A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty-seven

Sansa In the tower room at the heart of Maegor's Holdfast, Sansa gave herself to the darkness. She drew the curtains around her bed, slept, woke weeping, and slept again. When she could not sleep she lay under her blankets shivering with grief. Servants came and went, bringing meals, but the sight of food was more than she could bear. The dishes piled up on the table beneath her window, untouched and spoiling, until the servants took them away again. Sometimes her sleep was leaden and dreamless, and she woke from it more tired than when she had closed her eyes. Yet those were the best times, for when she dreamed, she dreamed of Father. Waking or sleeping, she saw him, saw the gold cloaks fling him down, saw Ser Ilyn striding forward, unsheathing Ice from the scabbard on his back, saw the moment . . . the moment when . . . she had wanted to look away, she had wanted to, her legs had gone out from under her and she had fallen to her knees, yet somehow she could not turn her head, and all the people were screaming and shouting, and her prince had smiled at her, he'd smiled and she'd felt safe, but only for a heartbeat, until he said those words, and her father's legs . . . that was what she remembered, his legs, the way they'd jerked when Ser Ilyn . . . when the sword . . . Perhaps I will die too, she told herself, and the thought did not seem so terrible to her. If she flung herself from the window, she could put an end to her suffering, and in the years to come the singers would write songs of her grief. Her body would lie on the stones below, broken and innocent, shaming all those who had betrayed her. Sansa went so far as to cross the bedchamber and throw open the shutters . . . but then her courage left her, and she ran back to her bed, sobbing. The serving girls tried to talk to her when they brought her meals, but she never answered them. Once Grand Maester Pycelle came with a box of flasks and bottles, to ask if she was ill. He felt her brow, made her undress, and touched her all over while her bedmaid held her down. When he left he gave her a potion of honeywater and herbs and told her to drink a swallow every night. She drank it all right then and went back to sleep. She dreamt of footsteps on the tower stair, an ominous scraping of leather on stone as a man climbed slowly toward her bedchamber, step by step. All she could do was huddle behind her door and listen, trembling, as he came closer and closer. It was Ser Ilyn Payne, she knew, coming for her with Ice in his hand, coming to take her head. There was no place to run, no place to hide, no way to bar the door. Finally the footsteps stopped and she knew he was just outside, standing there silent with his dead eyes and his long pocked face. That was when she realized she was naked. She crouched down, trying to cover herself with her hands, as her door began to swing open, creaking, the point of the greatsword poking through . . . She woke murmuring, â€Å"Please, please, I'll be good, I'll be good, please don't,† but there was no one to hear. When they finally came for her in truth, Sansa never heard their footsteps. It was Joffrey who opened her door, not Ser Ilyn but the boy who had been her prince. She was in bed, curled up tight, her curtains drawn, and she could not have said if it was noon or midnight. The first thing she heard was the slam of the door. Then her bed hangings were yanked back, and she threw up a hand against the sudden light and saw them standing over her. â€Å"You will attend me in court this afternoon,† Joffrey said. â€Å"See that you bathe and dress as befits my betrothed.† Sandor Clegane stood at his shoulder in a plain brown doublet and green mantle, his burned face hideous in the morning light. Behind them were two knights of the Kingsguard in long white satin cloaks. Sansa drew her blanket up to her chin to cover herself. â€Å"No,† she whimpered, â€Å"please . . . leave me be.† â€Å"If you won't rise and dress yourself, my Hound will do it for you,† Joffrey said. â€Å"I beg of you, my prince . . . â€Å" â€Å"I'm king now. Dog, get her out of bed.† Sandor Clegane scooped her up around the waist and lifted her off the featherbed as she struggled feebly. Her blanket fell to the floor. Underneath she had only a thin bedgown to cover her nakedness. â€Å"Do as you're bid, child,† Clegane said. â€Å"Dress.† He pushed her toward her wardrobe, almost gently. Sansa backed away from them. â€Å"I did as the queen asked, I wrote the letters, I wrote what she told me. You promised you'd be merciful. Please, let me go home. I won't do any treason, I'll be good, I swear it, I don't have traitor's blood, I don't. I only want to go home.† Remembering her courtesies, she lowered her head. â€Å"As it please you,† she finished weakly. â€Å"It does not please me,† Joffrey said. â€Å"Mother says I'm still to marry you, so you'll stay here, and you'll obey.† â€Å"I don't want to marry you,† Sansa wailed. â€Å"You chopped off my father's head!† â€Å"He was a traitor. I never promised to spare him, only that I'd be merciful, and I was. If he hadn't been your father, I would have had him torn or flayed, but I gave him a clean death.† Sansa stared at him, seeing him for the first time. He was wearing a padded crimson doublet patterned with lions and a cloth-of-gold cape with a high collar that framed his face. She wondered how she could ever have thought him handsome. His lips were as soft and red as the worms you found after a rain, and his eyes were vain and cruel. â€Å"I hate you,† she whispered. King Joffrey's face hardened. â€Å"My mother tells me that it isn't fitting that a king should strike his wife. Ser Meryn.† The knight was on her before she could think, yanking back her hand as she tried to shield her face and backhanding her across the ear with a gloved fist. Sansa did not remember failing, yet the next she knew she was sprawled on one knee amongst the rushes. Her head was ringing. Ser Meryn Trant stood over her, with blood on the knuckles of his white silk glove. â€Å"Will you obey now, or shall I have him chastise you again?† Sansa's ear felt numb. She touched it, and her fingertips came away wet and red. â€Å"I . . . as . . . as you command, my lord.† â€Å"Your Grace,† Joffrey corrected her. â€Å"I shall look for you in court.† He turned and left. Ser Meryn and Ser Arys followed him out, but Sandor Clegane lingered long enough to yank her roughly to her feet. â€Å"Save yourself some pain, girl, and give him what he wants.† â€Å"What . . . what does he want? Please, tell me.† â€Å"He wants you to smile and smell sweet and be his lady love,† the Hound rasped. â€Å"He wants to hear you recite all your pretty little words the way the septa taught you. He wants you to love him . . . and fear him.† After he was gone, Sansa sank back onto the rushes, staring at the wall until two of her bedmaids crept timidly into the chamber. â€Å"I will need hot water for my bath, please,† she told them, â€Å"and perfume, and some powder to hide this bruise.† The right side of her face was swollen and beginning to ache, but she knew Joffrey would want her to be beautiful. The hot water made her think of Winterfell, and she took strength from that. She had not washed since the day her father died, and she was startled at how filthy the water became. Her maids sluiced the blood off her face, scrubbed the dirt from her back, washed her hair and brushed it out until it sprang back in thick auburn curls. Sansa did not speak to them, except to give them commands; they were Lannister servants, not her own, and she did not trust them. When the time came to dress, she chose the green silk gown that she had worn to the tourney. She recalled how gallant Joff had been to her that night at the feast. Perhaps it would make him remember as well, and treat her more gently. She drank a glass of buttermilk and nibbled at some sweet biscuits as she waited, to settle her stomach. It was midday when Ser Meryn returned. He had donned his white armor; a shirt of enameled scales chased with gold, a tall helm with a golden sunburst crest, greaves and gorget and gauntlet and boots of gleaming plate, a heavy wool cloak clasped with a golden lion. His visor had been removed from his helm, to better show his dour face; pouchy bags under his eyes, a wide sour mouth, rusty hair spotted with grey. â€Å"My lady,† he said, bowing, as if he had not beaten her bloody only three hours past. â€Å"His Grace has instructed me to escort you to the throne room.† â€Å"Did he instruct you to hit me if I refused to come?† â€Å"Are you refusing to come, my lady?† The look he gave her was without expression. He did not so much as glance at the bruise he had left her. He did not hate her, Sansa realized; neither did he love her. He felt nothing for her at all. She was only a . . . a thing to him. â€Å"No,† she said, rising. She wanted to rage, to hurt him as he'd hurt her, to warn him that when she was queen she would have him exiled if he ever dared strike her again . . . but she remembered what the Hound had told her, so all she said was, â€Å"I shall do whatever His Grace commands.† â€Å"As I do,† he replied. â€Å"Yes . . . but you are no true knight, Ser Meryn.