Knowledge Management Tools: Component Technologies Essay

The internet provides a multitude of vendors promising to transform our business. But , we have to know which approaches should be adopt to examine the component technologies that make up a knowledge management system or suite. The analogy of hi-fi is used where each item has a certain function or purpose. The multitude of KM system on offer in the marketplace is seen as a composite variation of a number of these component technologies. Firms may decide to buy different component-of-the-shelf or develop their own tools to meet their needs. Organising knowledge tools Ontology and Taxonomy Grubber (1993) defines ontology as â€Å"a formal explicit of shared conceptualism†. It helps us on preventing wide variations on understanding or perspective to the same subject. Therefore, we have to developed ‘ontology’ to improve our level of information organization, management, and understanding. In the context of KM tools, the term ontology is often used interchangeability with taxonomy. To clarify the distinction, it’s important to recognize that an ontology is overall conceptualism whereas taxonomy is a scientifically based scheme of classification. An ontology may have non taxonomic conceptual relationship such as ‘has part’ relationship between concepts. In contrast, knowledge taxonomy generate hierarchical classification of terms that are structured to show relationship between them. When it comes time to implement ontologies and taxonomies there are three options:  · develop the ontology then develop the supporting taxonomy.  · develop taxonomy and then develop the over-arching ontology  · develop the two in parallel. Define your scope The first step in developing the combined ontology and taxonomy is to clearly scope the effort. A clearly defined scope is critical to the success of the effort. The question that can best help shape the scope of the effort is simply, what purpose will the combined ontology and taxonomy serve? The answer to this question serves several purposes:  · It sets bounds on the effort. These bounds are necessary to answering the basic managerial questions of how long will it take, and how much will it cost.  · It helps identify the primary domains and perspectives to be included.  · It should identify the specific business activities that will make direct use of the ontologies and taxonomies and how the resulting knowledge will be used to accomplish their mission. Normally the answer to this question will fall into one of three categories:  · To serve as a common framework for knowledge sharing.  · To enable reuse of existing domain knowledge.  · To a better understand what the organization knows by separating domain knowledge from the operational knowledge and making assumptions explicit. The first two of these, knowledge sharing and reuse are at the heart of most KM initiatives. Answers falling into the third category are indicative of advanced KM or academic initiatives. The following steps are applicable to all three scenarios and are specifically targeted toward those efforts focusing on knowledge sharing and reuse. Check for Existing Ontologies and Taxonomies Business operations today are also often dependent on, or required to adhere to one or more industry standards and may interface with applications that make use of existing ontologies or controlled vocabularies. For that reason, it is often best to use preexisting taxonomies and ontologies before launching into an extensive and possibly expensive development effort. Identify Important Terms If it is determined that existing ontologies and taxonomies are insufficient to meet the scope of the effort, then it is time to start collecting the raw materials for the new structures. This starts with identifying the key terms that are used to express the knowledge needed to enable specific business activities. At this point, it is important to list of all terms used to make statements or to explain to someone else what is needed to accomplish the business activities included within the scope of the effort. These can normally be found in corporate policy or operational instructions and from people with expertise in the activities. While gathering these terms it is important to stay within the scope of the effort. Incorporating the full lexicon for a large multi-national conglomerate may look like a major accomplishment, but it will not help build an effective knowledge environment if the scope of the effort is smaller. Rather, the broader scope will make it more difficult to marr y the concepts of the field to those used by the people you are trying to support. Define the Class Hierarchy Armed with the terms and concepts that are critical to expressing the knowledge needed to enable those business activities to be supported, the next step is to define a class hierarchy. Again, there are three ways to do this:  · Work from the top down. Start by identifying the general concepts (super-class identification) and then determine which of the others fall within those categories (subclass identification).  · Work from the bottom up . Start by developing cluster of related concepts (subclass grouping) and then look for the higher-order concepts that under which a given cluster of concepts might fall (super-class identification)  · Work from the top down and bottom up. This starts with the identification of the more important concepts first and then generalize and specialize them appropriately. The authors have found that this approach is the easiest to follow and has a lower risk of getting mired in the â€Å"semantic swamp.† When organizing terms and concepts t he basic formula is: If a class A is a super class of class B, then every instance of B is also an instance of A. In other words, the class B represents a concept that is a â€Å"kind of† A. As the class structure for your domain begins to take shape, check how well it expresses the way the people that are actually involved in the associated activates actually talk about what they are doing. Make sure that it reflects the actual context in which it will be used. The language of practical ontology or taxonomy should not to require the user to stop and translate between the way they normally think about things and the â€Å"official† term. This is also the time to make sure that the vocabulary used to express the hierarchical class structure agrees with the real-world (and agreed upon) vocabulary and accurately serves to classify the information that will need to be exchanged between the people and applications involved in meeting the targeted activities. When these conditions occur, the clas s hierarchical effectively becomes the upper-layers of the taxonomy. This is a critical factor in insuring on-going semantic alignment between the resulting ontology and taxonomy.

A Double Edged Sword Cuts Both Ways Essay

The phrase â€Å"a doubled edged sword cuts both ways† means that something has both beneficial and adverse outcomes. The comparison is made to a double-edged sword because it allowed the wielder of the sword to slash on the backswing without having to pivot the weapon in their hand, but it also allowed the wielder to cut themselves on the backswing. The actual origin of the phrase is unknown, but the earliest mentions of it can be found in the Bible. This phrase can be applied to literature, art, music, and society throughout history. The phrase rang true in its Biblical inception and remains relevant in the media of today. Many facets of our society wield double-edged swords from our political issues to our everyday entertainment. I selected this phrase because the broadness of the quote allows it to apply to many subjects across the whole of time. â€Å"A double edged sword cuts both ways† demonstrates that every decision can have consequences and benefits, and itâ⠂¬â„¢s important to think before you act on impulse. In the dramatic short story â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, Edgar Allen Poe demonstrates that humans are not capable of enduring extreme guilt. The story’s narrator lives with an old man and is constantly haunted by the old man’s eye. The narrator is mentally ill, and he decides that he can no longer endure seeing the eye anymore and resolves to kill the old man. After the murder, the narrator hallucinates that he can hear the old man’s heartbeat underneath the floorboards, and he turns himself in to the police to silence the sounds of his guilt. The biggest motif in this work is the concept of time. The amount of time spent with certain actions is never specified, only that it takes a long time to do so. Time is used to describe the heartbeat of the old man right before his murder and the hallucination of it afterwards. Time is what tortured the old man while he was awaiting his death, and time spent dealing with the old man’s eye is what made the narrator insane. My quote is â€Å"a double edged sword cuts both ways†, and, in the context of this story, the truth cuts both ways. â€Å"Yet the sound increased †¦yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly —more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased.† The narrator is hallucinating that he can hear the old man’s heartbeat. He believes that the officers can hear the heartbeat as well, so he tries to speak louder to cover up the sound. â€Å"Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢I admit the deed! —tear up the planks! Here, here! —It is the beating of his hideous heart!’† The narrator can no longer bear the sound of his hallucinations and admits to his murder to stop the heartbeat. This coincides with my qu ote because admitting the murder would obviously put him in jail, but it would free him of the hallucinations that he knows are going to push him further into insanity. Admitting his murder is the narrator’s double-edged sword. In the poem â€Å"England in 1819†, Percy Shelley demonstrates that the government can be corrupt just as easily as it can be good. The poem tells of the rule of the dying king and his sons that take over the throne. The people are starving and dying, and the laws and army, which were implemented to protect the people, have turned against them and are now their oppressing force. A major metaphor in this work is the comparison of the government to unseeing, unknowing leeches that live for their own benefit while sucking life from others. This poem is related to my quote because it frames the law as a double-edged sword. â€Å"An army, which liberticide and prey/ Makes as a two-edged sword to all who wield.† This conveys that the army, a force meant to protect the people, has turned against them. â€Å"Golden and sanguine laws which tempt and slay† expresses that the supposedly perfect laws are the r eason for the oppression in England. This corresponds with my quote because the sovereignty of the government can create security or oppression depending on how the power of the government is used. In the science fiction movie The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Michel Gondry conveys that memories are the best and worst things people can have. The main characters of the movie, Joel and Clementine, meet at the beginning of the movie and quickly start dating. Their relationship takes a turn for the worst, and Clementine goes to a clinic to have all memory of Joel literally erased from her mind. Joel learns about her procedure and decides to do the same for himself. During the procedure, however, Joel becomes consciously aware of all the memories he’s losing and attempts to reverse the process. The most prevalent theme throughout the film is the parallels of Joel and Clementine and Hermes and Aphrodite. Not just the personalities of the deities that are portrayed in the film through the characters, but there are multiple events in mythology between the couple that were cleverly re-enacted in the movie. This film connects to my quote because Joel’s memories are his double-edged sword. Keeping his memories of Clementine would be painful, especially since she had her memories of him erased, and getting them erased would make him forget that pain but at the cost of all of the wonderful times he had with Clementine. Regarding Joel’s consideration to forget the painful memories, he is told, â€Å"Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.† On the other side of his sword, Joel has his memory wiped and, after failing to reverse the process, says to Clementine, â€Å"Come back and make up a good-bye at least. Let’s pretend we had one.† Through every step of the movie, before the procedure, during the procedure, after the procedure, and before he even knows the procedure exists, memories serve as a double-edged sword for Joel. In the vivid painting Death of Caesar, Vincenzo Camuccini portrays that misuse of power will have consequences that displace that power. This painting illustrates the stabbing of Julius Caesar by his subjects and fellow court members. The focal point of the painting is Caesar (rather dramatically and arrogantly, even as he’s being stabbed) falling to the ground with several men around him wielding knives. The most apparent symbolism in the painting is depicted with the coloration of Caesar and his attackers. Caesar is depicted in red and his attackers in white. Red is meant to symbolize evil or oppression and white cleanliness or purity. Another man standing near Caesar is also depicted in red; this is believed to be Brutus because he and Caesar were friends, yet he was still the one that initiated the rebellion. Julius Caesar did many fantastic things politically and militarily for Rome, but, after assuming full control over the government, he became a dictator. His power-hungry oppression caused his fellow statesmen to plot against and murder him. The scene illustrated in the painting displays the anger ignited in the conspirators because of Caesar’s misuse of power. The painting is pertinent to my quote because power is displayed as a double-edged sword. â€Å"A double edged sword cuts both ways† is a reminder that everything you do, even if it seems like a good decision at the time, can have consequences. It encompasses the human tendency to be indecisive, to fear the unknown, or to act on impulse to avoid that fear. This quote is woven throughout history, and it’s meaning is still pertinent today. This phrase reiterates the importance of taking the time to weigh out every option and truly understand the repercussions of your actions.

