Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 24

September 25, 1864 They say love can conquer all. But can it conquer Father's belief that Katherine and those like her are demons–devils? I do not exaggerate when I say Katherine is an angel. She saved my life–and Anna's. Father must know the truth. Once he does, he will be unable to deny Katherine's goodness. It is my duty as a Salvatore to stay true to my convictions and to the ones I love. Now is the time for action, not doubt. Confidence courses through my veins. I will make Father understand the truth–that we are all the same. And with that truth will come love. Father will call off the siege. This I swear on my name and my life. For the rest of the day, I sat at my desk in my bedroom, glancing at an empty notebook as I contemplated what to do. If Father knew Katherine was a vampire, he'd call off the hunt. He had to. I'd seen him laugh with Katherine, attempt to impress her with stories of his boyish antics back in Italy, and treat her as he'd have treated a daughter. Katherine gave my father a vigor I'd never seen in him. She gave my father life. But how could I persuade him of this, when he so deeply despised demons? Then again, Father was rational. Logical. Maybe he could learn what Katherine had already taught me: that vampires weren't all evil. They walked among us, they cried human tears; all they wanted was a true home –and to be loved. Finally, I steeled my courage and stood up, closing the notebook with an abrupt clap. This wasn't a schoolboy's assignment, and I didn't need notes to speak from my heart. I was ready to speak to Father man to man. After all, I was nearly eighteen, and he was planning to leave me Veritas. I took a deep breath and walked down the winding staircase, through the quiet living room, and knocked sharply on the door to Father's study. â€Å"Come in!† Father's muffled voice called. Before I had even put my hand on the knob, Father swung the door open himself. He wore a tailored jacket, with a sprig of vervain in the lapel, but I noticed that instead of being clean shaven, he sported salt-and-pepper stubble and his eyes were bloodshot and hooded. â€Å"I didn't see you last night at the ball,† Father said as he ushered me into his study. â€Å"I hope you weren't part of that noisy, careless mob.† â€Å"No.† I shook my head vigorously, feeling a flicker of hope. Did this mean Father was no longer planning an attack? â€Å"Good.† Father sat at his oak desk and slammed his leather-bound book shut. Beneath it, I could see complicated drawings and diagrams of the town, with X's over certain buildings, including the apothecary. And just like that, the flicker of hope was extinguished, and cold, hard fear took up residence in its place. Father followed my gaze. â€Å"As you can see, our plans are much more thought-out than that foolish brigade of drunks and boys. Luckily Sheriff Forbes and his team put a stop to them, and none of them will be welcome at our own siege.† Father sighed and steepled his fingers together. â€Å"We're living in dangerous and uncertain times, and your actions need to reflect that.† His dark eyes softened for a second. â€Å"I just want to make sure your decisions, at least, are prudent.† He didn't add â€Å"unlike Damon's,† but he didn't have to. I knew that was what he was thinking. â€Å"So the siege †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Will happen next week as planned.† â€Å"What about the compass?† I asked, remembering the conversation with Katherine. Father smiled. â€Å"It works. Jonathan's been tinkering with it.† â€Å"Oh.† A wave of horror rushed through me. If it worked, then that meant there was no doubt Father would find Katherine. â€Å"How do you know that it works?† Father smiled and rolled up his papers. â€Å"Because it does,† he said simply. â€Å"Can I talk to you about something?† I asked, hoping my voice betrayed none of my nerves. An image of Katherine's face flashed in my head, giving me the strength to lock eyes with Father. â€Å"Of course. Sit down, Stefan,† Father commanded. I perched in the leather wingback chair near the bookshelves. He stood up and walked over to the decanter of brandy on the corner table. He poured a glass for himself, then one for me. I took the tumbler and held it to my lips, taking a tiny, almost imperceptible sip of the liquid. Then I steeled my courage and stared straight at him. â€Å"I have concerns about your plan for the vampires.† â€Å"Oh? And why is that?† Father leaned back against his chair. I nervously took a large gulp of brandy. â€Å"We're making the assumption that they're as evil as they've been characterized. But what if that's not true?† I asked, willing myself to meet Father's gaze. Father snorted. â€Å"Have you any evidence to the contrary?† I shook my head. â€Å"Of course not. But why take what people say at face value? Y taught us ou differently.† Father sighed and walked to his decanter, pouring more brandy. â€Å"Why? Because these creatures are from the darkest parts of hell. They know how to control your mind, seduce your spirit. They are deadly, and they need to be destroyed.† I glanced down at the amber liquid in my glass. It was as dark and murky as my thoughts. Father tipped his glass to me. â€Å"I shouldn't have to tell you, son, that those who stand with them, those who bring shame to their families, will be destroyed as well.† A chill went up my spine, but I held his gaze. â€Å"Anyone who stands with evil should be destroyed. But I hardly think it's prudent to assume that all vampires are evil just because they happen to be vampires. Y always taught us to see the good in ou people, to think for ourselves. The last thing this town needs, when there have already been so many deaths from the war, is more senseless killing,† I said, remembering Pearl and Anna's terrified expressions in the woods. â€Å"The Founders need to rethink the plan. I'll come to the next meeting with you. I know I haven't been as involved as I could have been, but I'm ready to take on my responsibilities.† Father sank back into his chair, leaning his head against the wooden back. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. For several long moments he remained in that posture. I waited, every muscle in my body coiled to receive the angry flurry of words that was sure to fly from his mouth. I stared dejectedly into my glass. I had failed. I had failed Katherine, Pearl, and Anna. I had failed at securing my own happy future. Finally, Father's eyes snapped open. To my surprise, he nodded. â€Å"I suppose I could give the matter some thought.† Cool relief flooded my body, as if I'd just jumped into the pond on a scorching summer day. He would give the matter some thought! To some, that might not seem to be much, but from my stubborn father, it meant everything. It meant there was a chance. A chance to stop sneaking around in the dark. A chance for Katherine to remain safe. For us to be together, forever. Father lifted his glass to me. â€Å"To family.† â€Å"To family,† I echoed. Then Father drained the rest of his glass, which compelled me to do the same.

Kenya on Education Essay

Many countries are faced with poverty in this lifetime. Some are more deprived than others. Kenya, a third world country is one of the most deprived areas in the world. The contributions to this issue are: poor education, lack of nutritional foods, high unemployment rates, and insufficient medical needs. Kenya has a very poor education system that are has affected so many young children in the Kenya school district. Many of the children in Kenya should are in primary and secondary schools which should are be funded by the government education free program. The misuse of education is preventing so many children from attention school. Many of these children are very fortunate that their parent can afford to send them to a private school to get best a better education. Many parents are arguing that they believe sending their children to a private school would give themn m better opportunities to their education. The pupil in Kenya reported that most of the private school ss are doing as well as they should and the secondary school s are doing much better. than the TAccord to the center of evaluation for global action stated that the primary and secondary education has poor learning environment, shortage of learning materials ,and teachers due to unemployment,. congestion in classrooms has led to the poor performance. The article also argues that Private schools have all that they need, sufficient learning materials, adequate staff, provision of a good learning environment hence the better results for these school children. The{CEGA}also argues that the usually in Kenya, private primary schools perform far way better than government schools schools ,while in the contrary government secondary schools perform better as compared to the private schools. The article also stated that many of the primary and secondary school s that which are funded by the government are lack of insufficient learning materials such as school libraries, text books, chalks, exercise books , and access to computers which is a key facility since the current world is technology oriented. The school children in Kenya are omitted out of their education, because of the government misuses of donations that whiuch was given toward the childrens education school program, so they can have a brighter and better further future in the world that their theiry are living in. The pundits also argue that the government should not favor pupils from government schools, but to provide a better environment to allow the complete favorably with their counterparts from private schools. The (CEGA) argue that the government had not been employing any teachers for a while since the misuse of school funds. The revenue that that was also collected is was either pocketed by a few or used in political campaigns. This is what the children in Kenya is facing when it comes their education, because most of the citizens in Kenya really do not care if they get an education at all. Also Also sSsome of the private colleges and higher learning institutions were declared illegal and offered substandard education. Pundits all argue that education has been commercialized in Kenya due to the number of new institutions coming up in every building and street in the capital city. It asks the question who is going to registered all these schools?

