Wrting assignment in my english class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wrting assignment in my english class - Essay Example [1] The term â€Å"emerging† implies that these countries are expected to join the pool of advanced nations in near future if guided with professional skills and bounty of capital invested in the right direction. The flourish in the industrial sector is not without a reason. With cheap price of land, cheap labor, abundance of raw material combined with water, there are plenty to cheer for the industrial sector in these economies. Already in some of the countries the Information Technology (IT) sector is boosting with rigor and it is expected that in near future they might surpass the united state of America as a potential IT hub. However, these economies have a common bottleneck. If we are considering their potential regarding the expected tertiary sector boom in near future, first of all they have a language difference with the developed nations. English is not their mother tongue. Therefore this is a major bottleneck in communication. These set of soft skills are very important regarding the efficient functioning of the tertiary sector and if left unnoticed, may become a major hindrance in achieving their true potential. Apart from this, a proper lesson of corporate ethics might also be necessary to lead these economies from a blue collared job scenario to white collared one. One of the most unique features of these emerging economies is their extremely screwed nature of their distribution of national income. This characteristic is most universal among them and is quite expected. Around 75 percent of the national wealth of these economies is in the hands of 25 percent of the population while the rest of the wealth is shared by 75 percent of them. This happens in most economies due to poor literacy rate among the common and that follows from the relatively higher cost of higher education. Moreover, these economies are characterized by high

The various characters in Of mice and men. Essay Example for Free

The various characters in Of mice and men. Essay Discuss the importance of dreams of the various characters in Of mice and men. Do any of these characters have a realistic opportunity to realise their dreams? Of mice and men is a novel written by John Steinbeck set in the 1930s. John Steinbeck was born on the 27th February 1902 in Salinas, California. Of mice and men mainly focuses on loneliness and isolation. I will have to consider the importance of dreams of various characters in Of mice and men and do they have a realistic opportunity to realise their dream. Many of the characters have dreams in this novel, big dreams, wild dreams all sorts of dreams but I am only going to talk about the following characters: George and Lennie, Curleys wife, and Candy. George and Lennie share a dream of settling in a farm house and looking after animals and doing what any other people would do. During the story their dream is also shared by candy known as the swamper. I think that if Lennie and George didnt have a dream, they wouldnt have had the enjoyable time in their lives that they had even though Lennie was a big problem to George. If they never shared the same dream, I think that George would have left Lennie when the first time Lennie caused a problem. But one reason that George continued to stay with Lennie is because George knew that Lennie on his own would get into trouble and eventually die. George also knows that if he leaves Lennie, he is going to become a lost and a awful person, George says I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. After along time they get mean. They get wantin to fight all the time. From this we know that George wouldnt want to leave Lennie because what could happen to him, he is scared of the bad things that could happen to him so he needs to have a companion, and that is one way to achieve the goal of their dream. Basically George realises from the beginning that their dream could come true, because from the point when George, Lennie and Candy decided how they can collect the money and then they are sorted, but there is a problem, it is Lennie, Lennie doesnt understand anything due to his mental immaturity and therefore he acts like a child. George is scared that Lennie will do something wrong, something that will ruin their dream to become a success. One thing that is interrupting Lennie from doing well is Curleys wife. At the end of the story, George, Lennie, and Candys dream is destroyed by Lennie because of his immaturity and thoughtlessness. With his own mind Lennie took the wrong path, by talking to Curleys wife and that ended up into a death and a ruined dream that will never come true. It was not her fault because she is already isolated by the other workers and obviously she would want to talk to someone. We know hat the dream is ruined. After her death is discovered by candy he tells George about it and when George goes to tell the other workers candy is left alone with Curleys wife, he says to the dead lady you god damn tramp,you done it, dint you? I spose youre glad. Everybody knowed youd mess things up. You wasnt no good. You aint no good now.you lousy tart. Candy lets out all his anger and says all these bad things to her even though she wasnt the person the ruined their dream, she was the means of their dream to be ruined. After letting all his anger out candy states I could of hoed in the garden and washed dishes for them guys, this is one major speech that indicates us that their dream is truly finished. Curleys wife has a big dream of becoming an movie star with a life of luxury. She is one of the main characters that suffers loneliness and isolation, her big dream is to go to Hollywood and become and actress, nevertheless her mother may have had stopped her from going and realising her dream to become an actress. Her dream is one big source that keeps her occupied at all times, and that is why she is still with Curley. She misleads herself and then could of never gone to Hollywood, she says could of went with shows. Her vision is to be famous, eye-catching, recognised and well known, I think she has a dream to keep her away from isolation and loneliness. The marriage between Curley and his wife, kept her realising and questioning her dream. If Curleys wife admitted to herself that she is a failure and hadnt an ounce of acting in her, she wouldnt of been able to hold her marriage with Curley any more because she always dreams that she will be an actor some day that it goes to an extent that it become a part of her normal character. When Lennie kills her, her dream is put to an end. Candy is one of the workers that was made a permanent residence on the ranch. Candy is known as the old swamper. He himself knows himself that he will be getting kicked out soon. I think that he knows that George and Lennie are good people so he wants to really share the same dream with them, this is because of his old age and I think that candy feels isolated because of his age difference from the other workers. He realises that their dream can come true if only Lennie doesnt do anything dumb which he does and destroys their dream.

Stem Cells Essay -- essays research papers

Abstract 1. The object of this Paper is to provide an independent assessment of the Donaldson Committee's Recommendations in light of the most recent advances in stem cell research. 2. Stem cells should be defined by their ability to renew themselves and diversify into other cell types. 3. There are several readily accessible sources of stem cells. Strict criteria apply to the use of these sources in medical research. 4. Stem cells have wide potential application in medicine. "Adult" stem cells have already been used in the world's first recorded case of successful gene therapy "surgery". 5. The views expressed by the Donaldson Committee's on the limitations of "adult" stem cells are now defunct. 6. Unlike "embryonic" stem cells, "adult" stem cells have already been used extensively in the successful treatment of a range of degenerative diseases and conditions and have outstanding development potential. 7. The objections to the use of "adult" stem cells advanced by the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. have been overcome, according to the most up-to-date research. 8. "Adult" stem cells have now surpassed all other sources of stem cells in terms of widespread clinical application, safety, availability and potential. Introduction Following the publication of stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, the long-awaited Report of the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Advisory Group on Therapeutic Cloning (August 2000), a fierce debate has ensued over the Government's decision to "accept the Report's recommendations in full.† Focusing on the first Recommendation made by the Advisory Group (otherwise known as the Donaldson Committee) that: "Research using human embryos (whether created by in vitro fertilization or cell nuclear replacement) to increase understanding about human disease and disorders and their cell based treatments should be permitted, subject to the controls in the Human Fertilization and Embryology Act 1990." serious ethical objections have been raised to the proposal to deliberately create and clone human embryos for the purpose o... ...y evidence exists to prove that adult stem cells now meet all of the criteria set down by both the Donaldson Committee and the NIH in the U.S. Work Sited 1. Government Response to the Recommendations Made in the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Group Report: "stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility", Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000. 2. Stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000. 3. Stem Cell Research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000. 4. Congressional Testimony of David A. Prentice, Ph.D., http://www.stemcellresearch.org/prentice. htm, February 7, 2000. 5. "Gene Therapy of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)-X1 Disease", Science 288, 669-672, April 28 2000. 6. N.B. It is these claims that form the backbone of the case in support of the cloning of human embryos for their stem cells. 7 stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000. 8.stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000.

Learning and Decisions Essay

Decisions can be difficult to make because they have such an impact on life. Have you ever had to make an important decision? Making decisions is very important in life. Decisions are what make the world go around. I have made many decisions in my life. One that has changed the high school part of my life was whether or not I would play varsity hockey my freshman year. Before the decision I had made a list of the â€Å"pros and cons†. For instance I didn’t like the fact that I would get less playing time, although in the long run I would learn more and become a better hockey player. If I were to look back on my decision I definitely wouldn’t change it for a second. Perhaps I might do some things different, but overall I improved my skills a lot and now use to the pace of the game. For this reason during the off season I was provided with more opportunities to play with older players to keep improving my skills. Some decisions can make or break a friendship. Specifically at the beginning of this school year I told myself I was going to change my personality, and become a nicer guy. Compared to staying the same arrogant kid I have been able to acquire more friends and more respect. Particularly I choose to begin this decision because I felt like an idiot. In truth I figured I would be able to focus better in school because I wouldn’t be getting in trouble. All things considered I’m glad I made this decision. I am a lot happier person, and I hope to stick with it. With the way the economy is, I feel very fortunate to have a job. During the past two summers I made the decision to get a job. The alternative decision for me was to be sitting at home doing nothing, or out at work gaining in income, and a responsible attitude. Specifically I also choose this decision thinking it would keep me out of trouble. T was constantly exhausted but learned a lot of responsibility. Now after the decision if I were to look back on it I don’t regret it. Decisions can be difficult to make because they have such an impact on life. The decisions I talked about were all ones that I would not change. These decisions have changed my life and I have learned a lot from them. In conclusion I have learned a lot from the decisions I have made, whether or not I regret them I look back on them as learning experiences.

