The Roaring Dragon Hotel Free Essays

Raccoons essays

Raccoons papers Raccoons breed among January and March, the pinnacle is around Feburary. The male raccoon pairy just to mate, and they don't frame long haul pair bonds with the female. The females pregnancy just keeps going nine weeks, and the youthful start to follow their moms on trips by early June. More youthful female raccoon's variety at a lower rate and have littler litters than do more established grown-up females.Less than 70% of more youthful females are reared, with a normal litter size of 3.3 youthful. 95% of grown-up females are reproduced, and have a normal of 4 youthful per litter. Reproducing by grown-up females is typically consistent from year to year, while rearing by the more youthful ones can be unique. The youngers ones' rearing rates are assume to mirror the seriousness of the past winter and the general strength of the populace. The significant reasons for mortality for raccoons in the Midwest are hide collect, getting run over by a vehical, and illnesses. Starvation is really uncommon. As hide collect abatements, mortality from different causes will likely increment. The most well-known illness in raccoons is canine distemper. Despite the fact that the side effects for distemper are like those of rabies, raccoons are scarcely ever analyzed as having rabies. In the wild, raccoons are found along streams and lakes close to lush regions. You may likewise discover them on possess urban, private, and recreational zones. Raccoons are not specific about lair destinations and some of them use tree hollows, empty logs, caves,rock fissure, openings in the ground, and now and then tempest sewers. They don'ot burrow their own tunnels. Raccoons use rock nooks frequently during winter, likely on the grounds that rock sanctums offer warm, stable temperatures, are secure, and are huge enough for mutual denning. In all honesty, I completely adored this article. At the point when I was a more youthful I had a raccoon as a pet. To gain proficiency with the entirety of this new data is moderately interresting and permits me to comprehend why Sassy, my raccoon, was how she was. ... <!

The Best Books We Read in October

The Best Books We Read in October We asked our contributors to share the best book they read this month. We’ve got fiction, nonfiction, YA, and much, much more- there are book recommendations for everyone here! Some are old, some are new, and some aren’t even out yet. Enjoy and tell us about the highlight of your reading month in the comments. All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, March 7, 2017) Andrea is almost forty and dealing with a whole set of issues about her life that are entirely separate from the ones society thinks she should have. So what if she isn’t married with children? She has her own problems to deal with. Attenberg writes Andrea as a smart, sexy woman in NYC who is doing what she wants with her life, right or wrong, and not apologizing for it. I loved how at times she is a wise sage, and at other times, a selfish mess. It makes her so achingly human. This is Attenberg’s fiercest, funniest, sexiest book yet. And the most heart-wrenching. She covers all the bases. I adored every word of it. Liberty Hardy All The Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood This book is everything it advertises itself to be: ugly and wonderful. This is a gritty, complex story told through multiple POVs about a young girl who has been taught not to trust anyone, due to her unstable, unreliable family situation and the romance she finds with a much older man. It’s gritty and dark and tough and uncomfortable, but it’s brilliantly constructed read told through a non male-gazey perspective about that sort of taboo romance. . . if it’s a romance at all. Stories about young girls in tough situations are my favorites, and Greenwood develops an incredible and resilient character in Wavy. It’s an outstanding debut novel and I am itching for Greenwood’s next book. Kelly Jensen Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue The book itself is excellent: a beautifully written story about family, dreams, what home means, the different interpretations of the American dream… The audiobook is an Oscar-worthy production. I know the Oscars don’t give awards for audiobook narrators but they shouldthey should give all the awards to Prentice Onayemi for his impeccable, brilliant, and lovely narration. I finished this book feeling as if I had just walked out of an amazing Broadway show. I will read anything Imbolo Mbue writes and listen to anything Prentice Onayemi narrates. Jamie Canaves Blame by Michelle Huneven I’m currently writing a story that covers a long period of time in the life of one person and I’m finding it brings up some really interesting challenges. Blame covers a good 20 years in the life of a woman and the author does it so perfectly that it should be handed out to fiction writers as a passage of time master class. The story of Patsy, the protagonist, begins during a particularly bad drunken spell, continues through a stint in prison, her first days back on the outside, and then a long, sober life afterward. When I finished the book, I immediately went back and read the first chapter again and was so impressed with all the subtle and well-paced character development Huneven managed