Wednesday, November 27, 2019

elvis and the beatles essays

elvis and the beatles essays Arguably, the success of Elvis Presley and the Beatles can be attributed to both their talent as well as skilled management. Arguing whether an artist or group is talented relies heavily on how talent is defined. For this essay, talent will be defined as a marked innate ability to do something well. Indisputably, both Elvis and the Beatles were central figures in the evolution of Rock and Roll thus, what they did, they did well. Many assert that the Beatles wrote and played their own music and therein lay their talent. Unlike the Beatles, Presley did not write his own music, nor was he particularly aspired to. However, does that render him any less talented? He may not have been the best or the most consistent but Presley is undoubtedly a central figure in the development of Rock and Roll. He had an ear for music and a gift for incorporating pre-existing styles of music into his own unique style. Presley grew up as a poor white southern boy and was in a position to absorb rhythm and blues, country and western, white and black gospel, bluegrass, western swing and pop. His musical versatility and multifaceted appeal, over the years, helped to redraw the boundary lines of Rock and Roll. He was the first artist to blend blues and country into a new musical style called rockabilly. He had an unprecedented explosive and sexual stage presence. His charisma, energy and showmanship, though controversial, made him popular, especially with teenage girls. Vocally, Presley was versatile and powerful. He had a varied repertoire of music, which included early rock classics like Thats All Right Mamma and Heartbreak Hotel to sentimental love songs. Though music lovers may not appreciate all of Presleys songs, he certainly catered to a variety of tastes. Though some criticize his move away from the classic rock style that popularized him in the 1950s, Presley never claimed to be a purist. H...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

