Restorative Justice The Criminal Justice System - 987 Words

Although, not a new concept in the criminal justice arena, restorative justice has become a popular tool in the fields of both victimology and criminology (Doble Greene, 2000). According to Doble Greene, (2000) Restorative justice has been defined as: â€Å"A theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused or revealed by criminal behavior. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that include all stakeholders.† Unlike the traditional criminal justice system, restorative justice main focus is on repairing those who have been injured by a crime (Doble Greene, 2000). In order to repair those that are injured by a crime, the acknowledgment that a crime has existed must take place first. Restorative Justice Approach Restorative justice has been found to permit the victim of a crime, the offender of the crimes, and the affected members of the affected community of that crime an opportunity to respond to the crime (Fisher, Ury, Patton,1991) . By recognizing that criminal acts are more comprehensive than that of the traditional approach of law breaking, restorative justice takes on a more contemporary approach to criminal justice (Gerkin, 2012). Restorative justice measures its success in the amount of harm that is repaired or prevented, rather than the amount of punishment that is inflicted to an offender (Fisher et al., 1991). Stakeholders of Restorative Justice Primary stakeholders of restorative justice are the victim/s of a crime, the offenderShow MoreRelatedRestorative Justice And The Criminal Justice System2380 Words   |  10 PagesTo What Extent Should Restorative Justice be incorporated within the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales? (2500 words) This essay will look into the notion of restorative justice and its relationship with the criminal justice system in England and Wales. Furthermore, it will also seek to show the extent of the relationship that the two hold. I believe that although some academics have provided research on the potential benefits regarding young offenders (Katz, 2000), there are still fundamentalRead MoreRestorative Justice Is A System Of Criminal Justice1948 Words   |  8 PagesRestorative justice is a system of criminal justice that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large. Understanding the definition may be really hard to understand, however when we put it in a different form that many can understand it comes down to repair, encounter and transformation. Our book describes restorative justice in three parts as accountability, community protection and competency development (Sieh, 2006). AccountabilityRead MoreRestorative Justice vs. the Criminal Justice System965 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Restorative justice is a humanistic way of addressing the gap that exists between constructive resolution of crime and the institutional systems devised by societies to address crime and manage criminals. The tack that restorative justice takes is to ameliorate the impact of crime on victims and other individuals, and to establish a responsive model of crime prevention and response to criminal incidents. Conventional criminal justice relies on the threat of punishment in order toRead MoreEssay about Restorative Justice and the Criminal Justice System1854 Words   |  8 PagesRestorative Justice 1 Running Head: RESTORATIVE JUSTICE Restorative Justice and the Criminal Justice System Jeffrey A. McGhee PSF5002 Survey of Public Safety Issues, Theory and Concepts 501 West Northern Parkway Baltimore, Maryland 21210 Telephone: 410-323-7452 Email: jmcghee6@gmail.com Instructor: Kenneth Szymkowiak Restorative Justice 2 The modern field of restorative justice developed in the 1970’s from case experiments in several communities with a proportionatelyRead MoreRestorative Justice And The Justice System1044 Words   |  5 PagesRestorative justice has can be seen to have multiple definitions among the most used are: A) a theory of justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior and B) an approach of justice that aims to satisfy the needs of the victims and offenders, as well as the entire community. The most broadly accepted definition of restorative justice, however, is a process where all the parties that have equal power in a specific offense and collectively come to a solution on how to deal withRead MoreRestorative Justice Is A Cost Effective Way Of Dealing With Crimes Essay1384 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Restorative justice is an option to the formal criminal justice system which emphasizes repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior. It can build the criminal law’s moral reliability and validity, which in turn will give the law the ability to gain compliance 377 (Elias., 2016). Although Restorative Justice has many benefits, it is not for everyone in every circumstance. In this research paper, I will be arguing that restorative justice is a cost-effective way of dealing with crimesRead MoreCriminal Law, Questions and Answers 1284 Words   |  5 Pages1 Introduction Restorative justice as a whole is not gaining support in South Africa as the majority of our country is in favour of the punitive system in order to combat the high levels of crime. However, there are several areas of criminal law that has received increasing support for restorative justice as opposed to our current system, such as when dealing with youth offenders. Despite the harsh criticism of restorative justice, it has received judicial recognition in a number of cases recentlyRead MoreLeadership And Management Of Restorative Justice1193 Words   |  5 PagesLeadership and Management of Restorative Justice To address the increasing recidivism rate among offenders in the juvenile and adult criminal justice system, comprehensive restorative justice programs should expand to a much wider faction of the United States criminal justice system. Programs should be implemented on federal, state, and local levels to effectively and efficiently achieve this goal. The goals that should be strived for must be kept in mind so that adequate progress can be made andRead MoreRESTORATIVE JUSTICE1036 Words   |  5 Pages Restorative Justice Introduction to Criminal Court Systems - CJA 224 January 20, 2014 Michael S. Hudson Restorative Justice Other than the conventional Criminal Justice process there is a new way to handle crime called the Restorative Justice program. This program exists only in certain cities throughout the United States. The Restorative Justice program has the purpose to reduce crime. This program has many steps, and during the course of the process hasRead MoreRestorative Justice: Reconciliation of Society, the Victim and the Offender1335 Words   |  6 Pagescharacteristic of restorative justice- to reconcile society, the victim and the offender- but also to rehabilitate the offender so that he is no longer an â€Å"enemy† of the criminal justice system. This form of justice is gaining support in South Africa; however there are limitations to this form of justice which also in turn limit its success in the future. Restorative justice alone is definitely not a method of justice which we can adopt but it may be possible that this form of justice can help if it

Aldof Hitler The Character Of Liesel Meminger And Adolf...

The protagonist, Liesel Meminger, is up against many antagonists in the novel such as human nature and its propensity for evil and Adolf Hitler. While Aldof Hitler is not a character in the novel per se, his actions and its consequences, such as the war and the Holocaust, functions as the novels central antagonist. In this novel, there are several different conflicts happening at once. The most overarching conflict in the novel is World War 2 due to Hitler. Liesel can be connected to Hitler through the power and love of words and human nature and its propensity for evil through the many losses of lives of people who were close to her. The resolution of the conflict is found after the bombing of Himmel Street when Leslie finds out everyone†¦show more content†¦The setting of the fictional novel The Book Thief is a sad bleak neighborhood on Himmel Street which is located in the fictional town of Molching, Germany. The setting takes place in the time of World War 2 around Janua ry of 1939 to some time in 1942. This setting makes the book more interesting due to the added conflicts of the war that appear to Leisel on top of the ones she already has. There are many themes to this novel such as criminality, courage, and love. But the most important theme is identity. In this novel, during World War 2, identity plays a huge role if one was Jewish. In order to stay alive, a Jew has to stay hidden. A wrong move can result in the death of one’s self or death of loved ones. one should not be hated for who they are, or in this case what religion one is. God made everybody different and unique in their own way. We dont have to be all alike, we can stand out. This is where courage takes place. One must have the courage to be who they are no matter if theyre hated or not. Liesel Meminger, the protagonist from The Book Thief, has many similarities and differences to Andrew Ender Wiggin, the protagonist from Ender’s Game. They both also handle their conflicts in similar ways as well. The protagonists both handled different yet similar conflicts both included wars during the novels. Andrew conflict was to defeat the buggers; but after, he lived out the rest of his life in space with his sister Valentine who came to live with him after he