to accomplish. Tracy Shapley Bleaker House by Nell Stevens (Doubleday, March 14 2017) I’ve had a lot of other reading to do this month, but this book was one of those where you pick it up just to check it outand suddenly you’re a hundred pages in. It’s a memoir about Nell Stevens and her brilliant and insane plan to go live in Bleaker Island, in the Falklands (population: Penguins.) (and maybe some people) where she will focus entirely on writing her novel. Except that it isn’t quite that easy, because books don’t write themselves, even in isolation, and the island is such an adventure all on its own. Stevens’ writing is very clever, and hilarious, and I related entirely to a lot of her concerns and thoughts about life and writing. I also read the book deeply envious, because dammit, I want to rush off to the Falkland islands or somewhere and write a book in a bizarre location. Like Thoreau’s Walden, but with penguins and no power. Peter Damien Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella by Megan Morrison (Arthur A. Levine Books, October 11, 2016) This is the second book in the Tyme series, and I absolutely loved and adored it. The protagonist, Ella Coach, is a wonderfully strong, brave and flawed girl who wants a revolution. This was a great retelling of the Cinderella story. There are well-developed three-dimensional characters, strong writing, set in a brilliantly imagined universe. I loved the themes of ethics, poverty and class that were explored in this novel, and that ending. Man, that ending. I need more of the Tyme universe. My copy of the book is now on my husband’s bedside table because as soon as I finished it, I thrust it to him. Everyone should read this book. Jen Sherman Emma by Jane Austen I read Emma this month for the second time in anticipation of the Jane Austen Society’s Annual General Meeting, which is focused on the book. It’s not my favorite of Austen’s novelsâ€"that would be Pride and Prejudice or Persuasionâ€"but I do enjoy it very much. Unlike many readers, I find Emma immensely likable, despite how misguided (or shall I say clueless?) she often is. She gets things wrong, but she wants those she cares about to be happy, and I can’t fault her for that. And although she can be snobbish or cruel to those she perceives as outside her circle, she’s willing to learn when her mistakes are pointed out to her. I also enjoy observing the dynamics of the small community where everyone is in everyone else’s business. Plus, Mr. Woodhouse made me laugh again and again (and sigh with relief that I don’t have to put up with himâ€"he’s so terrible)! The sessions at the JASNA meeting only enhanced my appreciation of this book. Teresa Preston Everywhere I Look by Helen Garner This essay collection by Australian writer Helen Garner is varied, absorbing, and so, so smart. She is an insightful cultural and literary critic her essay on reading Pride and Prejudice is a delight and she has also written moving personal pieces on writing, family, aging, and more. She reminds me of a couple other nonfiction writers I love: Jenny Diski and Janet Malcolm. She’s fearless, forthright, beguiling, and I plan on reading more of her work. Rebecca Hussey Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis Ive been trying to get into the book club scene locally (and possibly failing) but this was the pick of the month. Ive always to read more by Angela Davis. This book of interviews and essays clearly distills many complex current issues, highlighting how local struggles are also global ones. Racism, capitalism, and the prison-industrial complex are all explored in depth. Id definitely recommend this to anyone wanting a big picture look at social issues. Jessica Yang Leave Me by Gayle Forman It was the premise that first drew me in. An overworked, underappreciated mother with a full-time job has a heart attack. And sure, her family’s concerned. At least initially. But then, the narrator gets the sense that her family resents the time she’s taking to recuperate. Overwhelmed and pissed off, she decides to run away. Whaaaaat? Me? Identify with this narrator? I don’t know what you’re talking about. Anyway. I don’t usually spend money on hardcovers but, as soon as I read the opening pages, I knew I had to own this book. It didn’t disappoint. Steph Auteri March, Book 3 by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell I have been reading through all the National Book nominees for Young People’s Literature, and March, Book 3 is a worthy, stunning graphic novel that everyone should read. The March series begins with a scene in John Lewis’ congressional office, on the day of Barack Obama’s inauguration. Through flashbacks, we get a most personal look into Mr. Lewis’ history with the civil rights movement and all that he has endured fighting for equal rights and equal voting opportunities. How grateful I am that he told his story. The graphic novel medium, and in particular Nate Powell’s stunning art, works perfectly to detail the brutal and heartbreaking work of the many people fighting for the most basic of human rights. March, Book 3 is the conclusion of the series, but John Lewis remains a larger-than-life political activist and Georgia Congressman whose wisdom will endure through countless generations. “We are one people, one family, one housethe American house,” he recently