, a weak monsoon could again increase the food price. This leads to inflation. Appreciation and depreciation for Indian currency: Rupee is the Indian currency. Just like any commodity the Rupee also has a price which keeps fluctuating. The US Dollar being universal currency, all prices of currencies are generally expressed in Dollars. Hence in case of the Rupee, its price at any point in time maybe say, Rs.45/$. With the change of the indicators the value of the rupee as per the dollar changes. When value of Indian currency increases i.e. say Rs.40/$ it is said to have Appreciated (Value) in the reverse case say Rs.50/$ then the Rupee Depreciates (Value). Rupee changes values for a range of reasons, like if US performs very well then people will demand more US dollars, exchanging their rupee. This Demand will raise the price of the US dollar and hence depreciate the Indian Rupee .For e.g.:   Let us assume that in case, you go to a bank and asks the bank that you intend to buy US$100, please tell me what is the amount of INR you have to pay.  Ã‚   Bank informs you that you need to pay Rs 5410/-.   This means you can buy US$ @ Rs.54.10 per dollar.  Ã‚   This is the selling rate of the said bank for US $ for that day. Now after one month, you go to bank and again ask the bank that you wish to buy US$ 100, and bank tells you that this time you have to pay Rs.5490.   This means you have pay more to receive the same amount of US $.  Ã‚   This means the local currency has depreciated. This will be known as Depreciation of Indian Rupee.   In the above example, it is clear that value of INR has gone when compared to US$. On the other hand, if the rate quoted by bank on second occasion is say Rs. 5380/-.  Ã‚   It will be considered as appreciation of INR as this time you have to pay less amount to buy the same amount of US$. How weakening rupee against dollar impact India? The Weakening rupee against the US dollar makes the imports, overseas travel and studies at foreign universities more expensive. The sharp fall of Indian currency against the US dollar rises the price of edible oil, petroleum products, fuels and white good. White goods and phone maker are considering a 2-10% increase in prices. But weakening the rupee against dollar is cheering exporters and families that depend on remittances. Some of the impacts of weakening rupee against dollar in India are as follows: More rupees for dollars remitted. Exporters get more rupees against dollars. As foreigners will have to pay fewer dollars for vacationing in India tourism may get little hike. Students wanting to study abroad will have to pay higher fee and living charges in rupee terms. More rupee would be needed to fund foreign education. Travelling overseas get more expensive as one has to shell out more rupees for the same amount of dollars. One would have to keep more rupees on hand to purchase dollars to fund foreign travel. Imports to get costlier. Companies will have to pay more for repaying foreign debt. The price of oil, petrol, diesel and fuel will go up substantially. The LPG could also become high. As the result of price hike of fuel, the transportation cost will also go up and the increase in the transportation cost leads to rise on the price of the goods causing higher inflation. Higher oil import bill could put greater strain on government finances, given clamor for higher subsidies. Electronic goods which depend on imports and royalty become more expensive. NRI and exporters would be happy and can be expected to remit more dollars as they would get a higher price. Companies like IT software, Pharmacy and BPO would gain from the dollars that they earn by providing goods and service abroad. How far will it fall? Currently $1=53.58 but the experts have predicted that it may hit 55 in 2013(this year) given the weak fundamentals of the economy. RUPEE APPRECIATION IN RELATION TO DOLLAR: The appreciation of rupee affects the whole economy. Appreciation occurs because of the inflow of dollar and the rupee is pushed higher be exporters selling pressure. Another reason for appreciation of rupees is increase in flow of funds through foreign institutional investors. The appreciating rupees also affect various sectors of economy both positively and negatively. RUPEE APPRECIATION IN RELATION TO DOLLAR AS A BOON  Ã‚ ® By the appreciation of the rupee, importers are benefited the most. They have to pay fewer rupees in terms of dollars i.e. more dollar denominated goods can be purchased from lesser amount of rupee.  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Energy(oil, fuel, petrol, diesel, etc) dependent sectors will benefit more comparing to others since import cost will decrease.  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   The profit margin of the companies importing the raw materials from the foreign market to produce the goods having domestic demand will increase.  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The cost of machineries and equipment that are imported will be lesser which benefits the capital goods sectors.  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  It is also a good sign for governments financial health because in the long run a stronger rupee would be sound for the Indian economy and will bring Indias purchasing power at par with other currencies.  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Appreciation of rupee also benefits the oil marketing companies like BPCL, HPCL, and IOC which purchases crude oil from abroad.  