AP Chemistry Syllabus What Does It Cover

AP Chemistry Syllabus What Does It Cover SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What does an AP Chemistry syllabus look like? How many labs do you have to do? And what skills are you expected to learn before the test? In this article, I'll take an in-depth look at the components of a successful AP Chemistry syllabus, including content coverage, lab work, and overall curriculum requirements. I'll also give an example of a full syllabus (based on a sample from the College Board) and provide some helpful tips for both students and teachers! What Does the AP Chemistry Course Cover? AP Chemistry is a wide-ranging course. The curriculum is divided into six "Big Ideas," or major themes, that encompass long lists of smaller topics. I'll list the Big Ideas along with the smaller themes within them that the College Board calls "Enduring Understandings." These are actually broken down further into pieces of "Essential Knowledge," which (for the sake of keeping this article to a reasonable length) are not included here. There are also seven Scientific Practices that students are expected to master in the course, which I'll list after the Big Ideas. This is a part of the new inquiry-based model of AP science courses that encourages independent thinking. Finally, there are some overarching Curricular Requirements that every AP Chemistry class must fulfill, which I'll go over after the Scientific Practices. For the full course description with even more details, consult this link! The 6 Big Ideas of AP Chemistry The Big Ideas are the fundamental concepts every AP Chemistry syllabus must cover. Big Idea 1: The chemical elements are fundamental building materials of matter, and all matter can be understood in terms of arrangement of atoms. These atoms retain their identities in chemical reactions. Enduring Understanding 1.A: All matter is made of atoms. There are a limited number of types of atoms; these are the elements. EU 1.B: The atoms of each element have unique structures arising from interactions between electrons and nuclei. EU 1.C: Elements display periodicity in their properties when the elements are organized according to increasing atomic number. Periodicity is a useful principle for understanding properties and predicting trends in properties. EU 1.D: Atoms are so small that they are difficult to study directly; atomic models are constructed to explain experimental data on collections of atoms. EU 1.E: Atoms are conserved in physical and chemical processes. Big Idea 2: Chemical and physical properties of materials can be explained by the structure and arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules and the forces between them. EU 2.A: Matter can be described by its physical properties. The physical properties of a substance generally depend on the spacing between the particles (atoms, molecules, ions) that make up the substance and the forces of attraction among them. EU 2.B: Forces of attraction between particles (including the noble gases and also different parts of some large molecules) are important in determining many macroscopic properties of a substance, including how the observable physical state changes with temperature. EU 2.C: The strong electrostatic forces of attraction holding atoms together in a unit are called chemical bonds. EU 2.D: The type of bonding in the solid state can be deduced from the properties of the solid state. Big Idea 3: Changes in matter involve the rearrangement and/or reorganization of atoms and/or the transfer of electrons. EU 3.A: Chemical changes are represented by a balanced chemical equation that identifies the ratios with which reactants react and products form. EU 3.B: Chemical reactions can be classified by considering what the reactants are, what the products are, or how they change from one into the other. Classes of chemical reactions include synthesis, decomposition, acid-base, and oxidation-reduction reactions. EU 3.C: Chemical and physical transformations may be observed in several ways and typically involve a change in energy. Big Idea 4: Rates of chemical reactions are determined by details of the molecular collisions. EU 4.A: Reaction rates that depend on temperature and other environmental factors are determined by measuring changes in concentrations of reactants or products over time. EU 4.B: Elementary reactions are mediated by collisions between molecules. Only collisions having sufficient energy and proper relative orientation of reactants lead to products. EU 4.C: Many reactions proceed via a series of elementary reactions. EU 4.D: Reaction rates may be increased by the presence of a catalyst. Big Idea 5: The laws of thermodynamics describe the essential role of energy and explain and predict the direction of changes in matter. EU 5.A: Two systems with different temperatures that are in thermal contact will exchange energy. The quantity of thermal energy transferred from one system to another. EU 5.B: Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but only transformed from one form to another. EU 5.C: Breaking bonds requires energy, and making bonds releases energy. EU 5.D: Electrostatic forces exist between molecules as well as between atoms or ions, and breaking the resultant intermolecular attractions requires energy. EU 5.E: Chemical or physical processes are driven by a decrease in enthalpy or an increase in entropy, or both. Big Idea 6: Any bond or intermolecular attraction that can be formed can be broken. These two processes are in a dynamic competition, sensitive to initial conditions and external perturbations. EU 6.A: Chemical equilibrium is a dynamic, reversible state in which rates of opposing processes are equal. EU 6.B: Systems at equilibrium are responsive to external perturbations, with the response leading to a change in the composition of the system. EU 6.C: Chemical equilibrium plays an important role in acid-base chemistry and in solubility. EU 6.D: The equilibrium constant is related to temperature and the difference in Gibbs free energy between reactants and products. This idea is huge by itself, and now you're telling me there are five more Sigh. Another day another dollar. The 7 Scientific Practices of AP Chemistry These seven "scientific practices" represent skills that students are expected to learn in AP Chemistry. Many of these relate to correct implementation of the scientific method in a lab context. They're especially tied to the "Guided Inquiry" labs, where students work independently to plan and conduct experiments. #1: The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems. #2: The student can use mathematics appropriately. #3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course. #4: The student can plan and implement data collection strategies in relation to a particular scientific question. [Note: Data can be collected from many different sources, e.g., investigations, scientific observations, the findings of others, historic reconstruction, and/or archived data.] #5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence. #6: The student can work with scientific explanations and theories. #7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains. AP Chemistry Curricular Requirements The curricular requirements are concrete statements of expectations for the AP Chemistry course. These include requirements for the types of materials teachers must use in class, the structural framework of the course, the opportunities students should receive, and the percentage of class time devoted to labs. The course must use a recently published (within the past ten years) college-level chemistry textbook. The course must be structured around the Enduring Understandings within the Big Ideas as described in the AP Chemistry curriculum framework. Students should have opportunities outside of laboratory investigations to meet the learning objectives within each of the big ideas in the AP Chemistry curriculum. Students have the opportunity to connect their knowledge of chemistry and science to major societal or technological components to help them become scientifically literate citizens. Labs make up 25 percent of the instructional time at minimum and include at least 16 hands-on experiments. Lab investigations allow students to apply the seven science practices, and at least 6 of the 16 labs are conducted in a guided-inquiry format. "Guided inquiry" labs put students at the center of the learning process, encouraging them to pose, develop, and experimentally investigate questions (self-generated or supplied). Other more traditional labs are teacher-directed, which means that teachers provide not only the questions for investigation, but also set procedures and data collection strategies for student use. The course provides opportunities for students to develop, record, and maintain evidence of their verbal, written, and graphic communication skills through lab reports, summaries of literature or scientific investigations, and oral, written, and graphic presentations. Keep in mind that it takes a while for most students to learn how to hold presentation materials in ways that don't completely obscure their faces. Work on it. You'll get there, buddy. What Does an AP Chemistry Syllabus Look Like? The following is a summary of a sample syllabus supplied by the College Board that goes through all the units that would be taught in a standard AP Chemistry course. It also provides the number of class periods allotted for each unit. In this example, the class periods are 52 minutes long. You can read the full syllabus here, and there are also a few more sample syllabi on this page! Course Materials Primary Textbook Zumdahl, Steven and Susan Zumdahl. Chemistry, Eighth Edition. Belmont CA: Cengage Learning, 2012. Other Resources Used The College Board. AP Chemistry Guided Inquiry Experiments: Applying the Science Practices. 2013. Demmin, Peter. AP Chemistry, Fifth Edition. New York: DS Marketing Systems Inc., 2005. Vonderbrink, Sally. Laboratory Experiments for AP Chemistry. Batavia: Flinn Scientific, 2001. Randall, Jack. Advanced Chemistry with Vernier. Oregon: Vernier Software and Technology, 2004. Holmquist, Dan and Donald Volz. Chemistry with Calculators. Oregon: Vernier Software and Technology, 2003. Beran, Jo Allan. Laboratory Principles of General Chemistry, Seventh Edition. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2004. Unit 1: Chemistry Fundamentals 12 Class Periods 10 Problem sets 2 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Scientific method Classification of matter Nomenclature and formulas of binary compounds Polyatomic ions and other compounds Determination of atomic masses Mole concept Percent composition Empirical and molecular formula Writing chemical equations and drawn representations Balancing chemical equations Applying mole concept to chemical equations (stoichiometry) Determining limiting reactants, theoretical and percent yield of reactions Labs Math and Measurement in ScienceStudents learn how to measure mass and volume with varied pieces of equipment and focus on the accuracy of those pieces of equipment in their calculation and determination of significant figures. Students also determine the identity of an unknown organic liquid using density determination. Guided Inquiry Lab: Physical and Chemical PropertiesStudents are given the materials to conduct various procedures. They construct a procedure for each of the eight changes to be observed, have their procedures approved by the instructor, and then carry out the procedures. The data collected is used to develop a set of criteria for determining whether a given change is chemical or physical. Stoichiometry LabStudents determine the correct mole ratio of reactants in an exothermic reaction by mixing different amounts of reactants and graphing temperature changes. Unit 2: Types of Chemical Equations 8 Class Periods 4 Problem Sets 3 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Electrolytes and properties of water Molarity and preparation of solutions Precipitation reactions and solubility rules Acid-Base reactions and formation of a salt by titration Balancing redox reactions Simple redox titrations Gravimetric calculations Labs pH Titration LabStudents perform a titration and then determine the concentration of an HCl solution by using a potentiometric titration curve and finding the equivalence point. Data is graphed in a graphing program. Bleach LabStudents perform redox titrations to determine the concentration of hypochlorite in household bleach. Online Redox Titration ActivityOnline lab simulation where students can manipulate various factors to influence a redox titration. Unit 3: AP Style Net Ionic Equations 8 Class Periods 6 Problem Sets 4 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Redox and single replacement reactions Double replacement reactions Combustion reactions Addition reactions Decomposition reactions Labs Copper Reaction LabStudents perform a series of reactions, starting with copper and ending with copper. Students then calculate percent recovered. Unit 4: Gas Laws 8 Class Periods 5 Problem Sets 3 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Measurement of gases General gas laws - Boyle, Charles, Combined, and Ideal Dalton's Law of partial pressure Molar volume of gases and stoichiometry Graham's Law Kinetic Molecular Theory Real gases and deviation from ideal gas law Graham's law demonstration Labs Molecular Mass of a Volatile LiquidStudents use the Dumas method for determination of the molar mass of an unknown volatile liquid. Unit 5: Thermochemistry 8 Class Periods 5 Problem Sets 3 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Law of conservation of energy, work, and internal energy Endothermic and exothermic reactions Potential energy diagrams Calorimetry, heat capacity, and specific heat Hess's Law Heat of formation/combustion Bond energies Labs Guided Inquiry Lab: Hess's LawStudents perform a series of reactions and calculate enthalpy, proving Hess's law. Activity: Online Heating and Cooling Curve Simulations Unit 6: Atomic Structure and Periodicity 12 Class periods 9 Problem sets 4 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Electron configuration and the Aufbau principle Valence electrons and Lewis dot structures Periodic trends Table arrangement based on electronic properties Properties of light and study of waves Atomic spectra of hydrogen and energy levels Quantum mechanical model Quantum theory and electron orbitals Orbital shape and energies Spectroscopy Labs Spectroscopy LabStudents look at a series of emission spectra and determine the identity of an unknown. They will also receive and analyze IR and mass spectroscopy data. Activity: Periodic Table Dry LabStudents graph values for atomic radius, electronegativity, and ionization energy to predict trends and explain the organization of the periodic table. Unit 7: Chemical Bonding Class Periods 8 Problem Sets 4 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Lewis Dot structures Resonance structures and formal charge Bond polarity and dipole moments VSEPR models and molecular shape Polarity of molecules Lattice energies Hybridization Molecular orbitals and diagrams Labs Guided Inquiry: Bonding LabStudents experimentally investigate ionic and molecular substances deducing properties of their bonds in the process. Guided Inquiry: Investigation of SolidsStudents investigate types of solids using various experimental techniques. Activity: Atomic Theory Dry Lab (Students make drawings of a series of molecules and, from those drawings, predict geometry, hybridization, and polarity) Unit 8: Liquids, Solids, and Solutions 6 Class Periods 4 Problem Sets 2 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Structure and bonding Metals, network, and molecular Ionic, hydrogen, London, van der Waals Vapor pressure and changes in state Heating and cooling curves Composition of solutions Colloids and suspensions Separation techniques Effect on biological systems Labs Solution Preparation LabStudents make solutions of specified concentrations gravimetrically and by dilution. Solution concentrations will be checked for accuracy using a spectrophotometer. Vapor Pressure of Liquids LabStudents measure the vapor pressure of ethanol at different temperatures to determine ∆H. Activity: Effect on Biological SystemsStudents examine a demonstration size model of DNA or an alpha helix, and use their fingers to identify which atoms / base pairs are particularly involved in hydrogen bonding within the molecule, causing the helical structure. Students then discuss how the increased UV light because of ozone depletion can cause chemical reactions and thus mutations and disruption of hydrogen bonding. Unit 9: Kinetics 9 Class Periods 3 Problem Sets 3 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Rates of reactions Factors that affect rates of reactions/ collision theory Reaction Pathways Rate equation determination Rate constants Mechanisms Method of initial rates Integrated rate laws Activation energy and Boltzmann distribution Labs Guided Inquiry: Determining Order of a (Crystal Violet) ReactionUsing colorimetry and Beer's law, students determine the order of a reaction and its rate law. Determining the Activation Energy of a ReactionStudents use the same set-up as in the crystal violet lab, but, this time, varying temperature to calculate the activation energy with the use of the Arrhenius equation. Activity: Online Kinetics ActivityUsing a web-based simulation, students will study the elementary steps of a mechanism and how it relates to reaction rate and collision theory. Unit 10: General Equilibrium 6 Class Periods 4 Problem Sets 3 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Characteristics and conditions of chemical equilibrium Equilibrium expression derived from rates Factors that affect equilibrium Le Chatelier's principle The equilibrium constant Solving equilibrium problems Labs Determination of a Kc with Varied Initial ConcentrationsStudents use a spectrophotometer to determine the Kc of a series of reactions. Activity: Online Gas Phase Equilibrium ActivityIn the online inquiry activity, students are able to manipulate the environment and produce stresses that verify the tendency of Le Chatelier's principle. Unit : Acids and Bases 8 Class Periods 4 Problem sets 3 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Definition and nature of acids and bases Kw and the pH scale pH of strong and weak acids and bases Polyprotic acids pH of salts Structure of Acids and Bases Labs Determination of a Ka by Half TitrationStudents do a titration in which  ½ of the weak acid titrated is neutralized (aka midpoint), and then the Ka is determined. Unit 12: Buffers, Ksp, and Titrations Class Periods 6 Problem Sets 4 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Characteristics and capacity of buffers Titrations and pH curves Choosing Acid-Base Indicators pH and solubility Ksp Calculations and Solubility Product Labs Guided Inquiry: Types of TitrationsStudents investigate titration curves by doing titrations of different combinations of weak and strong acids and bases. Guided Inquiry: Preparation of a BufferGiven a selection of chemicals, students prepare a buffer of a given pH. Molar Solubility and Determination of KspStudents find the Ksp of calcium hydroxide doing a potentiometric titration with the addition of methyl orange indicator for verification. Unit 13: Thermodynamics 10 Class Periods 5 Problem Sets 3 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Laws of thermodynamics Spontaneous process and entropy Spontaneity, enthalpy, and free energy Free energy Free energy and equilibrium Rate and Spontaneity Labs Solubility and Determination of ΔH °, ΔS °, ΔG ° of Calcium HydroxideStudents collect and analyze data to determine ΔH °, ΔS °, and ΔG ° of calcium hydroxide. Unit 14: Electrochemistry 8 Class Periods 5 Problem Sets 4 Quizzes 1 Exam Topics Balancing redox equations Electrochemical cells and voltage The Nernst equation Spontaneous and non-spontaneous equations Chemical applications Labs Voltaic Cell LabStudents find the reduction potentials of a series of reactions using voltaic cells/multi-meters and build their own reduction potential table. Dilutions will be made, and the Nernst equation will also be tested. Final AP Review 16 Class Periods 4 Quizzes 4 Exams Topics Review of ALL topics 4 AP-Style Review Exams Mock AP Test Labs The Green Crystal LabA series of labs completed over a 4-week period. Students work at their own pace in pairs. The goal of this lab is to determine the empirical formula of a ferrioxalate crystal. It includes the following experiments: Experiment 1: Synthesis of the crystal Experiment 2: Standardization of KMnO4 by redox titration Experiment 3: Determination of % oxalate in crystal by redox titration Experiment 4: Standardization of NaOH by acid/base titration Experiment 5: Determination of % K+ and Fe3+ by ion exchange chromatography and a double equivalence point titration Experiment 6: Determination of the % water in the hydrated crystal Green crystals!!! Actually, the green crystals for the lab look even cooler than that. Teaching Tips for AP Chemistry These are some tips I came up with for AP Chemistry teachers based on my experiences as a student in the course. I struggled a lot with chemistry in high school (partially because my teacher wasn't very good), so here are a few things that I think would have helped me out at the time. Tip #1: Do Plenty of Sample Problems in Class (and Go Over Homework Thoroughly) When I was in AP Chemistry, I had a hard time understanding how to solve complex multi-step problems. I often couldn't figure them out on my own, even when I had read examples in the textbook and seen my teacher go through similar examples. I'd advise teachers to do as many sample problems as possible in class. It's important to give students background information, but walking through sample problems step-by-step is the most valuable practical instruction you can provide. You should also go through homework problem sets in class so that students can see exactly where they made mistakes and why. Encourage students to try redoing the problems with the new information they've learned to reinforce the correct methods. Tip #2: Offer Extra Help Sessions Because AP Chemistry is such a challenging class, it's likely that many students will be interested in extra help outside of the designated class period. Although students should be encouraged to take the initiative in asking for help, I think it's also a good idea to set up a designated time when you'll be available after school. Block out a couple of after-school hours one or two days a week, and encourage students to come to you with any questions or concerns they have about the class. You can also set aside times for review sessions before each exam that all students are encouraged to attend. These could even include chemistry-themed review games and competitions (if your students are true nerds they will love this). Tip #3: Give Students Real AP Practice Tests To prepare effectively for the AP test, students need to get used to the format and timing. As you get closer to the exam, administer a few mock AP tests. Translate grades to where they would fall on the AP scale so that students have a better idea of where they're scoring and how much they need to study to reach their goals. This will help give them more motivation to study and force any stragglers to get serious about improving their scores. Grades on real AP practice tests will help light a fire under students who have a tendency to procrastinate and cram. Tips for AP Chemistry Students If, on the other hand you're an AP Chemistry student, you may find these tips for doing well in this challenging class helpful. Tip #1: Pay Attention in Class Obviously, right? Well, not necessarily; zoning out during lectures is something that we're all guilty of doing because we're human beings. However, this is a class where you really, really need to pay attention to your teacher's explanations. It's hard to self-teach chemistry because you're not just memorizing facts, you're learning how to do different types of calculations and navigate a bunch of new terminologies. If you can only pay attention to one thing, make it the example problems that your teacher does in class. Take notes on the solution steps so you can refer to them in the future and refresh your memory. Tip #2: Ask Lots of Questions (and Get Help If You Need It!) If you don't understand something, get clarification as soon as possible. AP Chemistry isn't a class where you can let a few things fall by the wayside and still get by. The information builds on itself, so it's critical that you have a strong understanding of every concept. Gaps in knowledge will come back to bite you in the end! If you don't feel like you're getting enough of an explanation in class, don't be afraid to ask your teacher for extra help. Tip #3: Don't Fall Behind It will be tempting to say "oh, I don't actually need to do this problem set" or "eh, I'll read this chapter later." But if you do that too many times, before you know it you'll have no idea what's happening in class. This course moves very quickly from one complex concept to the next, so you can't afford to fall behind. As I mentioned, concepts build on one another. If you find yourself slipping and losing touch with what's going on in the course, ask your teacher for extra help as soon as possible to resolve the issue. Tip #4: Get a Review Book, and Review Concepts Throughout the Year Review books can be very helpful for AP Chemistry because they're well-organized catalogs of all the different concepts you will learn in the course. There's so much packed into the curriculum that I'd recommend buying a book so you have something to ground yourself as you're looking back through the material. You can use the review book for practice problems and AP review sessions throughout the year. Every couple of months, do a review of everything you've learned so far to keep the information at the front of your mind. Here's my list of the best review books for AP Chemistry to give you a lil head start. Review books will lay out the structure of the course more clearly for you so that you don't get lost in your notes! Conclusion To recap, the AP Chemistry syllabus revolves around six "Big Ideas," which are main themes that cover more specific concepts called "Enduring Understandings." Each AP Chemistry course is expected to give students the skills they need to understand these larger themes and connect them to a basic factual knowledge of the ins and outs of chemistry. Additionally, an effective course syllabus provides assignments that enable students to master the seven "Scientific Practices" established by the course guidelines. It will also adhere to the rules established by the Curriculum Requirements. A few tips I would recommend for teaching this course are: #1: Do Lots of Sample Problems in Class#2: Offer Built-In Extra Help Sessions#3: Administer Official Practice AP Tests Some tips I would recommend for students who want to do well in AP Chemistry are: #1: Pay Attention in Class#2: Ask Questions, and Get Help if You Need It#3: Avoid Slacking Off and Falling Behind#4: Use a Review Book to Supplement Class Materials AP Chemistry is a fast-paced class that covers complex concepts, but with a logically formatted syllabus and a concerted effort from both students and teachers, the course can be an enlightening introduction to a fundamental aspect of how the world works! What's Next? Is AP Chemistry really as challenging as some people think? Read this article for a detailed examination of the difficulty level of the course (and exam). Need help preparing for the final exam? Check out my ultimate study guide for AP Chemistry! If you're taking AP Chemistry, chances are that you're applying to colleges that require or recommend submission of SAT Subject Test scores. Learn more about the differences between AP Tests and SAT Subject Tests and whether one is more important than the other. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

