Rates of Reactions Essay

Apparatus: 4 beakers (250 ml), 4 test tubes (18 mm x 150 mm), centigram balance, test tube rack, measuring cylinder (25 ml), marking pen, stop watch, thermometer, water and ice cubes, top pan balance, hot plate, power source, safety goggles, a lab coat, 3.0 molar hydrochloric acid and uniform size of marble chips. METHOD: 1. Label four 250 ml beakers A, B, C & D. 2. Pour150 ml of water into beakers A, B and C only. In this experiment, these beakers will be used as water baths and for this reason, place a thermometer in each of these beakers to check the water bath temperature. Beaker D is to remain empty until step 9. 3. Put a test tube containing 10ml of 3.0 molar of hydrochloric acid into each of the beakers (A, B and C) partly filled with water. 4. Place the beakers (B and C) containing the test tubes on an electrical hot plate, switch on the power and place a thermometer into each of the four test tubes. 5. Read each thermometer until the water in beaker B reaches 37Â ºC and the water in beaker C reaches 100Â ºC (i.e. when the water boils). At these points, remove the beakers from the hot plate and switch off the power. 6. Wait a few minutes and check the thermometers until the test tube temperatures are constant, and similar to the temperature of the water bath. 7. Add 0.25 g of weighed marble chips to beaker B (37Â ºC), and time the period of reaction between the marble chips and the hydrochloric acid with a stopwatch. When all the marble chips have fully dissolved and the reaction ceased, stop the stopwatch and note down the time taken for the reaction. 8. Write down these results into the results table and repeat this process for beaker C (at 100Â ºC) and beaker A (at room temperature – approximately 20Â ºC). 9. Finally with beaker D, place a thermometer in this beaker to provide a temperature check and then add 150 ml of crushed ice to act as a constant temperature ice bath. Again, wait a few minutes and check the thermometers until the test tube temperatures are constant and similar to the temperature of the ice in the beaker (I.e. 0Â ºC). Add 0.25g of weighed marble chips. Then finally use the stopwatch to time how long it takes for the marble chips to dissolve in the hydrochloric acid and write down the results. 10. Clean up used materials and wash hands thoroughly. VARIABLES: Independent Variables: Temperature. Dependent Variables: The reaction time. CONTROLS: The standard 10 ml volume of 3.0 molar hydrochloric acid in each test tube, the mass, uniform size and surface area of the five marble chips placed into each acid, constant temperature measurement using a thermometer for each beaker and test tube (I.e. A: 20Â ºC, B: 37Â ºC, C: 100Â ºC and D: 0Â ºC) and time observation using a stopwatch to measure the duration of reaction time of acid on the marble chips. RESULTS: This table clearly shows that the higher the temperature, the faster the reaction rate. In these experiments, I used five marble chips for each test tube to ensure consistency and therefore production of carbon dioxide. CONCLUSION: This experiment showed that the higher the temperature, the faster the reaction rate and thereby, the faster the production of carbon dioxide from hydrochloric acid acting on marble chips. EVALUATION: My results table above successfully proved that the temperature had a large effect on the rates of reaction and showed that the higher the temperature, the faster the rate of reaction. The rates of chemical reaction increases with temperature, This is because when the temperature is increased, the particles in the solution have more energy and therefore collide more often during a certain period of time. These colliding particles will have activation energy resulting in more successful collisions between particles, the cause of reaction. As shown on my graph, the rate of reaction approximately doubles each time the temperature is increased by 10Â ºC. With regard to sources of error, some time was taken to press the stopwatch when the marble chips had thoroughly dissolved. This would have altered the length of reaction time a little bit and therefore alter the rate of reaction results. At first, I weighed one marble chip and multiplied it by 5 to get the mass of five marble chips. As this would have made my results inaccurate, I weighed the five marble chips all together to get the exact mass of 0.25g.

Kem Chicks Case Study

I. Time Context: 1985 II. Viewpoint: Bob Sadino, owner of Kem Group of business III. Major Policy Statement Kem Chicks is the best gourmet lifestyle supermarket in the Kemang area that serves upper and middle cosmopolitan customers delighting the customers through better product quality, delightful ambiance and display with depth of knowledge of specialty foods and products.IV. Statement of the ProblemHow will the Kem Chicks expand its supermarket by its own investment while sustaining its growing operations and without putting the quality of their products into a risk? V. Statement of ObjectivesLong-termTo maintain and develop a competitive position in the growing industry To formulate a strategy in order to gain economies scale for existing supermarkets. To occupy more than 1% of the supermarket space in Jakarta, Indonesia To increase the public awareness of Kems goal to be the â€Å"Meat People† To become the market leader in the national marketShort-term To give excellent service To improve services To establish a good rapport with the employees To provide goods or services that is cheap and affordable to consumers or the public To meet the needs of customers by constantly seeking and actin on their opinions regarding innovation, product quality, choice, store facilities and service VI. SWOT AnalysisStrengths (S) Weaknesses (W) Have valuable Human Assets Good personnel management Responds and caters the needs of immediate community. Offers First quality meat products The organization is leading Have a harmonious relationship between employer and employees Flexibility (Bob Sadino doesn’t have any problems, because he is flexible) They lack marketing strategies Unwillingness of Bob Sadino to know the important details of the financial information about the company Weak long-term strategic planning Difficulty with over-the-counter communication Lack of internal control No particular designation of job Opportunities (O) Threats (T) Acquisition of rival firms Diversification of the business Expansion of the business Customers’ word of mouth Declining price of oil Change in customers’ preferences Increasing in Bargaining Positions of the consumers, thus, resulting in the increased risks in capital expansion The investment risk is at high level Increasing competition Rising interest rates Natural calamities Government regulations, rules and policiesVII. Alternative Courses of ActionThe Kem Chicks case study given the facts that the best altenative for them to expand is to engage in franchising. This has been thoroughly studied by groups of individuals for Kem Chicks existing problem. Therefore, the  alternative courses of action will focus on the types of franchising alternatives.1. Product distribution 2. Product licensing 3. Enter into a franchising agreement called Entire Business Format franchising VIII. Analysis of Alternatives 1. Product DistributionIt is the simplest form of franchising contractual arrang ement in which Kem Chicks as the franchisor offers the franchisee the right to market Kem Chicks’ products in an essentially unchanged state within a designated market area. In return the franchisee would pay a fee to Kem Chicks AdvantagesDisadvantages Increase in sales volume of the parent company Will not cater development of KemChicks' internal management thus it does not support the supermarket as a whole.2. Product Licensing Arrangement Under this term, the franchisee would be offered almost the whole operation of the franchisor. The franchisee would have the right to manufacture or modify Kem Chicks in a certain area of distribution to maintain its standard product and service quality. Kem Chicks would exert tight control over the manufacturing and selling process and set and control specification. In return, the franchisee would pay a royalty and other fees.Advantages Disadvantages Either the franchisor or franchisee or both can have more benefits Improve its quality control policies Right to manufacture or modify Kem Chicks in a certain area of distribution No assurance of success Will pre-empt all important positions in the organization KemChics could lose control over the management of the business3. Enter into a franchising agreement called Entire Business Format franchising Under this arrangement, the franchisee would be an imitation of what the franchisor is. The franchisee would be offered the right to manufacture, to sell the product, to use the franchisor’s name of trademark and other symbols, management system, architecturedesign, and would be provided with supervision, a reporting system and management consultation. Kem Chicks would require certain initial fees, continuous fee based on sales (royalty), management fee, training and consultation fee, and a fee for design and reporting system. AdvantagesDisadvantagesKem Chicks will have full control of the business. Possibly have a chance to develop and to promote human resources Enables the franchisee to enter the industry without know-how and experience and it can hold out to them the chance of success while minimizing risks Security in the protection of the rights and property of the company Mistake of one franchisee will bear to the image of the companyIX. Decision StatementConsidering that the industry is reaching toward the peak of its growth phase, Kem Chicks faces tough competition with a limited choice of land and location. Also, an increasing bargaining position on the part of the shopper, each element of the key success factors should therefore not be neglected. Since the profitability of the investment in a new outlet is highly dependent on the level of sales and cost, each of the success of this investment.Therefore, we concluded that the best alternative solution to the problem is a to enter into a franchising type called entire business format franchising because of the following reasons: Franchisee operates exactly the same as franchisor beca use the entire franchise was provided by Kem Chicks. Kem Chicks will generate different types of income such as management fees, training fee, reporting system fee and other from the franchisee.The privacy of their field of expertise or specialty will be maintained by Kem Chicks on their own because under this type of franchise, Kem Chicks is the sole provider of all information and needs of the franchisee upon proper payment. X. Implementation ProgramIn order to materialize the said recommendation and just like the real process in the world of franchise, Kem Chicks should: 1. The franchise relationship is founded upon a contract, which should contain all the terms agreed upon. 2. The Kem Chicks must develop first a successful business format (the system), which is identified with a brand name, be it a trademark, service mark and/or trade name Kem Chicks must initiate and set a period wherein they will train the franchisee in the operation of the system prior to the opening of the b usiness so that the franchisee is equipped to run the business effectively and successfully.Kem Chicks must also assist with the opening. 4. After the business has opened, the franchisor must maintain a continuing business relationship with the franchisee to provide the franchisee with support in the operation of the business. 5. The franchisee is permitted, under the control of the franchisor, to operate under the branding and the business systems developed and owned by the franchisor and to benefit from the goodwill associated therewith. 6. The franchisee must bake a significant capital investment from own resources. XI. Proposed Business PoliciesManagement: Generate periodic computer reports for management information, such as reports showing the sales income, cash balance, sale of shopping vouchers and issue of the gift coupons and refunds to customers Franchisee must pay initial fee and percentage of salesThere should be a monthly regular meeting of the management and an annual regular meeting of the management with the franchisees with regards to update reports for the business Marketing: Advertise supermarket through local newspapers, brochures/billboards/posters Advertise through local radio ad Offer discount coupon Can offer weekly sales discount Operations: Open12-hours a day from Mondays to Sundays Tight security Inventory Control Acceptance of goodsTo enhance accountability, the staff responsible should be required to inspect and count goods/food items upon delivery against the quantity specified in the delivery note, cross-referencing the relevant purchase orders if any, and to certify acceptance. There should be a procedure for staff to record defective or short delivered goods or food items and to follow up promptly with the supply department or the supplier direct. The types and quality of food or goods to be replenished directly by the concession counter staff should be subject to checks before sale. Random supervisory checks should be conduct ed on the quality and quantity of accepted food or goods, especially those of high value. Ordering and Delivering StockStandard requisition form, preferably in an electronic format to facilitate electronic data interchange between the operator and the supplier or sending of electronic fax, should be used to provide an audit trail. The form should show details such as the description, quantity and place of origin of the goods/food items required, the agreed price, the delivery address, the expected date of delivery, the name of the requesting person, and the approval authority as appriate.Phone orders should be confirmed in writing afterwards. Any deviations should be approved by the appropriate authorities. Extension of the lead time should be justified and approved by senior staff Over-deliveries or short-deliveries should normally not be accepted unless justified and authorized Suppliers’ performance in stock delivery should be appraised Finance:Conduct inventory Generate d aily and periodical sales and receipt reports Cash Handling To prevent manipulation, the following control measures are recommended: The guidelines on hadling of cash should set the maximum amount of cash flow per day for each store, the banking frequency, and the requirement for daily cash position reports Notes handling procedures should specify, among others, the bank notes, to be tested using a money tester by a sales assistant and notes by a store supervisor CCTV with tape recording  facilities could be installed to monitor cash handling at the cashier counters if necessary Responsible staff member at the appropriate level should be designated to conduct day-end reconciliation of electronic sales records against the cash in hand and to make spot checks on other operational activities daily at random Compliance with cash collection security requirements by staff responsible should be subject to supervisory and audit checksHandling of Credit Card informationBriefing sessions ma y be arranged for staff to raise their awareness of the criminality of such activities and the company’s disciplinary action if such activities are discovered. Clear instructions should be given to staff on the handling of credit card transactions, e.g. requiring the handling staff to sign on the credit card payment slips to hold them accountable for the transactions Effective security measures should be adopted to minimize the risk of information leakage, e.g. to keep the credit card payment slips in a secure place with restricted access. Staff should be informed of the channels for reporting approaches by criminal syndicates and incidents of suspected corrupt practicesInternal AuditSales and accounting operations should be subject to internal audit. Human Resources Employees work in 2 shifting schedules Conduct training for employees Bereavement LeaveAn excused paid absence of up to 3 days for missed work time will be granted for purposes of arranging, attending and resolvi ng personal matters with regard to a death in your immediate family. Your immediate family is defined as spouse, parents, grandparents, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, stepparents, stepbrothers and stepsisters, mother-in-law and father-in-law. The company will also pay employees for time lost from work for up to one day for relatives beyond the definition of immediate family. The company may allow an unpaid leave of absence for up to two weeks to be taken in connection with the death of a relative or close friend. Such absences must have the prior approval of the employee’s supervisor and managementDress CodeProper attire is expected for all employees Employees who do not meet the standards for appropriate business atture should be counselled by their supervisors and may be sent home to change. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that his or her staff presents a professional appearance.Equal Employment OpportunityIt is the policy of Employer Name to pro vide equal opportunity in employment to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, reigion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other legally protected class in accordance with all applicable laws.Inclement WeatherThe company maintains the policy of remaining open during bad weather, unless the severity of conditions and/or municipal or state government rulings close the office. If operations are canceled after a shift has started, hourly employees will be paid for the time worked, or two hours minimum, whichever is greaterMoonlightingOutside employement must not be engaged in during the employee’s regularly scheduled working hours. The use of the company’s supplies, equipment, telephone, materials, and personnel is prohibited.Open Door PolicyThe management recognize the accumulation of unspoken, unanswered problems, complaints and questions. It is everyone’s ad vantage to bring these matters out in the open.OvertimeIt may be necessary at times to ask the employees to work beyond their regularly scheduled hours. Overtime will be paid at the rate of time and one-half the hourly rate for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in any one week. With the exception of holiday pay, hours paid but not worked, such as personal itme, jury duty, bereavement pay, etc., will not be considered timeworked for the basis of computing overtime. The management will make every effort to distribute overtime fairly and equitably.The selection of who is to work is based primarily on the job experience and ability to handle the work that needs to be done, and on seniority, one’s productivity  and job performance. There is no guarantee of overtime work, and employee are cautioned to not become financially dependent upon it. Anyone working unauthorized overtime will be subject to discipline.Workplace Threas and ViolenceAny person who makes threats, exhibits threatening behaviour, or engages in violent acts on company property shall be removed from the premises as quickly as safety permits, and shall remain off company premises pending the outcome of an investigation. XII.Management Lessons Learned from the caseIn every company established, growth must be sought after. Big things come from small beginnings. Just like Kem Chicks, they may have earned income initially and started good yet Bob has never stopped expanding his business. We shall see not only what’s inside our company but also what’s happening outside. Almost all businesses have competitors; competitors whom we need to compete with. Jakarta has a growing population which meant more demand. We can’t just let our competitors benefit from them while we stay like the old times, watching our opponents beginning to climb and then eventually stay at the same level we are in. Who can miss the need for a bookkeeper?Money, as one of the essentials in a business sh all be handled properly. Accountants play a crucial role in today’s establishments. It’s possible that a company may gain success even we have poor systems (as we have observed from Kem Chicks itself), yet we know that we cannot stay like that forever. Every organization shall be organized—that’s why it’s called an organization. There shall be positions filled with the right personnel, with the right ability. Employees potential shall be carefully studied and continually improved. People who work for us are indispensable. Without them, we may be limited.We shall care for them, the same way they care for us; just like how Bob valued his relationship with his workers and how he took care of them. Of course, the group has also learned about franchising and investment risks. It’s not just the expansion that we care for but also what it may do for our company. We are reminded to take care of our product. Company name may be copied over multiplied outlets, but if the product quality and employee morale are not retained, this could destroy a company’s reputation and may start its ruins.We cannot say that we love our company if we don’t  love every bit of it. When we love something, we care for its growth, we care for how it is being managed and we consider the hazards it may go through. Life is not a matter of chances, it’s a matter of choice.