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   rupee appreciation is a good sign for any currency. In a long run the rupee may gain more value as currency due to strengthening the rupee value in the foreign exchange marker. â‚ ¬Ã‚   RUPEE DEPRECIATION IN RELATION TO DOLLAR Since the independence till today rupee is continuously depreciating. It had reached the level of 53.58 in February 2013. However service export and NRI remittance witnessed solid which resulted in current account surplus and a turnaround for the country running in trade deficits in the past. Gradual depreciation of the rupee contributes to substitute direct export subsidy. Lower rupee benefits exporter as the exporter can lower the price and sell in the foreign market. RUPEE DEPRECIATION IN RELATION TO DOLLAR AS A BOON  Ã‚ ® Rupee depreciation can attract overseas buyers which helps the exports to grow faster.  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Rupee depreciation can increase export which also increases the export competitiveness that helps the economy to grow. It becomes easier for the exporters to survive in the foreign market as they can lower the price to increase sales volume.  Ã‚ ®Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Indias foreign structure also support weak rupee since it includes leather, textiles, gems and jeweler and most of the manufacturers and exporters are medium and small sized who are operating on low margins and they can not absorb currency risks but weak rupee can allow them to sell their product at lower price.  Ã‚ ®About two-thirds of Indias IT revenue is in terms of dollar. So for the IT companies, the weakening rupees means an increase in the operating profits as they will receive more rupees for each dollar earned.  Ã‚ ®The export of textile business with lower profit margins will go up with the depreciating rupee which directly benefits the textile industries  Ã‚ ®Depreciating rupee is like an invitation to commodity sector. US being the largest importer, majority of the Indian commodity exports are dollar denominated. The metal companies especially the iron-ore exporters would be benefited as they will have gains accruing from lower global commodities prices on account of rising dollar. RUPEE DEPRECIATION IN RELATION TO DOLLAR AS A BANE  Ã‚ ®Importers are the biggest losers from the depreciation of the rupee as they have to pay more rupees in terms of dollars i.e. less dollar denominated goods has to be purchased by paying higher amount of rupee.  Ã‚ ® The cost of import will increase which also increases of oil, fuel, petroleum products etc.  Ã‚ ®The profit margin of the companies importing the raw materials from the foreign market to produce the goods having domestic demand will decline.  Ã‚ ® As large number of machineries and equipments are imported in the capital goods sectors it is not beneficial for such sectors.  Ã‚ ® A weaker rupee means weaker Indias purchasing power as compare with other currencies. This affects the financial condition of the government and the country in the long run.  Ã‚ ®Oil marketing companies like BPCL, HPCL, and IOC which import crude oil will have to pay higher import bill with the fall in rupee which will adversely affect the oil market.  Ã‚ ®Telecom companies like AIRTEL, Idea with huge requirement for import capital expenditure stand to lose from a fall in the rupee value.  Ã‚ ® Depreciation is not a good sign for any currency. In a long run the rupee may lose its value as currency due to weakening the rupee value in the foreign exchange marker.

Essay on Yeatsian and Western Influences on Chinua Achebes Things Fall

Yeatsian and Western Influences on Things Fall Apart      Ã‚   The Igbo culture is flexible and continuous; its laws are made by men and are not solid and permanent. Change is implicit in oral culture. Igbos have been able to retain their core beliefs and behavior systems for 5000 years because of the flexibility and adaptability of their culture. Yeats says things collapse from within before they are overwhelmed by things from without- Umuofia's collapse is its loss of faith, and that is also its strength, it's refusal to fight. But this self-destruction, this bending of societal codes is what keeps the culture from being annihilated. One fundamental question that occurs while trying to figure out how Yeats fits into an understanding of this book is whether or not things really do fall apart. From Okonkwo's point of view they certainly do, but Okonkwo's is not the only point of view in the book. Do things fall apart for the rest of the Umuofia tribes, and for the Ibo people, or does their center still hold, and it is just a center that they never shared with Okonkwo? It is important to look at the construction of the novel and the way it ties in with Yeatsian theory on the rise and fall of civilizations, and on personal tragedy.    The Yeatsian vision of Western history is of a world of "alternating civilizations, each giving way to one another through its inability to contain all human impulses within the enclosed scheme of value and being replaced by all that is overlooked and undervalued"(Wright 80). A fundamental principle of Yeats' vision is that things must "collapse from within before they are overwhelmed from without" (Wright 79). The falcon must lose the connection with the falconer before the center begins to l... ...escapeÉHe wiped his machete on the ground and went away" (205). An enduring aspect of the center of the Igbo people is the ability of that center to change and adapt. In an unchanging time, OkonkwoÕs inflexible will guaranteed his success as a clansman of the Igbo, a culture remarkable for its flexibility, but when the culture had to change to prosper, Okonkwo lost his center, and became a truly tragic figure.    Works Cited Kartennar, Neil ten. "How the Center is Made to Hold in Things Fall Apart." English Studies in Canada. Downsview, Ont. University of Toronto Press. 1975 Simola, Raisa. "World Views in Chinua AchebeÕs Works." Frankfurt am Main: New York. 1995. Wright, Derek. "Things Standing Together: A Retrospective on Things Fall Apart." Heinemann. Oxford; 1990. Chinua Achebe: A Celebration. Ed. Holst, Peterson. Rutherford.      

