Howard Zinn

A People's History of the united States Chapter 9 Summary Chapter nine of Howard Zinn's book explains slavery before and after the Civil War. The majority of the united States Government was in support of slavery until Abraham Lincoln publicized his support for the end of slavery. This chapter Includes details of slavery from the accounts of different slaves and records kept about their oppression. Their servitude was preserved through the separation of their families, whipping, and killing. Prior to the Civil War there were many failed attempts to abolish slavery, such asJohn Brown's Raid. John Brown was later executed by Virginia for his failure to capture the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry which instigated a revolt of slaves throughout the South. The government did not wish to achieve the abolishment of slavery through revolts. Abraham Lincoln was able to combine the interests of the white elite and the blacks. When Lincoln was elected, the South felt that their way of life was being threatened over the issue of abolishing slavery. This threat caused eleven states to secede the union after Lincoln's election.This secession created the Confederacy, starting the beginning of the Civil War. With Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation he tried to end the war. This gave the South four months to end Its rebellion, slavery In the states that turned over to the North would not be touched. Through the Emancipation Proclamation, blacks were now able to serve In the union army which was later issued January 1, 1863. The Thirteenth Amendment was later ratified by the Senate in April 1 864 and the House of Representatives followed in January 1865.All people born or naturalized in the united States are citizens was declared by the Fourteenth Amendment, which limited states' rights concerning racial equality. The Fifteenth Amendment states that all citizens have the right vote and they shall not be denied on reason of race, color, or previous condition of enslavement. These amendments opened the door to Congress passing laws to make it a crime to deny blacks of their rights. Blacks began forming political organizations with these laws.Andrew Johnson, who was Lincoln's Vice President and ecame President after Lincoln's assassination, held back the blacks. He vetoed bills that Improved the rights of the blacks. These vetoes did not guarantee equal rights for blacks. The Senate and Congress did not like the actions of Johnson. The Congress, in 1868, were almost successful in their attempt to impeach Johnson and were only one vote short in the Senate. The election of Ulysses Grant as president would reopen the doors for blacks, they began to be elected into the United States Congress, Senate, and southern state legislatures.Black women began helping to rebuild postwar south and black children began going to school. Although it looked as if blacks were starting to become equals there was still a lot of antagonism towards them and dependency on whites for w ork. The Ku Klux Klan and other terrorist groups were formed through the use of the South's economic power. Not much later were thing back to where they began. It would still be a long time before blacks began to be treated as equals. A People's History 0T states cnapter 10 summary Howard Zinn A People's History of the united States Chapter 9 Summary Chapter nine of Howard Zinn's book explains slavery before and after the Civil War. The majority of the united States Government was in support of slavery until Abraham Lincoln publicized his support for the end of slavery. This chapter Includes details of slavery from the accounts of different slaves and records kept about their oppression. Their servitude was preserved through the separation of their families, whipping, and killing. Prior to the Civil War there were many failed attempts to abolish slavery, such asJohn Brown's Raid. John Brown was later executed by Virginia for his failure to capture the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry which instigated a revolt of slaves throughout the South. The government did not wish to achieve the abolishment of slavery through revolts. Abraham Lincoln was able to combine the interests of the white elite and the blacks. When Lincoln was elected, the South felt that their way of life was being threatened over the issue of abolishing slavery. This threat caused eleven states to secede the union after Lincoln's election.This secession created the Confederacy, starting the beginning of the Civil War. With Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation he tried to end the war. This gave the South four months to end Its rebellion, slavery In the states that turned over to the North would not be touched. Through the Emancipation Proclamation, blacks were now able to serve In the union army which was later issued January 1, 1863. The Thirteenth Amendment was later ratified by the Senate in April 1 864 and the House of Representatives followed in January 1865.All people born or naturalized in the united States are citizens was declared by the Fourteenth Amendment, which limited states' rights concerning racial equality. The Fifteenth Amendment states that all citizens have the right vote and they shall not be denied on reason of race, color, or previous condition of enslavement. These amendments opened the door to Congress passing laws to make it a crime to deny blacks of their rights. Blacks began forming political organizations with these laws.Andrew Johnson, who was Lincoln's Vice President and ecame President after Lincoln's assassination, held back the blacks. He vetoed bills that Improved the rights of the blacks. These vetoes did not guarantee equal rights for blacks. The Senate and Congress did not like the actions of Johnson. The Congress, in 1868, were almost successful in their attempt to impeach Johnson and were only one vote short in the Senate. The election of Ulysses Grant as president would reopen the doors for blacks, they began to be elected into the United States Congress, Senate, and southern state legislatures.Black women began helping to rebuild postwar south and black children began going to school. Although it looked as if blacks were starting to become equals there was still a lot of antagonism towards them and dependency on whites for w ork. The Ku Klux Klan and other terrorist groups were formed through the use of the South's economic power. Not much later were thing back to where they began. It would still be a long time before blacks began to be treated as equals. A People's History 0T states cnapter 10 summary

Female power in Macbeth and ‘The Laboratory Essay

Likewise Lady Macbeth exploits her sexual hold over Macbeth as means to persuade him to commit murder. ‘And you would be so much How do the writers explore female power in Macbeth and ‘The Laboratory’? In this essay I will be writing about female power in Macbeth and ‘The Laboratory’. I will be analyzing them both to show the similarities and differences between the two pieces. Both include a strong, crafty and dominant female character and Shakespeare and Browning explore these characters fully and in great detail. Both the speaker in ‘The Laboratory’ and Lady Macbeth strive to maintain their innocent images. The speaker in ‘The Laboratory’ wants to kill by means of administering a harmless looking object. She describes the potion as being an ‘yonder soft phial, the exquisite blue’ leading the reader to believe that what is actually deadly, is not. The speaker remains above reproach free to reclaim her love. Lady Macbeth is a sinister character, she tells Macbeth he must ‘look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t’. In other words he must portray pure and innocent qualities whilst being prepared to act with murderous intent. The key words in this quotation are â€Å"innocent† and â€Å"serpent†. They are a contracting pair demonstrating the manipulative and two faced nature of Lady Macbeth. Both Browning and Shakespeare build their characters in this way to ensure the audience are left with no sympathy for them. Both writers skillfully paint a picture of vengeful women who are prepared to stop at nothing to achieve their desires. Lady Macbeth uses flirtatious behavior and language in the same way the speaker in ‘The Laboratory’. Their aim is to seduce the male characters in order to get what they want. In ‘ The Laboratory’ the narrator uses sexual blackmail to encourage the apothecary to believe that it is acceptable for him to create the poison. She takes great pleasure in watching its preparation, she is hungry for revenge. Yet when it is finished she says ‘You may kiss me old man on my mouth,’ she clearly wants to reward his actions with a degree of intimacy rather than any financial reward; She is willing to use her sexual allure to get what she wants. In this way she is transgressing her marriage vows by seeking intimate contact with a man other than her husband whilst using her natural attractiveness to her benefit. Likewise Lady Macbeth exploits her sexual hold over Macbeth as means to persuade him to commit murder. ‘And you would be so much more a man’ Lady Macbeth uses this as sexual blackmail to convince Macbeth into killing King Duncan. This works because Macbeth wants to impress his wife and to show her that he deserves his manhood. Both characters have this quality in common it’s how’s the audience how manipulative they can be. Both the speaker in ‘The a Laboratory’ and Lady Macbeth use persuasive language as a means of exerting power over men. Lady Macbeth persuades a husband to obey her through the use of shock tactics. Other than titillating him she says that she would have ‘clashed the brains out’ of her child than breaking a promise to have killed the King. In this way she seems pretty disregarding of her responsibility as a potential mother and viciously brutal. The audience in Shakespeare’s time would have considered her to be unatural as she does not seem bothered by the horrible image she has created. The speaker in the Laboratory uses compliments and flattery to persuade the apothecary that making the poison is an okay thing to do. ‘Thee and thy treasures’ is used as an example of how the narrator bigs up his work. Browning and Shakespeare use this to show female power because it shows that both of the characters have so much power over men.

