Essay on Television Broadcast News

In today’s journalistic world it is sometimes difficult to decipher between news broadcasts rendered as credible information as opposed to merely entertainment. It is safe to say that the media does have a responsibility in reporting the news truthfully and with honesty. As we begin to look more closely on the role of the News Media, local and national, we will find many interesting facets of the broadcasts to be analyzed. It is also expected that the media deliver news that is detailed, informative and credible.Unfortunately the content of the information sometimes broadcasts has other insignificant focuses such as, news regarding celebrities, entertainment (especially here in Los Angeles so close to Hollywood) and other tragic but unnecessary news. The content seems at times unimportant, weak, and falsely dramatic rather than a factual honest and necessary report of important occurrences local, national and international. At times the news seems more like a dramatic soap ope ra rather than news. Competion and monetary gain seems to drive the media to serve information that can be sometimes manipulated or sometimes just simply inappropriate.Another facet of the news media is the status of female anchors and reporters on network and local newscasts, which will be examined in this paper. It is important to note that the media has been known to be a field influenced by gender, racial and ethnic biases. These important topics will also be examined. It seems that the News Media is not very particular in choosing quality journalism these days. Some exceptions do exist although it seems that shows which function as informative shows are merely just entertainment and tabloid-like journalism.Such shows include, â€Å"Entertainment tonight†, â€Å"The E channel† programs, â€Å"Inside Edition†, and â€Å"Access Hollywood† to name a few. Even reality shows like â€Å"Cops† which are credible and reflect real life experiences are p ackaged for entertainment and sensationalist viewing. Also, when analyzing the role of local and national television broadcast news we still need to view the content of these programs with a grain of salt. News broadcasters are more influenced by events that will cause an immediate impact and sensational effect on the viewers than actual, credible and significant news.It is common for news broadcasters to begin the news  with such broadcasts covering such events as a â€Å"Wild Pursuit† or freeway car chase. Or, other such glamorized topics may include the arrest of famous actors or musicians whom have committed crimes. The O. J. Simpson case was a perfect example of such media frenzy or, the famous pop musician George Michaels being arrested for masturbating in the Beverly Hills Park restroom. How can the media choose to cover such insignificant events when the local areas, the nation or the international community has so many other important social, economical, political and humanitarian problems and events that are hardly addressed.Also, when we pursue to analyze the credibility of broadcasters, how are we sure that the information given to us is factual? Are we to believe everything that CNN reports is untainted and free of excessive nonfactual events and information? It would be justified to question the source of reported events and news stories. There has been so many times in which different views and different versions of the same story have been reported by varying news channels. Therefore it is sometimes difficult to decipher between fact or fiction and credible information or merely entertainment.It is also interesting to note that the media tries to maintain an air of social and political correctness when it comes to choosing its journalists although certain biases still due exists in the journalistic field. It is only in recent times that the news media has decided to hire more ethnically diverse journalists. Also in a field that had bee n mostly dominated by men, in recent times we have seen the hiring of more female anchors, reporters and journalists. Sometimes broadcasters use attractive journalists to gain the interest of the viewers.One of the most important TV news personalities of the last 40 years has been the famous Barbara Walters. She is one of the first women to gain acceptability and credibility from television news viewers. Also Christian Amanpour remains the first female TV broadcaster in our history who commands the same kind of respect as the long line of father figures that started with Murrow and continues with Rather, Brokaw and Jennings. Women journalists such as Walters and Amanpour have gained respect and stardom through many years of hard work and struggle through journalism.Nowadays, historic news stories have become the journalistic fast track to celebrity. And this happens so routinely that the search for the new media stars automatically built into coverage of the events themselves. Withi n hours of the attack on the World Trade Center, you could already hear people in the media world asking, â€Å"Who’s going to be made by this one? † Such celebrity came to female anchorwoman Ashleigh Banfield, a 33-year-old Canadian-born journalist when on September 11, Banfield covered groundzero in New York for MSNBC.Standing firm as she became coated with ash, network executives were so dazzled by her on-camera savvy that, although she had almost as little international knowledge as our president, they jetted her off to Pakistan, where she began anchoring the week-nightly news show â€Å"Region in Conflict. † Since then, she seems to have been everywhere for the cable channels covering a variety of important news stories and issues. A similar story occurred when Andrea Thompson made headlines when she recently revealed that she was quitting ABC’s â€Å"N. Y. P.D Blue† to do a three-month tryout at the CBS affiliate in Albuquerque, N. M. to beco me a TV anchorwoman. Shortly after Andrea Thompson was hired by the CNN as an anchor. The 39-year-old actress and model has said that she believes her skills as an actress are transferable to TV news, even though she does not have any background in journalism. Although it’s not a matter of acting the news, it’s hard to fake a journalism background if you do not have one. Again this proves how today’s news media functions more as entertainment than credible responsible journalism.Some may say that it does not take any journalism skill to read a news script, and most stations want an appealing person, so why not have a pretty person reading a copy of the news? Personally I believe that this is unfair to other journalists male or female who have pursued a career studying and experiencing modern journalism. It is unfair to hire â€Å"sexy† or â€Å"sexual –attractive† journalists to report the news when the most important factor is the content a nd truthfulness of the news itself. It may be appropriate to flaunt ones sexuality in the fictional soap opera or fictional TV show arena, but not in the modern journalistic forum.Gender and sexuality should not be a factor. It would be hopeful to expect the News Media to cover more events with greater importance and significance to all people rather than to use journalism as a form of entertainment for the masses. Furthermore, it seems to me that the actual event and truth in media shouldn’t be tainted by such factors such as gender, ethnicity, age or how one presents him or herself physically, the events and news topics covered should speak for themselves, not the other way around.

A More Perfect Union

In the remarks on â€Å"A More Perfect Union† Senator Barack Obama discusses the issue of race identity in terms of American society. Barack Obama describes his life stressing the role the race has played in his life. It is known that if Obama wins Presdiential elections, he will become the first African-American president in the US history.Obama touches the questions of slavery, declaration of independence in Philadelphia and origins of democracy in America. Declaration of independence in Philadelphia played crucial role in promoting democracy as farmers, scholars, patriots and statement were provided with opportunity to express their negative attitude towards slavery, discrimination, tyranny and inequality.Declaration of independence became the first step on the long road to democracy, freedom, liberty and universal human rights. (Obama, 2008)Through struggles and protests, through civil disobedience and civil war, American citizens made a successful attempt to narrow the ga p between empty words and reality of the time they lived in.Therefore, the most important idea of the speech is that all citizens of the United States should be provided with full rights and obligations despite their color, religious preferences and beliefs.Obama says that US Constitution is the ideal for citizens as it ensures their legal rights, and opportunities. It is Constitution that promises all citizens liberty, freedom, justice and union. Obama adds that union should be perfected with time.Therefore, Obama views the task of his campaign as one which will continue the long march of to more just, equal, free American nation. Obama says that he decided to run for presidency as he believed that challenges couldn’t be overcome unless they were solved together and unless the union was perfected. (Obama, 2008)Obama stresses that we have different hopes, but all of us are striving for better future sharing similar hopes. Obama argues that â€Å"we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction – towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren†. (Obama, 2008) Obama’s beliefs, according to his words, are rooted in his own story. Obama tells he is the son of a black man and white woman from Kansas.Obama’s grandfather survived Depression and helped to raise Obama. Obama says he visited the best schools in American, and, at the same time, lived in one of the poorest nations. She is married to an African-American women and blood of slavery flowed within them. Obama’s life story has taught him that a nation isn’t simply a sum of genetic make-ups. Instead, nation is sharing common hopes and prospects for better future.Obama says that racial tensions are seen in all spheres of life. Even he is often labeled as ‘too black’ or ‘not black enough’. In South Carolina there are powerful coalitions of African-Americans an d white Americans. Blacks and whites are equally offended and it should be stopped. Obama shares his experiences at Trinity.He says that Trinity is embodiment of African-American community as similar to other African-American churches Trinity offers services which are full of bawdy humor and raucous laughter. Obama says that Trinity’s church is full of dancing, shouting and clapping, as well as it combines kindness and cruelty, struggles and success, intelligence and ignorance, love and bitterness, etc. All these components build the experience of Africans in America. (Obama, 2008)