Electronic Health Records

In this paper this student will discuss the national mandate of electronic health records (EHR), and how this mandate is being implemented at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Also discussed are how Cleveland Clinic is progressing to achieve EHR, and what challenges this brings to patient confidentiality and self-determination. Lastly this student will provide information on the benefits of EHR in healthcare. According to Gunter & Terry (2005), â€Å"The electronic health record (EHR) is an evolving concept defined as a longitudinal collection of electronic health information about individual patients and populations. Primarily, it will be a mechanism for integrating health care information currently collected in both paper and electronic medical records (EMR) for the purpose of improving quality of care†. (p. 1). Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), and the American Health Information Community (AHIC) were created to oversee the EHR mandate that was set in place by President George Bush in 2004 (Simborg, 2008, p. 127) This goal has now transitioned to our current President, Barack Obama, who also is setting the goal for the year 2014. Electronic health records are set to take place of traditional paper records with the help of this initiative. The ability to have every healthcare organization operating with electronic health records serves numerous benefits for not only patients but healthcare providers. Some of the benefits include, additional patient safety, ability to communicate and collaborate with other healthcare providers, and the longevity of electronic health records. Patient safety is at the utmost importance to healthcare providers, and EHR enables providers to have an in-depth history of their patients, leading to better care and treatment. Due to patients receiving care from many different health care providers, this can act as a barrier when trying to maintain a collaborative process. By adopting EHR this enables all providers to participate in the care of the patient. When discussing the longevity EHR serves in our society Tang, Ash, Bates, Overhage, & Sands (2006), states â€Å"The 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster exposed the fragility of America's health information infrastructure. When confronted by a hurricane, an avian flu pandemic, or a bioterrorism attack, the public needs to be able to depend on reliable access to their health information† (p. 27). If healthcare corporations adopt EHR, there will be no threat of patient medical records disappearing. After stating the goals of EHR, and the benefits it serves, this student will now discuss how EHR is being utilized at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. One could say that the Cleveland Clinic were innovators in EHR, being one of the first institutions to ado pt EHR more than eleven years ago. According to Cleveland Clinic (2012), EHR is â€Å"enabling physicians to actively collaborate and exchange information to ensure appropriate coordination of care throughout a patient’s life†. MyChart has also been a large milestone in development as part of Cleveland Clinics adoption of EHR. MyChart gives patients access to medical records, test results, and physician notes through a portal on the internet that can be accessed at home online. â€Å"MyChart, Cleveland Clinic’s secure, online patient-centered recording tool, connects patients to personalized health information at any time† (Cleveland Clinic, 2010). One benefit MyChart gives to patients is the ability for them to participate in decisions and their care. While analyzing Cleveland Clinics utilization and plans for EHR, this student was able to evaluate strengths and weaknesses. Some strengths of the Cleveland Clinics plans for EHR include their development and growth of the EHR system, the innovation developed into the current plan, and the ability to incorporate patients into their healthcare. Being that Cleveland Clinic was one of the first institutions to start the process of adopting EHR, they in return have the biggest ability to grow, and develop their system. Cleveland Clinic has shown such innovation in their process that other institutions have sought help from them for development of their own system. In an article by the Plain Dealer (Kleinerman, 2013) the chief information officer at Glens Falls Hospital, Joan McFaul stated â€Å"Our relationship with Cleveland Clinic will advance information technology best practices at GFH, and we will benefit by having access to a broad base of knowledge and the expertise of one of the country's premier health systems†. When Cleveland Clinic developed MyChart, this plays a role in the patient self-determination act, being that the patients constantly have the ability to be informed about their healthcare, and to take part in any decision making. A weakness of the EHR system in place at the Cleveland Clinic includes the risk of confidentiality. Even though the ability to access health records online has numerous benefits, the ability that such records could become hacked always poses a risk. The health records are protected by a username and password through the Cleveland Clinic website. With all of the technological advances it seems as though it is becoming easier and easier for unknown people to access personal information. This student believes that more precautions should be taken when a patient’s confidentiality is at risk. This student also believes more information should be needed to access health records online, instead of just a username and password that provides little security. After reviewing the EHR mandate, and the benefits it serves to healthcare institutions, this student believes that if more institutions adopted this system it would ultimately give better patient care. Also after further research into Cleveland Clinics development of EHR, this student feels the growth of this system in endless. While there are some flaws to this system, with time EHR at Cleveland Clinic could ultimately become one of the nation’s leaders that other institutions wish to learn from.

Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 1

The third book in the Love Story series, 2010 1. Hello Kitty BEING THE JOURNAL OF ABIGAIL VON NORMAL, Emergency Backup Mistress of the Greater Bay Area Night The City of San Francisco is being stalked by a huge, shaved vampyre cat named Chet, and only I, Abby Normal, emergency backup mistress of the Greater Bay Area night, and my manga-haired love monkey, Foo Dog, stand between the ravenous monster and a bloody massacre of the general public. Which isn't, like, as bad as it sounds, because the general public kind of sucks ass. Still, I think that this battle of dark powers; the maintenance of my steamy, forbidden romance; the torturous break-in of a new pair of red vinyl, thigh-high Skankenstein; platform boots; as well as the daily application of complex eye makeup and whatnot, totally justify my flunking Biology 102. (Introduction to Mutilation of Preserved Marmot Cadavers, with Mr. Snavely, who totally has his way with the marmots when no one is around, I have it on good authority.) But try to tell that to the mother unit, who deserves this despair and disappointment for cursing me with her tainted and small-boobed DNA. Allow me to catch you up, s'il vous plaà ®t. Pay attention, bitches, there will be a test. Three lifetimes ago, or maybe it was like last semester, because like the song says, â€Å"time is like a river of slippery excretions when you're in love†-anyway-during winter break, Jared and I were in Walgreens looking for hypoallergenic eye makeup when we encountered the beautiful, redheaded Countess Jody and her consort of blood, my Dark Lord, the vampyre Flood, who was totally disguised in jeans and flannel as a loser. And I was all, â€Å"Nosferatu.† Whispered to Jared like a night wind through dead trees. And Jared was all, â€Å"No way, you sad, deluded little slut.† And I was all, â€Å"Shut your fetid penis port, you spunk-breathed poseur.† Which he took as a compliment, so that's how I meant it, because while Jared is deeply gay, he's never really gayed anyone up, except maybe his pet rat, Lucifer. Strictly speaking, I think Jared would be considered a rodentsexual, if not for the difficult geometry of the relationship. (See, size does matter!) Note to self: I should totally set Jared up with Mr. Snavely and they can talk about squirrel-shagging and whatnot and maybe I won't have to repeat Bio 102. Anyway, Jared is a fitting support player in the tragedy that is my life, as he dresses dismal chic and excels at brooding, self-loathing, and allergies to beauty products. I've tried to talk him into going pro. ‘Kayso, the vampyre Flood had me meet him at a club, where I offered up myself to his dark desires, which he totally rejected because of his eternal love of the Countess. So he bought me a cappuccino instead and appointed me to be their official minion. It is the duty of the minion to rent apartments, do laundry, and bring the masters a sack with a tasty kid in it, although I never did that last part because the masters don't like kids. ‘Kayso, the vampyre Flood gave me money and I rented a trs cool loft in the SOMA (which is widely accepted to be the best ‘hood for vampyres because there's mostly new buildings and no one would suspect ancient creatures of purest evil to hang out there). But it turns out, it was like half a block from the trs cool loft in the SOMA that they already lived in. ‘Kayso, when I take the key to them, hoping they will bestow the dark gift of immortality upon me, this limo full of wasted college-age guys and a painted blue ho with ginormous fake boobs pulls up. And they're all, â€Å"Where is Flood? We need to talk to Flood. And let us in,† and other demanding shit. And I'm all, â€Å"No way, step off Smurfett. There's no one named Flood here.† I know! I was all, Oh-my-fucking-zombie-jebus-on-a-pogo-stick! She was blue! And I'm not racist, so shut up. She clearly had self-esteem issues that she compensated for with giant fake boobs, slutty blue body-paint, and doing a carload full of stoners for money. I'm not judging her by the color of her skin. Everyone copes. When I got braces I went through a Hello Kitty phase that lasted well into my fifteens, and Jared maintains that I am still perky at heart, which is not true. I am simply complex. But more about the blue hooker later, because right then the Asian guy looks at his watch and says, â€Å"Too late, it's sunset.† And they drove off. Which is when I opened the door into the stairwell to the loft and was confronted by Chet, the huge shaved vampyre cat. (Except, at the time, I didn't know his name, and he was wearing a red sweater, so I didn't know he was shaved, and he wasn't a vampyre yet. But huge.) So I'm all, â€Å"Hey, kitty, go away.† And he did, leaving only William, the huge shaved cat homeless guy, lying on the steps. I thought he was dead, because of the smell, but it turns out he was only passed out from alcohol and partially drained of blood and stuff. But I'm pretty sure he's dead now because, later, Foo and I found his stank-ass clothes on the steps of the loft, full of the gray dust that people turn to when a vampyre drains them. So upstairs I'm all, â€Å"There's a dead guy and a huge kitty in a sweater on your steps.