Compare Contrast Essay

It is unfathomable to think about a time when all the knowledge on Earth was ;t a t our fingertips. Even worse is a planet where we can't even reach others in seconds. The inter net allows us to experience the world from the comfort of our homes. As farfetched as a world d without the internet may sound, none of the above existed only ten years ago. Even though h life without internet may seem unimaginable, there are advantages and disadvantages to the life we live today with Internet and life before the internet. One advantage to the internet is the fact that research has become much ease ere.Details, facts, and figures on any topic can be found with a few movements of our Finn errs. The internet has not only made research easier, but it has also allowed more information f mound on the internet as compared to a local library, the main source of information before the intent rent. Also, we can now affirm the accuracy of information by having various different sources. AH though this was possible before the internet, it is much easier to do this with this amazing NV mention. However, there is one major drawback to this luxury we have because of the internet. N Thing online is trustworthy.Even websites that are supposed to be trusted and are supposed to be reliable are not full of reliable information. Even major websites that are run by big companies s are using writing firms to write their websites. These writing firms are simply hiring the cheap SST freelancers to do their work for them. It is true that the Internet has made it easier to find out b Asia facts such as the location of places, but even that information is commonly incorrect (as Go ogle Maps will readily prove). Long gone are days when people would spend hours on end in the library try Eng to figure out the Dewey Decimal System.It is as if we must solve a tricky puzzle just to unlock information. Simply locating information was a hassle and trying to find multi peel so recess to prove a statement was very time consuming. In order to find information, we must decide what information is the most important in a book and summarize this information. Although we have to do this even with information being so easily accessible on the internet, the internet provides useful summaries that assist in figuring out what information is actually imp rattan.Also, it obviously took either a car ride or a walk to get to a local library in order to fin d this information fore the internet. However, this wasn't always possible. Clearly, there were plenty of drawbacks to life before the internet. However, there is one major advantage to researching prior to the advent of the internet. When one found sources at a library, it is definite e that the sources are reliable because books are edited, revised, and backtracked by many differ rent people. One can definitely be more confident that the information in a library is way more reliable than the information on the internet.Another advantage to lif e after internet is the fact that communication has b come simple, easy, and convenient. Social media has allowed for people to remain n contact with their high school friends even after those people are married and have kids. This is beneficial because the more people we know, the more connections we can make, and the easies rite is for us to accomplish our goals. Also, an increased connection with other people allows for people to foster ideas together. For example, when a rare surgery is performed, the surgeon will sometimes broadcast the surgery through a Live Stream or a Google Hangout.If something Eng did go wrong during the surgery, surgeons can easily input their ideas and perhaps help the surgeon. The disadvantage of this is some people use the Internet too much and forgo real life contact. It may now be easier to keep in contact with friends, but it has removed any incentive e to visit those friends. People pay fewer visits to others because of their contact online. Face t offee contact is almost arguably necessary for people to maintain healthy social relationships. Also, the argument that online relationships may not be as strong as real life bonds could be mad e.It is really easy for a supposed friend online to not be who they appear to be. Even though the sees kinds of friends existed before the internet, this kind of fake relationship was unprecedented. Before the internet, people couldn't necessarily keep in touch with as many p people. Previously, the only way to reunite with high school friends was to meet at high h school reunions, which wasn't very convenient. However, the high school relationships that we re fostered were definitely more genuine than online relationships.If one was truly friends wit h someone before the internet came into play, one would put effort into phone calls and face to face visits. The advantage to life before the internet is that people got together more often a ND had to visit each there in order to talk. This fos tered a more friendly environment than a strict y online relationship. This also allowed people to develop social skills in real life and b e able to communicate adequately with others factored. Another advantage to life be fore the internet is that it is much harder for people to be mean in person than online.On social media, it is easy to quickly type a post and click send without feeling any guilt or remorse. However ere, before the internet existed people talked factored, so one could see the reaction of an other when one says something hurtful. This makes people consider if what they are doing is c erect. Lastly, the internet IS advantageous because one can literally see the world an d experience everything from the comfort of our homes. Video software like Y tube allow us to literally feel like we are also experiencing what the video is showing.This is try Lully amazing because people who aren't fortunate enough to travel can see what Also, grog cry shopping and other errands can now be done on the internet. This saves a lot of time and e effort. This convenience truly does make life easier. Life after the internet really doesn't r quire leaving the house. The internet has allowed people who normally wouldn't be able to Lear about and experience this incredible planet we live on to do just those things. It truly is a amazing. However, the drawback to this is that there are less people in the world actually seeing t Hess things.There is no comparison to the real thing and what we see online. It looks as though the same thing is totally distinctive from the other. The advantage to life before the internet is that people were encouraged to g 0 out and see the actual beauty of the world and not on a computer screen. Fewer people w ant to this now because everything that these places offer can is supposedly found on the into rent. Before the internet, people had a truly authentic appreciation for nature and the beauty of our world. It was easy to escape from reality and seek comfort in the vast outdoors.Going outs did was like emptying a bag full of bricks that one is forced to carry around. With the inter net, people are too involved in their technology to realize that the outdoors could perhaps relieve some of the stress that the internet is supposed to relieve. Also, life before the internet was diva montages because people set goals to visit places and do the things that internet simulates today These locations that can now be visited virtually motivated people to excel in their careers an d gain financial security in order to one day visit those places.The disadvantage to this is that less people get to experience the extraordinary Earth and everyone on this planet deserves to s e this beautiful planet. In conclusion, the advantages and disadvantages for life before and after the I internet are distinctive, but there is no way to pick one lifestyle over the other. It is import ant to exploit the advantages of the internet, but we m ust also remember to not let our lives re love around the internet. Compare Contrast Essay It is unfathomable to think about a time when all the knowledge on Earth was ;t a t our fingertips. Even worse is a planet where we can't even reach others in seconds. The inter net allows us to experience the world from the comfort of our homes. As farfetched as a world d without the internet may sound, none of the above existed only ten years ago. Even though h life without internet may seem unimaginable, there are advantages and disadvantages to the life we live today with Internet and life before the internet. One advantage to the internet is the fact that research has become much ease ere.Details, facts, and figures on any topic can be found with a few movements of our Finn errs. The internet has not only made research easier, but it has also allowed more information f mound on the internet as compared to a local library, the main source of information before the intent rent. Also, we can now affirm the accuracy of information by having various different sources. AH though this was possible before the internet, it is much easier to do this with this amazing NV mention. However, there is one major drawback to this luxury we have because of the internet. N Thing online is trustworthy.Even websites that are supposed to be trusted and are supposed to be reliable are not full of reliable information. Even major websites that are run by big companies s are using writing firms to write their websites. These writing firms are simply hiring the cheap SST freelancers to do their work for them. It is true that the Internet has made it easier to find out b Asia facts such as the location of places, but even that information is commonly incorrect (as Go ogle Maps will readily prove). Long gone are days when people would spend hours on end in the library try Eng to figure out the Dewey Decimal System.It is as if we must solve a tricky puzzle just to unlock information. Simply locating information was a hassle and trying to find multi peel so recess to prove a statement was very time consuming. In order to find information, we must decide what information is the most important in a book and summarize this information. Although we have to do this even with information being so easily accessible on the internet, the internet provides useful summaries that assist in figuring out what information is actually imp rattan.Also, it obviously took either a car ride or a walk to get to a local library in order to fin d this information fore the internet. However, this wasn't always possible. Clearly, there were plenty of drawbacks to life before the internet. However, there is one major advantage to researching prior to the advent of the internet. When one found sources at a library, it is definite e that the sources are reliable because books are edited, revised, and backtracked by many differ rent people. One can definitely be more confident that the information in a library is way more reliable than the information on the internet.Another advantage to lif e after internet is the fact that communication has b come simple, easy, and convenient. Social media has allowed for people to remain n contact with their high school friends even after those people are married and have kids. This is beneficial because the more people we know, the more connections we can make, and the easies rite is for us to accomplish our goals. Also, an increased connection with other people allows for people to foster ideas together. For example, when a rare surgery is performed, the surgeon will sometimes broadcast the surgery through a Live Stream or a Google Hangout.If something Eng did go wrong during the surgery, surgeons can easily input their ideas and perhaps help the surgeon. The disadvantage of this is some people use the Internet too much and forgo real life contact. It may now be easier to keep in contact with friends, but it has removed any incentive e to visit those friends. People pay fewer visits to others because of their contact online. Face t offee contact is almost arguably necessary for people to maintain healthy social relationships. Also, the argument that online relationships may not be as strong as real life bonds could be mad e.It is really easy for a supposed friend online to not be who they appear to be. Even though the sees kinds of friends existed before the internet, this kind of fake relationship was unprecedented. Before the internet, people couldn't necessarily keep in touch with as many p people. Previously, the only way to reunite with high school friends was to meet at high h school reunions, which wasn't very convenient. However, the high school relationships that we re fostered were definitely more genuine than online relationships.If one was truly friends wit h someone before the internet came into play, one would put effort into phone calls and face to face visits. The advantage to life before the internet is that people got together more often a ND had to visit each there in order to talk. This fos tered a more friendly environment than a strict y online relationship. This also allowed people to develop social skills in real life and b e able to communicate adequately with others factored. Another advantage to life be fore the internet is that it is much harder for people to be mean in person than online.On social media, it is easy to quickly type a post and click send without feeling any guilt or remorse. However ere, before the internet existed people talked factored, so one could see the reaction of an other when one says something hurtful. This makes people consider if what they are doing is c erect. Lastly, the internet IS advantageous because one can literally see the world an d experience everything from the comfort of our homes. Video software like Y tube allow us to literally feel like we are also experiencing what the video is showing.This is try Lully amazing because people who aren't fortunate enough to travel can see what Also, grog cry shopping and other errands can now be done on the internet. This saves a lot of time and e effort. This convenience truly does make life easier. Life after the internet really doesn't r quire leaving the house. The internet has allowed people who normally wouldn't be able to Lear about and experience this incredible planet we live on to do just those things. It truly is a amazing. However, the drawback to this is that there are less people in the world actually seeing t Hess things.There is no comparison to the real thing and what we see online. It looks as though the same thing is totally distinctive from the other. The advantage to life before the internet is that people were encouraged to g 0 out and see the actual beauty of the world and not on a computer screen. Fewer people w ant to this now because everything that these places offer can is supposedly found on the into rent. Before the internet, people had a truly authentic appreciation for nature and the beauty of our world. It was easy to escape from reality and seek comfort in the vast outdoors.Going outs did was like emptying a bag full of bricks that one is forced to carry around. With the inter net, people are too involved in their technology to realize that the outdoors could perhaps relieve some of the stress that the internet is supposed to relieve. Also, life before the internet was diva montages because people set goals to visit places and do the things that internet simulates today These locations that can now be visited virtually motivated people to excel in their careers an d gain financial security in order to one day visit those places.The disadvantage to this is that less people get to experience the extraordinary Earth and everyone on this planet deserves to s e this beautiful planet. In conclusion, the advantages and disadvantages for life before and after the I internet are distinctive, but there is no way to pick one lifestyle over the other. It is import ant to exploit the advantages of the internet, but we m ust also remember to not let our lives re love around the internet. Compare Contrast Essay It is unfathomable to think about a time when all the knowledge on Earth was ;t a t our fingertips. Even worse is a planet where we can't even reach others in seconds. The inter net allows us to experience the world from the comfort of our homes. As farfetched as a world d without the internet may sound, none of the above existed only ten years ago. Even though h life without internet may seem unimaginable, there are advantages and disadvantages to the life we live today with Internet and life before the internet. One advantage to the internet is the fact that research has become much ease ere.Details, facts, and figures on any topic can be found with a few movements of our Finn errs. The internet has not only made research easier, but it has also allowed more information f mound on the internet as compared to a local library, the main source of information before the intent rent. Also, we can now affirm the accuracy of information by having various different sources. AH though this was possible before the internet, it is much easier to do this with this amazing NV mention. However, there is one major drawback to this luxury we have because of the internet. N Thing online is trustworthy.Even websites that are supposed to be trusted and are supposed to be reliable are not full of reliable information. Even major websites that are run by big companies s are using writing firms to write their websites. These writing firms are simply hiring the cheap SST freelancers to do their work for them. It is true that the Internet has made it easier to find out b Asia facts such as the location of places, but even that information is commonly incorrect (as Go ogle Maps will readily prove). Long gone are days when people would spend hours on end in the library try Eng to figure out the Dewey Decimal System.It is as if we must solve a tricky puzzle just to unlock information. Simply locating information was a hassle and trying to find multi peel so recess to prove a statement was very time consuming. In order to find information, we must decide what information is the most important in a book and summarize this information. Although we have to do this even with information being so easily accessible on the internet, the internet provides useful summaries that assist in figuring out what information is actually imp rattan.Also, it obviously took either a car ride or a walk to get to a local library in order to fin d this information fore the internet. However, this wasn't always possible. Clearly, there were plenty of drawbacks to life before the internet. However, there is one major advantage to researching prior to the advent of the internet. When one found sources at a library, it is definite e that the sources are reliable because books are edited, revised, and backtracked by many differ rent people. One can definitely be more confident that the information in a library is way more reliable than the information on the internet.Another advantage to lif e after internet is the fact that communication has b come simple, easy, and convenient. Social media has allowed for people to remain n contact with their high school friends even after those people are married and have kids. This is beneficial because the more people we know, the more connections we can make, and the easies rite is for us to accomplish our goals. Also, an increased connection with other people allows for people to foster ideas together. For example, when a rare surgery is performed, the surgeon will sometimes broadcast the surgery through a Live Stream or a Google Hangout.If something Eng did go wrong during the surgery, surgeons can easily input their ideas and perhaps help the surgeon. The disadvantage of this is some people use the Internet too much and forgo real life contact. It may now be easier to keep in contact with friends, but it has removed any incentive e to visit those friends. People pay fewer visits to others because of their contact online. Face t offee contact is almost arguably necessary for people to maintain healthy social relationships. Also, the argument that online relationships may not be as strong as real life bonds could be mad e.It is really easy for a supposed friend online to not be who they appear to be. Even though the sees kinds of friends existed before the internet, this kind of fake relationship was unprecedented. Before the internet, people couldn't necessarily keep in touch with as many p people. Previously, the only way to reunite with high school friends was to meet at high h school reunions, which wasn't very convenient. However, the high school relationships that we re fostered were definitely more genuine than online relationships.If one was truly friends wit h someone before the internet came into play, one would put effort into phone calls and face to face visits. The advantage to life before the internet is that people got together more often a ND had to visit each there in order to talk. This fos tered a more friendly environment than a strict y online relationship. This also allowed people to develop social skills in real life and b e able to communicate adequately with others factored. Another advantage to life be fore the internet is that it is much harder for people to be mean in person than online.On social media, it is easy to quickly type a post and click send without feeling any guilt or remorse. However ere, before the internet existed people talked factored, so one could see the reaction of an other when one says something hurtful. This makes people consider if what they are doing is c erect. Lastly, the internet IS advantageous because one can literally see the world an d experience everything from the comfort of our homes. Video software like Y tube allow us to literally feel like we are also experiencing what the video is showing.This is try Lully amazing because people who aren't fortunate enough to travel can see what Also, grog cry shopping and other errands can now be done on the internet. This saves a lot of time and e effort. This convenience truly does make life easier. Life after the internet really doesn't r quire leaving the house. The internet has allowed people who normally wouldn't be able to Lear about and experience this incredible planet we live on to do just those things. It truly is a amazing. However, the drawback to this is that there are less people in the world actually seeing t Hess things.There is no comparison to the real thing and what we see online. It looks as though the same thing is totally distinctive from the other. The advantage to life before the internet is that people were encouraged to g 0 out and see the actual beauty of the world and not on a computer screen. Fewer people w ant to this now because everything that these places offer can is supposedly found on the into rent. Before the internet, people had a truly authentic appreciation for nature and the beauty of our world. It was easy to escape from reality and seek comfort in the vast outdoors.Going outs did was like emptying a bag full of bricks that one is forced to carry around. With the inter net, people are too involved in their technology to realize that the outdoors could perhaps relieve some of the stress that the internet is supposed to relieve. Also, life before the internet was diva montages because people set goals to visit places and do the things that internet simulates today These locations that can now be visited virtually motivated people to excel in their careers an d gain financial security in order to one day visit those places.The disadvantage to this is that less people get to experience the extraordinary Earth and everyone on this planet deserves to s e this beautiful planet. In conclusion, the advantages and disadvantages for life before and after the I internet are distinctive, but there is no way to pick one lifestyle over the other. It is import ant to exploit the advantages of the internet, but we m ust also remember to not let our lives re love around the internet.