A Culture Of Compliance

A Culture Of Compliance What makes a good compliance culture can be deconstructed into multiple components yet it is instantly recognizable. It is strong and functional yet in no way hinders the development of profitable new business and can adapt to market, technological or regulatory change. A good compliance culture is represented across all levels of the organization ensuring a coherent and integrated approach to compliance throughout the company. The essence of how staff, managers and executives interact and work is towards a common goal and value system based on mutual respect, integrity and ethical behaviour focused on the long term health of the business, not just short term gains. In the wake of the financial crisis, good compliance culture and ethics are commonly touted by regulators and governments alike as key to promoting both trust and confidence within the financial system and regulatory bodies charged with their oversight. Equally without the credible threat of regulatory enforcement, it is questionable whether a good compliance culture would be possible. So what are the key ingredients? The framework for organizations that are serious in embedding a good compliance culture within their business is based on the following: Tone at the top: Corporate strategy partnered with legal, risk and compliance Tolerance statements aligned to policy measures and triggers, including swift remediation and proactive compliance risk management Governance and accountability with supervision, discipline and swift investigatory processes tied to performance management Risk assessment, ongoing monitoring, testing and reporting (internal and external) Ongoing Training, guidance and development aimed at all levels of the organization Robust regulatory and active supervisory regime Tone at the Top The tone at the top sets an organization’s guiding values and ethical behaviour. Executive commitment to invest and empower those in compliance, risk and legal resources creates the appropriate oversight and encourages staff to do the right thing. Legal, risk and compliance staff must be viewed as important and critical partners in the business and not simply as support functions. Their views are sought and followed through with respect to new business, operations, business models and planning, pricing and product development. Legal, compliance and risk staff have visible reporting lines into the Board, where breaches for non-compliance are taken seriously and are met with swift investigatory and disciplinary action and accountability. It then follows that the Executive which should include the Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Executive Legal Counsel are duly qualified, credible leaders and can take action. A corporate strategy committed to compliance, risk and legal requirements must therefore be more than a statement of mere good intentions and must be continuously reinforced. Judy O’HanrahanIt is where the executive takes decisive leadership and ownership of a corporate strategy strongly aligned to regulatory, legal requirements consumer protection providing a safe and fair environment for staff implementing active deterrents of unethical or unlawful activities and protecting institutional assets from data theft, financial crime, fraud or business disruption promoting ethical behaviours that foster respect, integrity, consistency and concern for the organization’s core values. This should be the experience of every employee, from new starter to those that seek to exit. It should be clear to both new and veteran employees that those who represent the core endorsed compliance values and principles are promoted or hired to leadership roles and/or appropriately rewarded. Creating and maintaining the right tone at the top aligned with a corporate strategy partnered in legal, risk and compliance offers can and will increase client and employee retention, ultimately leading to the establishment of a good reputation. Tolerance statements aligned to policy measures A good compliance framework is not only designed to address events as they arise but also to pre-empt them by taking steps to address potential issues. In organizations that have zero tolerance for actions or lack of action that could lead to breaches in compliance, swift, specific, measureable, realistic and time-bound actions are taken by management to address exposures. Limits and warning levels should be built into processes and procedures with clear escalation policies that are adhered to. Notification of breaches and reporting should be well defined and transparent within an agreed structure characterized by a hierarchy up to the Board. Policies are widely understood and followed by staff who can attest to each by aligning their procedures with them and taking an active role in their review through a governance structure. Governance and Accountability In order to foster a good compliance culture, good governance is established through a robust and credible three lines of defense model. The First line All managers and staff take ownership of a consistent compliance approach supported by far sighted incentive structures, where recognition of staff doing the right thing for consumers and for the business and each other is recognized and rewarded and actively promoted. Each business unit has embedded risk and compliance partners who are knowledgeable about their business processes and are senior and independent enough to influence or change behaviours and reward positive outcomes. Primarily accountable for development of controls in tandem with procedures and policies to prevent, detect and respond to compliance failures, they can also test their effectiveness. Middle management are empowered to turn compliance values into practice and encourage employees to come forward with legal, compliance and ethical questions without fear of retaliation, building trust and increased levels of employee engagement. Judy O’Hanrahan Senior leaders hold themselves and others accountable for complying with the ideals of the agreed norms of what makes a good compliance culture. Bad behaviour such as circumventing policy or procedure must have negative consequences. It is clear to all that positive behaviour is rewarded and new recruits are screened against agreed principles and values. Finally, internal issues or matters must be adjudicated with fairness, transparency and integrity, and whistle-blowers are protected when they make a disclosure. The Second line Legal, risk and compliance departments are asking questions about conduct, ethics and culture and not just providing assurance on regulatory and legal technical questions. Their oversight of the effectiveness and integrity of the compliance value system must be established in every aspect of the business. Embedding compliance within the processes and procedures in business units must extend not only to laws, regulations and business principles but to best practice and proactive risk management. Their message must be consistent with that of the business and must be endorsed by the executive. They are seen as critical partners in protecting the reputation of the organization, involved in operational and strategic decisions, testing and compliance monitoring. Chief Compliance Officers play a strategic role in the organization, cultivate the right stakeholder relationships, are trusted advisors to the business, have access to the board, drive and influence the culture and are viewed as authentic leaders and role models. The Third line Audits are measuring the corporate compliance strategy and success of implementation of a good compliance culture based on agreed tolerance statements. An annual compliance charter, plan, policies, monitoring and reporting should be tested for effectiveness and accuracy and process related testing. Employee surveys on culture conducted internally or externally by third parties are helpful in measuring the cultural pulse of the organization. In essence, a good compliance culture is underpinned by good behaviour which must be linked to goals and an incentivized scheme that rewards respect, dignity at work, integrity and trust. Risk assessment, ongoing monitoring, testing and reporting A compliance risk assessment helps an organization understand its risk exposure, prioritize risks, assign ownership and adequately resource and mitigate risks, starting with those that have the highest potential for violations of laws and regulations. The application of a risk methodology based on impact and likelihood identifies the inherent risk combined with controls, highlights the residual risk. This must be authorized and agreed with business partners together with an appropriate response that is monitored and reported up the hierarchy, presented in a dashboard against defined tolerances. Audit and Compliance plans should be complementary and monitoring reviews carried out by risk, compliance and audit serve as an early warning system to potential compliance issues by taking samples of business unit activities, products or output. Ongoing Training, Guidance and Development Individuals will need additional reinforcement on ethics and compliance programs through innovative training or workshops so that staff can connect to the values through Judy O’Hanrahan information sharing and story-telling. New starters, higher risk staff, management and operational staff should have specific training geared towards their needs. Encouraging staff to enrol on professional compliance courses run by external parties and to become industry leaders by participating in external committees or federations contributes to further reinforcing a positive compliance culture supported by external validation. Robust regulatory and active supervisory regime A sharp supervisory approach by an active regulator supports organisations looking to create a positive compliance culture and provides the assurance to consumers that they will be protected. Bernie Madoff’s victims, for example, would wonder how did regulatory agencies such as the SEC, FINRA, which are charged with monitoring financial institutions, fail in their supervisory duty to uncover the largest Ponzi scheme in history. After all, there were warning signs and tip-offs that were ignored, missed or misunderstood. Examiners had sat in Madoff’s offices for two months in 2005 without a complete understanding of the firm’s activities. Regulators who understand how these organisations operate and are able to unravel what appear to be complex activities promote ethical behaviour and protect consumers. By focusing on matters associated with good corporate governance and operational risk with a credible threat of enforcement wake organisations up to the realities that created the perfect storm that was the financial crisis of 2008. In conclusion, organisations with a good compliance culture create lasting relationships with clients, customers, employees and suppliers. This ultimately leads to a good reputation in the market and a positive brand that in turn will attract long term investors. It is evident from scandals involving high profile companies such as Madoff, Enron or Anglo-Irish Bank that implementing and maintaining a positive compliance and ethical culture ensures organisational survival and contributes to the stability of the financial system, something that regulators recognize and are therefore scrutinizing as part of their supervisory regime. It is a reciprocal relationship between organisations and their regulators. Without the credible threat of regulatory enforcement extending to personal liability of senior management, compliance and ethics may be mere check the box exercises or seen as obstacles to new business. Nonetheless, organisations that encourage mutual respect, dignity at work, integr ity and honesty among staff and management lay the foundation for not just a good and positive compliance culture but a truly sustainable work environment that is recognisable by its outperformance and endurance.