† And the Countess and Flood are all, â€Å"Whatever.† And I'm all, â€Å"And there was a limo full of stoners here who were totally hunting you.† And they were all, â€Å"Whoa.† And they seemed more freaked out than you'd think, for ancient creatures of dark forbidden romance and whatnot. And it turns out they weren't-I mean, aren't. I mean, sure, their love is eternal, and they are creatures of unspeakable evil and stuff, but they are not ancient at all. It turns out that the vampyre Flood is only like nineteen, and he's only known the Countess for like two months. And she's only like twenty-six, which, while a little crusty, is not that ancient. And despite her advanced age, the Countess is beautiful, with long, totally natch red hair and milky skin, green eyes like emerald fire, and a smoking body that could turn a girl totally lesbo if she wasn't already a slave to the mad, man-ninja sex-fu of the delicious Foo Dog. (Foo keeps insisting that he can't be a ninja because he's Chinese and ninjas are Japanese, but he's just being stubborn and goes all Angry, Angry Asian on me whenever I bring it up.) ‘Kayso, in the master's loft I see these two bronze statues, one of this crusty businessman-looking guy, and the other looks like the Countess, except it's totally naked, or in a leotard, and bronze. And I'm all, â€Å"Exhibitionist, much, Countess? Did it come with a pole?† And she's all, â€Å"Help Tommy move furniture, Wednesday.† Like that makes any sense at all. (Turns out that Wednesday is a Gothish character from some crusty movie.) ‘Kayso, later, by virtue of my extensive research and sneaking around and whatnot, I find out that the statues aren't statues at all. That the Countess used to be inside the statue of her, and that inside the crusty businessman statue is the real ancient creature of unspeakable evil, the nosferatu that turned the Countess. And the vampyre Flood, who wasn't a vampyre at all at the time, had bronzed the two of them when they were sleeping the deep sleep of the daytime dead, which is like the deepest sleep you can get. (You should know right now, that there's no yawning, gentle drift into sleepytime for vampyres. When the sun breaks the horizon, they drop rag-doll dead on the spot, and you can pose them, paint them, put their hands on their junk and post the pics on the Web, and they won't know a thing until sundown when they come on like a light and they're wondering why their naughty bits are green and their inbox is full of propositions from elfin_love.com.) I know. Whoa! It turns out that Flood, who was known as Tommy, was chosen by the Countess as her day-minion, blood lunch, and love monkey, because he worked nights at the Safeway. Then, the old vampyre, who had turned the Countess only like a week before, started fucking with them-saying he was going to kill Tommy and generally harsh Jody's reality. ‘Kayso, Flood and his stoner Safeway night crew (called the Animals) hunted down the alpha vampyre, who was sleeping in a big yacht in the Bay, and they stole like jillions in art from the yacht and blew it up with the vampyre in it, which seriously put habaneras in his ‘tude lube, but when he came out of the water, they fucked him up a good long time with spear guns and whatnot. I know! Oh-my-fucking-god-ponies-in-the-barbecue! I know! It just goes to show you, like Lord Byron says in the poem: â€Å"Given enough weed and explosives, even a creature of most sophisticated and ancient dark power can be undone by a few stoners.† I'm paraphrasing. It may have been Shelley. ‘Kayso, the Countess saves the old vampyre from being toasted, but she promises the cops (there were these two cops) to take him away and never come back to the City, but when they go to sleep, Flood, who couldn't bear to lose Jody, took them downstairs to the biker-sculptors and had them bronzed. But when he was trying to explain to the Countess about why he did it, he drilled holes in the bronze by her ears, and she turned into mist, streamed into the room, and turned him into a vampyre. Which totally surprised him, because he didn't even know she knew how to do either of those things. (Misting and turning, I mean.) So then they're like, both vampyres, eternal in their love, but somewhat lame in their night skills. Because Jody had been feeding off of Tommy, she hadn't thought through what they would eat after Tommy turned vampyre. So, first they went to this homeless guy we'll call William the Huge Cat Guy (because that's what people call him) because he used to sit on Market Street with Chet and a sign that said, I AM POOR AND MY CAT IS HUGE. And they ended up renting the huge cat, Chet, to be their shared blood lunch. But it turned out that a large part of Chet's kitty hugeness was fur, so in order to facilitate the biting process, they shaved him. I'm just glad that I wasn't their minion yet, because I think we all know who would have ended up shaving the kitty. But no! It didn't