Role of IMC in the Business Strategy-Free-Samples for Students

Question: In your own words, define and discuss IMC using your text and at least 4 other academic resources. Answer: What is IMC (Integrated marketing communication)? IMC is a concept of marking communication planning that helps in combining and evaluating strategic role. In other words, it is said that IMC is a strategic business process which is used by the company to plan, develop, execute and evaluate (Naeem, Bilal Naz, 2013). To increase the impact on the target audience this strategy of communication is followed, in which communication tools such as Advertising, sales promotion, public relation, etc. work together. The motive behind the implementation of the IMC by the company is to achieve or increase the sales or to create the brand image. IMC plays an important role in the organizational performance; it reduces the gap between the company and their customers. IMC is being adopted by the large organization across the world. It is implemented by the organization in the proper process to create a positive impact on the promotion strategies of the company. Customers get to know about the brand, which helps in increasing the sales and equity of the company (Belch, Belch, Kerr, Powell, 2014). IMC strategies are developed by focusing on the success of the company. For measuring the effect on the organization; an organization can see the increase in the customer response towards the products, by seeing the market performance or by communication effect related to the brand knowledge, brand awareness, etc. Two companies implementing integrated marketing communication McDonald and Blackmore. McDonald McDonald implements IMC in the organization, as this helps the company for making the effective promotion plans. The target audience of the McDonald includes teens and adults who need the good meal with quality services. By using model given below target model, the company is successful in forming a relationship with their customers. (Source: Lindalidan, 2016) McDonald's IMC choices are successful which helps the company in achieving the goals by integrating brand message with multiple brands. This is the effective way of promoting the products and services by the company. The company keeps adding innovative services so by following integrated marketing communication; the company will be able to communicate properly to the target audience. (Source: Lindalidan, 2016) Blackmore Limited Blackmore limited company is leading company situated in Australia who manufactures vitamin and diet supplements. The company is expanding in different countries across the world and providing its services in various countries. Blackmore is providing products by the mode of online. But talking about the current situation of the Blackmore in Australia, the sales of the company is slightly down than the other countries. The company started implementing integrated marketing communication in the company. As the basic aim and objective of the company are to increase the sales of the company. To compete with the competitor's company need to follow proper communication which makes the customer aware about the products Blackmore is providing. The below image shows the social media strategy followed by the company for promoting the products and increasing the sales of the company. Role of IMC in the marketing strategy Each and every organization wants to interchange its goods and services in the market. For that company need to form strategic marketing plan in which company decides from where to allocate the resources (Groupl, 2012). IMC is implemented considering the method of communicating with the customers. IMC make sure that the marketing communication tool used by the company will be able to create maximum impact on the customers. IMC ensures that the entire message and communication tool is linked together. IMC helps the company to identify the best marketing tool should be used under the marketing strategy. This helps the company in making the effective and successful marketing strategy. Role of IMC in the business strategy The organization makes business strategies related to the market. The company needs to decide the target market, Market Segmentation and the position of the market. The company needs to form strategies to deal with the competitors of the company. The products and services need to be distributed, for this company needs to form a channel of the distribution (Percy, 2014). With the use of IMC, the rate of defection will decrease sales growth will enhance. IMC also affect the financial level such as profitability, ROI, return on brand investment. Thus, a role of IMC is there in the business strategy. IMC is based on all the parameters and these parameters are included in the business strategy (Stephen Zoller, 2017). IMC is linked with all the marketing tools; these tools help the company in the marketing and making the further business strategy. IMC helps the company to form a healthy relationship with the customer. Several benefits of the IMC make company adopt IMC in their organization References Belch, G. E., Belch, M. A., Kerr, G. F., Powell, I. (2014). Advertising: An integrated marketing communication perspective. McGraw-Hill Education. Groupl, (2012). Role of IMC in the Marketing Process. Viewed on 4th August 2017. https://groupl.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/role-of-imc-in-the-marketing-process/ Lindalidan, (2016). Integrated Marketing Communication of McDonald. Viewed on 4th August 2017. https://mpk732t12016clusterb.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/integrated-marketing-communication-of-mcdonald/ Naeem, B., Bilal, M., Naz, U., (2013). Integrated Marketing Communication: A Review Paper. INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS. Vol:5, no:5. Percy, L. (2014). Strategic integrated marketing communications. Routledge. Stephen Zoller, (2017). The Secret Benefits of IMC to Drive Meaningful Results. Viewed on 4th August 2017. https://www.stephenzoeller.com/imcbenefits/

Lean Leadership free essay sample

Briefly describe the answers to the following questions about the readings: a. What simple, inexpensive tool is used by UNC Health Care to communicate to patients? What are the doctors required to do to use this tool? Why did the tool work so well? UNC Health Care initiative included a written care plan and a whiteboard in every room with daily goals to help keep the patient focused on his or her discharge date. So there was a focus on communication with patients. They had also daily care plan meetings and improved communications based on centralized, accessible data. According to Scholl, creating a fast, easy-to-use plan of care was the essence BCG’s work. Within first 24 hours following admission, the doctor now checks off the care and education a patient will need. With that care plan in place, the care manager and nurse know exactly what to do. Another part of lean initiative was a top-down review of day-to-day administrative procedures, and identifying common problems, bottlenecks in another areas. We will write a custom essay sample on Lean Leadership or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page No one had to work more hours. UNC Health Care launched a lean pilot program that is increasing efficiency and enabling the hospital to serve more patients. No new hires were needed. UNC health care did more with less! This tool work so well because a hospital with 800 beds that cuts average length by just 10% can free up nearly 80 beds per year, enabling the delivery of more than 4000 additional procedures and boosting operating profit by almost $30 million. What are five ways that businesses in the lean transformation might utilize â€Å"excess† people (i. e. those people made available as wasted time/motion is removed from the system) rather than letting them go from the company (1) Reduce overtime (2) Put the extra people on Kaizens (to get future payback) (3) In-source some components rom marginal suppliers (4) Cut the workweek across the board (5) Develop new product lines to grow the business. c. According to Art Byrne what should be the core of any company’s trategy and why? According to Art Byrne, the core of any company’s strategy is: â€Å"To my way of thinking, this is exactly backwards. Introducing lean techniques in every business activity should be the core of any company’s strategy. These provide both the opportunity and the resources to generate and sustain profitable growth. Profitable growth is what the strategic planners of the world are always seeking, but find hard to achieve because thei r company’s operations can’t deliver on their strategies. Why are value stream maps and system kaizens critical starting blocks for a lean transformation? The problem with sensei teaching system, once consultants with no direct link to Toyota and many self-taught managers began to practice it, was that there tended to be no big picture waiting to be revealed. Instead of flow kaizen directed at the total flow of value for a product family, there was only process kaizen, and usually lots of process kaizen, focused on isolated individual steps in many value streams. The likely result is â€Å"kamikaze kaizen†: lots of commotion, many isolated victories in the great war against muda, wide special initial enthusiasm on the basis of early results, impressive amounts of consciousness raising, and loss of the war when no sustainable benefits reached the customer or the bottom line. The solution is for firms without access to master sensei to start consciously at the system level for each product family. This means looking at the big picture, including the most important business needs, and determining the overall plan of march before conducting process kaizen on the individual steps. The value-stream map is an invaluable tool to help line managers along the value stream see the whole. The critical error made is failing to connect on one map the flow of information going back from the customer to the producer with the transforming actions on the product, in response to this information, as the good moves toward the customer. Making this connection is the critical leap in being able to see the closed circuit of demand and response that is the essence of value creation, an insight that traditional process maps, showing physical transformation alone, fail to provide. . Use of standard work in the office includes key points related to what three aspects of task performance? Including what in the standard work will reduce the likelihood that employees will drift away from using the standard work? First element of standard work is the â€Å"what†, that is defining the task to be performed. Second, the â€Å"how† to perform a step within a process and the à ¢â‚¬Å"why† – explaining the logic behind the defined tasks. Third element is time and timing. Standard work also includes the expected time to complete a task or group of tasks. Sometimes people drift away from standard work procedures over time. For example, an employee performing a task discovers a change that seems to help himself – a shortcut that enables him to complete his work more quickly. Will he be likely to play the scenario out and consider whether his change creates an unintended consequence further down the line? What if his change causes quality problems for a downstream process? The bottom line is that well-intentioned employees taking shortcuts can create new problems.

Todays Musician essays

Todays Musician essays In todays culture, music is a large part of our lives. Most people like music, but some love it. Musicians want to create their own music. They love going to stores and checking out the newest equipment. When someone becomes a musician they learn many things, that non-musicians would never know. Not everyone has the drive to be a musician. Being a musician has effected me in many positive ways. Learning music at a young age taught me responsible, how to manage my time, and how to communicate with others more quickly and efficiently. As I got older if gave me a hobby and a way express myself. I learned how to read and write music. It is important to be able to read and write music because I will be able to play anything I want. I learned all the different terms that musicians use. I learned how to play music in a band. Both marching and rock band. When someone is a musician, they have a different social life then people who are not. Musicians go to a lot of music clubs and concerts. Musicians also love to talk to other musicians about the newest instruments, brands, technology and ideas they have. Musicians are also popular with women. Women like musicians for their talents and love of music. Performing on stage gets you a lot of attention from people who like your music. Musicians also like to create their own music. Musicians express their feelings and political stand points in their music. Musicians also play songs they like to hear. So they may do some cover songs from their favorite band on stage. They spend countless hours perfecting their instrument, so they can sound good on stage. Musicians start bands to have fun and to make their dreams come true. Todays Musician does many things that you normally would not learn if you were not a musician. Whether its practicing alone, playing on stage, listening to music in my car, or talking to friends about music. Music in constantly in my ...

How to Know If Youre Really Ready for a Promotion at Work

How to Know If Youre Really Ready for a Promotion at Work You’ve been offered a promotion at work! Congratulations. It’s an honor and a good sign you’ve been doing a lot of things just right. Upward mobility can be tricky to navigate, and you’re one step closer to the top. But before you jump at the chance to make the transition from team member to department supervisor, there are a few things to keep in mind. Managing requires a markedly different set of additional skills. You might even find yourself doing less of the work you love and more of the managing. The perks are pretty easy to spot. You’ll get paid more, for starters- when taking on additional responsibility, you’re almost always rewarded with extra compensation. Your value to the company goes up, so does your paycheck.But there are also a few drawbacks you might not anticipate:Higher risk: The stakes are higher. So are the hazards, if those apply to your line of work. Also, more of your coworkers will be out to try and get your job. Youà ¢â‚¬â„¢ll have to keep your eyes open and deliver more than you have been expected to deliver previously.More company responsibility: Managers are often congratulated when a team produces good results. But they are also often blamed when those results aren’t up to par. No matter how well you directed your team or how hard you all worked, you’ll be expected to own the end results.Leadership: There’s no escaping the fact that you will have to assume a role of leadership. Good managers have to learn to inspire people, motivate them, keep them on track, give them space to do their work- but not enough to shirk it, etc. You’ll be part educator, part mentor, part taskmaster, part disciplinarian. A big portion of your new job will be spent this way.Delegation: If you’re not good at delegating or ceding control. If you’re a slave to details or have a hard time trusting others to perform at your level, be prepared for some anxiety. You will have to d elegate as a manager, and be comfortable with the results.More managing: If you really love the nuts and bolts of your job, keep in mind that your new job will involve a lot more managerial tasks, and a lot less of what you’re used to doing. This can be a tough adjustment.If you’re starting to feel yourself waver after reading this, ask yourself these three questions:1. Can I tolerate these new demands?Am I prepared to assume the new risk, the new responsibilities, shift my focus from what I’m used to doing to managerial tasks? And am I up for additional challenge and, perhaps, uncertainty? If the answer is yes, keep thinking.2. Can I manage others?If you’ve never managed before, try and think about the last time you were on a group project. Did you delegate any tasks? Take the lead in any way? Try to imagine how your coworkers have interacted with you in these situations. Did you easily assume a confident place of leadership? Did you feel you had their r espect and trust? Or did you hate every minute of it?3. What would I like doing more?It’s a fair question. If you really love your daily work and really don’t enjoy being in a leadership or supervisory position, then the extra money and challenge might not be worth it to you. If you’re really just hoping to work your way up the corporate rungs, then it might be a necessary first step.Remember, as you move up and up, you’ll constantly have to shift your skill set and update it accordingly. Don’t make any big leaps before you’re ready. But keep your eye on whatever prize you have in mind and you’ll be fine.