Strategic Human Resource Management Assignment

Strategic Human Resource Management - Assignment Example HRM assumes strategic importance when there is a need for employee commitment to strategic goals concerning efficiency, quality and innovation. A key policy goal underpinning HRM practice is to "maximize organizational integration" (Guest, 1988), where strategic integration refers to "the ability of the organization to integrate HRM issues into its strategic plans" (Guest, 1989). This paper is meant to contribute to the debate by understanding the genesis, concept, approaches and models of SHRM. The paper takes an analytical approach where emphasis is put on the various models of SHRM and its applicability. American firms in the early 1980s had to face stiff competition from foreign companies, who began to export their products to the USA at lower prices than American companies could offer. The cost advantage stemmed from lower labour costs and made it nearly impossible for American companies to survive. They had to look for more efficient and effective ways to use the resources available to them and stay afloat. The ensuing effort gave rise to the concept of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). ... It covers macro-organizational concerns relating to structure and culture, organizational effectiveness and performance, matching resources to future business requirements, and the management of change (Hales, 1994). According to Miller (1989), "SHRM encompasses those decisions and actions which concern the management of employees at all levels in the business and which redirect towards creating and sustaining competitive advantage." Wright and Snell (1991) have suggested that in a business, SHRM deals with "those HR activities used to support the firm's competitive strategy." Another way of looking at SHRM is "the pattern of HR deployments and activities intended to enable an organization to achieve its goals" (Wright and McMahan, 1992). Truss and Gratton (1994) define SHRM as "the linking of HRM with strategic goals and objectives in order to improve business performance and develop organizational cultures that foster innovation and flexibility." Ghoshal and Bartlett (1997) see SHRM as a radical new approach to organization, management and employee relations and indeed to the relationship between firms and their host societies and to each other. They advocate a strategy towards HR in which employees are developed and made employable and this keeps the employer honest. Differences between Business Strategy and SHRM Business strategy is commonly understood as the long term planning by a firm to link its external environment with the internal capabilities so that a unique position can be attained in the market and firm's value can be improved. Business strategies can be formulated in line with any of the internal factors of an organisation that best utilises its external opportunities. Unlike conventional

Poetry Analyze Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Poetry Analyze - Essay Example The poem has a whole bunch of ideas concerning parenthood and the roles of both the parents in bringing up a home. It tells a story of a complete family comprising a father, a mother and children. The mother is a homemaker and takes care of her family by doing home chores such as cleaning the diapers and ensuring her children are safe. The dad on the other hand works to provide for the family, it be evidenced by the fact that it is in the evening that we are introduced to her husband who probably is from work. She tends to the needs of her husband as said in the second last stanza of the poem, â€Å"later that night when Thomas rolled over and lurched into her.† From the last two stanzas, the poem introduces the relationship of a couple in parenthood. These two people are in very different situations. One goes to work to provide for the family, the other takes care of the family by looking after the kids. In all these occurrences, we see the way roles are divided in the running of family affairs. The situation of the woman is that which makes her selflessly dedicate herself to her roles as a mother. Despite the fact that she needs time for herself, she has no freedom at all to be herself in the family; she puts her family first in line and only gets the pleasure of resting for an hour. The rest of the time, she is a mother and a wife. This shows her dedication to parenthood. From the last two stanzas, we see the way the woman is submissive to Thomas by taking care of his needs as a husband. Thomas does not notice how tired the wife has been from the day’s activities. She does not complain about it to her husband instead she does what she wants her to do. This portrays Thomas as a man who is not caring about his wife because we are shown from the last stanza that â€Å"Thomas rolled and lurched into into her, she would open her eyes and think of the place that was hers for an hour.† This means that as a wife she is withdrawn

School Uniforms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

School Uniforms - Essay Example In fact, advocates of the uniform policy at Long Beach insisted that the uniform policy was the only factor involved in the positive outcomes at the school district. Contrastingly, the authors noted that opponents to mandatory school uniforms were adamant that the use of school uniforms encountered ‘legal’ and ‘financial’ problems. Further, they noted the ‘questionable effectiveness’ of the wearing of these uniforms (53). Thus, the researchers in their attempt to test the relationship between uniforms and the four major outcomes made by advocates of the uniform policy utilized data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study conducted in 1988 with 8th grade students. Their results were astounding for in all four cases the researchers discovered that the empirical evidence did not support the claims made by the advocates. Instead there appeared to be the need for alternative thinking on the cause of the positive effects of the use of uniform s at the Long Beach Unified School District. Brunsma and Rockquemore were quick to note that there was other ‘reform efforts’ implemented at the same time as the uniform policy at the Long Beach District (60). The researchers concluded that the negative correlation between the mandatory uniform policy and academic achievement was perhaps asymptomatic of the ‘quick fix nature’ of reform policies at schools. Interestingly, in her article entitled, â€Å"School Uniforms, Academic Achievement, and Uses of Research†, Bodine highlighted possibly erroneous conclusions in Brunsma and Rockquemore’s article. In fact, Bodine contrasted the results obtained by Brunsma and Rockquemore with the results of an Educational Testing Service article. Bodine emphasized the differences in the reasons put... The author of this paper intends to demonstrate that the wearing of a uniform is but a drop in the bucket of methods of reducing the negativity associated with poor academic performance and behavior problems. In addition, claims of improving academic performance through the implementation of a uniform policy have strongly been refuted by researchers and educators alike. This report approves that the uniform initiative should not be a ‘quick fix’ rather other initiatives such as ‘aggressive truancy reduction initiatives, drug prevention efforts, student-athlete drug testing, community efforts to limit gangs, a zero tolerance policy for weapons, character education classes, and conflict resolution programs’ can be used to improve behavioral problems at schools. This paper makes a conclusion that consistent with the conclusion of Brunsma and Rockquemore, the author of this paper believes that although the use of uniforms may be one of the factors which contribute to academic success it does not cause the success. In the Long Beach positive results researchers noted that there were many other policies implemented simultaneously with the school uniforms. The introduction of different teaching methods was one such policy. Northern highlighted Anthony Gell in the United Kingdom who refused to make uniform mandatory at his school. Gell along with other educators found the uniform issue to be highly political, complex and divisive.

Reflective report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Reflective report - Essay Example The last is related to the PDP and the accomplishments, and modificiations that had been performed. The strong points include the contents and general information being clearly mentioned on a PowerPoint format that enabled a clear view. Further, the confidence and the skills of the group members to present the information in an impressive way was another strong point. Despite this positive, the main weak side faced during work as a unit on the given presentation was time management. In my view, this resulted from the numerous and occasional contrasting timetables of the members in the group. Hence it made it uneasy to dedicate proper time that would match all. As a consequence, the group failed to fulfil the domain of appropriate time period allocation. In spite of that we resorted to interacting through the digital electronic means. It resulted in reduced practical and productive interaction as such. Additionally, I sensed that larger part of disagreement during the presentation and the report writing resulted from the various variations in the overall attitudes towards the group work experience. Each member of the group had different set of goals in their academic pursuits in this regard. Partly few of the group members aimed mere passing grades, others strived for excellence and thought they could get A grades. This resulted in overall differe nce in views and tendencies towards main goals. In case we were given another chance to perform the given task, I would personally come up with number of suggestions and recommendations. This would include rehearsal of the presentation in a proper manner before the actual deadline. Also ensuring that each member knows what the task is. Selecting the right man for the right kind of job within the task and group would make up for my strategy as a fresh start. Luckily, after receiving the response regarding the presentation’s shortcomings from our teacher, it enabled us to

Social Networking Distracting People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Social Networking Distracting People - Essay Example Social network analysis examines the social structure by applying the Theory of Graphs and identifying the entities as "nodes" or "vertices" and relationships as "links" or "edges". The structure of the graph resulting is often very complex. However, the fact remains that technology plays a crucial role in such networks in the modern day and their sophisticated networks attract people and entice them to indulge in such activities. Thus, people at work or at school, and even those in places like churches get distracted by different forms of technology. Therefore, the largest form of technology distracting people today can be perceived as social networks. With photos and status updates about one’s daily thoughts and actions, these social networks are a way for people to keep up with their friends, family, and even favorite celebrities on a daily basis (Leigh, 2011). Services such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, and the newly added Pinterest and instaGram are swiftly growing and t aking over the attention and time of today’s generation While social networking sites can provide a place for positive interactions, unfortunately, they have becomes a places for people to be not only distracted from more important tasks but also to cause personal and public harm to others. The first recognizable social network site, six degrees.com was launched in the year 1997 and it has had the facility of enabling its users to create profiles and list and surf their friends. Though some forms of profile sharing and social contacts existed through dating and community sites prior to the advent of social networking sites, these were not so popular or common place. Besides, they were also found to be lacking many of the features that the social networking sites presently have. AIM and ICQ buddy lists supported lists of friends, although those Friends were not visible to others. On the other hand, today these same social media and social networking sites have many