Esaay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Esaay - Assignment Example The move is strengthening because it ensures that members of the Kaspa community are accepted back as fellow human beings. Another vital idea involves catering for surviving families through the provision of long-term benefits such as establishing pension schemes. Alternatively, concentrating on the patience of the staff is largely fundamental because it determines how both the city and firm are run. It suggests that Kaspa’s connectivity must find a relationship with suggested recommendations of improving the surrounding environs. The private sector, therefore, has an integral role in introducing emergency preparedness to permit its participants to galvanize collective thinking of strengthening individual component. Consequently, balancing the needs of the community must abide by the equilibrium of available financial services. These services are critical when evaluating the talents and capabilities of the executives working with Smarten within the Kapsa community. Overall, wh ile focusing on the strengths of assisting the Kapsa community overcomes its challenges, the leader should also assess the weaknesses of his decisions. However, there are also weaknesses that abound from the decisions made by Gerald Smarten in regards to the interests of Kapsa community. For instance, low-probability in creating solutions is critical when interspersed with three components. These are personal coping strategies, institutional and social services particularly those emerging from coworkers and neighbors. Contrastingly, inclusion of emotional thoughts by Smarten is crucial but it cannot initiate civic responsibility. Therefore, equilibrium setting is what influences the competitive dynamics directly affecting cities and firms found within the Kapsa community. Likewise, for fixed-income traders, Smarten believes that their ethical behavior and involvement is vital to generate morale by averting short-term negatives. Organizational procedures, thus,

What it takes to be a Successful Enterpreneur Essay

What it takes to be a Successful Enterpreneur - Essay Example According to authors Stevenson and Amabile, the origin of the term entrepreneur, literarily defined as â€Å"’undertaker’—has been around for over two centuries, having been introduced in the early eighteenth century by the Parisian banker Richard Cantillon† (Stevenson and Amabile par. 1). In this regard, the essay aims to proffer crucial information that would describe entrepreneurial behavior and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. The discourse would be presented through an initial discussion of diverse definitions of the term entrepreneurship from secondary sources, prior to delving into one’s personal contention and point of view. In addition, the common traits or characteristics of successful entrepreneurs would likewise be determined and expounded. Finally, the remarkable experiences of some of the most successful entrepreneurs would be perused. A concluding portion would highlight the relevant points discussed through the paper. D efinition of Entrepreneur According to Endres and Woods, an entrepreneurial behavior exemplifies manifestation of â€Å"the motives and acts enabling entrepreneurs to reach decisions in their roles as creators of profitable opportunities and as exploiters of those opportunities† (Endres and Woods 2-3). New Combinations, a website devoted to social studies of entrepreneurship has complied definitions of the term from The Handbook of Economic Sociology by Smelser and Swedberg, where Howard E. Aldrich has been cited to provide an effective and concise summary of various definitions of entrepreneurship, to wit: (1) the setting up of high-growth and high-capitalisation firms (as opposed to low-growth and low-capitalisation ‘lifestyle’ businesses); (2) innovation and innovativeness leading to new products and new markets (the Schumpeterian tradition); (3) opportunity recognition (the Kirznerian tradition); and (4) the creation of new organisations (New Combinations par . 1). From among these definitions, one observed that for an activity to be categorized as entrepreneurial, the endeavor must be innovative, leading to a discovery of something new (products, services, markets or organizations), and entails the use of vast resources to achieve high returns. Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs In a study conducted by Acharyaa, Rajanb, and Schoarc, they identified that the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs are actually categorized according to: (1) psychological traits (achievement motivation, locus of control, meta-cognitive activity, need for dominance, passion for work, and self efficacy); and (2) cognitive reflection (IQ), risk aversion and time preference (Acharyaa, Rajanb and Schoarc). These authors’ findings indicate that successful entrepreneurs exhibit achievement-motivated behaviors where achievable goals are clearly set and strategies effectively designed to attain them. They are manifest internal locus of controls, described as â€Å"they personally are in control of their destiny and that luck and fate have only a modest influence on the outcome of events. For internals, personal destiny comes from within and therefore they tend to be self-reliant and independent† (Acharyaa, Rajanb and Schoarc 5). In addition, successful entrepreneurs were deemed to be good meta-cognitive skills learners, defined as â€Å"taking conscious control of learning, planning and selecting strategies, monitoring the progress of learning, correcting errors, analyzing the effectiveness of learning strategies and changing learning behaviors and strategies when necessary† (Ridley et al. 1992; cited in Acharyaa, Rajanb a