Customer Service Lapses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Customer Service Lapses - Essay Example Throughout, the patient was alone, and no help was provided to her to clear her prescription at the pharmacy. c. There was the lack of staff in the clinic for patient care. Only one physician was present, who had to take care of the patients in urgent care as well as in family medicine. Follow-up Questions a. How was the experience of the patient with respect to care provided by a physician? b. Was the medical staff including nurses, etc. helpful in giving medical assistance? c. What problems did the patient face on the visit related to (time, fees, care, medicine etc.)? Future Actions a. Hire the required staff necessary to facilitate the number of patients visiting each day to the clinic. Separate doctors should be there for attending patients in family medicine and urgent care. b. The staff has to make sure that no patient has to wait for long hours. Every task should be performed on time and must be organized. c. Curtail the excessive documentation; keep the system simple, manage able and effective. PDCA: (ASQ 20) Plan: Improve documentation process, reduce waiting time and get new staff hired. Track the changes by taking feedback from patients. Do: Bring immediate changes by assisting patients and reduce the waiting time. Check: Check the patients’ response on forms for checking system efficiency.

Critical care nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical care nursing - Essay Example The drugs prescribed demonstrate that the endeavor was to keep her blood pressure within normal limits, to keep her cholesterol levels in check and prevent any further cardiovascular complications, primarily as a measure to reduce the risk of a heart attack (NIH). The prescribed drugs are standard regimen to keep the blood thin, control blood pressure and reduce hyperlipidemia. However, 5 days post-discharge, the woman was presented again at the emergency department with the primary complaint being that of sudden onset of breathing difficulty. According to her husband’s statement, the woman had probably forgotten to take some of the prescribed medication, had undergone stress due to current heat wave, and had exerted herself while making preparations for the ensuing Christmas celebrations. Vital signs as registered on arrival at the emergency facility included a respiratory rate of 28, heart rate of 130 suggestive of rhythm sinus tachycardia, a B.P. of 140/100, oxygen saturati on of 94% on 6 litre oxygen via facemask and a capillary refill value greater than 3 seconds. On palpation her skin felt cold as well as clammy. Upon lung auscultation, bilateral fine crackles were discernible. Immediate treatment recommended and provided at this stage was in the form of GTN (Nitroglycerine) infusion and an IV diuretic, frusemide at a dose of 40 mg after which she was shifted to the ICU. In the ICU, sinus tachycardia was observed along with a HR (Heart Rate) of 133. ECG (electrocardiograph) revealed resolving acute anterior septal myocardial infarction with present Q wave. She had marked hypotension with a value of 85/70 and JVP was estimated at 6 cms above the sternal angle. Echocardiography revealed an ejection fraction of 50% with poor diastolic filling. Respiration was shallow and tachypnoeic with a RR of 35. Despite a supplement of 10L/Nonbreathing mask oxygen therapy, she continued to maintain poor oxygen saturation at 80-90%. Her pain score was determined as 5/10 and the urine output was 200mls. GTN infusion was discontinued and she was put on dobutamine at a dose rate of 500 mg/100 mls in 5% dextrose titrated to a MAP of 70 mm Hg. Mask CPAP was initiated. The woman’s age, BMI and the clinical symptoms presented clearly show that she is at a clear risk of a sudden onset heart attack which has occurred according to her presented symptoms on admission at the emergency facility. Such acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS) are a recognized reason for the high rise of cases needing hospitalization over the last few decades due to rising incidence of lifestyle diseases (Coons et al, 2009). The risk of mortality is high in such cases and therapy has to be instituted immediately. The above patient’s history, signs and investigative laboratory scores clearly show that she is suffering from acute onset heart failure. Her low BP (85/70), evidence of sinus tachycardia (HR 133), poor diastolic filling suggestive of reduced left ventricul ar ejection fraction (LVEF), low RR (35) and poor oxygen saturation despite artificial support are clear markers for her diagnosis (Coons et al, 2009). Although the above signs are sufficient for establishing diagnosis of AHFS, it has been suggested that newer diagnostic markers such as cardiac troponin and B-type natriuretic peptide levels can assist in establishing a positive diagnosis and should be employed (Pulkki et al,