Shakespeare's tragic vision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shakespeare's tragic vision - Essay Example Ben Jon son, a contemporary Play Wright said about Shakespeare that, "He was not of an age but for all times" who with his dramatic genius has established and underlying reputation for himself which he lived. Shakespeare's age was a period of ignorance and superstition. Despite the advancement of science and learning, the majority of the people still believed in witchcraft and charms omens of all sorts' .The frequent appearance of the supernatural can be seen like ghost in Julius Caesar and Hamlet, witches in Macbeth. Medical science was still rudimentary, and all sorts of fantastic lures were prescribed. Hamlet is considered as a tragedy has all the typical features of a Shakespearean tragedy. A Shakespearean tragedy is essentially the tale of one man- the hero .Hamlet is the prince of Denmark, frank, noble hearted man. That is why he is popular with the people, and Ophelia and Fortinbras praise him so highly. The suffering of the tragic hero is also exceptional; he suffers so terribly the hearts of the readers filled with pity and sympathy. Hamlet has all the chief Characteristics of a typical Elizabethans Revenge ply. The Revenge motif is strong in it. Hamlet's father is murdered in a most foul manner. It is an unnatural crime, for the criminal is the real brother of the murdered King. His queen has been unfaithful to her husband during his life time and soon after his death she marries the murderer. Thus there is murder, adultery, and incestuous marriage. In the manner of revenge play, it is the ghost of Hamlet's father who reveals to the young prince the horrible truth about his father's death, and lays upon him the duty of revenge. The supernatural motif has been fully exploited, eg. The ghost speaks only to the prince. In Hamlet there is much of fighting, bloodshed and violence. First Hamlet kills Polonius hidden behind the curtain. Not only had that he dug his body down exclaiming: This man will set me packing; I will lug the guts into the neighboring room . The revenge motif has been fully exploited, and thrills and sensations, for which the "grounding" longed, have been provided in ample measure. It is not merely an object of horror, but also the representation of the hidden, mysterious forces that lurk around us. It is an instrument of justice to punish the evil doer. Hamlet is one of the greatest tragedies of the world. As Goggling is points out, Hamlet, "is not to be regarded as a tragedy of revenge, but as a universal figure; he is every man. In his suffering, melancholy, hesitations in his inaction at a crucial moment in his life he typifies some one or the other phase of human nature". Hamlet is a tortured soul and it is through his soliloquies that the dreamiest has laid bare his soul before us. Without the soliloquies the drama would be more husks without a Kernel. One can say that Hamlet is Soul's tragedy and raise above a crude Melodrama or Revenge play. According to Samuel Johnson on Hamlet, "The play of Hamlet is opened, without impropriety, by two sentinels; Iago bellows at Brabantio's window, without injury to the scheme of the play, though in terms which a modern audience would not easily endure; the character of Polonius is seasonable and useful; and the grave-diggers themselves may be

The impact on China foreign exchange reserve if china aids European Dissertation

The impact on China foreign exchange reserve if china aids European union debt crisis - Dissertation Example As economies of the world have become highly integrated because of globalization and therefore poor economic condition of one country or one region of the world could influence the other economy. In other words, China is looking to help the European nations out of this problem so that their poor economic situation does not influence the growing economy of China. Countries like United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, France and several other European countries have good trading relationships with China and sizeable amount of goods are exported from China to European countries and therefore it helps the economy of China to prosper. But if these countries will default then China would not be able to export its goods and therefore demand of their products would be reduced and it could hurt the economic condition of China as well. 1.2. Background to the Research Study: China is planning to give aid to European countries and China is looking this aid as an investment to keep its economic growth. The foreign exchange reserves of the country at the end of December, 2011 were $3.18. This foreign exchange reserve reflects the strong economic condition of China. This foreign exchange reserve would allow China to help and bail out European countries suffering from debt crisis. Although, China has made investment in several parts of Europe and even China has increased its investment almost thrice between 2009 and 2010 however Europe requires a lot more aid and investment to get out of trouble. Not only Chinese investors have made investments, but bonds of different European banks have also been purchased by China to boost the economic condition of European Union.... There are different benefits to China if they help the European region. The aid would help China to improve its image plus it would help them to have better return on their investment. Also with this aid, China would be able to have a greater say in European and financial talk. According to Chinese government, the investment would be safe because European countries are facing temporary issues however they are rich nations. Not only this would be a safe investment, but it would be helpful for China to enter into certain parts where their products have not been dominating and several other European countries could be entered by China in which they were not been able to export sufficient number of product. In addition to this, European countries like United Kingdom, Germany and France are important trading partners of China and helping them would give them advantage in the long run. Therefore, the investment would be highly beneficial for the country in the long run. 1.3. Rationale of t he Research Study: The researcher has started conducting research to identify and analyse the impact on Chinese foreign exchange reserves if China aids European nations to help them out of debt crisis. European nations are important trading partners of China and helping them out from this crisis could not only be an investment but this would be helpful for China to maintain their economic growth rate (REUTERS, 2011). If European countries default then the exports of China would be hurt and this could hurt the economic growth rate of China and as a result this would hurt the demand of Chinese products. So, with lower demand the industries in China would suffer and it

Costco Wholesale in 2012 Essay Example for Free

Costco Wholesale in 2012 Essay Analysis and Evaluation Since the inception of Costco in 1983, one of its drawbacks is, they have 4,000 selections of merchandise compared to their competitors. In addition, customers can only purchase merchandises in bulk. Consumers who shop at Costco do not have the choice to pick up one single item, for instance a can of soup. Although Costco prices are low and the consumers get more for their money, more consumers are wasting food because they no longer have the big families. Costco needs to look at the demographics and re-evaluate their business model, as this could be detrimental to the company. In today’s society, more families are getting divorce and are becoming single parents. The big families are almost none existent; therefore, most consumers do not need to purchase in bulk. Many consumers want to have choices when it comes to the amount of food they purchase. One may say there are other shopping establishments a consumer may visit to get exactly what they want; however, that is beside the point. Giving consumers the choice to purchase individual merchandise will not only bring in more business but also an increase in cash flow, which will also increase profits for Costco. On the other hand, Costco competitors such as Wal-Mart stocked up 40,000 to 150, 000 items for shoppers to choose from and Sam’s Club have over 16,000 items. Sam’s Club have the treasure-hunt items but tend to be less upscale and carry lower price tags than those of Costco. Both Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club give shoppers more choices than Costco even though Costco offers a cheaper price on their merchandise. Costco spends very little in advertisements and they totally rely on their name and word of mouth by their customers. Compared to Sam’s Club they spent about $50 million annually advertising and direct mail promotions. Furthermore, Costco does not have a Public Relation department, which is not good business practice, even though they have been around for years and they are doing well financially. However, there are many opportunities for one of its competitor to come in take away their market share. Costco does not attract people who are below the poverty line; they cater to the business consumer and urbanites that have an annual income of $100,000; therefore, people who are impoverish cannot afford the membership fees and bulk purchase. In addition, Costco membership fee is more expensive compared to Sam’s Club. Recommendation Costco needs to improve the variety of choices by giving the consumer more than 4,000 items to choose from while their competitors are actually giving customers what they want. Costco needs to take into consideration the economy; people have lost their jobs and the recession, as customers are looking for cheaper prices and ways to saving money. Furthermore, if Costco does not come up with new and innovative strategies to entice low income and single household family to their establishment they are giving their competitors the upper hand. Costco should also focus on the advertisement because number of its rivals is already doing intense advertisement. In today’s global and technological world, many businesses are being aggressive and are taking advantage of investing heavily on the marketing. Costco cannot continue to use the concept of sitting back and waiting for their customers to spread the word by mouth. Costco needs to move in the direction of the 21st century by being more proactive by utilizing technology and a PR department for marketing purposes. It is true that company like Costco are doing good in economic downturn but competitors like Sam’s club is outperforming Costco in pricing which could be biggest threats to the Costco even though Costco keeps relatively branded and qualitative product than that of Sam’s Club The Five Forces Model of Competition Substitutes Strong threat Good substitutes everywhere Price not significantly higher Comparable product features More variety of features Low switching cost Potential new entrants Low threat Small pool entry candidates High barriers to entry Expanding market Attractive profits Buyers Weak bargaining power Some switching cost Large membership base Costco has the best value Suppliers Weak bargaining power Many suppliers Low switching cost Many substitutes exist Large quantities are needed Competing sellers Fierce Competition Costco is on top Quality is slightly better Buyer demand is growing Buyers switching cost is low SWOT Strength| Weakness| Low product and services†¢ Strong brand†¢ Excellent merchandise†¢ Exceptional employees†¢ 54 million members†¢ Economics of scale†¢ Efficiency| James Sinegal is 79†¢ Maintain high wages†¢ 42% higher than Sam’s Club†¢ Comparatively less attractive store layout for luxury items†¢Ã‚  Declining or inconsistent profit margins†¢ Primary focus on business customers rather than individual customers| Opportunities| Threat| Recession- Easier to find bargain luxury-items- Increased popularity of Costco†¢ Expanding foreign markets- Europe- China India †¢ Positive image in terms of employees pay and social responsibility†¢ Increasing brand awareness| Fierce competition†¢Costco cannot attract people who are below poverty line due to its membership fees and bulk purchase†¢High competition from Sam’s Club and BJ†¢Political problems in other countries| References Thomspson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, J. E., Strickland III, A. (2012). Crafting Executing Strategy (19th ed.). New York, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irvin.