The Four basic Factors of McDonaldization

In today's' complicated and ever changing society, we often try to achieve a sense of stability and familiarity around us. One way our culture has tried to make life a little easier is by implementing a function now know as â€Å"McDonaldization†. McDonaldization is defined as â€Å"the process by which the principles of the fast food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world. † (1) The success of McDonalds, and of McDonaldization as a whole, is due to four basic factors–efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. One of the first functions of McDonaldization is efficiency. Efficiency means choosing the optimum means to an given end. In our society, people like to have things go as quickly and as smoothly as possible, but they do not want to find out the fastest way themselves. Instead, people like to have a system that has already been used and that they know works. Efficiency has its advantages for both consumers, who get what they want quickly and with little effort, and for workers, who can perform their tasks in a simple manner. The fast food industry is very streamlined, because hamburgers are the simplest ood there is to make. Other foods also do not need a lot of ingredients, and they are simple to make and to eat. Most of the food is also prepared so one can eat it with their hands, thereby reducing the need for utensils. In the process of McDonaldization, consumers are forced to do a good deal of work as well. They have to stand on line, carry their own food, and throw out the garbage. This is not as efficient for the consumer, but it saves time for the workers. Education, health care, and the work place are all becoming McDonaldalized in order to become more efficient. Efficiency in McDonaldization has streamlined many processes, simplified goods and services, and forces the consumer to do work as well. Another factor of McDonaldization is calculability. This tends to put more of an emphasis on quantity rather than quality, but it allows the consumer to get a lot of food quickly. When things are easily counted, it facilitates the process by making it more predictable by using the same amount of materials. Part of McDonalds is an emphasis on size. Everything is â€Å"super sized,† or have names that make food items seem larger than they actually are. Calculability, however, also leads to the quality of the food being neglected. Because people feel as if they are getting a lot of food for their money, they are not as worried about how good it tastes. Food is always weighed and measured precisely, which is another part of calculability. All burgers weigh the same amount, there are the same number of fries in each container, and the new drink machines dispense the same amount to each cup. This same theory is seen in our education system. Students are herded through, and no one really pays much attention to what or how they are earning, just that they receive high grades so they can get into a good college. Health care has also seen the impact of these, because now patients are mainly treated just to squeeze some money out of them, and doctors seemingly don't truly care about their patients anymore. Calculability basically reduces the quality of goods, but improves the The third function of McDonaldization is predictability. In our society, people usually want to know exactly what to expect from a given situation. Predictability gives the consumer a break from having to make difficult decisions, and the worker can perform heir task with little effort. The needs of everyone become easily anticipated. One of the first places predictability became common was with motel chains. Before motels became franchised, guests didn't know exactly what they would be getting, for the good or the bad. But then hotels such as Holiday Inn and Howard Johnson's started, and guests knew exactly what they were going to get when they stayed there. This new practice was copied in the food industry, namely by McDonalds. First, they started with a large and noticeable sign, that could be easily recognized. People from around the world now know he McDonalds symbol is a giant yellow â€Å"M†. Something else that is predictable is the way employees are forced to interact with customers. Employees have a set script that they must follow, and this gives them some control over their customers. Their work is also done in the same manner, for example, the hamburgers all must be cooked the exact same way for the same amount of time. They also must dress and act in a certain way. Customers themselves behave predictably in fast food restaurants, as they get their food, carry it to their table, eat, clean their trash, and leave. Now everyone knows this is the ay one must act in a fast food restaurant. The food itself is predictable as well, and there are not many choices in fast food restaurants. It is basically the same from food chain to food chain. Predictability is also found in other institutions, such as in education. Professors usually stand in the front of the class, near a blackboard while they lecture. Most colleges offer the same type of classes, and even testing is similar, if multiple choice tests are used. Health care as well is based on a series of rules, regulations and controls that restrict the physicians and keep their behavior controlled. Malls, home cooking, housing, and vacations are all getting very predictable as well. Predictability is achieved in a number of ways, mainly by the replication of settings, the use of scripts and a routine way of acting, as well as a routine product. The final dimension of McDonaldization is increased control. Recently, new technologies have been developed in order to control the actions of the people. Robots and computers are both easier to deal with and to manage than people. Organizations hope to gain control over people by using and developing new and more effective technologies. One people are controlled, their behavior is easily manageable and machinelike, and when that happens, people can then be replaced by robots. Fast food restaurants do not have cooks, because that would mean they were forced to rely on one person. Instead, their is a simple process that anyone can be trained to do, and following certain steps leads to the same product. McDonalds already as a number of new technologies which reduces the need for actual people to work. There is a soft drink dispenser that shuts itself off automatically, a french fry machine that can cook the fries tself, and a cash register with the prices preset. Robots have a number of advantages over people, because they cost less, increase efficiency, need fewer workers, and they are never absent. Customers are controlled by the management as well. People know exactly what they must do in a drive through window, and also what to do inside the restaurant. Management discourages people from staying in the restaurant for very long, so that there is more room for other customers. The food is designed to be eaten quickly, and with little mess. In most food industries, technologies where humans basic role is only to plan nd maintain the system is becoming dominant, and replacing the processes where people must be skilled in order to work. Education is McDonaldized as well, because professors must follow a set curriculum, and class periods must conform to a certain length. Health care is controlled by various rules and bureaucracies, which are designed to control both the patient and the doctors. Advertising is used now at a more personal level, and tries to control the minds of the people into thinking a certain way. The main objective of control is the reduce the uncertainties of a business, and technology tries to control work related rocesses, as well as the finished product. McDonaldization is found all around us, even at Hofstra University. One aspect of university life which has become greatly McDonaldized is the registration process. At Hofstra, students must choose their own classes from a given list, and then meet with their advisor to approve it. They then have to take their registration card to Memorial Hall, where they take a number, and wait for their turn to be called. Only then can your For the first factor of McDonaldization, efficiency, the registration process is definitely not up to par. When students first get to Memorial, they are forced to take a number, like at a deli counter. They then must wait. And wait. And wait, just for their number to be called. Students are forced to wait for sometimes as long as three or four hours to make a schedule. Although it is better than a random free for all, with everyone scrambling around at the same time, there is still much that can be done to improve it. At some parts of the day, there are as few as three windows open, with more than one hundred students waiting. This process can hardly be called efficient, when some other niversities have phone or electronic registration, which can be completed in a few Calculability is also seen during the registration process. The main idea is to try to complete as many schedules in the shortest amount of time. However, this causes students to not receive any individualized attention, and they are forced to make their schedules on their own with little guidance. This is because the main interest is on quantity, rather than the quality of the schedules. In fact, the school prefers to have the lack of guidance, because it causes students to take unnecessary credits, and they then ust spend more time in school, while paying even more money. This system is fairly predictable, although not in a good way. During registration time, students know that they will have to spend many hours just waiting in line with nothing to do. They also can predict there will not be any seats left, that half of the windows will be closed by lunch time, and that it will always be about a million degrees in the waiting area. Students also are used to the gray schedule booklets, as well as the yellow registration cards. Seeing either of those items leads the students to think about xactly what they must go through, in order to register successfully. The final element, control, is seen as well. Students are being controlled by a tiny little slip of paper they hold in their hand, which has a simple number on it. That number signifies their place on line, but it was generated by a computer, which keeps track of how many people are waiting. Students also rely on the kiosk system, which shows which classes are still open, and which have been closed out. These factors help keep registration as a controlled process. McDonaldization is becoming more and more prevalent in today's changing world. However, it allows us to expect certain things, helps us to manage our time better, and make life in general a little bit simpler. It also, however, cuts down on the individuals of our society, and forces them to conform to a set standard, which is considered the norm. Some places are able to use McDonaldization effectively, while others are still struggling to implement it in a way which makes it work. It is a complicated process, which requires a good deal of thinking and brainstorming to manage successfully. All in all, McDonaldization has both positive and negative impacts on our world.

The influnce of North Korea 3rd successor Term Paper

The influnce of North Korea 3rd successor - Term Paper Example erence to a closed economic policy that has refused to allow the country to be influenced by the world’s democratic policies or free market policies. The third in line – Kim Jung eun has already received bad press alleging the abuse of farming officials, in much the same vein as his father and grandfather. This essay will specifically analyse four articles from various newspapers in order to ascertain the indications which suggest that the third successor in the family may well influence the rest of the world in much the same way as his forbears did, continuing the totalitarian, undemocratic regime so that the people of North Korea remain relatively untouched by global influences. Kim Il Jung first came to power when North Korea separated itself from the South and declared itself a separate country on 9th September 1948 in the post IInd World War era. Availing of support from the Soviet Union, he instituted a series of economic and political reforms to convert North Korea into a Communist state, including the nationalization of Japanese property (www.news.bbc.co.uk). The subsequent war that broke out between North and South Korea was largely the result of political and ideological differences between the two countries, with each becoming aligned with one or the other of the superpowers. In the 1950’s, Kin Il Sung instituted the â€Å"Juche† or self reliance policy, giving rise to a rigid, state controlled, economic system with high levels of military spending which has driven North Korea further and further into poverty. The situation deteriorated to the extent that the country was defaulting on all of its loans in the 1980s and still, the ruler refused to open the country’s borders and markets to international trade. When Kim Il Sung died, his son Kim Jong-il took control of the military but did not immediately assume the title of head of State. Some high level officials however, who would have ascended to the post, died mysteriously and the son took on

Journal 11 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal 11 - Assignment Example ed as a scene of quietness come while it rains, the book describes Anna and the narrator caring for each other based on the way she sleeps at her feet and the kiss she gets on her lips and forehead as well as playing with her fine golden hair. The new thing they claim to have discovered is the new America, the America they expect to have after the ancient time, they were very happy to think of seeing the beautiful America, this can be shown in the play as they both shout loudly and laughing as they walked in the street. The narrator goes ahead and describes how in the past there were ships ferrying people from one corner of America to Europe and to other parts of America, this shows the love and wish that he has for America in the new world. This is cited from the play where it is written â€Å"a profusion of memories rise up in him, and how he once saw large ships with advertising billboard and having stepped nearer read: from Liverpool to New York-from Bremen to New York.† The narrator introduces Columbus in the story as one person who was not aware of if he was among the people who discovered America. (Spack &Ruth, P.157). He portrays Columbus as a poor in ideas, this cited from the story when the narrator write, â€Å"I was unable to imagine Columbus standing with a sorrowful glance at the coast of his discovered world, putting on his top hat and shaking his head disappointedly†. Columbus was treated as a hero, but little did the world know that America had existed before. The narrators concludes the story by describing the type of America he wishes to have but not the one claimed to be discovered by Columbus, he goes ahead and state that â€Å" I’m in the wrong America and perhaps dreaming about the sweet, fragrant America of time. And that has passed for several years† he thinks that something has ultimately gone wrong somewhere and needs to get it corrected but not aware how that he could correct that. It is cited in the narration when he writes, â€Å"a pain

