A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty-three

Catelyn The woods were full of whispers. Moonlight winked on the tumbling waters of the stream below as it wound its rocky way along the floor of the valley. Beneath the trees, warhorses whickered softly and pawed at the moist, leafy ground, while men made nervous jests in hushed voices. Now and again, she heard the chink of spears, the faint metallic slither of chain mail, but even those sounds were muffled. â€Å"It should not be long now, my lady,† Hallis Mollen said. He had asked for the honor of protecting her in the battle to come; it was his right, as Winterfell's captain of guards, and Robb had not refused it to him. She had thirty men around her, charged to keep her unharmed and see her safely home to Winterfell if the fighting went against them. Robb had wanted fifty; Catelyn had insisted that ten would be enough, that he would need every sword for the fight. They made their peace at thirty, neither happy with it. â€Å"It will come when it comes,† Catelyn told him. When it came, she knew it would mean death. Hal's death perhaps . . . or hers, or Robb's. No one was safe. No life was certain. Catelyn was content to wait, to listen to the whispers in the woods and the faint music of the brook, to feel the warm wind in her hair. She was no stranger to waiting, after all. Her men had always made her wait. â€Å"Watch for me, little cat,† her father would always tell her, when he rode off to court or fair or battle. And she would, standing patiently on the battlements of Riverrun as the waters of the Red Fork and the Tumblestone flowed by. He did not always come when he said he would, and days would ofttimes pass as Catelyn stood her vigil, peering out between crenels and through arrow loops until she caught a glimpse of Lord Hoster on his old brown gelding, trotting along the rivershore toward the landing. â€Å"Did you watch for me?† he'd ask when he bent to bug her. â€Å"Did you, little cat?† Brandon Stark had bid her wait as well. â€Å"I shall not be long, my lady,† he had vowed. â€Å"We will be wed on my return.† Yet when the day came at last, it was his brother Eddard who stood beside her in the sept. Ned had lingered scarcely a fortnight with his new bride before he too had ridden off to war with promises on his lips. At least he had left her with more than words; he had given her a son. Nine moons had waxed and waned, and Robb had been born in Riverrun while his father still warred in the south. She had brought him forth in blood and pain, not knowing whether Ned would ever see him. Her son. He had been so small . . . And now it was for Robb that she waited . . . for Robb, and for Jaime Lannister, the gilded knight who men said had never learned to wait at all. â€Å"The Kingslayer is restless, and quick to anger,† her uncle Brynden had told Robb. And he had wagered their lives and their best hope of victory on the truth of what he said. If Robb was frightened, he gave no sign of it. Catelyn watched her son as he moved among the men, touching one on the shoulder, sharing a jest with another, helping a third to gentle an anxious horse. His armor clinked softly when he moved. Only his head was bare. Catelyn watched a breeze stir his auburn hair, so like her own, and wondered when her son had grown so big. Fifteen, and near as tall as she was. Let him grow taller, she asked the gods. Let him know sixteen, and twenty, and fifty. Let him grow as tall as his father, and hold his own son in his arms. Please, please, please. As she watched him, this tall young man with the new beard and the direwolf prowling at his heels, all she could see was the babe they had laid at her breast at Riverrun, so long ago. The night was warm, but the thought of Riverrun was enough to make her shiver. Where are they? she wondered. Could her uncle have been wrong? So much rested on the truth of what he had told them. Robb had given the Blackfish three hundred picked men, and sent them ahead to screen his march. â€Å"Jaime does not know,† Ser Brynden said when he rode back. â€Å"I'll stake my life on that. No bird has reached him, my archers have seen to that. We've seen a few of his outriders, but those that saw us did not live to tell of it. He ought to have sent out more. He does not know.† â€Å"How large is his host?† her son asked. â€Å"Twelve thousand foot, scattered around the castle in three separate camps, with the rivers between,† her uncle said, with the craggy smile she remembered so well. â€Å"There is no other way to besiege Riverrun, yet still, that will be their undoing. Two or three thousand horse.† â€Å"The Kingslayer has us three to one,† said Galbart Glover. ‘True enough,† Ser Brynden said, â€Å"yet there is one thing Ser Jaime lacks.† â€Å"Yes?† Robb asked. â€Å"Patience.