New York City Subway System as a Potential Target for the Terrorists Assignment - 1

New York City Subway System as a Potential Target for the Terrorists - Assignment Example The city cannot operate without the rapid transport system. This makes the subway an integral part of everyday life in New York. The importance of the New York City subway system makes it a potential target by the terrorists. The objective of terrorists is to instill fear in the minds of dwellers of a particular region by disrupting their activities and economy. The terrorists target the infrastructure that a city or state cannot do without. They disrupt operations and crumble economies. This makes the subway a preferred target. The attack involves a gas that will be spread across the subway to render the commuters there inactive. Since the terrorist expects maximum casualty, this will be their best approach. Thereafter, a bomb will be detonated to destroy the underground transit system. Such an act will affect a number of systems. The first will be the electricity transmission lines. The system of the underground transport system depends entirely on electricity for lighting and controlling the temperatures, the bomb is expected to destroy the wire lines that will have an impact on the city-wide transmission lines. A number of blocks adjacent to the building will go without electricity after the attack. The gas will pollute the air around New York City and might affect the Hudson River water. When such an attack is launched in a system as expansive as the New York City subway system, a number of activities need to be realized to assist in containing the situation. A first, every station will need to have their own communication base where all communication to the commuters and workers will be initiated. The security heads at every base will need radios and protective gear. Two at each station will be enough to ensure seamless communication. This will require 936 radios. The personnel will also need protective gear to protect them from the dangerous gases.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Nursing care plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nursing care plan - Essay Example de his difficulty in mobility (immobility) that was caused by the number of amputations that he has had due to his Diabetes Mellitus condition have been addressed through relevant literature as well as decision making theories. Moreover, the Corbett model of narrative development has also been discussed to find its significance with regard to the decision making theory discussed. Lastly, the matter of confidentiality has also been addressed through the NMC’s Code of Conduct (2008). In the month of September 2011, Mr. Tan a 55 year old Chinese man was admitted to a residential home for his fifth time leg amputation. The residential home catered for personalized home care to Mr. Tan. As such, the amputation was as a result of a Diabetes Mellitus condition that he had acquired some time back. Before he was initially admitted at the residential home, some information related to his work and family was needed from him. Hence, it was recorded that he had previously retired from work and he lived with his wife only since his children were all grown up and they had moved out of their home. As such, when he was admitted, he was re-assessed holistically since his condition had deteriorated with the intention of determining his optimal nursing care plan and also the updated and/ or relevant plan of care to suit his needs. Mr. Tan had to undergo holistic nursing so as to not only assist him in his amputation process but also to assist in his general health condition. The RL and T model (Roper et al., 1996) was selected since it specifies the daily activities also known as ADLs or ALs that are to be focussed on while engaging in holistic nursing. Examples of ADLs include: communication; breathing; washing and dressing; sleeping; eating and drinking; maintaining a safe environment; elimination and mobilization (Cardinal Stritch University, 2014; 2013; Roper et al., 1996). As such, the model provides the assessment plan for Mr. Tan since during his pre admission information