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Assignment Example Specially mentioning, the above described â€Å"soft side† of project management would support in finding out the obstacles in order to attain desired project targets by a considerable level (Andersen, 2010). 2. It can be apparently observed that there are several reasons for which projects fail drastically. In this similar concern, the various reasons might encompass unrealistic anticipations, ineffective exploitation of valuable resources, deficiency in the engagement of the senior officials or the management team and the involvement of inexperienced as well as low-skilled project managers. In addition, the other reasons for the failure of projects may embrace indistinct project targets, shortage of visibility in the projects and most vitally communication gaps among others. In order to ensure that a particular project does not fail, it can be organized in various ways. In this similar concern, the imperative ways can be centralization of projects in a particular database, p resentation of valuable information in a centralized manner along with establishing clear communication with every individual involved in a project among others (West, n.d.). 3. After reading the article of Turner & et. al. (2009), it can be affirmed that the relatively low implementation rate of Gantt chart and Critical Path Method (CPM) diagrams in projects might reveal informal planning based activities of the companies and most vitally it is showing less significance to them in terms of value. This could impose unfavorable impacts especially upon the financial conditions of the companies by a certain degree. In this similar context, my organization broadly uses the aforementioned aspects as primary tools in order to manage as well as organize various individual projects, make effective planning and guide the organizational members towards the accomplishment of different tasks. My organization which deals with providing military services to the customers intend to perform various operational functions similar to that of a hi-tech company. In this regard, one of the disparities, which exists relates to facet of change control prevailing in my business or industry, while it does not exist in the hi-tech companies as mentioned in the article. Thus, it can be stated that the above discussed instruments must be incorporated in order to ensure better project management (Docstoc, 2011). 4. According to the article of Cavaleri & Reed (2008) concerning the difficulties of describing the interdependencies between tasks, it can be affirmed that defining the interdependencies between tasks is actually quite difficult owing to various significant reasons. In this regard, a few of the reasons might embrace deficiency in coordination while conducting various project related activities, unsupportive collaboration actions, ineffective coordination procedures and massive interdependency upon one another regarding the completion of the projects in a stipulated time period. It can be affirmed from a broader outlook that the difficulties of defining the interdependencies between tasks in terms of complexities owing to the above discuss

Congestive Heart Failure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Congestive Heart Failure - Research Paper Example In some cases, patients with heart failure may need implantation of mechanical devices, such as pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators or ICDs (Saxon et al, 2009). This paper will discuss the different pharmacological treatments and procedural interventions for the treatment of congestive heart failure. Risks and complications associated with each approach will likewise be discussed. What is Congestive Heart Failure? Congestive heart failure is a disorder that causes pulmonary vascular obstruction and decreased cardiac input. In layman’s terms, it is a condition in which the heart cannot pump sufficient oxygenated blood to meet the needs of the other organs of the body. CHF causes pumping malfunctions of the heart in either the left or right side. In some cases, both sides are impaired. Malfunction of the heart’s pumping ability may cause blood to collect in areas of the body, such as the lungs, liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, arms and legs, causing oxygen a nd nutrition losses. These losses decrease the organs’ capacity to work efficiently (Berger, 2009). ... weaken the heart are anemia, hemorrhage, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver failure, longstanding alcoholism and drug abuse, mainly cocaine and amphetamines. Severe vitamin deficiencies could rarely cause a heart weakening (Soufer, 1992). Modifications in Behavior and Lifestyle The most important approach to the treatment of CHF is a change in the behavior and lifestyle of the patient. Regular exercise could be helpful in the maintenance of overall bodily functions, quality of life, and survival. Further vital precautionary steps include the following: maintaining a normal blood pressure, smoking restrictions, moderation in alcohol intake, and abstinence from cocaine and other prohibited drugs; cautious diet; weight control and low Sodium diet (Soufer, 1992). Pharmacological Treatment and Possible Side Effects Pharmacological treatments are aimed at stopping the progression of the disease, thus, diminishing symptoms and complications, and preventing hospital admissions and mo rtality. Several treatments have been effective in reducing some or all of these, however, each approach has possible side effects, hence, cautious observation is necessary to capitalize on benefits and lessen unpleasant consequences (Management of Chronic Heart Failure, 2007). Diuretics, also called â€Å"water pills,† facilitate easy pumping of the heart because they reduce the water and sodium in the body. Removal of excess fluid likewise lowers blood pressure since there is less blood volume for the heart to pump, and there is minimal force used by the blood vessels. Excess fluid reduction lowers or gets rid of edema or swelling in the ankles, feet or abdomen (Management of Chronic Heart Failure, 2007). Several diuretics cause potassium loss. Potassium, an essential body component that

Incident Response, Business continuity, and Disaster Recovery Plans Research Proposal

Incident Response, Business continuity, and Disaster Recovery Plans - Research Proposal Example It thus becomes imperatively necessary to provide evidence and research based guidelines for effective implementation of incident response and disaster recovery plans for organizations which have employed the use of information and communication technology in their operations. It is due to the increasing incidents of attacks to information systems and the related security challenges that it is necessary for organizations to achieve maximum precautionary plans for response and recovery from incidences without having any significant impact on the business processes. The lack of effective implementation of incident response and recovery plans has been caused by lack of specific approach and strategies for establishment and application of these plans within the organization. This paper presents a case study proposal with a view of enabling organizations to implement effective response and recovery plans for business continuity. Nonetheless, it is necessary to note that there are cost and time implications which are associated with the implementation of the incident response and recovery plans for the advantage of business continuity. ... In the light of this argument therefore, it is suitable that business organizations are guided in the proper planning of the response approaches and recovery process in cases of attacks to their information systems. The benefit of proper and organized response and recovery plan for various attacks to organizational computer systems is the reduction of the costs and time related to failure of continuity of business processes (Haddow, Bullock and Coppola, 2011). All organizations require an information system policy which provides the step by step procedure for response to attacks of the system and the recovery from possible attacks (Kuonqui, 2006). Without such a policy, businesses are likely to fail in attaining recovery from various attacks of their information systems (Jennex, 2012).Organizations often have incident response teams which help them to effectively manage various attacks to their information systems (Omar, Alijani and Mason, 2011). These teams are accredited with the r ole of following standard procedure for response and recovery from incidences. In this regard, the teams a significant function of protecting the organization from loss of the continuity of business processes (Kuonqui, 2006). It is notable that regardless of the postulation of information system policies as the solution to the response and recovery from incidences, there is no clear presentation of the contents of such polities. Moreover, the incident response team composition has not been defined clearly. This can be attributed to unprofessional response to attacks of organizations’ information systems (West, 1996). Additionally, actual steps which should be taken in the procedural response to an incidence and recovery from such incidences have not been provided in a distinct

Hacking Exposed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Hacking Exposed - Essay Example viewing the Defense Threat Reduction Agency server, the agency of the Department of Defense; and â€Å"downloaded the proprietary environmental control software for the International Space Station — the programming that controlled the temperature and humidity in the station’s living space† (What’s the latest, 2010, par.1). Initially, James was â€Å"banned from recreational computer use and was slated to serve a six-month sentence under house arrest with probation. However, he served six months in prison for violation of parole† (IT Security, 2010, par.7). It was clearly indicated in the article that James hacked computers for fun. He was exposed to computers at a very young age. His father remembers James as â€Å"a passionate computer geek, who started playing with the family PC at the age of 6, and switched his own computer from Windows to Linux in middle school† (What’s the latest, 2010, par. 8). Due to the tender age of James, at 16, when he was sentenced for the crimes committed, what could have been a 10 year sentence of incarceration for an adult for the crime, he was only restricted from using the computer and was on house arrest with clear probation. Given the sensitivity of the organizations he hacked, he should have been given a more stringent punishment in terms of an extended period of incarceration (or house arrest, for that matter). Or, since he has proven to have the intelligence and the capacity to intrude sensitive softwares of top organizations, one of these organizations could have used his potentials to productive use. By merely letting him go after the punishment, he was again suspected of â€Å"being part of the conspiracy responsible for the largest identity theft in U.S. history. He was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his home on May 18, 2008, less than two weeks after agents raided his house in connection with a hacking ring that penetrated TJX, DSW and OfficeMax, among others† (Whats, 2010, par.6). Ultimately,

Ethics and Asylum Seekers in Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics and Asylum Seekers in Australia - Essay Example The majority of the refugees ended up in the two Pacific Island nations which the Australian government hurriedly organized. Australian immigration official stated that at the time, there was an influx of illegal boat arrivals which pushed the federal parliamentary government of Australia to come up with the â€Å"Pacific Solution Policy† in February of 2001. Australia’s immigration department stated that in February 2002 there were 356 asylum seekers from Iraq mostly, whose status was being processed in the island of Manos in Papua New Guinea, and there were 1,159 refugees in Nauru which overall total is 1,500 asylum seekers. These Islands were happy to take these refugees in an exchange with the financial aid coming from Australia. Though there has been no official report on the figures it has been reported that the president of Nauru Rene Harris negotiated a $15m for the accommodation of more than 1000 asylum seekers (BBC Q&A, 2002). â€Å"In the harshest border pol icy in the Westernized world, the Australian Navy was then deployed to intercept asylum-seekers at sea. The government also excised Australia's offshore islands from its immigration zone in order to deprive boat people of the right to claim asylum†( Marks, 2007). Where do we draw the line on helping the unfortunate? What should be the guiding rule on welcoming and accepting people running for refuge in our more fortunate land? What are the human rights of an individual? The United Nations declaration of human rights proclaims the right: 1.) To life, to freedom from subjection, to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, or to slavery, servitude or forced labor.2.To liberty and security of the person. 3.) To a fair trial. 4.) To freedom from retroactive criminal law or punishments. 5.) With respect to private and family life, home, and correspondence. 6.) To freedom of thought.