Blood clots Essay Example for Free

Blood clots Essay Choose cite format: APA MLA Harvard Chicago ASA IEEE AMA Blood clots are also known as the thrombus which is the result of blood coagulation step in hemostasis. Blood clots are formed through platelets’ aggression which makes a platelet plug and the stimulation of the humoral coagulation system. Blood clots noted as a pathologic in terms of thrombosis but then it is physiologic in terms of injury. Thrombus signifies blood clotting in the intact blood vessels. It is a big blood vessel that reduces blood flow via that vessel. Moreover, in the case of small blood vessel, the blood movement might totally stop which may cause death of tissue which provided by the said vessel. If the thrombus extricates and turns out to be free-floating, it becomes an embolus. There are several conditions in which blood clots form which involve atrial fibrillation which is a cardiac arrhythmia’s formation, heart valve replacement, extension periods of inactivity, a previous heart attack and genetic inadequacies (see â€Å"Thrombus†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. October 11, 2006). Blood clots’ preventions may decrease the possibility of pulmonary embolism, heart attack and stroke. Warfarin and heparin are frequently used to slow and restrain formation and progress of prevailing blood clots which permit our body to decrease and suspend the blood clots by means of usual methods. A thrombus is distinct from haematoma by means of: >being non-laminar >being elastic and brittle > has a high haematocrit >lacks of circulation (see â€Å"Thrombus†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. October 11, 2006). The purposes of this study are to: (1) know what blood clots are; (2) be aware on how blood clots do form and; (3) learn how blood clots treated. II. Discussion A. About Blood Clots If the blood vessels are destroyed, the lack of blood from the system should be suspended before â€Å"shock† occurs and may possibly leads patient’s death. It is achieved through the blood’s solidification and the said process is termed as coagulation or clotting. Blood clots comprise of a plug of platelets entangled in a group of insoluble fibrin molecules (see â€Å"Blood Clotting†. June 4, 2005). Moreover, blood clots are the misery and pest of the existence of human beings. The can create strokes and heart attacks and they suspend blood supply to an individual’s legs. Many physicians denote this process as thrombosis. Several scientists have extensive researched for a period of time regarding the vascular biology which has an intention to stop thrombosis and cure its consequences yet it continuously serves as a culprit for death causes. Approximately in the past five years, the Mayo cardiovascular researchers continually widened their investigations regarding the vascular biology after they found out that thrombosis formed through interaction of cells exist in the vessel wall and in the circulation of the bloodstream. Dr. Simari stated that: â€Å"The major focus of our lab is to understand the biological process that narrows blood vessels, both in arthrosclerosis and in re- stenosis. Our aim is to take the biological clues that we learn from our research and use them to generate biological markers and treatments that can predict, prevent and treat thrombosis at the site of vascular injury (see â€Å"The Biology of Blood Clots†. Mayo Clinic’s Online Research Magazine. 2006). In addition, the blood clots develop even if an individual does not experience injury. Even though majority of the blood clots have a tendency to suspend, there are circumstances in which blood clots can create medical dilemmas. Blood clots turn out to be risky if they block blood movement via artery or vein. If the blood clot prevents or deters the blood movement to an artery in the brain or heart, it may lead to stroke or heart attack. Blood clots can deter, too, the veins and arteries in our entire body which cause illnesses like varicose veins to serious pulmonary embolism. The picture below illustrates the formation of blood clot (see â€Å"Blood Clots†. HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006). B. How blood clots do form? The cells which line inside the layer of blood vessel becomes injured which is instigated by a wound. The blood platelets automatically go directly to the injured area and connect themselves with the intention to close of the wound. Look at the picture below (see â€Å"How do blood clots form? March 11, 2004). Platelets clump together and the clothing process begins The platelets discharge a chemical substance which draw and bring together more platelets to the injured area. In the meantime, other substances are mix with platelets to create and develop a blood clot. This process is named as coagulation. Fibrin is released. Fibrin describes as a thread-like protein which aids the stabilization of the clot in the blood vessel. The picture below shows how blood clot forms and fibrin stabilizes clot (see â€Å"How do blood clots form? March 11, 2004). Additionally, blood clot can be developed too through gradual increase of plaque inside the artery-an example for this is the atherosclerosis- or other illnesses. Any vein or artery may possibly experience and form blood clots inside our body which include the coronary arteries that provide the heart with blood, the arteries which provide the brain with blood-an example for this is the carotid arteries, and the veins in the legs. As mentioned earlier, blood clots can also be dangerous if will it develop inside in any of these arteries: ? The pulmonary artery passes through from the heart to the lungs. Obstruction in this artery is named as a pulmonary embolism and may create a great damage in the lungs and in several circumstances, may lead to death. This is because of the abnormal heart pulse which is termed as atrial fibrillation or through a peripheral venous disorder inside the veins of the legs-an example is the deep vein thrombosis. ? One of the coronary arteries that can be found on the heart’s surface and provide the heart muscle with new, oxygen-rich blood. The obstruction of the coronary arteries may possibly cause a heart attack. In this condition, blood clots normally develop as a reaction to the plaque rupture that happens if a plaque piles up inside the coronary artery fractures’ wall, which initiate blood clotting. ? The carotid arteries that is located in the neck and provide the brain with oxygen-rich blood. Obstruction may possibly initiate a stroke-an example for this is the transient ischemic attack. ? The femoral artery which is located in the leg. Obstruction may instigate pain like claudication, absence of color’s area, weakness and when this is not cured, infection like gangrene and tissue death like necrosis. An artery can be located in the abdomen. Obstruction may create diarrhea, vomiting or pain (â€Å"Blood Clots†. HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006). C. how blood clots treated Several physicians cure blood clots with several procedures. Treatments like anticoagulants that aid to prevent blood clots and clot busters that aid to suspend blood clots. In some serious circumstances, physicians may possibly decide to use for a catheter-based procedure which utilize a long, thin tube named as catheter or even decide for a surgery to take off the clot-thrombectomy. Moreover, there are maybe devices that need to be implanted in particular blood vessels in order to catch blood clots before there will be more injury happened (see â€Å"Blood Clots†. HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006). C. 1 Treatment options for blood clots The option in treating blood clots is a case to case basis whether the clot has developed in an artery or a vein and creates stroke or heart attack. During emergencies, thrombolytic treatments-clot busters- may possibly used to suspend the blood clot. These treatments are applied to some selected patients in accordance to an extensive protocol. In order to be efficient, they are provided no less than one hour of the heart attack or in three hours of the stroke. Thrombolytics are normally applied when there are huge clots which cause severe and life-threatening signs. These can create abrupt and unexpected bleeding. There are many invasive methods that can also be used. One of these is the catheter-directed thrombolysis. It is a method which the catheter proc\vides thrombolytic enzymes straight to the blood clot. Throughout this process, greater enzymes’ concentrations could be utilized and may possibly have lesser side effects compared when the enzymes are supplied subcutaneously no less than two days. Thrombolytic method is followed by a treatment that has anticoagulants to stop more blood clots from formation. Anticoagulants could be advised to patients that have great risk of a blood clot. Researchers are really trying very hard to different catheter-based procedures to cure stroke rapidly. One of the experimental procedures which included is the use of a tiny â€Å"corkscrew† device which rapidly reverses the injury created by a stroke. The said device is directed to where the blood clot is; where it removes the obstruction. Another procedure depends on a special laser catheter which utilizes light energy to suspend rapidly the blood clot. These latest therapies can be accessible to a patient that cannot bear clot-busting drugs (see â€Å"Treatment options for blood. † Blood Clot, HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006). Furthermore, when a blood clot develops in a leg vein, there is a risk that a pulmonary embolism will form. A pulmonary embolism may possibly be a life-threatening in which blood clots break away from its location and passes through the bloodstream and stay in one of the blood vessels of the lungs. To avoid and stop a pulmonary embolism, the present blood clots in the legs may cured with a mixture of heat, thrombolytics, painkilling treatments, elevation of the injured area to lessen swelling and anticoagulants. This procedure relies on the clot’s size and the seriousness of any current symptoms. When a patient does not react to anticoagulants, the physicians will decide for a process which uses a catheter having a special device named as vena cava filter. The vena cava filter is inserted in the large vein which transports blood from the legs up to the heart and lungs (vena cava). Additionally, the vena cava filter is a kind of a device which catches blood clots within the vein before the blood clots are permitted to reach the lungs. However, there are several danger related with vena cava filters which comprise failure of the filter in terms of time and blood clots created by means of it. Many researchers really work on in improving the vena cava filters which can be withdrawn right after the medication of pulmonary embolism. There are researches that substantiated and confirmed that treatment in a longer period of time along with a low-does anticoagulant drugs aids in stopping the presence of blood clots amongst those patients who have background of vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (see â€Å"Treatment options for blood. † Blood Clot, HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006). C. 2 Diagnosis methods There are several ways on how to diagnose blood clots. It starts with a medical background and physical test. When there is suspension of clot, several of examinations are utilized to substantiate the diagnosis and these include Doppler ultrasound, CAT scan and MRI: *Doppler ultrasound pertains to an imaging technology which utilizes sound or motion waves to give visual images of the structure and of several blood vessels and organs in our body (see â€Å"Diagnosis methods for blood clots†. Blood clots, HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006). * CAT scan refers to computer axial tomography. It is an examination which utilizes a number of x-rays which got from different sides in order to give a computerized three-dimensional image of a body shape (see â€Å"Diagnosis methods for blood clots†. Blood clots, HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006). *MRI means magnetic resonance imaging which is a noninvasive examination that utilizes magnetic fields to give high-resolution cross- sectional or three-dimensional visual images of the aimed surface (see â€Å"Diagnosis methods for blood clots†. Blood clots, HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006). References 1. â€Å"Thrombus†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. October 11, 2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Blood_clot 2. â€Å"Blood Clotting†. June 4, 2005. http://users. rcn. com/jkimball. ma. ultranet/BiologyPages/C/Clotting. html 3. â€Å"Blood Clots†. HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006. http://heart. healthcentersonline. com/bloodclot/bloodclots. cfm 4. â€Å"The Biology of Blood Clots†. Mayo Clinic’s Online Research Magazine. 2006. http://discoverysedge. mayo. edu/vascular_biology/ 5. â€Å"How do blood clots form? March 11, 2004. http://www. innohepusa. com/corporateweb/innohepus/home. nsf/Content/Howdoclotsform. 6. â€Å"Treatment options for blood. † Blood Clot, HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006. http://heart. healthcentersonline. com/bloodclot/bloodclots7. cfm 7. â€Å"Diagnosis methods for blood clots†. Blood clots, HeartCenterOnline. May 9, 2006. http://heart. healthcentersonline. com/bloodclot/bloodclots6. cfm Blood clots. (2016, Aug 08).