† Sandor Clegane would have laughed at that, Sansa knew. Other men might have cursed her, warned her to keep silent, even begged for her forgiveness. Ser Meryn Trant did none of these. Ser Meryn Trant simply did not care. The balcony was deserted save for Sansa. She stood with her head bowed, fighting to hold back her tears, while below Joffrey sat on his Iron Throne and dispensed what it pleased him to call justice. Nine cases out of ten seemed to bore him; those he allowed his council to handle, squirming restlessly while Lord Baelish, Grand Maester Pycelle, or Queen Cersei resolved the matter. When he did choose to make a ruling, though, not even his queen mother could sway him. A thief was brought before him and he had Ser Ilyn chop his hand off, right there in court. Two knights came to him with a dispute about some land, and he decreed that they should duel for it on the morrow. â€Å"To the death,† he added. A woman fell to her knees to plead for the head of a man executed as a traitor. She had loved him, she said, and she wanted to see him decently buried. â€Å"If you loved a traitor, you must be a traitor too,† Joffrey said. Two gold cloaks dragged her off to the dungeons. Frog-faced Lord Slynt sat at the end of the council table wearing a black velvet doublet and a shiny cloth-of-gold cape, nodding with approval every time the king pronounced a sentence. Sansa stared hard at his ugly face, remembering how he had thrown down her father for Ser Ilyn to behead, wishing she could hurt him, wishing that some hero would throw him down and cut off his head. But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. â€Å"Life is not a song, sweetling,† he'd told her. â€Å"You may learn that one day to your sorrow.† In life, the monsters win, she told herself, and now it was the Hound's voice she heard, a cold rasp, metal on stone. â€Å"Save yourself some pain, girl, and give him what he wants.† The last case was a plump tavern singer, accused of making a song that ridiculed the late King Robert. Joff commanded them to fetch his woodharp and ordered him to perform the song for the court. The singer wept and swore he would never sing that song again, but the king insisted. It was sort of a funny song, all about Robert fighting with a pig. The pig was the boar who'd killed him, Sansa knew, but in some verses it almost sounded as if he were singing about the queen. When the song was done, Joffrey announced that he'd decided to be merciful. The singer could keep either his fingers or his tongue. He would have a day to make his choice. Janos Slynt nodded. That was the final business of the afternoon, Sansa saw with relief, but her ordeal was not yet done. When the herald's voice dismissed the court, she fled the balcony, only to find Joffrey waiting for her at the base of the curving stairs. The Hound was with him, and Ser Meryn as well. The young king examined her critically, top to bottom. â€Å"You look much better than you did.† â€Å"Thank you, Your Grace,† Sansa said. Hollow words, but they made him nod and smile. â€Å"Walk with me,† Joffrey commanded, offering her his arm. She had no choice but to take it. The touch of his hand would have thrilled her once; now it made her flesh crawl. â€Å"My name day will be here soon,† Joffrey said as they slipped out the rear of the throne room. â€Å"There will be a great feast, and gifts. What are you going to give me?† â€Å"I . . . I had not thought, my lord.† â€Å"Your Grace,† he said sharply. â€Å"You truly are a stupid girl, aren't you? My mother says so.† â€Å"She does?† After all that had happened, his words should have lost their power to hurt her, yet somehow they had not. The queen had always been so kind to her. â€Å"Oh, yes. She worries about our children, whether they'll be stupid like you, but I told her not to trouble herself.† The king gestured, and Ser Meryn opened a door for them. â€Å"Thank you, Your Grace,† she murmured. The Hound was right, she thought, I am only a little bird, repeating the words they taught me. The sun had fallen below the western wall, and the stones of the Red Keep glowed dark as blood. â€Å"I'll get you with child as soon as you're able,† Joffrey said as he escorted her across the practice yard. â€Å"If the first one is stupid, I'll chop off your head and find a smarter wife. When do you think you'll be able to have children?† Sansa could not look at him, he shamed her so. â€Å"Septa Mordane says most . . . most highborn girls have their flowering at twelve or thirteen.† Joffrey nodded. â€Å"This way.† He led her into the gatehouse, to the base of the steps that led up to the battlements. Sansa jerked back away from him, trembling. Suddenly she knew where they were going. â€Å"No,† she said, her voice a frightened gasp. â€Å"Please, no, don't make me, I beg you . . . â€Å" Joffrey pressed his lips together. â€Å"I want to show you what happens to traitors.† Sansa shook her head wildly. â€Å"I won't. I won't.† â€Å"I can have Ser Meryn drag you up,† he said. â€Å"You won't like that. You had better do what I say.† Joffrey reached for her, and Sansa cringed away from him, backing into the Hound. â€Å"Do it, girl,† Sandor Clegane told her, pushing her back toward the king. His mouth twitched on the burned side of his face and Sansa could almost hear the rest of it. He'll have you up there no matter what, so give him what he wants. She forced herself to take King Joffrey's hand. The climb was something out of a nightmare; every step was a struggle, as if she were pulling her feet out of ankle-deep mud, and there were more steps than she would have believed, a thousand thousand steps, and horror waiting on the ramparts. From the high battlements of the gatehouse, the whole world spread out below them. Sansa could see the Great Sept of Baelor on Visenya's hill, where her father had died. At the other end of the Street of the Sisters stood the fire-blackened ruins of the Dragonpit. To the west, the swollen red sun was half-hidden behind the Gate of the Gods. The salt sea was at her back, and to the south was the fish market and the docks and the swirling torrent of the Blackwater Rush. And to the north . . . She turned that way, and saw only the city, streets and alleys and hills and bottoms and more streets and more alleys and the stone of distant walls. Yet she knew that beyond them was open country, farms and fields and forests, and beyond that, north and north and north again, stood Winterfell. â€Å"What are you looking at?† Joffrey said. â€Å"This is what I wanted you to see, right here.† A thick stone parapet protected the outer edge of the rampart, reaching as high as Sansa's chin, with crenellations cut into it every five feet for archers. The heads were mounted between the crenels, along the top of the wall, impaled on iron spikes so they faced out over the city. Sansa had noted them the moment she'd stepped out onto the wallwalk, but the river and the bustling streets and the setting sun were ever so much prettier. He can make me look at the heads, she told herself, but he can't make me see them. â€Å"This one is your father,† he said. â€Å"This one here. Dog, turn it around so she can see him.† Sandor Clegane took the head by the hair and turned it. The severed head had been dipped in tar to preserve it longer. Sansa looked at it calmly, not seeing it at all. It did not really look like Lord Eddard, she thought; it did not even look real. â€Å"How long do I have to look?† Joffrey seemed disappointed. â€Å"Do you want to see the rest?† There was a long row of them. â€Å"If it please Your Grace.† Joffrey marched her down the wallwalk, past a dozen more heads and two empty spikes. â€Å"I'm saving those for my uncle Stannis and my uncle Renly,† he explained. The other heads had been dead and mounted much longer than her father. Despite the tar, most were long past being recognizable. The king pointed to one and said, â€Å"That's your septa there,† but Sansa could not even have told that it was a woman. The jaw had rotted off her face, and birds had eaten one ear and most of a cheek. Sansa had wondered what had happened to Septa Mordane, although she supposed she had known all along. â€Å"Why did you kill her?† she asked. â€Å"She was godsworn . . . â€Å" â€Å"She was a traitor.† Joffrey looked pouty; somehow she was upsetting him. â€Å"You haven't said what you mean to give me for my name day. Maybe I should give you something instead, would you like that?† â€Å"If it please you, my lord,† Sansa said. When he smiled, she knew he was mocking her. â€Å"Your brother is a traitor too, you know.† He turned Septa Mordane's head back around. â€Å"I remember your brother from Winterfell. My dog called him the lord of the wooden sword. Didn't you, dog?† â€Å"Did I?† the Hound replied. â€Å"I don't recall.† Joffrey gave a petulant shrug. â€Å"Your brother defeated my uncle Jaime. My mother says it was treachery and deceit. She wept when she heard. Women are all weak, even her, though she pretends she isn't. She says we need to stay in King's Landing in case my other uncles attack, but I don't care. After my name day feast, I'm going to raise a host and kill your brother myself. That's what I'll give you, Lady Sansa. Your brother's head.† A kind of madness took over her then, and she heard herself say, â€Å"Maybe my brother will give me your head.† Joffrey scowled. â€Å"You must never mock me like that. A true wife does not mock her lord. Ser Meryn, teach her.† This time the knight grasped her beneath the jaw and held her head still as he struck her. He hit her twice, left to right, and harder, right to left. Her lip split and blood ran down her chin, to mingle with the salt of her tears. â€Å"You shouldn't be crying all the time,† Joffrey told her. â€Å"You're more pretty when you smile and laugh.† Sansa made herself smile, afraid that he would have Ser Meryn hit her again if she did not, but it was no good, the king still shook his head. â€Å"Wipe off the blood, you're all messy.† The outer parapet came up to her chin, but along the inner edge of the walk was nothing, nothing but a long plunge to the bailey seventy or eighty feet below. All it would take was a shove, she told herself. He was standing right there, right there, smirking at her with those fat wormlips. You could do it, she told herself. You could. Do it right now. It wouldn't even matter if she went over with him. It wouldn't matter at all. â€Å"Here, girl.† Sandor Clegane knelt before her, between her and Joffrey. With a delicacy surprising in such a big man, he dabbed at the blood welling from her broken lip. The moment was gone. Sansa lowered her eyes. â€Å"Thank you,† she said when he was done. She was a good girl, and always remembered her courtesies.