DEPRESSION Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

DEPRESSION - Research Paper Example Sleeplessness, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, Loss of interest in daily activities, Appetite or weight changes etc are some of the major symptoms of depression. Depression can be treated effectively with the help of a psychologist and a psychiatrist. This paper analyses various dimensions of depression. Depression Depression is one of the major psychological diseases which prevent people from leading a normal life. Most of the psychological disorders originated from depression. It is difficult to assess how severely a person is affected by depression. Unlike physical diseases, psychological diseases cannot be assessed with the help of any laboratory testing. The major symptoms of depression can be witnessed in the behaviors of the patient and the severity of the disease can be assessed only through the evaluation of the behavioral pattern of the patient. Chronic depressive patients may cause physical injuries to themselves and others. â€Å"It has been estimated that per haps somewhere between 10 and 30 percent depressives and manic depressives kill themselves† (Klein, & Wender, 2005, p.1). Even though the actual causes of depression is still unknown, psychologists believe that heredity and environment plays an important role in making a person depressive. ... Many of them may not sleep well and mood changes occur to them constantly and continuously. It is difficult for depressive patients to concentrate longer on a particular topic. They often complain about unrealistic problems they are facing. For example, it is quite possible that a depressive patient may complain about body pain, head ache etc even though they have no such real problems. Fatigue or tiredness can be witnessed in every activities of a depressive patient. Depressive patients often avoid the company of others and they will try to lead a lonely life. Anxiety is another major symptom of depression. Causes of depression Heredity and environment are the major reasons which contribute heavily to the psychological disorders like depression. A person with family history of psychological disorders is more vulnerable to depression. Same way, a person living in a tough environment can also develop depression. According to Chan et al (2010), â€Å"as many as 38% of cancer patients suffer from major depression, with a mean of 24% and median of 22%† (Chan et al, 2010, p.46). In other words, many of the chronic physical diseases can contribute to the development of depression among people. Man is a social animal who likes to interact with others. These interactions often create stresses in the minds of a person. Personal, family, social and professional commitments of the current generation are more than that of the older generation. The failure in fulfilling these commitments may often make the person depressive. Klein &Wender (2005) have mentioned that depressive illness is often triggered by a real event like the death of a loved one (Klein, & Wender, 2005, p.13). It is possible that people develop close relationships with some others.

ANIMAL SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ANIMAL SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS - Essay Example Animal experiments are considered very useful for the last centuries, whereby they are applied in physiological studies and processes. In fact, this contributes to development of new medical methods, though there are people opposing use of these experiments. These opponents have been giving reasons that scientists prioritize their experiments over animals. On the other hand, there are claims that animal experiments lacks transferability to man, thereby rendering the experiment using animals useless (Hackam & Redelmeier, 2006, 1731). In this case, these experiments are useless; thus, they cause unnecessary suffering to animals due to the curiosity of these scientists. There is an aspect of cruelty in animals’ experiments, though this applies to man if he undergoes the same procedure. Operative techniques and chance of using the anaesthesia was not adequate until the use of animal experiments. Therefore, discovery of anaesthesia has made a substantial contribution to medical field, whereby this has been facilitated to routine animal experiments. Animal experiments have been performed as way of serving consumer protection. Numerous experimental animals have been applied in countries like Germany in 2005 in order to identify a control of the toxicology testing procedures (Exner, 2007, 1). In fact, this entails tests conducted for drug tolerability and testing risk in environment due to industrial waste in water. Nevertheless, numerous animal experiments have been conducted legally through a prescription and a precondition in order to seek approval of some drugs and other substances that are used by human beings. There is a connection between the medical progress and the fundamental researches using animals’ experiments. For instance, various medical applications have been applied in through knowledge gathered from the researches that involve animal experiments such as development of methods for dealing with diabetes mellitus.

Global Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global Business - Essay Example A cornerstone of this notion of International human resource management is the creation of linkage or integration between the overall strategic aims of the business and the human resource strategy and implementation. The aviation industry as a whole has faced the most challenging problems and competition in the global business (Thehindubusinessline.com.) Despite new and increasing challenges, the airline industry facilitates economic growth, global trade, and international tourism and continues to restructure, develop and adapt to counter them. The entry of multinationals has also brought in fundamental changes in the work culture, work ethics and remunerating patterns in many countries, all of which have a clear bearing on the career growth path of individuals. Added to this are the rapid changes taking place on the technological front, flattening hierarchies and making people come together more than ever before. Multinational companies such as telecommunications, Mobile phones Steel magnets, automobiles industries, oil companies, are driving and adjusting to globalization and innovation of change by applying many strategies, partnering with or acquiring others mergers and buyouts. The airline industry is going through a period of intense transformation. The airline industry is facing three transforming phenomena. The main reasons are: The decrease of soaring demand for air travel The appearance of a new fleet of low-cost carriers; The increased transparency of alternative airline offerings Internet and other technologies reduces the expensive itineraries (Warren, 2006, 262) 2. Structure of the Industry The changing business environment forcing airline companies to constantly innovate their strategies, as per customer's needs and demands to remain alive in the competition Six elements that define organization; Strategy Policies and Procedures Structure Systems Climate Culture (Source: Yvonne, 2000, p-5) The structure of an organization is defined as: The established pattern of relationships between the component parts of an organization, outlining both communication, control and authority patterns. Structure distinguishes the parts of an organization and delineates the relationship between them. (Wilson and Rosenfeld, 1990) Structure describes the hierarchy of authority and accountability in an organization. These formal relationships are frequently diagrammed in organization charts. Most companies use some mi of structures to accomplish their goals The advantages of a good structure in airline industries are

Influence of Drilling Fluid on oil Recovery in Homogenous Reservoirs Essay

Influence of Drilling Fluid on oil Recovery in Homogenous Reservoirs - Essay Example Needless to say, as significant as 70 percent produce of mines in the world, produce water contaminated by metals, which come from acid mines drainage and process streams (Srivastava & Majunder, 2008). The waste water, such as that containing metal and sulphate contaminates, are accompanied by far reaching environmental consequences. Moreover, the costs associated with managing these consequences are significant. This paper gives an overview of water contamination in the mining industries, followed by an exploration of the common methods under development and operation. Considering that current water treatment techniques have varied limitations, this paper proposes a way forward for mining industries to avoid water contamination. There are various elements within the earth crust, which include hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, sodium, magnesium, phosphorous, sulphur, chlorine, potassium and calcium. These constitute 99 percent of the earth living matter. On the other hand, there are fourteen essential elements. These include boron, fluorine, silicon, manganese, iron, cobalt, and copper, among others. Metals such as Mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, copper manganese and zinc are not essential, and their interaction with the aquatic environment is hazardous. On the other hand, heavy metals are a class of metallic elements that contain relatively high densities whose low concentrations are highly toxic. The atomic metals have atomic weight that range from 63.5 to 2006. Heavy metals can are additionally classified as toxic metals, precious metals and radio-nuclide. Radionuclides include uranium and thorium. Precious metals include silver and gold, among others (Srivastava & Majunder, 2008). Acid solutions resu lt from the interaction of the ground or of surface water with the acidic materials, such as pyrites that are found in rocks at the mines, piles of earthen refuse and auger holes. The iron sulphide mineral pyrites are usually found near subsurface coal seams, together with compounds containing aluminium and manganese, among other metals. In the presence of oxygen, rainwater or ground waters contact sulphur to form sulphuric acid. Acid concentration in the acid mine drainage can reach as significant levels such as ten thousand times the neutral water. Evidently, this presents a powerful leaching agent with the potential of dissolving significant amounts of metal substances, as well as additional leaching substances that are common at most mine sites. Rock layers and earth above the coalmines contain traces of metals such as iron, aluminium and manganese, but can also contain other heavy metals such as lead and cadmium (Han & Chan, 2006). These metals dissolve in the acid mine drainag e and are washed into water sources through run off. Eventually, such metal concentrations harm aquatic organisms such as fish. For instance, dissolved iron precipitates can kill aquatic organisms that serve as food for fishes. Iron precipitate can result in fish gill clogging. Additionally, iron precipitation in the drainage channels alter aquatic food chains; thereby adversely affecting fish populations. Treatment of waste water The concern for environmental scientists has been to establish possible ways of regulating hazardous metal concentrations and mitigate associated environmental concerns. Methods in the treatment of the acid mine drainage can be broadly categorized into two; active treatment and passive treatment methods. Active techniques entail mechanical addition of the alkaline solutions with the aim of raising PH concentrations besides precipitating metals. Passive treatment

Improving Organizational Performance Research Paper

Improving Organizational Performance - Research Paper Example Hence, there had been no more creativity and adventure that was against the nature of a risk-taking stunt performer. I would recommend a solution that there is a dire need to ensure job flexibility and creativity that would not only reduce additional burden over employees, but reduce their stress. The phase 2 described the situation in which Cesley allocated the fund of $150,000 to develop intervention that would ensure organizational flexibility, improvement in performance and productivity. Indeed, the solution that I chose were the improvement in job design thereby making it more flexible, initiative of physical / mental training and training in other stunts. Indeed, this would have helped in enhancing the skills, proficiency level, capabilities and specialties of stunt performers as well as helped in making their job more challenging. This would have motivated stunt performers as they had perceived the changes in existing rigid job design. Obviously, the theory worked and most of the stunt performers welcomed the changes and pledged that they would be working harder to produce optimal performance. The phase 3 explained the situation in which the top management suggested to form an informal consultancy group of 3 stunt performers who could work with each other and would be responsible in providing consultation services to potential customers about Airdevils capabilities and strengths. Also, the group was supposed to provide services to Airdevils whether there was enough scope that company could induct new line of stunts and benefit from their talent. I recommended making a group of stunts namely Amanda, Charlie and Marty Columbus who shared similar personalities and resemblance in attitudes and behaviors. Indeed, this would not only result in group’s harmony and unity but also in accomplishment of organizational goals and ambitions. On the flip side, some conflicts had been observed

Graphic design is the branch of visual art Essay

Graphic design is the branch of visual art - Essay Example By effectiveness, we mean how much power a design has to motivate people or help them identify a company. For example, where a one or two letter sign may be effective in identifying a company such as BP, it is not effective for another company simply identified as B. Plus; presentation of an idea does not necessarily mean it was communicated accurately. A scribbled "keep off grass" sign is not as effective as a neatly designed "keep off grass" sign with an appropriately designed logo. Also, just because a sign communicates effectively does not mean what it communicates is good. Governments have become masters at influencing citizens with graphic design by communicating messages sometimes to support darkly political objectives. Graphic design is the branch of visual art dedicated to communicating messages. It is most used in marketing and brand recognition strategies. Having watch and listened to a video of a talk about design given by David Carson, I walk away with certain understandings about graphic design.