Sexual Ambiguity in As you like it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sexual Ambiguity in As you like it - Essay Example The first slightly questionable relationship the reader sees within the play is that of Celia and Rosalind. They are cousins, but when Orlando is leaving, Le Beau alludes to the fact that they do in fact share a bond that is out of the ordinary. The answer to the question of how close two individuals can be can often take physical and emotional dimensions. Rosalind and Celia are undeniably more than just friends. One can judge the relationship between the two as both emotional and physical. When Shakespeare introduces the two characters (Rosalind and Celia), Celia uses flowery expressions to describe Rosalind. She refers to Rosalind as â€Å"my sweet rose, my dear rose† ideally, one would expect such kind of descriptions to come from a man when describing a woman who is his lover. When Celia was later defending Rosalind against her father, she accepted that Rosalind is a turncoat following the fact that they had â€Å"slept together.† Having slept with Rosalind, Celia a dmits that she too should be branded a traitor if her friend, Rosalind is considered to be a traitor. The use of phrases such as â€Å"slept together†, as well as â€Å"inseparable† by a lady in reference to another lady is in itself complex enough as regards sexuality (Bloom 54). Normally, anyone would expect to hear a man use such terms when referring to his lover or when a woman is referring to her male lover, but in this case, here are two women exhibiting some uncommon sexual bond between them. How sophisticated can it be? The two sisters are presented as two swans that belong together and cannot be separated from one another. Further, Rosalind puts on male cloths to disguise herself against any probable assailant when they set off for the Forest of Arden from the palace. After choosing a male figure, Touchstone, to go with them, his presence as a male companion was enough security for them. They were no longer alone travelling through the forest. In spite of the presence of Touchstone, Rosalind readily agreed to put on male cloths, which puts into question gender role as she takes a masculine responsibility. Rosalind had no reason for disguising herself in male attire to keep off possible attackers because they had Touchstone at their disposal. The fact that she goes ahead to wear male cloths invokes a sense of sexual ambiguity in the play. The relationship between gender roles and attires is brought into focus through cross dressing. Rosalind easily slips into male attire, which enables her to move around with much ease, issue advice and mingle with other men easily without any trouble. The freedom accorded to her courtesy of her dress code gives her the authority to initiate courtship. Rosalind appears to be more active than her friend Celia, who remains largely passive as she retains her female identity. When the two friends are in the Forest of Arden, it is quite fascinating to see Celia, who assumes a female identity sits back and wait for fortune to knock at her door and deliver a man in her life. On the contrary, Rosalinda who dresses up like a man and takes a more masculine role actively seeks for courtship. Sexual ambiguity in the play As You Like It also manifests when Shakespeare presents scenes that contradict the possibility of any sexual relationship having taken place between Rosalind and Celia. As it later emerges, both friends, Rosalind and Celia, are much enthusiastic about getting involved in relationships with Orlando and Oliver. Rosalind and Celia are much willing to take in Orlando and Oliver as their male lovers. Their readiness to accept heterosexual relationships

Professional Issuses in Advanced Nursing Practice Essay

Professional Issuses in Advanced Nursing Practice - Essay Example However, if schizophrenia is diagnosed at an early age, it can reduce adverse effects on the patient (Anderson & Mukherjee, 2007). This happens Schizophrenia is a serious medical illness that affects one out of every one hundred people worldwide. It involves both intellectual and bio-chemical changes in mind though it is treatable. Some of the symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations, impaired speech as well as delusion. Flat effect, apathy, and impaired thoughts are included in the model as opposed symptoms. Impaired thinking involves poor memory, inability to make decisions as well as false cognitive functions in the affected person. However, if schizophrenia is diagnosed at an early age, it can reduce adverse effects on the patient (Anderson & Mukherjee, 2007). This happens by showing less negative symptoms as well as, less impaired learning him by the patient. It may also reduce the impact of organized thoughts in the affected patient; hence the patient may take well. The re are various drugs that can be used to control schizophrenia, referred to as Antipsychotic drugs. They exist into two categories including Typical and Atypical Antipsychotic drugs. Typical Antipsychotic drugs include Chlorpromazine (Thorazine), Haloperidol (Haldol), Perphenazine (Trilafon), Fluphenazine (Permitil). The rest are types of Atypical Antipsychotic drugs include Risperidone (Risperdal) Olanzapine (Zyprexa) Quetiapine (Seroquel) Ziprasidone (Geodon) Aripiprazole (Abilify) Paliperidone (Invega) Clozapine (Clozaril). All these drugs could heal and reduce the effects of the serious illness that distorts the brain activities of human beings. However, these drugs have their adverse effects when taken by individuals’ like dizziness when changing positions blurred vision skin rashes constipation dry mouth tremors. Drowsiness or sedation is a common side effect with all drugs used to treat psychosis. Drowsiness often fades with time as patients modify or start immunity to the drug. There are several options to aid the patient from this side effect (British Columbia Schizophrenia Society, 2004). These include adjusting the dose, instructing the patient to take the drug before bed, or changing the medication. The medical condition the patient was diagnosed with was obstructive jaundice. The determiner of the illness uses a distinctive technique known as ERCP that studies bile ducts that indicated the presence of jaundice, the presence of hepatitis, also referred to as liver cancer. The procedure which begins with the patient’s consent, involves passing an endoscope into the mouth, oesophagus and stomach into the duodenum (Douglas, 2005). A thin plastic tube catheter is passed through the endoscope until the common opening to the ducts from the liver and pancreas can be seen. The fluoroscopy is used later to look for blockages and lesions such as stones, which may indicate the obstruction of the biliary tract for example the gallstones also the swelling of the bile duct. There may be traces of raised level of bilirubin, a waste product removed by bile. The reduction in flow of bile causes abdominal pain and fever to the patient, thus needs earlier treatment. It is ideal for the patient or even his/her family members to agree to the selection of undergoing surgery. This is a crucial decision that should not be made by the doctor and carry out the surgery on his own. There are several

Organizational Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational Analysis - Essay Example From the article, it has been found that in the year 2010, the US Department of Defense had allocated almost US$ 663.8 billion for procurement purposes which had increased to US$ 708 billion in 2011. The article defines that procurement function in defense departments is also termed as acquisition management. With respect to procurement, there is an increased stress upon government, because acquisition in case of security aspect requires efficient preparation, employment, management, direction and vigilant monitoring. The article states that the procurement activities within the US Department of Defense comprise numerous risks which can generate negative outcomes on the national security. The article provides several strategies for controlling procurement risks such as relocating, controlling and avoiding mechanisms. Secretary of Defense for Acquisition. (2011). Procurement data standard and other enterprise initiatives. Retrieved from http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/pdi/eb/procurement_d ata_standard.html The article is developed by US Department of Defense. It is based on the ‘Procurement Data Standard’ (PDS) system and other professional initiatives of the US Military. This article is designed for providing brief description about the PDS system and its specific characteristics. The article includes information about procurement though PDS system and its related aspects. From the article, it has been found that PDS is an e-business system which shares the procurement activities with different defense departments of the US. PDS can enhance the visibility of contract oriented information, empowering employees to make better business decisions with respect to procurement of different products for the US Military. PDS can support future migration and procedures of procurement in the defense departments. The article specifies that PDS accommodates connecting monetary information with contract activities which is termed as ‘Financial Data in Procureme nt’ (FDIP). The article provides information about the concept of FDIP which is also much important for procurement activities. The article is quite useful as it offers substantial knowledge about e-business function of the US Military. United States Department of Defense. (2011). Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Policy. Retrieved from http://prhome.defense.gov/RSI/REQUIREMENTS/INSOURCE/docs/OFPP%20Policy%20Letter%2011-01,%20Performance%20of%20Inherently%20Governmental%20and%20Critical%20Functions.pdf This article is based on the policy on procurement of the US Department of Defense. It is a non-academic article which is designed for providing direction on administering the performance of integrally managerial and critical functions of the US Military about procurement activities. The article includes the actions which must be performed by the US governmental organizations and it also outlines the tasks of the US government which can enforce responsibilities of dif ferent managerial departments. For instance, with respect to procurement, governmental agencies must keep away from any contractual performance and also must prevent over-reliance on particular suppliers. The article commended certain steps for governmental activities in order to guarantee effectiveness of procurement operations and address critical functions. According to the article, the government agencies must abide by all stated policies of procurement to make

Financial Budgeting and Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Budgeting and Planning - Essay Example From penny’s example we took her total income of  £ 21,200, we deducted UK dividends, UK treasury stock, building society interest and shoes as well as clothes since this should not be taxed but should be given wear and tear allowances. We later took her taxable income and multiplied it by 20 percent to get her tax for the year. From the table above, she pays  £ 3,008, which we should also add the pay as you earn of  £ 1,400, which she pays yearly. The resultant figure is the tax payable and should be deducted from her taxable income to get her net pay (Debar, G., 2012, Pp. 10-16). I should advise penny to cut on the budget and the money she is spending on shoes and the mortgage and the credit cards since this is increasing her burden and the amount she should pay back. From the information about penny’s credit cards, we see that she is owing to many financial lending institutions huge amounts, which have accrued interest, and she is not able to pay back. I would also advise her to take credit cards and loans from banks and other financial institutions that have lower interest rates. For example, there is a credit card she took with an interest rate of 1509 percent, which is absurd and she should try as much as possible to stop taking credit cards and loans with high-interest rates. I would also advise her to try as much as possible to try and saving in Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies as their interest rates are lower and sometimes one is not required to pay any interest rates.