Brand Life cycle- Nescafe

Nescafà © is a brand of instant coffee made by Nestlà ©. It comes in many different product forms. The name is a portmanteau of the words â€Å"Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬ . Nestlà ©'s flagship powdered coffee product was introduced in Switzerland on April 1, 1938. a brand introduced by the Nestlà © company, can be traced back to the 1930s.FIRST STAGE – LAUNCH OF THE BRAND.Nescafe launched under the umbrella brand of Nestle. It offers its buyers premium roasted coffee. The strategy that Nescafe took was to offer a different and better taste of coffee at an affordable price. It was first launched in India in Delhi. Initially it targeted the housewives and office goers. Therefore they first studied he most effective places to promote it in. Then came the various mediums through which they will promote it. Nescafe right from the launch has come up with various TVCs. Television advertising is the most effective way to maintain the brand awareness and reaching a mass audience at one time. By creating advertisements it was able to reach its potential and target audience. Whether housewives or working professionals – all have access to a television. It had been portrayed as a drink to start your day with and getting rid of tiredness, fatigue, sleepiness and providing a superior and different taste.The brand had a niche look and feel to it, yet priced reasonably. Nescafe also targeted Offices and big enterprises; where they exclusively put vending machines. This not only increased the consumption of coffee but also helped in the promotion of their brand. And people were so impressed by the taste that they would also purchase it for home so in turn their sales increased. We have also seen such vending machines in Malls and cafeterias. This way more and more people were able to taste the brand and in turn it created brand awareness. It also spread brand awareness through print media, lot of newspaper and magazine advertisements. A very im portant aspect for the growth of the brand was its parent brand- Nestle. By the time Nescafe launched in India Nestle has a strong brand image amongst the audience and  shared a relationship of trust and heritage.Therefore more and more people opted for the brand. As a product strategy they always promoted the fact that they are giving its customers the best selection of coffee and 100% pure; that in turn became its USP. They also launched various types to cater to the different coffee lovers- mild, rich, and espresso, instant and so on. This way they had captured the market. As for the pricing of the brand they kept it reasonable- not very low or very high. They knew that Indians are very economical and look for the best deals. Therefore providing superior taste at an affordable price will attract many. Nescafe also created small campaigns that would intrigue its customers- these campaigns were seen on television and even through print media.These campaigns worked towards creatin g a stronger brand image. As though to make Nescafe synonymous to coffee. One of their most popular campaigns being the Nescafe â€Å"Red Mug†. Even today we all can associate Nescafe with its signature red mug. What more they even gave out these mugs as freebies with coffee bottles.Similarly they provided â€Å"shakers† for making cold coffee and etc. For the new flavours of coffee, sample sachets were distributed. In the beginning any company needs to spend a substantial amount of money and time in strengthening their brand image amongst the masses and creating maximum brand awareness whether it’s through pricing or promotion. Nescafe has used all possible mediums in doing so and today it has emerged as the Market leader.SECOND STAGE- MATURITYFor a brand maturity is that stage when the people are fully aware of the existence of the brand. With this comes in its competitor brands. For Nescafe thankfully there hasn’t been much competition in the Indian ma rket except for Bru. Bru is under HUL and entered the market shortly after Nescafe. It also claimed to offer high quality coffee. Bru’s USP was that was India’s largest coffee brand. Bru targeted almost all sectors of audience, even the younger generation. It’s ads and promotion was more customer centric. It talked more about bonds and emotions therefore captured a lot of attention. At such a stage Nescafe had to remind its customers of its presence. Nescafe as a brand has already created awareness therefore what they did was tried to connect with it’s audience.There was no need o  promote the product anymore as people were already aware of it and liked it. So what they did was got create campaigns where people could relate with the brand. Nescafe indulged into below the line promotion like celebrity endorsements and sponsorships. In their recent ads they have got popular actors endorsing the brand and promoting the fact that they too drink a cup of Nes cafe everyday whether in between work or over a conversation. One of their lastest campaigns being â€Å"to know your neighbours†.This campaign doesn’t really talk about the goodness of Nescafe or coffee. It concentrates more on bonding, relationships and how coffee can be a conversation starter. They had actors like Deepika Padukone endorse it therefore this also fulfilled their aim at targeting the younger generation as well. They have also entered into social marketing with such campaigns- through facebook, twitter and of course it’s own website. Nescafe as also opened cafeterias and coffee lounges therefore giving its customers a complete coffee experience. They have also cleverly targeted the places in which these cafes will be opened. Places which are in close proximity to colleges, offices and malls will attract maximum number of customers. Strategies like these were used just to keep the brand alive and sustainable in the minds of its customers.THIRD STA GE- DECLINING STAGENescafe has still not reached a declining. It is still the market leader and has a strong presence in the minds of its customers. If at all it ever reaches a declining stage it must recover by the following methods- When a brand reaches a declining stage it means that it has lost out to other competitor brand on the basis of quality ,taste, variety, promotion etc. So first stage is to identify the cause and then work upon it. If its quality or taste they must improve upon it and relaunch it to let its customers know that the new product is better,tastier,richer and so on. It can launch a variety of new products- this will excite the customers and they will have something new to look for to.Tying up with other brands- Maybe Nescafe can tie up with other brands under Nestle and promote itself with it. Maybe by giving it’s customers attractive offers. Bundling the two products and selling it. Buyers are always economical and looking for the  best deals. So m aybe the company can give discounts and other sttractive offers like buy one get one, 20% more†¦.etc. Make fresh TVCs and emphasise on brand heritage since its an old brand.

When the Standard Deviation Is Equal to Zero

When the Standard Deviation Is Equal to Zero The sample standard deviation is a descriptive statistic that measures the spread of a quantitative data set. This number can be any non-negative real number. Since zero is a nonnegative real number, it seems worthwhile to ask, â€Å"When will the sample standard deviation be equal to zero?† This occurs in the very special and highly unusual case when all of our data values are exactly the same. We will explore the reasons why. Description of the Standard Deviation Two important questions that we typically want to answer about a data set include: What is the center of the dataset?How spread out is the set of data? There are different measurements, called descriptive statistics that answer these questions. For example, the center of the data, also known as the average, can be described in terms of the mean, median or mode. Other statistics, which are less well-known, can be used such as the midhinge or the trimean. For the spread of our data, we could use the range, the interquartile range or the standard deviation. The standard deviation is paired with the mean to quantify the spread of our data. We can then use this number to compare multiple data sets. The greater our standard deviation is, then the greater the spread is. Intuition So let’s consider from this description what it would mean to have a standard deviation of zero. This would indicate that there is no spread at all in our data set. All of the individual data values would be clumped together at a single value. Since there would only be one value that our data could have, this value would constitute the mean of our sample. In this situation, when all of our data values are the same, there would be no variation whatsoever. Intuitively it makes sense that the standard deviation of such a data set would be zero. Mathematical Proof The sample standard deviation is defined by a formula. So any statement such as the one above should be proved by using this formula. We begin with a data set that fits the description above: all values are identical, and there are n values equal to x. We calculate the mean of this data set and see that it is   x (x x . . . x)/n nx/n x. Now when we calculate the individual deviations from the mean, we see that all of these deviations are zero. Consequently, the variance and also the standard deviation are both equal to zero too. Necessary and Sufficient We see that if the data set displays no variation, then its standard deviation is zero. We may ask if the converse of this statement is also true. To see if it is, we will use the formula for standard deviation again. This time, however, we will set the standard deviation equal to zero. We will make no assumptions about our data set, but will see what setting s 0 implies Suppose that the standard deviation of a data set is equal to zero. This would imply that the sample variance s2 is also equal to zero. The result is the equation: 0 (1/(n - 1)) ∑ (xi - x )2 We multiply both sides of the equation by n - 1 and see that the sum of the squared deviations is equal to zero. Since we are working with real numbers, the only way for this to occur is for every one of the squared deviations to be equal to zero. This means that for every i, the term (xi - x )2 0. We now take the square root of the above equation and see that every deviation from the mean must be equal to zero. Since for all i, xi - x 0 This means that every data value is equal to the mean. This result along with the one above allows us to say that the sample standard deviation of a data set is zero if and only if all of its values are identical.

The role of Human Resources with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) The WritePass Journal