Free Vibration Of A Cantilever Objective

Free Vibration Of A Cantilever Objective The purpose of this experiment is to determine the natural frequency of a cantilever beam study both undamped and damped free vibration motion of a cantilever beam. Vibration is the periodic motion of a body or system of connected bodies displaced from a position of equilibrium. In general, there are two types of vibration, free and forced. Free vibration is maintained by gravitational or elastic restoring force. Forced vibration is caused by an external periodic or intermittent force applied to the system. Both of these types of vibration may be either damped or undamped. Undamped vibrations can continue indefinitely because frictional effects are neglected in the analysis. Basically, if a system that is subjected to an initial disturbance and is left to vibrate on its own, the subsequent vibration is known as the free vibration. Vibrations without damping would result in a continuous vibration of the particular oscillatory body. As a matter of fact, it will produce a displacement-time graph of such nature as shown in the following figure. This graph is commonly referred to as the simple harmonic motion. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co mmons/4/44/Simple_harmonic_motion.png Figure 1: Simple Harmonic Motion (Displacement-Time Graph) However, in reality, just as with many other scientific theories, this is impossible because friction and other forces are present both internally and externally. As the system is subjected to these forces, this phenomena is called damping. The principle effect of damping is to reduce the amplitude of an oscillation, not to change its frequency. So, the graph of the amplitude of a normal damped oscillation might look like the following: http://www.efunda.com/formulae/vibrations/sdof_images/SDOF_UnderDamped_Response.gif Figure 2: Graph of Damped Oscillation (Displacement-Time Graph) Apparatus and Materials: 1. Cantilever beam apparatus -Modulus of elasticity of aluminium(E) : 70GPa -Dimension of the cantilever beam : 927mm (L) ÃÆ'- 19.09mm (W) ÃÆ'- 6.35mm (H) -Mass of the cantilever beam : 292.59g Mass of the damper : 122 g 2. Strain gauge 3. Strain recorder 4. Viscous damper Experimental Procedures: Figure 3: Experiment Setup without Viscous Damper Figure 4: Experiment Setup with Viscous Damper The computer and the strain recorder were switched on. The strain recorder application software was started by double clicking on the DC104REng shortcut icon on the computer desktop. The experiment setup was shown in Figure 3. The operation of the strain recorder and the recorder application software were referred to the operational manual. The viscous damper was removed if it was attached to the beam. The beam was held and displaced by, ymax, -20mm, -15mm, -10m, -5mm, 0, 5mm, 10mm, 15mm,and 20mm. The strain recorder reading for each displacement value from the Numerical Monitor screen of the application software was recorded manually. The relationship of the displacement (of the free end of the beam) and the strain recorder reading was obtained by plotting an appropriate graph using a spreadsheet. The beam is displaced by 30mm and the beam is left to vibrate on its own. The strain recorder reading was recorded by clicking on the Play and Stop button. The recorded file was retrieved by clicking on the Read USB button. The graph of the beam displacement versus time, t was plotted. The experiment was repeated by using beam displacement of 50mm. The viscous damper was connected as shown in Figure 3. Steps 7 and 10 were repeated by using beam displacement of 30mm and 50mm respectively. a) Theoretical Calculations As given in the experiment: Modulus of elasticity of aluminium,E = 70 GPa Length of the cantilever beam, L = 0.927m Width of the cantilever beam,b = 0.019m Thickness of the cantilever beam, h = 0.006m Mass of the cantilever beam, mcantilever = 0.293 kg Mass of the damper, mdamper = 0.122 kg b) Experimental Results and Calculations Free Vibration of Cantilever Beam at 30mm Displacement Natural Circular Frequency of Beam with Viscous Damper, The free vibration of the theoretical natural frequency of the cantilever beam in this experiment is 5.75Hz while the experimental natural frequency of the cantilever beam is 6.25Hz for amplitude of 30mm and 6.25Hz for amplitude of 50mm. The viscously damped vibration of the theoretical natural frequency of the cantilever beam is 3.45Hz and the experimental natural frequency of the cantilever beam for amplitude of 30mm and 50mm are 3.57Hz and 3.57Hz. Percentage error, % x 100% Free Vibration of Cantilever Beam at 30mm Displacement Percentage error, %= x 100% =8.70% Free Vibration of Cantilever Beam at 50mm Displacement Percentage error, %= x 100% =8.70% Viscously Damped Vibration of Cantilever Beam at 30mm Displacement Percentage error, %= x 100% =3.48% Viscously Damped Vibration of Cantilever Beam at 50mm Displacement Percentage error, %= x 100% =3.48% In this experiment, it is calculated that the percentage error for the free vibration is both 8.70% for 30mm and 50mm. For the viciously damped vibration, the percentage error for the 30mm and 50mm were both 3.48%. The results of the experiment were slightly inaccurate. This may be caused by the external force which is the air resistance as the beam oscillates. Another factor is caused by parallax error which occurred during the measuring of displacement before the beam was released as our eye level was not perpendicular to the scale of the metre rule. When the beam is released, it slightly hit the bottom of the container which decreases the original force released drastically which affects the amplitude of oscillation. Furthermore, the Modulus of Elasticity(Youngs Modulus) was given, which might not be accurate. All these source of error may affect the results of the experiment to be inaccurate. The results of the experiment can be improved by measuring the Modulus of Elasticity. Using a deeper container would also avoid the damper to hit the bottom of the container. Furthermore, the experiment can be done in a vacuum box to avoid air resistance. Eye level should be adjusted until it is perpendicular to the metre rule scale. This steps can increase the accuracy of the results. The damped period, damped natural frequency and the damping ratio of the system of free vibration is. When the amplitude is 30mm or 50mm for both cases, they have the same damped period, damped natural frequency and damped ratio. The percentage error for the free vibration of 30mm and 50mm were both 8.70% while for the viciously damped of 30mm and 50mm were both 3.48%. This indicates that the difference in amplitudes do not affect the frequency of the oscillation. From the general equation of frequency : , where c=speed of wave ÃŽÂ »= wavelength This formula proves that amplitude or displacement does not affect the frequency of the oscillation. If the strain gauge is mounted on the other end of the cantilever beam, the results would be not accurate as the gauge is very sensitive to changes. At the other end, there is not much difference in the change of length which affects the strain. In Figure 3, the strain can be detected more easily as the change in length is very obvious. This is because when the free end is free to vibrates, the vibration will be strong but the compression and tension that results on the surface of pressure sensor is not that strong. Conclusion : The theoretical natural frequency , for this experiment is 5.75Hz for free vibration cantilever. The value of both 30mm and 50mm frequency obtained were 6.25Hz which have percentage error of 8.70%. Whereas, the theoretical damped natural frequency , is 3.45 Hz. The value of both 30mm and 50mm frequency obtained were 3.57Hz which have percentage error of 3.48%. Furthermore, the results proves that the displacement does not affect the vibration(frequency) of the oscillation of the cantilever beam.

Role of New Media in Reporting Emergencies in Nigeria

Role of New Media in Reporting Emergencies in Nigeria Glory Ajabiowe The Role of New Media in Reporting Emergencies in Nigeria. (A Case Study of Ebola Virus) CHAPTER ONE:  INTRODUCTION 1.1  BACKGROUND OF STUDY Emergency communication is known for its immediate communication with stakeholders and its ability to change at a moment’s notice. Social media is also an evolving field. The use of social media is growing at an exponential rate. Since their introduction, Social Network Sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, MySpace, Cyworld, Twitter and Bebo have attracted millions of users, many of whom have integrated these sites into their daily practices, (Goldfine, 2011). We[E1] define social network sites as web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. There are many ideas about the first occurrence of social media. â€Å"Throughout much of human history, we’ve developed technologies that make it easier for us to communicate with each other† (Carton, 2009). The earliest information encountered by the writers of this article  referred to 1792 and the use of the telegraph to transmit and receive messages over long distances (Ritholz, 2010). Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist known by many as the father of sociology, and Ferdinand Tonnies, a German sociologist, are considered pioneers of social networks during the late 1800s. Tonnies believed that social groups could exist because members shared values and beliefs or because shared conflict. His theory dealt with the social contract conceptions of society. Durkheim combined empirical research with sociological theory. Also, in the late 1800s, the radio and telephone were used for social interaction, albeit one-way with the radio (Rimskii, 2011, Wren, 2004). Since the late 1990’s, the new social media have not only changed the perception of risk and  crises, but also citizens expectations towards emergency response officials, the private sector,  volunteer organizations, etc[E2]. Twitter, Facebook and Ushahidi among others have been widely used to communicate about risks and crisis situations (e.g. 2010 Haiti earthquake, 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, etc.[E3]). This change is linked to the rapid development of the Web 2.0 and its applications. While Internet traffic is expected to grow 25-30% between 2011 and 2015 in North America, Western Europe and Japan, and to reach or surpass 50% in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa according to the UN global pulse white book, the use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter is growing even more rapidly. Social media is user-generated content distributed through the Internet with the intent to  be shared and facilitate conversation between users (Wright Hinson, 2009). Social media is  one of the major methods of social interaction around the world today (Wright Hinson, 2009). In general, the following are considered social media tools and platforms: message boards, photo  sharing, podcasts, Really Simple Syndication (RSS), video sharing, Wikis, blogs, social  networks and micro-blogging sites (Wright Hinson, 2009). Social Media can be called a strategy and an outlet for broadcasting, while Social Networking is a tool and a utility for connecting with others (Cohen, 2009; Stelzner, 2009). Furthermore, Cohen (2009) reports that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸the difference is not just semantics but in the features and functions put into these websites by their creators which dictates the way they are to be used†.[E4] Facebook is a social networking website launched in February 2004, and it is privately operated by Facebook, Inc. (Facebook, 2004). Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg and others when he was a student at Harvard; though when the site was initially launched, it was restricted to Harvard students only. Later the privilege was extended to high school students and later to everyone that is 13 years or older (Boyd, 2007). As of July 2010, Facebook has more than 500 million active users. In January 2009, Facebook was ranked as the most used social network worldwide. Also, in May 2010, Google announced that more people visited Facebook than any other website in the world. It declares that this was discovered from findings on 1,000 sites across the world, (TIMES, 2010). Users may create a personal profile; add other users as friends, and exchange messages, including automatic notifications, photos and comments when they update their profile. Additionally, Facebook users may join common i nterest user groups, organized by workplace, school, college, or other characteristics. Ebola virus was discovered in 1976 and since then 2,265 reported cases of Ebola fever in humans around the world of these victims, 1,531 resulted in death killed. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC, 2012). The first known case of Ebola in Nigeria was a traveller exposed in Liberia. On July 17, 2014, while under observation in a Monrovia, Liberia, hospital for possible Ebola, the patient developed a fever and, while symptomatic, left the hospital against medical advice. Despite advice against travel, on July 20 he flew by commercial airline from Monrovia via Accra, Ghana, to Lomà ©, Togo, then changed aircraft, and flew to Lagos. On arrival the afternoon of July 20, he was acutely ill and immediately transported to a private hospital where he was noted to have fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea. During hospital admission, the patient was queried about Ebola and said he had no known exposure; he was initially treated for presumed malaria. Based on the patients failure to respond to malaria treatment and his travel from an Ebola-affected country in the region, treating physicians suspected Ebola. The patient was isolated and tested for Ebola virus infection while local public health authorities were alerted about a suspected case of Ebola. A blood specimen sent to Lagos University Teaching Hospital was confirmed positive for acute Ebola virus infection. The patient died on July 25. Port Health Services conducted early contact tracing at the airport and worked with airlines and partners to ensure notification of the outbreak through International Health Regulations mechanisms During the 2009 influenza pandemic, tweets and SMS were used to indicate where vaccination  against H1N1 influenza was available. Social media were used to encourage the population to  vaccinate and to indicate where the nearest place was to do so. In Kenya, which has 33 million people there are 11.3 million mobile phone subscribers but only 264000 landline and 3 million internet users. An opt-in system for blood donors enables them to receive text messages or email reminders stating when they are eligible to donate again but also messages calling for donors of specific blood types during shortages or crises. The World Health Organisation (WHO) uses social media in its Strategic Health Operations  Centre (SHOC) which operate 24-7. Thanks to TweetDeck, they conduct search by selected keywords on Twitter. WHO now has two full-time social media staff and receives nearly 6,000 new followers on Twitter per week and about the same number on Facebook per month. These numbers are growing, which helps WHO both to monitor health crisis and provide good advices to the followers. During the Fukushima events, the TweetDeck observed that some people were telling their friends to drink wound cleaners, which contain iodine, because they thought this would help their body be prepared for the nuclear radiation coming up. Via Twitter and Facebook, the WHO social media team warned people not to drink it because it could be harmful. The same day, WHO noticed people rushing to take iodine pills and tweeted: â€Å"Consult your doctor before taking iodine pills. Do not self-medicate!† As communication technology diversifies and proliferates, social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) are increasingly used to convey information during crises to send warnings, to conduct situational awareness, and even to catalyse action and sustain dialogs and feedback loops among public authorities, volunteer groups, the business sector and citizens. Despite their usefulness, governments view social media with some caution due to the cost that could be incurred by trying to keep pace with growing citizen expectations. The reliability of social media content is sometimes questioned, though filtering tools have been developed that may be used to reduce time spent reading irrelevant messages and untrustworthy sources. The social media can be used to enhance risk and crisis communication in several ways. First,  they are collaborative and participatory. Online discussions can improve situation awareness. Second, they are decentralised. The information can circulate very quickly among actors, thanks to RSS feeds or Tweets, which are immediately available online to multiple organisations. Third, social media are popular and accessible. Emergency services can extend their reach when sending information or warning. Finally, social media can provide data that are geographically or temporally traceable. It becomes possible to monitor the geographical and time development of a crisis thanks to digitally generated content. The evolution of social media has led to faster spread of messages and the ability to minimize harm done to an organization in a crisis scenario. Social media is starting to change the way we do business, and I think if we don’t realize what’s happening in emergency management then people are going to look up, and they’re going to go- †What just happened?†Ã‚  (Richard, 2011). But Social media also has the potential to ruin a company’s reputation or expedite the spread of harmful corporate rumors (Semple, 2009). This is evident in the spread of the water salt solution (Salty Friday) by a tertiary institution student via the Facebook that led to the death of many people all over the country including Plateau state after many drank the salt water and bath with it (Salty Friday). For Iqaluit’s mayor, Madeleine Redfern in (Canadian Red Cross, 2012), Facebook is often the best way to reach members of her community, especially in emergencies. Many Iqaluit residents use Facebook, which can provide timely updates and allow for two-way communication more effectively than mainstream media. By sharing timely information with her community through social media, Mayor Redfern can help dispel rumors before they spread. â€Å"If misinformation is not corrected and it spreads like wildfire, then suddenly people are angry and scared and act in ways not in their best interest,† she added. â€Å"It’s the difference between an informed public and a panicked one.† In Nigeria, 56 Ebola cases have been reported of which 6 has been killed by the disease. It is against this background the researcher is willing to examine the attitude of social media users towards the awareness of Ebola virus on Facebook. 1.2  STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Social networking sites can serve many uses throughout emergencies and disaster relief. Social networking sites can gather information in a central location as well as serve as a resource to understand the magnitude of a disaster during the disaster or emergency (Palen et al., 2009). However, the major problem is that Facebook users post, comment, sharing information on Ebola virus which they know little or nothing about the credibility of its source as to add salt to bathwater which also killed some hypertensive patients in Borno state. Social media users know little or nothing about the rule or law guiding post, comment, sharing information and so on. Another problem is that many of the users on social media expressed their opinion with little or no proper editing of the contents they are sharing. The source of major information, idea, concept being discussed through social media lack credibility and authority. Opinion and attitudes are only formed based on the information posted on social networking sites since there is not an established gatekeepers unlike traditional mass media where the reporters, proof-readers and editors make corrections and filter before disseminated to the citizen, as citizens are now part of information gathering and dissemination. 1.3  RESEARCH QUESTIONS The distinctiveness of this research is to be based on the following research questions. To what extent has Nigeria explored facebook in reporting the Ebola virus? What are emergency managers’ attitudes toward facebook and other social media? To what extent has the use of facebook resulted to falsified/speculative report of critical issues in Nigeria? What benefits are gained from the use of facebook and other social media use during emergencies? 1.4  AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The study is geared to achieve these aims and objectives To ascertain how the internet Web technology has affected the practice of journalism in Nigeria. To ascertain how the use of social media in plateau state has impacted the system in terms of reporting emergency cases. To find out how the use of facebook has aided human interaction in plateau state. To find out and examine the pitfalls of facebook in the report of the Ebola Virus outbreak. 1.5  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study is to understand how social media is being used in emergency situations. It attempts to understand communication throughout a disease outbreak and the various ways social media can be used to supplement disaster relief efforts. The study will go a long way to bridge the gap of knowledge existing about the use of the social media platform for ordinary chats among friends and set a paradigm for human cooperation and interaction through the sharing of vital information during emergency periods and when other urgent issues of national relevance come into play or relevant. By exploring current social media practices of emergency relief and government organizations, and their successes and failures during emergencies best practices will be established, so as to help add to the bank of knowledge already existent in the field. 1.6 SCOPE OF STUDY Facebook.comaccording to Alexa website ranking on 4th, January 2014 was regarded as the most visited website with statistic of 900,000,000 per month followed bygoogle.com, while Twitter is ranked as one of the ten-most-visited websites worldwide by Alexa’s Web Traffic Analysis. It is recorded that at least 5 million and seven hundred and fifty thousand Nigerians are on facebook with a good number of them being young or students. (facebook statistics, 2014). This has prompted me to use facebook as a social media platform for this study. More so, this study is limited to Jos South local government, Plateau state. 1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS The researcher intends to define ambiguous terms in this study with the operational meaning as it will be used in the study and not the dictionary meanings. New media: This is a new platform/provision that came with the turn of the millennium and ushered in immediacy and interaction in the art and science of communication and also makes possible/faster the unification of the world into a global village. Emergency: This is an impromptu call or situation that may be caused by a disease outbreak, natural disaster, etc., for which human attention/help is needed immediately. Facebook: This is a social media platform that allows users to share comments, pictures, videos and other forms of communication and bridges the gap created by distance. Ebola Virus: This is a viral disease that infected 56 people in Nigeria and killed 6. It is characterized by cough, fever, acute headache, and bleeding before death. Salty Friday: This is the day a group of students used the facebook and falsely reported that people should drink and bath with salt water to remedy the Ebola Virus. This day was evident with phone calls, text messages and chats in the middle of the night and in the early hours of the day. REFERENCES Boyd, D. (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Computer Mediated Communication, 3-20. Carton, S. (2009). Defining social media. Retrieved from http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/1703507/defining-social-media CDC, (2014 ) â€Å"CDC Urges all US Residents to Avoid None-essential Travel to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leon Because of an Unprecedented Outbreak of Ebola†. CDC, July 31. Cohen, L. S. (2009, April 30). Is There A Difference Between Social Media And Social Networking? Retrieved from Lonscohen: Émile Durkheim. (2010). In Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Retrieved from Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/174299/Emile- Durkheim Facebook. (2004). Facebook Inc. Retrieved from Facebook.com: http://www.face.com Goldfine, E. (2011) The Use of Social Media Throughout Emergency Disaster Relief. Washington DC. Palen, L., et al. (2009). Crisis in a Networked World: Features of Computer-Mediated Communication ,Virginia Tech Event. Social Science Computer Review, 27(4), 467-480. doi: Article Red cross (2012) Canadian red cross on social media, Canada: the star phoenix Rimskii, V. (2011). The influence of the Internet on active social involvement and the formation   and development of identities. Russian Social Science Review, 52 (1), 79-101. Ritholz, B. (2010) History of social media. Retrieved from http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/12/history-of-social-media/ Social media update (2014.) while facebook remains the most popular site, other platforms see higher rates of growth. Pew research centre Stelzner, M. (2009, May 22). Social Media vs. Social Networking : What s the difference . Retrieved December 4, 2010, from examiner: http://www.examiner.com/networking-in- national/social-media-vs-social-networking-what-s-the-difference Semple, E. (2009). Update your crisis communication plan with social media.  Strategic Communication Management, 13(5), 7. doi: Article. TIMES, L. (2010). The business and culture of our digital lives, . Los Angeles Times, 1. Wright, D., Hinson, M. (2009). An Updated Look at the Impact of Social Media on Public  Relations Practice. Public Relations Journal, 3(2), 27. [E1]Who is the we? Cite properly [E2]Avoid the use of etc. instead use words like ‘and others’ [E3]Same as above [E4]Plagiarism