wrote o n Twitter. “We must learn to live together as brother sister or we will perish as fools.” Karina Glaser Nevernight  by Jay Kristoff This book took me completely by surprise. Despite my eternal love of teenage girl assassins, I somehow wasn’t that interested in this book, but it popped up in my Overdrive screen and I thought I’d try it. Assassins, magic, strange creatures are all pluses for me. But my favorite thing about this book is the voice. I listened to the audiobook, so I cannot say what it’s like to read the words on the page, but the literary “voice” of the narrator combined with the acting skill of the real-world narrator is a thing of beauty. I adore well-done omniscient narrators with snark and a slight bit of disdain for either the reader or the main character, a la the Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathan Stroud, and I absolutely adore when there is an audiobook narrator who is up to the task! Sarah Nicolas Ninth City Burning  by J. Patrick Black (Ace, September 6, 2016) I grabbed this on a whim from the “New Releases” shelf at the library and ended up falling in love. This sci-fi/fantasy/war story is definitely for people who like their worldbuilding complex and their magic epically destructive. Not for people who dislike multiple narrators, pseudoscience, or the multiverse.   Megan Cavitt Not Funny Ha-Ha: A Handbook for Something Hard  by Leah Hayes The yellow spine and title drew me in as I crawled through the graphic novel section of my library. Then the inside? It’s a guide for going through an abortion. Not in a gross way, not in a political way, not in a harmful way. It’s purely informational, with drawings of two women going through the process (making decision, following through, aftermath). Basically, it’s this: “You ended up in this situation. It’s a hard decision to make, but here are your options. Here’s what to expect, but OH MY GOD WE ARE NOT DOCTORS. Ask your doctor. Best wishes.” Before reading this, there were a lot of questions about abortion I wouldn’t have ever known to ask. So. Recommended reading for all Pro-Choice humans? All in favor, say aye.   Ashley Holstrom Shelter in Place  by Alexander Maksik (Europa, September 13, 2016) I liked Maksik’s book when I was reading it but, since finishing it early in October, I really can’t stop thinking about it. This book has a slow burn and has crept into my conversations over and over in the last couple of weeks.  Shelter in Place  subverts the Manic Pixie Dream Girl by taking her to her extreme conclusion. The narrator, Joe March, tells the story of the summer 20 or so years ago that his mother beat a man to death with a hammer and became a feminist icon. It’s the same summer he met the love of his life, Tess, and first struggled with mental illness. This is a book about the women in Joe’s life mothers and lovers, sisters and strangers but it manages to be feminist, angry, and deeply moving. I was impressed with how well Maksik wrote the different women in this book and also how he charted Joe’s own personal, feminist, and familial awakenings. Plus, the Pacific Northwest setting is a character in its own right and makes it perfect reading for cool, rainy a utumn nights. Ashley Bowen-Murphy   Shi-shi-etko  by Nicola I. Campbell, Kim LaFave I read a lot of picture books at work, and often I select a random interesting topic or theme and just grab a stack. Recently I’ve been working my way through as many recommended Indigenous picture books, and  Shi-shi-etko  is a standout selection. It follows a young girl as she prepares to go to residential school where she will be forbidden to practice her family and tribal traditions and language. The illustrations alone make it outstanding, but the book is also a wonderful way to introduce a difficult topic. By focusing on the things she does before leaving, Campbell keeps the focus on the real people these things happened to.   Amy Diegelman   Small Great Things  by Jodi Picoult I’m a complete newbie to Picoult’s work, but I’ve always had this impressionâ€"maybe from reviews and editorials I’ve readâ€"that her books read like lifetime TV movies. That’s probably why I’ve avoided them until now. The funny thing is that this book  does  remind me of a lifetime TV movie, BUT it works. The story: an African American labor and delivery nurse is prohibited from caring for the infant son of white supremacists. When the baby dies on her watch, she is indicted for murder and is appointed a well-meaning but somewhat clueless white public defender. The story is told from three perspectives: Ruth, the nurse, Kennedy, the public defender, and Turk, the white supremacist father. Writing from these radically differing perspectives allows for a nuanced exploration of racism in Americaâ€"from outspoken hatred to unconscious bias. A book like this could go terribly wrong in the hands of a white author, but Picoult clearly spent a lot of time talking to people of co lor and listening to their stories. It’s not perfectâ€"sometimes she tries too hard to make her point and the ending is pretty unbelievableâ€"but it’s a solid contribution to the discussion of race this country is currently having. As a side note, I highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by Audra McDonald, Cassandra Campbell, and Ari Fliakos. Kate Scott The Big Picture  by Sean Carroll