The role of Human Resources with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Introduction The role of Human Resources with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) IntroductionHR’s contribution to The Humphrey’s broader objective of CSRReward and CompensationEmployee selectionTraining and developmentOrganisational structureRelated Introduction The report aim to address the current case and to look at how Human Resources Department of the Humphrey Group can contribute to the organisation’s wide objective of Corporate Social Responsibility. Brief definition of Corporate Social Responsibility will be shown and how CSR focused corporations behave will then be explained. As a final point, the report will clarify how the HR department of the Humphrey Group can add to implementing and promoting the company’s CSR morals and goals. Referring to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), it stated that â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the continuing commitment by business to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce, their families and the local community and society at large† (World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 1999) Differently to some businesses whose main focus is to maximise financial target in a short term, CSR focused corporation takes in account of financial responsibility, environmental and even social when conveying business strategies. CSR focused corporation continues to perform socially in a professional and responsible way with company’s stakeholders, which includes; employees, investors, suppliers, local community, consumers, competitors and even with the environment that the business is operating in. HR’s contribution to The Humphrey’s broader objective of CSR Human Resource Department is aware of the worries voiced out by the Board of Directors concerning the compensation ethics in the company and the neediness of slotting in CSR in the company’s main scheme, likewise the importance of HR manager’s critical role in developing, implementing and promoting CSR practices must be passed forward to the Board of Directors, so they recognise this. HRM can add to the company’s wide objectives of CSR in various ways: Reward and Compensation Human Resource Manager should judgmentally review the company’s present incentive schemes and financial compensations. As packages that exclusively focus on making short-term financial profits are most likely to delay the progress of CSR, while this focus on generating sustainable value for the company in a long-run. As a substitute, CSR practises will need to be incorporated in the company’s incentive scheme. As it is understood that â€Å"if CSR is built into incentive systems – salary packages and targets that determine whether the manager receives a pay raise, promotion, etc. – the firm is likelier to motivate greater CSR alignment† (Coro Strandberg Consulting, 2009: p.16). For planning and designing new reward systems, HR can work together with the Board of Directors. According to Jensen and Murphy (1990:p.141) â€Å"cash compensation should be structured to provide big rewards for outstanding performance and meaningful penalties for poor performance†. Therefore, a clear and reasonable financial reward should be created and added to the company’s policies and practices in order to be fair. On the other hand, Frey and Osterloh (2005:p.106) discuss and argue that â€Å"high-powered incentive compensation, even if optimally designed, aggravates the problems in the corporate sector. Pay for performance gives managers and directors incentives to manipulate performance criteria and to resort to fraudulent accounts to the disadvantage of the long-term interests of the firm†. IBM, Enron and even Xerox are some examples of high business scandals. From these cases, it’s proven that company’s crimes aren’t ignored but are dealt with legally as they damage the business’s reputation in a long-run. Alternatively, HRM should encourage non-financial incentives for employees, taking in consideration of award programmes, promotions, e.t.c. this can likewise be positive in been familiar with worker’s contribution and achievements in the company. Employees can also be rewarded by HRM for helping out in the local community, particularly if they kee p the company’s moral and CSR goals in action. Employee selection Selecting workers is one of HR’s roles; this should be drawn to the Board of Director’s attention because HR should contribute to the company’s wider objective of CSR by participating in the ‘board selection process’. This is reinforced by Beatty et al., 2004: p.266 who claims that â€Å"actively involving the HR community in the board selection process, as with any other effective selection process, might yield substantial improvement in the quality, capability, and ethics of board members†. Therefore, involving the HR will make sure that obedience is in place with the company’s standards and CSR practice at the board level. HR can make sure that CSR’s aim and objectives are supported at management and non-management level. HR should do this by collecting and drawing up ‘employee codes of conduct’ requesting them all to be faithful with the company’s ethics and put in place disciplinary for misusers, such as; fraudulent in the organisation. It’s been said that â€Å"employees are the most neglected though most important stakeholders of the organization for conducting CSR activities† (Sharma et al., 2009:p.208). Moreover, Schoemaker, Nijhof and Jonker (2006) agree with the statement. They had to say, employees are â€Å"the everyday human representatives of the organisation and the primary carriers of the organisational values, thus representing the organisation’s identity† (Schoemaker et al., 2006:p.2). Therefore, HR will make sure that employees are inspired and involved with implementing CSR’s values to the company’s strategies. During job induction, HR will make sure that the company’s CSR aim and objectives are well structured and clear to understand. This is to make the new workers feel that they are working in a well cultured firm that takes account a lot of responsibilities, internally and externally. HR experts can add CSR values unto job adverts and even on the company’s main website so keep this informed. Training and development Furthermore, HR can give training about company’s CSR values along with the right interactive principles of the company by using different methods to reach out to its workers. The staff meetings, company’s website, e-mail, newsletters around the organisation, e.t.c. can all be used to carry out this area affectively. HR will make sure that the training programme is for both existing and new employees. This way, new workers will get full information of the company’s aims and objectives, morals and CSR aims in a long run for the company. Organisational structure With the saying of Coro Strandberg Consulting, 2009: p.17. That states that through â€Å"role modelling, building awareness and generating desire (what is in it for me?) and conviction, developing knowledge and ability and reinforcement through incentive programs†, HR experts can have an effect on the behavioural change in these areas and also working with the Board of Directors to encourage the business culture will help in highlighting CSR’s values and goals. Plenty of sources shows that â€Å"firms’ corporate social performance (CSP) is related positively to their reputation and to their attractiveness as employers† (Turban and Greening, 1996:p.658). So the company should recruits brilliant applicants that take and/or want to take CSR values well in the company’s culture. This will give positivity to the company and its staff in a long run. To find out how employees are performing with CSR, HR can carry out questionnaires maybe once a month, asking questions that will generate more awareness of CSR to the workers. Alongside, HR will make sure that â€Å"appropriate behaviors get appraised, appreciated as well as rewarded† (Sharma, 2009:p.210) in the company. In the organisation, HR plays a vital role in making sure the aim and objectives of CSR is implemented in the company at different levels. The Board of Directors and senior level manager will have to recognise HR’s part in the organisation and enable them to take part in CSR development. Having strong CSR in place will provide great competitive advantage for the company with its competitors. And this can only be done if all departments work together for CSR values, i.e. from Board of Directors, senior level managers, HR and all other employees because one of the important gain from CSR is â€Å"a positive impact on employee morale, motivation, commitment, loyalty, training, recruitment and turnover† (Kramar, 2004). References The World Business Council for Sustainable Development. ‘Corporate Social Responsibility: Meeting Changing Expectations’, 1 March 1999, wbcsd.org/templates/TemplateWBCSD5/layout.asp?type=pMenuId=MTE0OQ (Accessed 4/04/2011) Coro Strandberg Consulting (2009) Report for Industry Canada: Corporate Social Responsibility. ic.gc.ca/eic/site/csr-rse.nsf/vwapj/CSR_and_HR_Management1.pdf/%24file/CSR_and_HR_Management1.pdf (Accessed 4/04/2011) Jensen, M. and Murphy, K. (1990) CEO incentives: it’s not how much you pay, but how. Harvard Business Review, 68(3), pp.138-152 Beatty, R., Ewing, J. and Tharp, C. (2004) HR’s role in corporate governance: present and prospective. Human Resource Management, Fall 2003, Vol.42 (3), pp.257-269 Turban, D. and Greening, D. (1996) Corporate Social Performance and Organisational Attractiveness to Prospective Employees. Academy of Management Journal. Vol.40 (3), pp.658-672 Frey, B. and Osterloh, M. (2005) Yes Managers Should be Paid Like Bureaucrats. Journal of Management Inquiry, 14(1), pp.96-111 Schoemaker, M. Nijhof, A. and Jonker, J. (2006) Human Value Management. 10th Annual Conference by the Reputation Institute May 2006, New York, US reputationinstitute.com/members/nyc06/Schoemaker.pdf (Accessed 5/04/2011) Sharma, S., Sharma J. and Devi, A. (2009) Corporate Social Responsibility: The Key Role of Human Resource Management. Business Intelligence Journal. Vol.2(1), pp.205-213 Kramar, R. (2004) Corporate social responsibility†¦ a challenge for HR? HR Magazine humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/22/0c01d922.asp

Demings 14 Points Theory Explained

Demings 14 Points Theory Explained Read about 14 points of Total Quality Management concept a kind of guideline on management. Deming’s 14 Points Deming’s 14 Points are a set of guidelines for management presented in the Out of the Crisis, written by statistician W. Edward Deming in 1982. Deming is credited with inventing the concept of Total Quality Management (TQM) through the ideas presented in the book, although he did not invent the term â€Å"total quality management.† The central concept behind Deming’s management philosophy is that variation is the biggest obstacle to productivity; by following the 14 points, he reasoned, organizations could develop their own ways to reduce variation  and improve performance and competitiveness. Deming developed his ideas while working in Japan beginning shortly after the end of World War II. His work originally had nothing to do with business, but rather to apply his skill as a statistician to helping to conduct a census of the Japanese population. During the 1950s, Deming began teaching Japanese engineers â€Å"statistical process control,† a methodology that allowed for better quality control in production without applying new processes or equipment; the idea was enormously appealing to Japanese industry, particularly in the capital-lean years following the war, and for Deming’s contribution to resurrecting Japanese manufacturing, he received the rare honor of being awarded a medal by Emperor Hirohito in 1960. On a side note, that means that Japan’s position as a powerhouse in some industries, particularly automobiles and electronics, owes much of its success to an American statistician who had some free time on his hands while on an unrelated assignment. Pay attention in your math courses, kids; it might just make you a business god someday. Read also:  Five Components of Service Management  | Difference between  Leadership and Management Demings 14 Points explained Point 1: Create constancy of purpose to achieve quality. This is a suggestion to focus on long-term planning rather than a  short-term response to changing circumstances  and to align periodic planning with the organization’s overall mission and vision. Point 2: Adopt the quality way of thinking. The implication is that the implementation of the new, quality-oriented philosophy should be sincere; rather than simply imposing it on the workforce, management has to begin the transformation by changing its way of thinking first. Point 3: Stop depending on inspection to achieve quality. A basic premise of TQM is that quality control is integrated into production processes, therefore, dedicated quality control procedures, which are out of the normal process flow, are unnecessary and work against increasing efficiency. Point 4: End the practice of awarding business to suppliers on price alone instead minimize cost by working closely with only one or two vendors. The main idea here is to minimize variations in the quality and specifications of supplies and raw materials. Deming’s contention is that there is a greater net cost benefit to establishing long-term relationships in a supply chain rather than chasing lower prices. Point 5: Constantly improve every process involved in planning, production, and service. This, of course, is the fundamental idea behind TQM: continuous improvement as part of everyday practice. Point 6: Institute on-the-job training for all employees. This idea goes hand-in-hand with Point 5; if constant improvement is practiced in every other aspect of the business, it must be applied to the workforce as well. Point 7: Adopt and institute leadership. Leadership, as opposed to mere â€Å"management† or â€Å"supervision.† This idea is sometimes confusing  because Deming does not define the difference very clearly in his own work, although numerous others have tackled the question, with varying degrees of success. Point 8: Drive out fear from the work environment. Punitive management, that is, where the primary check on performance is to punish performance that is not up to the expected standards, is counterproductive because it discourages workers from working for the organization’s best interests. In other words, they are performing at the minimum level necessary to â€Å"stay out of trouble†, rather than trying to excel. Point 9: Break down barriers between the workers and the management. This point, as Deming discusses it, is not so much a statement on the form of organization but a prescription for another basic idea in TQM, that different parts of the organization have a supplier-customer relationship with one another. Point 10: Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets. In TQM, the presumption is that the likely source of variation and error is the process, rather than the people. Deming views slogans – the sort of thing one might see on those ubiquitous motivational posters – as useless at best, if the process that they are directed towards is not improved. Point 11: Eliminate quantity-quotas and targets for the workforce and management. This is related to Point 8; continuous improvement is not possible if some â€Å"endpoint† is established. The focus of the work will shift from seeking continuously improving quality and productivity to meeting a quantitative goal. Point 12: Remove barriers that rob people of their pride in workmanship, and eliminate the annual rating or merit system. This particular point is a bit difficult to interpret; Deming’s view is that merit-based performance rating is demotivating, and he ties it in with his general distaste for targets, quotas, and the â€Å"carrot-and-stick† approach to performance management. On the other hand, if taken to extremes this point could suggest that performance is not important, which would be an idea most managers would take exception to. Point 13: Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement for everyone. This point is simply an extension of the ideas in Points 5 and 6; â€Å"continuous improvement† must be applied to the people as well as processes. Point 14: Put everyone in the organization to work to accomplish the transformation. This point is related to Point 7; any organizational transformation must include everyone and not simply be imposed on the organization. The most common criticism of Deming’s 14 Points is that they do not provide any tools to carry out these ideas, and in many ways suggest that tools for measuring and management performance are counterproductive.  Deming himself provided little guidance to deflect this criticism; his position was that these were broad objectives  and that it was up to management to develop the means to reach them, according to their own organization’s unique circumstances. If you need a similar essay feel free to  ask our writers for help and place an order.