Theory and Personal Development - Person centered and Psychodynamic Essay

Theory and Personal Development - Person centered and Psychodynamic Counseling - Essay Example Freud was a student of von Brucke's and took on many of his ideas regarding psychology. The psychodynamic approach is epitomized by classic psychoanalysis, in which the patient seeks to experience the "truth" about themselves through breaking down the defenses that have built up to prevent them from reliving the events and processes in their past that have created the problems they are experiencing in the present day. This approach states that present conditions have identifiable causes in the past. Cause and effect is at work. Within my own life psychodynamic counseling might be suitable for uncovering my feelings and experienced in growing up with a brother who had learning disabilities and who received attention and financial support from my parents that at the time I felt was being withheld from me. Psychodynamic counseling might enable me to answer the question of whether this now distant feeling of being rejected influences me today. Are there stresses within my present personal relationships that reflect this past feeling of abandonment Sibling rivalry is of course a generally accepted fact of most psychological models, but in my case is it exasperated and thus lengthened because of the unique circumstances of my relationship with my brother The psychodynamic approach might also be used to explore the fact that I had a "caretaker" role within my family at a comparatively young age, due to my mother's multiple pregnancies and what I now identify as post-partum depression. Did I become self-reliant to an unhealthy extent, thus distancing myself from people Again, this type of approach would seek to uncover the true nature (and thus influence) of these past experiences and seek to apply them to my present psychological state. In the psychodynamic state, the past is indeed prologue to present. Further, it is almost determinative in nature (Parkes, 1971). In contrast, the person-centered, or humanistic counseling, would concentrate upon the manner in which I perceive myself consciously in the present and would only consider my childhood as it directly affects my present situation. Thus the fact that I desire to have children, but have so far been unable to get pregnant might be explored vis--vis my mother's bad pregnancy experiences. This past would be a direct effect upon my conscious mind however, rather than the sub/unconscious influence that might prevail within the psychodynamic model and which would thus need to be revealed to me through my psychotherapist. As Jacobs (1986) suggests, the psychotherapist needs to be sure that he/she does not dominate the process to the degree that the actual subject is lost within a morass of interpretation. I am also presently considering whether if my husband and I do have children they will experience the same poor childhood that I did. Essentially, will I be as bad a mother as my mother was The person-centered approach would take this question at face value - and essentially assume that my mother was indeed a bad mother - and explore how this belief influences me in the present day. Psychodynamic counseling would explore how I had come to the conclusion that my parents were bad parents, and what effect it had

Bowen Family Systems Therapy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Bowen Family Systems Therapy - Research Paper Example Unlike normal family development, in which families learn to differentiate parts of them when interacting on an emotional level and set healthy boundaries, enmeshed families become overly involved with each other, increasing the chances of anxiety and conflict. Lack of differentiation occurs due to the inability to separate their emotions from their reactions. What they feel and how they react to those feelings are governed by the interactions between themselves and others. Bowen attributed this differentiation of self to family of origin. His philosophy was emotional attachment either created a positive or negative reaction, depending on how the family interacted with each other. An anxiety-provoking situation could cause withdrawal and distancing or, family members could deal with the conflict reasonably. The more stable families’ interactions were towards each other, the less likely individuals would carry these unresolved conflicts into another relationship. In essence, families’ interdependence relies heavily on the daily changes that occur. In families that experience a high level of conflict, there is often one family member that becomes vulnerable to the effects of the conflict. This results in anxiety, depression, alcoholism, drug abuse and other clinical problems. These problems manifested themselves in other relationships, often creating the same tension and conflict. Murray Bowen developed eight interlocking concepts involving systems theory and that emotions were in part, the key that affects families as a unit. Not only did he base his studies on the family, but applied the systems theory perspective to both work and social systems The key to the Bowen therapy basically lies within the emotions and the activities governed by these emotions that may have taken many years to develop. Bowen has emphasized the significance of having a deep insight into the contribution made by different generations in the

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 84

History - Essay Example The Continental Congress comprised of 13 American colonies and after some time the United States. The external pressures from France, England, and Spain played an integral role in the making of the United States in the sense that they were challenged by their success, as they were free from colonies. Therefore, the United States came up with the articles of confederation, which served as the first constitution. The Articles of Confederation even when they were not yet ratified provided international and domestic legitimacy to direct the American Revolutionary war by the Continental Congress (Berkin, 2012). Although ratified by the thirteen states the Articles were not sufficient, which led to the making of the United States Constitution that would govern all the states. However, Antifederalists opposed the ratification of the Constitution. They did not succeed as the Constitution was ratified in 1789 and was established as supreme law. The constitution was not sufficient enough as it was amended twenty-seven times where the first ten amendments are the bill of rights that are gi ven to every citizen in the United

Preparing to Conduct Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Preparing to Conduct Business - Essay Example ductivity as the cost of laying-off the tenured employees, as well as coping for the remaining or new managers in the newly-built structure of the company. Possible research questions for the scenario are: 1) Should the functions for each job description be adjusted to suit the new organizational structure? 2) How many tenured employees must be retained in order to keep the company working smoothly as before, and at the same time within the new structure’s limits? And 3) Would the gap between costs and profits after restructuring increase or decrease, as compared to the old structure, and by how much? Possible hypotheses, which can be either a null hypothesis (no difference between X and Y) or alternative hypothesis (X is better than Y, or vice versa) for the given scenario can be deduced using the example research questions stated above: 1) Ho: The old job descriptions can still be used for the new structure of the company. Ha: Job descriptions must be updated to suit the new organizational structure. 2) Ho: No need to hire more than 3% of the original employees since this is enough to both train the new hires and keep the organization going. Ha: Hiring at least 50% of the original employees would be enough to train the new hires and keep the organization sailing. 3) Ho: The gap between cost and profits would be the same as in the old structure. Ha: Gap between cost and profit can either be: cost is greater than profits, or profits are greater than cost. While business restructuring is a strategy usually undertaken by many companies to cut costs, there are many things to be considered before undertaking such a task (Zilka 13). In order to be able to maximize profits as well as the cuts in costs, the business must have a solid program as its foundation. There must be sufficient data, analytics as well as benchmarking in order to gauge the new program’s effectiveness (14). This would ensure that the new organizational structure would be able to save more and

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 37

Reflection paper - Essay Example It is important for me to know who I am and to acknowledge my identity. It also helps me to determine my strengths and weaknesses. This was the most interesting yet most difficult lesson to let sink in. Though I know that self-concept is an essential part of life, it is hard to look at your own strengths and weaknesses. I know now what some of those are and the areas that are my weaknesses are those that I can work on and learn from. It is not as simple as looking at yourself in the mirror but more like looking at yourself under a microscope and sometimes what you see is difficult. That is also where I had several â€Å"aha† moments. It sounds narcissistic to only acknowledge what I learned about myself but it is difficult to build on anything else in communication without acknowledging my own strengths and weaknesses in life. The HURIER method was also a great thing to learn because it helped me learn more about listening. Sometimes I find myself busy and thinking about other things that I have to do that I sometimes may drift off and think about other things when I am in the middle of a conversation or even in class. I may be hearing someone else but I am not listening. This lesson helped me to realize I need to stop what I am doing and listen or the translation of what I hear can be completely different than the message I was supposed to be hearing. I know that I need to go through the steps of hearing, understanding, remembering, interpreting, evaluating and responding, hence the acronym. In any conversation or giving an answer in class, I have to actually hear and process the message in order to give an appropriate response to what it is I have heard. I think it is a tool that I use without thinking about it but actually seeing it in a logical organizational form makes it easier to remind myself that I need to really think things through before responding. The elements that make me a bad

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

Interview - Essay Example Adding to it was the way they are formulated in different forms like Tablets, Capsules, Syrups, Injectables, and so on. I always questioned the Doctors, Pharmacists, and my parents about this wonderful land of remedies, to calm the wondering mind full of artistic science. In today’s world, which is rightly turning into a global village, information is easily accessible. Information on drugs in public domain has impacted numerous facets of medicine usage and patient safety. As a responsible citizen, a pharmacist certainly adds significant value to educate and alert the patients about the outcomes of drug therapy programs. I like Science, and have a passion to help people. Being good at management, I prefer engaged with a job that gives opportunity to interact with people on a regular basis. It gives quite a flexible career and tremendous job openings, where one has an opportunity to pursue a diverse career as Hospital pharmacist, Community Pharmacist, Primary care specialist, a dvisor, and an industrial or academic pharmacist. To me, Pharmacy has been academically challenging, even more than the medicine courses. As mentioned earlier, it is getting more interesting with recent developments in drug discovery sciences, and I would like to be a part of this important journey. The ultimate goal for me is to improve the quality of life by contributing actively to the society as whole, and I believe, it is a logical step to achieve this by pursuing a career in Pharmacy. Pharmacy is changing at a rapid pace, which has thrown open new challenges and opportunities for the budding potential pharmacists. The demands of specialist care within hospital, the increasing complexity of drug therapy regime have resulted in innovative business models that has made Hospital pharmacy vital. It is required to stretch the limits of pharmacy practice, for a better patient management. Today, the role of the pharmacist in

English Lesson Plan For Pupils Of The Third Grade Essay

English Lesson Plan For Pupils Of The Third Grade - Essay Example STANDARDS: In this lesson, the students learn to meet standards of English expression by using prepositional phrases, as well as comparing nation and nationality, by producing short autobiographical stories. This concept is central to understanding nation vs. nationality (â€Å"S/he is French; S/he is from France†) generally and can aid students in their use of essays. THEME: The theme of the lesson is the presentation of autobiography. The location of the narrator in context to the city, state, and nation are consistently referred to in the lesson, in terms of locating these objects through using prepositions and appropriate descriptors (â€Å"London is a city; France is a country†). Therefore, places themselves, as location techniques, provide a continuous theme that is picked up by the class through using reading, writing, and most importantly, speaking. Language: Students are able to express the location and nationality of their parents and grandparents using descriptors, along with simple prepositional phrases. Students will demonstrate mastery of differentiation of nation and nationality, and then relate these constructions to space and placement using autobiographical stories. Content: Content standards discussed above are met through repetition and regression of problem areas. The content covers a span of relatively basic exercises in the differentiation of cities and countries, along with nations and nationalities, as they are used in various prepositional phrases and relations, and moves on to consider more complex constructions such as the present perfect (â€Å"I have been here for†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) (Getting, 1994). LEARNING STRATEGIES: In this lesson, visual learning is very important. Students learn to relate nations and nationalities through looking at maps and the representations of people through their placement in relation to space, time, and other objects.