Disabled Identity Essay Example for Free

Disabled Identity Essay The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how, from a historical perspective, media representation has impacted on the lives of people with disabilities, with a focus on facial disfigurement. A comparison between the terms ‘impairment’ and ‘disabled’ will clearly identify a difference between the concepts in terms of the medical and social models of disability. The paper will continue by analysing how negative media imagery has served to diminish the lives of people with facial disfigurement and ultimately been responsible for creating a ‘disabled identity’. Furthermore, the paper will highlight the shift from the medical model to a social model of disability, while taking into account the views and perceptions of groups of people with disabilities. It is important to consider the difference between the terms ‘impairment’ and ‘disabled’. Mason (2000) describes impairment as a characteristic, feature or attribute within an individual which is long term and may affect an individual’s appearance or affect the functioning of that individual’s mind or body, because of, or regardless of society. Mason further suggests that disabled people are those with impairments who are disabled by barriers in society. This includes people with physical impairments, people with visual impairments, people with learning difficulties and those who have experienced mental illness. The two terms ‘impairment’ and ‘disabled’ signal a difference between the concepts, in terms of the medical and social models of disability. According to Clough and Corbett (2000) the medical model points to practices which call on pathology. The model focuses on sickness, rather than health and reactive measures instead of preventative measures. Hence, under the medical model, disabled people are defined by their impairment, illness or medical condition. Open University (2006) suggest that the medical model promotes the view of a disabled person as dependent, needing to be cured or cared for. It justifies the way in which disabled people are excluded from society. Brainhe (2010) suggests that the social model is a concept which recognises that some individuals have impairments which can affect their ability to function in society. However, it is society that causes the individual to become disabled. According to Shakespear (1996) Identity is viewed by the medical model negatively as the focus in relation to disability is primarily based on adjusting, mourning and coming to terms with loss. Furthermore, identity is about belonging, what you have in common with others and how you differ from others. Conversely, the social model focuses on oppression within society and calls for change, empowering and promoting a different self-understanding. According to Changing Faces (2008) The word â€Å"disfigurement† is used to describe the aesthetic effects of a mark, rash, scar or skin graft on a person’s skin or an asymmetry or paralysis to their face or body. Furthermore, disfigurement can affect anyone in childhood or adulthood, from any ethnic group, whether it is the result of an accident, trauma, violent attack, caused by a disease such as cancer or the aftermath of a surgical procedure. Moreover, 112,000 young people in the United Kingdom have a significant facial disfigurement. Safran (1998) suggests that as a culture of mass media consumers, messages from newspapers and television impact on public attitudes towards individuals with disabilities and help shape social attitudes, through the provision of information about the nature of exceptionalities. Furthermore, encouraging social attitudes and acceptance are critical to inclusion for successful community and educational integration. Research by Bogdan (1988) indicated that during the nineteenth and twentieth century, media representation reflected the medical model of disability. Furthermore, people with disabilities have been used for entertainment and profit as human oddities and freaks for hundreds of years. Bogdan (1988) refers to two different styles of representation. The exotic mode presented the performer in a way that would ‘appeal to the spectator’s interest in the culturally strange, the primitive, the exotic’. Whereas in the Aggrandized mode of presentation, the emphasis was that despite condition, the performer was an upstanding, high status person. At the turn of the nineteenth century, audiences turned away from Freak shows, for reasons of exploitation. This resulted in isolation for the performer from society and the economy. Consequently, most performers spent the rest of their lives in institutions. Bogdan (1988, pg. 65) concluded: Freak shows disappeared because the performers had become curiosities of pathology and the scientific world. stigmatizing performers with a link to deviance. This stigma was such that visibility produced fear and repulsion and led to segregation and invisibility. According to Safran (1998) early film portrayal used disabilities to heighten the effect of slapstick comedies and melodramas, and frequently presented stereotypes of individual as victim or villain. Since 1904, wheelchairs presented a wide range of images including humor, evil, helplessness and confinement. After 1929, screenplays depicted physical disabilities. The horror film Frankenstein adapted various disabling characteristics, including motor difficulties; facial disfigurement to provoke fear (Longmore,1985). The portrayal of physical disabilities during the late 1940s was handled with greater sensitivity, spearheaded by images of returning veterans overcoming obstacles. Films such as The Best Years of Our Lives in 1946 and The Men (1950) focused appropriately on the shock of becoming disabled and accurately portrayed the rehabilitation process. During the civil rights era in the 1960s, people with physical impairments appeared in the mainstream, facing obstacles to live independently and by the late 1980s, more realistic portrayals evolved e. g. Born on the Fourth of July (1989) highlighting the trauma of coping with paralysis. In more recent years, representation of disability has been portrayed using positive images in films including My Left Foot and Gaby – A True Story (1987). However, negative themes of villainous disability continued e. g. The Fugitive (1993) which included Captain Hook imagery. According to Byrd (1989) between 1986 and 1988, sixty seven people with disabilities were portrayed in 53 of 302 films (17. 5%). More than half were victimised and less than one in five were heroes. Zola (1985) described the media as metaphorical, representing disabled people as a menace to society and victims. Bogdan et al in Safran (1998) examined the symbolism of disabilities in horror films and emphasized that portrayal of scarred, deformed and physically handicapped monsters in film, lead to a fear of people with disabilities. Furthermore, this could manifest as prejudice and unintentional social isolation. Films such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) and Peter Pan (1953) exploit disabilities to create fear in the viewers as a consequence of negative imagery. Longmore (1985) examined a variety of negative themes and images across a range of films and concluded that villainous and evil characteristics are reflected in three different stereotypes; disabilities as punishment for evil, persons with disabilities as embittered by their fate, and persons with disabilities resenting able-bodied individuals whom they wish to destroy. According to Whittington-Walsh (2002) in 1932, Tod Browning made a film called Freaks which demonstrated a visual display of ‘normalcy’ of the characters, showcased by actors who were physically or mentally disabled. The film attempted to project the real oppression they experienced from socially created attitudes and stigmas. However, it was a box office disaster and banned in England for 40 years. Critics argued that it perpetuated the stereotypical image of people with disabilities as psychotic killers, seeking revenge for their disempowerment. Whittington-Walsh (2002) suggested that what truly offends and shocks audiences is not only the visibility of the actors with disabilities, but the fact that the actors had no shame in showcasing their diversity. Furthermore, it is within the criticism of Freaks where institutional rejection of human diversity is found, not in the images Brown showcased. Whittington-Walsh (2002) refers to the term idiot savant which has been linked with disability and success. This image is used by the film industry as the ‘norm’ for disability representation. Charlton (1998) in Whittington-Walsh (2002) argues that if a person with a disability is successful, they are seen to be brave or special. Films including Forest Gump, My Left Foot and Rain Man portray characters with disabilities as savants. It is argued by Charlton (1998) in Whittington-Walsh that a constant portrayal of characters as savants serves to diminish the abilities and lives of people with disabilities. Furthermore, the films discussed also include themes of isolation and pathology, which relates to the idea of a ‘cure’, as evident through a medical model way of thinking, which ultimately links disability with illness. Wardle et al (no date) presented findings which showed that broadcasters often fall into stereotypical portrayals of disfigurement, for example as reclusive, devious or villainous characters. Factual coverage can also often be overly ‘medicalised’ with documentaries presenting them as quirks of nature, abnormal or in need of surgery. Furthermore, people with facial disfigurement are rarely given a voice and are often positioned as the object of a voyeuristic gaze. Schroeder (1998) notes, to gaze implies more than to look at it signifies a psychological relationship of power, in which the gazer is superior to the object of the gaze (Schroeder, 1998). Wardle et al(no date) suggests that issues such as stigma are generally neglected for the sake of programmes which focus on unusual or extraordinary disfigurements, in order to attract high viewing figures. Goffman (1968) describes stigma as a physical or social attribute or mark that devalues a person’s social identity which consequently disqualifies them from complete social acceptance. Furthermore, stigmatized groups include ethnic minorities, the physically handicapped and the facially disfigured. Moreover, although there are face to face differences between the groups, there is a common thread relating to obstacles, prejudice and discrimination. It is evident through research conducted by Wardle et al (no date) that recent understandings of disability have shifted to the social model largely due to disability rights movement. This movement was the start of developmental changes within society and to further support disabled people to gain equal social status and to eliminate oppression and discrimination. In addition, The Disability Discrimination Act emerged. Disability activists acknowledge ‘difference’ but identify the problem as societies who are unable to adapt in order to accommodate difference, rather than the individual who has the disability. The research concluded that both audiences with and without disfigurement wanted more every day, informed and balanced coverage. In interview, Margaret, 58, revealed that she had been disfigured for 54 years, but had never seen or read anything which portrays a positive image of a disfigured woman. Wardle, et al,no date) Norden et al (2007) suggests that in television and film there is evidence that representation is gradually undergoing a process of change which reflects social change. However, according to Wardle et al (no date) while the traditional side show context largely died out in the nineteenth century, the impulse to look/curiosity and fascination and the spectacle of disabled bodies are still evident in modern media coverage. Cumberbatch and Negrine (1992). carried out a study which highlighted that factual programming did represent disabled people and 16% of all factual programmes included disabled people. Lucas (2003) who was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Cherubism discusses her appearance on a television programme called What Are You Staring At? This is a BBC documentary on the subject of facial disfigurement. She reflects on her personal decision not to have plastic surgery and why she felt it important that society should consider prejudice towards people with disfigurement, rather than just concentrating on trying to fix or cure disfigured faces. To put it simply, my attitude was Yeah, lets look at the medical options and if people want surgery, thats fine. But lets also look at building up their self-esteem. Wouldn’t it be nice if we also worked at making a more tolerant society too? Lucas (2003) Lucas (2003) suggested that it is not her face that is the problem, but peoples prejudices. Furthermore she feels that we live in a society that says physical difference is bad and beauty is good. But this has resulted in disfigured and disabled people being treated like second class citizens because their bodies are different and they are seen as less than human. Moreover, societal ideals that cause us to question self image are nothing more than learned traditions and customs passed down through generations. According to Erin (2005) in KASA( 2012) who suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; typical stereotypes that characters in the media fulfill and have been fulfilling for decades on end, disabled innocence (Tiny Tim), disabled inspiration (Helen Keller), and disabled evil (Captain Hook). Furthermore, unfortunately still today, few movies seem to contain the element of disability at the end. The movie usually concludes with the character with being cured or dying, leading the viewer to the assumption that life with a disability can in no way be rewarding or fulfilling. Moreover, most media representation in unrealistic in relation to portrayal of life with a disability. Falsehoods regarding disabilities are spoon fed to society today, only to be regurgitated as ridiculous pressures on individuals with disabilities to conform to a misleading societal standard of beauty†¦ So just how has over a century of media lies and scattered truths affected us as disabled individuals? Is our self perception warped and self esteem damaged as a result of false images and stereotypes? †¦(Erin, 2005 in KASA, 2012) McEachran (2012) who has a facial disfigurement (non malignant growth on one side of his face) reflects on a recent episode of Top Gear, where TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson compared the size of a Japanese car to people with growths on their faces; mimicking Joseph Merrick (the Elephant Man) in the process: â€Å"You know sometimes you meet someone and they have a growth on their face and it is bigger than their face†¦ one of those really ugly things†. McEachran (2012) strongly believes that the crass remarks from Clarkson has reignited the stereotypes and phenotypes that have been socially and culturally constructed around the fallacy that there is a difference between a ‘figured face’ (whatever that means) and a ‘disfigured face’. Furthermore, TV and film are partly responsible for making disfigurements be seen as something unapproachable and not aesthetic to look at. Pearson (2012) was born with Neurofibromatosis. A rare condition that caused benign growths to grow on his head and face). He recently took part in the channel 4 programme; ‘Beauty and the Beast –Ugly Face of Prejudice’, in order to convince people to see beyond the exterior and judge others by their characters rather than their appearance. This paper has highlighted that representations of disfigurement in the media have changed dramatically over the past three centuries and consequently, has been responsible for some c hange in relation to societal attitudes. Television has been responsible for making the invisible, visible, as evidenced through more recent programmes, where people with facial disfigurements have been given the opportunity to give an insight into their lives and ultimately portray a more positive identity, while attempting to break down negative, stereotypical perceptions. Reflection In my early childhood, I remember becoming friends with a girl, Emma, whose face and body was predominately covered with red/purple marking. She walked with a visible limb and had a curled and deformed hand. I innocently asked why she had these ‘differences’ and she told me that they were just birth marks and that I couldn’t catch them by being her friend. Our friendship continued for many years and after that point, I never thought about her as ‘different’ and accepted her for who she was, my lovely friend. I now realise that this perception was through a child’s eyes because as a young woman my attitude changed. I began to experience a deep sense of pity for people with disabilities, particularly in relation to facial disfigurement and this was prevalent prior to completing the module. I feel that this pity may be a result of my own insecurities, and lack of confidence, as well as the realization that I don’t believe I would have the coping strategies to deal with a facial disfigurement. Furthermore, I have been drawn in by media portrayal of what ‘beauty’ looks like. Throughout the module, my perceptions have completely changed after listening to the experiences of people with facial disfigurement. I now consider that beauty comes from within and having a facial disfigurement should not have negative implications. I agree with Lucas (2003) that learned traditions and customs are passed down through generations. Consequently, educating children from a young age about impairments could have a profound impact on the way people with impairments are perceived in the future. I believe that with knowledge and understanding comes power, resulting in a more positive approach to disability, achievable through education and as a result passed on to other generations, ultimately challenging the term ‘disabled identity’.