Does the efficient market theory apply on the FOREX market Essay

Does the efficient market theory apply on the FOREX market - Essay Example If the trend is looking upwards, the person â€Å"B† will buy the stock. In both cases, both persons got to the same conclusion of buying the stock of the same company, but their methods were entirely different. The person â€Å"B† does not even have to visit the company to do the technical analysis. Now implying the same method on the foreign exchange market, we can deduct whether the efficient market hypothesis is workable in the FOREX market or he not. For that we need to know the basics of the efficient market hypothesis. The efficient market hypothesis can be viewed as having three levels or stages; the weak form, the semi strong and the strong form. The weak form or the weak stage states that the price of the security or stock at any point in time reflects the true value of the stock, meaning that we cannot predict the stock’s movement from the price of the stock. All the values or the fundamentals of the company (all the negative and positive aspects) are already reflected in the stock price; therefore it is useless to do the fundamental analysis. All the publicly available information has been incorporated in the stock price. The semi-strong form or stage of the hypothesis states that the current stock price reflects all the available public information and the prices instantly change to reflect the new public information. The third stage of string form efficient states that even the insider information cannot affect the stock price. 3. Rationale for the chosen topic My reason for choosing this topic is the huge appeal in the foreign exchange market. The greatest portion of finance is in the foreign exchange by volume. The reason for this trade’s usefulness is that every trade of goods, stocks, bonds, gold silver and the like... The aim of this discussion is to decide whether the efficient market hypothesis is applicable to the foreign exchange market or not. We will try to analyze a small portion from the history of the price fluctuations of the US Dollar Vs the Euro. We will see how the figures react against the technical analysis. We will test their validity and present our conclusion. My reason for choosing this topic is the huge appeal in the foreign exchange market. The greatest portion of finance is in the foreign exchange by volume. The reason for this trade’s usefulness is that every trade of goods, stocks, bonds, gold silver and the like is done through currency and there comes the conversion process. That is why it is so prevalent that to escape the ups and downs of the foreign exchange becomes impossible. The other rationale is that I’m interested in both the fundamental and technical analysis. I believe in the perfect fusion of the both. One important thing for the efficient market hypothesis to be effective is the assumptions, which serve as the rationale for it. One of the assumptions is that a large number of market participants are constantly analyzing the stocks and bonds. They do it on their own, independent of each other. This gives a more subtle and objective evaluation of the security.

A Short Diary of our History Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Short Diary of our History - Term Paper Example The defining event in the 19th Century of American history was the expansion of westward. In other words, it was not the simple story of â€Å"Empire of Liberty†. I am of the view that cited expansion in 60 years after the purchase of Louisiana in fact destroyed the Republic earlier than it was expected (Foner 63). After one hundred and fifty years of civil war, number of Americans blamed civil war of slavery. It did not necessarily mean to target specific segment of the society. The civil war provided American people a chance to face slavery as an issue boldly (Foner). In my own view, slavery around the globe in general and specifically in the modern world raised many eyebrows about the norms of a civilized society. This reminds me the era of free trading of slaves in the Roman Empire, which was at that time considered a civilized nation amongst the comity of nation. The Industrial Revolution, which spread over fifty years, played a key role toward economic my development. I consider it a great change in terms of conversion of hand knitted production to machine made production in the factory premises. The spinning and weaving machines, which were operated through the power of water switched over to steam power. This really helped me in boosting industrial growth. Further, there can be no difference of opinion amongst the architects of American economy that it has changed the American society and economy revolutionarily (Foner 107). Apart from other economies involved in the First World War, the war in question proved blessings in disguise for me and the American people in terms of rapid growth of their economy. I can say that mentioned War increased many opportunities of employment, remuneration for us besides handsome profits to the indigenous industry. Out of this war, America becomes the great power of the world as well as the most favored credit

To What Extent is Class Conflict Inevitable Essay

To What Extent is Class Conflict Inevitable - Essay Example The researcher states that from a Marxist perspective, a conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is inevitable because the former always use all means necessary to ensure that the control the latter in a manner that ensures that they become wealthier. The ability to exploit others to ensure that more wealth is in their hands is the reason why the bourgeoisie remain dominant in society and it is only a matter of time before the proletariat, as a result of their despair, rise against the bourgeoisie. While this may be the case, class struggle is existent in modern society and this is mostly as a result of the elite not only controlling the means of production but also the most political authority to ensure that they secure their economic positions. Through having political power, they can pass laws that are against the masses in such a way that the latter provide cheaper labor so that the bourgeoisie can make more profits. Furthermore, the masses, or workers, have created unions so that they can have the advantage necessary to help them in reversing the policies of the bourgeoisie through such actions as strikes as well as making deals that are favorable for them, such as good working conditions and better pay. Maavak states that while in the past the term social conflict was used mainly in socialist circles, in the modern world, it has come to be used within the context of a growing gap between the wealthy and the rest of society. The capitalist system has come to be at the center of the new divisions according to classes, with those who own big business forming the elite while the rest of society being categorized as less privileged because their economic strength is not secure. From this point of view, owners and workers to control not only the means of production but also labor which ends up creating class divisions manifest class struggle through the attempt or contest. A result of this contest is that happens on a regular basis as the two class es work towards outmaneuvering each other in an almost unending process.

Challenges for a Business in an International Market Essay

Challenges for a Business in an International Market - Essay Example This essay discusses that a number of challenges await a business that aims to conquer the international market. One of these challenges is the existing global trade in a particular location. Global trade has existed since the forefathers of the present generation embarked on a quest to look for new places to offer the products that they had to offer. From the finest spices and ingredients, global trade that occurred during the earlier centuries also offered the finest materials and jewelries and even human labor. The international market has already been penetrated by merchants long before the New York Stock Exchange was established. Local businesses have organizational structures that deliberate to be able to achieve holistic goals. There are also instances that the members of the administrative assembly could either be friends or relatives. A member of the organizational structure can personally talk or approach another if there are certain issues needed immediate attentions. Comm unication is a breeze since it is being carried out on a timely manner and the message or the instruction is carried out with supervision. This type of interaction does not materialize in businesses in the international market. Though these international businesses have a local organizational management that looks after the status of the business in the local market, there is an office considered as the headquarters for each of these companies that will look after satellite offices strategically disseminated in various locations worldwide. There are memoranda or circulars that these headquarters will circulate to satellite locations which may not benefit a particular satellite office. Either local management of the affected office will make amends regarding the order or the directive will be disregarded and not be fully implemented (Howes & Tah, 2003, pp. 181-200).