Literary Analysis of Stephen Kings the Stand Essay Example for Free

Literary Analysis of Stephen Kings the Stand Essay People behave strangely when more than ninety-nine percent of the population is dead. They behave even more strangely when they’re the prize of a cosmic struggle. In Stephen King’s fantasy/horror, The Stand, a plague created by the military decimates the modern world. The humans that survived the plague are now the commodity of the personifications of good and evil, the troops in an epically proportioned conflict. The book begins with the spread and origin of the plague and the toll it takes on civilization and the population. Its spread through the nation, and then throughout the world, brings chaos in martial law, with horrible atrocities being committed by many of those still alive and in power. Military brutality is rampant, and all human rights are being ignored or even deliberately violated; civilization and society are disintegrating in the face of mass death. Meanwhile, the survivors are struggling to endure the psychological burden of being alone and tending to the dead and dying. They begin to find each other, but are plagued by horrible nightmares, the embodiment of their worst fears come to haunt them in their dreamland. These begin to be counterbalanced by dreams of a benevolent old woman, and all of the living and still-functioning coalesce around these two figures. A society forms around each: one of death, in Las Vegas around Flagg, and one of life, in Boulder, Colorado, around Mother Abagail. As powers converge and events unfold, the future fate of humanity is decided. The Walkin’ Dude; the dark man; the man with no face; him; Randall Flagg. The purest embodiment of evil, not only is he privy to an occasional demonic countenance, he is even sometimes allegorically referenced to the Devil. He is depicted as sowing death and discord with his very presence, showing them to be integral parts of his nature: â€Å"when he grins, birds fall dead off telephone lines. The grass yellows up and dies where he spits. [. . . ]. His name is Legion. [. . . ]. He can call the wolves and live in the crows. He’s the king of nowhere† (939). The dark man is terror personified, and even those that are loyal to him feel a primeval fear and animal loathing of him. However, evil is a relative thing, and can only be named as such if there is a foil to it. In this case, it is Mother Abagail. She is the safety and comfort of a mother’s arms, the warmth and love of a good home: she is human in a way Flagg is not and therefore subject to the weakness of humanity. Wise and kind though she may be, she is understandably bitter about her fate to â€Å"go away with strangers from all the things you love best and die in a strange land with the work not yet finished† (607). Eventually, she offends God with the sin of Pride, and must go on a pilgrimage out into the desert (a very appropriate biblical parallel) to â€Å"get right with God† (940), a pursuit which, in the end, results in her demise. However, the divine wisdom she gained on this pilgrimage, she put to use in her ordering of the journey of the four to the West, resulting in the end of Flagg’s reign and freedom for the people of the aptly-named Free Zone. One-hundred-and-eight years old, Mother Abagail is both an icon of vitality and frailty: she represents the dual, paradoxical, and precarious nature of good present in both people and civilization as a whole. Mother Abagail’s final action was to send a quest: she began the group of people at her deathbed – namely Stu Redman, Glen Bateman, Ralph Brentner, and Larry Underwood – on a perilous journey West, to destroy Flagg. Of these four characters (though they are obviously the primary focus of the end part of the novel) Ralph is probably the least important, him and Glen being fairly minor characters that rarely if ever are given voice by King. Stu, however, is the leader of both this group and the entire Free Zone, and also the first major character we are introduced to and the story’s primary protagonist. Through his eyes, we see the progenitor of the disease weave his car into a gas station and open Pandora’s Box to the world, the struggle of a dying government to contain what is already far beyond its reach, and the eventual convergence of people and regrouping of society. He is the sturdy, masculine, and conventionally established image of new strength and hope arising from tragedy. Throughout the story, he serves as a voice of reason and calm diplomacy: he is a man who understands the world and people of it. Often, Stu is characterized as â€Å"[a] man who doesn’t talk much† (598) r â€Å"a man of few words† (402), and as being extremely perceptive and intelligent; he is quite skillful at inferring people’s thoughts through his distinctive silent observation. He is a stoic, strong character that embodies the spirit necessary to thrive and survive in this strange new world. Glen Bateman is a sociologist, an invaluable asset to the construction of a new society. Though in and of himself a rather minor main character, he plays a hugely important role throughout the novel as the vessel of Stephen King. When a point is to be made about the ramifications of the superflu or ensuing human behaviors, it is almost always done through Glen. Though often cynical (â€Å"[i]f you want to short-circuit the democratic process, just ask a sociologist†) (749), he provides analyses such as these: â€Å"Man may have been made in the image of God, but human society was made in the image of His opposite number and is always trying to get back home† (458) – ones that are incredibly valuable and insightful, and provide a unique but accurate viewpoint on the â€Å"big picture†. Glen provides an opportunity for King to force-feed readers the main ideas they may not have understood or picked up on for themselves. Larry is a tortured soul. A rising musician in the West, he gets involved with illegal drugs, loses the means to pay for them, and so flees to the East, joining his mother in New York. He is constantly haunted by the condemnations of a woman he slept with and deserted: â€Å"You ain’t no nice guy! † (106) and the words of a friend of his from back West: â€Å"[t]here’s something in you that’s like biting on tinfoil† (817). Without fail, these two phrases always accompany a Larry Underwood attack of conscience, most heavily when those he considers to be under his care meet an unfortunate fate. A defining moment for him occurs when the woman he has been traveling with dies of pill overdose, and he is left alone; he traverses the northeast U. S. on foot, too terrified by the thought of wrecking with nobody to help him to use the motorcycle he had been before. As he fights the terror and psychological torment of solitude, slowly unraveling, he meets others along the way, and begins to find the strength and good within himself to lead and help and heal. After he has grudgingly taken on and essentially begun to head a group of twenty or so people, Judge Farris, an extremely intelligent old man that is traveling with him, calls him â€Å"all the things the civics books tell us the good citizens should be: [. . . ]. They make the best leaders in a democracy because they are unlikely to fall in love with power† (728). Larry is the redemption that only comes through great suffering and turmoil. The Stand mostly takes place in a desolate, dead America of the 1990’s. It’s a place that is both promising in its opportunity and foreboding in its vast emptiness. As the resultant of a non-cataclysmic apocalypse, there is very little damage to the infrastructure of the nation: â€Å"All the machinery is just sitting there, waiting for someone to come along [. . . ] and start it up again† (406). Several characters note consistently the dangers inherent in having all the old tools lying around; the temptation to resurrect the old, destructive ways is greatly increased by the sheer ease with which it could be done. The empty, devoid-of-life landscape, coupled with the only temporarily dormant tools adds a new dimension of danger to the already unpleasant situation of those that survived the plague. King prefers to make his characters the masters of their own fates. Each is presented with his or her own choice, where, in that one and usually only instant, they are completely aware of the ramifications of their actions, which power they are aligning themselves with, and the consequences of doing so. Some manage to abstain from the allure of evil, while others succumb to it hopelessly: â€Å"For just a moment part of his mind cried Harold! Stop! so strongly that he was shaken to his heels [. . . ]. For that moment it seemed he could put the bitter drink away, pour it out of the cup, and refill it with whatever there was for him in this world. . . . ] but maybe it was already too late† (663). Typically, those that fall are those that are particularly sad or lonely or felt themselves to be outcasts in the now-dead world. The pain nurtures a destructive hate in their hearts, a pain that the dark man can speak to and win over. Evil is innately destructive, while good is natural ly an assembling force. King describes evil as only capable of destroying, and therefore only able to cannibalize itself; nothing constructed by one of evil will endure: things fall apart, the centre does not hold. Good being the complement to evil, it of course has a congruously opposite structure: though the edges may tatter and fray, the center is strong because it is based on the people and what they wish to uphold in their deepest selves. Stephen King’s Stand is an all-encompassing work: it contains elements of social and religious commentary, supernatural creatures, romance, murder, insanity, loneliness, family, etc. These elements comprise a work detailing the human experience, viewed through the distorted lens of group and individual psychological shock.