Let’s analyze the gaming console industry Essay Example for Free

Let’s analyze the gaming console industry Essay We can define two types of supplier: the hardware supplier and the software supplier. The hardware suppliers providing the elements needed to build the consoles have a low bargaining power because there have very low switching costs and there are a lot of them. On the other hand, the software suppliers (developers) have a high bargaining power because they choose and set the conditions to work with each console. Entry Barriers Entry barriers are high because of high RD costs and the high capital investment needed to start a business in the console industry. Internal Rivalry There is high internal rivalry among competitors because the core player market is growing slowly, competitors have high exit barriers and the products developed turn obsoletes in less than 5 years due to the fast progress of technology. The players in the industry are: Sony, XBOX and Nintendo. Buyer Power The bargaining power of buyers is high because there are many options with very low switching costs. Substitutes Low substitute power because they are not very similar (like TV or other entertainment device) and don’t fulfill the same exact purpose. Sony has few competitors due to high barriers-to-entry and startup costs but buyers and suppliers (game developers) have high bargaining power and low switching costs. Sony should target a new market as Nintendo did. We could call this market the casual players market. In order to get in this new segment, Sony will have to develop a more interactive way of using their console without dropping the numerous features to avoid losing their core player market share. The key of success for Sony is to adapt a new technology such as Nintendo did with Wii that will enable the company to target a broader market and not only the males from 16-36 years old. The advantage of entering those two markets with one console is that Sony will enter a bigger market with bigger returns and consequently bigger economies of scales. Also, entering the casual player market is important for the company to avoid falling behind its competitors in both markets since this new segment will enhance the brand exposure and recognition. The risk associated to this option is to turn this high performing console in a low performing console (as Nintendo did) and lose the core players customers that are very important to Sony financial stability and growth. A big challenge for this new console will be to cut costs in order to make it more accessible to customers, since the casual players market will definitely be â€Å"guided† by price. Vis-a-vis the Five Forces, if Sony were to pursue this option, the company will be competing in the core player market and on the casual player market. On the casual player market the substitutes will have more power. Sony will compete with other activities such as watching TV, watching a movie and others living room activities. The main â€Å"purpose† of this market is entertainment in general while the core player market is about playing video games. Update: Sony and Microsoft had already implemented advanced interactive technologies. Nowadays, Microsoft has the most advanced software and hardware that don’t need controllers anymore, just your body.

Ethical Issues In The Federal Government’s Department Of Defense Essay Example for Free

Ethical Issues In The Federal Government’s Department Of Defense Essay If there could be anything in the American government that the world has long been admiring, it would always be its military strength. Besides its technology, high product standards, its money, transportation and educational facilities, the world has been looking up at America because of its excellence in the field war and battle. It would seem for the rest of the world that Uncle Sam’s haven offers a smooth-sailing life that people of different colors race and strive to come over. The big question to dig into is this: â€Å"Is America free of corruption and abuse? The answer to the question is a big no. In this paper, we will try to look into the ethical standards of the Federal Government for the purpose of having a benchmark in our evaluation of the ethical deviations inside the organization. Specifically, we will try to evaluate how the Department of Defense go through the process of procurement and will try to pinpoint where the flaw in such process is, resulting to fraud and abuse. This paper has included actual court cases where the Department of Defense was involved. Through these processes, we will be able to prove that no matter how powerful the policies and laws of the Federal Government, the powerful America cannot control its entire people and prevent them from overriding personal interests and public trust. At the end of this paper, the author hopes to have the readers convinced that Federal laws and policies still have flaws and that should be taken into consideration the soonest possible in order for the American nation and the rest of the world restore its fading trust and confidence over the people behind their security. President George Bush during his term, probably ensuring the public of their trust towards the government, issued a separate order that would serve as guideline for strict compliance of all personnel directly serving the public. Executive Order 12731 of October 17, 1990, entitled â€Å"Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government Officers and Employees orders each government employee to avoid, prevent and help detect fraud and adhere to ethical standards at all times and situations. The first section of the EO12731 provides catchy ethical principles which prevent each employee to â€Å"hold financial interests that conflict with the conscientious performance of duty† and engage in financial transactions using non-public government information or allow the improper use of such information to further any private interest† (section 101-b and c). Subsections of the order also require each employee to act will full honesty in their duties and most importantly they are not allowed to use public office for private gain. The Federal Government, based on its laws and policies, has been straightforward and clear as to guiding its public servants to the proper, ethical behavior they should display all the time. So why are there still countless cases and accusations that have been polluting the air of the public servants? What is more frustrating to know is the fact that even in the Department of Defense, many employees and management personnel has been proven to be contributing to such corruption. The fact of unethical behavior existing in the Federal government is not just an outside observation but is also being recognized by those working inside the organization. In a press release issued by the Ethics Resource Center, it turned out that 52% of the Federal employees are aware and are witnesses of at least one type of misbehavior among their colleagues in the previous year. What is more is that only 30% of federal workers surveyed believe their organizations have well-implemented ethics and compliance programs and that only one in 10 said there is a strong ethical culture in their federal workplace (ERC 2008). Almost one quarter of public sector employees identifies their work environments as conducive to misconduct places where there is strong pressure to compromise standards, where situations invite wrongdoing and/or employees personal values conflict with the values espoused at work (Harned, Patricia cited in Smith, Ralph 2008). In reference to the reports mentioned above, this paper made an impression that there might be something inside the Federal government that attracts employees to disregard ethical considerations and to prefer personal interests over public trust. One thing obvious thing is money. The Federal government, even though have limited financial resources, has probably been the most liquid source of kickbacks for the â€Å"bad apples in the barrel. † It is worth noting that the â€Å"U. S. government is the largest consumer of prime contracts† (Lander, Gerald et. al. 2008). Using this mere information, we can clearly conclude that there is enough money for the bad apples on hand. Moreover, it would be very easy for us to extract the fact that the money is more attracting for those inside the procurement departments. As to federal spending, reports say that procurement contracts have been the fastest-growing part of the discretionary budget. In fact, procurement spending rose 86%, twice as fast as other discretionary spending, which rose 43% between 2000 and 2005. Moreover, such spending composed of 40 cents per dollar of discretionary spending (Ibid). The figures are quite more than attractive and conducive for the bad apples to abuse the trust and authorities vested on them by the public. Despite the fact that trust is held as the most important asset of the government, there is one thing that even the most powerful government cannot control: greed. It is a human element that the procurement agencies of the government intentionally or unintentionally tolerate. The uncontrollable fact of human greed is even recognized by the Department of Defense. As the spokesman of the Pentagon, Dan Howard has noted, The acquisition system is sound but there is no system on the face of this earth that completely obviates the human factor greed. And that is why we have policing systems (The New York Times, June 26, 1988). The trust placed by the public over the Department of Defense continue to fade as more and more cases of fraud files in court have resulted to countless convictions. In Philadelphia alone, the investigation conducted at the Defense Personnel Support Center, resulted in the indictment of 28 individuals and companies on various fraud charges. Such procurement transactions involved textile and apparel industry which have government contracts on uniforms, tents, boots for the armed forces. Here then is the chance for us to ask these questions: What is the purpose of having ethical standards in the federal government? Are these statements of ethical behaviors for the sake of complying with the SEC requirements? Are the ethical standards unsound or the problem of abuse of power and ethical deviance matters of implementation flaws? Referring particularly to the Department of Defense, it is unlikely that these educated people came short of understanding the ethical concepts. In fact, the department’s publication, Armed Forces Comptroller, the author recognizes the fact that their personnel understand the concept of ethics. The author even stressed that â€Å"most of them are required to attend some form of mandatory ethics training† (Benoit, Diana 2006). The Department of Defense has in fact sound which they consider as forming the ethical foundation of the Dept of Defense personnel. For the purpose of evaluation, let us try to look into these then core concepts. The author stressed that these core concepts â€Å"reflect the standards and expectations of military personnel and federal employees throughout the organization† (Ibid). The first of the ethical concepts is honesty which they define as â€Å"being truthful and straightforward, regardless of grade or rank. Honesty is regarded by the department as an ethical concept that goes beyond being trustworthy that it encourages its employees to do not only what is legal but also what is right. Relative to this, abuse of power and betrayal of trust still include acts or attempts of hiding the truth. If the Department of Defense personnel clearly understand this concept, there should have been no reason to remain silent on issues that involves witnessing ethical deviance inside the organization. The ethical concept of honesty goes beyond the issues of actual money laundering. It encompasses keeping accurate records and completing tasks to the extent of one’s capacity and ability. This means that coming to the office late, going out early; taking breaks more than the allowable time are forms of cheating and thus are unethical behaviors. Cheating the taxpayers could also mean using office supplies for personal activities or lavish consumption of such resources. What is frustrating is that this concept is being disregarded by high ranking employees of the department at a considerably higher level of deception as mentioned above. Simple cheating in record keeping and of utilizing government resources for personal use can be detected and be prevented at the lower level of organization. However, it would be a different thing to know that cheating is even more practiced at the higher level of management who are expected to be the police in the department. In fact, the report released by the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, â€Å"the United States recouped more than $1. billion dollars in settlements and judgments pursuing allegations of fraud and in the next fiscal year, the government recovered a record total of more than $3. 1 billion in settlements and judgments from cases involving claims of fraud† (Lander et. al 2008). Closely related to the ethics of honesty is the concept of integrity which the DOD defines as â€Å"doing the right thing the first time and every time. † In an observation by one of the members of the Special Investigations Unit of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in St. Paul, Special Agent Timothy J. OMalley recognizes the temptations of fraud in their field. O’Malley said â€Å"police officers face greater temptations than they did just a decade or so ago† (Bladow, J. 1994). As an agent, he can pinpoint the fact that the department handles explosives and illegal drug cases which obviously involve a vast sum of money. Taking O’Malley’s exact words, â€Å"a tremendous amount of illicit cash fuels this market. † Here then lies one uncontrollable factor that we can consider. Money is the central thing that enables the government to run. It is money that is the main reason why people oftentimes compromise integrity and principles with dollars. Money enables the government to provide services to public. Employees have to be paid with salaries, supplies have to be bought, buildings have to be constructed, communication and transportation facilities have to be purchased and improved. In fact, America will never be the most powerful nation in the world without its money spent in technology, education and basic government facilities. Moreover, America cannot in anyway be respected or shall we say be feared by other nations if not for its military strength. It is a rare instance that this nation is being challenged by the terrorists during the 911 event. What this paper would like to point out is that even though money is an uncontrollable element in the federal government and particularly in the procurement agency of the department of Defense, transaction processes involving money are very much controllable. In fact, the DOD has sound policies and procedures expressed in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI). In brief, these regulations and guidelines were codified and implemented for procedure compliance purposes especially on procurement transactions undergone by the department. In its Section 201. 304, FAR requires the â€Å"approval of the USD (ATL) before including in a department/agency or component supplement, or any other contracting regulation document such as a policy letter or clause book, any policy, procedure, clause, or form that has a significant effect beyond the internal operating procedures of the agency; or has a significant cost or administrative impact on contractors or offerors† (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI) 2004). Where then lays the procedure flaw- on the approving committee or on those who presents the facts of the procurement contracts? The answer does not solely lies on these precepts. The factors that corrupt integrity in the Department of Defense can be traced in the early stage of the hiring process. â€Å"The applicant selection process represents a critical, though sometimes overlooked, component of police ethics programs† (Bonczek, S. and D. Menzel 1994). The authors suggest that the agency should thoroughly conduct interviews, psychological tests, and extensive background checks (Ibid, p. 4). This would then ensure an applicants compatibility with the departments ethical philosophy. This process can be beneficial in the early identification of â€Å"red flags† in an applicant’s personality before he gets into the department. Even if not all of the factors contributing to the unethical behavior of an employee can be detected at this stage, there are considerable preventive measures that are being done here that can prevent a rotten tomato mingle with the good ones inside the basket. The riskier the world becomes, the higher the standards should the department implement in order to maintain, if not to enhance the integrity of the defenders of the American security. As one observer have noted, it is important that high standards in the hiring process be maintained at all times because of the fact that â€Å"diminished standards or incomplete background checks have resulted in the hiring of armed robbers, burglars, and drug dealers as police officers† (D. Holmquist 1993, p. 38). We have to remember that temptations are everywhere and that is one uncontrollable factor inside the department of defense. Because DOD has got much money to offer especially in the procurement transactions, it clearly caters to a tempting environment. However it cannot really be an excuse neither it will justify one’s act of corruption. Deviance to ethical standards is a clear betrayal of trust and a blot in the name of the person, if he even cares enough for it. A recent study established that fast-talking, outgoing, assertive, and self-confident risk takers represent the best candidates for undercover work. While this may come as no surprise, the study also concluded that these personality traits are often the same ones predisposing an officer to corruption and psychological distress (Bladow, p. 12). This suggests that a good apple in the barrel has always the chance of being badly influenced by others. Strict hiring standards are therefore required to be implemented during the hiring process at all levels. â€Å"Police managers must view their hiring standards as components of managing for ethics† (Wells, S. A. 1993, p. 67). Strict adherence to employee selection is a must although diversity in the law enforcement departments must also be considered in order to foster diverse citizenry. â€Å"Agencies should not pursue the goal of a diversified workforce at the expense of one of law enforcements most valued asset- integrity† (Travis, M. A. 1994, p. 1717).