Clinical quality and patient safety Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Clinical quality and patient safety - Assignment Example e leading cause of the occurrence and development of the hospital-acquired infections is the medical practitioners becoming complacent and fail to practice the correct hygiene regularly (Mayhall, 2004). As a nurse practitioner, I would develop a rule that will enhance all practitioners take hygiene seriously. For the rule to be well implemented and to work out comprehensively, I would allocate every section to a practitioner who will be accountable for the hygiene of that section. Any infection that will be occurring in ones’ section due to a preventable cause, the practitioner in charge will bear the cost of treating the infected casualties and also pay a fine. By so doing, all the medical practitioners in that facility will be vigilant of any form of a condition likely to favor the development of hospital-acquired infections. No individual nurse or practitioner will accept to bear the cross of something preventable (Mayhall, 2012). This means that everyone will do his or her best to ensure that the section allocated to him or she is infection free. This will in turn lead to the safety of patients as well as acquiring a clean environment for all the occupants of the

Challenges for a Business in an International Market Essay

Challenges for a Business in an International Market - Essay Example This essay discusses that a number of challenges await a business that aims to conquer the international market. One of these challenges is the existing global trade in a particular location. Global trade has existed since the forefathers of the present generation embarked on a quest to look for new places to offer the products that they had to offer. From the finest spices and ingredients, global trade that occurred during the earlier centuries also offered the finest materials and jewelries and even human labor. The international market has already been penetrated by merchants long before the New York Stock Exchange was established. Local businesses have organizational structures that deliberate to be able to achieve holistic goals. There are also instances that the members of the administrative assembly could either be friends or relatives. A member of the organizational structure can personally talk or approach another if there are certain issues needed immediate attentions. Comm unication is a breeze since it is being carried out on a timely manner and the message or the instruction is carried out with supervision. This type of interaction does not materialize in businesses in the international market. Though these international businesses have a local organizational management that looks after the status of the business in the local market, there is an office considered as the headquarters for each of these companies that will look after satellite offices strategically disseminated in various locations worldwide. There are memoranda or circulars that these headquarters will circulate to satellite locations which may not benefit a particular satellite office. Either local management of the affected office will make amends regarding the order or the directive will be disregarded and not be fully implemented (Howes & Tah, 2003, pp. 181-200).

Why I write Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why I write - Essay Example 5th , 1976) that she has stolen the title of â€Å"Why I write† from the great author George Orwell because she liked the sound of the â€Å"three short ambiguous words.† Didion states that the act of writing is nothing but the imposing of the author’s views and ideas on a particular audience. She calls writing â€Å"an aggressive and even a hostile act† because though the author tries his best to veil or camouflage the writing, yet one cannot get away from the salient fact that the author is a â€Å"secret bully† by imposing his â€Å"sensibility on the reader’s most private space.† Didion, goes on to enumerate her experiences at Berkeley where she did her majors in English and speaks of her inability to deal with different ideas. She always dwelt on the periphery and the physical act of things around her, such as those that had to do with the sense of seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting and touching. In other words, she traveled in the world of writing on a ‘shaky passport† because she was no â€Å"legitimate resident in the world of ideas.† It had taken her a great length of time to realize that she was passionate about her writing and wanted to be a writer. In sharp contrast to Didion, George Orwell knew from the onset that he wanted to be a writer. He had a very lonely childhood and because of this he had â€Å"developed disagreeable mannerisms which made him unpopular in school. Loneliness also led him to make up stories and hold imaginary conversations. The feeling of being undervalued and isolated led to the cementing of his literary career. This cocoon to which he transported himself when he wrote, helped to serve as a sort of catharsis where he could get his own back after facing the many failures in his life. When the war broke out during 1914 – 18, he had written a patriotic poem which got published in a local newspaper, but when he attempted nature poems or short stories during that period he failed