Transformational leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Transformational leadership - Essay Example 38). The transactional leadership theory involves exchange between labour and rewards while the transformational leadership theory is mainly based on placing concern for intellectual stimulation, employees and offering vision to a group (Bass, Avolio and Atwater 2006, p. 99). James Macgregor Burns, who was a leadership expert, introduced transformational leadership theory concept. According to him, transformational leadership is manifested in a situation where a leaders and followers lead to the advancement of one another in motivation and morality (Bass and Riggio 2006, p. 64). A transformational leader uses different mechanisms to improve performance, morale and motivation of his followers. The mechanisms include being a good role model to followers which inspires them, having a connection to the followers’ self-identity, striving to understand weakness and strength of the followers and challenging followers to have more ownership of the business(Bass, Avolio and Atwater 2006, p, 94). Transformational leaders, foster moral values of loyalty, honesty, and fairness and at the same time they preserve end values of equality, justice and respect to human rights (Yates 2012, p.53). Transformational leaders have strong character and vision. This power helps them inspire their followers to change the perception, motivations and expectations to work toward the set purpose (Yukl 2009, p.28). The transformational leadership theory is based on the leadership trait;character and ability to bring about change through energized vision, articulation and challenging goals. For a leader to be considered transformational, he must be idealized in the sense that he is a moral exemplar of striving toward benefits of an organization, a team or a community (Sanders, Hopkins, and Geroy 2013, p. 21-31). The impact that the leader has on his followers’ performance and motivation is what determines

Sustainable Leadership - develope Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sustainable Leadership - develope - Essay Example For the development of a sustainable leadership experience, certain strategies that increase company value by taking opportunities and managing factors that affect business (Avery & Bergsteiner, 10, 2011). In order to acquire and achieve the required success, leaders must be able to interact with people, both outside the business and inside the business. They must be able to be kind and caring. Leaders should make a point of getting to know the people around them well and in a deeper level (Edge Equilibrium. 2012). Knowing people will help leaders know what they value most and who they truly are in business and outside it. Learning about other people’s basics like family members, their anniversaries or birthdays go a terrific deal in ensuring that such human interactions and connections make leaders sustainable (Szà ©kely, & Knirsch, 630, 2005). Sustainable leaders know a thing or two about innovations, and they are innovators. Knowing how to be innovative and coming up with brilliant ideas, means that as a leader, one is willing to aim higher. A sustainable leader also surrounds him with ardent innovative minds (Casserley, & Critchley, 167, 2012). A sustainable leader is flexible, in that, no matter which direction life flows, he will still remain standing strong. To be a flexible leader means that every step that is taken is towards the betterment of the business. Flexibility is essential if a leader wants to succeed in business since just as life flows uncertainly, so does business, and it is the leaders’ responsibility to guide it down the right path. A sustainable leader plans and prepares for succession. This will ensure that for effective succession, those who follow them are more dynamic and have the potential and will to maintain the momentum for improvement. A sustainable leader has a clear vision and target that he wishes to accomplish within a speculated amount of time. They use their

Understanding of the Relevant Literature on the Skills Managers Dissertation

Understanding of the Relevant Literature on the Skills Managers Require in the 21st Century - Dissertation Example Understanding of the Relevant Literature on the Skills Managers Require in the 21st Century However, it is important to remember that the present age has new facets that are critical for the company’s success. Businesses nowadays are strongly influenced by globalisation and technological innovation. Hence, in order for managers to be effective, they must be capable of managing the forces that has characterized the new century. Moreover, since the new business age is very dynamic, it is therefore important for the managers of today to be more nimble and agile in order to anticipate and act quickly on the changes before they are pushed into obsolescence. That way, they can capture opportunities as they are realized or defend against threats as they emerge. Moreover, globalisation has demanded that managers become able to manage a diverse workforce as more and more companies are expanding overseas (Khatri and Ong, 1999). Hence there has been an increase in the demands of managers to go beyond their talents and skills to ensure that they are able to innovate themselves s ince this is basically the game that companies and managers have to play in the 21st century. The new century has offered new and exciting challenges for businesses all over the world. The massive improvements in technology have greatly helped in the advancement of communications and information capabilities of countries, companies and individuals worldwide. Basically, this has put an end to the industrial age and heralded the information age which has even brought to fore a new breed of employees, the knowledge workers. These people have radically changed the manner of doing things wherein the office hours as well as office spaces have been practically taken out of the equation (Serrat, 2008). This is all the more demanding if the company is trying to get and maintain a global presence since there is the inescapable need to source out manpower from the different countries from which they operate in as well as to be able to maintain this global workforce. Moreover, there has been a general shift from solely focusing on the financial indicators as the sole measure of the strat egic success of a company. Kaplan and Norton (2005) have shed light on the lack of capability of measuring the success of a company’s strategy by basing on the financials alone. According to these Harvard business thinkers, it is important to have a balanced view of the lagging as well as the leading indicators in order to properly gauge the company’s overall situation. Hence, they have brought forward the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in order to properly capture these indicators in their four perspectives which are the Learning & Growth, Internal Business Process, Customer and of course the Financial Perspective. All these provide a confluence of indicators for the company to properly analyze their situation and make changes, if necessary, in order to ensure that they remain on track with their targets. However, all these goes to show the increasing demands to the managers of the 21st century wherein there seems to be a shift towards the capability to multi-task and be ab le to adapt to the fast-paced and multicultural business environment of today. Aim The purpose of this paper is to