Computer Security Threats faced by Small Businesses

Computer Security Threats faced by Small Businesses Business Systems Security Computer security threats faced by small businesses in Australia The Internet is an affordable and effective place for small businesses to sell and advertise their goods and services. However, the web gives chances to deceitful conduct and unapproved access to business and customer information. Attacks on the computer system of a business can have quick and progressive impacts. For example, focusing on clients for character violations or contaminating website visitors with malicious software. It is thought that small business in Australia have been eased back to execute security technology and policies that may protect their information systems, making them quite vulnerable against present and future dangers. In this report, an attempt is made to educate small business owners about the risks that they face and the mitigation strategies they could employ to make their organisation safer. In this paper, an overview is given of computer security dangers and threats confronted by small businesses and ventures. Having identified the dangers and threats, the implication for private and small business owners are explained alongside countermeasures that can be embraced to keep incidents from happening. The results obtained from the Australian Business Assessment of Computer User Security (ABACUS) survey, commissioned by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), are recorded to identify key risks (Challice 2009; Richards 2009). Added emerging threats relating to cloud computing wireless Internet, and spear phishing are also described, as well as the risks relating to online fraud. The ABACUS overview was involved in an arbitrary example of small, medium and large business. Businesses were studied to look at the nature and degree of Computer security breaches. Of the 4,000 respondents to the study, 3,290 (82.3%) were small businesses. Contrasted and their extent in the Australian business population, small business were under-examined. In any case, the survey was weighted by industry sort and how large the business is so that the data accumulated by every participant was proportionate in connection to the more extensive population being tested. Challice (2009) gives an outline of the research methodology. Results of the survey were congruent with previous findings, confirming that small businesses in Australia have embraced the use of technology, with 92 percent using it to some extent during 2006-07 (Richards 2009). Most small businesses reported the use of personal computers (85%) and laptops (54%). Presumably due to smaller staffing levels, fewer small businesses reported the use of a local area network (43%), wide area network (9%) or virtual private network (10%) than medium and large businesses (Richards 2009). During 2006-07, 14 percent of small companies announced having encountered at least one or more security breach occurrences (Richards 2009). Of these, 83 percent experienced one to five incidents, eight percent experienced six to 10 occurrences and nine percent experienced more than 10 incidents. Negative results were accounted for by 75 percent of small businesses taking after the most huge security incident. These included : Corruption of hardware or software (42%); Corruption or loss of data (31%); Unavailability of service (38%); Non-critical operational losses (24%); Non-critical financial losses (12%); Critical financial losses (5%); Theft of business, confidential or proprietary information (5%); Theft or loss of hardware (4%); Harm to reputation (4%); Critical operational losses (4%); website defacement (2%); and Other (1%; Richards 2009: 69). When a computer security incident occurred, the average loss to a small business was $2,431 (Richards 2009). The Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification was used to determine the industry sectors covered by the survey (Richards 2009). The ABACUS results indicated that each industry sector experienced a relatively even proportion of computer security incidents (Richards 2009). Threats Small Businesses may do not have the ability to distinguish and manage computer security incidents (Williams and Manhcke 2010), making them an appealing focus for online offenders (Verizon 2011). A review of a portion of the threats confronted by small businesses, including the nature of the threat and potential results, is provided in the following section. Situations include malware contamination, wireless internet misuse and session hijacking, online fraud, compromised websites, denial of service attacks, phishing, spear phishing, unauthorised access and risks associated with cloud computing. While this overview is not exhaustive, it aims to increase awareness of the types of vulnerabilities small business operators may face. Malware viruses, malicious code and spyware as causing the greatest financial loss and 60 percent identified these incidents as being the most significant (Richards 2009). References to be used: AusCERT 2008. Protecting your computer from malicious code. Brisbane: University of Queensland. http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=3352 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2010. Counts of Australian businesses, including entries and exits. cat. no. 8165.0. Canberra: ABS. http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/4B1441D347457CF6CA2577C2000F0A05/$File/81650_jun%202007%20to%20jun%202009.pdf

Personal Narrative - Football...and Musicals? :: Personal Narrative Essays

My Love of Football...and Musicals? I am first in my class, an all-state football player, weigh 220 pounds, and can lift up small cars, yet I have a secret which I have kept hidden for years. It rages within me, yearning to break free and reveal itself in both shame and splendor. I can contain it no longer. I must shed my inhibitions and proclaim aloud, "So help me God, I love musicals!" Until now, only my family and those who have had the experience of calling my house in the midst of one of my renditions of the confrontation scene between Javert and Valjean from Les Misérables knew about my passion for musical theater. For years I have endured ridicule from my sisters and their friends who have overheard me belting out the lyrics to "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof while in the shower. Ever since my first musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, seven years ago, I have been obsessed with the telling of stories through melody and verse. My heart leaps when I see that Phantom of the Opera is coming to the local theater, or when Guys and Dolls is appearing on television at one in the morning. Music is the most beautiful and powerful way to relate emotion. Thus, the entire structure of a story is enhanced by presenting action and dialogue through song. The topic of a story can deal with anything from religion, such as in Godspell, to a ravenous man-eating plant (Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors), but no matter which, music brings to life a storyline and places a production forever in one's head by providing a harmony to be continually associated with it. Musicals also provide me with an emotional outlet. When enthralled by a member of the opposite sex, I am wont to burst into a performance of "Maria" from West Side Story. After an exhaustive football practice, my lips chant "I'm Free" from the rock opera Tommy; and at my desk, feeling haughty after getting the highest grade on a calculus test, I sing quietly, "I am the very model of a modern Major-General," from The Pirates of Penzance. I can delve into the recesses of my mind and produce a piece fitting for any occasion, and I take pride in this ability. While preparing this confession, a less musically inclined friend of mine happened upon a rough draft of the revelation.