work. I'm not sure why. But William got totally, date-rape-level hammered on the liquor he bought with the huge cat rent money, and they ended up feeding on him. Which is where I, the new princess-elect of darkness, was brought into the fold. (Into the â€Å"fold† means, like, the gang, as in gang of sheep, not fold like in what you do to T-shirts if you're a casual cotton slave at Old Navy.) It was I, who turned Tommy onto the needle exchange program, where he was able to use his pale thinness to convince them he was a junkie and get syringes so they could take William's blood and put it in the fridge for the Countess to have in her coffee. Turns out that the only way the vampyre can tolerate real food or drink is if it has a little human blood in it. (The Countess likes blood on her fries, which is at once trs cool and deeply fucked-up.) So, as soon as the Countess and Flood figured out the deal with blood and food, William the Huge Cat Guy wandered off and the Countess had to go find him, since she has more experience at hunting the night, while Flood and I moved stuff from one loft to the other. But I had to get lice shampoo for my useless little sister, Ronnie, who was plagued by vermin, and Flood sent me home early to spare me the wrath of the mother unit because he didn't want his minion on restriction. (So noble. I think that's when I fell in love with him.) Then he took the bronzed old vampyre down to the water to dump him in the Bay before the Countess got back. It was clear to me that Tommy had jealousy issues with the old vampyre, and wanted to get rid of him. Except he ran out of dark before he got to the Bay and had to leave the old vampyre sitting by the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero and run from the sun for his life. At the last minute, the Animals drive by in their limo with their stupid blue ho an d scoop the vampyre Flood off the street just before he was incinerated by the sun. I know. WTF? (FYI, when I type WTF, you are supposed to read it What the Fuck? Same with OMG, and OMFG, which are Oh My God and Oh My Fucking God. Only a completely lame Disney Channel nimnode pronounces the letters. Even BMLWA, or Bite My Lily White Ass should only be spoken as letters if you are hanging out with nuns or other people who are embarrassed about being told to bite asses.) ‘Kayso, the Animals go back to work at the Safeway, but not before they tie Flood to a bed frame, where the blue hooker tortured him to get him to turn her into a vampyre, because now she had like all the money that the Animals had gotten for the old vampyre's art, which was like six hundred thousand dollars, and she wanted to take her time spending it, so she wanted to be immortal. But Flood was like a complete vamp noob. He'd never even killed anyone and turned them to dust or anything, so he didn't know how to change someone. The Countess didn't tell him that the chosen had to drink the vampyre's blood to receive the dark gift. So the blue ho tortures the shit out of him. I know, what a bitch. Meanwhile, the Countess found the huge cat guy, and I found the lice shampoo, but we don't know where Tommy is. But the Countess was burned from going out on some hot water pipes, so she fed on me, right there in the loft, and I was all, â€Å"Oh shit, I'm going to get the dark gift and I'm, like, wearing my lime-green Chuck Taylors, which are totally not the kicks for becoming a creature of unspeakable power in.† But no, the Countess just partook of my sanguine nectar so she could heal. That's probably where I fell in love with her. Anyway, she goes asking around about Tommy, and this completely crazy homeless guy who thinks he is the Emperor of San Francisco (you see him and his two dogs in the north end of the City all the time) says that one of the Animals was asking around about Flood. So I'm all, â€Å"Uh-oh.† And the Countess is all, â€Å"Yep.† Next thing you know, we are at the Marina Safeway and the Countess-wearing her black jeans and red leather jacket, but no lipstick-underhands a steel reinforced trash can like as big as a lesbian gym teacher through the big front window, and she just walks right through the falling glass, badass as shit, into the store and starts kicking stoner ass. It was glorious. But she didn't kill anyone, which turned out to be a mistake, as was, in my humble opinion, not wearing any lipstick. For while it was a heroic ass-kicking as has ever been delivered in real life, it would have been that much cooler if she had some black lipstick on, or maybe something in a dark maroon. But they told her that Tommy was tied up at Lash's, the black guy's, apartment. And their shit was all busted up, and I was like, â€Å"You bitches have been powned!† And the Countess was like, â€Å"That's cute. Let's go get Tommy.† She can be kind of a bitch sometimes. Anyway, we go to the apartment where Tommy is being held, but when we get there, he's still tied to the bed frame, but stood up against a wall, all naked and covered in blood, even his junk. And the blue ho is dead on the floor. And I'm all, â€Å"Uh-oh.