When I started reading  The Big Picture  I assumed it would be about cosmology. Sean Carroll is a cosmologist and physicist at the California Institute of Technology, and his previous books dealt with that subject. Carroll’s new book is about an even bigger topic â€" everything. What Carroll attempts to do is give the big picture of our existence, and he does a fine job. He combines science, philosophy, religion, psychology and other subjects, to show why no one explanation works. There can be no general theory of everything. Carroll explains how our understanding of how things functions depends on the domain of what we’re describing. So, explanations of the unseen world quantum mechanics do not explain everyday human behavior. This book is for anyone who asks why. James Wallace Harris The Couple Next Door by Shari LePena Are you ever just looking for something fun and gripping and twisty that won’t break your brain in the midst of a crazy moment in the world? Yeah me too. LePena’s thriller about a baby that goes missing while her parents are next door at a party is all of those things, plus more. You think that the title gives something away and you’re waiting for whatever that thing is, and yet….You never ever see some of these twists coming. It’s a fantastic, textbook thriller that still manages to be fresh and surprising. Rachel Manwill The Good House by Tananarive Due I like to read horror during October, and I’ve been meaning to catch up with Due since I read her stellar story collection Ghost Summer in 2015. I’m sad I waited so long! The Good House is simply one of the best horror novels I’ve ever read. It’s thick and complex enough to satisfy fans of big, fat horror writers like Stephen King. There’s a unique and well-built mythology around the supernatural happenings in the book that won’t leave you rolling your eyes at the end. And the characters are rich and well-drawn, making it all the more difficult when so many bad things start happening to them. There are many bad things and they aren’t pretty. This is not a novel about gore or violence, but there are so many deeply tragic happenings that it may be too intense for some readers. As Due isn’t as well known as she should be, you may have a tricky time locating this book. Request it from your library if they don’t have it! And you can also check out the audio, like I did, which is available on Audible. Jessica Woodbury The Masked City  by Genevieve Cogman I enjoyed the first book in this series,  The Invisible Library, but  The Masked City  completely won me over. The series centers around Irene, a librarian/spy who travels through different versions of our world collecting books to maintain the balance between chaos and order.  The Masked City  has a very straight-forward plot: Irene’s apprentice, a dragon named Kai, is kidnapped by the Fae, the dragons’ mortal enemies, and taken to a Fae-controlled Venice that’s a mix of fantasy, dream, and nightmare. First of all, I love stories that take place in Venice, particularly a Venice where  Piranesi’s  Prisons  exist IRL. Secondly, Irene is a total badass. While she gets help from several characters, including a version of Sherlock Holmes, the book really shines when she’s figuring things out on her own. The story is fast-paced, with a nearly exhausting amount of action, and is chock full of geeky literary allusions. The ending was abrupt, but left me wanting more. I can’t wai t for the next book! Tasha Brandstatter The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl  by Issa Rae Celebrity memoirs and autobiographies tend to fall into the trap of leaving out the formative years: a couple of early-childhood stories segway directly into “then I met a producer/director and my career was set!” Rae is much more interested in describing her youth as, well, an awkward black girl. Her parents were protective. Her family moved a lot. She experimented with online dating at age eleven. She fumbled attempts to please her classmates. She could not coordinate an outfit or dance to save her life. These stories make the impact of her adult years and eventual success much more joyful than a dull timeskip (getting an audition request from a former bully and laughing, “B*TCH ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” won my heart). Thomas Maluck The Mothers by Brit Bennett Im so obsessed with this book and so glad I read it and didnt let it fall back on my TBR. It was quick and satisfying read, and its written very elegantly. Though it tackles topics that could easily be handled preachily, they never come off that way. It never feels as if judgment is being passed on anyone, which is very important to me in narratives about abortion and religion. The characters are simply living and were just matching them do it. Chelsea Hensley The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner I read this in one day on a long train ride. Not only did it make sitting on an English train bearable, I was completely engrossed in this world. It’s the story of Dillard Early, a teen living in the southern U.S. His father is in prison for a really, really bad crime. Dillard can’t escape the ghosts of his family name, and feels like he’s slowly going crazy because of it. His friend Travis has an even worse life. Travis’ father is a homophobic racist monster that physically abuses him and his