Ebay, A Company Analysis Essay Example for Free

Ebay, A Company Analysis Essay In August 2 ,1990, after Saddam Hussein’s military forces invaded and occupied Kuwait , there was large Iraqi military build up close the Saudi Arabia’s border. President Sr Bush perceived that Iraqi’s aggression and military build up was a serious threat not only to the security and independence of Saudi Arabia but also vital to US national interest in the Persian Gulf region. The main intention of Saddam Hussein was to control half of the world’s supply of Petroleum from Gulf region . Sr Bush initiated â€Å" Operation Desert Shield â€Å" and dispatched US military to Saudi Arabia to defend that country against a possible Iraqi attack. President Bush took bold decision and dispatched US troops to Saudi Arabia even without obtaining prior approval from US Congress. Later when reporting to Congress and Nation, Bush informed that he has acted in deference to Saudi Arabia’s specific request for American assistance in bolstering Saudi defenses and deterring possible Iraqi attack. To free the Kuwait from Iraqi occupation , President Bush ( Sr) rallied the support of United Nations by getting the U.N Security Council approval on November ,29,1990 to pass U.N. Resolution No 678 which authorized U.N members to use â€Å" all necessary means† to coerce Iraqi invaders from Kuwait , and to take military action if Iraq failed to withdraw from Kuwait by January 15,1991. OPERATION DESERT STORM: On January ,12,1991 , President Bush succeeded in getting Congress approval for the President use of â€Å" all necessary means â€Å" to carry out the UN Resolution 678. Now the President Bush had all the authority and support to persuade Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait. On January16, after the Iraqi Government failed to withdraw its military forces from Kuwait by the deadline ,President ordered â€Å" Operation Desert Storm â€Å" and Iraqi forces were defeated and Kuwait was liberated. After Iraqi Government agreed to observe and comply with all U.N.Resolution , a ceasefire was ordered .Operation Desert Storm helped to destroy greater part of Iraq’s military machinery and Iraq’s claim to Kuwait. During June 1993, President Clinton ordered U.S. air strikes at Iraqi intelligence service headquarters at Iraq which had instigated and fostered a conspiracy to assassinate former U.S.President George Bush during his to Kuwait during April 14-16,1993. After the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the USA continued to engage economic as well as military conflict with Iraq. The main aim of the USA was to put an end to Saddam Hussein’s military regime in Iraq and to prevent Iraq becoming threat to international peace and U.S National interest in Middle East and to deny Saddam Hussein the opportunity to utilize Iraqi military to extinguish his political opponents among the Kurdish inhabitants of northern Iraq and among the Shi’ite Muslim marsh Arabs of Southern Iraq. The other main aim of US is to compel the Iraqi Government to honor its International obligations, including those relating to (1) The ban on the further development, productions and stockpiling of nuclear, biological, chemical and other weapons of mass destructions. (2) To call for the destruction of existing stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. (3)Recognition of and respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of Kuwait, (4) Compliance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement ending the Persian Gulf War. The main objective of the continuing military presence and activity of the USA and its allies in the Middle East –the Southwest Asia / Northeast Africa / Persian Gulf region is to prevent the Iraq regime and military forces from jeopardizing international peace and US National interest in the region. The other main aim was to prevent Iraq from threatening the security and independence of neighboring countries such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and from endangering US access and that of the other industrialized nations to the oil of the Middle East, the region which has over 70% of the Globe’s known petroleum reserves. During early October , 1994, US decided to drawdown its troops in the middle east in a phased manner , Saddam Hussein ordered the movement of his troops towards southward and headed in the direction of Kuwait. As a result, there was a significant Iraqi military build up along the Kuwait border. Saddam Hussein action clearly demonstrated his capacity to threaten neighboring countries and imperil the industrialized West’s access to Middle Eastern petroleum. Saddam Hussein action also revealed about lack of trustworthiness and his determination to violate the terms of the ceasefire agreement ending the Persian Gulf War. Again, UN Security Council had passed a resolution on October, 15, 1994 condemning the Iraq Government for the deployment of troops along the Kuwait Border. Bill Clinton, who was then the President of USA, deployed US Reinforcements on the Kuwait border to Iraq to counter the Hussein’s troops. Because of the strong and determined US response, Saddam Hussein backed down and withdrew all the troops from Kuwait border. Because of the defused environment, US also ordered the withdrawal of its troops from Kuwait. OPERATION DESERT STRIKE. In early 1996, Saddam Hussein began to initiate military actions which demonstrated that his predisposition toward making mischief in the Middle East had not really abated. The Iraqi despot dispatched his military forces into the Kurdish region of Iraq, seeking to regain political control over Iraqi territory .Saddam Hussein military invaded the region of north of the 36th parallel ,captured Irbil and pursued and attacked Kurdish refugees . Bill Clinton responded to Iraqi aggression by initiating Operation Desert Strike. However Operation Desert Strike was not as vigorous as it might have been because US response was to take action affecting Iraqi military positions and matters far from the battlefield in Northern Iraq. In short , US abandoned the Kurds and failed to live up to the obligation to protect and defend against Iraqi aggression over the region north of the 36th parallel , where thousands of members of groups opposed to Hussein’s rein were operating and functioning under the guidance of the US Central Intelligence Agency. The reason for the not taking stringent action during Iraq’s aggression against Kurds in 1996 by Clinton was mainly due to forth coming Federal elections which due during November, 1996. US ELECTION -1996 President Clinton however managed to keep the Iraq issue out of the 1996 elections to enhance his reelection chances. However, Saddam took it as US weakness and started to continue his endeavor to circumvent, erode the strength of USA. Saddam soon began a series of challenges to the system of UN Sanctions and inspection imposed on his regime to prevent if from developing, producing and stock piling weapons of mass destruction .Saddam’s continuous resistance to the UN WMD Program and its implementation came to a peak in January, 1998 when he expelled the US members of UNSCOM, the UN Weapons Inspection team. OPERATION DESERT FOX: From 1997 onwards, Saddam tried to obstruct the UN weapons inspection program in Iraq. He frequently protracted military confrontation with the USA and its allies. At one stage, he expelled the most of the US members of the weapons inspection team and because of this action, UN Security Council threatened to reinstate economic sanction against Iraq and Saddam never took serious of the warning issued by UN Security Council. In protest, the United Nations recalled the other inspection team members. The non cooperation from Saddam resulted in American –British military build –up in the Persian Gulf. This had effect of attitude of Saddam and it induced him to back down short while and he readmitted the weapons inspectors, including those from the USA. In November, 1997, Iraqi regime gave notice that it would not permit the U.N inspectors to enter and inspect sites at designated â€Å"palaces and designated residences â€Å" ECONOMIC SANCTION: In January, 1998, Saddam Hussein again expelled the U.S. members of the U.N weapons inspection team. The UN again protested by withdrawing the other inspectors and due to this a standoff continued and tensions were heightened. The UN Security Council imposed economic sanctions on Iraq. Again, a US military build up in the Persian Gulf commenced. In February, 1998, U.N Secretary General –General Kofi Annan negotiated an agreement whereby the Iraqi regime allowed readmission of U.N inspectors and resumption of the weapons inspection program. In return for this concession, the Iraqi government was given assurance that the Security Council would consider lifting the economic sanctions. The UN Weapons inspectors team did not receive full support from Iraqi regime during this period as Iraq claimed that the Security Council had shown no signs of taking steps for the removal of sanctions imposed .On October ,1998 Saddam again terminated the work of the UN Inspection team at Iraq. This has resulted again in building up of military presence by American –British in the Persian Gulf. On November 5, 1998, United Nations recalled UN Inspection team assigned to Iraq. Again Saddam yielded and allowed the UN inspection team in Iraq. But this was short lived .Again on December .1998, the UN team once again left Iraq.UN report dated 15th December .1998 charged the Iraqi Government for non cooperation and denial of access to records and inspection sites and through clandestine movement of equipment and records from site to site. OPERATION DESERT FOX : Based on the UN report. President Clinton decided to take military action against Iraq. The operation was named as Operation Desert Fox, a massive campaign of air strikes against key military and security targets in Iraq .Several targets were attacked in this operation including head quarters of Saddam Baath Party, barracks of the sad dam’s elite security guards, republic guard barracks and his daughter’s palace at Tikirt. The main goals of the Operation Desert Fox were (1) to degrade Saddam ability to make and use of weapons of mass destruction .(2) to diminish Saddam ability to wage war against his neighbors and (3) to demonstrate the consequences of flouting International obligations. President Clinton terminated Operation Desert Fox after three days as it had inflicted significant damage on Saddam WMD programs and his military and security infrastructure. and Iraq’s missile programme had been set back by at least 12 months and its military might had been substantially damaged. President Clinton ordered at the end of December ,1998 to draw down the U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf .But it is to be noted Operation Desert Box though successful but could not compel the Iraqi regime to accept and cooperate with the U.N.Weapons inspection program. GAME OF CHICKEN: This encouraged Saddam Hussein to play the dangerous â€Å" game of Chicken â€Å" with USA and its allies. Saddam Hussein continued to play hide and seek game with U.S.A , its Allies and with UN by defying the west and jeopardize its interests in the Middle East. He yielded temporarily when threatened with or subjected to western military attack. He reneged on the International commitments which he made in order to avoid or end a western military assault against his political regime and military / security forces. After the end of the operation Desert Fox , the U.S.A and its allies have engaged in a low level war with Iraq. The main aim of US to give protection to the Kurdish and Shi’ite minorities in Iraq from suppression and genocide from Saddam. The other aim is to replace Saddam region by another leader or group of leaders favorably disposed to US. In waging war with the Iraq , President Clinton has been acting in compliance with the reporting requirements of section 4 of the War powers Act of U.S.A. The President has been periodically reporting to Congress on the Status of U.S hostilities with the Iraqi regime and on other matters relating to the hostilities. Bill Clinton pursued a policy of belligerence towards Iraq , imposing crippling economic sanctions , undertaking the most sustained bombing campaign after Vietnam war and making â€Å" regime change† in Iraq as official US Policy. US POLICIES UNDER BUSH REGIME: A secret blue print for US global domination reveals that President Bush and his cabinet were planning a premeditated attach on Iraq to secure â€Å" regime change â€Å" even before he took power in January 2001. A plan called â€Å"Global Pax Americana â€Å"was drawn mainly to take control of the Persian Gulf region sans Saddam Hussein region while civil government was reestablished. It is to be noted that war was initiated on the main ground that Iraq was non cooperative in allowing inspection of weapons of mass destruction. However, in the aftermath of war, it became apparent that Saddam had no such weapons programme. Many Americans including prominent members of the Congress, claim Bush and his administration lied or misled the country based on doctored intelligence reports. The Bush Administration also linked the invasion of Iraq to the war on Terrorism, claiming that Hussein was giving safe heaven to and supporting terrorist groups. There were also accusation that Saddam was indirectly supported the September 11, 2001 attacks on America. It is to be noted that although the Bush administration strongly suggested ties at some level between Hussein and Al-Qaeda, it did not accuse Saddam of complicity in the specific events of 9/11 events. POST INVASION OF IRAQ: Military occupation was established and run by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Which later appointed and granted limited powers to an Iraq interim Governing Council. Coalition and allied Iraqi forces have been fighting a stronger –than –expected militant Iraqi insurgency and hence ,the reconstruction of Iraq has been slow . In mid -2004, the end of the occupation was brought about and a new sovereign and independent Interim Government of Iraq assumed the full responsibility and authority of the State. The CPA and the Governing Council were disbanded on June 28, 2004 and a new transitional constitution came into effect. Sovereignty was transferred to a Governing Council Iraqi interim Government led by Iyad Allawi as Iraq’s first post-Saddam Prime Minister. But this Government can make laws only with the approval of CPA. The Iraqi interim Government was replaced as a result of elections which took place in January, 2005. A period of negotiations by the elected Iraqi National Assembly was followed which culminated on April 6,2005 with the selection of the leaders who currently head Iraq among them Prime Minister Ibrahim al –Jaafari and President Jalal Talabani. The multinational forces still exercise considerable power in the Country and with the New Iraqi Army, conduct military operations against the Iraqi insurgency .The role of Iraqi government forces in providing security is increasing. CONTINUING INSURGENCY: Even though, the Ba’ath Party organization was disintegrated, elements of the Secret police and Saddam army began forming guerilla units and focused attacks around Mosul, Tikrit, Fallujah .These elements who called themselves freedom fighters began using ambush tactics, suicide bombings and improvised explosive devices, targeting coalition forces and check points. Suicide bombers believed to be mainly disheartened Iraqi Sunnis, Syrians and Saudis tore through Iraq. Their targets were often Shia gatherings or civilian concentrations mainly of Shias, OPERATION METADOR: During early May, 2005, the U.S launched Operation Matador, an .assault in the ungoverned region of western Iraq. Its goal was the closing of suspected insurgent supply routes of volunteers and material from Syria .The US allies succeeded in recapturing the whole area and even fighting the insurgents all the way to the Syrian border , where they were blocked . PARTICIPATING NATIONS IN THE MULTI NATIONAL ARMY IN IRAQ: As of September, 2005, there were 26 countries with military forces stationed in Iraq. These were Albania, Armenia, Australia , Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria ,Czech Republic , Denmark ,El Salvador , Estonia , Georgia , Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania , Macedonia ,Mongolia , Netherlands ,Norway, Poland ,Romania, Slovakia, South Korea, United Kingdom , United States, Fiji and Ukraine. Poland, the Netherlands, Norway, Bulgaria and Ukraine have announced plans to withdraw. CONCLUSION: The Kerry campaign in Presidential election against George Bush charged that US is acting as neo-colonial power and claimed that US bungled the war due to incompetence , mismanagement and arrogance .Designed to advance US commercial and corporate interest abroad , military force was often used to break open markets that resisted diplomatic and economic pressures. â€Å" The Carter Doctrine† as it become known , made it clear the United States would use military power in the Gulf to secure and maintain the oil resources needed to turn of the wheels of the Empire. This policy explains the US sale of heavy weaponry to Saddam Hussein in the early 1980’s when war broke out between Iraq and Iran. US took many efforts to normalize relationship with Iraq then .Despite Saddam’s use of Chemical against Iran and Kurdish population in northern Iraq, the United States continued to back Iraq .Emboldened by these signs of support for his regime, Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1990.The first Bush administration however quickly came to view the invasion as a threat to US supremacy in the region and launched the first Gulf War. Sanctions were imposed by the UN at the behest of US in order to secure US control over Iraq’s Oil. The United States did not care about the â€Å"fact† that the sanctions have apparently killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqi’s by withholding necessary food supplies and medical supplies. Madeline Albright ,the US ambassador to UN ,when asked that more than 500,000 children had died because of a lack of adequate nutrition and medical care, replied â€Å" I think this is a very hard choice ,but the price-we think-the price. The American’s gross ignorance of conditions in Iraq was shown by their miscalculation in relation to the Shiites in the South. They thought that the latter would rise up against Saddam Hussein and welcome the invaders with open arms. But none of this happened Napoleon knew a lot about bayonets and found many uses for them, but there is one thing they can not be used for , as he pointed out: You can not sit on bayonets. The Americans and British do not have a real base of support in Iraq. A long term guerrilla war waged with low-tech methods like sniping, ambushes and suicide bombings can have a devastating effect over a long period if it has the backing of the people –and it will . Though the US is a super power, it is to be remembered that it was defeated by barefoot army in Vietnam. The Great Britain was once the land of rising sun has to vacate their colonies in all most all countries due to upsurge of the subjects of that nation. After Iraq , US is now concentrating how to destabilize Syria on the pretext of extending military aid to Baghdad and harboring escaping Ba’athist leaders ,but also of possessing weapons of mass destructions. Again US is also try to destabilize the Iran by accusing that it is under the way to add nuclear arsenals which is going to be great threat to world peace. The number of causalities in the Iraq’s war is alarming .US alone lost 2105 innocent Americans (soldiers) and Allies lost 201 and innocent Iraqis killed was around 30,420 . Who is going to be father or brother or care taker of the innocent family which lost their life in the war . To prove its mightiness, innocent lives have been lost and do the US or its allies are going to answer the cries and hues of foresaid the families who have lost their dear and near for the nation. Let alone history has to tell us what is Iraq’s fate and political independence in the near future. BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1.Public Opinion and American Foreign Policy- by Ole R.Holsti. 2.The Dynamics of Coercion – American Foreign Policy and the limits of the Military Might-by Daniel Byman , Matthew C.Waxman. 3.The Iraq war and its consequences :Thoughts of Nobel Peace Laureates and Eminent scholars.- edited by Irwin Abrams, Wang -Gung –Wu. 4. Wars on Terrorism and Iraq :by Mary Robinson. 5.Today ,Iraq – Tomorrow –The World ? –by Gill Hinshaw