Food Regulations Essay Example for Free

Food Regulations Essay 1.State the administrative agency which controls the regulation. Explain why this agency and your proposed regulation interest you (briefly). Will this proposed regulation affect you or the business in which you are working? If so, how? Submit a copy of the proposed regulation along with your responses to these five questions. The proposed regulation can be submitted as either a separate Word document (.doc) or Adobe file (.pdf). This means you will submit two attachments to the Week 2 Drop box: (a) a Word document with the questions and your answers and (b) a copy of the proposed regulation you used for this assignment. (10 points) 2.Describe the proposal/change. (10 points) 3.Write the public comment that you would submit to this proposal. If the proposed regulation deadline has already passed, write the comment you would have submitted. Explain briefly what you wish to accomplish with your comment. (10 points) 4.Provide the deadline by which the public comment must be made. (If the date has already passed, please provide when the deadline was). (5 points) 5. Once you have submitted your comment, what will you are legally entitled to do later in the promulgation process (if you should choose to do so)? (See the textbooks discussion of the Administrative Procedure Act.) If the proposal passes, identify and explain the five legal theories you could use in an attempt to have (any) administrative regulation declared invalid and overturned in court. Which of these challenges would be the best way to challenge the regulation you selected for this assignment if you wanted to have the regulation overturned and why? Answer all of these questions for #5 even if you are in favor of your proposed regulation. The response to question 5 should be a minimum of 2–3 paragraphs long. (15 points) 1-FDA publishes rules that establish or modify the way it regulates foods, drugs, biologics, cosmetics, radiation-emitting electronic products, and medical devices commodities close to the daily lives of all Americans. FDA rules have considerable impact on the nations health, industries and economy. My concern is that under the federal law, a claim that a food is intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease makes that food a drug, and is unlawful. However, federal law provides for FDA approval of a health claim, which is a statement that characterizes the relationship of any substance to a disease or health-related condition (e.g. a claim that calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis). Under the statutory standard for approval, the claim must be supported by significant scientific agreement. (www.iflr.msu.edu/iflr/courses/united_states_food_laws) 2. The adequacy of federal oversight of food safety recently became the subject of intense media and Congressional scrutiny. The issue came to national prominence when contaminated food caused the death and illness of hundreds of people. The episode served to heighten awareness of the fact that an increasing proportion of the food consumed domestically is imported, and much of it from countries that do not have well established food safety systems. It also began to focus attention on the fact that FDA’s funding has not kept up with the responsibilities that have been heaped upon it over the past several years, and that FDA will need additional legal authority to effectively address some problem areas; they have adequate funding and resources. FDA covered the overall food safety systems of the countries, as well as their food safety systems such as specific commodity areas; i.e. seafood, including molluscan shellfish, imported meat products, vegetables and dairy products (exclu ding Grade A pasteurized milk products). (www.fda.gov/Food/InternationalActivities/Imports/default.htm) 3. The controversy over trans-fat offers an example of how one kind of regulation at the federal level can beget other forms of regulation at the state level. In 2006, an FDA regulation went into effect that requires listing the amount of trans-fat present in a packaged food on the label of that food. FDA did not go so far as to ban the use of trans-fat, something that some consumer groups were advocating. However, shortly after the issuance of FDA’s rule, state and local jurisdictions started stepping into the breach. A number of localities have banned the use of trans-fat in restaurant foods, and some states, such as California, have begun to follow suit. Faced with a patchwork of local requirements and the potential for adverse publicity, some major restaurant chains have reformulated their products to eliminate the use of trans-fat, however, nations wide has not complied or just finds a loophole to go around the system in avoiding such regulations. Another issue is the increasing concern of the status of federal regulation of foods and other products that contain nanomaterial. Both proponents and skeptics of nanotechnology hold the view that industry has raced ahead of regulatory authorities in bringing nanotech products to market, thereby increasing the potential for consumer injury and environmental harm. Thus, there is at least some support for stronger regulatory oversight of nanotech products in general, and of nanotech foods, including food additives and dietary supplements in specific. Recently, FDA announced that it will hold a public hearing to seek input on various aspects of its approach to regulation of nanotechnology. FDA likely will follow up on that hearing with the issuance of guidance documents specific to the product categories that it oversees. (www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/146784/Healthcare+Food) 4. By law, anyone should participate in the rule-making process by commenting in writing on rules FDA proposes. FDA routinely allows the public input and carefully considers the comments when it draws up a final rule. Another way to influence the way FDA does business is to petition the agency to issue, change or cancel a regulation, or to take other action. FDA will act to implement a provision of the FDA Amendments Act of 2007 that requires FDA to establish a reportable food registry, and that requires any person who submits a registration for a food facility under the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 to also notify FDA of instances of reportable food. A reportable food is one for which there exists a reasonable probability that use of, or exposure to, the food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death, the same standard that currently applies to Class I recalls, so the practical effect of the new provision should make it mandatory for companies to notify FDA of a Class I recall situation. FDA Petitions require careful preparation by the submitter, they spends considerable time and staff resources processing petitions. Individuals sometimes submit petitions, but most come from regulated industry or consumer groups. For example, a drug company might request a change in labeling for one of its products; a food company might ask that its product be exempted from some provision of a regulation; or a consumer group might petition FDA to tighten regulation of a certain product. (RegistrarCorp.com/FDA-Food) 5. Health claims have been the subject of considerable controversy. After protracted litigation, federal courts ruled that FDA cannot impose an outright ban on claims that have some scientific support but fail to meet the statutory standard of significant scientific agreement. FDA’s strict application of the statutory standard was held to violate the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects against government infringement of speech that is not false or misleading. In response to those court decisions, FDA should develop a process for approval of qualified health claims; in order to attempt and describe the strength of the scientific evidence that supports a claim. Qualified health claims should be the subject of controversy in their own right. Some observers believe that qualified health claims are as likely to mislead as to inform consumers, and opposition to their use has grown to the point where Congressional representatives have asked FDA to stop approving them altogether. It remains to be seen how the controversy will be resolved, given that FDA’s current approach was essentially forced on it by the judiciary. (www.iflr.msu.edu/iflr/courses/united_states_food_laws) References: FDA gov Homepage – U.S Food and Drug Administration homepage; Retrieved form www.fda.gov January 19th, 2013 US FDA Food Regulations/FDA Beverage Regulations; Retrieved from www.registrarcorp.com/fda-food/index.jsp? January 20, 2013 Importing Food Products into the United States; Retrieved from www.fda.gov/Food/InternationalActivities/Imports/default.htm . January 20, 2013 United States – FDA Food Labeling Regulations; Retrieved from www.ladas.com/BULLETINS/1994/0694Bulletin/US_Food

Self Reflection: Time Monitoring Worksheet

Self Reflection: Time Monitoring Worksheet Time Monitoring Worksheet Part 1: Monitor your time in hourly increments. Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday 5 a.m. Work work Work Work 6 a.m. Work Work work 7 a.m. work Work work 8 a.m. work work work 9 a.m. work work work 10 a.m. work Volunteer/supervision work 11 a.m. 11:00 to 11: 30 lunch Volunteer at a counseling service 11:00-11-30 lunch 12 p.m. work Lunch/rest work 1 p.m. Work until 1:30 Rest/reading work 2 p.m. Volunteer at a counseling service Counseling/group work 1:30 3 p.m. Volunteer at a counseling service Counseling group work rest 4 p.m. Rest/ nap Rest/nap homework 5 p.m. Rest/ nap/reading rest Home work 6 p.m. Rest/nap/shower/supper Homework/supper Homework 7 p.m. Praise team practice Home work homework 8 p.m. Practice over at 8:15 homework Shower/eat/sleep 9 p.m. sleep sleep sleep 10 p.m. sleep sleep sleep Time Monitoring Worksheet Part 2: Reflection On day four, review your completed Time Monitoring Worksheet in order to take a serious look at how you use your time each day. Write a 250 500 word reflection on how you manage your time. Include the following in your reflection: What are some things you can do more efficiently? What are the main items/tasks that take up most of your time? Do you see areas in your daily routine where you can make adjustments to become more productive? Do you have any black holes that unnecessarily suck up a lot of your time? Essay I know there is a lot of thing I am involved in. Most of my time is spent not with friends, texting, talking on the phone, or on face book. In fact, lately I have scheduled time to visit my sons and grandchildren. The log sheet helped as a visual aide. Ross, S., Nibbling, B., Heckert, T. (1999) Major source of stress among students are interpersonal, intrapersonal, academic and environmental to the list in their research. They reported the top sources were changes in sleep habits, vacation, breaks, and increased work load. This research was conducted more than seventeen years ago. It is relevant today. I have little time to get things done but to see it written. What take up most of my time is volunteering at a non-profit called HUGS. There is a struggle to give up volunteering at a non-profit because I love the work. I do realize I need to cut back on the hours. The log sheet does not reflect the group work due to the holidays. I feel pressured and conflicted to give up part of vol unteering. I love working with client who have co-occurring and substance abuse disorders. I love group facilitation. Realistically, it is time to let go part of the counseling commitments at this site. Earning a masters degree must take priority. There was a research conducted by Macan, T., Shahani, C., Diaphoye, R., Phillips; A. (1999) Their findings were students who perceived had control of their time reported significantly greater work and life ratification. They reported less role ambiguity, less role overload and fewer job induced and somatic tensions. Some of my stress is due to role ambiguity. So, I have worked out a schedule. Monday, I will provide a revised schedule for the program director at this site. I have evaluated what is best practice for myself and clients. I will keep two clients, scheduled on the same day, anger management rotate with another facilitator, RUNNING HEADING: Time Monitoring Essay 2 and continue weekly supervision. This schedule will provide criteria needed to continue certification as a certified clinical supervisor. I have been wrestling with my decisions for over a week. This exercise helped to put into perceptive where the adjustments must be made. The volunteering is a positive black hole. While attending GCU, volunteering more than 10 hours becomes a black hole. The services I provide at the center is rewarding and career enhancing. I need time to be a good student. I cannot become a successful student without preparing and completing assignment. References Macan, T., Shahani, C., Diaphoye, R., Phillips. A., (1999). College students time management: Correlations and academic performance and stress. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(4), 760-768 Ross, S., Nibbling, B., Heckert, T. (1990). Source for stress among college students. College Student Journal 33(2)6 chart 1

Gibbons v Ogden Decision Fair or Unfair :: essays papers

Gibbons v Ogden Decision Fair or Unfair The decision in the Gibbons v. Ogden case is, in my opinion, a very just and fair one. Many believe it to be the first anti- trust decision in U.S. history. The economic results cannot be over-estimated, a different decision could have resulted in completely different circumstances than with which we are accustomed to today. The free flow of commerce, which we seem to almost take for granted in modern economics and business, may have never been a possibility without decisions such as this. Monopolies did not allow for equal division of business and therefore was unjust. If all men are created equal they should be given equal opportunities. The New York Livingston-Fulton monopoly clearly subjected any potential competition to harsh conditions that would make it impossible for them to keep up in their business. Travel by steamboat was much faster than any other means in the time of this case and to give complete control to only one partnership was unfair. Under the constitution Congress has the right to regulate commerce. Although the monopoly was a form of internal state trade regulation it directly impacted on inter-state trade after a number of states passed laws to come back at the New York monopoly. Therefore, Congress had the right to intervene and end the monopoly. To completely understand the impact of the Gibbons-Ogden decision it is necessary to understand the situation surrounding it. In 1798 Robert R. Livingston secured an exclusive twenty year grant from the New York legislature. By the terms of this grant he could exclusively navigate by steam the rivers and other waters of the state, provided that within two years he should build a boat which would make four miles an hour against the current of the Hudson River. The legislature had no faith whatsoever in the project but the decision was still made against the many jeers. The terms of the grant were not met and it was renewed in 1803, this time to Livingston and his new partner, Robert Fulton. It was renewed once more in 1807 and finally that August Fulton’s steamboat made its first successful trip from New York to Albany. The following year the Legislature, fully aware of the practical significance of Fulton’s achievement, passed a law stating that for each new boat navigated on New York waters by Fulton and Livingston that they should be provided with a five year extension to their monopoly, which may not exceed thirty years.