† Their host was greater than it had been when they left the Twins. Lord Jason Mallister had brought his power out from Seagard to join them as they swept around the headwaters of the Blue Fork and galloped south, and others had crept forth as well, hedge knights and small lords and masterless men-at-arms who had fled north when her brother Edmure's army was shattered beneath the walls of Riverrun. They had driven their horses as hard as they dared to reach this place before Jaime Lannister had word of their coming, and now the hour was at hand. Catelyn watched her son mount up. Olyvar Frey held his horse for him, Lord Walder's son, two years older than Robb, and ten years younger and more anxious. He strapped Robb's shield in place and handed up his helm. When he lowered it over the face she loved so well, a tall young knight sat on his grey stallion where her son had been. It was dark among the trees, where the moon did not reach. When Robb turned his head to look at her, she could see only black inside his visor. â€Å"I must ride down the line, Mother,† he told her. â€Å"Father says you should let the men see you before a battle.† ‘Go, then,† she said. â€Å"Let them see you.† ‘It will give them courage,† Robb said. And who will give me courage? she wondered, yet she kept her silence and made herself smile for him. Robb turned the big grey stallion and walked him slowly away from her, Grey Wind shadowing his steps. Behind him his battle guard formed up. When he'd forced Catelyn to accept her protectors, she had insisted that he be guarded as well, and the lords bannermen had agreed. Many of their sons had clamored for the honor of riding with the Young Wolf, as they had taken to calling him. Torrhen Karstark and his brother Eddard were among his thirty, and Patrek Mallister, Smalljon Umber, Daryn Hornwood, Theon Greyjoy, no less than five of Walder Frey's vast brood, along with older men like Ser Wendel Manderly and Robin Flint. One of his companions was even a woman: Dacey Mormont, Lady Maege's eldest daughter and heir to Bear Island, a lanky six-footer who had been given a morningstar at an age when most girls were given dolls. Some of the other lords muttered about that, but Catelyn would not listen to their complaints. â€Å"This is not about the honor of your houses,† she told them. â€Å"This is about keeping my son alive and whole.† And if it comes to that, she wondered, will thirty be enough? Will six thousand be enough? A bird called faintly in the distance, a high sharp trill that felt like an icy hand on Catelyn's neck. Another bird answered; a third, a fourth. She knew their call well enough, from her years at Winterfell. Snow shrikes. Sometimes you saw them in the deep of winter, when the godswood was white and still. They were northern birds. They are coming, Catelyn thought. â€Å"They're coming, my lady,† Hal Mollen whispered. He was always a man for stating the obvious. â€Å"Gods be with us.† She nodded as the woods grew still around them. In the quiet she could hear them, far off yet moving closer; the tread of many horses, the rattle of swords and spears and armor, the murmur of human voices, with here a laugh, and there a curse. Eons seemed to come and go. The sounds grew louder. She heard more laughter, a shouted command, splashing as they crossed and recrossed the little stream. A horse snorted. A man swore. And then at last she saw him . . . only for an instant, framed between the branches of the trees as she looked down at the valley floor, yet she knew it was him. Even at a distance, Ser Jaime Lannister was unmistakable. The moonlight had silvered his armor and the gold of his hair, and turned his crimson cloak to black. He was not wearing a helm. He was there and he was gone again, his silvery armor obscured by the trees once more. Others came behind him, long columns of them, knights and sworn swords and freeriders, three quarters of the Lannister horse. â€Å"He is no man for sitting in a tent while his carpenters build siege towers,† Ser Brynden had promised. â€Å"He has ridden out with his knights thrice already, to chase down raiders or storm a stubborn holdfast.† Nodding, Robb had studied the map her uncle had drawn him. Ned had taught him to read maps. â€Å"Raid him here,† he said, pointing. â€Å"A few hundred men, no more. Tully banners. When he comes after you, we will be waiting†Ã¢â‚¬â€his finger moved an inch to the left—†here.† Here was a hush in the night, moonlight and shadows, a thick carpet of dead leaves underfoot, densely wooded ridges sloping gently down to the streambed, the underbrush thinning as the ground fell away. Here was her son on his stallion, glancing back at her one last time and lifting his sword in salute. Here was the call of Maege Mormont's warhorn, a long low blast that rolled down the valley from the east, to tell them that the last of Jaime's riders had entered the trap. And Grey Wind threw back his head and howled. The sound seemed to go right through Catelyn Stark, and she found herself shivering. It was a terrible sound, a frightening sound, yet there was music in it too. For a second she felt something like pity for the Lannisters below. So this is what death sounds like, she thought. HAAroooooooooooooooooooooooo came the answer from the far ridge as the Greatjon winded his own horn. To east and west, the trumpets of the Mallisters and Freys blew vengeance. North, where the valley narrowed and bent like a cocked elbow, Lord Karstark's warhorns added their own deep, mournful voices to the dark chorus. Men were shouting and horses rearing in the stream below. The whispering wood let out its breath all at once, as the bowmen Robb had hidden in the branches of the trees let fly their arrows and the night erupted with the screams of men and horses. All around her, the riders raised their lances, and the dirt and leaves that had buried the cruel bright points fell away to reveal the gleam of sharpened steel. â€Å"Winterfell!