St Brigid of Kildare

St Brigid of Kildare Around 450 C.E. in Ireland, a girl born to a father, Dubtach, pagan Scottish king of Leinster, and a mother, Brocca, a Christian Pictish slave who had been baptised by Saint Patrick. This girl, St Brigid, became a symbol of kindness, generosity and sanctity in her distant future (Preble, 2013).   Ã‚   Saint Brigid of Kildare, or of Ireland is one of Irelands patron saints, along with Patrick and Columba (Jestice, 2004). Her parents were baptized from St. Patrick, who brought faith to the country. Brigid was influenced by that environment, and began to take an interest in the asceticlife of the nun. As Brigid grew up, she grew in her love for Jesus and she wanted to devote her life to Jesus (Daughter of St. Paul, 2011). Jesus Christs life was full of love and kindness. Throughout his long holy life, Jesus showed his love for others by blessing and serving the poor, the sick, and the distressed (The Church of Jesus Christ, 2008). He told His disciples that, This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you (John 15:12). St Brigid conformed herself to the way of Jesus, by imitate the love and compassion of Jesus, especially for the poor (Daughter of St. Paul, 2011). It is said that the Lord would grant Brigid anything she would ask, and that what she desired was always the same to satisfy the poor, to banish every hardship, and to save every sorrowful man (Doss, n.d.). She looked for Jesus in the poor and often brought food and clothing to them. She became a nun with the help of St. Mel, St. Patricks nephew, and formed a religious community with seven other young women. Brigid started the first Irish convent at Kildare and became its abbess. She also founded a school of art, which won fame for its beautifully illuminated manuscripts. The monastery at Kildare became a centre of education and spirituality (Daughter of St. Paul, 2011). God performed many miracles through Brigid during her lifetime, believers say, and most of them have to do with healing. One of the very famous miracle story of St Brigid is that when she gave away a whole pail of milk, she began to worry about what her mother would say hence prayed to the Lord to make up for what she had given away, and when she got home, her pail was full again. Eventually, Brigid became known as the Mary of the Irish regard to her love and compassion that remind people of the Blessed Mother (Daughter of St. Paul, 2011). The life full of helping and healing, Brigid lived the life she wanted, conforming Lords message, ended in 525 C.E. and was buried at Downpatrick near St. Columba and St. Patrick (Daughter of St. Paul, 2011). Even long after her death, the meaning of sacred life of Saint Brigid, that passes through centuries, now offers society a new insight into the virtue of hospitality, the cheerful, generous giving of food and shelter (Doss, n.d.). Brigidine Sisters is the most well know congregation of people who have been inspired by the values of Brigid. The history of this congregation began in the year 468, as St Brigid formed the first ever female monastic community together with seven other dedicated women. They helped the poor of the time and were attributed with many miracles (Green, n.d.). However, the Penal Laws of the 18th century had wrought what seemed irreparable chaos on the once far-famed Land of Saints and Scholars, leaving Irelands oppressed and largely pauperised people bereft of their proud Gaelic cultures, including the Sisters of St Brigid (Brigidine Sisters, 2015). After a long time of the havoc, miraculously and very fortunately, the Sisters of St. Brigid were restored by Bishop Daniel Delany, who founded the Congregation in response to the urgent need for education for life and faith at the time when Ireland was emerging from the oppressive Penal Laws (Solas Bhride Centre, n.a.). Brigidine sisters commit themselves to gather to celebrate and explore the Brigid tradition for our time and for the future; to seek inspiration through regular reflection; and to take action that seeks justice and the common good (Brigidine Sisters, 2015). WIth these commiments, throughout the past few decades, there has been a strong justice and peace thrust in this congregation. Brigidine Sisters practise and fulfil the message of St Brigid, love and satisfy the poors, in many ways globally, including the supports and sponsor for the asylum seekers and the victims of women and child trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation engages. We dedicated a portion of this earth as a final resting place for her and her corporeal is no longer alive. However, we believe that her disembodied spirit transcends time and still alive next to us even long after her death, to deliver the message that she tried to convey throughout her whole life with her countless precedes. We will continue to communicate with Brigids message of loving and carrying poor, that transcend time by her and her descendants. Word count 845 Words Jestice Phyllis G. 2004, Book: Holy People of the World: A Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia, Volume 3 pp 140-, ABC-CLIO. Retrieved 1 February 2013, Viewed on 22nd Feb 2017, https://books.google.com/books?id=H5cQH17-HnMCpg=PA140> Prebel Peter M. 2013, St Bridget of Kildare, Viewed on 22nd Feb 2017, http://www.frpeterpreble.com/tag/saints-of-the-british-isles> Doss, Mary D. n.d. A Gift of Hospitality Saint Brigid, Abbess of Kildare, Viewed on 27th Feb 2017, http://www.roca.org/OA/107/107e.htm#4> The Church of Jesus Christ, 2008, Behold Your Little Ones: Nursery Manual Lesson 5: Lesson 5: Jesus Christ Showed Us How to Love Others pp 24 27, Viewed on 25th Feb 2017, https://www.lds.org/manual/behold-your-little-ones-nursery-manual/lesson-5-jesus-christ-showed-us-how-to-love-others?lang=eng> Daughter of St. Paul, 2011, Saint-A-Day: February, Viewed on 28th Feb 2017, http://www.jclubcatholic.org/stories/SaintADay.aspx?sjc_month=2> Green M. n.d. St Brigid The Other Saint, Viewed on 1st March 2017, http://www.ireland-information.com/articles/saintbrigid.htm> Brigidine Sisters, 2015, Our Beginning, Viewed on 1st March 2017, http://brigidine.org.au/about-us/our-beginnings/> Solas Bhride Centre, n.d. General History of the BrigidinesFrom the Acorn to the Oak, Viewed on 2nd March 2017, http://solasbhride.ie/our-history/ > Brigidine Sisters, 2015, Our Colleagues Associates, Viewed on 1st March 2017, http://brigidine.org.au/about-us/our-beginnings/>

Waste allowance of muna building

Waste allowance of muna building Introduction Waste is any substance or object(s) the holder discards or intends to discard. Any material which is perceived to have no further use is waste.Waste becomes more a product because of the cost and location of aggregates and other new materials and also because of the cost of disposal. These two factors drive the definition of waste. If you have easy availability of landfill and large quantities of aggregate close at hand you will not get a premium on the use of recycled materials. Concept of construction waste Construction waste consists of unwanted material produced directly or incidentally by the construction or industries. This includes building materials such as insulation, nails, electrical wiring, and rebar. Much building waste is made up of materials such as bricks, concrete and wood damaged or unused for various reasons during construction. Observational research has shown that this can be as high as 10 to 15% of the materials that go into a building, a much higher percentage than the 2.5-5% usually assumed by quantity surveyors. Efficacy of waste allowance The following benefits can be achieved if estimators use waste allowance while pricing:- Ø Cost savings Ø Financial benefits Ø Financial benefits Ø Identify the actual cost. Ø Uses materials efficiently Ø Uses materials efficiently Ø Ensure that waste issues are considered and addressed Ø Comparing against estimates and targets (Reducing_Material_Wastage_in_Construction.3b4442f9.4711.pdf,http://www. longworthconsulting.co.uk ) Encouraging Prevention of Construction Waste In general the environmental advantages of using reclaimed or recycled materials are greatest if the material or product is used in the highest grade application possible. For example one should process demolition rubble and use it as aggregate for a new concrete rather than just using it for fill. Waste arriving methods in construction materials Flooring:- cutting of floor tiles to fit room layouts Ceilings:- cutting of ceiling tiles and fixing to fit room layouts Insulations: -cutting of insulation boards to fit openings Tiling: -cutting of floor and wall tiles to suit design and rooms shapes Paving::-cutting of paving slabs to fit layout To reduce waste on construction sites certain general recommendations may be made, e.g. Ø Need to critically assess the quantities ordered Ø Review the ordering procedures Ø Manage deliveries Ø Protect materials during storage Ø Only take the material that is needed Ø Return surplus materials to stores Ø Protect materials at the work-site The Different Waste Types Visible Waste What you see in the skip. Process Waste Badly designed procedures or working practices that lead to inefficiency, ineffectiveness and errors. Waiting and searching for someone/something/information is a big invisible waste. Transaction Waste Transactions are people-to-people activities such as communications, excessive planning/discussions and delayed project handovers. The idea of lost time is an invisible waste. The waste produced by the construction industry is not just a burden on the environment and the ecological system, but it is also a huge cost to the industry itself. For example: Ø Transport cost of excess material to site Ø Cleaning and collection of excess material and waste Ø Transport of waste from the building site Ø Waste disposal costs Ø Better project planning: planning of material requirements (exact quantities), planning of material deliveries to site and planning of material usage Ø Organized waste disposal Ø Increasing the level of recycling of construction waste Solving the problems of waste disposaltouches many vendors involved in the construction project: the owner, designers, contractors, etc. It starts from making it a concern already at initial stages of the project planning and continuing it through the design phase. Contractors and sub-contractors can play their part by better project planning which will also reduce their material and waste disposal costs bringing them a direct financial benefit. Reduce Ø Reduce the amount of money spent on waste. Ø Reduce waste disposal costs, e.g. handling charges, transport and taxes/levies. Ø Reduce the amount of raw material used. Ø Reduce the amount of waste on site. Ø Reduce transport of waste movements to recycling centres or landfill. Ø Reduce the amount of effort used to do a repetitive job. Improve Ø Improves efficiency on-site. Ø Influence worker habits while a relative degree of choice exists for disposal costs/options. Ø Better jobsite tidiness = improved health and safety. Ø Improves the site image. Ø Improves site management processes. (Construction_waste,) Table 1 Compare The West Allowance For Three Published Sources WORKS WESSEX PRICE BOOK(%) LAXTONS PRICE BOOK(%) SPONS PRICE BOOK(%) D Groundwork 5-10 % 5 40 % Add in to total E In situ concrete/Large precast concrete 2-12.5 % 2.5 15 % Add in to total F Masonry 1.5-5 % 2.5 15 % Add in to total G Structural/Carcassing Metal/Timber 2.5-5 % 2.5 10 % Add in to total H Cladding/Covering 2.5-10% 2.5 10 % Add in to total J Waterproofing 2-10 % 2.5 20 % Add in to total K Linings/Sheathing/Dry partitioning 2-10 % 2.5 20 % Add in to total L Windows/Doors/Stairs 2.5-10 % 2.5 10 % Add in to total M Surface finishes 2.5-10 % 5 50 % Add in to total N Furniture/Equipment 2.5-10 % 2.5 25 % Add in to total P Building fabric sundries 2.5-10 % 2.5 20 % Add in to total Q Paving/Planting/Fencing/Site furniture 2.5-10 % 2.5 40 % Add in to total R Disposal systems 2.5-10 % 1 15 % Add in to total S Piped supply systems 2.5-10% 2 10 % Add in to total T Mechanical heating/Cooling/Refrigeration systems 2-10 % 1 5 % Add in to total U Ventilation/Air-conditioning systems 5 % 2.5 % Add in to total V Electrical systems 5% 2.5 15 % Add in to total W Security systems 2.5-5% 2.5 % Add in to total Conclusion Waste allowance, the third essential element of a bill of materials, is important because during construction a certain amount of material is wasted due to cutting, fitting, and handling. For example, lumber comes in standard lengths which seldom can be used without cutting and fitting. Sometimes the piece of lumber cut off is used, but more often it goes into the scrap heap. Another example is mortar sand which is normally stored at the job site. The sand on the bottom of the pile cannot be picked up without some earth getting in it. This generally makes the sand unusable and therefore wasted. Waste allowance must be included in a bill of material to cover unavoidable losses. Allowance percentage is based on the function of the items, when developing waste allowance multiply the total quantity of any one particular part. Here spons price book didnt mention waste allowance separately Because that s included in total all in rate. Here my comparing purpose i used three published sources (Spons Architects And Builders Price Book, Laxtons building price book, Wessex price book) for finished this task, If we consider all works there is slide different for all three sources. So I recommended percentage waste allowance is most reliable for building works. Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) Working Rule Agreement The Working Rules Agreement (WRA) is published by the Joint Council for the Building Civil Engineering Industry (NI). The WRA contains the promulgated wages, allowances, holiday pay and pension entitlements together with a variety of other basic terms and conditions of employment. It forms the basic contract of employment for the industry. The WRA is incorporated by express reference in the standard Statement of Main Terms and Conditions of Employment. The working rules Part of the cost of labour is naturally the actual wages paid to the workers carrying out the productive work. The workers are generally referred to as operatives and we will return to the idea of productive work later in the chapter. The remainder of the cost of labour is made up of a number of payments which the builder must make and which are a direct result of employing operatives. Table -2 -Type of works relevant rules Type Rule Work in difficult conditions WR1 Bonus WR2 Working hours WR3 Overtime WR4 Daily fare and travel allowance WR5 Rotary shift working WR6 Night work WR7 Continuous working WR8 Tide work WR9 Tunnel work WR 10 Refuelling,servicingmaintenance WR 11 Storage of tools WR12 Loss of clothing WR 13 Transfer arrangements WR14 Subsistence allowance WR15 Period leave WR16 Guaranteed miniweekly earnings WR17 Annual holidays WR18 Sick pay WR20 Benefit schemes WR21 For my comparing purpose here also i take three public sources (Spons Architects And Builders Price Book, Laxtons building price book, Wessex price book).Here i mention Wessex price book example calculation ( under Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) Working Rule Agreement)- Table 3 Calculation of labour cost CIJC award Annual Cost of wages Craftsman Labourer Flat time 1893,8hrs,at 9.00 17044.20 at 6.77 12821.03 Non- productive overtime 65.5 hrs at 9.00 589.50 at 6.77 443.44 Public holidays 63.0 hrs at 9.00 567.00 at 6.77 426.51 Holiday pay allowance 176.0 hrs at 9.00 1584.00 at 6.77 1191.52 Sick pay 5 days at 18.72 93.60 at 18.72 93.60 Plus rate 2022.3 hrs at 9.83 - At- 19878.30 14976.09 Employes national insurance 12.80% 2544.42 12.80% 1916.94 Training allowance 0.50% of paye 99.39 At 0.50% 74.88 22522.11 16967.91 Severance pay other statutory costs 2.00% 450.44 2.00% 339.36 22972.56 17307.27 Total cost of productive hours 2.00% 459.45 2.00% 346.15 23432.01 17653.41 Total labour cost per hour 12.625 9.512 Effect of 10p/h pls rate on total cost pr hr 0.1284 0.1284 Wessex price book: 23rd edition (2006), Wessex Electronic Publishing Limited Conclusion The CIJC Working Rule Agreement will be recognized as Public Holidays for the purposes of the employees Employer. WRA provide flexible working hrs ,over time bonus.If we calculating all in rate (plant, material labour) we must follow the working rule agreement.