The Dustbowl of America in the 1930s :: American America History

The Dustbowl of America in the 1930s The Dust Bowl of North America refers to a catastrophe in the early 1930's when vast areas of the Midwestern and Western farm lands of America became wastelands. This occurred due to a series of dry years which coincided with the extension of agriculture in unsuitable lands. Droughts and dust storms caused by poor tillage practices devastated farms and ranches of the Great Plains; therefore, causing a great exodus of its inhabitants to other, more fertile, lands. The problem had become so great that a nation wide effort was made to resolve the problem. Beginning in 1935, extensive efforts were made by both federal and state governments to develop adequate programs for soil conservation and for the rehabilitation of the dust bowl. Eventually, thanks to government aid, farming became possible again in the Dust Bowl; consequently, farmers have learnt many valuable lessons from this dilemma. The European settlers who first arrived at the Great Plains found hardy grasslands that held the fine-grained soil in place in spite of the long recurrent droughts and occasional torrential rains. A large number of the travelers settled down in this area and built farms and ranches. These land uses led to soil exposure and great erosion. The cattle ranches were very profitable for the settlers; unfortunately, this led to overgrazing and degradation of the soil. In addition, farmers began to plow the natural grass cover and plant their own crops. Without the original root systems of the grass to anchor the soil, much of it blew away. The wide row crops were very disastrous because between the crops, the land was kept bare; as a result, this area was exposed to the elements. Also, the nutrients in the soil were used up by the plants faster than they could be replaced. The soil had become exhausted. The Great Plains are a vast expanse of land located in a region east of the Rocky Mountains in North America. Precipitation in the region is sparse because it is found in the rainshadow of the Rockies; as a result, rain is very unpredictable as to when it will fall so farmers had to make due with what they had back in the 1930's. This lack of water created a hard dry soil that was very difficult to cultivate for agricultural purposes. The farmers, however, continued to cultivate the land and eventually disaster struck.

Biblical Influence and Symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea :: Old Man and the Sea Essays

Biblical Influence and Symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea Many times, stories by Ernest Hemingway have much religious influence and symbolism. In The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, numerous occurrences in the life of Santiago the fisherman are similar to the incidents recorded in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. The names of the characters translated from Spanish to English are just one of those many similarities. The characters in The Old Man and the Sea are in actuality, major figures in the New Testament. Santiago is an old man, yet he had young eyes. No matter how defeated he was, he would never show it and he would look on the brighter side of things. In my mind, these traits make Santiago a god-like figure. Manolin, which translates into Messiah, is Jesus (Stoltzfus qtd in CLC 13:280). Santiago is the "father" who teaches his symbolic son and disciple, Manolin. After catching the largest marlin, Manolin will leave his parents in order to follow the teachings of Santiago, his master, just as Jesus did (Stoltzfus qtd in CLC 13:280). Pedrico is actually Saint Peter, Jesus' closest apostle and a great fisherman (Wilson 50). Peter helped Jesus fish for souls as Pedrico helped Manolin fish for food. Santiago gives Pedrico the head of the mutilated marlin which symbolizes Saint Peter as head of the Christian church and the first Pope (Stoltzfus CLC 280). In the story, there are many references to the crucifixion of Jesus. Santiago's badly injured hands evoke the hands of the crucified Jesus and three other situations reinforce this theory (Brenner, The Old Man and the Sea, Story of a Common Man 37). First, Santiago's marlin is approached by a pair of shovel nosed sharks. "Ay', he said out loud." (Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea 107) There is no meaning of "Ay", but perhaps it is the sound a man makes as his hands are nailed to wood (Brenner, The Old Man and the Sea, Story of a Common Man 38). Next, once back on shore, Santiago climbs the hill to his shack, with the mast on his shoulder, falling several times (Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea 121). This is an obvious reference to Christ's struggle to carry the cross up the hill Cavalry (Crossan, The Historical Jesus 163).

English is Broken Here Essay

English is Broken Here: Notes on Cultural Fusion is a series of essays where Coco Fusco examines the work of Latino performance artists born in the United States of America and the themes of â€Å"otherness† and culture clash. Fusco’s work depicts cultural fusion thru live performances. She meant to educate people thru her work of art and being the â€Å"other,† even posed herself with Gomez-Pena, a performance artist, under public scrutiny. They created a live exhibit of various complex societies having multi-faceted traditions, rituals and lots of different languages. This might only appeal superficially to mainly white audience but they made a difference in this kind of performance. They stirred the audience’s imagination and sense of cultural awareness. Comments gathered from the audience regarding Housekeeper’s Diary varied to some extent. There were those who talked about their own discomfort of not understanding their housemaids or on how to treat them humanely. Some might have even lauded their maids to feel important and cheerful despite their indifference. Fusco and Gomez-Pena performed live in museums and municipal buildings to know the public reactions. They exhibited themselves as indigenous tribal members. They were in a cage on display as â€Å"two undiscovered Amerindians† from the island of Guatinau. Coco Fusco describes the performance in â€Å"The Other History of Intercultural Performance,† as: â€Å"Our plan was to live †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ authentic Guatinaui male genitals for $5 (p. 9). † People watching them did not know what to believe in. Some of the audience thought that the performance was real. However, such presentation, no matter how believable or not, could only mean taking a second look on what is really going on in the daily lives of people. The curiosity of people paying just to have a peek on the male genitalia of Gomez-Pena acting as Guatinaui is somewhat a spectacular thing to some, as if the genitalia of the fictional Guatinaui is different from the existing humans. Among artists and scientists during the Renaissance, it was a prevailing belief that the artwork or study of the male form was in itself an artwork or study of God, thus they placed value on sculpture of the male form as one of the highest works of art. In the case of Fusco’s and Gomez-Pena’s live performance, it was their priceless work of art as it was tangible. In the course of their live exhibits, others would feed Fusco and Gomez-Pena with bananas and posing with them for some souvenir photos. A realization regarding the performance might have hit into some audience such as acting out their own fantasies in life. Another part of the essay is what Fusco wrote as: â€Å"Gomez-Pena found the experience of being continually †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ of public objectification (p. 57). † In her perspective as a woman with varied experiences in life, the performance would make her deflect the scrutiny and objectifications of the audience. The possibility of having undergone more serious and debilitating experiences in life might have made her stronger and more open as accepting people’s objections and criticisms as well. While to Gomez-Pena, the experience of being exposed to people being someone else has depressed him to some extent. Psychologically, their performance also made an impact to themselves, which actually opened their minds as well and not only the audience that they wanted to observe them. What they did was something not all can do. It would take a lot of courage, determination and imagination for them to execute such a unique performance, a unique work of art, just to educate people on the existence of various cultures and expose them to the consequences of cultural fusion.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 1