Queen Elizabeth the First Essay -- essays research papers

Queen Elizabeth 1 The reign of Queen Elizabeth I is often referred to as "The Golden Age" of English history. Elizabeth was an immensely popular Queen, and her popularity has waned little with the passing of four hundred years. She is still one of the best-loved monarchs, and one of the most admired rulers of all time. She became a legend in her own lifetime, famed for her remarkable abilities and achievements. Yet, about Elizabeth the woman, we know very little. She is an enigma, and was an enigma to her own people. Elizabeth was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. She was born on 7 September 1533 at Greenwich Palace. Her birth was possibly the greatest disappointment of her father's life. He had wanted a son and heir to succeed him as he already had a daughter, Mary, by his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. He had not divorced Katherine, and changed the religion of the country in the process, to have only another daughter. Elizabeth's early life was consequently troubled. Her mother failed to provide the King with a son and was executed on false charges of incest and adultery on 19 May 1536. Her marriage to the King was declared null and void, and Elizabeth, like her half-sister, Mary, was declared illegitimate and deprived of her place in the line of succession. The next eight years of her life saw a quick succession of stepmothers. There was Jane Seymour who died giving birth to the King's longed for son, Edward; Anne of Cleves who was divorced; Catherine Howard w ho was beheaded; and finally Catherine Parr. For generations, historians have debated whether the constant bride changing of her father was responsible for Elizabeth's apparent refusal to marry. It is certainly possible that the tragic fates of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard impressed upon her a certain fear of marriage, but there may have been other reasons for the Queen's single state, such as a fear of childbirth, which claimed the lives of a significant number of women in this period. Even if the Queen had no personal reservations about marriage, there were political problems with almost every contender for her hand. Religion was a major divisive issue, and there was also the problem of whether Elizabeth would have to relinquish any of her royal powers to a husband in an age when the political sphere was exclusively male. As a child, Elizabeth wa... ... claim the English throne for himself and not for her. In the summer of 1588 he sent his mighty fleet against England. But by superior tactics, ship design, and sheer good fortune, the English defeated them. Elizabeth's popularity reached its zenith. It was also another personal triumph as she had proved that she, a woman, could lead in war as well as any man. Elizabeth was dedicated to her country in a way few monarchs had been or have been since. Elizabeth had the mind of a political genius and nurtured her country through careful leadership and by choosing capable men to assist her, such as Sir William Cecil and Sir Francis Walsingham. Elizabeth was a determined woman, but she was not obstinate. She listened to the advice of those around her, and would change a policy if it were unpopular. In appearance she was extravagant, in behavior sometimes flippant and frivolous, but her approach to politics was serious, conservative, and cautious. When she ascended the throne in 1558, England was an impoverished country torn apart by religious squabbles. When she died at Richmond Palace on the 24th March 1603, England was one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world.

Eulogy for Mother :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Mother My mother gave me a very special gift before she left. A gift that I don't need to decide how to pass down & divide evenly to my 3 beautiful children (her grandchildren Jessica, Emily and Julia) A gift that I don't need to worry about keeping on a safe shelf so it doesn't break. My mother (and father) gave me the gift of faith. Anyone who knew my mother knew she always prayed. Over these past few days my brothers and I have discussed this and wondered how many hours during the day she prayed. We've concluded it wasn't how many hours she prayed, but how many minutes during the day she wasn't praying. I'd tell my mom about someone sick in my family, or a friend of mine or my husband Jerry's friends and when I'd talk to her the next day she'd say, "how's so and so doing - I've been praying for them." Over these past few weeks I've realized the power of prayer & the power of my mother's prayers. For I had this special peace before and during this holiday season. I didn't get "holidayitis" as my brothers well know this term. I wasn't stressed out and I kept saying, "there are 12 days of Christmas." This peace allowed us to have such a wonderful Christmas day with my mother and I know she enjoyed it greatly & saw the peace in me. That day was the last time I saw my mother and again, I realize now how her prayers were answered. For how much better does a departure from this worldly existence get by seeing and talking to your family for the last time on Christmas day, speaking her final words to her grandchildren by saying "I love you" for that is how she always said goodbye to them, and in her final moments†¦praying with her beloved husband of 57 years. And look around you now at this church-the celebration of the birth of Christ and everlasting life. Today when I cry I'm not crying for my mother for she always told us "Don't worry about me when I die, I'll be very happy with the Lord.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 32