Virus-host Receptor Interactions in Biology

Virus-host Receptor Interactions in Biology Abstract Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites and, as such, must penetrate a suitable host cell in order to replicate their genomes and disseminate. Most viruses are limited to a specific set of cells or tissues in which they can successfully replicate, and this may be in one or more particular species. When viruses are able to bind a variety of cells, the pathogenesis and overall effect on the organism may differ. The main determinants of viral tropism differ between different virus families, but in order to take the first, and arguably most important step, in the infection of a host cell, the virus must attach via specific interactions between cell surface molecules and viral proteins. Enveloped viruses usually have proteins embedded in their envelope, assembled at the host cell surface prior to budding. In the case of some viruses (such as HIV-1), these may even consist of cellular proteins from the host cell itself. Non- enveloped viruses are usually internalized in some way and uncoated in an endosome in a pH-dependant manner. Many viruses require a number of cell surface receptors for cell entry, and it is this combination, added to other factors such as replication proteins, that determine whether or not a virus can penetrate and replicated within a certain cell. Introduction As obligate intracellular parasites, the life cycle of viruses depends on an intracellular replication phase and they are thus dependant on living cells. The first essential interaction a virus makes with a host cell is with a cell-surface receptor. A viral receptor may be defined as any cell surface component that mediates recognition of a cell and facilitates entry of the virus and subsequent infection. Receptors serve to ensure infection by overcoming repulsion between the virus and cell. (Baranowski, Flint, Jindrak, modern virol) Cellular receptors are generally proteins, although other types of receptor, such as carbohydrates, may be used (see table 1). These molecules are essential components of the cell or extracellular matrix and functions may include cell adhesion, signalling e.g. chemokine and growth factor receptors. (Baranowski 2003) While some viruses require only one receptor, binding to one cellular receptor alone may not be sufficient for initiation of infection for other viruses. Viruses may bind two or more receptors in sequence in order to initiate endocytosis or membrane fusion. For some viruses, the first contact with a cell is through a low-affinity interaction with a ubiquitous molecule, which allows the primary receptor-virus interaction to take place. The primary receptor is generally unique to certain cells and therefore partly defines the tropism of that particular virus, as cells are rendered susceptible to infection by a certain virus if the receptor required for attachment and entry is present. The primary attachment receptor may induce a conformational change in the viral envelope protein bound, to induce further interaction with the cell. (Modern Virology) A further interaction may then be required to initiate infection, performed by a coreceptor.The definition of the term coreceptor may sometimes be ambiguous, but generally, it is taken to be the molecule that induces fusion or penetration of a cell. This may be a further determinant of tropism, for example the interaction of HIV-1 Virus entry into a cell is the first step in the life0cycle of a virus; various mechanisms of viral cell enrty are shown in figure 1. The mechanism of entry varies between viruses, but all begin with the binding of a cellular receptor by a viral protein. Binding of a cellular receptor may induce endocytosis or formation of an endosome, the acidic environment of which induces uncoating; this may be dependent upon cellular proteins clathrin or caveolin. Enveloped viruses may require an acidic environment that will induce conformational changes in envelope proteins required to induce membrane fusion, while others, including the measles and HIV viruses, can fuse directly with the plasma membrane at neutral pH. (Baranowski) Fusion at the plasma membrane releases the nucelocapsid into the cytoplasm, where the virus can make its way to the nucleus or begin replication in the cytoplasm. The differences in these entry pathways are due to the nature of the molecular interactions between the vi ral components and target-cell receptors, for example, viruses that mimic the natural ligand of receptors for signalling molecules interefere with their signalling to promote viral entry into the cell and spread of infection. (Bomsell) Conformational changes resulting from the binding of a primary receptor that allow the binding of a fusion receptor are a common mechanism among various types of virus, including influenza and HIV type 1, examples and brief description. Similar to Influenza . Multiple receptors could be coreceptors and act together either to modulate each other or to contribute complementary functions. Alternatively, the receptors might act sequentially. Binding of the virus to the first receptor could cause changes in the virus or host that are necessary before the second receptor can bind (50). For those viruses in fluids with flow, such as blood or respiratory secretions, the initial binding must be able to effect rapid docking of the virus to its host cell. (Haywood) As previously stated, some viruses recognise more than one cellular receptor. The same receptor may also be used by more than one type of virus. (see table 1) Often, these are highly abundant in many tissues, for example, heparan sulfate can serve as a receptor for many viruses, including Human immunodefiecieny virus, Hepatitis C and Dengue Virus and as a co-receptor for Herpesviruses (excluding EBV). (ODonnel) CAR, acts as a receptor for both coxsackie and adenoviruses. (Schneider) Table 1 illustrates the diversity of cell surface molecules which viruses have adapted to recognise. Some viruses use more than one type of molecule as a primary receptor e.g. reoviruses bind to the beta-adrenergic receptor as well as NAN. (Flint) While the presence of certain receptors on host cells is vital to initiate infection, these interactions are not always sufficient to explain all aspects of cell, tissue and species tropism. (Flint)(Haywood, Schneider) Binding of a viral protein to a cell surface receptor does not necessarily mean a productive infection will follow, since a co-receptor may be absent or functional domains of the receptor may be blocked. (Baranowski) Absence of specific cytoplasmic or nuclear molecules may hinder the replication of some viruses, despite their permissivity. However, even a non-productive infection may induce pathogenic effects, for example, binding to specific receptor may induce the secretion of cytokines. (Schneider) A virus generally cannot infect a cell successfully in the absence of its specific receptor, so the distribution around the body of the receptor will act as a restriction on the range of tissues that can be infected and hence on the number of systems in the body where sig ns and symptoms of infection might be experienced. (Flint) In the true sense of the word, Tropism refers to the specific cells a particular virus is able to replicate in, although the use of receptor by a virus is increasingly a valid definition in the field of virology. Additional factors the cause viral tropism will not be considered in the context of this essay, although they may be mentioned briefly where relevant, since the focus of this review is the link between specific receptor usage and virus tropism and pathogenesis. (Kuhmann) The primary topics explored here are the virus-receptor interactions with cells that allow viruses to enter cells and initiate infection and how this relates to the tropism of the virus at a cellular and organismal level. I am to demonstrate how viral attachment and entry is often a complicated multi-step process, sometimes requiring many different cell and virus molecules. The viruses largely used to illustrate these points, Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1), Influenza A and Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) are human viruses of medical significance, but the tropism of these particular viruses in other animals, along with other viruses specific to other animals will be discussed where relevant. The structure and genomic organisation of these viruses is irrelevant and is only discussed where it relates to the glycoproteins that interact with cellular receptors. Viruses of plants, fungi and bacteria are not discussed The presence on the cell surface of a protein that has been identified as the receptor for a given virus may not be sufficient for a productive viral infection, and there may be multiple mechanisms behind such restrictions: functional domains of the receptor may be blocked in some cellular context, additional proteins (or other cofactors) may be needed, or cells may exhibit impediments for completion of the infection cycle, despite an initial successful interaction with a functional receptor. HSV- Demonstrates how viruses may use a large number of viral proteins and receptors to bind and enter specific cells. (Hayashi and Yoon) and how the interactions are a complex multi-step process. Influenza multiple steps. binds many cell types Tropism is dependent on other receptors and interactions. Of the many examples, the interaction of  the human influenza A virus hemagglutinin  with N-acetylneuraminic acid, and the ensuing  conformational alterations involved  in pH-dependent membrane fusion, are one  of the best characterized at the structural  and functional levels (11) (Baranowski 2001)  example of proteolytic cleavage to aid spread and pathogenesis. Conformational change required for fusion HIV A well-documented case of use of multiple receptos is that of HIV-1 viruses and related viruses. Illustrates how a virus may use multiple coreceptors to mediate entry to different types of cells and thus influence the tropism of this virus. Uses some of the same receptors as other viruses (parallels between HIV, HSV and influenza) Multi-step process The interaction of the virion with the attachment receptor leads to the first conformational changes in the envelope proteins. This step enables the interaction with co-receptors, or entry mediators and further conformational changes at the plasma membrane. In enveloped viruses (top), this may deliver the energy for the direct fusion of the viral envelope and cellular membrane. Some enveloped and non-enveloped viruses require the low pH in acidic endosomes to induce this conformational change. Enveloped viruses may require the low pH to induce membrane fusion (centre). These mechanisms lead to the release and possibly uncoating of the virus genome, and the initiation of the virus replication cycle. Role of Viral Receptor Destruction While non-enveloped viruses typically undergo relase through cytolysis. Influenza and HIV-1 Viruses also demonstrate the importance of receptor-destroying activity on the infectivity of some viruses. This is imperative for the efficient release and cell-cell spread of the virus by preventing the glycoproteins on the newly-emerged virus from binding to the host cell receptors. It is also important for preventing superinfection of cells by the same or different viruses utilising the same receptor, which may result in cell death. The efficient budding and release of Influenza A virus from the host cell relies on the removal of Sialic Acid residues by Neuraminidase. In contract, the HIV-1 virus gp120 envelope glycoprotein downregulates the CD4 receptor after infection of monocytes, by stimulating TNF-ÃŽÂ ± production. Other cellular mechanisms contribute to down-modulation of CD4, including the gene product Nef, which causes CD4 internalisation respectively. The precursor of gp120 and gp41, gp160, has also been found to bind CD4 intracellularly in the presence of viral protein Vpu, resulting in retention of CD4 in the Endoplasmic Rectilium. Enveloped particles leave the infected cell inconspicuously  by budding and secretion. Nonenveloped viruses  are usually thought to undergo release through cell lysis,  but some may escape by secretory mechanisms after  budding into membrane bound compartments and then  losing their membrane (Altenburg et al., 1980). Others  may subvert cellular autophagy pathways to gain access  to exocytic organelles (Jackson et al., 2005).  (Marsh)