One HIS FINGERTIPS SLID ALONG my back, applying hardly any pressure, yet sending shock waves over my flesh. Slowly, slowly, his hands moved across my skin, down the sides of my stomach to finally rest in the curves of my hips. Just below my ear, I felt his lips press against my neck, followed by another kiss just below it, then another, then another. †¦ His lips moved from my neck toward my cheek and then finally found my mouth. We kissed, wrapping ourselves closer together. My blood burned within me, and I felt more alive in that moment than I ever had. I loved him, loved Christian so much that – Christian? Oh no. Some coherent part of me immediately realized what was happening – and boy, was it pissed off. The rest of me, however, was still actually living in this encounter, experiencing it as though I was the one being touched and kissed. That part of me couldn't break away. I'd merged too much with Lissa, and for all intents and purposes, this was happening to me. No, I told myself sternly. It's not real – not for you. Get out of there. But how could I listen to logic when every nerve of my body was being set on fire? You aren't her. This isn't your head. Get out. His lips. There was nothing in the world right now except his lips. It's not him. Get out. The kisses were the same, exactly as I remembered with him. †¦ No, it's not Dimitri. Get out! Dimitri's name was like cold water hitting me in the face. I got out. I sat upright in my bed, suddenly feeling smothered. I tried kicking off the covers but mostly ended up entangling my legs even more. My heart beat hard in my chest, and I tried to take deep breaths to steady myself and return to my own reality. Times sure had changed. A long time ago, Lissa's nightmares used to wake me from sleep. Now her sex life did. To say the two were a little different would be an understatement. I'd actually gotten the hang of blocking out her romantic interludes – at least when I was awake. This time, Lissa and Christian had (unintentionally) outsmarted me. In sleep, my defenses were down, allowing strong emotions to pass through the psychic link that connected me to my best friend. This wouldn't have been a problem if the two of them had been in bed like normal people – and by â€Å"being in bed,† I mean â€Å"asleep.† â€Å"God,† I muttered, sitting up and swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My voice was muffled in a yawn. Couldn't Lissa and Christian have seriously kept their hands off each other until waking hours? Worse than being woken up, though, was the way I still felt. Sure, none of that making out had actually happened to me. It hadn't been my skin being touched or my lips being kissed. Yet my body seemed to feel the loss of it nonetheless. It had been a very long time since I'd been in that kind of situation. I ached and felt warm all over. It was idiotic, but suddenly, desperately, I wanted someone to touch me – even just to hold me. But definitely not Christian. The memory of those lips on mine flashed back through my mind, how they'd felt, and how my sleepy self had been so certain it was Dimitri kissing me. I stood up on shaky legs, feeling restless and †¦ well, sad. Sad and empty. Needing to walk off my weird mood, I put on a robe and slippers and left my room for the bathroom down the hall. I splashed cool water on my face and stared in the mirror. The reflection looking back at me had tangled hair and bloodshot eyes. I looked sleep-deprived, but I didn't want to go back to bed. I didn't want to risk falling asleep quite yet. I needed something to wake me up and shake away what I'd seen. I left the bathroom and turned toward the stairwell, my feet light on the steps as I went downstairs. The first floor of my dorm was still and quiet. It was almost noon – the middle of the night for vampires, since they ran on a nocturnal schedule. Lurking near the edge of a doorway, I scanned the lobby. It was empty, save for the yawning Moroi man sitting at the front desk. He leafed halfheartedly through a magazine, held to consciousness only by the finest of threads. He came to the magazine's end and yawned again. Turning in his revolving chair, he tossed the magazine on a table behind him and reached for what must have been something else to read. While his back was turned, I darted past him toward the set of double doors that opened outside. Praying the doors wouldn't squeak, I carefully opened one a crack, just enough to slip through. Once outside, I eased the door shut as gently as possible. No noise. At most, the guy would feel a draft. Feeling like a ninja, I stepped out into the light of day. Cold wind blasted me in the face, but it was exactly what I needed. Leafless tree branches swayed in that wind, clawing at the sides of the stone dorm like fingernails. The sun peeped at me from between lead-colored clouds, further reminding me that I should be in bed and asleep. Squinting at the light, I tugged my robe tighter and walked around the side of the building, toward a spot between it and the gym that wasn't quite so exposed to the elements. The slush on the sidewalk soaked into the cloth of my slippers, but I didn't care. Yeah, it was a typically miserable winter day in Montana, but that was the point. The crisp air did a lot to wake me up and chase off the remnants of the virtual love scene. Plus, it kept me firmly in my own head. Focusing on the cold in my body was better than remembering what it had felt like to have Christian's hands on me. Standing there, staring off at a cluster of trees without really seeing them, I was surprised to feel a spark of anger at Lissa and Christian. It must be nice, I thought bitterly, to do whatever the hell you wanted. Lissa had often commented that she wished she could feel my mind and experiences the way I could feel hers. The truth was, she had no idea how lucky she was. She had no idea what it was like to have someone else's thoughts intruding on yours, someone else's experiences muddling yours. She didn't know what it was like to live with someone else's perfect love life when your own was nonexistent. She didn't understand what it was like to be filled with a love so strong that it made your chest ache – a love you could only feel and not express. Keeping love buried was a lot like keeping anger pent up, I'd learned. It just ate you up inside until you wanted to scream or kick something. No, Lissa didn't understand any of that. She didn't have to. She could carry on with her own romantic affairs, with no regard for what she was doing to me. I noticed then that I was breathing heavily again, this time with rage. The icky feeling I'd felt over Lissa and Christian's late-night hookup was gone. It had been replaced by anger and jealousy, feelings born of what I couldn't have and what came so easily to her. I tried my best to swallow those emotions back; I didn't want to feel that way toward my best friend. â€Å"Are you sleepwalking?† a voice asked behind me. I spun around, startled. Dimitri stood there watching me, looking both amused and curious. It would figure that while I was raging over the problems in my unfair love life, the source of those problems would be the one to find me. I hadn't heard him approach at all. So much for my ninja skills. And honestly, would it have killed me to pick up a brush before I went outside? Hastily, I ran a hand through my long hair, knowing it was a little too late. It probably looked like an animal had died on top of my head. â€Å"I was testing dorm security,† I said. â€Å"It sucks.† A hint of a smile played over his lips. The cold was really starting to seep into me now, and I couldn't help but notice how warm his long leather coat looked. I wouldn't have minded wrapping up in it. As though reading my mind, he said, â€Å"You must be freezing. Do you want my coat?† I shook my head, deciding not to mention that I couldn't feel my feet. â€Å"I'm fine. What are you doing out here? Are you testing security too?† â€Å"I am security. This is my watch.† Shifts of school guardians always patrolled the grounds while everyone else slept. Strigoi, the undead vampires who stalked living Moroi vampires like Lissa, didn't come out in sunlight, but students breaking rules – say, like, sneaking out of their dorms – were a problem night and day. â€Å"Well, good work,† I said. â€Å"I'm glad I was able to help test your awesome skills. I should be going now.† â€Å"Rose – † Dimitri's hand caught my arm, and despite all the wind and chill and slush, a flash of heat shot through me. He released me with a start, as though he too had been burned. â€Å"What are you really doing out here?† He was using the stop fooling around voice, so I gave him as truthful an answer as I could. â€Å"I had a bad dream. I wanted some air.† â€Å"And so you just rushed out. Breaking the rules didn't even cross your mind – and neither did putting on a coat.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"That pretty much sums it up.† â€Å"Rose, Rose.† This time it was his exasperated voice. â€Å"You never change. Always jumping in without thinking.† â€Å"That's not true,† I protested. â€Å"I've changed a lot.† The amusement on his face suddenly faded, his expression growing troubled. He studied me for several moments. Sometimes I felt as though those eyes could see right into my soul. â€Å"You're right. You have changed.† He didn't seem very happy about the admission. He was probably thinking about what had happened almost three weeks ago, when some friends and I had gotten ourselves captured by Strigoi. It was only through sheer luck that we'd managed to escape – and not all of us had gotten out. Mason, a good friend and a guy who'd been crazy about me, had been killed, and part of me would never forgive myself for it, even though I'd killed his murderers. It had given me a darker outlook on life. Well, it had given everyone here at St. Vladimir's Academy a darker outlook, but me especially. Others had begun to notice the difference in me. I didn't like to see Dimitri concerned, though, so I played off his observation with a joke. â€Å"Well, don't worry. My birthday's coming up. As soon as I'm eighteen, I'll be an adult, right? I'm sure I'll wake up that morning and be all mature and stuff.† As I'd hoped, his frown softened into a small smile. â€Å"Yes, I'm sure. What is it, about a month?† â€Å"Thirty-one days,† I announced primly. â€Å"Not that you're counting.† I shrugged, and he laughed. â€Å"I suppose you've made a birthday list too. Ten pages? Single-spaced? Ranked by order of priority?† The smile was still on his face. It was one of the relaxed, genuinely amused ones that were so rare to him. I started to make another joke, but the image of Lissa and Christian flared into my mind again. That sad and empty feeling in my stomach returned. Anything I might have wanted – new clothes, an iPod, whatever – suddenly seemed trivial. What did material things like that mean compared to the one thing I wanted most of all? God, I really had changed. â€Å"No,† I said in a small voice. â€Å"No list.† He tilted his head to better look at me, making some of his shoulder-length hair blow into his face. His hair was brown, like mine, but not nearly as dark. Mine looked black at times. He brushed the unruly strands aside, only to have them immediately blow back into his face. â€Å"I can't believe you don't want anything. It's going to be a boring birthday.