Business management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Business management - Essay Example The case, â€Å"eBay in 2002: The Challenges of Sustained Growth† analyse the business environment and the company’s strategic objectives through a combination of industry analysis, competitive analysis and a SWOT analysis and aim at identifying issues which needs attention. The case analysis will also provide brief recommendations in terms of strategies and tactics, which the company can deploy in achieving its strategic goals. In crafting strategies, to gain and maintain a sustainable competitive position in an industry, it is imperative that companies assess the competitive forces at work within the industry in which it operates. Porters Five Force Model can be a useful analytical tool in assessing the competitive forces operating in the online auction industry. The Five Force Model considers the competitive pressures arising from Threat of Substitutes; Rivalry among competing sellers in the industry; Substitutes potential of winning over industry customers; Supplier seller collaborations and bargaining as well as the Seller – Buyer collaborations and bargaining. For e-Bay the Threat of substitutes is coming from traditional models of auctioning, flea markets and classified ads. The retail online stores operated by individual companies also pose substitute products for e-bays product offering. Direct marketing can also be perceived as a substitute. Thus, it can be noted that this competitive force is high in the industry. Threat of new entrants is very high in the e-commerce business-scape. The setting up costs is relatively low and legislature is not tedious. The readily available software makes the process of setting up e-commerce sites ever easier. Since eBay launched its auction site in 1995, the number of auction sites has grown over 2750 by 2001.Thus, this competitive force too is high intensity within the e-commerce sphere. Rivalry among competitors – When rivalry among the competition is high in industries, the pressure on pricing

Gender in The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Example for Free

Gender in The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Dramatic comedy originated in Ancient Greece in 5th century BC, centred around loose plot lines and exploiting certain situations through parody, farce and mockery. Comedy started developing in 4th Century BC where intricate plot lines were introduced, commonly based around love and romance and usually culminating in a satisfactory and happy resolution. This is much like the structure of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ as the play revolves around the growing relationships of both Jack and Gwendolen and Algernon and Cecily. Oscar Wilde has reversed the roles of gender in this play, the females are those who take the lead and are seen as the most dominant characters throughout – a very bizarre layout in a time period where men were seen as the head of the family and the most assertive figure. Lady Bracknell is the most domineering character throughout the play, and this a result of the eloquent and rather unnatural language she uses. She takes on the role of her husband in Act 1 when Jack asks for Gwendolen’s hand in marriage- â€Å"I feel obliged to tell you that you are not down on my list of eligible young men† this was often the father’s role. Throughout the conversation it is quite apparent that Lady Bracknell holds all the power, and Wilde does this through all the questions she asks. Additionally, her questioning seems rather irrelevant and ridiculous at times, she asks â€Å"Do you smoke?† to which Jack admits he does and Lady Bracknell replies â€Å"I am glad to hear it. A man should always have an occupation of some kind†. Here the addictive habit that Jack has taken up is being compared to a profession and is creating humour due to the nature of the question and how much apparent importance it holds. It seems as though Wilde is using Lady Bracknell to â€Å"mock those in authority† [1] by presenting her as a character with no real agenda to her long and painful questioning – other than to talk. In Act 3, Lady Bracknell makes another appearance, which only highlights her towering force in the play. She has come to Jack’s house in the country to retrieve Gwendolen and take her home and makes it quite clear that her husband does not know where Gwendolen really is â€Å"Her unhappy father is, I am glad to say, under the impression that she is attending a more than lengthy lecture by the University Extension Scheme on the influence of a  permanent income on Thought. I do not propose to undeceive him.† This would have been seen as quite unusual at a time where wives wouldn’t have gone behind their husband’s backs, thus reinforcing Lady Bracknell’s authoritative demeanour and leaving the audience amused. Furthermore, Wilde’s portrayals of both Gwendolen and Cecily run parallel to one another. They mirror each other and are the assertive half of their relationships with Jack and Algernon. This is first shown between Jack and Gwendolen when Jack proposes. Jack announces his love for Gwendolen and she in turn, offers it back. Jack then says â€Å"..I mean we must get married at once. There is no time to be lost.† To which Gwendolen replies â€Å"†¦But you haven’t proposed to me yet. Nothing has been said at all about marriage.† Gwendolen is taking control of the situation and is expressing what she desires for Jack to then grant her, her wishes. This is the same scene where Jack lies about his name once again to Gwendolen. â€Å"Selfishness and servility are the moral alternatives presented† – Katherine Worth. Gwendolen admits she could never love anyone with the name ‘Jack’ for â€Å"there is very little music in the name Ja ck†. This, to the audience seems rather pompous and shallow and is why it is humorous. And after all that Gwendolen has said, Jack does indeed go along with this though, and continues to call himself Ernest. In the scene where Cecily and Algernon first meet, Algernon also lies about his true identity – he introduces himself as Jack’s brother, Ernest. Whilst Cecily and Algernon are talking in the garden, Jack arrives home. He confides in Miss Prism and Chasuble that his younger brother ‘Ernest’ died in Paris of a severe chill. At this moment in time, the audience are taking great pleasure at the fact that they know something the characters do not – that Jack’s so called brother is in the garden. Afterwards, Cecily confesses to Algernon that they have been engaged for the past three months, and Algernon submissively accepts this to be both true and normal. This is the first indication of who the most assertive figure is in their relationship. The fact that Cecily writes to herself, on the behalf of ‘Ernest’ is rather ridiculous, and once again Algernon goes through with this. She continues on to tell him when their engagement was broken off, she  says â€Å"It would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn’t have been broken off at least once. But I forgave you before the week was out† she talks about how their engagement wouldn’t have been ‘serious’, although it had never even happened and this displays marriage to be not all that serious in itself. In reply to this, Algernon thanks her for forgiving him – for something he did not do, â€Å"What a perfect angel you are Cecily.† This only highlights that he is inferior to her. When Cecily and Gwendolen meet each other at Jacks house in the country, a lot of confusion is caused for they both think they are engaged to the same man. But before they stumble across this realisation, they become ‘friends’ instantly Gwendolen says â€Å"..Something tells me that we are going to be great friends† to which Cecily replies â€Å"How nice have you to like me so much after we have known each other such a comparatively short amount of time.† The girls then find out they are ‘in competition’ with one another and their ‘friendship’ turns sour. This is comical due to the fact that just a few seconds ago they were very friendly and lovely to one another. When both Jack and Algernon approach and the matter is cleared up that neither one of them is ‘Ernest’ and that they have been lying to the women, Cecily and Gwendolen’s relationship takes a u-turn, not back to friendship, but to sisterhood. This was foreshadowed in Act 1 where Algernon says â€Å"Women only call themselves sister when they have called each other a lot of other things first†. Cecily and Gwendolen storm off into the house and Algernon and Jack cowardly hold back, where Algy begins to scoff the muffins and they start to blame one another for what just happened and it takes them a while before they approach the women in the house. However when they do it also doesn’t take long for both women to forgive them, they contradict themselves frequently in the process: Gwendolen – â€Å" But we will not speak first† Cecily – â€Å"Certainly not† Gwendolen – â€Å"Mr Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you. Much depends on your reply.† The irony of the situation is what is so amusing, the women cannot stay silent and wait for the men to speak, once again they have to be in control of the situation. However, the play began in â€Å"turmoil but (ended) in harmony† [2] as both couples were happily reunited. All throughout the play, women like to think they are the leaders and the superior, and on the surface they do appear to be, with their high demands being answered and always leading the conversations in which ever way they wish but at the end of the day, they always forgive or accept only what a man can offer, even if they demanded more. Bibliography: [1] Barbara Bleiman, Anna Sarchet and Lucy Webster: â€Å"Studying comedy† (2012) [2] Susan Snyder: â€Å"The Cambridge companion to Shakespeare† (2001)