The Ediacaran Fauna Essay -- essays research papers

Up until 1947, it was believed that the Cambrian Explosion marked the first true abundance of multicellular life. However, this was discovered to be untrue after Sir Douglas Mawson and R.C. Sprigg mistakenly came across numerous "fossil jellyfish" in the Ediacara Hills while observing what was originally believed to be sandstones belonging to the lowest strata of the Cambrian. At first, these finding were dismissed as "fortuitous inorganic markings."(AAS Biographical Memoirs.) Several years later however, other discoveries of segmented worms, worm tracks, and impressions of two other assemblages that bear no resemblance to any known organism, living or extinct, prompted the South Australian Museum and the University of Adelaide to undertake a joint investigation of the region. Further studies by M. F. Glaessner, a paleontologist at Adelaide showed that the fossils were found well below the oldest Cambrian strata and that the strata actually dated from the Precambrian era. Several thousand specimens have since been collected in the Ediacara Hills. All the fossils collected were soft-bodied animals and their tissues were strengthened by spicules-needles of calcium carbonate that functioned as their support. The Ediacaran organisms were marine animals, some crawled, some were attached to the sea floor and others would swim or just freely float. Their impressions were molded in the moving sands that washed over the mud flats and were preserved as casts in the sandstone. It is difficult to conceive how fossils of delicate soft-bodied animals could be preserved given the evidence of strong currents in the strata. However, extensive research has provided an explanation. Most of the animals settled on mud patches out of the water during calm currents. Some of these patches dried between tides and developed deep cracks. The next shifting current would then cover these cracks with a layer of sand and the lower surfaces preserved the mud in the form of perfect casts. (Glaessner 67)The nature of these soft-bodied fossils justifies the characterization of the Precambrian as the "age of the jellyfish," however the term jellyfish only refers to a number of diverse forms, which belong to the Phylum Cnideria. (Glaessner 64) Six principle forms of animals have been discovered. The first are the rounded, discoidal impressions, resembling th... ...nimals. Gregory Retallack, a paleontologist from the University of Oregon, suggests that these fossils were lichens. Retallack's argument rests on the fact that the impressions were buried five kilometers under ground. He believes the fossils should have been crushed by the weight of the overlying sediment. But Retallack observed that the fossils "were as compaction resistant as some kinds of fossil tree trunks!" Because of this, Retallack concludes that these forms weren't animals, rather lichens made up of sturdy molecules such as chitin. Further evidence of this interpretation can be found in the Ediacaran organism's growth patterns and microscopic structure. (Woodmorappe 1) Despite these controversial implications many paleontologists still believe the Ediacaran animals are in fact ancestors of the animals in the existing phyla. This controversy might not be resolved until the discovery of fossils providing more information.. (Levin 267) Charles Darwin found himself in this same situation some 150 years ago. Just as he was befuddled by the absence of the ancestors of the Cambrian anim als, we are puzzled by the absence of direct ancestors of these Ediacaran fossils.

The Notion of a Double in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights Essay

The Notion of a Double in Wuthering Heights Brontë's Wuthering Heights is the captivating tale of two families and the relationships that develop between them. The narrator, Mr. Lockwood, relates the story as told to him by Ellen, the housekeeper. The novel contains an excellent illustration of the doppel-ganger, the notion of a double. Generally, this concept is applied to specific characters, as in Poe's William Wilson. However, the concept appears in Wuthering Heights in two different ways. The doppel-ganger is illustrated in the story of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff in relation to that of Cathy Linton and Hareton Earnshaw, but it is also present in the relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff as individuals. In Wuthering Heights, it is almost as if the story of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff is repeated through Cathy Linton and Hareton Earnshaw. There are some discernible differences between these two relationships, but the general outline of the stories share some striking similarities. For example, Heathcliff could not be with Catherine Earnshaw because her brother, Hindley, had reduced him to the status of a brute. After Mr. Earnshaw's death, Heathcliff was treated like a servant instead of a member of the family. Later in the story, Heathcliff does the same thing to Hareton, Hindley's son, but in a subtle way that prevents any animosity on Hareton's part. Hindley loses everything that would have been Hareton's inheritance, leaving Hareton with nothing. Heathcliff takes advantage of the situation and Hindley's wealth is inevitably turned over to Heathcliff. Heathcliff sees p... ...his funerary plans with Nelly, he says, "I have nearly attained my heaven," meaning that his idea of heaven is to be reunited with Catherine in death. Shortly thereafter, Heathcliff dies alone in a chamber. The story of the Earnshaws and the Lintons follows many twists and turns. By the end, Cathy and Hareton get a chance at the happiness Catherine and Heathcliff never experienced in life. Brontë's novel is multifaceted and, at times, the reader must struggle to keep up with the story. It can be difficult to perceive the underlying notions going on in the book. Still, there are many details that indicate the doppel-ganger is present not only in the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff compared to that of Cathy and Hareton, but also in the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff alone.

Discussion question Essay

The lab consist of using the AVG scan in the virtual machine to detect the different threats that were found which were moved to the virus vault. The window defender was used to verify the different infections and spyware that were found in the virtual machine. Malware and spyware are growing trends in the world of technology. It is good to know the steps to take just in case your system is infected with these nasty malicious malware and spyware. This is a screenshot of the number of threats that were identified by the scan. Screen shot of the detailed view of the 1st infection â€Å"†;†C:HelixIRRAMwin32ddwin32dd.sys†;†Trojan horse Hider.JI†;†Moved to Virus Vault† Screen shot of the detailed view of the 2nd infection â€Å"†;†C:HelixIR irsoftLSASecretsView.exe†;†May be infected by unknown virus Win32/DH{HhMXFE8VGw}†;†Moved to Virus Vault† Screen shot of the detailed view of the 3rd infection†Ã¢â‚¬ ;†C:HelixIRinpwdump2.exe†;†May be infected by unknown virus Win32/DH{HhRPFRs}†;†Moved to Virus Vault† Screen shot of the detailed view of the 4th infection â€Å"†;†C:HelixIRinPsh.exe†;†Trojan horse Dropper.Generic4.BVMA†;†Moved to Virus Vault† Screen shot of the 1st detailed spyware â€Å"†;†C:HelixIR irsoftastlog.exe†;†Potentially harmful program Logger.IAC†;†Moved to Virus Vault† Screen shot of the 2nd detailed spyware â€Å"†;†C:HelixIRFoundstoneFPipe.exe†;†Potentially harmful program Tool.IT†;†Moved to Virus Vault† Screen shot of the 3rd detailed spyware â€Å"†;†C:HelixIRincryptcat.exe†;†Potentially harmful program RemoteAdmin.IH†;†Moved to Virus Vault† This is a screenshot of the Virus Vault. This is a screenshot of the AVG’s Threat Detected alert window. This is a screenshot of the productreview.pdf file displayed in the vault. Remediation Steps There are many steps that can be followed to remove malware and spyware. There are several steps to remove infections such as a Trojan horse or a Trojan dropper from your computer system. 1. Reboot the system 2. Make the system restore is turned off so that the system does restore the infected file. 3. Launch anti-virus software that is installed on the system. 4. Go to disk view and highlight your computer and then select scan/ repair to that the anti-virus can detect the Trojan and put it in the recycle bin. 5. Restart the system and make sure the recycle bin is emptied. 6. Make sure the Trojan was deleted successfully by running another scan. The steps to remove spyware are different than the steps to remove an infection. The steps are as follows: 1. First, delete the temporary files. 2. Make sure the system restore is turned off. 3. Then install anti-virus/ anti-spyware program, an examples would be bit defender, or malwarebyte ant-malware. 4. Run a full scan and whatever is found, then delete it 5. Restart computer to make sure the spyware is deleted. This is a screenshot of the File Transfer file. Lab Assessment Questions and Answers 1. Workstation and desktop devices are prone to viruses, malware, and malicious software, especially if the user surfs the Internet and World Wide Web. Given that users connect to the Internet and World Wide Web, what security countermeasures can organizations implement to help mitigate the risk from viruses, malware, and malicious software? Organizations can restrict certain sites, keywords like blogs, and mirror sites. Organizations can block ingress of files that contain potentially dangerous content and also consider blocking all compressed executables from entry (Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, 2004). They can also make sure specific ports are shut down; this can prevent back doors when accessing a site. There are a lot of websites out there that do not need accessibility, especially for work environment. 2. Your employees e-mail file attachments to each other and externally through the organization’s firewall and Internet connection. What security countermeasures can you implement to help mitigate the risk of rogue e-mail attachments and URL Web links? Many business owners must examine what is at risk when they communicate sensitive data over email. The first thing is to make sure that a good virus protection software is install and updated on everyone computer place. Second it is good that all key departments within the organization, such as legal IT and H, understand the policies; require them to sign off on the email filtering, retention, retrieval and analysis policies (Small Business Computing Staff, 2011). 3. Why is it recommended to do an antivirus signature file update before  performing an antivirus scan on your computer? Signature files contain the latest list and behavior of known viruses that why it’s important to update the antivirus signature file before performing a scan on your computer. Anti-virus programs release signature files updates regularly sometimes daily sometimes more often because new viruses are being identified on a daily basis (Loza, 1999). 4. Once a malicious file is found on your computer, what are the default settings for USB/removable device scanning? What should organizations do regarding use of USB hard drives and slots on existing computers and devices? Many of the USB devices have serial numbers associated with them. Most of the scanning and tracking details would be use with most of the USB mass storage devices. Organizations should immediately disable the auto run on the system. The devices that are connected to the infected computer should be scan for malicious malware and spyware. 5. If you find a suspect executable and wish to perform â€Å"dynamic analysis,† what does that mean? Dynamic analysis is the testing and evaluation of a program by executing data in real-time (Rouse, 2006). The objective of the dynamic analysis is to find errors in a program while it is running rather than repeatedly examine the code offline. The codes are easily notice while the program is in use to help detected the error codes. 6. What is a malware and malicious code sandbox? A sandbox is a virtual environment with its own its own guest operating system where intercepted incoming can be observed (Jackson, 2013). By observing the behavior in the sandbox, it should notice and blocked malware regardless of whether the code or the vulnerability it exploits is already known. 7. What are typical indicators that your computer system is compromised? There are several indicators that your system may be compromised. The computer is extremely slow Applications won’t start Can’t connect to the Internet The antivirus is turn off There are entirely different browsers, and item are opening up and there are a lot of pop ups. 8. Where does AVG Business Edition 2012 place viruses, Trojans, worms, and other malicious software when it finds them? When going through the steps in the AVG Business Edition 2012 in the lab the viruses, Trojans, worms, and other malicious software were put in a vault. It was then deleted out of the virus vault. The viruses are quarantined and then isolated and deleted by the user. 9. What other viruses, Trojans, worms, or malicious software were identified and quarantined by AVG within the Virus Vault upon completion of the Whole Computer Scan? There were 4 infections that were found during the whole computer scans. The 4 infections are as follows: Trojan horse Hider.JI† Win32/DH{HhMXFE8VGw Win32/DH{HhRPFRs} Trojan horse Dropper.Generic4.BVMA In the scan was also 3 spyware that were found as well Logger.IAC Tool.IT RemoteAdmin.IH 10. What elements are needed in a workstation domain policy regarding use of antivirus and malicious software prevention tools? It is important that the needed elements are included in the workstation policy to make sure that the antivirus and malicious software are used properly. Tech support must make sure that everyone is following the guidelines of keeping the system safe from malware and spyware. A policy should be in place to let the employees know the importance of using the antivirus and malicious tools properly. Conclusion By going through the steps in the lab, there were many infections and spyware that were detected and later moved to the virus vault. The different viruses were moved to the vault so that they would not infect the rest of the system. In assessment were steps that must be taken to make sure that the infections and spyware are completely deleted from the system. There were many techniques that were learned about infections and spyware and where they should be moved when they are detected by the AVG scan. Reference Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (2004). Mitigating the risk of Malicious Software. Retrieved from http://www.cpni.gov.uk/documents/publications/2004/2004002 advice_malicious_software.pdf Jackson, W (2013). Hackers’ new trick for slithering through sandboxes Retrieved from http://gcn.com/blogs/cybereye/2013/02/hackers-new-trick-outwitting- sandboxes.aspx Loza, C, (1999). Why Is It Important to Constantly Update Antivirus Software? Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/facts_6850079_important-constantly-update-antivirus-software_.html Rouse, M (2006). Dynamic Analysis Retrieved from http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/definition/dynamic-analysis Small Business for Computing Staff (2011). 5 Email Security Tips to Protect Your Small Business. Retrieved from http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/webmaster/article.php/3928231/5-Email-Security-Tips-to-Protect-Your-Small-Business.htm