A Comparison Of The Catcher In The Rye And The Adventures Of Huck Finn :: essays research papers

The forthcoming of American literature proposes two distinct Realistic novels portraying characters which are tested with a plethora of adventures. In this essay, two great American novels are compared: The Adventures of Huck Finn by Mark Twain and The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger. The Adventures of Huck Finn is a novel based on the adventures of a boy named Huck Finn, who along with a slave, Jim, make their way along the Mississippi River during the Nineteenth Century. The Catcher In The Rye is a novel about a young man called Holden Caulfield, who travels from Pencey Prep to New York City struggling with his own neurotic problems. These two novels can be compared using the Cosmogonic Cycle with both literal and symbolic interpretations. The Cosmogonic Cycle is a name for a universal and archetypal situation. There are six parts that make up the cycle: the call to adventure, the threshold crossing, the road of trials, the supreme test, a flight or a flee, and finally a return. There are more parts they do not necessarily fall into the same order, examples of these are symbolic death and motifs. The Cosmogonic Cycle is an interesting way to interpret literature because is Universal or correlates with any time period and any situation. The Call to Adventure is the first of the Cosmogonic Cycle. It is the actual "call to adventure" that one receives to begin the cycle. There are many ways that this is found in literature including going by desire, by chance, by abduction, and by being lured by an outside force. In The Adventures of Huck Finn, Huck is forced with the dilemma of whether to stay with his father and continue to be abused or to leave. Huck goes because he desires to begin his journey. In The Catcher In The Rye, Holden mentally is torn between experience and innocence, it would seem to him that an outside force is luring him to do something but in actuality he is beginning his journey because of his desire. The Call to Adventure is the first step in the Cosmogonic Cycle, it is the step at which the character or hero is brought into cycle. The Threshold Crossing is the second step, it is the place or the person that which the character crosses over or through into the Zone Unknown. The Zone Unknown being the place where the journey takes place. The threshold crossing is often associated with a character change or an appearance change. An example of this is in The Wizard of Oz, when the movie goes from black and white to color, showing a visual

Niche Bakeries Essay

Niche bakeries are becoming more popular though the last few years. These types of bakeries specialize in a certain type of baked goods and showcase them for their customers as well as having other types of more common baked goods available. This is the type of business that I would create. My niche bakery would specialize in individual cupcakes and pies as well as baking larger cakes and pies to order. Local customers will consist of area residents, business owners and students that can easily walk over to the bakeries location while on lunch break or after school and work to purchase what they want, and with the Internet available, I can expand my consumer base and ship my goods all over the United States. Customers can place their orders online, and I will be able to ship the product to their door. The area in which I reside does not have a type of bakery like this. We currently have a Wal-Mart and a Kroger’s Grocery if we want to purchase baked goods. While they are both good and they are also cheap considering their product, my bakery would offer a fresh home baked quality of product that could offer them some competition. I would say in this area, my niche bakery would be a monopoly market as that it would be the only one in this location. I would be able to set the prices for my product but would still need to keep in mind that if the price is too high, my potential customers will go back to purchasing their goods from the grocery chain bakeries. Looking at a broader area as with the Internet, I could say that I am in a monopolistic competition. Each niche bakery that sells baked goods such as this have relatively the same pricing, no one business sets the price for the other businesses. It is still a smaller industry but there are others in which I must compete for business. So advertising and a well made website will figure prominently in showcasing the goods I am selling in the best possible light. Elasticity of demand in a bakery is very important to know. If the price of ingredients goes up, the bakery owner must adjust for this increase. The higher the price elasticity of the product the less volume of the product that will be output, if for instance the demand for the product was highly elastic, then it wouldn’t make sense to increase the price of the product. The company would lose business because of this. Below in figures 1A and 1B is data that has been taken from the Bureau of Economic analysis from three different industries that are related to the niche bakery business. Between the years of 2007 to 2011, there shows a decrease in the earlier years but an increase within the year of 2011of growth in the food service and food and beverage industries. The retail industry has show a sharp increase and decrease in these years. Taking into consideration the growth in each of the food industries though, I can make the assumption that this is a business that could flourish and grow with the right type of marketing, promotion, and sales products. In looking at this type of business for my area, I have talked to some of the local residents and have found that they were amenable to a new specialty bakery in the area. This impromptu survey showed that the residents in the area expressed an interest in purchasing baked goods that were of homemade quality rather than mass produced market products. Increasing Revenue In order to increase revenue in this business, there are several things that would be necessary. Below are charts and tables regarding costs and revenues showing where breakeven points are and where profits can be made. However, one way to increase revenue, is to offer something the bigger superstores in the area are not. Make the product stand out by creating those special items like fruit compote filled cupcakes, special flavors not normally offered by the larger stores like Orange flavored cupcakes. Even offering some gluten free and vegan types of baked goods can bring in increased  revenue. Another way to increase revenue is to offer free samples; welcome customers in with a smile and offer them a free sample of some of the products available. By doing this, the customer can get an idea and a taste of the product and if they like it they may turn into a return customer and bring others with them. Also, offering a loyalty program can help to keep repeat customers coming in. Using a stamp card that offers a free product after so many purchases is one such loyalty program that other bakeries have used in the past that have worked. And in a small town region such as the one I live in, being a part of the community can go a long way to getting the name of my business out there and creating a customer base that can increase my revenue. People are more apt to purchase products from someone they know in order to help support businesses in the community. Profit maximizing Determining the profit maximizing quantity shows the incremental changes in profit for a company’s product. In calculating the profit maximizing quantity I will need the sales and expense reports for my proposed business. From this is can gather the profits at each level of sales. These numbers can then be calculated to show the marginal profit for each incremental change in profit. The marginal profit is defined as the change in profit for each additional unit sold. We can then use this information to determine the maximizing quantity. This is the amount that can be sold before the marginal profit starts to recede into the negative. By doing this I can figure out how much of a discount I could give on my products if they were bought in a bulk batch. For example if someone wanted a several dozens of cupcakes or miniature pies for a party. Marginal Costs and Marginal Revenue Marginal costs and revenues are used to find out how much it will cost to product additional units of goods for a company. I could use this as a way to figure out my total costs I would need to produce a product in my bakery. For instance below in Figure 1C I have created a chart to calculate the total revenue, marginal revenue, marginal cost and profit of different quantities of one type of cupcake. For this data I used a fictional total cost of 0.91 cents. This is what I figured it would cost to make just one  cupcake. From there I was able to calculate each of the columns using the formulas in Figure 1D. Figures 1E shows the startup costs and the estimated monthly costs of running a niche bakery of this kind. Figure 1F and 1G show the total fixed costs, total variable costs, the total cost and total revenue as well as the profits to be made in a table and a graph. The chart and graph also show the breakeven point. This is the point where that the production of a certain quantity of cupcakes will allow me to break even and then after that be able to show a profit. The breakeven point for the quantity of cupcakes is 6.5 cupcakes which means a profit will start showing at 7 cupcakes with a profit of 31 cents. Pricing and Non-pricing Strategies Pricing strategies that I could use for my bakery would be to offer lower prices on my website to customers that I will be shipping my product to, in location I can keep my prices competitive with other bakeries that are in larger cities. As a way of keeping waste to a minimum I can offer goods that are left over to the next day at half the original price. This was something I saw as a child at a local doughnut shop. The proprietor offered the day old goods at a fraction of a price. He was still making a profit,  but also there was less unnecessary waste because people would buy these up quickly. For non-pricing strategies I would rely on advertising of my product as one that is made with quality ingredients. As well as letting the customer base know that each of the goods available are made from scratch. I do not believe that a barrier can be created or increased because the bakery business has been in the market for a number of years. Also, because it is a niche bakery, it is a branch off the traditional type of bakery. Product Differentiation Some ways to introduce product differentiation would be to make my product with seasonal items and local produce. Where I live we have raspberry and strawberry farms as well as apple, and other fruits. It would be easy to have the produce shipped to the store when it was in season from the local farms, or even picked up to create fillings, jellies, and other sundry items that I could sell in my bakery to the local residents. Cost Minimization Cost minimization would be hard to do in this instance, because I want to retain a quality product from good quality ingredients. I could minimize cost by purchasing my ingredients in bulk. This would give me a lower price per unit of measure. I could also purchase lower end products. However, if I were to purchase lower end products like margarine instead of real butter, this would be a significant drop in cost; however it would also be a significant drop in quality. I believe minimizing cost may not be feasible given the quality of the product. Conclusion Creating a business is a large endeavor not to be thought on lightly. There are many avenues to pursue in order to figure out and find the data needed to find out if the business a person wants to create is the right one for their location and meets the needs of their community. If they do create a business, there are different ways to figure out how to keep revenue coming in and finding ways to create more revenue. Each of the sections of this proposal allowed me to take a better look at the type of business I would consider opening. References Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=5&step=1 Gaines, M. (2012). Guide to the Bakery Business. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/guide bakery-business-2400.html Isidro, I. (2009). Starting a Bakery: Success in the Niche Food Business. Retrieved from http://www.powerhomebiz.com/blog/2009/10/starting-a-bakery-success-in-the-niche-food-business/ Kimmons, R. (2012). Pricing Vs. Nonpricing Strategies. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/pricing-vs-nonpricing-strategies-14166.html moffatt, M. (2012). Marginal Revenue and Marginal Cost Practice Question. Retrieved fro http://economics.about.com/od/coststructure/ss/revenue_costs.htm