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Jobs’ Passing Will Have No Effect on Apple’s Trajectory Essay Example for Free

Jobs’ Passing Will Have No Effect on Apple’s Trajectory Essay â€Å"Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life† –Steve Jobs, 2005 Stanford Commencement Ceremony The world lost a luminary when Steve Jobs died on October 5, 2011. Jobs was a visionary leader and is often credited for Apple’s amazing turnaround in the mid-nineties. For many years, the world perceived Jobs and Apple as integrally linked. As a result, consumers and investors now question Apple’s future and worry that the company cannot survive without Jobs. Since Jobs’ passing, Tim Cook has been tasked to continue Apple’s success. While Apple could potentially suffer long-term consequences from this switch, the more probable alternative is that the company will prosper because Cook is stronger leader than Jobs and can elevate Apple to a 10x level. Leadership DNA and the Collins 10X characteristics: Vital characteristics of a Level 5 leader include a strong belief in intuition, extreme perseverance towards vision, and empathy for team members by relying on emotional intelligence. While Jobs succeeded in many of these areas, he did not possess the entire package of leadership skills. Jobs was widely quoted for saying, â€Å"Most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.† This persevering attitude and strong sense of intuition helped make Apple the successful company that it is today. But Jobs was also known for showing little concern for the emotional needs of team members. According to Fortune, he was â€Å"considered one of Silicon Valleys leading egomaniacs.† This lack of empathy prevented Jobs from being a Level 5 leader. According to Collins, the leaders who run 10x companies â€Å"display extreme consistency of action with values, goals, performance standards and methods† Jobs definitely fit these criteria and was known for being f anatical about discipline. He maintained the highest performance standards, which allowed him to push Apple to innovate on a constant basis. In addition, Jobs demonstrated both productive paranoia and empirical creativity throughout much of his career. He worked tirelessly with his product development teams. Whether it was the release of the Apple IIe or the release of the iPad, Jobs always obsessed over every detail of the projects and demanded that Apple release only the finest products. Jobs saw market opportunities in many different avenues and pioneered the idea of the â€Å"Apple Store.† His extreme attention to detail required him to oversee every nuisance of a project. However, discipline and vision are not enough to create a 10x company. According to Collins, 10x companies require more than ambitious goals and determination. 10X organizations require Level 5 leaders who are able to put all their passion and ambition into â€Å"a cause or company larger than themselves.† Jobs’ motivation was grounded in egotism and personal aggrandizement, and he was more concerned with â€Å"putting a dent in the universe† than building an organization bigger than himself. Jobs was never able to elevate Apple to a 10x organizational because he was never a Level 5 leader. As a result, Tim Cook, a potential Level 5 leader, has an opportunity to test his skills and raise Apple to an organizational level that Jobs could never achieve. Tim Cooks’ Leadership: Tim Cook has demonstrated multiple characteristics of a Level 5 leader. We believe Apple will be in a better position for sustained success under Cook’s leadership. Cook was recruited out of Compaq (Level 1 Leadership) to Apple in 1998 â€Å"with a mandate to clean up the atrocious state of Apples manufacturing, distribution, and supply apparatus.† Cook’s leadership on this crucial transition was exemplary. He demands the highest work product from himself and his employees (Level 4 Leadership). In addition, Cook can effectively manage individuals (Level 3 Leadership) and one key to his success as COO at Apple was his reliance â€Å"on a tight-knit team of operations executives who have been with him since he joined the company.† Cook has steadily been increasing his responsibilities since 2000, actively contributing to many different areas of the company (Level 2 Leadership). Even though Tim Cook has been a CEO only for a short time, he has shown himself to be a potential Level 5 leader. Unlike Jobs, Cook takes on a humble leadership style. Cook is modest and does not crave the spotlight. He also accepts responsibility and admits Apple’s mistakes. In fact, Cook is willing to take ownership of errors made by the company, even when he could have blamed it on his employees. Also, Tim Cook has clearly demonstrated his willingness to communicate with investors and employees. This was a task that Jobs frequently struggled with as he had a tendency to keep tight reins on company information. In contrast to Jobs, Cook possesses humility, modesty, openness to communication skills, which allow him to trust his workforce and build a company that is bigger than himself. This skillset provides a strong foundation for a Level 5 leader. Conclusion: Steve Jobs was an innovative leader; however, he did not achieve the status of a Level 5 leader. As a result, Jobs did not elevate apple to a 10x level. Jobs lacked humility, modesty, emotional intelligence and respect for others, which are crucial for a Level 5 leader. However, Tim Cook seems to garner all of these qualities. In the long run, stock prices are a reflection of trust in the growth of the company and the leadership team. We believe that Cook’s team is at a much better position to carry the Apple legacy forward than it was under Jobs. Therefore, Jobs’ passing will have no long-term effects on Apple’s trajectory and the company now has a better chance to reach a 10x level. [ 1 ]. http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html [ 2 ]. Id. [ 3 ]. http://archive.is/20120604/http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/03/19/8402325/index.htm# [ 4 ]. Collins – Great by Choice – Page 36 [ 5 ]. Collins – Great by Choice – Page 37 [ 6 ]. http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/09/technology/cook_apple.fortune/index.htm, pp. 1 [ 7 ]. http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/09/technology/cook_apple.fortune/index.htm, pp. 2 [ 8 ]. http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-10-31/national/35500675_1_john-browett-scott-forstall-craig-federighi [ 9 ]. http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2012/10/04/steve-jobs-apple-year-later/1577271/ [ 10 ]. http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-10-31/national/35500675_1_john-browett-scott-forstall-craig-federighi [ 11 ].

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Metamorphosis of the Letter A in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Metamorphosis of â€Å"A† in The Scarlet Letter Six Works Cited In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the meaning of the letter "A" changes throughout the novel. This change is significant as it indicates the personal growth of the characters as well as the enlightenment of the townspeople. When the novel begins, the letter "A" is a symbol of sin. As the story progresses the â€Å"A† slowly transforms to a symbol of Hester’s strength and ability. By the end of the novel, the letter â€Å"A† has undergone a complete metamorphisis and represents the respect that Hester has for herself. The letter "A," worn on Hester's bodice, is a symbol of her adultery against Roger Chillingworth. This letter is meant to be worn in shame, and to make Hester feel unwanted. "Here, she said to herself, had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment . . ." Hester is ashamed of her sin, but she chooses not to show it. She committed this sin in the heat of passion, and fully admits it because, though she is ashamed, she also received her greatest treasure, Pearl, out of it. She is a very strong woman to be able to hold up so well, against what she must face. Many would have fled Boston, and sought a place where no one knew of her great sin. Hester chose to stay though, which showed a lot of strength and integrity. Any woman with enough nerve to hold up against a town which despised her very existence, and to stay in a place where her daughter is referred to as a "devil child† is a very tough woman. The second meaning that the letter "A" took was "able." The townspeople who once condemned her now believed her scarlet "A" to stand for her ability to create beautiful needlework and for her unselfish assistance to the poor and sick. "The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her- so much power to do and power to sympathize- that many people refused to interpret the scarlet 'A' by its original signification." At this point, many the townspeople realized what a godly character Hester possessed. "Do you see that woman with the embroidered badge? It is our Hester- the town's own Hester- who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comforting to the afflicted!" The townspeople soon began to believe that the badge served to ward off evil, and Hester grew to be quite loved amongst the people of the town.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 20