Natural Disasters and Health Care

Impact of Natural Disasters on Health Care Submitted by – Dalton Divakaran MS Health Care Management University of Texas at Dallas Index Introduction Types of Disasters Effects of Disaster on Economy Effect of Disaster on Health Care Organization * Sudden Influx * Damage to Facilities * Inadequately Prepared * Specialty Treatment Availability Effects on the Population * Immediate Health Impact * Long-Term Impacts Steps in Disaster Management * Mitigation * Preparedness * Response * Recovery Real Incident Study * Background: * Immediate Response Considerations: * Evacuation: Special Immediate Concerns: * Recovery Process: * Facility Considerations: * Lessons Learned at This Point in Response/Recovery: * Takeaways from this incident: Conclusion References Introduction According to dictionary. com Disasters means â€Å"a calamitous event, especially one occurring suddenly and causing great loss of life, damage, or hardship, as a flood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Disasters such as Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, hurricanes, tornados, epidemic disease outbreaks and more can damage any population and have a tremendous effect on the health care organizations that respond.Many health care organizations face major challenges during natural disasters. There are many different causes for those challenges. According to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in 2002, international disasters affected 608 million people and killed more than 24,000. The recent natural disaster in the United States for this year 2011(May 22, 2011) was the tornado Joplin in Missouri; 160 fatalities were reported in this natural disaster. Types of Disasters I. Natural disasters E. g. : Avalanches, Earthquakes, Volcanic eruptions. II. Hydrological disastersE. g. : Floods, Tsunamis. III. Meteorological disasters E. g. : Blizzards, Cyclonic storms, Droughts, Hailstorms, Heat waves, Tornadoes, Fires. IV. Health disasters E. g. : Epidemics, Famines V. Space disasters E. g. : Impact events, Solar flares, Gamma ray burst. VI. Technological disasters: E. g. : Chemical spills. VII. Complex emergencies: E. g. : Civil wars and conflicts. Effects of Disaster on Economy Developing countries suffer more economic losses than developed countries. The common factor is that, the poor are the ones who suffer the most, in both developed and developing nations.Although the total economic loss in dollars is greater in developed countries, the percentage of losses relative to the gross national product in developing countries far exceeds that of developed nations. Technological disasters and complex emergencies are not easily predictable. The major source of disasters in the 21st century may be due to rapid increase of Technological hazards, unregulated industrialization of developing countries and the globalization of the chemical industry. Effect of Disaster on Health Care Organization Sudden Influx * The biggest challenge after an aftermath is to provide emergency t reatment.The sudden influx of patients to a facility and the need for emergency responders in many places at the same time puts a strain on the health care organizations in the local area. Outside sources like the Red Cross would pitch-in for help in rescue and relief operations in the following days of the incident. However, the responsibility of handling the initial emergency care lies with the local health care departments. Damage to Facilities * The other effects of natural disaster are the lossdegrading of equipment and facility due to sudden spurt in the patients handled at the same time.The demand for all possible medical resources is the possibility that some of the resources may not be available because of direct damage from the natural disaster itself. For example floods may disrupt power supply required to run many equipments at the rescue center. Inadequately Prepared * Even though areas are more susceptible to certain natural disasters, such as earthquakes along a fault line or tornados in the South, they still strike with little or no warning. This throws the health care’s schedule out of the ordinary routine. The facility may not be completely prepared for what comes next.Emergency preparedness plans improve the chances that the organization will be able to respond effectively in the event of a natural disaster, whatever said and done it is never a guarantee that when and what magnitude a calamity occurs. Specialty Treatment Availability * Some disasters are not common like the storms, earthquakes and tsunamis. Epidemic outbreaks of infectious disease are something which needs utmost care to stop them from spreading to the others. It is not just to take care of emergency relief but also to quickly and efficiently protect the rest of the population.It is more challenging when there is no existing vaccine or known treatment. At this instance the role of health care organizations becomes even more important. These organizations must work to treat the patients and protect themselves while labs attempt to figure out a way to stop the infection from spreading. Effects on the Population A population’s vulnerability to all types of disasters depends on demographic growth, settlement in unsafe areas, environmental degradation, the pace of urbanization, unplanned development and climate change. Poverty thrives due to lack of access to healthy and safe environment.Poor education and awareness also poises risk to population. The effects of disaster on population can be broadly categorized into: 1. Immediate Health Impact 2. Long-Term Impacts These are explained below: Immediate Health Impact Short-term losses fall under three categories that have both direct and indirect effects: I. Disability, Illness, and Death; II. Direct losses in infrastructure; and III. Loss or disruption in health care delivery. Long-Term Impacts It is primarily a matter of building institutional ability and human resources, and includes: I.Identi fying vulnerability to natural hazards or other calamities; II. Building simple solutions for such occurrence in the future; III. Initiating a changedevelopment among the main factors to develop a basic plan that outlines the responsibilities of each factor in the health sector, identifying possible overlaps or gaps and building a consensus to create an effective healthcare system; IV. Maintaining close collaboration with these main factors; and V. Educating the first health responders and managers to face the special challenges of responding to disasters.Steps in Disaster Management * Mitigation – To minimize the effects of disaster. Examples: Zoning; Vulnerability analyses; Public education. * Preparedness – Planning how to respond. Examples: Preparedness plans; Emergency exercises/training; Warning systems. * Response – Efforts in minimizing the hazards created by a disaster. Examples: Search and rescue; Emergency relief, Finding alternative sources for relie f. * Recovery – Restore the community or organization to business as usual. Examples: Temporary housing; Grants; Medical care. Mitigation Preparedness Response RecoveryFig: Phases of Disaster Management Mitigation Mitigation is to reduce the intensity of a risk. Mitigation activity decreases the probably of the same disaster reoccurring. It includes vulnerability analyses updates; zoning and land use management; building use regulations and safety codes; preventive health care; and public education. Preparedness Preparedness is to have the health care crew on toes during an emergency situation. It is to achieve a level of readiness to handle any emergency situations. Preparedness can take form of education of rescue elief during emergencies.This may include rehearsals as well. Also it helps to ensure an optimum reserve of medicine, food, water, equipments and other essentials maintained for emergencies. Like mitigation activities, preparedness actions also depend on the appro priate measures in national and regional development plans. Response Response is to react to emergency situations to maintain life, sustain injuries and support the morale of the affected. It also includes providing transport, temporary shelter and food for the affected. Charitable organizations often play a major role in this phase of the disaster management cycle.Recovery Recovery is to bring back the affected population to normal life. Recovery measures both short and long term, include restoring life with minimum operating standard, temporary shelter, reconstruction and economic impact studies . This period brings many opportunities to boost prevention, increase vigilance and thus reducing helplessness. Real Incident Study August 2, 2011 Medical Response to Joplin Tornado May 22, 2011 Background: A tornado warning was issued by the National Weather Services on May 22, 2011 at 5:17 p. m. The tornado was rated an EF-5 with winds exceeding 200 mph.It traveled from west to east alon g 32nd street cutting a path ? to 1 mile wide over 13. 8 miles. The tornado eye was approximately 300 yards wide. Mercy St. Johns Hospital took a direct hit, initial and secondary, on the west facade with duration of approximately 45 seconds. There was a pause as the eye passed through the facility. * 160 deaths in the community resulted from this storm. * 8000 structures were destroyed. 400 businesses destroyed, * 8 school buildings destroyed, * 18,000 vehicles destroyed and * 4,500 jobs displaced. When St.Johns took the direct hit from the tornado initially the generators were destroyed, the roof was destroyed and most of which landed in the parking lots and on top of other facility equipment. All communications was immediately lost. The facility fire suppression sprinklers discharged and lines were broken. Several walls and floors were damaged. Doors were torn from their hinges, all of the glass was blown out of the building except the high impact shatter resistant glass in the p sychiatric ward, gas lines were broken, sewer lines were destroyed with raw sewage projected throughout the facility, and 86 medical offices were destroyed.The oxygen tank was severely damaged and discharged all of the liquid oxygen. There was a strong smell of natural gas throughout the building and all over the campus. Water discharged by the fire suppression system left the rooms and hallways with 3 to 6 inches of standing water. The air evacuation helicopter was destroyed. Typically the helicopter would have been moved to a local airport; however, the storm track did not predict impact to the hospital and there weather conditions prevented safe flight. All Hospital’s vehicles, except a John Deere tractor, were destroyed and the emergency trailer was found in pieces several blocks away.Everyone in the facility panicked that they were going to die, nurses evacuated patients to the hallways per their procedures and at the time of impact nurses covered patients with their bod ies to offer as much protection as possible. IV’s were ripped from patients’ arms, the IV poles became projectiles, and several patients were bleeding as a result. The ceilings collapsed, electrical, IT, and HVAC equipment dropped and littered the hallways. All emergency lights and exit signs were ripped from their mounts and were useless. Both incident command centers were destroyed and Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) lost in the debris.The facility was filled with hazardous waste and the radioactive material was unsecured. Outside debris was mixed and power lines were down. Note: If the tornado had moved just two blocks south Freeman would also have been destroyed. Freeman did suffer some physical damage that resulted in internal evacuation of at least 6 patient rooms. Immediate Response Considerations: There were many immediate considerations that had to be made. If the generators were started, then there was an extremely high probability of electrocution and possi ble explosion from natural gas.Various ways for communication should be arranged. Communications is not yet interoperable. Security forces and public safety could not communicate with each other due to variation is radio systems. Ambulance radios became the communication infrastructure during the initial response. Staff management is vital. Sufficient staff should be available for relief. Drug dispensing machines are useless in this type of a disaster. Staff had to break into the machines to gain access to life saving drugs. ID badges need to be backed up with wallet identification cards for employees.Several staff members lost their homes and automobiles and the badges went with them in many cases. National Guard troops refused to allow staff into the area because of no identification. Pharmacies need to be guarded with armed security. Have strong security so that people won’t run away with cars they do not own. The hospital needs access to several utility terrain vehicles ( UTV) for equipment and patient transport. Same uniform, common identification and common radio frequencies are required for the security team for easy identity. Remember that even the staffs require food, water and rest.Evacuation: Within a few hours St. Johns evacuated 183 patients, completed one surgical case while the storm was in progress, had 1 patient in the PACU, 24 ED patients and 28 critical care patients were among the evacuees. Evacuation was a tough job. This rescue team used what is described as the reverse START process found in our evacuation plan. The team discharged most of the patients they could. Some had no home to go to and opted to stay in the health care system as long as possible. Patient tracking was a nightmare. It took about 4 days to positively locate all of the evacuated patients.Many were sent to hospitals a great distance from St. Johns. The usage of heliport was not practicable and two temporary heliports were constructed in the parking lot. Anything that could be used to move a patient was used. Hospital evacuation sleds, mattresses, doors, wheelchairs, and mattresses were used to move patients down 9 flights of stairs that were dark and littered with debris. The Hospital had three predetermined collection points (muster stations) to evacuate to. This helped them to identify the patients and giving accountability for staff. Special Immediate Concerns:Staffs and physician homes were looted while they were trying to save other. There were attempts to loot property and drugs from the hospital and physicians’ offices. Hospitals need deployable incident command centers rather than fixed. Intra-operation communications was an immediate and continuing concern. Security forces could not be identified since they came in variety of uniforms. There was no common identification and no common radio frequency. Hospitals need the ability to install at least a 6’ steel chain link fence around the perimeter as soon as possible fol lowing the initial event.Know your staff was personally affected by the storm, many lost family members and homes. Many were not prepared to see the level of trauma and had difficulty dealing with the reality of this event. Nearly all required debriefing and employee support services. Special equipments are required for immediate rescue. Know whom your local, state, and federal response partners are and have an established relationship with them prior to any event. In an event of this magnitude, if you try to survive in your facility you cannot do it. You will need to evacuate the facility as soon as safe to do so.Everyone should be included during the planning process. It is important to acknowledge that although a given natural disaster may last for only a short period; survivors can be involved with the disaster aftermath for months or even years. Recovery Process: The first step is security of the facility and campus. The next morning after the event the mass evacuation was comp lete and the facility was cleared. As stated earlier, contracted security forces need to be in the same uniform and on the same radio frequencies as the Hospital security forces so that the recovery process goes smooth.Arrangement for vehicles and fuel should be done and agreements must be in place to have them delivered from locations outside the affected area. The types of vehicles needed should be predetermined. The delivery mechanism should be established very effectively to even work without any phone service. Tent operations became the first means of providing medical services followed by portable facilities. Facility Considerations: During Disasters even emergency power outlets may not operate. Assuming you can use a power generator, consider the following facilities: * Camera’s intended for security purpose should be on power generator. Lighting on emergency power needs to be evaluated. * Exit signs, stairs should be marked with photo luminescent tape or paint. * Know ledge on how to shut down utilities and medical gases quickly and establish a protocol for this procedure. * Proper lightning should be maintained in parking lots and facility areas during recovery phase. * The facility should be considered unstable until cleared by structural engineers. * Secure wiring, HVAC components, piping and light fixtures correctly above ceilings. * Plan for rapid deployment and connection trailer mounted equipment, portable buildings, and portable equipment. Debris removal is lengthy and complex. Lessons Learned at This Point in Response/Recovery: * Intra department communication is a must. If the Hospital and response partners are not on common frequencies then effective communication will not be possible. * Purchase solar charging stations for cellular phones and radio batteries. * Social networks or texting services may not be available during disaster. Effective alternative ways to communicate should be taught to the staffs. * Telephone landlines and su pport from IT are vital. Electronic Medical Records were essential to the continuum of patient care and for identification of practitioners who were in the facility at the time of impact. * Know that your reserve supplies will be inadequate or may be lost. A 96 hour cache of supplies may last as few as 4 hours because of the unanticipated demand. * If the generators operated the potential exists for several deaths by electrocution or explosion. * Stairwell lighting will be lost. JCMH egress lighting is all generator fed with no battery emergency lighting. * Manage staff and provide staff support, including mental health services.This will help them in taking quick decision. * Security of the building is critical. You have to protect your resources. * Badges will be lost during this type of event. Have wallet identification cards for your staff. Takeaways from this incident: * What you practice is what you do. * Knowledge of response partners, local, state, and federal. * Rehearsals with your community partners for rescue related activities. * Add patient slippers/shoes to your weather plan. Have on bed during Code Grey Level I. * Warehousing emergency supplies and to make it easily accessible even without transport facility. Have emergency kits throughout the facility with pens, pencils, paper, and medical record forms. Also include gloves, masks, flashlights, and batteries. * Develop a common triage tag and process. It is best to have a standard triage system. Share and follow it with all of the hospitals in your region. * You need to develop a rapid response team for security and a component of the security team will need to be armed. * Staff adequately during such events. * Efficient disbursement of supplies (Medicines, food etc) among staff for patient care and personal use. Consider staff physical and psychological needs – shift relief, food, rest, and debriefing. * Many storms usually have a follow- up storm and to be ready to minimize damage caus ed to structure and building (eg: Glass debris)during such events.. * The Joint Commission will arrive on site to assist with reestablishment of services and they proved to be a valuable resource. * Establish â€Å"Scrub Racks† with many sizes of scrubs to keep staff in suitable clothing. Conclusion Natural disasters are crisis situations. However, with planning, costly and ineffective interventions can be avoided.Improvisation and rush inevitably come with a high price, and there are many things health officials ought to avoid— preferential use of expatriate health professionals; emergency procurement and airlifting of food, water, and supplies that often are available locally or that remain in storage for long periods of time; the tendency to adopt dramatic measures— all contribute to making disaster relief one of the least cost effective health activities. . The occurrence of a major disaster can be the initial catalyst that helps health authorities recognize that disasters are a public health risk that must be addressed in an organized manner.Yet, preparedness cannot wait. A continual effort is needed to reduce possibility, by decreasing weakness through elimination and minimization and by increasing potential through ability methods. There needs to be a continuum between normal development, preparedness, and disaster response activities. Disasters are not likely to decrease in the foreseeable future. A sustained effort is needed to minimize risk, by reducing vulnerability through prevention and mitigation and by increasing capacity through preparedness measures.Disasters need to be addressed on a long-term and institutionalized basis through an established ministry of health program or department for prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and response for all types of disasters. References * Environmental health in emergencies and disasters: A practical guide. WHO, 2002. * Disaster Help, US Department of Homeland Security. * Green Pape r on Disaster Management, Department of Provincial and Local Government, South Africa * http://www. ehow. com/list_6847852_effects-disasters-health-care-organizations. tml#ixzz1epfIqgRL * Guide to Emergency Management Planning in Health CareBy Joint Commission Resources, Inc * http://www. scsrc. org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Joplin_Tornado_Trip_Report. pdf * http://www. himss. org/content/files/ambulatorydocs/BridgeheadWhitePaper_HealthcareDisasterRecovery. pdf * http://www. healthcaredisasterplanning. org/ * http://www. sans. org/reading_room/whitepapers/hipaa/disaster-recovery-healthcare-organizations-impact-hipaa-security_1336 * http://pandemic. wisconsin. gov/docview. asp? docid=14447 * http://www. dcp2. org/file/121/