mother. Travis’ only escape is through a Game of Thrones-esque book series. Then there’s Lydia. Lydia has a supportive family, great grades, and hundreds of thousands of followers on social media through her fashion blog. Together, the three friends try to survive the suffocating and dangerous life that exists within their small town. If you’ve ever wanted to escape your small-town life, or if you’ve ever felt like you’re alone in life, this is the book for you. Lucas Maxwell The Visitors  by Simon Sylvester I don’t know why this book felt so perfect for autumn and cool weather and grey skies and my current melancholy, but it was  perfection. Beautifully blending moody teenage angst, Scottish island life, mysterious disappearances, and selkie mythology, Sylvester’s novel is the best new(ish) book I’ve devoured in months. I found myself angry that work and sleep were disrupting my progress. I wish there was more. I wish the story went on forever. I want to sink into Flo’s life and never leave the comfort of her tales. Achingly, dreamingly stunning. Brandi Bailey Tell Me Something Real by Calla Devlin This story is so incredibly specific that it completely sucked me in. From the details about the characters to the time to the setting everything felt real and captivating. The story follows the three blond, beautiful Babcock sisters through a San Diego summer in 1976. Their mother is dying of leukemia and travels, with them, to Mexico often to receive an experimental treatment. I thought I’d fall in love with the story because of the sister relationship (definitely my genre kryptonite!), but instead the lyrical writing and tightly controlled plot twists became my favorite. There is also a very swoon-worthy romance. I’m not sure if you can call a book set in 1976 historical fiction, but I’m loving the trend in YA to tell stories in the more recent past. Alison Doherty Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler I read a lot of books this month, and most of them were okay to good, but it was hard to pick a stand out. I’m naming this as my favorite because it was the perfect kind of palette cleanser. I breezed through it in a couple of days and really enjoyed the snarkiness of the narrator and the twists on a familiar plot. If you’re looking to get out of a reading slump, this just might do it! â€" Molly Wetta Women in the Walls  by Amy Lukavics Read a horror novel, I thought. It’s close to Halloween, I thought. It’ll be fun, I thought.  Women in the Walls  follows a girl on a giant, haunted estate who begins to hear voices in the walls after her aunt vanishes in the woods and her cousin goes mad. I spent the entire book hoping that Lukavics would surprise me with a quasi-happy ending, but nope. Slam the book shut before the final few pages and imagine your own happy ending, because  Women in the Walls  is terrifying and you will not sleep that night. Nicole Brinkley

Personal Narrative My Heart Sprinted - 967 Words

My heart raced, I started to hyperventilate as I eagerly inched closer and closer to the front of the line. I was minutes away from meeting the most amazing person that I’ve idolized for years, Gabbie Hanna (also known as The Gabbie Show). I was frequently stressed and had hard times when I was younger and I ve always went to Youtube to help me laugh. One day I was on Youtube and saw one of Gabbie’s videos and clicked on it. I laughed so hard when watching it and looked into her youtube channel more. After that I just kept watching and became a fan of hers. My mom, my friend, and I have been waiting for what could’ve been forty minutes, an hour, or even two hours. No matter how long we waited, to me, it felt like an eternity.†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"QUEEN!† she screamed, as she looked in my direction. The second she said that, my heart started to make me feel like I was running in a marathon. â€Å"Nice shirt! You look great!† she said, when she saw I was wearing her merchandise. â€Å"Oh what a hug! Oh my God!† she said, as I hugged her as tight as I could. I felt as if my strength was powered by my happiness and boy was I happy. My heart kept racing, but it was one of the most happiest moments I’ve ever experienced. The assistant told Gabbie to look at my phone background, which was her. â€Å"Cute!!† she said, as she saw my phone background. â€Å"I’m on her popsocket too!!† she said, as she looked at the back of my phone where my popsocket was. â€Å"GURL! GURL!† she screamed as she looked back at me. Unexpectedly, she picked me up as I hugged her for the pictures. Afterwards, Chachi and Gabbie had complimented my â€Å"skinniness†, also known as me sucking in my belly. Then it came to meeting Chachi. She was wearing a black, long sleeve shirt along with block yoga pants. She wore red lipstick and had her blonde hair slightly curled. She asked me if my name was Olivia before we had hugged. I was entirely speechless and couldn’t even say a word, so I nodded and I hugged her. â€Å"My real name is Olivia too!