† And the Countess is all, â€Å"Yep.† And she says something about how the blue ho must have broken her neck or something, because if Tommy had drained her, she would have turned to dust and there would have been no body. Anyway, the cab ride back to the loft was trs awkward, you know, with Flood naked and covered with blood and the two of them all, â€Å"Oh I love you† and, â€Å"Oh I love you, too.† And I was being kind of a mopey little emo queen because I was jealous of both of them because they had their dark and eternal love for each other and I had like my lime-green Chucks and Jared the gay-bait rat-shagger. So that was good. The rescue and whatnot. Because we found the old vampyre art money that the Animals had paid to the blue ho, which was like a half a million dollars. But then we found out that the blue ho was not dead, but somehow had accidentally drunk some of Tommy's blood when she kissed him during his torture and now she was nosferatu. And she turned all the Animals. Which, you know, was bad. And not in the good way. And the old vampyre had somehow escaped his bronze shell, and he was coming after Tommy and Jody, and even me? He even shook the living shit out of William the Huge Cat Guy while Jared and I watched from an alley across the street. I know! We were all, â€Å"Whoa?† So it's like, Christmas night, and Jared and I are watching the midnight show of The Nightmare Before Christmas at the Metreon. And we're all traumatized and whatnot from watching the vampyre pound the huge cat guy, and the Countess calls us. And she and my Dark Lord Flood meet us for coffee at this Chinese diner, which is like the only thing open because the Chinese totally blow off Christmas because there are no dragons or firecrackers in the story. Note to self: Write narrative poem exploring Christmas if the three wise men had given baby Jesus firecrackers, a dragon, and mu-shu pork instead of that other crap. So, after all night drinking coffee laced with Jared's blood and getting the story on the old vampyre from the Countess and Flood, we go back to the loft and there, in the stairway, is the old vampyre, naked. And he's all, â€Å"I had to do some laundry. That guy peed on my tracksuit.† (He was wearing a total gangsta yellow tracksuit when we saw him shaking the huge cat guy.) So we like ran, and we had to hide my masters in some rafters under the Bay Bridge when they went out at dawn. No yawning or anything-they just became dead. Well, undead. So we wrapped them in trash bags and duct tape and moved them to Jared's basement lair in Noe Valley. (His basement lair is sacrosanct-his father and stepmother are afraid that they might walk in on him wanking to gay porn-so it was safe for the masters.) Meanwhile, I went back to the loft to feed Chet the huge shaved cat and decapitate the old vampyre with Jared's dagger so I could get extra-credit points with the masters, but it turned out that I had not calculated sundown quite right. Since when does the sun go down at like five o'clock? That's just fucking juvenile. Anyway, when I'm on the steps I hear the old vampyre moving around upstairs. And I'm all, â€Å"Awkward.† Then I hear a car pull up and I run out, right into the arms of this blond ho, who it turns out is the blue ho, who is now nosferatu, along with three of her vampyre minions who used to be the Animals. I know, â€Å"Uh-oh.† So she grabs me and is just about to tear my throat out, when the old vampyre grabs her by the neck and puts her face print in the hood of a Mercedes. He's all, â€Å"You're breaking the rules, ho. You can't just go turning people willy-nilly.† So I was doing a minor booty-dance of ownage at the blond ho, when they all turned on me. So I pull out Jared's dagger, but just the same I know they are going to have a huge group suck on my pale frame, when this totally fly, race-pimped Honda comes tearing out of the alley, and everything goes white light around the car. And my manga-haired love monkey, Foo, is totally in hero shades, and he's all, â€Å"Get in.† ‘Kayso, he swept me away in his magic nerd-chariot, which he had rigged with ultraviolet floodlights that totally toasted the vamps with simulated sunlight. I know! I'd have done him right there in the car if I was not trying to maintain my detached aura of aristocratic chill. So instead I kissed him within an inch of his life, then slapped him so he didn't think I was his personal slut, which I totally was. Would be. It turns out that Steve, which is Foo Dog's day-slave name, had totally been staking out the Countess Jody's apartment for like a month, since he figured out that she was a vampyre when some blood from one of the old vamp's victims turned up in his hemo-lab at Berkeley. Foo is like some kind of biotech ber-genius, in addition to having mad ninja-driving skills. Then Foo dropped me off at Tulley's on Market, where I met Jared and Jody, who sneaked by Jared's parents by pretending to be lovers, which is disgusting in so many ways I kind of gagged a little when I typed it. (Jared is my emergency backup BFF, but he is a pervy little rat-shagger, as the Countess affectionately refers to him.) So the Countess is all, â€Å"I'm going back to the loft to get the money.