Environment Of Kamat Hotels

Environment Of Kamat Hotels Kamat hotels are a new chain of luxury business hotel in India promoted by KHIL (kamat hotel India ltd). Kamat hotel began as a single landmark namely VITS Mumbai, located near Mumbai international airport, but is now recognized all over the India as the symbol of true Indian hospitality. KHIL is a pan-India network of hotels that offers business and leisure travelers a hotel designed for the modern nomad. The hotel promises a whole new experience of tranquility and total wellness proposal. Called the jiva spa, it is a unique concept, based on a mixture of heritage, wisdom and the Indian philosophy of wellness and well being. All hotels built with similar infrastructure are four star hotels which consist of 200 rooms and aims to give prospective customers, a total experience of hospitality. Each hotel has a six banquet halls, a conference hall and fitness clubs complete with sauna and steam bath are open in the lobby area. KHIL is well known for being environmental friendly. It has won many awards like environmental champion, global ecotel, regional direct tourism award and pata (pacific Asia travel association awards), hotel and catering international management associations (HCIMA) best environmental policy 2000, India chapter environmental award for 2001 on the hotel excellence category. In 2009, VITS achieved excellent profitability based on the trend of rising demand for suitable accommodation in the city of Mumbai. Based on its early success, KHIL has expanded heavily in India, opening new branches in more states like Ahmadabad, Aurangabad, Baroda, Gujarat, Hubli, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Nasik, Pune, Sholapur, Surat and it is expected to add twenty more branches in the next five years. With the rapid expansion of Indian economy, budget and mid market hotel segments are fast expanding as more business people travel and look for short pleasant stays. The group also introduced tours and travels in 2010 and was engaged in marketing of destination and package tours. KHIL along with its flagship hotel, VITS are well positioned to meet the increase in travel activities and is set to benefit fully of this market expansion. The restaurants, known for their top quality food, attract high number of middle class families for breakfast, lunch and dinner. However limited capacity of its butchery and bakery cause delays in periods of high customer turnout and often leads to customer complaints KHIL group employees are gentle, skillful, and knowledgeable and are given certificates of honesty which keeps them motivated and loyal. But Management at VITS has been very poor at embracing Technology to help them in their daily task or for the benefit of their customers. There is no Wi-Fi installed on the premises, and internet connections are slow. Management have not upgraded their software but have stuck to their PMS i.e. (property management system) while their competitors are already using Opera or Fidelo, softwares which are faster in performance and standards. Using the stakeholder model, this paper will assess the strengths and weaknesses of VITS and then analyses its external environments using Porters 5 forces model and PESTEL. This will give us a proper indication of the hotels position and will conclude by coming up with workable proposals for VITS. 2.0 Analysis of the internal environment 2.1 Stakeholder model 2.1 Stakeholder An individual, group or business with a keen interest may be positive or negative in an organization success are known as stakeholder. They are concerned with an organization to deliver an intend result and also to meet its financial objectives generally stakeholders are of two types they are internal within the organization and external outside the organization. Stakeholders are shareholders, employee, suppliers, customer, financial institution, government and society. A stakeholder is usually stands to gain or lose depending on the decision taken or policies implemented. 2.1.1 Importance of stakeholder Stakeholders are very important persons who in fact control the organization and the success of the organization lies in their hands. The participation of stakeholders in an organization is from the beginning of the organization. Stakeholder analysis is a technique which is generally used by an organization to identify the importance of key people, groups of people or stakeholders which influence the success of an organization. It is an important process because if we find the needs and interest of stakeholder than it become easier for an organization to achieve its goals. This can be done by an individual or by a team. The analysis helps us to determine the influence and power that each stakeholder has. If we know the most powerful stakeholder than it is easy for an organization to gain support in order to gain success. We can implement stakeholder to an organization in three steps they are {1} identifying the stakeholders, {2} prioritizing the stakeholder and {3} understanding impo rtant stakeholder opinion and interest. 2.1.2 Shareholders KHIL hotels formally reports to their shareholders twice a year when it releases its results. This comes amidst great media and specialized press speculation as KHIL is known to be a star performer. Shareholders have over the past 5 years, constantly been rewarded with dividends to the tune of 21% per annum after tax every single year. They generally hold meetings with their shareholders and stakeholders to keep them informed about the progress of business and future plans for the group. 2.1.3 Employees KHIL hotels places great importance on communication about its business and performance to their employees. They follow a program of effective staff training to understand the purpose and goals of hotel management strategies and deliver on the organizations sustainability objectives. 2.1.4 Suppliers KHIL supports local suppliers and promotes responsible business practice. Given the strength of their bargaining power they can source produce at a very competitive price which helps them on profitability. Supporting local suppliers wherever they are also helps them to build good relations with the community whom they support. Suppliers are very supportive of KHIL and have been working with them ever since they started business. KHIL welcomes feedback from their suppliers which helps them to better understand how they are performing against their peers and they get a clearer picture of risk. 2.1.5 Customers KHIL has mastered guest relationship through constant interaction and feedback from them. They offer top quality service which is known and appreciated by customers. This is what has built the KHIL brand as they are known for the unique experience they offer customers. KHIL charges them a slightly premium price but which customers do not complain about as they feel pampered. Customer feedback lies at the center of their strategy. Customers recommend the hotel to their friends and word of mouth spreads. Feedback and adaptation to customer requirements have kept them ahead of competition and rising up to end increasing guest demands. They have mastered the art of proactively engaging with their guests to understand and anticipate their requirements. 2.1.6 Financial institution KHIL works and is supported by the biggest and the best financial institutions like the State Bank of India, Baroda Bank, ICICI, and private investment funds. Gathering funds for expansion and development is not a problem because of the support as KHIL has always lived up to expectations of financial institutions and has never defaulted. 2.1.7 Government KHIL relies on both central and local government provisions. Statutory and regulatory sanctions of authorities are required for approval of restaurant and bar licenses. As such it is in its best interest to stay within the legal provisions. Both central and local governments are very supportive of KHILs investments as it creates wealth, jobs and supports to local communities. KHIL is a major benefactor of governments incentive schemes and low interest investment funds and this helps to expansion. KHIL does not fail on taxes, levies, duties, company or municipal taxes. KHIL has provided for Rs 1, 63,17,4381/ for the current financial year for different taxes and no dues are pending. 2.1.8 Society KHIL, since the very beginning is a major supporter of social development. This is a reason why communities welcome its developments. The group supports sustainable livelihood as an underlying principle of their social initiatives. In order to improve the quality of life of villagers who live around the hotel KHIL helps them by providing solar lighting, health, hygiene and nutritional support for children and women, drinking water facilities and educational support. They provide hotel related artisan jobs for them like making candles, dusters, staff snacks and stationery. 3.0 Analysis of the specific external environment I will use Porters five forces to analyze KHILs specific external environment. 3.1 Barriers of entry Barriers of entry in the hotel industry are very high as lots of investment goes into initial infrastructure and getting initial customer support. Credit facilities to tour operators and other agents supplying customers result in cash flow issues which very often cannot be supported by new entrants as they rely heavily on loans. 3.2 Availability and substitutes The substitutes exist when the alternative product with lower price and better performance for the same product. Likewise the Kohinoor provides the spa at the low cost compared to KHIL which reduces the potential sales volumes of KHIL. There are a lot of price variation between KHIL and the Kohinoor hotel service, which leads customers to feel that KHIL is at times over priced. The Kohinoor have various rates and tariffs, a good brand image and the hotel chain currently operating different services like spa, boatels, resorts, city center and heritage hotels. 3.3 Bargaining power of suppliers The suppliers consist of all the sources of input that are needed to provide a goods and services. KHIL has good supplier support but is at a disadvantage against competition as it has a tendency of buying because of the long standing friendship they have with suppliers who supported them initially. Very often this plays against price and quality. Furthermore large quantity items are tendered and bought on price which often plays against quality. 3.4 Bargaining power of customers The hotel industry is a very competitive one and having invested in its fixed assets, hotels want to recoup their investment as quickly as possible. They are ready to offer discounts the whole year to attract and keep customers therefore reducing margins. Availability of substitutes such as the Kohinoor improves the bargaining power of customers and they can put even more pressure on margins and volumes. 3.5 Competitive rivalry KHIL has several good challengers like the Kohinoor, Continental and the Mirador who are competing in similar market with similar offerings. The Kohinoor has 200 rooms, excellent conference facilities, multi cuisine restaurants, bars, health clubs, and 24 hours coffee shop, doctor on call, is situated in the main business area of Mumbai and is close to the international airport. These facilities are similar to KHILs and reason why they are strong challengers. This has the overall effect of reducing both revenue and profitability. 4.0 Pestle analysis Pestle analysis is the useful tool to understand the clear picture of the environment in which the organization lies and to find the opportunities and threats that lies in the environment they can be express as the Political, economic, socio cultural, technological, environmental, and legal factors affect an organizations external environment which in turn affects an organization by offering it either opportunities to progress or threats to regress. it is also used as a generic orientation tool to find out about the organization or the product is in the context of what happening inside as well as outside of the organization. 4.1 Political environment One of the political environments for the organization was the times of India (it is a well known newspaper) by Rachna sigh, Jaipur in a bid to attract the international tourists is gearing up with a host of new properties across the different segments. Some of the industries like hotel and tourisms are the backbone of any competitive world. But government charges a huge tax from the hotels which are stars or are in the luxury category these organizations has an impact with the government or the political changes that occurs. If the government takes even a small steps if affect the hotel industries. Its getting huge incentives and the state governments are supporting them in their development. But now Indian hotels are planning to expand in the economic crunch time. The terror attack on the city (Mumbai) renowed hotels like the taj hotel and the oberios had brought into concerns and facing the hoteliers with a drop in foreign travelers to India i.e. the terror attack is one of the threat for hotel industries. 4.2 Legal factor In recent years, government has brought significant changes to the legal framework to facilitate investment and doing business. Several incentive schemes have been introduced to increase investments. Laws that directly impact on the hotel industry are the Hotel development incentive bill, tax holidays of up to 2 years to new investors in the hotel sector, fairer health and safety laws and less stringent employment laws that were acting as limitations to investment. This has led to a lot of development as investors have easy access to funds and are supported by incentives. These new business friendly frameworks have largely helped groups like KHIL to invest further and adopt expansion strategies. 4.3 Economical environment The India economy hardly suffered from the international financial crisis. This is because the Indian system rests on a controlled and sound financial system in the country. The economic environment includes GDP, interest rates, inflation and exchange rates, economic growth, taxation amongst others and it determines disposable income. While larger number of tourists will flock to India for its beauty, history and heritage, Mumbai the financial capital will keep bringing in business people from around the world therefore offering an incessant flow of customers to hotels like the KHIL group to prosper. 4.4 Social environment Changes in social trends also have an impact on the demand for a firms products and offer. Organizations have to respond by constantly adopting their products to new customer trends and demand. This is what KHIL has constantly been doing especially with its unique feedback system. Feedback from customers has also explains why KHIL has more single room than double rooms. 4.5 Technological environment Indian is one of the most advanced technological nations of the world and businesses are well aware of progress in the field of technology and its enduring impact on processes and the reduction of costs. KHIL has not taken technology on board though most major customized products are valuable. 4.6 Environmental factors The growing desire to protect the environment is having a great impact on many industries such as travel industries. Environment protection creates business opportunities and KHIL is well ahead of competitors in this field. To respect local legislation, all hotels of the group are built after an environmental impact assessment and this creates harmony with the community. 5.0 Swot analysis Swot analysis is the most important tool for audit and analysis of the overall strategic position of business and its environment. Basically it is the foundation for evaluating the strength, weakness, probable/likely opportunity and threats from the external environment. It also views the positive as well as negative factors inside and outside of the organization which affect its success. So these are the four factors applying to the property to know about the property in details the strength, weakness, opportunities as well as the threats of the KHIL hotels. 5.1 Strengths Strength is the qualities which helps an organization to achieve its goals. Generally strength are beneficial aspects of the organization which includes human competence, process capabilities, financial resources, product and service, customer goodwill and brand loyalty. Strength of KHIL Competitively priced for value they offer Situated near the international airport and few kilometers away from the domestic airport Is a very convenient alternative for layover guests are those whose flights have been cancelled or delayed Has preferred partner status with airlines Affordable luxury venue for SMEs for their Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions Highly perceived as a environmental friendly hotel Recognized name for fine cuisine and value for money accommodation Loyal, honest and per formant employees Appeals to local middle class families looking for a night out 5.2 Weakness Weakness is a limitation, or the defect in an organization that will keep it away from achieving its goals. The weakness are of different kind like huge debt, high employee turnover, complex decision making process, narrow product range and large wastage of raw materials. Weakness oh KHIL Situated off the road it may see significant impact on FIT guests (free individual traveler) Fails to handle larger crowds and sister hotel Orchid is no substitute Business centre is to small and no WI-FI zone yet Trailing on technology on its processes and still using Whitney rack system Swimming pool located next to the restaurant plays against privacy 5.3 Opportunities An opportunity is a kind of favorable situation in a firm environment. It is usually a trend or an overlooked need that increase demand for a product or service and allows the organization to enhance its position. Opportunities for KHIL Upcoming cricket world cup jointly organized in India, Bangla Desh, Sri lanka will attract guests Event can be used to showcase of value offered to enhance reputation Bus service or the special cabs for the fans to the stadium in and around the world cup venues Targeting opening in new or developing business hubs like Bangalore 5.4 Threats It is an unfavorable situation which may occur in an organization environment and which may harm the business or its strategy. They are uncontrollable when the threat comes, the stability and survival can be stake. Threats for KHIL Security especially in the wake of terrorist attacks Competitor response from Kohinoor, Continental and Mirador 6.0 Conclusion As each and every organization has strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats the kamat hotel also have these factors but they can find out by doing the swot analysis to the organization to its internal and external factor so that one can obtain it and can control the system in a practical way. It can work according to its objectives by allowing an easy way to attain its profit growth. 7.0 Proposal The KHIL hotels should plan and perform their work to achieve their goals and the information and explanation that are considered are necessary to work on them that they need to improve a lot like increasing the rooms in the hotel because of its they are facing the problems when there is an event in India most of the foreigners visit to India because of lack of rooms its losing its business so if it works on it then it will achieve a great success. These are needed to upgrade to an improved integrated management system as it would help reduce the amount of paper work. It would also reduce the work of night auditor and reception staff as they would not have to verify every bill every time guests checkout.