† Chachi said as I tightly hugged (squeezed) her. I didnt pay attention to what she had said since I was too happy to listen to anything or anyone. Then it was time to meet Andrew. Andrew wore a grayish blue shirtShow MoreRelatedA Picture Of My Life - Personal Narrative Essay examples1222 Words   |  5 PagesA Picture Of My Life - Personal Narrative Over the years we had just grown apart. For many years we were best friends, then she was moved up a year, and we slowly parted. I remember how scared I was on my first day at the school we went to. She was so nice to me, looked after me. We use to go out into the playground and play on all the apparatus. There was a climbing house, where you could climb round the outside. Olivia and I were the only people in the school whoRead MoreEssay on Personal Narrative - Lasting Love2490 Words   |  10 PagesPersonal Narrative - Lasting Love I had never made biscuits and gravy before. The blessings of having a good cook as a Mom were abundant, but alas, I never did learn the many techniques that wonder woman possessed. My repertoire included: peanut butter cookies, a deliciously heated can of Pork n Beans, and Rice Krispie treats that were always too crunchy. But, Joseph wanted biscuits and gravy, so that is what Joseph got. His sister told me the recipe over the phone. Joseph had called herRead MoreGrade 11 English Independent Study6817 Words   |  28 Pagesher sad adolescence. My prediction of the outcome of the characters’ life is that he/she now has time to enjoy her life since they have settled out their inconveniences because the good times are ahead of them and the bad times have expired. There are two significant poetic devices that are prominent in this selection that greatly help in feeding the reader information on how the character actually feels. One of these is a simile which is found in line three, â€Å"My mind charges the world likeRead MoreHbr When Your Core Business Is Dying74686 Words   |  299 Pagesmust think in terms of problems and solutions. To address this need, we’ve created HBR Answers, a Web tool you can use to ï ¬ nd answers to the questions you are asking – or should be asking – about your biggest business challenges. For instance, â€Å"How can my company maximize the value of its brand(s)?† The editors of HBR have posted questions on several topics and selected articles that can help you ï ¬ nd the answers you need. Please let us know if there are any additional questions or topics that you would

Effectiveness Of Australian Law And Terrorism Kyle Luker...

Evaluate the effectiveness of Australian law in balancing the rights of the individual and the state in the face of growing international terrorism In coordination with the growing outcomes of terrorism, both international and domestic, we can examine the effectiveness of Australian Law in balancing the rights of the individual and the state. Throughout the course of time we see the changing face of international terrorism and how it has implications that are far reaching and affect our day to day rights and freedoms. I will be referring to the following cases in my response; Mohamed Haneef, David Hicks, Peter Greste and also Australian citizens involved in ISIL. Terrorism is an emerging and ongoing threat that says much about the†¦show more content†¦The Law Council followed up this media activity by writing to the Attorney-General, Minister for Justice and Customs, Minister for Immigration and AFP Commissioner about the deficits in the law which were revealed by the case. In these letters the Law Council submitted a number of reform proposals.2 The Australian legal system is based on a fundamental belief in the rule of law, justice and the independence of the judiciary. All people—Australians and non-Australians alike—are treated equally before the law and protections exist to ensure that people are not treated indiscriminately or unfairly by governments or officials. In saying this, the Australian government will press the Egyptians â€Å"at the highest level† to try to free Australian journalist Peter Greste, sentenced to seven years jail after being convicted of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. The court also found guilty, two of Greste’s Al Jazeera English colleagues, with one receiving a ten-year sentence and the other seven years. This example of Mr. Greste is a relevant and recent example of international law in relation to terrorism because of the existence of fabricated information and how we have been led to perceive the individuals involved.3 Terrorism can be defined by Involvement of violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law. Australia is

Work Study free essay sample

What is Work Study? Work Study is the systemeatic examination of the methods of carrying out activities such as to improve the effective use of resources and to set up standards of performance for the activities carried out. Work Study Components of Work Study Another definition of Work Study could be: A generic term for those techniques, particularly method study and work measurement, which are used in the examination of human work in all its contexts, and which lead systematically to to the investigation of all the factors which affect the efficiency and economy of the situation being reviewed, in order to effect improvement. This has to do with Productivity Improvement, but also improvement of Quality and Safety. Operations Management Work Study Managing people within operations involves actual design decisions about jobs, methods, relationships between jobs and machines and systems of control and communication. Work design involves complex people relationships between operative staff, supervisors and specialists