Part IV Spirit He who sees in me all things, and all things in me, is never far from me, and I am never far from him. THE BHAGAVAD GITA Chapter 20 The road was just wide enough for the two of us to walk side by side. The grass on either side was as high as an elephant's eye. We could see blue sky above us, and exactly as far along the path as the next curve, which could have been any distance away, because there's no perspective in an unbroken green trench. We'd been traveling on this road most of the day, and passed only one old man and a couple of cows, but now we could hear what sounded like a large party approaching us, not far off, perhaps two hundred yards away. There were men's voices, a lot of them, footsteps, some dissonant metal drums, and most disturbing, the continuous screams of a woman either in pain, or terrified, or both. â€Å"Young masters!† came a voice from somewhere near us. I jumped in the air and came down in a defensive stance, my black glass knife drawn and ready. Josh looked around for the source of the voice. The screaming was getting closer. There was a rustling in the grass a few feet away from the road, then again the voice, â€Å"Young masters, you must hide.† An impossibly thin male face with eyes that seemed a size and a half too large for his skull popped out of the wall of grass beside us. â€Å"You must come. Kali comes to choose her victims! Come now or die.† The face disappeared, replaced by a craggy brown hand that motioned for us to follow into the grass. The woman's scream hit crescendo and failed, as if the voice had broken like an overtightened lute string. â€Å"Go,† said Joshua, pushing me into the grass. As soon as I was off of the road someone caught my wrist and started dragging me through the sea of grass. Joshua latched onto the tail of my shirt and allowed himself to be dragged along. As we ran the grass whipped and slashed at us. I could feel blood welling up on my face and arms, even as the brown wraith pulled me deeper into the sea of green. Above the rasping of my breath I heard men shouting from behind us, then a thrashing of the grass being trampled. â€Å"They follow,† said the brown wraith over his shoulder. â€Å"Run unless you want your heads to decorate Kali's altar. Run.† Over my shoulder to Josh, I said, â€Å"He says run or it will be bad.† Behind Josh, outlined against the sky, I saw long, swordlike spear tips, the sort of thing one might use for beheading someone. â€Å"Okey-dokey,† said Josh. It had taken us over a month to get to India, most of the journey through hundreds of miles of the highest, most rugged country we had ever seen. Amazingly enough, there were villages scattered all through the mountains, and when the villagers saw our orange robes doors were flung wide and larders opened. We were always fed, given a warm place to sleep, and welcomed to stay as long as we wished. We offered obtuse parables and irritating chants in return, as was the tradition. It wasn't until we came out of the mountains onto a brutally hot and humid grassland that we found our mode of dress was drawing more disdain than welcome. One man, of obvious wealth (he rode a horse and wore silk robes) cursed us as we passed and spit at us. Other people on foot began to take notice of us as well, and we hurried off into some high grass and changed out of our robes. I tucked the glass dagger that Joy had given me into my sash. â€Å"What was he going on about?† I asked Joshua. â€Å"He said something about tellers of false prophecies. Pretenders. Enemies of the Brahman, whatever that is. I'm not sure what else.† â€Å"Well, it looks like we're more welcome here as Jews than as Buddhists.† â€Å"For now,† said Joshua. â€Å"All the people have those marks on their foreheads like Gaspar had. I think without one of those we're going to have to be careful.† As we traveled into the lowlands the air felt as thick as warm cream, and we could feel the weight of it in our lungs after so many years in the mountains. We passed into the valley of a wide, muddy river, and the road became choked with people passing in and out of a city of wooden shacks and stone altars. There were humped-back cattle everywhere, even grazing in the gardens, but no one seemed to bear them any mind. â€Å"The last meat I ate was what was left of our camels,† I said. â€Å"Let's find a booth and buy some beef.† There were merchants along the road selling various wares, clay pots, powders, herbs, spices, copper and bronze blades (iron seemed to be in short supply), and tiny carvings of what seemed to be a thousand different gods, most of them having more limbs than seemed necessary and none of them looking particularly friendly. We found grain, breads, fruits, vegetables, and bean pastes for sale, but nowhere did we see any meat. We settled on some bread and spicy bean paste, paid the woman with Roman copper coin, then found a place under a large banyan tree where we could sit and look at the river while we ate. I'd forgotten the smell of a city, the fetid mlange of people, and waste, and smoke and animals, and I began to long for the clean air of the mountains. â€Å"I don't want to sleep here, Joshua. Let's see if we can find a place in the country.† â€Å"We are supposed to follow this river to the sea to reach Tamil. Where the river goes, so go the people.† The river – wider than any in Israel, but shallow, yellow with clay, and still against the heavy air – seemed more like a huge stagnant puddle than a living, moving thing. In this season, anyway. Dotting the surface, a half-dozen skinny, naked men with wild white hair and not three teeth apiece shouted angry poetry at the top of their lungs and tossed water into glittering crests over their heads. â€Å"I wonder how my cousin John is doing,† said Josh. All along the muddy riverbank women washed clothes and babies only steps from where cattle waded and shat, men fished or pushed long shallow boats along with poles, and children swam or played in the mud. Here and there the corpse of a dog bobbed flyblown in the gentle current. â€Å"Maybe there's a road inland a little, away from the stench.† Joshua nodded and climbed to his feet. â€Å"There,† he said, pointing to a narrow path that began on the opposite bank of the river and disappeared into some tall grass. â€Å"We'll have to cross,† I said. â€Å"Be nice if we could find a boat to take us,† said Josh. â€Å"You don't think we should ask where the path leads?† â€Å"No,† said Joshua, looking at a crowd of people who were gathering nearby and staring at us. â€Å"These people all look hostile.† â€Å"What was that you told Gaspar about love was a state you dwell in or something?† â€Å"Yeah, but not with these people. These people are creepy. Let's go.† The creepy little brown guy who was dragging me through the elephant grass was named Rumi, and much to his credit, amid the chaos and tumble of a headlong dash through a leviathan marshland, pursued by a muderous band of clanging, shouting, spear-waving decapitation enthusiasts, Rumi had managed to find a tiger – no small task when you have a kung fu master and the savior of the world in tow. â€Å"Eek, a tiger,† Rumi said, as we stumbled into a small clearing, a mere depression really, where a cat the size of Jerusalem was gleefully gnawing away on the skull of a deer. Rumi had expressed my sentiments exactly, but I would be damned if I was going to let my last words be â€Å"Eek, a tiger,† so I listened quietly as urine filled my shoes. â€Å"You'd think all the noise would have frightened him,† Josh said, just as the tiger looked up from his deer. I noticed that our pursuers seemed to be closing on us by the second. â€Å"That is the way it is usually done,† said Rumi. â€Å"The noise drives the tiger to the hunter.† â€Å"Maybe he knows that,† I said, â€Å"so he's not going anywhere. You know, they're bigger than I imagined. Tigers, I mean.† â€Å"Sit down,† said Joshua. â€Å"Pardon me?† I said. â€Å"Trust me,† Joshua said. â€Å"Remember the cobra when we were kids?† I nodded to Rumi and coaxed him down as the tiger crouched and tensed his hind legs as if preparing to leap, which is exactly what he was doing. As the first of our pursuers broke into the clearing from behind us the tiger leapt, sailing over our heads by half again the height of a man. The tiger landed on the first two men coming out of the grass, crushing them under his enormous forepaws, then raking their backs as he leapt again. After that all I could see was spear points scattering against the sky as the hunters became, well, you know. Men screamed, the woman screamed, the tiger screamed, and the two men who had fallen under the tiger crawled to their feet and limped back toward the road, screaming. Rumi looked from the dead deer, to Joshua, to me, to the dead deer, to Joshua, and his eyes seemed to grow even larger than before. â€Å"I am deeply moved and eternally grateful for your affinity with the tiger, but that is his deer, and it appears that he has not finished with it, perhaps†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Joshua stood up. â€Å"Lead on.† â€Å"I don't know which way.† â€Å"Not that way,† I said, pointing in the direction of the screaming bad guys. Rumi led us through the grass to another road, which we followed to where he lived. â€Å"It's a pit,† I said. â€Å"It's not that bad,† said Joshua, looking around. There were other pits nearby. People were living in them. â€Å"You live in a pit,† I said. â€Å"Hey, ease up,† Joshua said. â€Å"He saved our lives.† â€Å"It is a humble pit, but it is home,† said Rumi. â€Å"Please make yourself comfortable.† I looked around. The pit had been chipped out of sandstone and was about shoulder deep and just wide enough to turn a cow around in, which I would find out was a crucial dimension. The pit was empty except for a single rock about knee high. â€Å"Have a seat. You may have the rock,† said Rumi. Joshua smiled and sat on the rock. Rumi sat on the floor of the pit, which was covered with a thick layer of black slime. â€Å"Please. Sit,† said Rumi, gesturing to the floor beside him. â€Å"I'm sorry, we can only afford one rock.† I didn't sit. â€Å"Rumi, you live in a pit!† I pointed out. â€Å"Well, yes, that is true. Where do Untouchables live in your land?† â€Å"Untouchable?† â€Å"Yes, the lowest of the low. The scum of the earth. None of the higher caste may acknowledge my existence. I am Untouchable.† â€Å"Well, no wonder, you live in a fucking pit.† â€Å"No,† Joshua said, â€Å"he lives in a pit because he's Untouchable, he's not Untouchable because he lives in a pit. He'd be Untouchable if he lived in a palace, isn't that right, Rumi?† â€Å"Oh, like that's going to happen,† I said. I'm sorry, the guy lived in a pit. â€Å"There's more room since my wife and most of my children died,† said Rumi. â€Å"Until this morning it was only Vitra, my youngest daughter and me, but now she is gone too. There is plenty of room for you if you wish to stay.† Joshua put his hand on Rumi's narrow shoulder and I could see the effect it had, the pain evaporating from the Untouchable's face like dew under a hot sun. I stood by being wretched. â€Å"What happened to Vitra?† Joshua asked. â€Å"They came and took her, the Brahmans, as a sacrifice on the feast of Kali. I was looking for her when I saw you two. They gather children and men, criminals, Untouchables, and strangers. They would have taken you and day after tomorrow they would have offered your head to Kali.† â€Å"So your daughter is not dead?† I asked. â€Å"They will hold her until midnight on the night of the feast, then slaughter her with the other children on the wooden elephants of Kali.† â€Å"I will go to these Brahmans and ask for your daughter back,† Joshua said. â€Å"They'll kill you,† Rumi said. â€Å"Vitra is lost, even your tiger cannot save you from Kali's destruction.† â€Å"Rumi,† I said. â€Å"Look at me, please. Explain, Brahmans, Kali, elephants, everything. Go slow, act as if I know nothing.† â€Å"Like that takes imagination,† Joshua said, clearly violating my implied, if not expressed, copyright on sarcasm. (Yeah, we have Court TV in the hotel room, why?) â€Å"There are four castes,† said Rumi, â€Å"the Brahmans, or priests; Kshatriyas, or warriors; Vaisyas, who are farmers or merchants; and the Sudras, who are laborers. There are many subcastes, but those are the main ones. Each man is born to a caste and he remains in that caste until he dies and is reborn as a higher caste or lower caste, which is determined by his karma, or actions during his last life.† â€Å"We know from karma,† I said. â€Å"We're Buddhist monks.† â€Å"Heretics!† Rumi hissed. â€Å"Bite me, you bug-eyed scrawny brown guy,† I said. â€Å"You are a scrawny brown guy!† â€Å"No, you're a scrawny brown guy!† â€Å"No, you are a scrawny brown guy!† â€Å"We are all scrawny brown guys,† Joshua said, making peace. â€Å"Yeah, but he's bug-eyed.† â€Å"And you are a heretic.† â€Å"You're a heretic!† â€Å"No, you are a heretic.† â€Å"We're all scrawny brown heretics,† said Joshua, calming things down again. â€Å"Well, of course I'm scrawny,† I said. â€Å"Six years of cold rice and tea, and not a scrap of beef for sale in the whole country.† â€Å"You would eat beef? You heretic!† shouted Rumi. â€Å"Enough!† shouted Joshua. â€Å"No one may eat a cow. Cows are the reincarnations of souls on their way to the next life.† â€Å"Holy cow,† Josh said. â€Å"That is what I am saying.† Joshua shook his head as if trying to straighten jumbled thoughts. â€Å"You said that there were four castes, but you didn't mention Untouchables.† â€Å"Harijans, Untouchables, have no caste, we are the lowest of the low. We may have to live many lifetimes before we even ascend to the level of a cow, and then we may become higher caste. Then, if we follow our dharma, our duty, as a higher caste, we may become one with Brahma, the universal spirit of all. I can't believe you don't know this, have you been living in a cave?† I was going to point out that Rumi was in no position to criticize where we had been living, but Joshua signaled me to let it go. Instead I said, â€Å"So you are lower on the caste system than a cow?† I asked. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"So these Brahmans won't eat a cow, but they will take your daughter and kill her for their goddess?† â€Å"And eat her,† said Rumi, hanging his head. â€Å"At midnight on the night of the feast they will take her and the other children and tie them to the wooden elephants. They will cut off the children's fingers and give one to the head of each Brahman household. Then they will catch her blood in a cup and everyone in the household will taste it. They may eat the finger or bury it for good luck. After that the children are hacked to death on the wooden elephants.† â€Å"They can't do that,† Joshua said. â€Å"Oh yes, the cult of Kali may do anything they wish. It is her city, Kalighat.† [â€Å"Calcutta† on the Friendly Flyer map.] â€Å"My little Vitra is lost. We can only pray that she is reincarnated to a higher level.† Joshua patted the Untouchable's hand. â€Å"Why did you call Biff a heretic when he told you that we were Buddhist monks?† â€Å"That Gautama said that a man may go directly from any level to join Brahma, without fulfilling his dharma, that is heresy.† â€Å"That would be better for you, wouldn't it? Since you're on the bottom of the ladder?† â€Å"You cannot believe what you do not believe,† Rumi said. â€Å"I am an Untouchable because my karma dictates it.† â€Å"Oh yeah,† I said. â€Å"No sense sitting under a bodhi tree for a few hours when you can get the same thing through thousands of lifetimes of misery.† â€Å"Of course, that's ignoring the fact that you're a gentile and going to suffer eternal damnation either way,† said Josh. â€Å"Yeah, leaving that out altogether.† â€Å"But we'll get your daughter back,† Joshua said. Joshua wanted to rush into Kalighat and demand the return of Rumi's daughter and the release of all the other victims in the name of what was good and right. Joshua's solution to everything was to lead with righteous indignation, and there is a time and a place unto that, but there is also a time for cunning and guile (Ecclesiastes 9 or something). I was able to talk him into an alternate plan by using flawless logic: â€Å"Josh, did the Vegemites smite the Marmites by charging in and demanding justice at the end of a sword? I think not. These Brahmans cut off and eat the fingers of children. I know there's no finger-cutting commandment, Josh, but still, I'm guessing that these people think differently than we do. They call the Buddha a heretic, and he was one of their princes. How do you think they'll receive a scrawny brown kid claiming to be the son of a god who doesn't even live in their area?† â€Å"Good point. But we still have to save the child.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"Extreme sneakiness.† â€Å"You'll have to be in charge then.† â€Å"First we need to see this city and this temple where the sacrifices will be held.† Joshua scratched his head. His hair had mostly grown back, but was still short. â€Å"The Vegemites smote the Marmites?† â€Å"Yeah, Excretions three-six.† â€Å"I don't remember that. I guess I need to brush up on my Torah.† The statue of Kali over her altar was carved from black stone and stood as tall as ten men. She wore a necklace of human skulls around her neck and a girdle made of severed human hands at her hips. Her open maw was lined with a saw blade of teeth over which a stream of fresh blood had been poured. Even her toenails curved into vicious blades which dug into the pile of twisted, graven corpses on which she stood. She had four arms, one holding a cruel, serpentine sword, another a severed head by the hair; the third hand she held crooked, as if beckoning her victims to the place of dark destruction to which all are destined, and the fourth was posed downward, in a manner presenting the goddess's hand-girded hips, as if asking the eternal question, â€Å"Does this outfit make me look fat?† The raised altar lay in the middle of an open garden that was surrounded by trees. The altar was wide enough that five hundred people could have stood in the shadow of the black goddess. Deep grooves had been cut in the stone to channel the blood of sacrifices into vessels, so it could be poured through the goddess's jaws. Leading to the altar was a wide stone-paved boulevard, which was lined on either side by great elephants carved from wood and set on turntables so they could be rotated. The trunks and front feet of the elephants were stained rusty brown, and here and there the trunks exhibited deep gouges from blades that had hewn through a child into the mahogany. â€Å"Vitra isn't being kept here,† Joshua said. We were hiding behind a tree near the temple garden, dressed as natives, fake caste marks and all. Having lost when we drew lots, I was the one dressed as a woman. â€Å"I think this is a bodhi tree,† I said, â€Å"just like Buddha sat under! It's so exciting. I'm feeling sort of enlightened just standing here. Really, I can feel ripe bodhies squishing between my toes.† Joshua looked at my feet. â€Å"I don't think those are bodhies. There was a cow here before us.† I lifted my foot out of the mess. â€Å"Cows are overrated in this country. Under the Buddha's tree too. Is nothing sacred?† â€Å"There's no temple to this temple,† Joshua said. â€Å"We have to ask Rumi where the sacrifices are kept until the festival.† â€Å"He won't know. He's Untouchable. These guys are Brahmans – priests – they wouldn't tell him anything. That would be like a Sadducee telling a Samaritan what the Holy of Holies looked like.† â€Å"Then we have to find them ourselves,† Joshua said. â€Å"We know where they're going to be at midnight, we'll get them then.† â€Å"I say we find these Brahmans and force them to stop the whole festival.† â€Å"We'll just storm up to their temple and tell them to stop it?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And they will.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"That's cute, Josh. Let's go find Rumi. I have a plan.†