Wider Reading – Cider with Rosie and Cranford

Cider with Rosie is an autobiography, it is not fiction like a novel but an account of a persons own life. Unlike a novel, it does not have the thread of a story with interacting characters connecting all it's parts. It has a different pattern with which we are all familiar. It is about childhood and growing up. We all have our own special early childhood memories and Laurie Lee seems to highlight the things we all have in common. The book starts with early childhood, early memories of people, an animal and places which then seemed strange and sometimes frightening. It goes on to describe going to school and branches out to tell us about members of his family, neighbours, tales about the neighbourhood and how the changing seasons of the year changed peoples habits and activities. Laurie Lee writes about the illnesses which brought him close to death. He writes about the entertainment to be had in those days, his first girlfriends and the book ends in his teens with the first of his family about to leave home to get married. The book is set in the village of Slad which still exists, not far from Stroud in Gloucestershire, however Laurie Lee is writing about the village as it was fifty or sixty years ago. We are reading about a past that has changed almost out of recognition. Laurie Lee uses language in an attempt to make his memories come alive, vividly and colourfully. He may use a single word: â€Å"Peas come in long shells of green pearls† Or a comparison: â€Å"The sun hit me smartly on the face like a bully† Or a very descriptive and poetic sentence: â€Å"All day she trotted to and fro, flushed and garrulous, pouring flowers into every pot and jug she could find on the kitchen floor. † All of these words, phrases, comparisons and rhythm of sentences are chosen to add spring and sparkle into what is being described. Cider with Rosie is a youthful biography set in the colourful world of over half a century ago, it is about those occasions that occur in most of our lives. This is what makes the book such an enjoyable read. Cranford is the work of Elizabeth Gaskell on the surface it appears as a quaint picture of provincial life, we are told in the first sentence it is a society of â€Å"Amazons†. However as you get deeper into the book a somewhat ironic distance from society is maintained. Throughout the book there seems to be a tender, delicate mocking of lifestyles and values which invites us to marvel and sympathize with the eccentricity of the characters. Unlike Cider with Rosie, Cranford is a novel, studying the aspects of change in the world. However like Laurie Lee, Elizabeth Gaskell writes about the people she had known in her childhood. It must also be taken into consideration that Cranford is set one hundred and fifty years ago, about one hundred years before Cider with Rosie. Cider with Rosie and Cranford are both similar and different in many ways. Both books seem to be made up of short stories rather than a novel. In fact some chapters first appear as single articles in a magazine. In Cranford this is rather like the germs of stories which are found in the letters Miss Matty has kept tied into bundles which she reads with Mary. Cranford is a series of linked sketches of life among the ladies in a quiet country village in the 1830's, it is based on Knutsford in Cheshire where Elizabeth Gaskell spent her childhood. The novel revolves around Miss Deborah Jenkyns and her gentle sister Miss Matty, daughters of the former rector. Elements of drama are provided by the death of Captain Brown whilst trying to save the life of a child, the surprising marriage of the widowed Lady Glenmire to the vulgar Mr. Hoggins, the failure of a bank which ruins Miss Matty and her rescue by the fortunate return from India of her long lost brother Peter. In my opinion the reason why Cranford is such an enjoyable read is its amusing but loving portrayal of the old fashioned customs and ‘elegant economy' of a group of middle aged figures in society. Women in Cranford are very set upon keeping up their appearances and this can make them seem somewhat fierce, never openly admitting to straightened circumstances. They would rather practice ‘elegant economy' and observe the smallest rules of etiquette. At the tea table they would wear appropriate headgear while keeping to the well-understood patterns of social visiting. To gain self-respect you had to keep your feelings hidden this was as important as status. Due to this fact Mary learns more about the great sadness in her friend Miss Matty's life through the details she fails to tell her than through the details she reveals. In the book Cider with Rosie the narrator, Laurie Lee, actually lives in the village and sees and takes part in all village activities. Whereas in Cranford the narrator, Mary Smith, is an outsider and only hears of the goings on in the village from her friend Miss Matty. The idea of social order and solidarity is most strongly seen in Cranford when Miss Matty looses all her money. The other ladies of Cranford contribute all they can to set her up as a tea-seller and sweetshop keeper even though these kind and commercial practices would not enable her to survive elsewhere. As Mary comments: ‘My father says; â€Å"such simplicity might be very well in Cranford, but would never do in the world†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Cranfords marketing may not be responding adequately to change but social forms show otherwise. Although Cranford ladies stress the importance of class distinctions, it is in fact Miss Matty's loyal servant Betty and her new, labourer husband who offer her a home. This arrangement however does not need to be put to the test because Peter returns from India with enough money to bale out his sister. Peters return brings up another illusion the ladies in Cranford hold; the fact that they can manage without men. Elizabeth Gaskell can be seen as being somewhat tongue in cheek about the self-protective, socializing characteristics of the unmarried women. But on the other hand, Elizabeth Gaskell seems to be experimenting with what might be thought of as women's narrative. Mary comments that: â€Å"I had often occasion to notice the use that was made of fragments and small opportunities in Cranford; the rose-leaves that were gathered ere they fell, to make the pot-pourri for someone who had no garden; the little bundles of lavender-flowers sent to strew the drawers of some town-dweller, or to burn in the chamber of some invalid. Similarly, Cranford is made up of ‘fragments and small opportunities', The letters, which Miss Matty reads with Mary, carried with them: â€Å"A vivid and intense sense of the present time, which seemed so strong and full, as if it could never pass away. † These letters symbolized, as they are dropped one by one into the fire, a passing of a changing world. The world around Cranford is changing but the women seem to be set in their ways. They prefer to ignore the vast economic and social changes taking place taking place in England at that time. However they cannot remain unaffected. Cranford is made up of a collection of ageing women who although want to stay as they have always done are now becoming unable to do so. Throughout the book new influences keep on creeping their way in. These begin with the arrival of Captain Brown and continue with the closeness of the railway. Cranford is a town in a world of its own but it snobbishness and old-fashioned ways must make way for the more vital energetic forces of the new age. Never the less Cranford did have some good points. The motivation of Miss Matty and her friends was based on true kindness and generosity the very qualities the industrial new age lack. In the village of Slad in Cider with Rosie, everyone was poor. It was an extremely rural dwelling. There was a church, a chapel, post office, two pubs – the Star and the Woolpack – and the Hut for penny dancers. There would have been one woman in the village who acted as midwife and another who would lay out the dead. Villagers bottled fruit, kept pigs and hens, trapped pigeons, collected kindling, fermented flowery wines and bartered home grown vegetables, eggs, rabbits and game. There was a heroic village cricket team. Life was intensely communal, with choir outings, concerts and harvest festivals. Otherwise they just amused themselves. However the village was not all ‘fields of poppies and blue skies'. There were tramps and children dying of perfectly ordinary diseases like whooping cough. Then there was the murder of Vincent, the boastful villager who had returned from New Zealand, the escape of Jones's goat: â€Å"Huge and hairy as a Shetland horse. † There was also the tale of the Browns' sad ending in the workhouse and the suicide of the beautiful Miss Flynn. Walking was probably the main form of transport in Cider with Rosie along with cycling. The whole village went on many outings which mainly consisted of walking and picnics: â€Å"Then sometimes there'd be a whole days outing, perhaps to Sheepscombe to visit relations – a four-mile walk, which to our short legs seemed further, so that we needed all day to do it. † Laurie Lee also took trips with his local choir. These outings were a great reward and had to be worked hard for. They may have ventured to places like Weston-Super-Mare or Bristol to see the docks. â€Å"The first Choir Outing we ever had was a jaunt in a farm wagon to Gloucester. † A farm wagon was probably the most common form of transport for this kind of outing up until: â€Å"The coming of the horse-brake and charabanc† Man and horse power were the only power ever known to Laurie Lee in the village of Slad, with the horse being the most powerful. You could only travel at speeds of up to eight miles an hour, which really limited where you could go, as it says in the chapter ‘Last Days': â€Å"That eight miles an hour was life and death, the size of our world, our prison. † As Laurie Lee grew older he noticed changes occurring in the village transport which he had always known and been familiar with. There was the introduction of ‘The brass-lamped motor-car', ‘the clamorous charabanc', and ‘scarlet motor-bikes. ‘ Everything began to change as new technology began to take over. Cranford is almost the complete opposite to Cider with Rosie. In Cider with Rosie walking was common and thought of as the norm but in Cranford walking was almost unheard of especially among the upper class members of society. Miss Jamieson comments: â€Å"Don't you find it very unpleasant walking? † Miss Jamieson says this as if she looks down upon those who wish to walk. Or maybe it is just that she likes to draw attention to herself and the fact that she has ‘her own carriage in the coach house' and her very own sedan chair which she always went out in even if it was to cover the shortest of distances. There was also the railway