† And I'm all, â€Å"No, the old vampyre.† And she is all, â€Å"He is not the boss of me.† (Or something like that. I'm paraphrasing.) And I'm all, â€Å"Whatever, make sure you feed Chet.† So we go back to Jared's, and when we get there, the vampyre Flood is all fucked up from trying to climb face-down a building in the Castro after a delicious drag queen, like Dracula does in the book (only in the book it's not in the Castro and Dracula isn't after a drag queen). Note to self: When I am finally made nosferatu, do not try to climb face-down a wall. So then my sweet love ninja Foo shows up. And he's all, â€Å"I couldn't leave you out here, unprotected.† And secretly I was all, â€Å"You rock my stripy socks, Foo,† but publically I just kissed him and tastefully dry humped his leg a little. So we all got in his fly Honda and went back to the loft. When we got there, the second-floor windows were open, and Flood could hear that the old vampyre was up there with Jody. And Foo was all, â€Å"Let me go.† And out of the hatchback, he pulls this long duster that's covered with little glass warts. And Foo is all, â€Å"UV LEDs. Like sunlight.† The street-level fire door was locked, so Flood was all, â€Å"I'll go.† But Foo was all, â€Å"No, it will burn you.† But they covered Flood all over, gloves, hat, and a gas-mask that Foo keeps around in case of emergency biology and whatnot, then he put on the duster. Foo gave him a rubber tarp and a baseball bat, and Flood starts working the street like a half-pipe, running up a building on one side, then up the other, until he goes feetfirst through the upstairs window. Personally, I think the Countess could have just jumped up there, but she's been a vampyre longer than Flood and has better skills. ‘Kayso, there's this blinding white light from the windows, and next thing we know, the old vampyre comes crashing through the window like a flaming comet and hits the street right by us. And he gets up all blackened and snarly and whatnot, and Foo holds up his UV floodlight and he's all, â€Å"Step off, vampyre scum.† And the old vampyre ran off. Then Flood comes out the door carrying the Countess, who is looking way more dead than usual, and we took them to a motel to hide them until we could figure out what to do. Foo stole some donor blood from the lab at his college and gave it to Flood and the Countess so they could heal. And Foo's all, â€Å"You know, I've been working on the blood I found on the victims, and I think I can reverse the process. I can turn you human again.† Which is totally why he had been stalking the Countess when I met him. So Tommy and Jody were all, â€Å"We'll think about it.† ‘Kayso, Flood is holding Jody on the bed, and they're talking softly, but I can hear them, because I'm just by the door and the room's not that big. And it is clear that their love is eternal and will last for eons, but Flood doesn't like being a vampyre because the hours suck and whatnot, and Jody likes being a vampyre because of the power she feels after feeling like a little wuss-girl for many years, and they more or less say that they are going to split up just as the sun rises and they go out. And I was all, â€Å"Oh, hell no.† So I had them bronzed. I'm looking at them now. We posed them like Rodin's The Kiss and they shall be together unto the end of time, or at least until we figure out how to let them out and not have them tear out our throats and whatnot. Foo says it's cruel, but the Countess told me that they could go to mist, and when they are mist time passes like a dream and it's all good. But Foo did figure out his serum thingy. We lured the Animals to our love nest and while I was wearing the fly leather jacket that Foo made me, complete with the UV LED warts, which is very cool and cyber, I drugged them and Foo changed them back to human. And the crazy old Emperor guy said he saw three young vampyres take the old vampyre and the formerly blue ho away on a ginormous yacht, so we don't have to worry about them anymore. Foo wants to cut Flood and Jody out of the bronze statue during the day, while they are sleeping, and turn them back to human. But the Countess doesn't want that. So I think we should just wait. We have this trs cool apartment, and all of the money, and Foo almost has his master's in bio-nerdism or whatever, and I only have to go home like twice a week so the mother unit still thinks I am living there. (The key was to condition her from age twelve that sleepovers are normal. Lily, my former sleepover BFF, calls it slowly boiling the frog, which I don't know what it means, but it sounds darkly mysterious.) So, we are secure in our love nest and as soon as Foo gets home I am going to reward him with the slow booty dance of forbidden love. But something is screeching outside. BRB. Fucksocks! It's Chet the huge shaved vampyre cat, down on the street. He looks bigger, and I think he ate a meter maid. Her little cart is running and there's an empty uniform on the curb. Bad kitty! GTG L8erz.