Interview of Insurance Ad :: essays papers

Interview of Insurance Ad Interview of an Insurance Field Adjuster As I fumbled through radio stations, the unforgettable memories of a horn blaring, tires screeching, and turning just in time to see a truck smashing into my car came flooding back. Glass shattering, the airbag deploying, I had gasped for breath from the sudden impact. It is sad that most people will have to go through a car accident like this one at least once in their lifetime. Kathy Highland was the insurance adjuster from Shelter Insurance Company who was assigned to my case. Her professionalism, courtesy, and understanding changed this horror story into just another chapter in my life, a chapter which I am now able to look back upon as a valuable learning experience. The morning sun warmed the air that April day. It was Thursday around nine a.m. when I arrived at the Shelter Insurance building. I looked around Kathy's office noticing her diploma from the University of Oklahoma and a couple of certificates for the insurance company hanging on the wall. Directly behind her was a quotation in a small frame. It read, "When looking for the reason why things go wrong never rule out sheer stupidity." I asked Kathy what it meant to her. Kathy looked at me and said, "People come into my office thinking I have all the answers and I can give them everything they want." It is easy to see that Kathy's knowledge is what people desire. With her professionalism and courtesy she is able to ease the suffering of her clients and not compensate them more than the company is willing to. About that time the phone rang, and she picked it up and said, "Kathy Highland." She listened for a few seconds as she tapped her pen on the desk, and finally said, "What is the claim number." As if she had done this a million times, Kathy told the person on the phone to go ahead and extend the car rental and then hung up the phone. Clearly Kathy handles her work swiftly and methodically easing the anguish of the ordeal as easy as possible. As I asked Kathy, "Where does the claim process begin?" She started to explain to me the claim process from beginning to end. First the adjuster will call both parties involved in the accident. Kathy said, "This could be the fun part. Most of the time you get two different stories of the accident." Then the adjuster will go to the scene of the

Violations of the True Woman in The Coquette Essay -- The Coquette Ess

Violations of the True Woman in The Coquette  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   In her article, "The Cult of True Womanhood: 1820-1860," Barbara Welter discusses the nineteenth-century ideal of the perfect woman. She asserts that "the attributes of True Womanhood . . . could be divided into four cardinal virtues-piety, purity, submissiveness and domesticity." Furthermore, she adds that "if anyone, male or female, dared to tamper with the complex virtues which made up True Womanhood, he was damned immediately as an enemy of God, of civilization and of the Republic" (Welter 152). In Hannah W. Foster's The Coquette, the characters Major Sanford and Eliza Wharton violate True Womanhood condemning them both to wretched fates. Major Sanford continually violates the True Womanhood with his systematic seduction of women. Due to his assaults against female purity, Major Sanford is rejected by society for being devoid of virtue. Well aware of this reputation, Mrs. Richman warns Eliza that he is a "professed libertine" and is not to be admitted into "virtuous society" (Foster 20). Upon her acquaintance with him, her friend Lucy Freeman declares, "I look upon the vicious habits, and abandoned character of Major Sanford, to have more pernicious effects on society, than the perpetrations of the robber and the assassin" (Foster 63). Major Sanford's licentious past dooms him to a future of lechery; there is no possibility for him to evade his reputation. Eliza's assaults against True Womanhood are violations of the virtues submissiveness and purity. When Eliza refuses to ignore the gallantry of Major Sanford in favor of the proposals of Reverend Boyer despite the warnings of her friends and mother, she disregards submissiveness in favor of her own fanc... ...ind of happiness" (Foster 166). In the end, both are severely punished for their debasement of the True Woman. One might question if Eliza really had any choice in her situation. Early in the novel she declares, "What a pity . . . that the graces and virtues are not oftner united!" (Foster 22). While Sanford possessed all the suavity she desired and Reverend Boyer all the integrity, she could find no companion who possessed both. This lack of options seems to be what truly destroys Eliza. It may have been within Eliza's power to be a True Woman, but due to the societal constraints imposed upon her, it does not seem at all possible for her to have been a happy woman.    Works Cited Foster, Hannah W. The Coquette. New York: Oxford UP, 1986. Welter, Barbara. "The Cult of True Womanhood: 1820-1860." American Quarterly. Vol. 18 (1966). 151-74.   