Effect of Nursing on Stress Levels of Cancer Patients

Effect of Nursing on Stress Levels of Cancer Patients Does good nursing management can influence the nursing care to reduce stress, anxiety and difficult behaviour in cancer patients as compare to ineffective management plan to achieve better therapeutic outcomes? Search terms that can be used for relevant literature will be nursing management plans for patients with cancer, stress, anxiety, good nurse patient relationship, and challenging behaviours. The research is to explore and summarize the literature based on the published information such as journals, articles, books. The purpose of this review is to identify best practice evidence that examining the cancer patients. The literature review will give direction to plan the study and understand the outcomes. (Burns Grove 2009). The difficult patient behaviour versus good nursing strategies based on the research question (Emold et al 2011). Inclusion criteria included the all publications based on the difficult patient behaviour and good nursing management plans to reduce stress and anxiety in patients. The strength of evidence was based on the hierarchy of evidence with randomised controlled trial and meta-analysis being considered the best evidence as the primary source if available. Other research and levels of evidence was included where evidence was not that much strong. The literature review was undertaken using electronic data bases and catalogues such as CINAHL, science direst, PubMed, for the period of 2007 and 2014. Using the original question the key phrases ‘difficult patient behaviour in oncology’ and good nursing management strategies, stress and anxiety pain, and some psychological factors those can lead to negative outcomes on patients health outcomes and nurses attitude. These search terms highlighted the number of articles on different types of cancer patients then advanced search engine w as used to narrow my search to find out the good sourced information. Going through the abstracts of each of the articles were considered the relevance and quality. Exclusion criteria includes the key words and points those will not be covered in research such as good communication strategies, challenging behaviour and comparison between effective and ineffective management plans. The good literature review and databases mostly covered the qualitative and quantitative criteria based on the clinical question and case scenario. Develop a summary table based on your 15 selected studies (500 words). Based on your summary table, provide a synthesis of the key findings and conclusions in relation to your PICO question (250 words). Support your summary from relevant literature (use in text referencing) Good nursing management plans is one of the most effective and appropriate option for the hospitalised cancer patients. Various research studies have been conducted and analysed the difference between effective and ineffective nursing care plans. Therefore, Evidence from a variety of resources indicate that staff communication, family support, working environment those factors positively influence the patient prognosis according to Rosenzweig et al 2011; Kvale 2007; Karvien et al 2013; Emold et al 2011. However, patients diagnosed with cancer causes significant distress such as mentally and physically strains to themselves and family members (Emold et al 2011). Therefore good communication skill, availability of continued support, involvement of families required to overcome these difficult emotions (Kvale 2007 Vilet et al 2013). Karvinen et al. (2013) Whitaker et al. (2009) identified the relationship between stress, anxiety, intrusive thoughts and compliance to medical care. Cer tain psychological factors such as feelings of hopelessness, physical and mental strains affect the nursing care and patient’s prognosis (Remmers et al 2010). Different intervention strategies have also been discussed in literature such as mindfulness, self-efficacy, emotional support has the beneficial effects to the general health of patients according to Tsang et al. (2012). There are certain factors those influenced the nursing care such as workload, emotional exhaustion, and decision making skills among staff may lead to negative response and affect the patient’s well-being (McCormack et al 2011). However, the literature lacks some efficacy based on the good intervention strategies for staff to overcome the difficult patient’s behaviour. Overall effective nursing management can be structured to enhance physical, psychological, and emotional wellbeing that assists in promoting positive behaviour and good health outcomes among cancer patients.

Expansion Of Nato Essay -- essays research papers

NATO starts the year 2000 with the issue of concern. The European Allies' defense capability, stabilization efforts in the Balkans, and relations with Russia are at the top of a highly charged agenda. In 1999 NATO accomplished many tasks, which were reviewed in the December 15th Washington Summit. They approved an updated Strategic Concept at the Washington Summit; admitted as new members the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland; contributed decisively, in particular through the conduct of their air campaign and the subsequent deployment of KFOR (NATO-led international peace force), to the international community's objective of creating the basis for long-term peace and stability in Kosovo. What is NATO? NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington on April 4th, 1949, creating an alliance of 12 independent nations committed to each other's defense. Four more European nations later acceded to the Treaty between 1952 and 1982. The now 19 members of NATO include Belgium, Canada, *Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, *Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, *Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States. (*Members since March 12, 1999) These countries commit themselves to maintaining and developing their defense capabilities, individually, and collectively, providing the basis for collective defense planning. The Treaty also provides the framework for consultation betw...