which although everyone hated as it showed the change taking place in the outside world, was still a means of transport. The main means of education in Cider with Rosie is the small village school to which all the children attend. The school was made up of only two classes which you stayed in up until the age of fourteen. School was where you met the other village children and made friends. You didn't learn much at school, you left with: â€Å"Nothing in his head more burdensome then a few mnemonics, a jumbled list of wars and a dreary image of the worlds geography. It seemed enough to get by with. † School was more of a place to learn manners and prepare yourself for when you left and had to work in a field or factory. Unlike Slad there was no village school in Cranford, children would have been sent away to a boarding school or a private tutor would be hired. Peter was sent away to Shrewsbery boarding school and was to go to Cambridge but he did not do very well. His father could not afford to hire him a private tutor and so taught him to read and write himself. In Cider with Rosie Laurie Lee talks a lot about his first girlfriends. The relationships are mainly those of a young boy whereas in Cranford there is talk of marriage and settling down. In Cider with Rosie there was young Jo, a thin girl with brushed back hair a ‘cool face' and ‘speechless grace'. She was the first girl Laurie was ever interested in. Laurie would wait for her after school when they would go and play a game together. The game was: â€Å"Formal and grave in character, its ritual was rigidly patterned. It was almost like a game of doctors, Jo would be the patient lying on the grass and Laurie would be the doctor moving his hands across her, exploring her body. They played this game every night until they were caught and even then they were just laughed at, Laurie comments: â€Å"There were no magistrates to define us obscene. † Then there was Rosie Burdock, a devious girl who had ‘sharp salts of wickedness about her' and looked at you with the ‘sly glittering eyes of her mother. ‘ The events between Laurie and Rosie are what give the book its title. Rosie was provocative. Laurie had gone to the farm to help with the haymaking when he stumbled upon Rosie behind a haycock. She had a bottle of cider and offered it to Laurie and so he had: â€Å"His first long secret drink of golden fire. † It was at this time under the hay wagon that Laurie had his first kiss: â€Å"We kissed, once only, so dry and shy, it was like two leaves colliding in air. † These images of romance in Cider with Rosie are very innocent, those of a young boy learning more and more about the world each day as he becomes adolescent. Cranford is a society of women who think they can live without men. It was unheard of for women in this period to tell a man that they were interested in them. It was not like today where it is perfectly acceptable for a woman to ask man out in those times the women had to wait to be asked by the man. In the chapter ‘A love affair of long ago' we hear of Miss Pole's cousin Mr. Holbrook who offered to Miss Matty long ago. From then on the whole chapter revolves around the ladies gossiping about why Miss Matty did not accept his offer. Also within this chapter we can see another example of class-consciousness: They did not like Miss Matty to marry below her rank. † This gives the impression that Mr. Holbrook was not looked upon as good enough for Miss Matty. When anyone in Cranford got married it made all the other ladies look to themselves and wonder if their turn would ever come. For this reason they would dress up smartly perhaps to impress the men or perhaps simply to make themselves feel better. Contact between people in Cider with Rosie is mainly by word of mouth. As the village is so small everyone hears about each other's business. Everyone hears about the death of Miss Flynn and the murder of Vincent the New Zealander. The good thing about this is the fact that everyone knows each other and however bad the crime committed they are not about to go and tell the police. To this day it is still unknown as to who committed the murder. Of course letters were written but as education was poor many people in Slad could not read or write, which made letter writing difficult. In Cranford contact was also spread by word of mouth and gossiping between the ladies but the main point of contact was through letters. Mary Smith keeps in contact with Miss Matty through letters, it is the sorting through of old letters which prompt Miss Matty to unearth the story of her younger brother, Peter. In the beginning of the book the only contact that Mary has with the village is from her occasional visits to Miss Matty. However, as the book progresses she becomes increasingly active in shaping the town she records. It is she who initiates the scheme to set Miss Matty up in her teashop and she who sends off the letter which recalls Peter. The older generations in the village of Slad in Cider with Rosie seem to make more of an effort to dress up formally then those who are younger. Laurie Lee's two Grannies, Granny Wallon and Granny Trill included. They wore: â€Å"High laced boots and long muslin dresses, beaded chokers and candlewick shawls, crowned by tall poke bonnets tied with trailing ribbons and smothered with inky sequins. † Laurie was enthralled by their attire. He would imagine many, many grannies all dressed up parading in front of him, as he puts it: â€Å"Rank upon rank of hobbling boots, nodding bonnets, flying shawls and furious chewing faces. There is talk in the chapter ‘Outings and Festivals' of Peace in 1919. Everyone was to go in fancy dress. Laurie watched everyone change. He watched as his sister Marge transformed herself into Queen Elizabeth with his other sister Phyllis as her lady in waiting. Marge wore: â€Å"A gown of ermine, a brocaded bodice, and a black cap studded with pearls. † Laurie sees his sister in a new light. She is beautiful and graceful, Laurie is awestruck. Phyllis is also looking beautiful, she is wearing: â€Å"A long chequered dress of black and white velvet, and a hat full of feathers and moths. † Ladies in Cranford weren't too fussy about what they wore. They didn't follow fashion but what they did wear made them look respectful and admirable, as it was the expected rules of dress. They observe: â€Å"What does it signify how we dress at Cranford, where everybody knows us? † When they visited other towns or villages their explanation for dress was: â€Å"What does it signify how we dress here, where nobody knows us? † So the women in Cranford stuck to clothing that was in general ‘good and plain'. There are many interesting characters in Cider with Rosie but perhaps the most amusing are the grannies. Their constant bickering and unusual habits make you feel warmth towards them. They are two very different characters. Granny Wallon was the more mysterious of the two, scurrying around never saying much about her past. She was very interested in the outside world collecting plants and taking walks in the garden: â€Å"One saw her hobbling home in the evening, bearing her cargoes of crusted flowers, till she had buckets of cowslips, dandelions, elder-blossom crammed into every corner of the house. † Then there was simple Granny Trill who seemed to the children very strange. Her pattern of life was very different to others, Laurie says: â€Å"She breakfasted, for instance at four in the morning, had dinner at ten, took tea at two-thirty, and was back in her bed at five. † Granny Trill seemed almost fierce. She was very religious and believed very much in fate, she also believed she knew what was going to happen in the future. These two Grannies were ancient enemies but their lives revolved entirely around one another: â€Å"Like cold twin stars, linked but divided, they survived by a mutual balance. † The Grannies died within two weeks of one another. Granny Trill was the first to go and once she was gone there was no further reason for Granny Wallon to live. You can tell from the constant references throughout the book that Laurie Lee has a lot of respect for his mother. She has been through a lot. She was left to bring up many children on her own after her husband left to go to war. She lives in hope of his return and when the war ends she is really exited but he never returns and ‘mother' is left to nurse a broken heart forever. Cranford also has its far share of interesting characters. There is ‘The Honourable Mrs. Jamieson', all but Mary look upon her as the local oracle although she shows herself to be quite unworthy of her status. She doesn't seem interested in others and at house-parties when everyone else is chatting and playing cards it can be counted upon that Mrs. Jamieson would be found fast asleep or eating. There is also Signor Brunoni who is a majestic figure revealed when the curtain rises on a much vaunted performance of magic in the assembly hall. He is an exotic touring conjurer who is not all he appears to be. Of course there is also the dear and innocent Miss Matty who everyone knows and loves. Unfortunately she has led a sad life of lost opportunities. She admits: â€Å"I dream sometimes that I have a little child†¦ she comes to me when she is very sorry or very glad, and I have wakened with the clasp of her dear little arms round my neck. † Finally there is Mary Smith the narrator of the novel. She has much affection for the ladies in Cranford and provides a link between the old world and the new industrial one. She is practical and down to earth, able to sort out many of her neighbours' problems and on many occasions she has the last word. I would now like to end by saying which of the two communities I would like to live in and why. Cranford is very picturesque with its ‘elegant economy' and rules of social etiquette. The people who live there are very interesting and amusing and have true qualities of kindness and generosity. If somebody gets into trouble they stick together and help each other. But Cranford is in a little world of its own. The world around them is changing but they are too determined to stick with their old fashioned traditions that they will not move with the times. For this reason I can say I would prefer to live in Slad with Laurie Lee. I like the fact that everyone knows each other and are willing to stick up for one another. Everyone one treats each other equally and they aren't as class conscious and so quick to pass judgement as those in Cranford. Slad is a more rural community where everyone chips in. There seems to be more freedom and although the education isn't brilliant at least you get to stay with your family. If you have a problem you don't have to go through it on your own, everyone will be there to support you and won't judge you for it. As far as I am concerned, Slad, the rural village of the 1940's would offer me a more fulfilling existence.