Leaman brother Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leaman brother - Research Paper Example ublish its financial statement so when the financial statements were released to the public, the financial statements may depict that the bank had money and was paying its debtors (Hallman 1). Once a period of seven or less days had passed and the account statements were published, the bank repurchased sold assets. Anton Valukas was assigned the duty of look into the matter of Lehman Brother and unearth the reasons for its fall down. Valukas states that the Repo 105 transaction was first reported by Mathew Lee who was an employee of Lehman. Lee started by reporting the transactions to the management of Lehman and later reported the findings to the organization’s auditing firm, Ernst & Young and no actions were taken (Hallman 1). Once the firm could no longer indulge in Repo 105, it had to start depicting that it was highly leveraged and did not have money to pay off its debt and ultimately the bank filed for bankruptcy. Due to this several stakeholders had to experience material as well as emotional losses. The main stakeholders who were negatively impacted included the companies that had lent money to the bank, the shareholders of the bank and its employees. When the company went bankrupt there were more than 25000 employees working for them and a major percentage of them had to experience unemployment and social and psychological associated with it (Corelli 326). Furthermore, the shareholders had to lose their money since the company was not performing well and it has been recorded that due to the fall down of the company around $10 trillion funds were injected out of the equity markets (Corelli 326). It is believed but not yet proven that the CPA firm called Ernst & Young (E&Y) was involved in the financial fraud conducted by Lehman Brother. They are said to have been involved in the cover-up of this fraud. Due to these allegations against the CPA firm several civil lawsuits were filed against the firm after the collapse of Lehman Brothers. These lawsuits

Whether we should ban the use of internet and social media in schools Thesis

Whether we should ban the use of internet and social media in schools - Thesis Example As the Internet and social media started its active development, concerns over its negative influence on the general population, and especially on children, has been present and widely discussed. Among the most disturbing issues has been the fear that as an endless source of information and opportunities for connecting with diverse people, social media creates versatile threats for the young individuals, their normal emotional health and development. (Wallace) Namely, there are concerns that students are in danger of accessing â€Å"inappropriate matter on the Internet† that can be expressed by both â€Å"harmful content or harmful contact†. (Varlas) Subsequently, the problems of cyberbullying and online harassment are commonly discussed while talking about social media usage by children and teenagers. (OKeeffe, and Clarke-Pearson 800-804) As a result, some educators tend to explain that it is more effective and easy to ban the usage of social networking than to control the way students use them. Apart from harmful influences that social media can produce, much has been said in relation to its distracting effect. At present, it has already become a norm to spend a significant percent of time in front of the monitor, communicating, sharing information and photos, or other. (Varlas) It follows that, often, the computer is a substitution of the real-life activities, such as face-to-face communication, sports, going out and having good time with friends, everything that can be considered a part of the normal process of maturing and social development. For instance, specialists revealed that spending too much time online, adolescent are at risk of developing â€Å"Facebook depression†, which is both a result and root of â€Å"social isolation leading to risky behavior.† (OKeeffe, and Clarke-Pearson 800-804) In addition, social media is also sometimes blamed

Compare and contrast The Lesson with Girl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare and contrast The Lesson with Girl - Essay Example The generation gap is obvious by the amount of talking done by mother and the short responses of the daughter. The story also points to the start of the new era and age. All the advices of the mother are representing the previous generation suppression and hindrances. They particularly point to the sufferings of the women. â€Å"The Lesson† gives variety of themes. The most striking is the socioeconomic differences in American society. The short story shows the psychological makeup of a class because of the economic conditions and the reaction of the class when confronted with another class. The story also tells about the relationship of children and parents. In the story this relationship is very weak; in fact parents have given the responsibility to someone else. Comparing this theme with â€Å"Girl†, it becomes clear that despite generation gap the relationship of mother and daughter is strong. It is the concern of mother which is forcing her to guide the daughter, w hile in â€Å"The Lesson† children are given to a cousin by parents. Another contrasting theme of these two stories is that in â€Å"Girl† the mother is trying to save conventional ways and means but in â€Å"The Lesson† Miss Moore is deliberately trying to teach unconventional ways to the children. Although the writer of â€Å"Girl† is not intending to safeguard traditional values but there is no intent of challenging them. CHARACTERS â€Å"Girl† has two characters, Mother and Daughter. In this short story they are representing two different generations, two different points of views. Although most of the talking in this short story is done by the mother but the daughter is able to make her presence felt by two meek interruptions. â€Å"The Lesson† has many characters and they all represent same racial class. Miss Moore is antagonist as she responsible for all the tension and drama in the story. Her name suggests different meanings for exam ple she is more educated, she has more money, and she wants more children to get educated. Miss Moore wants to give something back to her community and the best she could is by educating younger generation. Sylvia is the narrator of the story and she is a kind of leader. She does not submit to authority easily and therefore hates Miss Moore. This feeling increases after the trip, which was intended as a lesson. Although at the end Sylvia realizes and understands the lesson but for most of the story she is against Miss Moore. Sugar is another character of the story and like her name she is very innocent and sweet. She is the best friend of Sylvia and was first to tell what Sylvia felt and what Miss Moore wanted them to feel. Her innocent question regarding stealing at toy shop represents her inner innocence as well as the education and norms of a class. Other characters are not very active but their names are very interesting and give a very vivid picture in the mind of readers. Flyb oy, Fat Butt, Mercedes, Rosie, Junebug, Q.T etc represent different shades of a class and their name also presents to some extent their physical and mental attributes. Characterization of â€Å"The Lesson† is very strong as compare to â€Å"Girl†. The main reason for this is the length of two short stories. Despite this difference in both the stories the focus remains on two characters. The relationship between main characters in both short stories remain same i.e. one is educating or trying to