My Best Beauty Pageant

As soon as the host, Jason â€Å"The Local Celebrity† Jacobsen, introduced me to the crowd as a wonderfully gifted dancer I thought I was in trouble and had made a mistake because my specialty performance was singing, not dancing! I could feel the rush of blood drain from my head and I became so light-headed that I had to lean against the backstage railing that was leading up to the stage behind the velvet curtains. I could feel the cold sweat beginning to condense on my forehead. I remember thinking, â€Å"Oh no!My make-up is going to smear! † My mom later told me that my eyes were as big as apples when I shot a glance at her right after he said that I would be dancing for my special talent section. I nervously walked out onstage with my hands shaking and sheepishly walked up to Jason to whisper to him in his ear, â€Å"Sorry Jason, but I like to sing more than I like to dance so I’m going to sing, O. K.? † He smelled like expensive cologne and his hair h ad way too much gel in it. I thought he was going to throw me out of the pageant!Thankfully he handled it like the good host he was and then he apologized to the crowd for his â€Å"egregious† error and then he excitedly announced to the crowd, â€Å"We are in for a huge surprise, we are going to be serenaded by song instead of dance, enjoy! † He looked back at me with a huge, fake smile and delivered the tried and true line, â€Å"Alright, the stage is yours, take it away! † It almost felt like I was in a cheesy teenaged Disney movie. As soon as the lights dimmed and the crowd settled in I knew I was going to be great.I composed myself, took a few deep breaths and waited for the song to begin. After all, I had practiced I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly hundreds of times before. Of course it was going to be great. Right? I remembered the first time I heard the song at the end of the movie Space Jam with Michael Jordan and I immediately fell in love with the song because of the hope it inspires. I remembered singing it to my parents at the dinner table the night before the pageant and them standing up and cheering for me after I had finished.Most of all, I remembered waking up in the morning and immediately posing in front of my bedroom mirror, comb/mic in hand, and belting out I Believe I Can Fly before I hopped in the shower and to sing it some more. If you want to know the truth, I don’t even remember singing in the pageant. As soon as it had begun, it was over. All those flashbacks must have occurred while I was on stage. The next thing I knew the crowd was on their feet and clapping and cheering. For me! I couldn’t believe it.Jason Jacobsen came out from backstage and gave me a wonderful hug and I smelled his god-awful cologne again and then the next instant I was back in the dressing room sitting in disbelief staring at myself in the mirror. I had no clue if I even sang the right words but all I can tell you is that was t he greatest feeling I’ve ever had in my whole entire life! It didn’t even matter to me whether I won or not, I had fulfilled my dream of performing my favorite song in front of an audience of strangers, and apparently they even liked it. Who could ask for more? I was really flying†¦

A Plan of Action for Success in High School or College

A Plan of Action for Success in High School or College Strategic plans are tools that many organizations use to keep themselves successful and on track. A strategic plan is a roadmap for success. You can use the same sort of plan to establish a route to academic success in high school or college. The plan may involve a strategy for achieving success in a single year of high school or for your entire educational experience. Ready to get started? Most basic strategic plans contain these five elements: Mission StatementGoalsStrategy or MethodsObjectivesEvaluation and Review Create a Mission Statement   You will kick off your roadmap for success by determining your overall mission for the year (or four years) of education. Your dreams will be put into words in a written statement called a mission statement. You need to decide ahead of time what youd like to accomplish, then write a paragraph to define this goal. This statement can be a little vague, but thats only because you need to think big at the beginning stage. (Youll see that you should go into detail a little later.) The statement should spell out an overall target that would enable you to reach your highest potential. Your statement should be personalized: it should fit your individual personality as well as your special dreams for the future. As you craft a mission statement, consider how you are special and different, and think about how you can tap in to your special talents and strengths to achieve your target. You might even come up with a motto. Sample Mission Statement Stephanie Baker is a young woman determined to graduate in the top two percent of her class. Her mission is to use the gregarious, open side of her personality to build positive relationships, and to tap in to her studious side to keep her grades high. She will manage her time and her relationships to establish a professional reputation by building on her social skills and her study skills. Stephanies motto is: Enrich your life and reach for the stars. Select the Goals   Goals are general statements that identify some benchmarks youll need to accomplish in order to meet your mission. Most likely you will need to address some possible stumbling blocks you may face on your journey. As in business, you need to recognize any weaknesses and create a defensive strategy in addition to your offensive strategy. Offensive Goals: I will set aside specific times to do homework.I will build relationships with teachers who write great recommendations! Defensive Goal: I will identify and eliminate time-wasting activities by half.I will manage relationships that involve drama and that threaten to drain my energy. Plan Strategies for Reaching Every Goal   Take a good look at the goals youve developed and come up with specifics for reaching them. If one of your goals is dedicating two hours a night to homework, a strategy for reaching that goal is to decide what else might interfere with that and plan around it. Be real when you examine your routine and your plans. For instance, if you are addicted to American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance, make plans to record your show(s) and also to keep others from spoiling the outcomes for you. See how this reflects reality? If you think something so frivolous as planning around a favorite show doesnt belong in a strategic plan, think again! In real life, some of the most popular reality shows consume four to ten hours of our time every week (watching and discussing). This is just the sort of hidden roadblock that can bring you down! Create Objectives   Objectives are clear and measurable statements, as opposed to goals, which are essential but indistinct. They are specific acts, tools, numbers, and things that provide concrete evidence of success. If you do these, youll know youre on track. If you dont carry out your objectives, you can bet youre not reaching your goals. You can kid yourself about many things in your strategic plan, but not objectives. Thats why theyre important. Sample Objectives Buy a planner and write in it every day.Sign a homework contract.Secure a device for recording my favorite shows.Take a learning style exam to determine my best learning style. Evaluate Your Progress   Its not easy to write a good strategic plan on your first try. This is actually a skill that some organizations find difficult. Every strategic plan should have in place a system for an occasional reality check. If you find, halfway through the year, that you are not meeting goals; or if you discover a few weeks into your mission that your objectives arent helping you to get where you need to be, it may be time to revisit your strategic plan and hone it.

Sports Ethics and Our Society

Sports Ethics and Our Society Sports ethics is that branch of the philosophy of sport addressing the specific ethical questions that arise during and around sports competitions. With the affirmation of professional sports in the past century as well as the rise of a voluminous entertainment industry related to it, sport ethics has come to be not only a fertile terrain for testing and developing philosophical notions and theories, but also a foremost point of contact between philosophy, civil institutions, and the society at large. Lessons of Respect, Justice, and Integrity Sports are based on the fair enforcement of rules. At a first approximation, this means that every contestant (being an individual player or a team) has the right to see the rules of the game applied in equal measure to each and every contestant while having the duty to try and respect the rules as best as possible. The educational importance of this aspect, not just for children and young adults but for everyone, can be hardly overstated. Sport is a critical tool to teach justice, the respect of rules for the benefit of a group (the contestants as well as the spectators), and honesty.And yet, as it happens outside a competition, one may wonder if - at times - players are justified in seeking an unequal treatment. For instance, when breaking the rule will offset some mistaken call that the referee has made earlier the game, or will partially make up for some economic, social, or political inequities that stand in between the contesting teams, it seems that a player may have some ju stifiable motives for breaking the rule. Isn’t it simply fair that a team who has had a valid touch down not counted in will be given some minor advantages over the next attack or defense situation?This is, of course, a delicate matter, which challenges our ideas circa justice, respect and honesty in a way that mirrors the key issues humans face in other spheres of living. Enhancement Another major area of confrontation regards human enhancement and, most notably, cases of doping. Considering how invasive the application of drugs and medical techniques is to the contemporary professional sport, it has become increasingly difficult to set an intelligent boundary between those performance enhancers that shall be tolerated and those that shall not be tolerated. Every professional athlete competing for a well-off team receives medical aids to enhance his or her performances in amounts that range from thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands and, perhaps, millions. On one hand, this has contributed to spectacular results, which much add to the entertainment side of sport; on the other, however, wouldn’t it be simply more respectful for the athletes’ health and safety to set the bar for tolerance of enhancers as low as possible? In what ways enhancers have affected the relationship between body and soul among athletes? Money, Just Compensation  and the Good Life The increasingly high salaries of certain athletes and the disparity between the pay of the most visible ones as opposed to the pay of the least visible ones have also offered the opportunity to rethink the issue of just compensation that much attention had received in eighteen hundred philosophy, with authors such as Karl Marx. For instance, what is the just compensation for an NBA player? Should NBA salaries be capped? Should student athletes be granted a salary, in consideration of the business volume generated by NCAA competitions?The entertainment industry associated with sports also offers us, on a daily basis, the opportunity to ponder to what extent income can contribute to leading a good life, one of the central themes of ancient Greek philosophy. Some athletes are sex symbols too, generously rewarded for offering their body image (and sometimes their private lives) to the public attention. Is that really the life of a dream? Why or why not? Further Online Reading IAPS’s website, the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport, with links also to its official publication outlet, the Journal of the Philosophy of Sport.A resource guide to the Philosophy of Sport prepared by Dr. Leon Culbertson, Professor Mike McNamee, and Dr. Emily Ryall.A blog devoted to the philosophy of sport, with news and events.Recommended reading: Steven Connor, A Philosophy of Sport, Reaktion Books, 2011.Andrew Holowchack (ed.), Philosophy of Sport: Critical Readings, Crucial Issues, Prentice Hall, 2002.

Market Plan for Toyota Camry Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Market Plan for Toyota Camry - Term Paper Example This term paper describes Toyota Camry as a product of the Toyota corporation and analyzes it's marketing strategies that were used by the corporation to promote the product. Toyota Camry is one of the innovative hybrid vehicles of Toyota which brings excellent benefits to the company. Though Toyota faces many challenges in their business that were compared but they successfully tackle the challenges through good marketing research and strategies used. The researcher states that Toyota uses all possible efforts to make Camry as well as other products to become successful in vehicle industry. For promoting their products Toyota company use many sales promotion campaigns that were mentioned in the term paper with an aim to build and sustain good relationship with customers and clients. One of the benefits mentioned by the researcher was that Toyota provides free check up and service to customers and financial support from bank to help customers purchase car easily. Toyota also targets its customer by running advertising campaign on various automotive websites, that are perfectly designed and developed to create a great impression on the possible customer. Toyota had developed java–based advertising in the ‘Annual Nationwide Clearance Event’ in the year 2002. In conclusion, Toyota Corporation always tries to make certain creative design and use modern technology in their vehicle to influence potential customers to buy their products and make products by considering the needs and preferences of customers.