Economic Impact of Natural Disasters Essay

Natural disasters are catastrophes hauled by the nature on man. They may bring about large scale destruction depending on the type of natural disaster. Natural disasters include a range of hazards which may cause widespread devastation and human and animal casualties. They range from floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes, tsunamis, avalanches, volcanic eruptions, famine, heat wave and droughts etc. Natural disasters in the past were mostly unpredictable however, with the advancement of science and technology numerous authentic ways of previously detecting the possibility of natural disasters have developed. Nevertheless, even with the invention of modern scientific ways and pre-disaster preparations, human societies are not completely safe from the terrible outcomes of the disasters. The calamities bring with them huge destructions to land, property, human lives and the economy of region concerned. Natural Disasters are not only destructive for the land, people and buildings; they are also at times economically crippling. â€Å"Natural disasters affect people and their livelihoods or their ability to earn a living and support their families. Ultimately, then, severe natural disasters not only destroy people and property, they also affect the economy of the affected region. † (Stoltman, Lidstone and Dichano p. 297) Disasters heavy burden on the economy of the government since it has to make huge monetary expenditures on the recovery of the catastrophe-stricken area and rehabilitation of the victimized population. â€Å"These actions may lead to the postponement of or abandonment of planned investments, reductions in the provisions of public services and deferment of wage and salary increases and of staff appointments. † (Benson and Clay p. 29) This may mean huge losses will be incurred to the economy from this aspect as well in the long run. It is also believed that since in modern times the possible occurrence of a disaster can be predicted, the government has to take safety steps which also incur huge costs; though these safety measures may not even be able to fully protect the area from destruction, which is true in most cases. Hence the cost spent of safety measures is also nearly lost. In the United States natural disasters have been quite frequent and the governments during different times have been able to cope with the economic stress brought about by the calamities. However, sometimes exceptions did exist especially in the past when the technology was not as developed as it is today and the pace with which the rehabilitation should occur was not as fast as in today’s advanced society. America has faced all kinds of disasters from floods, hurricanes, cyclones, volcanic eruptions to heat waves, blizzards and tsunami. Hurricanes and cyclones have been more frequent in some areas prone to such type of disasters. North America especially the United States has generally been successful in holding down the death tolls even in very destructive incidents. (Stoltman, Lidstone and Dechano p. 323) Some natural disasters which occurred in the United States are being discussed from the point of view of the economic destruction they brought. Super Outbreak The largest and the worst known and recorded outbreak of a series of tornadoes over a period of 24 hour in nearly thirteen states of USA took place on 3rd and 4th of April, 1974 and are known as the super outbreak. It is believed by some to the â€Å"worst out break of the 20th century†. (Super Outbreak NOAA) 148 confirmed tornadoes caused widespread damage and destruction in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and New York. It extensively damaged approximately 900 square miles (1,440 square kilometers) along a total combined path length of 2,600 miles (4,160 km). (Super Outbreak Wikipedia). Reported to have begun around the afternoon and continued for a huge duration of 18 hours, the super outbreak lead to large number of casualties, injured and great loss to the buildings and revenue. According to the statistics caused 315 to 330 people’s deaths altogether in all the affected states, 5,484 victims were injured and 27, 590 families suffered the losses of the disaster. Overall estimated damage ranges from $3. 5 billion to $6. 0 billion according to varying sources. (Statistics taken from â€Å"Super Outbreak† Wikipedia and NOAA). Most of the losses incurred were due to the property damage, damage to basic facilities of life like roads, rail tracks which form the means of communication to other areas were severely affected. Tornadoes incurred maximum damage in areas where their intensity was at their peak. â€Å"Hanover was 90% damaged and destroyed. † (Super Outbreak Wikipedia)The task of rehabilitating the areas was not a small one; in fact it spread over 13 US states and a heavy burden was on the government. The estimated cost of the damage to the Hanover College alone was about $10 million. (Super Outbreak Wikipedia) Estimated damage to about 11 schools amounted to $7, 705, 000 in total with some schools not being included in the list. (Super Outbreak NOAA) Rebuilding huge structures is a humungous task. The recovery of all the basic facilities of life like availability of food, water and shelter and means of communication along with the availability of electricity; all had to be provided efficiently and effectively to all the victims of the disaster. In addition the medical costs of those injured had to be met by the government. Measures had to be taken to prevent disease epidemics from erupting in areas facing sanitation problems. These costs were those which had to be used in investments and on other progressive developmental projects, however, due to the disaster a huge amount was now spent on rehabilitation and recovery of victims of the super outbreak. This did not put a temporary burden on the government’s economy but actually affected all those possible ways of economic progress which were being sought through future investment plans. Louisiana Flood 8th May, 1995 â€Å"The United States has a long history of attempting to deal with hazards beginning with floods and focus has been on mitigation. † After experimenting with dams, levees also became discredited after the expenditure of $200 million in 1927. â€Å"That year a massive flood left 250 dead and 700,000 temporarily homeless. † (Stoltman, Lidstone and Dechano p. 326) This proved that no matter what preventive measures may be taken, the losses incurred by the natural disasters (may they be losses of life or economic losses) cannot be fully prevented. Another huge disaster experienced in the history of natural disasters in the USA was the Louisiana flood of 1995. The flooding was actually on set by excessive continued raining from 7th till 8th of May, 1995. Cities like Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish, including the cities of New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, River Ridge, Harahan, Slidell, and Covington etc. All these areas were severely affected and experienced huge losses due to the flood. Six people died as a result of the flooding. The city of New Orleans suffered $360 million in damages, and the damage of the surrounding areas put that total above $1 billion. Some 56,000 homes were damaged in 12 Parishes. Thousands of cars were flooded. 14,600 homes and apartments were flooded in Jefferson Parish. The cause of the massive rain fall totals was a stalled out frontal system from the northwest. It produced a train effect, in which rain and/or thunderstorms continued to form over the same area. Pumping stations were overwhelmed and could not pump out the water into Lake Pontchartrain. The pumping stations are only rated to pump one inch per hour maximum. (May 8th 1995 Louisiana Flood Wikipedia) In addition to meeting the huge costs of restoration of normal living standards, the government was also concerned to take steps to prevent such disastrous conditions as much as possible in the future. The countries economy was once again weighed down by the responsibility of taking prospective and effective safety measures. Such catastrophic rainfall floods were planned to be prevented by building high costing much more effective pumps to remove the rain water before build up develops. 1994 Northridge Earthquake The Northridge earthquake occurring on the January 17th 1994 caused large scale devastation and a lot of economic damage as compared to its relatively low intensity of 6. 7 on the Richter scale and low duration. â€Å"Yet in terms of financial losses Northridge is one of the worst disasters in US history. 57 people were killed and 72 deaths were attributed to the earthquake. 11,800 people received hospital treatment for injuries and 22,000 people were left homeless. † (Petak and Elahi Northridge earthquake USA) Direct losses, like damages to residential and commercial buildings, roads and bridges, means of telecommunication, agriculture and lifelines (like water supply and sewerage lines were damaged) etc altogether amounted to $41. 8 billion. Infrastructural losses like water, gas and power demanded immediate action just as the rescue and recovery of those trapped. Basic necessities of life had to be provided without delay just as immediate medical treatment was essential for the injured. â€Å"Life line damage was estimated $ 2 billion but later was found to have exceeded. † (Petak and Elahi Northridge earthquake USA) Damage to schools was also costly and the cost was approximately $100 million. (Petak and Elahi Northridge earthquake USA) It was a sorry state of affairs that the hospitals were also damaged nearly 31 in number and 9 were forced to evacuate. (Petak and Elahi Northridge earthquake USA) This caused serious problems since the injured had to be dealt with in the hospitals and the transportation systems were damaged to take them to nearby safer areas for the purpose of treatment. However the airports were relatively less damaged or almost not damaged at all. The earthquake wreaked havoc on numerous massive buildings including centers of trade and commerce and shopping plazas, bridges and roads. The destruction of roads and bridges lead to serious complications and further economic loss. Lack of transportation caused various business dealings to be delayed, the damage to office buildings also acted as an aggravating factor in this situation and incurring indirect financial loss. â€Å"The area’s largest shopping center, the Northridge Fashion Center was virtually destroyed and did not open for more than a year and a half. † (Petak and Elahi Northridge earthquake USA) Business loss literally affected the country’s economy which was already dealing with the blow the earthquake had given to it. The overall business losses were estimated to be $15. 2 billion. However, the situations were quickly dealt with which meant that supply was meeting the demand. The area took some time before it was fully restored despite the fact that the recovery process and the aid being provided were both quick and effective. Hurricane Katrina In terms of material as well as economic destruction, Hurricane Katrina, occurring on the 23rd of August, 2005, was one of the worst natural disasters to have affected the US in most recent times. Failure of levee system in New Orleans and Louisiana lead to great loss of life and property. This was greatly criticized since modern day technology demands much more effective measures to be taken by the government in preventing huge catastrophes like hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina has managed to shatter the economy for good. It has caused huge damages to the oil and gas production causing major damage to many oil platforms and leading to the shut down of refineries. â€Å"The total shut-in oil production from the Gulf of Mexico in the six-month period following Katrina was approximately 24% of the annual production and the shut-in gas production for the same period was about 18%. † (Hurricane Katrina Wikipedia)This is a sorry state of affairs since the damage to done to other business market, business dealings and buildings, is apart from this damage to the oil and gas industry. Along with the destruction of various job opportunities the forest industry was also affected. People were not only left homeless but also unemployed and the country’s constant gain through income tax from these previously employed also halted because of the loss of their jobs. Families were left without a means of livelihood and problems of poverty were becoming increasingly significant. â€Å"It is estimated that the total economic impact in Louisiana and Mississippi may exceed $150 billion† (Hurricane Katrina Wikipedia) It is a natural phenomenon that loss of employment opportunities and unavailability of basic needs of the people causes them to move places in search of better opportunities in all fields of life. This has a negative effect not only on the areas which are left, because their chances of future progress become dim, but also of those areas which are over burdened by the influx of people. These areas come under economic pressure because now they have to provide jobs, residential areas and food for more people on the same available resources. This holds very true especially in the case of victims and survivors of Hurricane Katrina. The economic lows in their region forced them to migrate to other regions or states which also suffered a set back when burdened by an extra population to be supported. Conclusion Analysis of the US attitude towards natural disasters has shown that US governments have been active and keen on preventing as well as providing immediate remedies to the disaster stricken people. However, the preventive measures like levee system have not been cost effective. They have not proved to be good in preventing huge damages. Amount spent on these preventive measures is wasted once the disaster strikes. On the other hand, effective and efficient help is provided for the recovery of the victims and the destructed area but the economic blow is very strong. In many areas the fast rehabilitation system is not enough though and migration of people to other states causes burden on those states. The economic damage due post-disaster era is caused due to direct and indirect causes. The direct causes include destruction of buildings especially corporate and residential ones and providence of basic facilities of life to the victims and injured and indirect damage is incurred by mainly destructed transportations, repair, rehabilitation and rechecking of newly built structures for safety. â€Å"Disasters can cause government revenues to fall since lower levels of economic activity including possible net declines in imports and exports imply reduced direct and indirect tax revenues. † (Benson and Clay p. 29) Hence, modern day technology demands our government to take better and more reliable preventive measures to avoid huge damages from disasters which can prove to be long term economic set backs. Works Cited Benson, Charlotte and Clay, Edward J. Understanding the Economic and Financial Impacts of Natural Disasters. 2004. World Bank Publications â€Å"Hurricane Katrina. † Wikipedia. 26 April 2008. Petak, William J and Elahi, Shirin. â€Å"The Northridge Earthquake USA and its Economic and Social Impacts. † 26 April 2008 Stoltman, Joseph P. Lidstone, John and Dechano Lisa M. International Perspectives on Natural Disasters. 2005. Springer Publishers. â€Å"Super Outbreak†. NOAA’S National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office. Northern Indiana. 26 April 2008. â€Å"Super Outbreak† Wikipedia. 26 April 2008.