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Lee Harvey Oswald Was Not the Lone Assassin

On November 22nd, 1963, President John F. Kennedy (JFK) was shot and killed in a motorcade running through Dealy Plaza, in Dallas, Texas. Shortly after, a man by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the murder of President Kennedy. Over the years there has been much controversy over if Lee Harvey Oswald was in fact, the only man involved in the assassination of JFK. The assassination is still a topic of debate to this day and has spawned many conspiracy theories. At the time, there was little persuasive evidence to prove that Oswald was involved in any sort of conspiracy to assassinate the president, but as time went on people began to grow suspicious of certain things. In 1966, Mark Lane was one of the first to introduce the idea that Oswald did not act alone with the publication of his book Rush to Judgment. Now today, 75% of people believe Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone[1], 70% of respondents believed that the assassination involved more than one person[2]. Also 66% of Americans believe that there was a conspiracy, while 74% believed that there was a cover up[3]. It is inevitable that there is much confusion as to who was involved in the assassination of President Kennedy, but I firmly believe that there is indisputable evidence that shows that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in the assassination. To start off, after the assassination took place and Oswald was captured, authorities changed the identity of the murder weapon many times. For instance, Deputy Sheriff Eugene Boone and Deputy Constable Seymour Weitzman both initially identified the murder weapon as a 6. 5 mm Carcano rifle, but the following day Weitzman signed affidavit describing the weapon as a 7. 5mm Mauser bolt action rifle, equipped with a 4/18 scope. Later on, investigators identified the rifle as a 6. 5mm Carcano, proving that Weitzman lied about the murder weapon. In his book, Mark Lane exploits this as the strongest reason why there was a cover up. He says â€Å"The strongest element in the case against Lee Harvey Oswald was the Warren Commission's conclusion that his rifle had been found on the 6th floor of the Book Depository building. Yet Oswald never owned a 7. 65 Mauser. When the FBI later reported that Oswald had purchased only a 6. 5 Italian Mannlicher-Carcano, the weapon t police headquarters in Dallas miraculously changed its size, its make and its nationality. The Warren Commission concluded that a 6. 5 Mannlicher-Carcano, not a 7. 65 German Mauser, had been discovered by the Dallas deputies. † Also many witnesses to the assassination were aggressively confronted and were told to keep quiet about what they saw. Acquilla Clemmons, who claimed she saw two men, not only Oswald, at the scene of Officer J. D. Tippet’s[4] murder, says a man armed with a gun confronted her at her house and told her not to speak of what she saw. Leading off of this, in the next three years following the assassination, 18 witnesses were mysteriously killed along with many people dealing with the investigation process. This is significant because it shows that it was not just a coincidence that out of the small number of people that were testifying as witnesses already, many were being killed off. Somebody wanted these witnesses quiet. These deaths seemed to follow a pattern. Whenever various government agencies started a new investigation to look further into the assassination, key people within the agency would be killed, and the investigations halted. Key people were murdered when the New Orleans District Attorney, Senate Intelligence Committee, and House Select Committee on Assassinations started to conduct efficient investigations. Another claim by the Warren commission is that a single bullet killed the president and wounded the governor. There are many flaws with this theory, most prominent being that if there was in fact only one bullet shot, it must have traveled through 15 layers of clothing, 7 layers of skin, approximately 15 inches of tissue, struck a necktie knot, removed 4 inches of rib, and shattered a radius bone. Apart from this being very unlikely, the Zapruder film[5] shows President Kennedy being wounded in between frames 225 and 226, while Governor Connelly appears to have been wounded in frame 240. Pro conspiracy theorists believe that this is indisputable evidence that there were two shooters, because it is impossible to fire two shots from a Carcano rifle in less than 2. 3 seconds (43 frames in the film), meanwhile for anti conspiracy theorists it proves the single bullet theory correct. The evidence tips in favor of the pro conspiracy theorists because this shot is irtually impossible to successfully make. With the angle the bullet entered and the fact that there was so much to go through and the bullet came out in near perfect condition, with some bend in the back of the bullet, it is more likely that there were in fact two shots fired. Judging by the fact that it is impossible to fire two shots from a Carcano rifle in less than 2. 3 seconds, and the president and the governor were h it within 15 frames of each other on the Zapruder film, it only makes sense that there were two separate gunmen. Another reason why Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone assassin is that he himself was assassinated two days after capture. While Oswald was being transported to the county jail, he was shot point blank on live television by a man named Jack Ruby. Ruby claimed to authorities to have murdered him to avenge the death of President Kennedy. He wanted to avenge Kennedy for patriotism and out of pity for the widow. Ruby owned a nightclub in Dallas at the time, and was also a known gangster and women and drug trafficker. Although Ruby claims to have murdered Oswald as revenge for killing President Kennedy, most people believe it was part of a cover up for a much larger conspiracy. After Ruby’s arrest, he was sentenced to death, only to have his trials postponed and die of lung cancer shortly after postponing the trial. While Oswald was in interrogation, he changed his story many times when asked routine questions such as â€Å"where were you at the time of the shooting†, or â€Å"explain to us what you did the day of the assassination†. He also denied any involvement in the incident even though there was evidence against him. Oswald was bound to face further, more intense interrogation in the future, and this is the reason most people believe that assassination of Oswald was to prevent him from talking about what actually happened in the Kennedy assassination. There were also many strange reports of President Kennedy’s brain being switched from when it was seen in evidence, to when the autopsy was performed. There were pictures of Kennedy’s brain for evidence showing immense damage to the rear, consistent with an exit wound and therefore evidence of a shot from the front. Meanwhile, the autopsy brain did not nearly show the same amount of damage in the back of the brain, and an exit wound in the front. Douglas Horne, the Record Review Board's chief analyst for military records said that he was â€Å"90-95%† certain that these brains were not the same. The idea of a brain switch is highly likely according to many investigators on the subject. This is evidence of a cover up because the way the bullet entered the brain could have shown numerous things to investigators. For one thing, it could have shown the angle and direction in which the bullet entered, proving that Lee Harvey Oswald could not have shot Kennedy from the 6th story of the Texas Book Depository because of the difference in the angles. It could have also shown multiple bullet wounds, disproving the single bullet theory, and ruling out Oswald as the lone assassin. In all, having investigators obtain Kennedy’s real brain would have been catastrophic to any conspiracy, for it would have proved that the conspiracy’s scapegoat Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone assassin. The situation in which Oswald had supposedly shot Kennedy continues to seem less and less likely to be possible. Both Craig Roberts[6] and Carlos Hathcock[7] said that this assassination could not have been done how the Warren Commission says it was. â€Å"Let me tell you what we did at Quantico, we reconstructed the whole thing: the angle, the range, the moving target, the time limit, the obstacles, everything. I don’t know how many times we tried it, but we couldn’t duplicate what the Warren Commission said Oswald did. Now if I can’t do it, how in the world could a guy who was a non-qual on the rifle range and later only qualified ‘marksman' do it? â€Å"[8] This quote vividly disproves the idea that Oswald was the lone gunman. Two highly qualified snipers completely recreated the scene of the assassination, and could not make the shot in a copious amount of attempts, but a mere marksman Oswald could make the shots perfectly in one? These odds are extremely unlikely, and to think that it is even possible that Oswald could make a shot of this caliber is absurd. There are countless reasons why Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone gunman in the Kennedy assassination. The final verdict on the assassination of President Kennedy, is that Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots from a 6. 5 mm Carcano rifle out of the 6th floor window in the Texas Depository building, with one bullet missing the motorcade entirely, one bullet going through Kennedy’s back, and one bullet puncturing the back of Kennedy’s head, straight through to Governor Connelly, wounding him severely. An abundance of witness accounts clearly state that they heard shots elsewhere, and were told to be quiet about this, the shot Oswald would have had to make was impossible, Oswald was murdered two days after his arrest, the Zapruder film disproves the idea of the lone gunman, and there were many falsifications in the stories of Oswald and investigators about what happened that day, what weapon was used in the murder, the brain description, and what happened in interrogation. The lack of paperwork itself should have been enough to sway the opinions of a higher authority that there was something wrong with the investigation. Even when researching this topic, it is still not even clear what did happen on that horrible day. The Warren Commission, along with the Dallas Police, the FBI, and many other organizations, did an atrocious job of properly investigating and documenting the investigation of this assassination. If that is not sufficient, there is the fact that the way the final report claims this assassination happened is not humanly possible. This has been proven by highly trained snipers and well informed authority. Lee Harvey Oswald was not a sniping guru, nor was he the man who by himself killed President John F. Kennedy.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Words for Clothes in Spanish