Why the World Should Turn to Nuclear Energy Research Paper

Why the World Should Turn to Nuclear Energy - Research Paper Example On top of that the demand for fossil fuels will increase along with an increase in the prices and lesser supplies. The only alternative to solve the problem of energy crisis in a manner that it does not affect the environment and also does not result in economic stagnation might be nuclear energy (Wolfe; Pearson and Goodwin). It is gradually being accepted all over the world as an energy efficient and alternative source of fuel. Countries like France generate 75 percent of their power and have cleaner air quality (Walton). Nuclear energy is cheap, safe and produces minimum waste. This paper argues in favor of increasing adoption of nuclear energy to meet future needs. Arguments for Nuclear Energy For most of the developing countries such as France and Japan, and other developing countries such as China and India, nuclear energy has remained a topic of major debates and energy policies. China plans to add 30 nuclear plants by 2020, whereas India plans to generate 25 percent of its ene rgy from nuclear plants. Why the countries have laid emphasis on nuclear energy is summed up below (Holton). Environmental concerns due to rising greenhouse emissions As the worldwide demand for electricity rises, increasing amounts of fossils fuels have been used, and have led to the heightening of carbon emissions and the greenhouse effect. Most countries all over the world have a major concern as to how to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the developing countries have increased industrial production and hence the requirement for energy is high. The Kyoto Protocol in 2005 has raised the issue of nuclear energy as an alternative, solar and wind energy being also debated, but the latter two have problems of huge space requirements. Prominent environmentalists have supported nuclear energy and scientists predict that it can reduce the carbon emissions by 25 percent by tripling nuclear generating capacity worldwide (Holton). Low cost of nuclear energy production Due to pot ential climate change, carbon emissions are have been capped and thus become expensive due to imposition of carbon taxes. Alternative carbon free energy is needed, that will be compliant with the emission needs and also cater to the demand. Nuclear power is currently the cheapest, low-carbon option for generating electricity. In the US, hydroelectric power plants are regulated so as to allow salmon fish to regain their habitat, and ability of biomass and geothermal sources producing electricity is limited. Nuclear power will increase the cost competitiveness, and studies my MIT scientists reveal that it can bring the prices down to $5 per 15 tons (Arm). Minimal waste generated by nuclear plants Nuclear waste is radioactive and remains radioactive for a long period of time, and can be potentially dangerous to human health (Dupea and Morley). The advantage in nuclear waste is that it is not directly released into the atmosphere unlike coal and oil emissions. This radioactive waste can be safely buried in underground repositories without harm to the environment. The feasibility of such a disposal technique has been studies and supported by scientists (Wolfe). Another way to even reduce the volume of waste is to generate power by processing this waste to recover unused uranium and other fissile material. This optimizes waste disposal, increasing economic viability and considerably increasing sustainability by not relying on such waste repositories (Arm). Nuclear waste, if reprocessed, is small in volume, and limited uranium supplies can be extended through it. Nuclear waste takes up very little space, and nuclear powers per capita lifetime waste could be fitted into a can of soda

The Balanced Scorecard Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

The Balanced Scorecard - Essay Example This direction is centrally provided in four dimensions which include financial, customer, internal process and learning and growth perspectives. SASA is an International Holdings Limited retailing group providing cosmetics. It is incorporated in Hong Kong, now enjoys the position of leading cosmetic provider from Asia. The success of SASA like any other business is the reflection of the effective strategic management. For continuing the practice of effective strategic management, the underlying report develops the Balance Score Card for the SASA Company for the further organized and effective strategic management. Hence, the accounting manager of SASA presents BSC plan to the strategic management of the company. COMPANY REVIEW Established in 1978 in Hong Kong, SASA now owns over 600 brands with 17,000 products to fulfill the customer’s cosmetics needs. SASA now successfully serves customers on more than 270 counters including stores and other options. In additional, service t o customers is also provided on online platform. Euromonitor 2013 rated SASA the largest cosmetic chain among the top 500 retailers of Asia and among the top ten Hong Kong’s retailer groups (SASA, 2013a). ... Under this domain, Sa Sa has around 260 multi brand store and seven specific specialty store in addition to the online service. The brand Management section encompasses nearly 100 brands exclusive and is only brand manager in Hong Kong (SASA, 2013a). EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT Cosmetic industry in Hong Kong is dominated by the imports from foreign market including France (US $1.7 Bn 2012) and USA (US$ 425 Bn in 2012). Hence, market is dominated by the foreign market; therefore, offers attractive potential for growth for the brand management section of the Sa Sa. The forecasted growth for future of the mentioned import is 13 percent and 15 percent in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Nearly, 35 million tourists from China in 2012 landed and offered potential to the Hong Kong market of Cosmetics and offers wide expansion opportunity to the locals businesses and foreign brands. It is important to mention, that though the potential to growth is extensive as no import duties are charged; however, the market is very competitive and top ten cosmetic provided hold 70 percent of the market (Export. gov, 2013). MISSION The mission statement of SASA clearly identifies its way of doing business. Mission identifies clearly that business concerned to work in four dimensions that include customers, employees, suppliers and overall society (SASA, 2013b). Every strategy of SASA is directed by leveraging expertise and benefits to and from these four pillars of SASA. VISSION The vision of SASA is to develop expanded foot prints with retail value added cosmetics and professional beauty expert service provider in the global market with central focus in mainland in China (SASA, 2013b). INTERNAL STRENGTHS ASSESSMENT (SWOT) Sa Sa is well reputed brand of Hong Kong in cosmetics industry.

The World’s Most Misunderstood Breed of Dogs Essay Example for Free

The World’s Most Misunderstood Breed of Dogs Essay When many people see a pit bull or the breed is mentioned they instantly stereotype them as being aggressive and monstrous beasts, this however is not the case as all! Pit bulls have been breed over the years as fighting dogs. The owners have raised them to be extremely violent and attack other dogs by treating them harshly and training them to do so at a young age. However, over the years people have wrongfully stereotyped pit bulls because their owners have trained them to be violent. The only dogs that do are the ones that have been trained to do so by humans. The humans are the ones who have created this so called â€Å"monstrous beast†. Pit bulls are the world’s most misunderstood breed of dogs that have been wrongfully stereotyped against for many years. It is a myth that pit bulls are genetically driven to kill people. â€Å"Dogs are not machines; they are living organisms. Like all living organisms, a dog’s behavior is influenced by both genetics and environment. How a dog owner manages his or her dog will determine whether the dog becomes a danger to humans. No dog is driven entirely by genetics to attack people, and no dog breed has been created or bred into such a state that all dogs of the breed are compelled to attack people. Dogs that are raised as beloved family pets do not kill people.† This statement above fully describes how not all pit bulls are aggressive and how if raised properly they are amazing dogs. This shows that pit bulls can be aggressive but that is only because they have been brought up in an environment that encouraged aggressive behavior and were rewarded for it by their owners. Also, according to American Temperament Test Society the American Pit bull Terrier has a very high passing rate of 82.6%. This statistic shows that Pit bulls are good tempered dogs and are not all aggressive. The American Temperament Test Society also shows that the average passing rate is 77%. This means that Pit bulls are above average when it comes to temperament compared to many other breeds of dogs. This same source adds that Pi t bulls are less likely to attack than a Rottweiler, German shepherd, or a Chow. This evidence shows that a Pit bull is no more aggressive than any other dog. Pit bulls have been given a bad reputation that they cannot seem to shake. This reputation has caused this type of dog to be banned in parts of the United States and across the country. It is sad knowing that there are  other breeds of dogs that are just as likely to be aggressive and yet Pit bulls have been stereotyped as the most aggressive breed of dogs. Many people have stereotyped the breed before they have ever encountered a Pit bull, I am actually guilty of this. Before I had ever come in contact with a pit bull I thought they were naturally aggressive dogs and boy was I wrong. My sister’s boyfriend, Antonio, got a Pit bull and we all decided to name her Coda Bear. She is the sweetest dog ever and is in no way aggressive. I have two Golden Retrievers and when Antonio brings Coda Bear over to play she is very submissive to one of my dogs, Bailey. I would say that Bailey is probably more aggre ssive than Coda Bear. Recently Coda Bear got out of her fenced yard and dog into a dog fight. And right now I am sure that most of you are thinking that Coda Bear started it, but this is not the case. Coda was attacked by another dog and didn’t even know how to defend herself. She ended up in the hospital and had bite marks all over her. The hospital automatically assumed that Coda had started the fight and told Antonio that his dog might have to be put down if they found that she was aggressive. After interacting with Coda at the hospital and doing an aggressive test on her the hospital found that Coda was in no way aggressive. When attacked by the other dog she did not attack back, she simply took the abuse until the attack was broken up by Antonio. Coda Bear recovered quickly and is her perky happy self again that we all know and love. Whenever Coda sees someone she doesn’t want to attack them; she just wants to run up to them and lick their face till it is sopping wet from all her kisses! My experience with a Pit bull has proved to me that Pit bulls are loving dogs that have been wrongfully judged and stereotyped. Pit bulls were not born wanting to hurt or even kill any animal or person; they were trained to do it. The owner created that aggressive dog, the dog did not choose to be this way. Many people simply forget this and automatically assume that the breed itself is aggressive, when it is really the owners who train them to be this way. Also many Pit bulls are being euthanized when taken to a shelter because they believe that they are aggressive dogs and that no one will want to adopt them. Pit bulls were originally known as â€Å"nanny dogs† because they were so great with kids and were very tolerant and loving. Since people began fighting Pit bulls they have lost this reputation. Hopefully they will get this reputation back because they truly deserve it; they are wonderful dogs.