Political Sex Scandals Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Political Sex Scandals - Case Study Example The House ethics committee is discussing charges the Democratic leadership should have confronted Massa sooner. Massa has presented explanations for his acquiescence from disease to intrigue Democrats because he opposed health care reform. After John Edwards told a national TV audience the only woman he ever loved was his wife, his mistress Rielle Hunter reported he called her to say he didn't really mean it. Hunter, 45, is experienced, but she was still shocked by GQ's pictures of her with no pants. She thought the photographer was only interested in her face. Collins' lessons are tongue-in-cheek. She says we have to know who our politicians bed with and never trust a guy who plays his marriage as the center piece of a campaign. Nevertheless, there is a deeper issue at hand - the moral behavior of our elected officials. She argues that we should be concerned when wayward public servants have our health care bill in hand. The best articulation of my position is this. The problem with American politics is that is it American politics. I am by no means a Marxist, but some of his ideas resonate in many political situations. He said the seed of any system's destruction is within its own self. That means although outside forces may topple walls interior forces leave them unattended. Maybe it is not representative government itself that is flawed however. Maybe, it just the way we have come to practice it in the United States. Who does it represent anyway Of the tens of millions of votes, how much does my vote really count -- one 50 millionth of a decisions. Did they ever square away that whole thing about campaign funding Does my opinion really matter when a multibillion dollar multinational corporation, like say Eli Lilly or Pfizer, places a briefcase "gift" full of greenbacks on a senator's desk I don't think so. Maybe, that is why marijuana possession is still punishable by death. What is that about, a nyway It is somehow okay to drink a flammable liquid like alcohol and let it slowly melt my brain into a seizing mass, but it is somehow wrong to smoke the leaves of a particular plant, get the munchies and go to sleep. Part of the problem actually lies with the media system itself. Instead of reporting noteworthy news, they sell out for the sensational story. Individual human beings may be smart, but as a group, people are herding animals to some extent. They like tabloid-style media scandals. They get TV ratings. They sell newspapers. Thus, that is what the media industry showcases. The more important issues go unnoticed by comparison. So what about this 300 pound gorilla staring at us Yes, our politicians are corrupt. What do we do about it Can we do anything meaningful It seems that evidence is scarce. Many of these notions are purely philosophical and perhaps not of any immediate use. Many analysts would argue we are on the brink of some cataclysmic change in politics. Based on history there is only one of two ways this can go. The first way is to find some means of rectifying the underlying problems with our system. The other is to hope it fixes itself and risk falling along the wayside with previous empires. It is a scary thought to think much of our stability is reliant upon Chinese economy. Our position is much like that of an expanding universe. If

Cyberworlds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cyberworlds - Essay Example Their avatars would come over and help me clear a field or build a house, even run a business. This added to the social interactivity of the game. By helping each other out in the tasks, we managed to get to know each other quite well in the cyberworld that we functioned in. It was fun to relate to one another in this world because we could not see what the other looked like at the moment and we did not care. As long as the game avatars did as they were told by their controllers, the game was a peaceful and friendly one. That is perhaps the reason why I sometimes find myself spending as much as 12 hours in a day playing the game. My friends and I go on adventurous treks through the forests in this game and accomplish a lot thanks to the power of cooperation. Due to the numerous fun activities that can be done within the virtual world and the fact that I can interact with other people in the social world who may or may not be in my friends list, I find that I enjoy being a part of this virtual reality. It is because of the easy access that my friends and I have into each others virtual world that I found myself coming to the realization that a virtual world can actually exist and the place becomes real, because my friends and I can see it on our monitors and we can touch each other through the virtual world action lists. This means that what is virtual to most has become reality to us. That is why I disagree with the statement from our reading that dictates that : â€Å"... place† and â€Å"virtual† cannot coexist: there is no â€Å"place† in the virtual beyond the metaphor. â€Å" The two places can actually exist because the technology exists to make the place real for the game participants. Everything from the headset microphones to the personalized avatars allows us to communicate with one another instantly and share concerns that for the bystanders are â€Å"virtual† concerns but

Windows Vista Installation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Windows Vista Installation - Assignment Example 9. The computer will then automatically reboot. 10. Now comes a long waiting period, where the installation process configures the system. Again, the exact amount of time will greatly depend on your computer's hardware. 11. After the long wait, the system will then reboot once again. 12. You will think something went wrong because of the relative long time it take the system to display anything besides the black screen, but finally, after a few moments you will note a small colored circle: 13. A few seconds after that you will be prompted to enter a username and password for the first user on the computer. Although the setup program will let you continue without entering a password, note that it is very advisable to enter a password here, and the best option would be to choose a complex password made of at least 8 characters or more (something like P@ssw0rd or MYpa$$w0rd). Make sure you remember it. Type the username: ITStaff and proceed with a password. Also pick your user's display picture. This can be changed later. 14. Pick a name for your computer. The setup program will create one based upon the username you chose in the previous step, but you can change it now (and later). Also pick a background for the user's desktop. This can be changed later. 15. Choose what sort of protection your computer gets. The recommended settings are best for someone that doesn't plan to hide their computer behind a corporate firewall (and even then, in some cases, this would be the best option). If you plan to install a 3rd-party firewall later you can opt to be prompted later. Note that this setting will also have effect on how the computer uses the Microsoft Windows Update (Automatic...Pressing the Advanced button will bring up the following options. 12. You will think something went wrong because of the relative long time it take the system to display anything besides the black screen, but finally, after a few moments you will note a small colored circle: Although the setup program will let you continue without entering a password, note that it is very advisable to enter a password here, and the best option would be to choose a complex password made of at least 8 characters or more (something like P@ssw0rd or MYpa$$w0rd). Make sure you remember it. Type the username: ITStaff and proceed with a password. 15. Choose what sort of protection your computer gets. The recommended settings are best for someone that doesn't plan to hide their computer behind a corporate firewall (and even then, in some cases, this would be the best option). If you plan to install a 3rd-party firewall later you can opt to be prompted later. Note that if the computer was connected to the Internet while installing it, it will automatically download and prompt you to install any missing hotfix or update it finds for the current state of the operating system. Click the Window Icon and then click to open the control panel. In the control panel click on user accounts and then select "Add or remove user accounts" in the sub menu.

Human Genetics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Genetics - Essay Example The proponents of human genetic engineering argue that the process leads to higher resistance of the body towards diseases and that it does not lead to the production of identical genetic make-up of the body as argued by the opponents (Barnet and Bedau 515). I support the opponents of human genetic engineering who argue that the engineering of human genetics leads to high risks of acquiring diseases, low adaptability of the body to changes, and decreased evolution (Powell 3). This paper will argue for and against human genetic engineering using the opposing viewpoints of various researchers. According to Powell, â€Å"the procedure maintains the diverse nature of genotypes and phenotypes in the body of the clone (40).† The clone is the human being who is a result of the genetic engineering process. The supporters argue that phenotypes, which are produced by genotypes, endure in the environment independently meaning that they do not develop identically (Palvokacs, Kinnison, Correa, Dalton and Hendry 6). This means that the phenotype of the clone and the real person are not identical and it also indicates that they are diverse and can adapt to various environments. The supporters of genetic engineering also argue that organelles such as the nucleus and the mitochondria that exist in the body cells contain their own DNA that is different from that of other parts (Powell 5). The proponents also use the adaptive and neutral genetic variation of the nucleus to found their argument. The nucleus evolves in these two processes meaning that it adapts to new environments besides adopting traits from the host body. This means that these organelles undergo mutation that enables them to become resistant to diseases in their new environment. Therefore, according to the proponents of genetic engineering, the process leads to the

A Day at the Baseball Park Essay Example for Free

A Day at the Baseball Park Essay I have never been in a Major League Baseball Park, but I do have been at my brothers’ baseball games. It might not be the same as a MLB baseball park, but I think it’s better because I went to give support to my brother. I know that he knowing the family is there he will show of all his performance. I love been at this games because I like to spent the much time as possible with my family. It is a sunny day outside and a very hot day. Therefore, it is GAME day, we are getting ready to be all day at the park. We have to make sure to wear comfy clothes, sneakers, and take with us a good sunblock. In addition, we have to make sure to take our own seats to the park because the park bleachers are not comfortable enough to be all day sitting there. The family is preparing some drinks and snacks to take to the park. In our coolers we have; water, juice, sodas, sandwiches, hot dogs, chips, and cookies. After we have everything ready, it’s time to go to the baseball park. See more:  First Poem for You Essay When we get to the park the first thing that we do is look for a good spot. After we found our good spot, it is time for my brother to go and do what he loves and that is play baseball. Moreover, it is time for us to start getting anxious. Is time for â€Å"play ball†, those are the words the referee says to start the game. The adrenaline start invading me also the rest of the family specially my dad. My dad can’t just sit down and enjoy the game he start yelling to my brother and the rest of the team, I think he yells to encourage them, after he yells he starts clapping. When he starts clapping, the other families start clapping also. Therefore, the boys are playing it’s been a very great game. Everybody are giving support either for one team or the other one. The game is good, is the last entrance ant he game is tied. For our bad luck is the other team time to bat. The player who was at the bat, when he hits the ball start running until he gets to second base. We still hope that the others two players left at the bat get a strikeout, but that wasn’t happening. The next player at the bat make a hit and the player that was at second base score the race to break the tie game. The last player he did get a strikeout. Then, because of this last run score the opposing team wins the game. It is good when you spent time like this one with your family. I have learn over the years, that there is nothing more important than the family. They are the ones that are there for you in the bad and the good moments. Family is the most precious gift that God has given us. For that reason, we have to keep vivid the family unity.