Simon Bolivar Essay -- essays research papers

THE BEGINNING   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Simon Jose Antonio de la Santisima Trinidad Bolivar was born in Caracas on July 24, 1783 to don Juan Vicente Bolivar y Ponte y dona Maria de la Concepcion Palacios y Blanco. Simon received an excellent education from his tutors, Simon Rodriquez and Andres Bello. By the age of nine Bolivar lost both his parents, and was being taken care of by his uncle don Carlos Palacios. At the age of fifteen in 1799 he traveled to Spain to receive a better education. In Spain, Bolivar met Maria Teresa Rodriquez del Toro y Alaysa, they married in 1802. Right after Bolivar and his new wife returned to Venezuela, she died of malaria or yellow fever. Her death greatly effected Bolivar, he vowed not to marry again, and became a political and military figure. In Europe   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Napoleon Bonaparte was the Emperor of France, and was crowned as King of Italy. In 1808 Napoleon conquered Spain and chose his brother Joseph as the King of Spain. This created a large revolt in Spain known as the Peninsular Wars. In Spain many small groups were formed to fight against the new king. On the other hand in S. America the groups were formed to fight against the Spanish King and Joseph Bonaparte. That year Caracas, Bolivar hometown, declared independence from Spain. BACK IN S. AMERICA In 1808 Bolivar, Bello and Mendez were sent to England on a diplomatic mission. It was a failed attempt to gain an alliance. He returned to Venezuela in 1811...

Three day road summary

The story opens in 1919 after the war and we are first introduces to an old woman named Nicks, a native American living in Canadian we learn she is a medicine woman and healer. She's one of the last of her clan to live in the bush, having fought off going to the reserves and governments wanting to take the Indian out of the Indian at the time. She hears that her nephew whoso been sent off to the war has returned and paddles a long way to get to the train station.She sees Just how much the war has left him damaged: he's lost a leg and Is addicted to morphine, which was the pain medicine was used at the time. She understands that he's actually close to death and as she paddles him home, she realizes that In order to help him all she has to offer are the stones of her life. While she does this, Xavier who can't even talk and almost deaf Internally reflects on the past number of years, on his experience In the war with his childhood friend Elijah.This gives way to two different stories, two different narrators Nicks and Xavier. The novel Is structured Like one of those Russian Matrons dolls, the ones where you open up the doll to find other, smaller dolls inside. Nicks tells Xavier stories of her life, Elijah is obsessively compelled to tell Xavier war stories and poor Xavier is too damaged to speak of his own stories and so relives them in his morphine-addled head. One of the many ironies is that the skills of the two friends used for hunting in the bush become incredibly valuable on the battle field.The army quickly realizes their skill as trackers and as marksmen and so they are made into snipers quite quickly once they reach the front. Although their killing-abilities are remarkably respected and quite well regarded by the rest of the regiment, they still face racism within the army as a consequence of who they are. The characters feel very much like they eave to prove themselves as they face prejudice. Elijah discovers a lust for killing and is encouraged by s ome French soldiers to retrieve the scalps of his victims to prove he's killed as many as he claims.He treats the war as a game wanting to be the one to hold the most kills, while Xavier tries to come to terms with his devastating war-experiences. Elijah In his madness becomes a virtual killing machine, a winding In native terms. The welding Is a two sided thing: legend goes that If a person eats another human being In times of great starvation then he will grow to great heights and have an Insatiable appetite. The notion has a psychological aspect too: moral boundaries are hard to set when In the trenches and some Like Elijah get carried away by It all to a point of no return.Three day road summary By floral Indian at the time. She hears that her nephew who's been sent off to the war has the war has left him damaged: he's lost a leg and is addicted to morphine, which was death and as she paddles him home, she realizes that in order to help him all she has to offer are the stories o f her life. While she does this, Xavier who can't even talk and almost deaf internally reflects on the past number of years, on his experience in he war with his childhood friend Elijah.

Forgive Me Mother Essay

Its strange how memories of the past can be so terrifying. The thoughts and the occurring dreams are always similar. I would remember longing for a summer where the summers light would beam on my body with the warmth of the sun. Winter was worse because I was terrified by the cold thick air that I would inhale inside my thin body until it feels I was shivering to death. The feeling of being alone , I couldn’t even sleep at night without being terrified; not because of being alone , but knowing my life would dwell with no hope for me for the future. I would see paranormal faces of my father. The haunting face would stare at me with such gentle eyes , yet sad. It’s like he was watching over me. Years ago when I had a family, loving yet annoyingly humorous in a family sense that I miss. We were having dinner with the family with just me , my mother and father. My mother was preparing the food and my father was coming home from work. However he never came back and my mother was worried and panicked. I was still too naà ¯ve to understand the situation fully back then. Hell I don’t even know how old I am anymore since I’ve lost track of time. I cried at first because my mother was always the strong type in the family. It was the first time I’ve seen her cry and the emotions inside of me wanted me to cry with her. He never came back and the authority’s told us he went missing. He was the provider of the family and we were financially unstable. My mother had to look for work , so she left to the city. She told me she would call me when she would be back. Once she left , the people who collects debt knocked on my door and seized the house. I had no place to go and so I left to find shelter and food. I got hired a job in a local newspaper agency to hand out flyers to neighbour streets. It was so cold but I never gave up hoping my mother would come back and take care of me. She couldn’t take me with her because she could only afford enough for herself to travel. We lived in a small town surrounded by snow somewhere in the upper regions of South Korea. One day while I was sleeping in the corner of the streets. A man walked pass with a white hat and apron with a grin on his cheeks. He looked at me for a couple of minutes. I was scared so I didn’t look back at him out of fear. I hear footsteps coming towards me and I was about to run. He asked â€Å"Why are you out in the streets alone at your age? , How old are you?†. I replied in a low voice ‘I don’t know†. He had a strange look on his face and asked me where my guardians was. I replied to him that I don’t know either. He asked me more questions which I all replied â€Å"I Don’t know†. I looked up and saw his face. He was a old man with a beard and had a stick on him which looked like it was supporting him move. It was a silent cold night and I’m not sure why he would be walking around at this time. He asked if I would like to work at his restaurant with cleaning and get paid for it. With nothing to lose I gladly accepted his offer. He took me to his place , it didn’t seem what he said it was. The restaurant looked like a dump and I only saw girls on the front door outside of the restaurant wearing what looked like beach clothing in cold weather. I was suspicious but I had nowhere to go and I didn’t know the way back from here. I followed the old man and he took me into a small room with 10 other children. At first I thought he was taking care of us until there was only girls in the room coming in and out one by one with a man. This isn’t a restaurant I suspected. I was disgusted and tried to leave but they didn’t let me leave. Pushing and crying to get out. They pulled me back , held both my hands and chucked me into a room by myself and locked the doors. Suddenly someone said *Calm down or they will punish you*. I stoped and looked for the source of the sound. The room had a little vent which leads to the other rooms. I whispered to the girl â€Å"What is this place† in a panicking voice. She told me it was a brothel where everyone gets kidnapped and rape for money by strangers. I asked her I was a male, â€Å"what do they want from me?† She told me she doesn’t know either. I didn’t want to find out , my life was already crumbling and now this. There was a medicine cabinet inside the room. I searched inside and found sleeping pills , I remember taking these when I lived with my parents. I could never sleep so the doctor prescribed me sleeping pills. I tried to sleep but I couldn’t out of the fear what was going to happen to me. I suggested to myself I should take these pills and ease things. I took the bottle of medicine from the cabinet. One wasn’t enough for me so I thought. I took more and more until I was feeling dizzy. I counted how many times and how much I’ve taken. But I lost count and started again. I needed more and I needed my peaceful slumber. I was scared to think what was going to happen and kept taking more and more pills until I could feel the bottom of the container. My body begins to weaken and I could no longer feel my fingers. My eyelids begin to shutdown. Soon darkness was all I could see , I felt a hollowing in a room with darkness and suspended in time. Forgive me mother I love you.