† Freedom, I thought. That was the only gift I longed for. Freedom to make my own choices. Freedom to love who I wanted. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† I said instead. â€Å"What do you – † He stopped. He understood. He always did. It was part of why we connected like we did, in spite of the seven-year gap in our ages. We'd fallen for each other last fall when he'd been my combat instructor. As things heated up between us, we'd found we had more things to worry about than just age. We were both going to be protecting Lissa when she graduated, and we couldn't let our feelings for each other distract us when she was our priority. Of course, that was easier said than done because I didn't think our feelings for each other were ever really going to go away. We'd both had moments of weakness, moments that led to stolen kisses or saying things we really shouldn't have. After I'd escaped the Strigoi, Dimitri had told me he loved me and had pretty much admitted he could never be with anyone else because of that. Yet, it had also become clear that we still couldn't be together either, and we had both slipped back into our old roles of keeping away from each other and pretending that our relationship was strictly professional. In a not-so-obvious attempt to change the subject, he said, â€Å"You can deny it all you want, but I know you're freezing. Let's go inside. I'll take you in through the back.† I couldn't help feeling a little surprised. Dimitri was rarely one to avoid uncomfortable subjects. In fact, he was notorious for pushing me into conversations about topics I didn't want to deal with. But talking about our dysfunctional, star-crossed relationship? That was a place he apparently didn't want to go today. Yeah. Things were definitely changing. â€Å"I think you're the one who's cold,† I teased, as we walked around the side of the dorm where novice guardians lived. â€Å"Shouldn't you be all tough and stuff, since you're from Siberia?† â€Å"I don't think Siberia's exactly what you imagine.† â€Å"I imagine it as an arctic wasteland,† I said truthfully. â€Å"Then it's definitely not what you imagine.† â€Å"Do you miss it?† I asked, glancing back to where he walked behind me. It was something I'd never considered before. In my mind, everyone would want to live in the U.S. Or, well, they at least wouldn't want to live in Siberia. â€Å"All the time,† he said, his voice a little wistful. â€Å"Sometimes I wish – â€Å" â€Å"Belikov!† A voice was carried on the wind from behind us. Dimitri muttered something, and then shoved me further around the corner I'd just rounded. â€Å"Stay out of sight.† I ducked down behind a bank of holly trees that flanked the building. They didn't have any berries, but the thick clusters of sharp, pointed leaves scratched where my skin was exposed. Considering the freezing temperature and possible discovery of my late-night walk, a few scratches were the least of my problems right now. â€Å"You're not on watch,† I heard Dimitri say several moments later. â€Å"No, but I needed to talk to you.† I recognized the voice. It belonged to Alberta, captain of the Academy's guardians. â€Å"It'll just take a minute. We need to shuffle some of the watches while you're at the trial.† â€Å"I figured,† he said. There was a funny, almost uncomfortable note in his voice. â€Å"It's going to put a strain on everyone else – bad timing.† â€Å"Yes, well, the queen runs on her own schedule.† Alberta sounded frustrated, and I tried to figure out what was going on. â€Å"Celeste will take your watches, and she and Emil will divide up your training times.† Training times? Dimitri wouldn't be conducting any trainings next week because – Ah. That was it, I realized. The field experience. Tomorrow kicked off six weeks of hands-on practice for us novices. We'd have no classes and would get to protect Moroi night and day while the adults tested us. The â€Å"training times† must be when Dimitri would be out participating in that. But what was this trial she'd mentioned? Did they mean like the final trials we had to undergo at the end of the school year? â€Å"They say they don't mind the extra work,† continued Alberta, â€Å"but I was wondering if you could even things out and take some of their shifts before you leave?† â€Å"Absolutely,† he said, words still short and stiff. â€Å"Thanks. I think that'll help.† She sighed. â€Å"I wish I knew how long this trial was going to be. I don't want to be away that long. You'd think it'd be a done deal with Dashkov, but now I hear the queen's getting cold feet about imprisoning a major royal.† I stiffened. The chill running through me now had nothing to do with the winter day. Dashkov? â€Å"I'm sure they'll do the right thing,† said Dimitri. I realized at that moment why he wasn't saying much. This wasn't something I was supposed to hear. â€Å"I hope so. And I hope it'll only take a few days, like they claim. Look, it's miserable out here. Would you mind coming into the office for a second to look at the schedule?† â€Å"Sure,† he said. â€Å"Let me check on something first.† â€Å"All right. See you soon.† Silence fell, and I had to assume Alberta was walking away. Sure enough, Dimitri rounded the corner and stood in front of the holly. I shot up from my hiding spot. The look on his face told me he already knew what was coming. â€Å"Rose – â€Å" â€Å"Dashkov?† I exclaimed, trying to keep my voice low so Alberta wouldn't hear. â€Å"As in Victor Dashkov?† He didn't bother denying it. â€Å"Yes. Victor Dashkov.† â€Å"And you guys were talking about†¦Do you mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I was so startled, so dumbstruck, that I could barely get my thoughts together. This was unbelievable. â€Å"I thought he was locked up! Are you saying he hasn't been on trial yet?† Yes. This was definitely unbelievable. Victor Dashkov. The guy who'd stalked Lissa and tortured her mind and body in order to control her powers. Every Moroi could use magic in one of the four elements: earth, air, water, or fire. Lissa, however, worked an almost unheard of fifth element called spirit. She could heal anything – including the dead. It was the reason I was now psychically linked to her – â€Å"shadow-kissed,† some called it. She'd brought me back from the car accident that had killed her parents and brother, binding us together in a way that allowed me to feel her thoughts and experiences. Victor had learned long before any of us that she could heal, and he'd wanted to lock her away and use her as his own personal Fountain of Youth. He also hadn't hesitated to kill anyone who got in his way – or, in the case of Dimitri and me, use more creative ways to stop his opponents. I'd made a lot of enemies in seventeen years, but I was pretty sure there was no one I hated as much as Victor Dashkov – at least among the living. Dimitri had a look on his face I knew well. It was the one he got when he thought I might punch someone. â€Å"He's been locked up – but no, no trial yet. Legal proceedings sometimes take a long time.† â€Å"But there's going to be a trial now? And you're going?† I spoke through clenched teeth, trying to be calm. I suspected I still had the I'm going to punch someone look on my face. â€Å"Next week. They need me and some of the other guardians to testify about what happened to you and Lissa that night.† His expression changed at the mention of what had occurred four months ago, and again, I recognized the look. It was the fierce, protective one he got when those he cared about were in danger. â€Å"Call me crazy for asking this, but, um, are Lissa and I going with you?† I had already guessed the answer, and I didn't like it. â€Å"No.† â€Å"No?† â€Å"No.† I put my hands on my hips. â€Å"Look, doesn't it seem reasonable that if you're going to talk about what happened to us, then you should have us there?† Dimitri, fully in strict-instructor mode now, shook his head. â€Å"The queen and some of the other guardians thought it'd be best if you didn't go. There's enough evidence between the rest of us, and besides, criminal or not, he is – or was – one of the most powerful royals in the world. Those who know about this trial want to keep it quiet.† â€Å"So, what, you thought if you brought us, we'd tell everyone?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Come on, comrade. You really think we'd do that? The only thing we want is to see Victor locked up. Forever. Maybe longer. And if there's a chance he might walk free, you have to let us go.† After Victor had been caught, he'd been taken to prison, and I'd thought that was where the story had ended. I'd figured they'd locked him up to rot. It had never occurred to me – though it should have – that he'd need a trial first. At the time, his crimes had seemed so obvious. But, although the Moroi government was secret and separate from the human one, it operated in a lot of the same ways. Due process and all that. â€Å"It's not my decision to make,† Dimitri said. â€Å"But you have influence. You could speak up for us, especially if†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Some of my anger dimmed just a little, replaced by a sudden and startling fear. I almost couldn't say the next words. â€Å"Especially if there really is a chance he might get off. Is there? Is there really a chance the queen could let him go?† â€Å"I don't know. There's no telling what she or some of the other high-up royals will do sometimes.† He suddenly looked tired. He reached into his pocket and tossed over a set of keys. â€Å"Look, I know you're upset, but we can't talk about it now. I have to go meet Alberta, and you need to get inside. The square key will let you in the far side door. You know the one.† I did. â€Å"Yeah. Thanks.† I was sulking and hated to be that way – especially since he was saving me from getting in trouble – but I couldn't help it. Victor Dashkov was a criminal – a villain, even. He was power-hungry and greedy and didn't care who he stepped on to get his way. If he were loose again†¦well, there was no telling what might happen to Lissa or any other Moroi. It enraged me to think that I could do something to help put him away but that no one would let me do it. I'd taken a few steps forward when Dimitri called out from behind me. â€Å"Rose?† I glanced back. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said. He paused, and his expression of regret turned wary. â€Å"And you'd better bring the keys back tomorrow.† I turned away and kept going. It was probably unfair, but some childish part of me believed Dimitri could do anything. If he'd really wanted to get Lissa and me to the trial, I was certain he could have. When I was almost to the side door, I caught movement in my peripheral vision. My mood plummeted. Great. Dimitri had given me keys to sneak back in, and now someone else had busted me. That was typical of my luck. Half-expecting a teacher to demand to know what I was doing, I turned and prepared an excuse. But it wasn't a teacher. â€Å"No,† I said softly. This had to be a trick. â€Å"No.† For half an instant, I wondered if I'd ever really woken up. Maybe I was actually still in bed, asleep and dreaming. Because surely, surely that was the only explanation for what I was now seeing in front of me on the Academy's lawn, lurking in the shadow of an ancient, gnarled oak. It was Mason.