Potential Globalization Of Brompton Bicycle Economics Essay

Potential Globalization Of Brompton Bicycle Economics Essay Brompton Bicycle is a  uk manufacturer bicycle based in  Brentford,  London by Andrew Ritchie in 1976. Models are named using a code to describe the handle bar type, number of gears and factory attached fixtures. An optional suffix is appended to show the inclusion of titanium upgrades. In Britain the clubs membership is changing, now 35-40% customers of Brompton are women. The average riders age has also dropped below 40. Its getting profit in uk . Brompton Bicycle is a  British  company that specialises in  folding bicycles, commonly known as Brompton which is popular among  bicycle commuters, especially in the UK, the  Netherlands, and  Japan. The Brompton design has remained fundamentally unchanged over three decades, although it has been steadily refined. The Brompton increases peoples  independence  and  freedom so people can use this cycle wherever they can use. Approximately 22,000 bicycles are produced by the company each year and 70 percent are exported to asia and Europe. The compact dimensions of most folding bikes allow easy transport in public transport where travelling with a normal bike can be difficult or forbidden. We can this cycle in different style handlebar like c type handlebar, m type handlebar, s type handlebar and p type handlebar. -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brompton_Bicycle PEST ANALYSIS OF BROMPTON BICYCLE: Political factor: Many people are cycling on London major roads and it has nearly doubled since 2000 and TfL is targeting a 5% mode share for cycling by 2025. South West Trains is a part of Stagecoach Group, has joined forces with Brompton Bicycle to encourage passengers for cycle as part of a fully integrated low carbon journey combining bike and train. Every one like this bikes because it is efficient to ride but can be quickly folded into a package smaller than an average suitcase, so people can take wherever they like. Economic factor: Though exports account for around 75 per cent of its output, it continues to manufacture all of its   bikes in the UK. Its getting profit here. Social factor: Brompton bike got a award, Mr Ritchie, who was awarded the prize that recognizes a lifetime contribution to design, he has spent 21 years perfecting to the Brompton, which is manufactured in Britain and sells around the world. At a reception in Buckingham Palace 50 years of British design genius was celebrating. Technological factor: When transporting a Brompton Bicycle by Train, Car plane or boat it would be beneficial to have a protective case. There is a need for such a protective case to also double as a fully functional bike trailer so it will attach to the rear of the bike and be used to transport light to moderate loads. -http://www.stagecoachgroup.com SWOT ANALYSIS OF BROMPTON BICYCLE: strength: Brompton bicycle is travel free  and without booking restrictions we can use on rail, bus, underground, ferry or air services. Its that freedom to travel anywhere that gives folding bikes a magic quality. A folding bike can be new ways of travelling. Its have many colour with extra tall frame to fit tall riders. From 1976, Brompton was in business, but growth was infuriatingly slow. Today, Brompton Bicycle Ltd turns out 100 precision-crafted bikes a day from its cosy in Kew. Brompton bicycle sold in 27 international markets and servicing needs of the 200,000 Brompton users who are already on the road. They make something fashionable. People like the Brompton because its fun and it fits into their lives. In London, the bike is moving from being an issue of personal choice. On the corporate side, Brompton already leases a fleet of bikes to South West Trains at Waterloo. Mr Butler-Adams planned to provide package deals including bikes, training, storage and insurance to other companies.Brompton Bicycle is going to produce 25,000 bikes this year, achieving sales of  £7m-  £8m. Ritchie expects it to grow 25% a year under the leadership of managing director Butler-Adams. Brompton bicycle exports to markets to Netherlands, America, Germany, Japan and Scandinavia account for about 60% of its sales. weakness : Brompton bicycles seat pillars in both steel and aluminium versions. standard seat pillar, the Brompton and Brooks saddles can be up to 995mm from the ground. If customers inside leg is more than 33/84cm,he will almost need either of the longer seat pillars. So for the shorter people it can be difficult for ride. Its not adjustable as other bigger cycle. The merits and drawbacks of small and large wheels alike can be argued into the late hours. Opportunities: The Brompton is the only bike in the world to combine such ready portability with a first-class ride, and it creates countless new opportunities for using a bicycle. Malcolm Shepherd, Chief Executive of Sustrans said: Cycling England has  been a crucial conduit for funding which has touched the lives of millions of people by making it possible for people to cycle for everyday journeys. And Brompton bikes are suitable for the every journey. Here are so many bike company competitor for the Brompton bikes. Alldays HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alldays__OnionsHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alldays__Onions Onions, Bickerton- folding bikes. Boardman bikes, british eagle, claud bulter, dawes, etc.. bicycles are here. Like Brompton bickerton is also a folding cycle. It can be a main competitor. The  Bickerton was a portable, aluminium  folding bicycle  designed by Harry Bickerton it had manufactured in the UK between 1971 and 1991. The bicycle was made of aluminium profiles and riding properties were poor, aluminium parts could never be properly locked in place. its weight and folded package size broke and it is cited by  Andrew Ritchie  as one of his inspirations in creating the highly successful  Brompton bicycle. So the Brompton is better than any cycle thats why70% Brompton bike are exporting to asia and Europe. Threats: The UK folding bike Brompton is a curious company.  Brompton bicycle exports for around 75 per cent of its output, it continues to manufacture all of its   bikes in the UK. Brompton bicycles many parts are custom made so it may bring delays and extra costs for repairing than authorized dealers. The bike is less suited to long rides as most models have restricted gears. Riders requiring a bottom bracket to saddle top height of more than 715mm/28 can select an extended seat post to give a maximum saddle height of 775mm/30.5 -http://www.bikesandtrailers.com/folding-bikes/brompton.html Before doing any business first we have to do pest analysis in that country which is following: PEST ANALYSIS OF BANGLADESH: Political environment Bangladesh is a poor nation in South Asia its gained independence in 1971 against West Pakistan .After independence, Bangladesh has established a largely moderate and democratic majority as a Muslim country. The Bangladesh National Party and the Awami League traditionally have dominated Bangladeshi politics, with the AL in government since January 2009. Bangladesh was ruled by a military-backed caretaker government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed for two years prior to the return to democracy that was ushered in by the December 2008 election. The current Hasina government came to power in free and fair elections with an overwhelming majority in parliament. Economic environment The  economy of  Bangladesh  is a  developing country its  per capita income  in 2008 was est. US$1,500. According to the  International Monetary Fund, Bangladeshs rank w3as the  48th largest economy  in the world in 2009. The economy has grown at the rate of 6-7% p.a. over the past few years. Most Bangladeshis earn their living from agriculture.  Although rice and jute are the primary crops, maize and vegetables are assuming greater importance Social environment Bangladeshi population is largely Muslim. There are many dialects of Bengali spoken throughout the region. The dialect spoken by those in  Chittagong and  Sylhet  are particularly distinctive. In 2009 the population was estimated at 156 million. Religiously, about 90% Bengali people are  Muslims  and the remainder are mostly  Hindus. Technological environment The  Bangladesh  have Space Research and Remote Sensing Organisation which operates remote sensing facilities in both French and American satellites, and it is applying meteorological and geographic data to such basic problems as soil fertility, water management, forecasting, and agricultural census work. In 1986 it became the first non-American organization and it got a award by the  United States  National Aeronautics and Space Administration. They provided training for Bangladeshi scientists and grants of equipment and technical assistance.  Bangladeshi Atomic Energy Commission operates an experimental nuclear reactor and conducts as well important agricultural research on seeds, parasites, storage of harvested crops, and irradiation. http://www.traderscity.com/board/countrytargetedleads/Bangladesh.html PEST ANALYSIS OF INDIA: Political environment After Indias independence on August 15, 1947, India received most of the subcontinents 562 widely scattered polities, or princely states, as well as the majority of the British provinces, and parts of three of the remaining provinces. Muslim Pakistan received the remainder. Pakistan consisted of a western wing, with the approximate boundaries of modern Pakistan, and an eastern wing, with the boundaries of present-day Bangladesh. India is a Sovereign, Secular, Democratic country with a Parliamentary form of Government. The Constitution was adopted by the Assembly on 26th November 1949 and it came into force on 26th November 1950. Economic environment India  is eleventh largest  economy in the world by  nominal GDP  and the  fourth largest  by  purchasing power parity. The country began to develop a fast-paced economic growth and free market  principles were initiated in 1990 for international competition and foreign investment. Per capita income  in india is $1,030, ranked  139th  in the world,  while its per capita (PPP) of US$2,940 is ranked  128th. Indias large service industry accounts for 55% of the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while the industrial and agricultural sector contribute 28% and 17% respectively. In 2006 India exported US$21.8 billion worth of merchandise to the United States and Indian imports from the U.S. rose 26.3% to $10.1 billion in 2006, up 146% since 2002. Social environment Current Population of India is around 1,150,000,000 (1.15 billion) people in 2010, of which Hinduism  accounted for 80.5%, Islam  is (13.5%),  Christianity is   (3.0%) and  Sikhism  (2.3%). these are the major religions followed by the people of India. There are 29 language in india. Technological environment The Indian  software industry was grown from a mere US $ 150 million in 1991-92 to a staggering US $ 5.7 billion in 1999-2000.The annual growth rate of Indias software exported consistently over 50 percent since 1991.   Indias software exports would be around $ 6.3 billion, in addition to $ 2.5 billion in domestic sale. -http://www.stylusinc.com/business/india/encyclopedia.htm -http://www.locatehotelroom.com/India/encyclopedia.htm PEST ANALYSIS OF NEPAL political environment An isolated, agrarian society until the mid-20th century,  Nepal  entered the modern era in 1951 without schools, hospitals, roads, telecommunications, electric power, industry, or civil service. The government encouraged import and export to promote good business and encourage growth which will hopefully result in a higher employment rate, higher salaries and a better standard of living for all in time. Economic environment Agriculture  is Nepals principal economic activity which employing 80% of the population and providing 37% of  GDP. Only about 20% of the total area is cultivable; another 33% is forested; most of the rest is mountainous. The main food crops are rice and wheat. The lowland Terai region produces an agricultural surplus is a part of which supplies the food-deficient hill areas. Export in recent years is approximately 70% of merchandise. Nepals merchandise trade balance has improved somewhat since 2000 with the growth of the carpet and garment industries. Social environment Nepals current population is 28,563,377 of which 80.6 percent are Hindu, 10.7 percent are  Buddhist, 4.4% are  Muslim, 3.6 percent are  Kirat  ,0.5 percent are  Christian, and 0.4 percent are classified other groups such as  Bà ¶n  religion. Technological environment Nepal is a late starter in modem science and technology. it developed technological capabilities in some specific areas they are civil engineering, architecture, agriculture, metallurgy, water management, textile and paper manufacture, medicine, dyeing and food technology. http://www.visitnepal.com/business PESTEL ANALYSIS IN SRI LANKA POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT Socialistic predilection in Sri Lanka was unswerving, but as time passed by it gave room for investment overseas in 1978. Board of Investment operates as a sovereign legal bureau with investment in foreign countries as a focus. BOI is authorized to yield grants to organizations that meet the basic eligibility standards on minimal investment, employment and exports. When the organization fails to meet the standards then its projects have to be sanctioned by the respective departments of the government. BOI also deals with the 10 zones of free trade, which is known as the export-processing zones. BOI possess the authorization to relieve any confinements on the FDI Eleven huge privatizations were accounted for 34% of the FDI. Nevertheless due to the instable political conditions and conflicting ethnicity the advancement on this issue is been decelerate for years. The president sketched out regarding anti-privatization economical scheme in his electoral pronunciamento known as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Mahinda Chintanaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸. Various enterprises of the state which designing itself to be privatized were not approved, this includes the airports and banks. Privatize. Organization was planned to be regulated by the government which will turn the loss into a profit-making organization. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT Sound rates of growth has been steady in Sri Lanka despite if its intense violence on ethnicity. Rich private demand of requirements, core industrialization, primarily the intensive labour textile industry and the advancement of domestic tea manufacturing hiked the growth rate of the economy. The well-disposed FDI policy of the government ensued the zooming inflows of capital. The deceleration in the global issues activated an acute condensation in the activities of the economy in the year 2001. Subsequently there was a recuperation in the sectors of the industries that is impelled by a firm external demand and an increased growth rates in the sectors relating to service resulted in a sizeable enlargement of economical activities though the tsunami that hit the sectors of agriculture was critically damaged. Deficits in the fiscal aspects are an important issue to the government, which has been diminishing in the years past. The current fiscal obligates to cut back deficits. There are many industries that imparts in great value to the GDP that engages greater population of the manpower, this comprises of the industry in tourism, and the service industries. When taking industries into consideration, it is the textile industry that yields greater sum of revenues in export. SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT Sri Lanka holds a populace of 20,238,000, of which Sinhalese constitutes about 74%, Sri Lankan Moors constitutes about 7.2%, Sri Lankan Tamils constitutes about 3.9% and the Indian Tamils constitutes about 4.6%. When religions are taken into consideration the Buddhists comprise a major share of 69.1%. Sri Lanka is prominently a rustic area that holds 79% of the population. The populace medial age is 30 and 7.8% constitute for an age group of 65 and over. The health index of Sri Lanka is fairly good when compared to other countries in Asia. The government has an expenditure of 46.3% from the 4% of the aggregate GDP for medical expenses of the country. The expected life span is 73.4yrs of the aggregate populace. TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT The telecom sphere was improved to an incredible extent in terms of liberalizing right in the 90à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s. Act of Sri Lankan Telecommunication of 1991 founded the Sri Lanka telecom also known as the SLT, it awarded the permit to function in the global system. -http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/srilanka.html After analyzing the market we have found out that there is huge market opportunity in Sri Lanka to sell folding bikes. Due to low price there are more chances that Brompton folding bikes can become the market leader successfully after some time because of many reasons such as low cost, already operation exist in Sri Lanka and due to climate condition. If we talk about local competition, it is very less. The local players get the help by the government also where the government has distributed a project to provide good cycle facility supply to those households. Im a manager of this product and i want to make profit thats why Im going to launch this product in south asia. I will launch this product in sri lanka and will export in 3 other countries, they are Bangladesh, india and Nepal. It will be better to launch this product in south asia because there labour cost will be low and we can sell this cycles in low cost. Brompton bicycles cost in uk is  £600 and over. Here, labour cost is expensive than south asia so we cant export from here. In south asia there is a scope for this product. There is a great number of people who are using bicycle but they arent like Brompton they cant fold, they are difficult for their journey. so it will be a new kind of cycle in south asia. I can make a profit. It will be cheaper so most of the people will buy it. I can make a market over there. Here are different types to entering new market they are: Export Joint venture FDI Strategic alliances Among these methods im going to use joint venture method because it will be better for my profit if i will export from here it will cost expensive. First i will go sri lanka and will talk in srilankan embassy, i will choose one cycle company as my partner over there and i will do good business over there and will make profit. 4PS ABOUT THE PRODUCT: Product: my product is folding bicycle. Price: labour cost will be low so per cycle it will cost  £90. Place: i will open my company in Colombo kingdom of sri lanka because there i can gget more facility than other place. Promotion: The literacy rate is 92% in Sri Lanka which is considered as a good rate. To sell the Brompton folding bikes every company more emphasizes on direct marketing such as event or trade show and personal selling. We will give this news first all over in sri lanka later 3 other countries by tv news and international news paper. MARKETING PLAN: Our product have made plan for Brompton folding bicycle for next five yrs. To increase our sale and profit we will spend half of our advertisement budget on personal selling because by this only we can aware consumers about our products and persuade consumers to buy the products. PRODUCTION CAPACITY: During the first year, product will be imported to Sri Lanka And later the demand of the product goes 3 other countries to have a manufacturing Unit can also be considered. This will result in better pricing of the product will result in more sales and Profits. BUDGET: Selling expenses: Staff salaries, Sales support and distribution staff expenses are included. The total expenditure is  £ 1210000.00 Sales and advertisement: For radio advertisement = £5000 Newspaper/magazine = £6000 Tv ad = £25000 Sales promotion = £250000 including customer awareness program Customer oriented = £200000 Trade oriented = £750000 Support line = £600000

Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Wife of Bath - Feminist or Anti-feminist?

In view of the fact that the Wife of Bath herself does seem to behave in the manner women are accused of behaving by the anti-feminist writers, it is not impossible that the Wife of Bath's Prologue could be considered a vehicle for the anti-feminist message under the guise of a seeming "feminist" exterior, since her confession is frequently self-incriminating (e.g. her treatment of her husbands, her tendency to "swere and lyen") and demonstrates the truth of the claims made by the anti-feminists even while she is disparaging them and making them look bad -- as in her claim that anti-feminist writers (specifically the "clerks", i.e. learned scholars) are revenging themselves on women because of their own sexual impotence that prevents them from enjoying "Venus werkes", which is rather acute psychological analysis on her part, and extremely persuasive, until one remembers that the clerks are right about her at least, if not about other "wives". Her arguments in favor of marriage, though demonstrating a hearty common sense, are also suspect -- while it is true that marriage peoples the earth and replenishes existing stocks of "virginitee", her own marriages do not seem to have produced any offspring, and while it may be "bet [...] to be wedded than to brinne", her marriages, despite her claim that "in wyfhod I wol use myn instrument", do not seem to have prevented her from "goon a-caterwaw[ing]" and by inference engaging in fornication ("I ne loved nevere by no discrecioun / But evere folwede myn appetit, / Al were he short, or long, or blak, or whit") [good], which is after all what marriage was, according to her, supposed to prevent. Moreover, from the account she gives of her marriages, it becomes increasingly obvious t... ... usual folk stereotypical anti-feminism is shown to be justified in at least her case, the absurdity of the more virulent breed of anti-feminism is made clear by Jankin's book of "wikked wives", an erudite, if rather motley, collection of what are mostly homicidally-inclined females (Clytemnestra, Livilla etc.) that he seems to regard, or at least claim to regard, as the norm. As a result, the Wife of Bath's Prologue should not be dismissed simply as "merely an attack on women and married life"; there is much more ambiguity involved, and it would be inadvisable to ignore the fact that it is primarily a brilliant character-study of an individual rather than a didactical anti-feminist treatise in disguise. Work Cited Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed Mack, Maynard et al. W. W. Norton and Co. New York, NY. 1992.