Joseph rubbed the bridge of his nose as if fighting a headache. â€Å"He said he'd see what he could do.† We watched as the Roman soldiers took Joshua inside and the priests followed. The Pharisees, commoners in the eyes of the Romans, were left outside. A legionnaire almost caught Jakan's face in the gate when he slammed it. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, and I looked up to a high, wide balcony that was visible above the palace walls. It had obviously been designed by Herod the Great's architects as a platform from which the king could address the masses in the Temple without compromising his safety. A tall Roman in a lush red robe was standing on the balcony looking down on the crowd, and not looking particularly happy with their presence. â€Å"Is that Pilate?† I asked Joseph, pointing to the Roman. Joseph nodded. â€Å"He'll go downstairs to hold Joshua's trial.† But I wasn't interested at that point in where Pilate was going. What interested me was the centurion who stood behind him wearing the full-crested helmet and breastplate of a legion commander. Not a half hour later the gate was opened and a squad of Roman soldiers brought Joshua out of the palace in bonds. A lower-rank centurion pulled Joshua along by a rope around his wrists. The priests followed along behind and were mobbed with questions by the Pharisees who had been waiting outside. â€Å"Go find out what's going on,† I said to Joseph. We waded into the middle of the procession that followed. Most were screaming at Joshua and trying to spit on him. I spotted a few people in the crowd that I knew to be Joshua's followers, but they were going along silently, their eyes darting around as if any second they might be the next one arrested. Simon, Andrew, and I followed behind at some distance, while Maggie fought the crowd to get close to Joshua. I saw her throw herself at her ex-husband, Jakan, who was trailing the priests, but she was stopped in mid-leap by Joseph of Arimathea, who caught her by the hair and pulled her back. Someone else was helping restrain her, but he wore a shawl over his head so I couldn't tell who it was. Probably Peter. Joseph dragged Maggie back to us and handed her over to me and Simon. â€Å"She'll get herself killed.† Maggie looked up at me, a wildness in her eyes that I couldn't read, either anger or madness. I wrapped my arms around her and held her so her arms were pinned to her sides as we walked along. The man with the hood walked along beside me, his hand on Maggie's shoulder, steadying her. When he looked at me I could see it was Peter. The wiry fisherman seemed to have aged twenty years since I'd seen him Tuesday night. â€Å"They're taking him to Antipas,† Peter said. â€Å"As soon as Pilate heard Joshua was from Galilee he said it wasn't his jurisdiction and sent him to Herod.† â€Å"Maggie,† I said into her ear, â€Å"please stop being a madwoman. My plan just went to hell and I could use some critical thinking.† Once again we waited outside of one of the palaces built by Herod the Great, but this time, because it was a Jewish king in residence, the Pharisees were let in and Joseph of Arimathea went in with them. A few minutes later he was back outside again. â€Å"He's trying to get Joshua to perform a miracle,† Joseph said. â€Å"He'll let him go if Joshua performs a miracle for him.† â€Å"And if Joshua won't do it?† â€Å"He won't,† said Maggie. â€Å"If he won't do it,† Joseph said, â€Å"we're back where we started. It will be up to Pilate to order the Sanhedrin's death sentence carried out or to release Joshua.† â€Å"Maggie, come with me,† I said, tugging at her dress as I backed away. â€Å"Why, where?† â€Å"The plan's back on.† I ran back to the praetorium, with Maggie in tow. I pulled up by a pillar across from the Antonia Palace. â€Å"Maggie, can Peter really heal? Really?† â€Å"Yes, I told you.† â€Å"Wounds? Broken bones?† â€Å"Wounds, yes. I don't know about bones.† â€Å"I hope so,† I said. I left her there while I went to the highest-ranking centurion stationed outside the gates. â€Å"I need to see your commander,† I said. â€Å"Go away, Jew.† â€Å"I'm a friend. Tell him it's Levi from Nazareth.† â€Å"I'll tell him nothing.† So I stepped up and took the centurion's sword out of its scabbard, put the point under his chin for a split second, then replaced it in its scabbard. He reached for the sword and suddenly it was in my hand and under his chin again. Before he could call out the sword was back in its scabbard. â€Å"There,† I said, â€Å"you owe me your life twice. By the time you call to have me arrested I'll have your sword again and you'll not only be embarrassed but your head will be all wobbly from your throat being cut. Or, you can take me to see my friend Gaius Justus Gallicus, commander of the Sixth Legion.† Then I took a deep breath and waited. The centurion's eyes darted to the soldiers closest to him, then back to me. â€Å"Think, Centurion,† I said. â€Å"If you arrest me, where will I end up anyway?† The logic of it seemed to strike him through his frustration. â€Å"Come with me,† he said. I signaled to Maggie to wait and followed the soldier into Pilate's fortress. Justus seemed uncomfortable in the lush quarters they had assigned him at the palace. He'd had shields and spears placed around the room in different places, as if he needed to remind anyone who entered that a soldier lived here. I stood in the doorway while he paced, looking up at me occasionally as if he wanted to kill me. He wiped the sweat from his closely cropped gray hair and whipped it so it drew a stripe across the stone floor. â€Å"I can't stop the sentence. No matter what I want.† â€Å"I just don't want him hurt,† I said. â€Å"If Pilate crucifies him, he'll be hurt, Biff. That's sort of the point.† â€Å"Damaged, I mean. No broken bones, no cut sinew. Have them tie his arms to the cross.† â€Å"They have to use nails,† Justus said, his mouth shaping into a cruel frown. â€Å"Nails are iron. They're inventoried. Each one is accounted for.† â€Å"You Romans are masters of supply.† â€Å"What do you want?† â€Å"Okay, tie him then, only nail through the web of his fingers and toes, and put a board on the cross so he can support his weight with his feet.† â€Å"That's no kindness you're doing him. He could linger a week that way.† â€Å"No he won't,† I said. â€Å"I'm going to give him poison. And I want his body as soon as he's dead.† At the word â€Å"poison,† Justus had stopped pacing and looked up at me with open resentment. â€Å"It's not up to me to release the body, but if you want to make sure the body is unharmed I'll have to keep soldiers there until the end. Sometimes your people like to help the crucified die more quickly by throwing stones. I don't know why they bother.† â€Å"Yes, you do, Justus. You of all people do. You can spit that Roman bitterness toward mercy all you want, but you know. You were the one who sent for Joshua when your friend was suffering. You humbled yourself and asked for mercy. That's all I'm doing.† Now the resentment drained from his face and was replaced by amazement. â€Å"You're going to bring him back, aren't you?† â€Å"I just want to bury my friend's body intact.† â€Å"You're going to bring him back from the dead. Like the soldier at Sepphoris, the one the Sicarii killed. That's why you need his body undamaged.† â€Å"Something like that,† I nodded, looking at the floor to avoid the old soldier's eyes. Justus nodded, obviously shaken. â€Å"Pilate has to authorize the body to be taken down. Crucifixion is supposed to stand as an example to others.† â€Å"I have a friend who can get the body released.† â€Å"Joshua could still be set free, you know?† â€Å"He won't be,† I said. â€Å"He doesn't want to be.† Justus turned from me then. â€Å"I'll give the orders. Kill him quickly, then take the body and get it out of my jurisdiction even quicker.† â€Å"Thank you, Justus.† â€Å"Don't embarrass any more of my officers or your friend will be asking for two bodies.† When I came out of the fortress Maggie ran into my arms. â€Å"It's horrible. They put a crown of thorns on his head and the crowd spit on him. The soldiers beat him.† The crowd milled around us. â€Å"Where is he now?† The crowd roared and people began pointing up to the balcony. Pilate stood there next to Joshua, who was being held by two soldiers. Joshua stared straight ahead, still looking as if he were in a trance. Blood was running into his eyes. Pilate raised his arms and the crowd went quiet. â€Å"I have no complaint with this man, yet your priests say that he has committed blasphemy. This is no crime under Roman law,† said Pilate. â€Å"What would you have me do with him?† â€Å"Crucify him!† screamed someone next to me. I looked over to see Jakan waving a fist. The other Pharisees began chanting, â€Å"Crucify him, crucify him.† And soon the whole crowd seemed to join in. Among the crowd I saw the few of Joshua's followers that were left begin to slink away before the anger was turned on them. Pilate made a gesture as if he was washing his hands and walked inside. Friday Eleven apostles, Maggie, Joshua's mother, and his brother James gathered at the upper room of Joseph of Arimathea's house. The merchant had been to see Pilate and the governor agreed to release Joshua's body in honor of the Passover. Joseph explained: â€Å"The Romans aren't stupid, they know our women prepare the dead, so we can't send the apostles to get him. The soldiers will give the body to Maggie and Mary. James, since you're his brother, they'll allow you to come along to help carry him. The rest of you should keep your faces covered. The Pharisees will be looking for Joshua's followers. The priests have already spent too much time on this during a feast week, so they'll all be at the Temple. I've bought a tomb near the hill where they'll crucify him. Peter, you will wait there.† â€Å"What if I can't heal him?† Peter said. â€Å"I've never even tried to raise the dead.† â€Å"He won't be dead,† I said. â€Å"He just won't be able to move. I couldn't find the ingredients I needed to make a potion to kill the pain, so he'll look dead, but he'll feel everything. I know what it's like, I was in that state for weeks once. Peter, you'll have to heal the wounds from the lash and the nails, but they shouldn't be mortal. I'll give him the antidote as soon as he's out of sight of the Romans. Maggie, as soon as they give him to you, close his eyes if they're open or they'll dry out.† â€Å"I can't watch it,† Maggie said. â€Å"I can't watch them nail him to that tree.† â€Å"You don't have to. Wait at the tomb. I'll send someone to get you when it's time.† â€Å"Can this work?† Andrew said. â€Å"Can you bring him back, Biff?† â€Å"I'm not bringing him back from anything. He won't be dead, he'll just be hurt.† â€Å"We'd better go,† said Joseph, looking out the window at the sky. â€Å"They'll bring him out at noon.† A crowd had gathered outside of the praetorium, but most were merely curious; only a few of the Pharisees, among them Jakan, had actually come out to see Joshua executed. I stayed back, almost a half-block away, watching. The other disciples were spread out, wearing shawls or turbans that covered their faces. Peter had sent Bartholomew to sit with Maggie and Mary at the tomb. No shawl could disguise his bulk or his stench. Three heavy crossbeams leaned against the wall outside the palace gates, waiting for their victims. At noon Joshua was brought out along with two thieves who had also been sentenced to death, and the beams were placed upon their shoulders. Joshua was bleeding from a dozen places on his head and face, and although he still wore the purple robe that Herod had placed on him, I could see that blood from the flogging had run down and left streaks on his legs. He still looked like he was in some sort of trance, but there was no question that he was feeling the pain of his wounds. The crowd closed in on him, shouting insults and spitting on him, but I noticed that when he stumbled, someone always lifted him to his feet. His followers were still scattered among the crowd, they were just afraid to show themselves. From time to time I looked around the periphery of the mob and caught the eye of one of the apostles. Always there was a tear there, and always a mix of anguish and anger. It took everything I had not to rush in among the soldiers, take one of their swords, and start hacking. Afraid of my own temper, I fell back from the crowd until I came alongside of Simon. â€Å"I can't do it either,† I said. â€Å"I can't watch them put him on the cross.† â€Å"You have to,† the Zealot said. â€Å"No, you be there, Simon. Let him see your face. Let him know you're there. I'll come up once the cross is set.† I had never been able to look at someone who was being crucified even when I didn't know them. I knew I wouldn't be able to stomach watching them do it to my best friend. I'd lose control, attack someone, and then we'd both be lost. Simon was a soldier, a secret soldier, but a soldier still. He could do it. The horrible scene at the temple of Kali ran through my head. â€Å"Simon, tell him I said mindful breath. Tell him that there is no cold.† â€Å"What cold?† â€Å"He'll know what it means. If he remembers he'll be able to shut out the pain. He learned to do that in the East.† â€Å"I'll tell him.