e. g. engineering managers and staff who commission new machines and maintain them. Other specialists may co-ordinate health and safety systems or monitor performance and plan maintenance People are not mere extensions to machines or horsepower to be switched on and off. A workers performance may be better than a machines capability yet a machine may outstrip the human being for many tasks. People can be hurt/injured physically by operating environments or trapped socially and psychologically in them/by them. How operational systems are designed and the jobs and performance relationships within them are of great operational, economic and social importance. In this context then work study is a collection of techniques used to examine work what is done and how it is done so that there is systematic analysis of all the elements, factors, resources and relationships affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of the work being studied. Considerable diplomacy and sensitivity is needed by the industrial engineer or operations manager who becomes involved in work study (or business process improvement) investigations. In the Path of F. W. Taylor Method study and work measurement are two principal activities of work study which originated in the work of F. W. Taylor (see Rose: 1978). FWs scientific management imperatives are: †¢ investigate the work situation and identify weaknesses where and why is poor performance happening? The scientific title for this approach to management means placing emphasis on †¢ data gathering and rational analysis †¢ certain narrow assumptions about the objectivity of efficiency criteria †¢ the existence of direct, deterministic relationships between worker performance and incentive payments and †¢ consideration of the worker to some extent as a machine. Thus we can evaluate and introduce improvements in operating methods. This includes type of equipment, its use, layout of operations, supply and use of materials, materials handling, work organisation, effectiveness of planning procedures and so on. Productivity improvement is the aim. †¢ we can select staff with characteristics that fit the job, train and reward them using payment schemes the offer particular economic incentive by linking payment to measured performance. Such propositions are commonly the stuff of managerial populists and how-to texts on human resource management. Methods study Approach is an analysis of ways of doing work. The memonic SREDIM (a common-sense heuristic or general problemsolving strategy) represents the method study stages 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. select the tasks to study record the facts about it examine these develop a new method install/implement it maintain it Work measurement involves assessing the time a job should take to do. Similar steps are involved as to method study 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. select the tasks record the facts analyse them calculate basic and standard times for the task agree the method and its related time In the 1950s and 1960s the work study officer or OM Person (organisation and methods) gathered the data and gave advice. In the 1970s the titles evolved e. g. to that of management services officer. Work-study and methods study came within the scope of the industrial engineer. Today the techniques of method study are inclusive within the tool-kits and applications of the business systems analyst. The most modern application of some of the techniques of work study is the early 1990s managerial receipe; business process re-engineering i. e. re-designing business processes which have developed to the extent that they mismatch the needs of the situation today. However having said this the scope for work study definition and evaluation is useful for operations managers in a general sense. Such roles require data on operational capacities and effectiveness and the use of time and resources. Methods need regular re-evaluation. Some may have evolved and changed over time to become disjointed, patch works that no longer fully serve requirements. The case may need to be put for more staff or new methods and equipment. Such arguments call for data and measurement. How many extra hours/people are needed? Why? What will the new method offer? Is it possible to change methods? What will be the costs/benefits? Thus the techniques, assumptions and weaknesses of work study reflect important know-how for the operations manager generally and not just those working in engineering or manufacturing environments. However the assumptions, difficulties and limitations of the claims must be understood. Efficiency Indices Using data on measured work, unmeasured work and idle time we can attempt to derive effectiveness indices. Constable and New exemplify efficiency and effectiveness indices a. efficiency while performing measured work (ratio of standard/measured hours of work produced and the actual time taken) b. ffectiveness which includes †¢ accounting for work done for which no measured time exists. Such work is typically paid for by an agreed hourly/day rate i. e. there is no direct, measured relationship between pay and how much work is actually completed in that hour. Of course a supervisor may pass a judgment or state that the amount of work and its quali ty are inadequate. †¢ recognition of possible