Uncontrolled Fate :: essays research papers

â€Å"Uh oh, says Lance. â€Å"I can see the police. I better pick up some speed.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I can still see the prison behind me after five long minutes of hard running through three-foot tall weeds. The searchlights from helicopters above provide adequate lighting for me. I take one step at a time trying not to make any unnecessary noise. As I strip down to my shorts and t-shirt I take notice to how cold it is outside. I haven’t seen daylight in months due to the fact that I’m confined to my tiny death cell. I am approaching what seems to be a forest. I see hundreds if not thousands of tall, massive trees. I figure this is the perfect hideout until I find neutral ground. The searchlights can’t penetrate through the thick branches of the trees, so I must now rely on my other senses to get around. I feel my way through the pitch-black forest. I get on my hands and knees to crawl. After ten gruesome minutes my head bumps into something solid. I assume it is a tree, but after close examination it turns out to be a door. I anxiously hop to my feet and to my surprise the door is unlocked. As I step through the door I feel a sense of relief. I take a deep breath and bellow out at the top of my lungs, â€Å"Is anyone home?† I figure it’s a big house so I wait for a response. Minutes pass and I begin to hear soft thumps on the floor. They become more and more thunderous as time passes. It seems as if someone is darting towards me. I panic, and out of fear I let out screech, but I am so terrified it comes out as a squeal. I run out the house. I take a look back and a bulky figure is charging towards me with a butcher’s knife. I cry out, â€Å"STOP,† but he still persists, so I prepare to go into combat. Before I could do anything I feel a sharp pain in my right shoulder. Oh it hurts. This dim-witted guy threw a knife at me. I stumble to my knees. I reach to pull the knife out, but it’s stuck. I’m bleeding uncontrollable, and I’m becoming dizzy. It’s happening just like the movies; it’s getting darker and darker, stars appear, and I’m passed out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I awake I tall, colossal man is hovering over me.

Emily Dickinson Essay

A poem, sonnet, short story, and other kinds of literature all seem useless if no one has ever read it. The true value of words can only be best appreciated when their meaning reaches other people. Emily Dickinson, one of the authors renowned to have produced some the finest literary pieces, has touched the hearts of many people all around the world through her works. Even today, years after she passed away, her works and influence linger for generations to come. There is no better way to understand the present without knowing and tracing the remnants of the past. Emily Dickinson’s classics give people a better grasp of the kind of life that people lived during her time. Analyzing the writing style and the perspective of an author such as Dickinson will give the people a comparison of today and yesterday. Most authors write based on their experience or the surrounding environment, and studying these pieces of literature will provide a person with information about the author, his or her family, and daily living. Emily Dickinson’s father was a lawyer and her mother was a housewife. She was born to a wealthy family in Massachusetts and was blessed with good education. She was proved to be an introvert yet an intelligent student. She started writing shortly after she attended the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (Famous Poets and Poems, 2009). Most of her works center on the issues of death, immortality, nature, and faith. She dedicated her poem entitled â€Å"Safe in their Alabaster Chambers† to her friend and fellow author Thomas Wentworth who participated in the Civil War (Famous Poets and Poems, 2009). â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death† is also one of her famous and well-talked about poems. It obviously talks about death and the afterlife. Some of the controversial lines are the following: â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death, / He kindly stopped for me. / The carriage held but just ourselves / And immortality† (Dickinson, 2000a, n. p. ). In the poem, the author uses the point of view of someone who has experienced eternity to describe it. She illustrates her life’s journey through childhood, maturity, and old age. Contrary to most views, the author describes death as a gentleman who came to take her towards the afterlife. Death is one of the topics she chose probably because it was during her time when the Civil War erupted, and all her loved ones were dying, like her friend Wentworth. Experiencing the death of a loved one makes a person contemplate about it. Emily Dickinson also gave breath to the famous quote, â€Å"love is life† and â€Å"If I could stop one heart from breaking† (Dickinson, 2000b, n. p. ; Dickinson, 2000c, n. p. ). Love is the shortest most powerful word that ever existed. The author is correct when she said that â€Å"love is life† because its power transcends death (Dickinson, 2000c, n. p. ). During the 19th century, people fought hard for life and love. That is why most works coming from these times talk so passionately and deeply about it. â€Å"If I Could Stop One Heart from Breaking† is another classic that talks about what a person can do to help another being. She expounds further by saying that her life would not be in vain if she could help ease a person’s pain (Dickinson, 2000b). Life is too short to be wasted for selfish reasons, and as such, the life of an individual who takes the time to go an extra mile for others will not be in vain. Emily Dickinson’s works are priceless because they will never go out of style, and her words of wisdom can be applied all throughout the ages. She had a rough life, and she clearly made her point using her words. She is one of the most acknowledged and successful authors of all time not only because of her unique and classical perspective, but also because she succeeded in giving the people of today a peek of what it felt like to have lived and loved in the 19th century. References Dickinson, E. (2000a). Because I could not stop for death. The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. New York: Bartleby. com.Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www. bartleby. com/113/4027. html. Dickinson, E. (2000b). If I could stop one heart from breaking. The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. New York: Bartleby. com. Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www. bartleby. com/113/1006. html. Dickinson, E. (2000c). That I did always love. The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. New York: Bartleby. com. Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www. bartleby. com/113/3008. html. Famous Poets and Poems. (2009). Emily Dickinson Biography. Retrieved June 24, 2009, from http://famouspoetsandpoems. com/poets/emily_dickinson/biography.

Bill Of Life Essay

What is your life worth? Imagine a future in which those who are pro-life and those who are pro-choice have fought a second civil war over the sanctity of life. They end the war by compromising on a â€Å"Bill of Life† that states all pregnancies must come to term; however, parents and guardians have the right when their child is between the ages of thirteen and eighteen to abort them. The child does not die though. Each and every part of the child is kept alive; thus they are technically still alive, just in separate pieces. This process is known as â€Å"unwinding.† Once the unwind order is signed, no changes can be made; even if the parent changes their mind, it is irreversible. Connor discovers his own unwinding order after investigating tickets he finds, tickets to the Bahamas for everyone in his family, except for him. Connor is a good teen, but like many teens, his emotions can get the better of him and his parents have a hard time controlling him. Risa is a ward of the state of Ohio and the orphanage is overcrowded. She tries to convince the headmaster of her worth, but bungles her chance when she makes five mistakes at her piano recital. Lev rejoices in his destiny at a party solely dedicated to celebrating him and his life. Lev’s family is extremely devoted to their religion; Lev, as the tenth child in his family, is destined to be a human tithe, a human sacrifice. Lev enjoys the attention this brings and is happy to fulfill his destiny. These three teenagers meet when Connor decides to go AWOL and escape his unwinding order. The book develops through their, and others, alternating viewpoints of what happens to a teenager once the order is signed. Connor, Risa, and Lev’s journey to their future follows their growing recognition of what their life means to them. Shusterman teases the reader with just enough information to keep going, but continues to build this disturbing view of the future as the storyline develops. Mysterious references to clappers and storked babies are explained more fully later in the book and these people round out the unsettling forces at work in this troubled society. This very thought-provoking book would not leave my mind for days, or truthfully weeks, after reading it. This book has made the rounds of the youth services division and one of my co-workers still gives me grief over the books weeks after reading it. Not for the faint-hearted, especially as the reader learns more about the unwinding process, this disturbing novel will pluck at your mind and have you wondering what your life is worth.

Clorox Green Essay

1. To persuade its customers to buy Green Works products, Clorox is striving to change the perception of the ideal cleaning product by showing that a good cleaning product does not need harmful chemicals to be effective. Clorox states that Green Works products are all natural, yet effective as any other non-natural product. Clorox is changing the consumers’ belief that all natural cleaning products are bad by emphasizing that its natural product line is effective and safe. 2. The Clorox Green Works product line appeals to the â€Å"New Green Mainstream† segment. These people are concerned about the environment, but alter their actions and purchases only when it is convenient. The people who buy Clorox’s Green Works products are concerned about the environment, but they are also concerned about the price and how convenient it is to purchase. Clorox appeals to these people by advertising its Green Works line as a natural product that really works. Clorox also provides these products at a price competitive to those of other brands who provide â€Å"Green† products. Lastly, to cater to this segment’s preference for convenience, Clorox distributes its Green Works line through mass merchandisers rather than specialty stores so consumers can buy the product without having to go out of their way. 4. Clorox should consider engaging the negative bloggers directly. By doing this they could gain a lot of knowledge about what they can do to address the bloggers concerns as well as how they can better their brand image. Through developing these personal relationships, the bloggers are lesser likely to continue posting and blogging damaging things about the partnership. The bloggers will feel as though their personal concerns are being taken into consideration and also Clorox can allow these bloggers to be a part of the solution in making sure that Clorox is not jeopardizing the core values of an organization like Sierra Club; core values that all of the members hold in confidence. Ignoring and dealing with these concerns indirectly is most likely only going to add the negative blogging. By ignoring the bloggers, Clorox risks more people joining the bloggers and severely damaging their image when it comes to providing natural products. In other words, they would be risking the opportunity to continue capitalizing on the natural cleaning market. By dealing with the concerns indirectly, they risk adding more fuel to support the bloggers concerns. Also, Clorox could easily miss the true concern the spurred the posts to begin with which would only make matters worse. 5. The endorsements of Sierra Club, the EPA, and Better Homes and Gardens are important to Clorox and the success of Green Works because these endorsements show consumers that the Green Works products are safe. These endorsements show that Clorox is also concerned about the environment and is willing to do its part to help. Clorox is already a trustworthy brand, but with these endorsements, consumers are willing to accept the product faster than without the endorsements because the endorsements create trust. Also, because Clorox is essentially paying the Sierra Club for its endorsement, this has created some negativity and diminished the endorsement’s credibility. By having the U.S. EPA and Better Homes and Gardens endorse Clorox’s new line brings back the trust that was lost when Clorox partnered with the Sierra Club and also shows that not only the Sierra Club recommends Clorox’s products, but other prominent sources as well. 6. No, it does not affect our attitude towards Green Works. We can see why the bloggers are upset that the Sierra Club is receiving money from Clorox, but to us, the Sierra Club and Clorox are in a partnership and that sometimes means sharing profits. Clorox is helping the Sierra Club’s environmental efforts by providing monetary compensation for its endorsement. Although Clorox does produce other products that are made with unnatural products, the Sierra Club has only approved its logo on the Green Works line. Knowing that the Sierra Club is receiving money from Clorox does not affect our attitude towards Green Works because it also received endorsements from the EPA and Better Homes and Gardens, which show us that the Green Works line is a legitimate product line. The affective component of the attitude process is at work here.