† I wouldn't be able to tell him myself, not without giving myself away. I watched from the walls of the city as they led Joshua to the road that ran by the hill called Golgotha, a thousand yards outside the Gennath Gate. I turned away, but even from a thousand yards I could hear him screaming as they drove the nails. Justus had assigned four soldiers to watch Joshua die. After a half hour they were alone except for perhaps a dozen onlookers and the families of the two thieves, who were praying and singing dirges at the feet of the condemned. Jakan and the other Pharisees had only stayed to see Joshua hoisted upright and the cross set, then they went off to feast with their families. â€Å"A game,† I said, tossing a pair of dice in the air as I approached the soldiers. â€Å"Just a simple game.† I had borrowed a tunic and an expensive sash from Joseph of Arimathea. He'd also given me his purse, which I held up and jingled in front of the soldiers. â€Å"A game, Legionnaire?† One of the Romans laughed. â€Å"And where would we get money to gamble with?† â€Å"We'll play for those clothes behind you. That purple robe at the foot of the cross.† The Roman lifted the robe with a spear point, then looked up at Joshua, whose eyes went wide when he saw me. â€Å"Sure, it looks like we'll be here a while. Let's have a game.† First I had to lose enough money to give the Romans something to gamble with, then I had to win it back slowly enough to keep me there long enough to accomplish my mission. (I silently thanked Joy for teaching me how to cheat at dice.) I handed the dice to the soldier nearest me, who was perhaps fifty years old, built short and powerfully, but covered with scar tissue and gnarled limbs, evidence of broken bones mishealed. He looked too old to be soldiering this far from Rome, and too beaten down to make the journey home. The other soldiers were younger, in their twenties, I guessed, all with dark olive skin and dark eyes, all lean, fit, and hungry-looking. Two of the younger soldiers carried the standard Roman infantry spear, a wooden shaft with a narrow iron spike as long as a man's forearm, tipped with a compact three-bladed point designed to be driven through armor. The other two carried the wasp-waisted Iberian short sword that I'd seen on Justus' belt so many times. He must have had them imported for his legion to fit his own preference. (Most Romans used a straight-bladed short sword.) I handed the dice to the old soldier and dumped some coins out in the dirt. As the Roman threw the dice against the bottom of Joshua's cross I scanned the hills and saw the apostles watching from behind trees and over rocks. I gave a signal and it passed from one to the other, and finally to a woman who waited back on one of the city walls. â€Å"Oh my, the gods have turned against me today,† I said, rolling a losing combination. â€Å"I thought you Jews only had one God.† â€Å"I was talking about your gods, Legionnaire. I'm losing.† The soldiers laughed and I heard a moan from above us. I cringed and felt as if my ribs would cave in on themselves from the pain in my heart. I ventured a glance at Joshua and he was looking right at me. â€Å"You don't have to do this,† he said in Sanskrit. â€Å"What nonsense is the Jew talking now?† asked the old soldier. â€Å"I couldn't say, soldier. He must be delirious.† I saw two women approaching the foot of the cross on Joshua's left, carrying a large bowl, a jar of water, and a long stick. â€Å"Hey there, get away from them.† â€Å"Just here to give a drink of water to the condemned, sir. No harm meant.† The woman took a sponge from the bowl and squeezed it out. It was Susanna, Maggie's friend from Galilee, along with Johanna. They'd come down for the Passover to cheer Joshua into the city, now we'd conscripted them to help poison him. The soldiers watched as the women dipped the sponge, then attached it to the end of the stick and held it for the thief to drink from. I had to look away. â€Å"Faith, Biff,† Joshua said, again in Sanskrit. â€Å"There, you shut up and die,† barked one of the younger Romans. I twitched and squinted at the dice in lieu of crushing the soldier's windpipe. â€Å"Give me a seven. Baby needs new sandals,† said another young Roman. I couldn't look at Joshua and I couldn't look to see what the women were doing. The plan was that they would go to the two thieves first, so as not to raise suspicion, but now I was regretting the decision to delay. Finally Susanna brought the bowl to where we were gambling and set it down while Johanna poured some water over the sponge. â€Å"Got any wine there for a thirsty soldier?† said one of the young soldiers. He smacked Johanna on the bottom. â€Å"Or some other relief?† The old soldier caught the young soldier's arm and pushed him away. â€Å"You'll be up on that stick with this wretch, Marcus. These Jews take touching their women seriously. Justus won't tolerate it.† Susanna pulled her shawl around her face. She was pretty, lean with small facial features except for her wide brown eyes. She was too old not to be married, but I suspected that she had left a husband to follow Joshua. It was the same story with Johanna, except that her husband had followed along for a while, then divorced her when she wouldn't come home with him. She was more sturdily built, and she rolled like a wagon when she walked. She took the sponge and held it out to me. â€Å"Drink, sir?† Here the timing was critical. â€Å"Anyone want a sip of water?† I asked before taking the sponge. I was palming the ying-yang amulet as I said it. â€Å"Drink after a Jewish dog. Not likely,† said the old soldier. â€Å"I'm getting the impression that my Jewish money might sully your Roman purse,† I said. â€Å"Maybe I should go.† â€Å"No, your money's good enough,† said a young soldier, punching my shoulder in good spirits. I was tempted to relieve him of his teeth. I took the sponge and feigned taking a drink. When I raised the sponge to squeeze the water into my mouth I dumped the poison over it. Instantly I handed it back to Johanna so as not to poison myself. Without dipping it back in the water she affixed the sponge to the stick and raised it up to Joshua's face. His head rolled, and his tongue rolled out of the side of his mouth against the moisture. â€Å"Drink,† Johanna said, but Joshua didn't seem to hear her. She pushed the sponge harder against his mouth and it dripped on one of the Romans. â€Å"Drink.† â€Å"Move away from there, Marcus,† said the old soldier. â€Å"When he goes he'll lose his fluids all over you. You don't want to sit too close.† The old Roman laughed raucously. â€Å"Drink it, Joshua,† said Susanna. Finally Joshua opened his eyes and pushed his face into the sponge. I held my breath as I heard him sucking the moisture out of it. â€Å"Enough!† said the young soldier. He knocked the stick out of Susanna's hands. The sponge went flying off into the dirt. â€Å"He'll be dead soon.† â€Å"Not soon enough, though, with that block to stand on,† said the old soldier. Then time began to pass more slowly than I could ever remember. When Joy had poisoned me it had taken only seconds before I was paralyzed, then when I'd used the poison on the man in India he'd dropped almost immediately. I tried to pretend to pay attention to the game, but I was looking for some sign that the poison was working. The women moved away and watched from a distance, but I heard one of them gasp and when I looked up, Joshua's head had lolled over. Drool ran out of his open mouth. â€Å"How do you know when he's dead?† I asked. â€Å"Like this.† The young soldier named Marcus prodded Joshua in the thigh with his spear. Joshua moaned and opened his eyes and I felt my stomach sink. I could hear sobbing from Johanna and Susanna. I threw the dice, and waited. An hour passed, and still Joshua moaned. I could hear him praying softly from time to time over the laughter of the soldiers. Another hour. I had begun to shake. Every sound from the cross was like a hot iron driven in my spine. I couldn't bring myself to look up at him. The disciples moved closer, less concerned now about staying hidden, but the Romans were too intent on their game to notice. Unfortunately, I was not intent enough. â€Å"That's it for you,† said the old soldier. â€Å"Unless you want to gamble for your own cloak now. Your purse is empty.† â€Å"Is this bastard ever going to die?† said one of the young soldiers. â€Å"He just needs help,† said the young soldier named Marcus, who had stood and was leaning on his spear. Before I could even get to my feet he thrust the spear upward into Joshua's side, the point went up under his ribs, and his heart blood pulsed down the iron in three great gushes, then ran out in a trickle. Marcus yanked the spear out. The entire hillside echoed with screaming, some of it my own. I stood transfixed, shaking, watching the blood run out of Joshua's side. Hands latched onto my arms and I was dragged back, away from the cross. The Romans started to pick up their things to head back to the praetorium. â€Å"Loony,† said the old soldier, looking at me. Joshua looked at me one last time, then closed his eyes and died. â€Å"Come away, Biff,† a woman's voice said in my ear. â€Å"Come away.† They turned me around and started marching me toward the city. I could feel a chill running over me as the wind came up and the sky started to darken under a sudden storm. There was still screaming, going on and on, and when Johanna clamped her hand over my mouth I realized it was me who had been screaming. I blinked tears out of my eyes, again and again, trying to at least see where they were leading me, but as soon as my sight would clear another sob would rock my body and the water would rise again. They were leading me to the Gennath Gate, that much I could tell, and there was a dark figure standing on the wall above the gate, watching us. I blinked and caught a single second of clarity as I saw who it was. â€Å"Judas!† I screamed until my voice shattered. I shook off the women and ran through the gate, swung myself up on top of one of the huge doors, and leapt to the wall. Judas ran south along the wall, looking from side to side for a place to jump off. There was no thought to what I was doing, nothing but grief gone to anger, love gone to hatred. I followed Judas across the roofs of Jerusalem, tossing aside anyone who got in my way, shattering pottery, crashing down rooftop chicken cages, pulling down lines of hanging clothes. When he came to a roof that led no further, Judas jumped two stories to the ground and came up limping as he ran down the street toward the Essene Gate at Ben Hinnon. I came off the roof full stride and landed without losing a step. Although I heard something tear in my ankle I couldn't feel it. There was a line of people trying to get into the city at the Essene Gate, probably seeking shelter from the impending storm. Lightning crackled across the sky and raindrops as big as frogs began to plop onto the streets, leaving craters in the dust and painting the city with a thin coat of mud. Judas fought through the crowd as if he were swimming in pitch, pulling people past him on either side, moving a step forward only to be carried back a step. I saw a ladder leaning against the city wall and ran up it. There were Roman soldiers stationed here on the wall and I brushed by them, ducking spears and swords as I made my way to the gate, then over it, then to the wall on the other side. I could see Judas below me. He'd broken out of the crowd and was making his way along a ridge that ran parallel to the wall. It was too far to jump, so I followed him from above until I came to the corner of the battlement, where the wall sloped down to accommodate the thickness required to hold the corner. I slid down the wet limestone on my feet and hands and hit the ground ten paces behind the Zealot. He didn't know I was there. The rain came down now in sheets and the thunder was so frequent and loud that I could hear nothing myself but the roaring anger in my head. Judas came to a cypress tree that jutted over a high cliff with hundreds of tombs gouged into it. The path passed between a wall of tombs and the cypress tree; past the tree was a fifty-yard drop. Judas pulled a purse from his belt, pulled a small stone out of the opening to one of the tombs, then shoved the purse inside. I caught him by the back of the neck and he shrieked. â€Å"Go ahead, put the stone back,† I said. He tried to wheel on me and hit me with the stone. I took it from him and fitted it back into the tomb, then kicked his feet out from under him and dragged him to the edge of the cliff. I clamped onto his windpipe and, holding the cypress tree with my free hand, I leaned him out over the cliff. â€Å"Don't struggle!† I shouted. â€Å"You'll only free yourself to the fall.† â€Å"I couldn't let him live,† Judas said. â€Å"You can't have someone like him alive.† I pulled the Zealot back up on the cliff and whipped the sash from around his tunic. â€Å"He knew he had to die,† Judas said. â€Å"How do you think I knew he'd be at Gethsemane, not at Simon's? He told me!† â€Å"You didn't have to give him up!† I screamed. I wrapped the sash around his neck, then pulled it tight over the crook of a cypress branch. â€Å"Don't. Don't do this. I had to do it. Someone did. He would have just reminded us of what we'll never be.† â€Å"Yep,† I said. I shoved him backward over the cliff and caught the end of the sash as it tightened around the branch. The sash twanged when it took his weight and his neck snapped with the sound of a knuckle cracking. I let go of the sash and Judas' body fell into the darkness. The boom of thunder concealed the sound of impact. The anger ran out of me then, leaving me feeling as if my very bones were losing their structure. I looked forward, straight over the Ben Hinnon valley, into a sheet of lightning-bleached rain. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said, and I stepped off the cliff. I felt a bolt of pain, and then nothing. That's all I remember.