Words for Clothes in Spanish Talking about clothing in Spanish is one of the practical ways you can put your knowledge of Spanish to use. Whether youre going shopping in an area where Spanish is spoken, making a packing list for a Spanish-speaking person, or preparing a laundry list for your hotel, youll find these words useful. Names for Clothing in Spanish Here are some of the most common names for articles of clothing. Although some regions have their own names for some types of clothing, these words should be understood nearly everywhere Spanish is spoken. bathrobe: el albornozbelt: el cinturà ³n (leather belt: cinturà ³n de cuero)bikini: el bikini, el biquini (feminine in Argentina)blouse: la blusaboots: las botasboxers: los bà ³xersbra: el sostà ©n, el sujetador, el brasiercap: la gorra, el gorrocoat: el abrigodress: el vestidogloves: los guantesgown (formal dress): el traje, el vestido, el vestido de noche, el vestido de bailehalter: halter, tophat: el sombrero (any kind of hat, not just a type of Mexican hat)jacket: la chaquetajeans: los jeans, los vaqueros, los bluyines, los tejanosleggings: las mallas (can refer to any type of tight-fitting elastic clothing), los leggingsminiskirt: la minifaldamittens: los mitonespajamas: la pijamapants, trousers: los pantalonespocket: el bolsillopurse: el bolsoraincoat: el impermeablesandal: la sandaliashirt: la camisashoe: el zapatoshoelaces, shoestrings:  cordones, agujetas (primarily in Mexico)shorts: los pantalones cortos, el short, las bermudas, el culote (especially for cycling short s)skirt: la falda slipper: la zapatillasock: el calcetà ­nstocking: la mediasuit: el trajesweater: el suà ©ter, el jersey, la chompasweatshirt: la sudadera, el pulà ³ver (with hood, con capucha)sweatsuit: el traje de entrenamiento (literally, training clothes)swimsuit: el baà ±ador, el traje de baà ±otank top: camiseta sin mangas (literally, sleeveless T-shirt)tennis shoe, sneaker: el zapato de tenis, el zapato de lonatie: la corbatatop (womens clothing article): topT-shirt: la camiseta, la playera articleestuxedo: el esmoquin, el smokingunderwear: la ropa interiorvest: el chalecowatch, wristwatch: el reloj, el reloj de pulsera The general word for clothing is la ropa. It can refer to clothing in general or to an article of clothing. General types of clothing include ropa deportiva or ropa sport (sportswear), ropa informal (casual clothing), ropa formal (formalwear), ropa  de negocios (businesswear), and ropa casual de negocios (business casual clothing). Using Definite Articles With Spanish Clothing When referring to a persons article of clothing, it is usual to use a definite article rather than a possessive pronoun, much as is done with body parts. In other words,  someone would refer to your shirt as la camisa (the shirt) rather than tu camisa (your shirt) if the meaning is still clear. For example: Durante la cena, yo llevaba los jeans verdes.During the dinner, I wore my green jeans. The meaning is clear without specifying that the jeans were mine.Mis zapatos son ms nuevos que los tuyos.My shoes are newer than yours. Possessive adjectives are used here for emphasis and clarity. Verbs Related to Clothes in Spanish Llevar is the verb most often used to refer to wearing clothing: Paulina llevà ³ la blusa rota a la tienda.Pauline wore the torn dress to the store. You can usually use ponerse to refer to putting on of clothing: Se puso la camisa sin abotonar.He put on the shirt without buttoning it. Sacar and quitar are usually used when referring to the removal of clothes: Los adolescentes entraban en una iglesia y no se quitaban el sombrero.The adolescents would enter a church and not take off their hats.No hay problema si sacas los zapatos.Theres no problem if you take off your shoes. Cambiarse is the verb of choice for changing possessions including clothing: Cuando te vas a cambiar de ropa,  ¿sigues alguna rutina?When you change clothes, do you follow some routine? Planchar is the verb for to iron. An iron is una plancha. Es difà ­cil planchar una camisa sin arrugas.It is difficult to iron a shirt without creases. The usual verb for laundering clothes is lavar, the same verb used for cleaning all sorts of items. Lavar and launder come from the same Latin verb, lavare. No es necesario que laves los jeans con la misma regularidad que las dems prendas de vestir.It isnt necessary that you wash jeans as consistently as with other articles of clothing.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Roman Gladiators vs. the Gladiator Movie

Roman Gladiators vs. the Gladiator Movie In May 2000,  Gladiator  opened in movie theaters. Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) is a successful general from the Battle of the Danube under Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), son of Marcus Aurelius, condemns Meridius to probable death by sending him into the gladiatorial arena. Commodus isnt merely sending to an uncertain death the general he perceives as a threat to his throne. The new emperor himself enters the arena to ensure Meridius permanent  end. If the plot seems a bit far-fetched, its not- at least in the most obvious way, because Commodus and probably another half dozen emperors did indeed set foot in the arena. Emperor Gladiators The adulation of the crowds has to be among the most compelling reasons to become a gladiator. At first, gladiators were slaves, criminals condemned to death, and war prisoners. In time, free men volunteered to become gladiators. Brooklyn Colleges Roger Dunkle says it has been estimated that by the end of the Republic, half the gladiators were volunteers. There were even women gladiators. That Emperor Septimius Severus banned female gladiators suggests that by the beginning of the third century A.D., there was a sizable number of such Amazons. Two of the mad emperors, Caligula and Commodus, appeared as gladiators in the arena. Seven other emperors who werent demented, including Titus and Hadrian, either trained as gladiators or fought in the arena. The Gladiator Was Honored but Unrespectable Anyone who became a gladiator was, by definition, infamis (whence: infamy), not respectable, and beneath the law. Barbara F. McManus says gladiators had to swear an oath (sacramentum gladiatorium): â€Å"I will endure to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword.†Ã‚  This consigned the gladiator to possible death, but also conferred honor, much like that of a soldier. Not only was there honor for a gladiator, but there were adoring crowds, and, sometimes there was wealth (victors were paid with a laurel, monetary payment, and donations from the crowd) and a life of leisure. Some gladiators may have fought no more than two or three times a year and may have won their freedom within very few years. Because of the financial incentive, free men and even aristocrats who, having squandered their inheritance had no other comfortable means of support, would voluntarily become gladiators. At the end of his service, a freed gladiator (as a token, he received a rudis), could teach other gladiators or a he could become a freelance bodyguard. The plot is familiar: In todays movies, the ex-boxer, having survived dozens of bloody KOs with only a few disfigurements, becomes a manager or trainer at a boxing school. Some popular sports figures become sportscasters. occasionally, they become television or movie personalities or even politicians. Political Gladiator Fights An editor is a person who gives something forth into the public, like a public game. In the Republic, the Editores were politicians who, wishing to curry public favor, would put on fights between gladiators and animal shows. Today, municipalities build stadiums with tax dollars, a burden shared rather than being shouldered by a benefactor. The person with the status of the editor may be the owner of the sports team. Onto the floor of the amphitheater sand was poured to absorb blood. The word for sand in Latin is harena, from which our word arena comes. Sources depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/gladiatr/gladiatr.htm, Roger Dunkle on Gladiators www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_378/Gladiators.html, Blood Sport

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Benefits of Exercise Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Benefits of Exercise - Research Proposal Example The changed scenario of professional and personal life in the busy competitive world of today limits the possibility of physical exertion. The increased occurrences of diseases and psychological defects despite the modern medial and scientific facilities relates to lesser exercising and physical exertion of the people. However there are scientifically proven benefits of exercise which contributes positively to various values of life, be it that of physical health or that of mental stability. This essay describes the various benefits of exercise on human life. Regular exercises are expected to bring positive psychological impact on people. The popular saying that a healthy mind would lead to healthy body is true with respect to the relation of exercise and psychology. Though the impacts of exercise on the mind and thought process may not be visibly evident as in the case of physical benefits of exercise, the psychological benefits of regular exercise is proved to be as significant as the physical ones. The relation of physiological improvisation in positively affecting the physical attributes has been reiterated by the studies conducted by James H.Capshew. (Capshew, H, J, 2008,p.12). `However there are direct impacts and indirect impacts of exercise on human psychology. When factors like self esteem and attitude are indirect subjective results of exercise, there are more tangible direct impacts of exercise on human psychology. These impacts are mainly caused due to the direct effect of bio chemical activity catalyzed by physical exertion. The bio chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and endorphins which are released by the brain are proved to have strong effects on mood, by helping to reduce feelings of anxiety, stress and depression. (Azmitia E.C, Whitaker P.M,1991, p4-16). There are twenty different types of endorphin found in the nervous system and the beta-endorphins secreted during exercise have the

Friday, November 1, 2019

An Investigation into operating characteristics of DC-AC Three-Phase Essay

An Investigation into operating characteristics of DC-AC Three-Phase Generators and Motors - Essay Example In such condition the machine is called a Motor. Similarly if the field flux is present and the rotor conductors are moved inside that field an induced voltage is produced in them which produce terminal voltage i.e. electric power is generated. In such situation machine is called a Generator. In this assignment first DC series generator is examined. Then Series motor characteristics are studied. Then two types of induction motors i.e. capacitor start and cage rotor motors are studied and we find that the difference in the two motors is that of the capacitor which helps to rotate the motor shaft in the beginning when there is not enough torque to start the Motor. In all these experiments relating to motors we have considered the effects of changing load torque on speed, output power, power factor and efficiency. Objective of this assignment is to enable students to understand the basic concepts underlying the effect of increasing load on electric machines. Series Generators and different types of Motors are studied with the effects of changing loads on their characteristics. All these machines show change in their behavior when load is increased. Studying that behavior is the main Aim of this assignment. After wiring the circuit as shown in the circuit schematic, I set up DC series generator. I measured the output current using Ammeter which was connected at the output in series and voltage was measured by connecting voltmeter in parallel with the output load (R1). I varied the load R1 in small steps to obtain the given values of current which I recorded on the Ammeter. The output voltage values were recorded using voltmeter. These are given in the table below. As the field windings are in series with armature windings an increase in armature current (as load increases armature current increases) will also increase the field current which in turn will produce more induced voltage and output voltage will increase as a