Social Work Interventions and Strategies to promote Health Rights ? A Panel Discussion :: essays research papers

Social Work Interventions and Strategies to promote Health Rights –   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Panel Discussion Ragland Remo Paul* Introduction: Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the General Assembly of the United Nations on the 10th December 1948 states as follows; â€Å"(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. (2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.† This is the basis on which the concept note of this conference has been formulated. People’s Health Assembly on the 8th December 2000 endorsed the People’s Charter for Health, which states as follows, â€Å"HEALTH AS A HUMAN RIGHT – Health is a reflection of a society’s commitment to equity and justice. Health and human rights should prevail over economic and political concerns. This Charter calls on people of the world to: 9. Support all attempts to implement the right to health. 10. Demand that governments and international organizations reformulate, implement and enforce policies and practices, which respect the right to health. 11. Build broad-based popular movements to pressure governments to incorporate health and human rights into national constitutions and legislation. 12. Fight the exploitation of people’s health needs for purposes of profit.† Violations or non-existence of human rights and in specific in health rights is not a result of any single factor. Health is not merely a physical issue. It is a social, economic and political issue and above all a fundamental human right. Inequality, poverty, exploitation, violence and injustice have been instrumental in the violation of health rights for the poor and marginalized (and in some cases the rich and those with access to health care.) Here today at this panel discussion we are going to try and explore the interventions and strategies that we as social workers can do to promote health rights. This paper does not claim to provide for the entire list of interventions and strategies to promote health rights, but will certainly look at some critical areas. The main attempt of this paper is to set our minds thinking in this critical area of human rights, to innovate and formulate strategies to promote health rights.