idle time caused e. g. by management not allocating any work, supplier/materials delays, machine breakdowns etc. Conclusion? In simple terms work study measures work and defines (some) performance standards. There are many uses for time estimates for tasks. Operations managers can guess or assume that a job is done in the correct time (whatever that is! ) or they can be systematic and use time data gathered by a systematic technique which has reasonable accuracy. Whether or not the worker likes it pushed hard in trying to complete a job with very tight measured work standards which dont anticipate the knotty problem encountered with a particular task is another matter. Work study/industrial engineers need time data to plan and evaluate production/transformation processes. Rewards systems need such data for performance related bonuses. Cost calculations need to incorporate operative and machine job times Costing systems reference work study data. Work study data contributes to: †¢ †¢ †¢ Improved methods to raise output, quality, reduce wastage, enhance reliability and ensure safety. Standard time data contributes to capacity planning, scheduling, control of staff, asset utilisation and quality improvement. Service and after-sales method improvements may be obtained as well as process improvement and better raw materials usage. Implementation planning for product/service and process design requires a detailed understanding of methods and timings. In a distribution/transport system we can evaluate logistical efficiencies. We need to remember always that performance inefficiency may arise from many reasons outside of worker control a cumbersome planning system, a slow computer system with heavy overheads, lack of investment or uninformed, disorganised management. It is crass to assume that the problems will only be due to staff inefficiencies or inappropriate methods.

Philosophy In Religion Essays - Fiction, Fictional Cyborgs

Philosophy In Religion We live in a society, which relies on fairy tales and mythology to entertain and take us off to a far away place where we can identify with our imagination. The Star Wars trilogy is a classic example of the hero cycle. A young man is brought up believing the light side of the force is his destiny. It has an old warrior, which teaches young Luke an ancient craft that has been used for centuries to battle evil. Luke is told about his father and how he was a great Jedi Knight, how he was killed by a man named Darth Vader, but fails to tell him that the fate of the galaxy lies on his shoulders. Luke grows wise but still cocky and bull headed much like Oedipus Rex. Young Luke Skywalker sees his mentor get taken down by the same man who killed his father thus giving birth to his inner dark side. He is yet to see the need for a balance of the two forces. Luke develops many friendships and is forced to choose whether or not he wants to complete his training with his new mentor Yoda, or watch his friends die in trying to defeat the Empire and Darth Vader. He ignores all that he was taught by Obi wan and Yoda and decides to take his destiny in his own hands and confront Vader and save his friends. In doing this rebellion to the light side of the force, Luke can now feel the power of having the light side and the dark. During his battle with Vader, Luke can see that there is a transformation of the villain. What was once a cold and dark character, Lord Vader now has a compassion for his son. Though Luke is blinded and stubborn for the light side of the force, is actions are now balanced between the two forces. Vader now starts to see compassion for his son, who is forced to do battle not by his own will. Vader then offers an ultimatum for his son who is to join with him to defeat the emperor and rule the universe. Luke denies his father and descends into his own darkness when he finds out Vader is his father, this symbolizes the death period in the fairy tale. The resurrection of Skywalker in Return of the Jedi shows that Luke realizes that he has the power to defeat the Emperor and maybe bring back his father to the light side of the force. When he confronts his enemies, Luke almost makes the decent into the darkness as he battles his father. He realizes that the rage that is controlling him is the dark side. Luke stops the battle after he sees that Vader's chopped hand is just like his own and he knows the two are both alike. Luke can see that he will soon become just like his father. As the aggravated Emperor starts to kill Luke, Vader goes through his own resurrection. With this compassion for his son, Lord Vader throws the Emperor to his death. Saving his son showing us that there is still good in him. The light side of the force is not completely out Vader. The cycle that these characters in the story Star Wars take, is a life-death cycle. They choose between which side of life to live. Campbell's idea that both the light and dark side is in a way diseased shows that a balance must be present. The light side is constantly in control and more of a thanatos way, whereas the dark side is in chaos and an eros view. The balance between the two is cyclical approach to life. There are ups and downs to everything of nature. As Yoda said, "there is no try only do." A true jedi must confront the dark side of the force in order to see what the light side has.