The Argument Against Nozicks Distributive Justice Essay -- Law

Argument Against Nozick’s Distributive Justice Robert Nozick argues in his Entitlement Theory that there are three main topics in the justice of holdings: the acquisition of ‘un-held things’, the transfer of holdings, and the rectification of injustice in holdings.1 Nozick’s theory of what makes a transfer of holdings ‘just’ should be rejected for two key reasons and the rectification of injustice of holdings should be rejected for two key reasons. Robert Nozick declares a transfer of holdings just if the exchange is voluntary and if the holding being exchanged was originally acquired by just means.2 The first key point of this argument that should be rejected is the fact that the grounds for a ‘just’ transfer of holdings relies solely on whether or not the exchange was voluntary by both parties. With this low standard of justice, it permits voluntary exchanges in which one party unknowingly, probably because of circumstances they cannot control such as a limited mental capacity, could voluntarily commit to a transfer in holdings that will negatively affect them, either indirectly or directly. These people may voluntarily agree to a transfer in holdings that they would most certainly not agree to if they were in their right mind and could consider all of the factors playing into the transfer. There are these people who are not in their right mind or who don’t have to mental capacity to keep their best inter ests in mind, and there are also people who would willingly take advantage of these people to further their own selfish agendas. If one was to uphold Nozick’s grounds for what makes a transfer of holdings ‘just’, one is allowing people to cheat people with lesser mental capacities out of what is rightfully theirs through ... ...nd make the whole process of trade and acquisition very slow and cumbersome. Unless there was someway to effectively track and record every transaction in a fast and streamlined way, the rectification of holdings could effectively halt a market. Thus, for the four reasons stated above, Robert Nozick’s topics of transfer of holdings and rectification of holdings within his entitlement theory should be rejected. Not only are Nozick’s propositions inefficient and immoral, they may also create double standards as to what constitutes as an injustice. Works Cited 1 Robert Nozick, â€Å"’Distributive Justice’ from Anarchy, State and Utopia† in Tamar Szabà ³ Gendler, Susanna Siegel, and Steven M. Cahn (eds.), The Elements of Philosophy: Readings from Past and Present (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008), 309—310. 2Nozick, 309—310. 3Nozick, 310. 4Nozick, 311.

Deception Point Page 67

As they walked to the elevator, the old man said, â€Å"Sometimes all it takes to unravel something is a single strand. Perhaps we can find a way to eat away at NASA's victory from within. Cast a shadow of distrust. Who knows where it will lead?† The old man locked his tired eyes on Sexton. â€Å"I am not ready to lay down and die, senator. And I trust nor are you.† â€Å"Of course not,† Sexton said, mustering resolve in his voice. â€Å"We've come too far.† â€Å"Chris Harper lied about fixing PODS,† the man said as he boarded the elevator. â€Å"And we need to know why.† â€Å"I will get that information as fast as I can,† Sexton replied. I have just the person. â€Å"Good. Your future depends on it.† As Sexton headed back toward his apartment, his step was a little lighter, his head a little clearer. NASA lied about PODS. The only question was how Sexton could prove it. His thoughts had already turned to Gabrielle Ashe. Wherever she was at the moment, she had to be feeling like shit. Gabrielle had no doubt seen the press conference and was now standing on a ledge somewhere getting ready to jump. Her proposition of making NASA a major issue in Sexton's campaign had turned out to be the biggest mistake of Sexton's career. She owes me, Sexton thought. And she knows it. Gabrielle already had proven she had a knack for obtaining NASA secrets. She has a contact, Sexton thought. She'd been scoring insider information for weeks now. Gabrielle had connections she was not sharing. Connections she could pump for information on PODS. Moreover, tonight Gabrielle would be motivated. She had a debt to repay, and Sexton suspected she would do anything to regain his favor. As Sexton arrived back at his apartment door, his bodyguard nodded. â€Å"Evening, senator. I trust I did the right thing by letting Gabrielle in earlier? She said it was critical she talk to you.† Sexton paused. â€Å"I'm sorry?† â€Å"Ms. Ashe? She had important information for you earlier tonight. That's why I let her in.† Sexton felt his body stiffen. He looked at his apartment door. What the hell is this guy talking about? The guard's expression changed to one of confusion and concern. â€Å"Senator, are you okay? You remember, right? Gabrielle arrived during your meeting. She talked to you, right? She must have. She was in there quite a while.† Sexton stared a long moment, feeling his pulse skyrocket. This moron let Gabrielle into my apartment during a private SFF meeting? She stuck around inside and then departed without a word? Sexton could only imagine what Gabrielle might have overheard. Swallowing his anger, he forced a smile to his guard. â€Å"Oh, yes! I'm sorry. I'm exhausted. Had a couple of drinks, too. Ms. Ashe and I did indeed speak. You did the right thing.† The guard looked relieved. â€Å"Did she say where she went when she left?† The guard shook his head. â€Å"She was in a big hurry.† â€Å"Okay, thanks.† Sexton entered his apartment fuming. How complicated were my goddamn directions? No visitors! He had to assume if Gabrielle had been inside for any length of time and then snuck out without a word, she must have heard things she was not meant to hear. Tonight of all nights. Senator Sexton knew above all he could not afford to lose Gabrielle Ashe's trust; women could become vengeful and stupid when they felt deceived. Sexton needed to bring her back. Tonight more than ever, he needed her in his camp. 79 On the fourth floor of the ABC television studios, Gabrielle Ashe sat alone in Yolanda's glass-walled office and stared at the fraying carpet. She had always prided herself on good instincts and knowing whom she could trust. Now, for the first time in years, Gabrielle felt alone, uncertain which way to turn. The sound of her cellphone lifted her gaze from the carpet. Reluctant, she picked up. â€Å"Gabrielle Ashe.† â€Å"Gabrielle, it's me.† She recognized the timbre of Senator Sexton's voice immediately, although he sounded surprisingly calm considering what had just transpired. â€Å"It's been one hell of a night over here,† he said, â€Å"so just let me talk. I'm sure you saw the President's conference. Christ, did we play the wrong cards. I'm sick over it. You're probably blaming yourself. Don't. Who the hell would have guessed? Not your fault. Anyhow, listen up. I think there may be a way to get our feet back under us.† Gabrielle stood up, unable to imagine what Sexton could be talking about. This was hardly the reaction she had expected. â€Å"I had a meeting tonight,† Sexton said, â€Å"with representatives from private space industries, and-â€Å" â€Å"You did?† Gabrielle blurted, stunned to hear him admit it. â€Å"I mean†¦ I had no idea.† â€Å"Yeah, nothing major. I would have asked you to sit in, but these guys are touchy about privacy. Some of them are donating money to my campaign. It's not something they like to advertise.† Gabrielle felt totally disarmed. â€Å"But†¦ isn't that illegal?† â€Å"Illegal? Hell no! All the donations are under the two-thousand-dollar cap. Small potatoes. These guys barely make a dent, but I listen to their gripes anyway. Call it an investment in the future. I'm quiet about it because, frankly, the appearances aren't so great. If the White House caught wind, they'd spin the hell out of it. Anyhow, look, that's not the point. I called to tell you that after tonight's meeting, I was talking to the head of the SFF†¦ â€Å" For several seconds, although Sexton was still talking, all Gabrielle could hear was the blood rushing in shame to her face. Without the slightest challenge from her, the senator had calmly admitted tonight's meeting with private space companies. Perfectly legal. And to think what Gabrielle had almost considered doing! Thank God Yolanda had stopped her. I almost jumped ship to Marjorie Tench! â€Å"†¦ and so I told the head of the SFF,† the senator was saying, â€Å"that you might be able to get that information for us.† Gabrielle tuned back in. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"The contact from whom you've been getting all your inside NASA information these past few months? I assume you still have access?† Marjorie Tench. Gabrielle cringed knowing she could never tell the senator that the informant had been manipulating her all along. â€Å"Um†¦ I think so,† Gabrielle lied. â€Å"Good. There's some information I need from you. Right away.† As she listened, Gabrielle realized just how badly she had been underestimating Senator Sedgewick Sexton lately. Some of the man's luster had worn off since she'd first begun following his career. But tonight, it was back. In the face of what appeared to be the ultimate death blow to his campaign, Sexton was plotting a counterattack. And although it had been Gabrielle who led him down this inauspicious path, he was not punishing her. Instead, he was giving her a chance to redeem herself. And redeem herself she would. Whatever it took. 80 William Pickering gazed out his office window at the distant line of headlights on Leesburg Highway. He often thought about her when he stood up here alone at the top of the world. All this power†¦ and I couldn't save her. Pickering's daughter, Diana, had died in the Red Sea while stationed aboard a small navy escort ship, training to become a navigator. Her ship had been anchored in safe harbor on a sunny afternoon when a handmade dory loaded with explosives and powered by two suicide terrorists motored slowly across the harbor and exploded on contact with the hull. Diana Pickering and thirteen other young American soldiers had been killed that day. William Pickering had been devastated. The anguish overwhelmed him for weeks. When the terrorist attack was traced to a known cell whom the CIA had been tracking unsuccessfully for years, Pickering's sadness turned into rage. He had marched into CIA headquarters and demanded answers.