Storm Born Chapter Twelve

I finally worked up the courage to see my mom and Roland a few days later. Tim had left for the day, but he'd apparently baked this morning. A plate of almond poppy seed muffins sat on the kitchen table, and I grabbed two for the road. My ability to think clearly had improved with some rest, but my anger and pain hadn't really faded. I still felt betrayed and not just by Wil. If anything, I could forgive him more easily than anyone else. He had not fostered a years-long secret. His actions had been open and desperate. They had not been so insidious as Kiyo's, my mom's, and Roland's. When I arrived at the house, I didn't bother knocking. The front door was open, and I pushed inside, slamming it loudly behind me. â€Å"Genie?† I heard my mom call. â€Å"Is that you?† I walked across the wood floor, my shoes echoing in the foyer. Mom and Roland sat at the kitchen table, eating lunch. Bread and cold cuts were laid out, along with assorted condiments. It looked so normal. So peaceful and innocent. My mom half-rose when she saw me. â€Å"Thank God you're back safe. I've been so – what's the matter?† I loved these people so much, but seeing them increased my fury, maybe because I did love them so much. For a moment, I couldn't get the words out. I just stared at them, looking from face to face. â€Å"Eugenie?† she asked tentatively. â€Å"Who's my father?† I demanded of her. â€Å"Was I born in the Otherworld?† I saw her go pale, her dark eyes widening in fear. In an instant, Roland was up beside her. â€Å"Eugenie, listen – † The look on his face spoke legions. â€Å"Jesus. It really is true.† I saw him open his mouth to protest, but then he thought better of it. â€Å"How did you find out?† Honesty, at least. â€Å"It's all over the Otherworld. Everyone knows. I'm apparently next in line for world domination.† â€Å"That's not true,† he said. â€Å"Forget about it. You aren't like them.† â€Å"But I am one of them, right? At least half?† â€Å"By blood only. Everything else†¦well, for all intents and purposes, you're human. You have nothing to do with them.† â€Å"Except killing and banishing them. How could you set me up for that†¦if I'm†¦?† One of them, I wanted to finish. But I couldn't get the words out. â€Å"Because you have a talent for it. One we need. You know what they can do.† â€Å"Yes. And you've made sure I do, telling me all the horror stories growing up. But there's a hell of a lot more than that. They're weird, yes, but not all evil.† My mother suddenly joined the conversation, eyes wild and frantic. â€Å"Yes! They are! You don't know what you're talking about. When did you have this revelation? A day ago? A week ago? I lived with them for three years, Eugenie. Three years.† Her voice dropped to a whisper. â€Å"Three years, and I never once encountered a decent one. No one who would help me. No one who would keep me from Tirigan.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"Storm King,† said Roland. â€Å"That's his name. Was his name.† â€Å"They say you saved her from him.† He nodded. â€Å"I was there chasing down a kelpie when I heard rumors of a captured human woman. I went to investigate and found her and you. You were a baby. I slipped you both out of there and hid you.† â€Å"But Dorian†¦someone I met†¦said Storm King came looking for us.† â€Å"He did. And he found you.† I frowned. From what Dorian had said, I should have been a young teenager then. â€Å"I don't remember that.† Roland nodded again. â€Å"Once close enough, he could reach out and call to you. He summoned you to him. By the time I tracked you down, you were out in the desert, very near a crossroads. You'd walked miles to get to him.† â€Å"I don't remember that,† I repeated. In some ways, what Roland told me now was crazier than what I'd learned at Aeson's. â€Å"His magic spoke to yours. He wanted to take you back with him, and you fought against him. You were struck by lightning in the process.† â€Å"Wait, I know I'd remember that.† â€Å"No. I hypnotized you and repressed it. I killed him, but your magic had still been awakened. After seeing what I'd seen, I was afraid you couldn't control it – that it would control you instead.† â€Å"I don't have any magic. Not gentry magic anyway.† â€Å"Not that you know of. It's hidden away. I made you forget. After that, I started teaching you the craft in the hope of protecting you. I didn't know if others would follow him or if someone else could reawaken you or summon you. I needed to give you the tools you'd need for defense.† He suddenly looked tired. â€Å"I never realized how well you'd take to them.† I felt as tired as he looked, despite all the sleep. I pulled up one of the chairs and sat; they continued to stand. So I had met Storm King. I had answered his summons. And I had been struck by lightning? That was interesting, because in a lot of cultures, shamans are called to their art through some traumatic event. Lightning strikes are actually common ones. Many of the local Indian shamans – already skeptical of the plethora of New Age white shamans – did not consider me authentic since I'd had no such profound initiation. Turns out I had. Score one for me. â€Å"You made me forget. You got inside my head, and you made me forget. All this time†¦both of you have known and never told me.† â€Å"We wanted to protect you,† he said. â€Å"And what then? Did you think I'd never find out?† The heat rose in my voice again. â€Å"I had to hear it from gentry. I would have rather heard it from you.† My mother closed her eyes, and one tear trailed down her cheek. Roland regarded me calmly. â€Å"In hindsight, yes, that would have been better. But we never thought it would actually come out.† â€Å"It's out,† I said bitterly. â€Å"Everyone knows it. And now everyone wants a piece of this prophecy – and of me.† â€Å"What prophecy?† I told them. When I finished, my mother sat down and buried her face in her hands, crying softly. I could hear her murmuring, â€Å"It'll happen to her. It'll happen to her too.† Roland rested a hand on her shoulder. â€Å"Don't put much stock in gentry prophecies. They come out with a new one every day.† â€Å"Doesn't matter, if they believe it. They're still going to come after me.† â€Å"You should stay with us. I'll help protect you.† I stood up, glancing at my mother. No way would I expose her to more gentry. â€Å"No. This is my problem. Besides, don't take this too badly† – I felt myself start to choke up – â€Å"but I don't really want to see you guys for a while. I guess you meant well, but†¦I need to†¦I don't know. I need to think.† â€Å"Eugenie – † I saw raw pain on his face. My mom's sobs grew louder. I stood up, averting my eyes from both of them. Suddenly, I couldn't stay here anymore. â€Å"I've got to go.† Roland was still calling after me when I practically ran out of the house. But I needed to get away, or I'd say something stupid. I didn't want to hurt them, even though I probably had. But they'd hurt me too, and we all needed to deal with that. While opening my car door, I looked up and saw a red fox watching me from the same spot as last time. I strode toward him, close but not too close. â€Å"Go away!† I shouted. He stared at me, unmoving. â€Å"I mean it. I'm not speaking to you. You're as bad as the rest of them.† He lay down, resting his chin on crossed paws while he continued to regard me solemnly. â€Å"I don't care how cute you are, okay? I'm through with you.† A woman working in her yard next door gave me an uneasy look. I turned my back on the fox, got in the car, and drove home. Yet, as I did, I couldn't help but feel relieved Kiyo had survived. I honestly hadn't known if he would. Strong and vicious he might be, but Aeson had been slinging fire at him. The question was, had Kiyo merely escaped? Or had he managed to kill the king? What had happened to Jasmine? Tim still wasn't back when I got home. I decided then I didn't want to leave my house that day or make any pretense of productivity. I wanted to hit the sauna, put on pajamas, and then watch bad TV while eating Milky Ways. It seemed like a pretty solid plan, and I set out to make it happen. Twenty minutes later, I sat immersed in hot steam, draped in humidity. Heat was great for loosening muscles, although that only made me realize how much I'd hurt them. At least I'd made it out alive. That was the real miracle, considering what a disaster last night had turned into. I didn't want to think much about it or about Mom and Roland, but it was hard not to. Part of me still believed – still hoped – that all of this was a mistake. After all, wasn't it just everyone's say-so? Of course, somehow I doubted my parents would make all that up. But really. Where was the DNA test? The photographic evidence? I had nothing tangible. Nothing I could see and believe. Except my own memories. The memories Roland had covered up for me. Hypnotism wasn't uncommon in our line of work. It was just another state of unconsciousness. Shamans who served as religious leaders and healers used similar techniques on their followers and patients to heal the body and mind. Roland and I, as â€Å"freelance shamans,† didn't really have much need for it. Our contact with the spirit world often became more physical and direct. But I had done some healings and soul retrievals, so I knew the basics. Leaning my head against the wall, I closed my eyes and thought about the tattoo of Selene on my back. She was my earthly connection, the grounding of my body and soul and mind in this world. I focused on her image and what she represented and then slowly altered my state of mind. Rather than slipping out to another plane, I crossed inward, back into the far reaches of myself and the parts of me buried in my unconscious. It probably didn't take long, but in that state, it was painstakingly slow. I browsed through pieces of me, both memories and hidden truths alike. All the things that made me Eugenie Markham. I concentrated on lightning, hoping it would snag my attention. Surely a lightning strike couldn't be buried forever. There. A faint tug. I dove in after it, trying to grasp it and the memory it linked to. It was difficult. The image was slippery, like trying to hold on to a fish. Each time I thought I had it, it wriggled away. Roland had done a good job. Steeling myself, I fought against the layers, clawing and fighting until – I woke up in bed. But it wasn't the bed in my house. It was a different bed, a smaller bed covered in a pink comforter. The bed of my childhood. I lay in it, staring up at a ceiling covered in plastic stars just like the one I had as an adult. It was the middle of the night, and I couldn't sleep. I'd been an insomniac then, just as now. This time, however, it was different. Something other than my churning mind was keeping me awake. Somewhere, outside, I could hear a voice calling me. No, not a voice exactly, but it was a pull. A pull I couldn't shut out. Climbing out of bed, I slipped my feet into dirty sneakers and put a light jacket on over my pajamas. In the hallway, the door to Mom and Roland's room was closed. I moved past as quietly as possible, down the stairs and then out the door. Outside, the air was still warm. It was high summer. Earlier temperatures had been in the 100s; even now, they had dropped only to the 80s. I walked down the quiet street of our neighborhood, past all the familiar cars and houses. With each step, the call grew louder. I followed, my feet moving on their own. The call led me away from our street, our subdivision, and even the small suburb we lived in. I traveled off of main roads, moving onto trails I'd never known existed. Then, after almost two hours, I stopped. I didn't know where I was. The desert, obviously, because that and the mountains were all that surrounded Tucson. The foothills were larger than at home, so I must have gone north. Otherwise, there were no distinguishing features. Prickly pears and saguaros spread out around me in quiet watchfulness. Suddenly, I felt the air around me charge. There was a presence with me. A person. I turned and saw a man standing and watching me, far taller than my twelve-year-old self. His features were indistinct; I could not make them out no matter how hard I tried. He was only a dark shape, crackling with power. â€Å"Eugenie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I took three steps back, but he held his hand out to me. â€Å"Eugenie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shook off the thrall that had brought me out here. Desperately, I realized I had to get away as quickly as I could. But I no longer knew the way back. The trails I'd followed were a blur. So, I backed up farther, but he kept coming, beckoning to me. My feet stumbled, and I fell. Still facing him, I tried to get up, but he stood over me now. In his indistinct features, I could make out a crown on his head, glittering silver and purple. â€Å"Come,† he said, extending his arm to help me up. â€Å"It's time to go.† I was trapped. Helpless and trapped and out of options. I had never felt so desperate in my young life. It terrified me. I decided then and there that if I survived this, I would make sure I could never be helpless again. His hand touched my shoulder, and I screamed. As I did, some part of me reached out beyond my body and grasped the power lying around us – I blinked. Steam swirled around me in the sauna, and I felt lightheaded. I'd been in there too long; it was a wonder I hadn't passed out. Standing up, I had to grip the wall for support and close my eyes. My heart raced from the vision, the vision that finally convinced me all of this was true. I knew – knew with absolute certainty – that the dark man had been Storm King, my father. I could feel it within me. In my soul. Overcome, I sat back down, needing a few more moments to consider all this and get my bearings. Yet, the longer I sat there, the more I began to despair. Storm King really was my father. And as for the rest of my life†¦well, things were bad. And they were only going to get worse. Every horny gentry wanted to knock me up; the rest probably still wanted to kill me. I'd never have a moment of peace again. Minutes passed as I ruminated on all this, falling deeper and deeper into depression – as well as exhaustion. I felt fatigued, too apathetic to care about any of it now. What was the point? I had snubbed my parents today. I'd let Jasmine Delaney down. I had nothing to look forward to ever again except a life of fighting and running. And really, why should I even bother fighting anymore? Nothing mattered. It was hopeless. I should just cross over to the Otherworld and give myself up. At least it'd stop the agony of – I opened my eyes and sat bolt upright. What was wrong with me? Things were grim, but this†¦this wasn't natural. I blinked rapidly, trying to gain focus as I took deep breaths. There it was. I could feel it. A thick, unseen darkness wrapping itself around me. It touched me, crawling along my skin. It was trying to drag me down, to suck away all of my energy. All of my hope. Standing up, no longer dizzy, I pulled my robe off its hook and put it on. Slowly, I opened the door of the sauna and stuck my head out. I saw nothing too disconcerting, but that bleak feeling continued to swirl around me. The light almost seemed dimmer, darker than it should be for late afternoon. I squinted, trying to break the illusion, for that's what it was. Stepping completely out of the sauna, I tried to assess the source. The sauna was in the center of my house. Turn left to go to the kitchen and living room, right toward the bathroom and bedrooms. My weapons were in my bedroom; that was where I wanted to be. But if the thing was in the front of the house, I didn't want to turn my back on it. At last, I compromised by putting my back up to the hall's wall and sliding down it toward my bedroom. The distance wasn't far, but when you had to inch your way there, it felt like miles. Creeping, I passed Tim's closed bedroom door, grateful he wasn't here. He knew about my shamanic adventures, but that didn't mean I wanted him exposed to them. Next came the bathroom. Yeah, the only bathroom. The thing about cute little houses was the â€Å"little† part. I loved everything else about this place, but next time, I'd make sure my house had at least as many bathrooms as occupants. Tim and I had gotten into some nasty rumbles when – A hand reached out for me from within the dark bathroom, but I saw it coming out of my periphery. I ducked and slid across the hall as he lumbered out. A Gray Man. That had been one of my top three culprits for the negativity zone my house had become. Gray Men cast an aura of despair around them, feeding off physical energy and positive feelings. This one was, well, gray, of course. Other than that, he looked more or less human-shaped, with dark eyes and scraggly white hair. He was even dressed, which I took as a plus since other monsters and sometimes elemental gentry often came over in loincloths or nothing at all, depending on their strength. Considering what everyone wanted to do to me, I was pretty happy about keeping genitalia covered up. I tried to scramble toward my bedroom, but his long arm reached out and grabbed me by the hair. I yelled out as he dragged me toward him, pressing me to his body. At least he didn't say anything suggestive; Gray Men were apparently strong, silent types. But the way he grappled with my robe left little to the imagination about what he wanted to do. Struggling in his strong grasp, I tried to break free but mostly managed to loosen my robe more. Swearing, I decided if I couldn't get away, then I'd at least delay his amorous actions. My knee jutted up in one hard motion, hitting him in the groin. His hold on me loosened, and he groaned as one hand instinctively reached down between his legs. I broke away from him, still trying to make for my bedroom. Deciding he could ignore the pain, he lunged toward me, just stopping me from getting to my bedroom doorway. Gripping me by both shoulders, he shoved me up against the wall so that I faced it. Using that hard surface as a constraint, he held me with one arm against it while his other finished pulling off the robe. I felt his tongue lick my neck, but the truly disgusting nature of that couldn't really permeate me. I was in survival mode now. I struggled against him, hoping to make it difficult for him to get his own pants off. Being pinned liked this gave me fewer options for escape. Moving my hands against the wall, I groped around for something – anything – I could use as a weapon. Then my fingers brushed over a small decorative mirror that had been my grandmother's. It wasn't very big, but its frame was shaped like a sun – with sharp, pointed metal rays. Not only that, they were silver rays. Grabbing it from the wall, I held it in my left hand, not my dominant hand, but the hand I wore my amethyst ring on. The amethyst could cut through magic and glamour and also focus my own intentions. It wasn't as good as a wand, but it had to do. Concentrating on the stone, I let my will pour into it. The stone amplified my energy and then sent it into the silver frame. In as fluid a motion as I could manage in my confined state, I swung the mirror back, driving it into any flesh I could find. The Gray Man screamed, and I smelled something burning. He released me, and I turned around, not wasting any time, though I uneasily realized I'd dumped more energy into that silver than I should have been capable of. The mirror had stuck in his side and was smoking. It wouldn't kill him, but having it lodged in there was pretty serious. He reached out toward it with hesitant fingers, knowing he had to touch it to pull it out. I sprinted to my bedroom. He was only seconds behind me, but it was all I needed to arm myself in my bedroom. He came running in after me, but this time I was on the offensive. I used the silver athame to draw the death symbol on his chest, eliciting a tortured scream from him. Iron was the bane of gentry, but for whatever other reasons, silver hurt anything else Otherworldly. I didn't know why, but I didn't question it either. Especially when it had just proven so handy. Hurt or no, he pushed me backward. I landed on my bed, head hitting with a crack against the wall. It slowed me, but I had already started connecting beyond this world. I reached out, touched the world of death, and sent that connection through the wand. It leapt out at the Gray Man, sucking him in. He fought it, thrashing as though physical action might fight the pull. It couldn't. A moment later, he vanished. Almost immediately, the spell of despair in my house disappeared. It was like emerging from underwater. I could breathe again. I let my body slump and relax. I wanted to lean my head against the wall but knew that wouldn't feel too good after the hard blow I'd just sustained. A loud sound cracked out from the front of my house, like the door being kicked open. I jerked up, adrenaline going a second round as I heard footsteps pounding down the hall. I was reaching for the gun when a familiar voice yelled, â€Å"Eugenie?† Relaxing – only slightly – I watched as Kiyo burst into my room.