Steps To Reduce Greenhouse Gases Environmental Sciences Essay

1. Fossil fuels have been the primary beginning of energy fuelling the planetary demands of power since long. Dependence on them chiefly stems from the fact that they are easy available, inexpensive and economical in transit every bit good as extraction. Coal, Oil, Natural Gas have all been used since long and even been exported/imported between states keeping a balanced demand and supply. So much so that the usage of fossil fuels has been in trend for such long times that most of our engineering and equipment using them as fuels are designed consequently. The biggest drawback of our dependance on fossil fuels is the release of CO2 into the ambiance thereby taking to planetary heating as besides the fact that it is a non-renewable beginning and will sooner or subsequently exhaust taking to a nothingness. Effectss of Fossil Fuel on Environment Renewable Energy Resources 3. In contrary to fossil fuels, renewable energies are reversible in nature and can invariably be replenished without the fright of being drained out of our environment. Wind, Solar, Hydro & A ; such like signifiers of renewable energy will maintain on supplying electricity without any idea of them being blown off from our planet. Such energies which can travel on to maintain bring forthing electricity without cut downing beginning energy itself are renewable energy. Wind Energy 4. Wind engineering has become really dependable, runing with handinesss of more than 98 % and holding a design life of 20 old ages or more. Furthermore, as the costs of air current turbines have steadily declined, proficient dependability has increased. The factors that presently limit wind energy ‘s market incursion include variableness, public credence and grid dependability. However, recent developments in electricity market reform, which promote better grid integrating and improved direction of natural rhythms of renewables, decrease the technological barriers that have constrained market incursion. In the country of air current energy, continued R & A ; D is indispensable to supply the necessary decreases in cost and uncertainness to gain the awaited degree of deployment. Other R & A ; D precedences include increasing the value of calculating power public presentation, cut downing uncertainnesss related to technology unity, betterment and proof of criterions, cut downing the cost of storage techniques, enabling large-scale usage, and understating environmental impacts. Further enlargement of air current power will advance important decreases in nursery gases. With farther deployment support, wind power may go by and large competitory with conventional engineerings by 2015-20 and off-shore air current will probably go competitory to a grade after that. Solar 5. Solar energy is already being widely used in certain states, whether it be for hot H2O production, warming, illuming and other power demands. The photovoltaic ( PV ) market has grown extensively since 1992. R & A ; D attempts, together with market deployment policies, have efficaciously produced impressive cost decreases nevertheless market deployment is concentrated with Japan, Germany and the United States accounting for over 85 % of entire installed capacity. However, PV still has a batch of range for R & A ; D with focal point on bettering the balance-of-system constituents for both grid connected and stand-alone applications. Even with these supports, PV is non expected to be by and large competitory until after 2020 – although it will go on to vie good in a turning scope of market niches in which the cost of deployment supports is moderate. Hydro 6. One of the biggest advantages of a hydroelectric composite is that the undertaking produces no direct waste, and has a well lower end product degree of the nursery gas, C dioxide ( CO2 ) , than fossil fuel powered energy workss. Worldwide, an installed capacity of 777 GWe supplied 2998 TWh of hydroelectricity in 2006 which was about 20 % of the universe ‘s electricity, and accounted for about 88 % of electricity from renewable beginnings. It is an highly flexible engineering from the position of power grid operation supplying one of the lowest cost options in today ‘s energy market, chiefly because most workss were built many old ages ago and their installation costs have been to the full amortised. Once the high up-front capital costs are written off, workss can supply power at even lower cost degrees, as such systems normally operate without major replacing costs for 50 old ages or more. The ground why globally merely approximately 5 % of the hydropower potency have been exploited through little graduated table sites is due to entree to transmittal systems, environmental and societal concerns. Biomass 7. Biomass stuffs have been used since millenary for run intoing countless human needs including energy with its chief beginnings being trees, harvests and carnal waste. Until the center of 19th century, biomass dominated the planetary energy supply with 70 % part. Soon, the biomass beginnings contribute 14 % of planetary energy and 38 % of energy in developing states. Globally, the energy content of biomass residues in agribusiness based industries yearly is estimated at 56 exajoules, about a one-fourth of planetary primary energy usage of 230 exajoules. Biomass burning for heat and power is a to the full mature engineering offering both an economic fuel option and a ready disposal mechanism of municipal, agricultural and industrial organic wastes. 8. However, the industry has remained comparatively dead over the last decennary, even though demand for biomass ( largely wood ) continues to turn in many developing states. One of the jobs of biomass is that stuff straight combusted in cook ranges produces pollutants, taking to terrible wellness and environmental effects, although improved cook range programmes are relieving some of these effects. A 2nd issue is that firing biomass emits CO2, even though biomass burning is by and large considered to be â€Å" carbon-neutral † because C is absorbed by works stuff during its growing, therefore making a C rhythm. First-generation biomass engineerings can be economically competitory, but may still necessitate deployment support to get the better of public credence and small-scale issues. Biofuels 9. Biofuels are a broad scope of fuels which are in some manner derived from biomass and screens solid biomass, liquid fuels and assorted biogases. They are deriving increased public and scientific attending, driven by factors such as oil monetary value spikes, the demand for increased energy security, and concern over nursery gas emanations from fossil fuels. Bioethanol is an intoxicant made by fermenting the sugar constituents of works stuffs and is made largely from sugar and amylum harvests. Biofuels provided 1.8 % of the universe ‘s conveyance fuel in 2008 while investing into its production capacity exceeded $ 4 billion worldwide in 2007 and is growing.More modern signifiers of bio energy include biomass-based power and heat coevals, co-firing, bio fuels for conveyance and short rotary motion harvests for energy feedstock. These are more advanced and each has its ain alone benefits. 10. Biomass is attractive for usage either as a stand-alone fuel or in fuel blends, such as co-firing wood with coal, or blending ethyl alcohol or biodiesel with conventional petroleum-based fuels. Anaerobic digestion has strong potency in states with ample resources. Electricity generated from biomass is based on steam turbine engineering. Many parts of the universe still have big untapped supplies of biomass residues, which could be converted into competitively priced electricity utilizing steam turbine power workss. Co-firing is a low-priced and low-risk manner of adding biomass capacity. Co-firing systems that use low-priced biomass supply can hold payback periods every bit abruptly as two old ages. 11. In add-on, biomass can replace up to 15 % of the entire energy input in a power works, frequently with few alterations other than the burner and feed consumption systems. Co-firing is of peculiar involvement in developing states, because it improves the economic and ecological quality of many older, coal fired power workss. Bio fuels from agricultural biomass production are another well-developed transition engineering. Biomass grown every bit dedicated energy harvests can supply new economic chances for husbandmans and forest proprietors. The primary barriers to increased usage of biomass on a larger graduated table are the cost of systems required for dedicated feedstock production, harvest home, and transit, every bit good as the fuel transition engineerings. With farther R & A ; D and deployment support in 2020-30, these engineerings could accomplish commercialization. Geothermal 12. Geothermal energy is a clean and sustainable energy that comes from resources runing from shallow land to hot H2O and hot stone found a few stat mis beneath the Earth ‘s surface, and down even deeper to the highly high temperatures of molten stone called magma. Geothermal heat pumps can tap into this resource to heat and cool edifices. These power workss are capable of runing 24Ãâ€"7 and globally there is a possible for bring forthing about 85 GW of power over the following 30 old ages. However, the restriction to tapping this resource is the handiness which is limited to merely few countries of the universe, the largest being the United States, Central America, Indonesia, East Africa and the Philippines. Challenges to spread outing geothermic energy include really long undertaking development times, and the hazard and cost of explorative boring. Action Plan to Reduce Dependence on Fossil Fuel 13. Solar Energy. This beginning is seen to hold the highest potency for the hereafter amongst assorted renewable energy beginnings. Some steps for working this rich resource are: – ( a ) Make solar warmers compulsory, through edifice byelaws and incorporation in the National Building Code. ( B ) Ensure the debut of effectual mechanisms for enfranchisement and evaluation of makers of solar thermal applications ( degree Celsius ) Facilitate measuring and publicity of these single devices through local bureaus and power public-service corporations. ( vitamin D ) Support the upgrading of engineerings and fabrication capacities through soft loans, to accomplish higher efficiencies and farther cost decrease. ( vitamin E ) Make installing of solar panels on the roofs of new edifices compulsory to obtain portion of the power demands through it. ( degree Fahrenheit ) Set up autochthonal fabrication capacity. ( g ) Promote off-grid applications so that power coevals is at the ingestion point itself and therefore does away with land and environment related concerns. 14. Wind. Although all sectors of renewable energy are being developed, weave power programme has been the fastest growth. The undermentioned enterprises will help in to the full working the air current potency: – ( a ) Projects under the Clean Development Mechanism ( CDM ) supply a farther inducement to weave energy development. ( B ) A consistent national renewable energy policy to to the full recognize the air current energy potency. ( degree Celsius ) Though Renewable Portfolio Standard ( RPS ) and FiT ( Feed in Tariffs ) can co-exist in theory, they need to be good managed to avoid inefficiencies. ( vitamin D ) Set up air current farms at off shore locations and along the seashore line. ( vitamin E ) Promote R & A ; D in this field with investings from developed states to help companies like Suzlon who are already planetary leaders. 15. Hydroelectricity. Harnessing H2O as a resource to bring forth power has been employed globally and a reasonably high grade of success has been achieved, nevertheless the undermentioned enterprises will impart farther impulse to the attempts: – ( a ) Undertake little micro hydel undertakings for rural electrification tapping into minor H2O resources at distant topographic points. ( B ) Streamline clearance processs, to include understating the clip rhythm for countenances of undertakings with particular accent on hastening environmental clearances, as besides on rehabilitation and relocation issues. ( vitamin D ) Though the populace sector has played a major and about sole function in developing hydropower in private owned independent power manufacturer ( IPP ) manner is still to catch on. The chief intent should be to bring forth assurance in prospective entrepreneurs/developers and offer footings and conditions, which will be attractive and cover undue hazards, without endangering consumer involvements. 16. However, on the whole to make maximal possible and hike the necessary investing in renewable energy, it is indispensable to present clear, stable and long-run support policies, carefully designed to guarantee that they operate in harmoniousness with bing apparatus.

Black People and Roberta Essay

Determining the race of Twyla and Roberta from the clouded descriptions in Recitatif is a rather difficult task. The evidence in my opinion leads me to believe that Roberta is white and that Twyla is black. In this paper I will identify situations in this story that reinforce my opinion. I will also explain how minority group treatment influenced my perception of the events in this story. My early impression of Roberta was that of a spoiled country girl with little or no education that opinion was based on her inability to read and her waste of food at meal times. Finishing all your food is a strong force in many black families this waste can be construed as a connection to Roberta being white. The first verbal indication is Roberta’s mother’s refusal to greet Twyla’s mother Mary. This is a strong image of prejudice in my opinion. Roberta’s mother said nothing. She just grabbed Roberta and stepped out of line. Roberta’s mother’s disinterest in meeting a woman of the opposite race makes a convincing argument that she is white and in her mind better than associating with blacks. In the next scene the families were eating Lunch. Twyla made the observation that â€Å"The wrong food is always with the wrong people. † And the connection that â€Å"Maybe that’s why I got into waitress work later-to match up the right people with the right food. † There is a common stereotype that black people love chicken. So the white Roberta having the â€Å"black† chicken could be considered a Mitch match and since Roberta is white she should not have the chicken. The next piece of evidence comes much later when the two old friends are reunited in a supermarket. They have exchanged pleasantries and discussed how well there lives are going. It is obvious to the reader that Roberta is well off financially. Roberta makes the comment â€Å"I was dying to know what happened to her, how she got from Jimi Hendrix to Annandale, a neighborhood full of doctors and IBM executives. Easy, I thought. Everything is so easy for them. They think they own the world. † This statement shows that Twyla is aware of how easy it is for white people to raise their economic class. It can be implied that Roberta made the large advance because she was of the proper â€Å"white† race to make such advancement. The final piece of evidence is When Twyla confronts Roberta on her poor behavior at their encounter in Howard Johnson’s Roberta says â€Å"Oh, Twyla, you know how it was in those days: black-white. You know how everything was. † Roberta here identifies the strong pressure she felt from her peers to not associate with the â€Å"lower† black race. My first indication of Twyla’s race was the way her mother Mary introduced herself. She used the phrase â€Å"Twyyyyyla, baby! † the term â€Å"baby† is commonly associated with older black females. Mary’s reaction to Roberta’s mother’s refusal to shake hands coupled with the loud outbursts on the way to the chapel are also part of what society has deemed as black female behavior. Mary is described wearing â€Å"those ugly green slacks that made her behind stick out† There is a stereotype that black women have large behinds. These examples leads me believe Roberta’s mother is black and so the daughter must be of the same race. Throughout the story Roberta is always depicted in a lower class than Roberta always overshadowed by Roberta. Roberta marries into a higher social standing and has an implied superiority throughout the story. The statement â€Å"Everything is so easy for them. They think they own the world. † Is a common opinion about the social standing of whites in the United States. There are a lot of conflicting data to for both sides of this argument. In my opinion though there is much more evidence that leads the reader to believe that Roberta is white and Twyla is black.