† she heard Robb shout as the arrows sighed again. He moved away from her at a trot, leading his men downhill. Catelyn sat on her horse, unmoving, with Hal Mollen and her guard around her, and she waited as she had waited before, for Brandon and Ned and her father. She was high on the ridge, and the trees hid most of what was going on beneath her. A heartbeat, two, four, and suddenly it was as if she and her protectors were alone in the wood. The rest were melted away into the green. Yet when she looked across the valley to the far ridge, she saw the Greatjon's riders emerge from the darkness beneath the trees. They were in a long line, an endless line, and as they burst from the wood there was an instant, the smallest part of a heartbeat, when all Catelyn saw was the moonlight on the points of their lances, as if a thousand willowisps were coming down the ridge, wreathed in silver flame. Then she blinked, and they were only men, rushing down to kill or die. Afterward, she could not claim she had seen the battle. Yet she could hear, and the valley rang with echoes. The crack of a broken lance, the clash of swords, the cries of â€Å"Lannister† and â€Å"Winterfell† and â€Å"Tully! Riverrun and Tully!† When she realized there was no more to see, she closed her eyes and listened. The battle came alive around her. She heard hoofbeats, iron boots splashing in shallow water, the woody sound of swords on oaken shields and the scrape of steel against steel, the hiss of arrows, the thunder of drums, the terrified screaming of a thousand horses. Men shouted curses and begged for mercy, and got it (or not), and lived (or died). The ridges seemed to play queer tricks with sound. Once she heard Robb's voice, as clear as if he'd been standing at her side, calling, â€Å"To me! To me!† And she heard his direwolf, snarling and growling, heard the snap of those long teeth, the tearing of flesh, shrieks of fear and pain from man and horse alike. Was there only one wolf? It was hard to be certain. Little by little, the sounds dwindled and died, until at last there was only the wolf. As a red dawn broke in the east, Grey Wind began to howl again. Robb came back to her on a different horse, riding a piebald gelding in the place of the grey stallion he had taken down into the valley. The wolf's head on his shield was slashed half to pieces, raw wood showing where deep gouges had been hacked in the oak, but Robb himself seemed unhurt. Yet when he came closer, Catelyn saw that his mailed glove and the sleeve of his surcoat were black with blood. â€Å"You're hurt,† she said. Robb lifted his hand, opened and closed his fingers. â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"This is . . . Torrhen's blood, perhaps, or . . . † He shook his head. â€Å"I do not know.† A mob of men followed him up the slope, dirty and dented and grinning, with Theon and the Greatjon at their head. Between them they dragged Ser Jaime Lannister. They threw him down in front of her horse. â€Å"The Kingslayer,† Hal announced, unnecessarily. Lannister raised his head. â€Å"Lady Stark,† he said from his knees. Blood ran down one cheek from a gash across his scalp, but the pale light of dawn had put the glint of gold back in his hair. â€Å"I would offer you my sword, but I seem to have mislaid it.† â€Å"It is not your sword I want, ser,† she told him. â€Å"Give me my father and my brother Edmure. Give me my daughters. Give me my lord husband.† â€Å"I have mislaid them as well, I fear.† â€Å"A pity,† Catelyn said coldly. â€Å"Kill him, Robb,† Theon Greyjoy urged. â€Å"Take his head off.† â€Å"No,† her son answered, peeling off his bloody glove. â€Å"He's more use alive than dead. And my lord father never condoned the murder of prisoners after a battle.† â€Å"A wise man,† Jaime Lannister said, â€Å"and honorable.† â€Å"Take him away and put him in irons,† Catelyn said. â€Å"Do as my lady mother says,† Robb commanded, â€Å"and make certain there's a strong guard around him. Lord Karstark will want his head on a pike.† â€Å"That he will,† the Greatjon agreed, gesturing. Lannister was led away to be bandaged and chained. â€Å"Why should Lord Karstark want him dead?† Catelyn asked. Robb looked away into the woods, with the same brooding look that Ned often got. â€Å"He . . . he killed them . . . â€Å" â€Å"Lord Karstark's sons,† Galbart Glover explained. â€Å"Both of them,† said Robb. â€Å"Torrhen and Eddard. And Daryn Hornwood as well.† â€Å"No one can fault Lannister on his courage,† Glover said. â€Å"When he saw that he was lost, he rallied his retainers and fought his way up the valley, hoping to reach Lord Robb and cut him down. And almost did.† â€Å"He mislaid his sword in Eddard Karstark's neck, after he took Torrhen's hand off and split Daryn Hornwood's skull open,† Robb said. â€Å"All the time he was shouting for me. If they hadn't tried to stop him—† â€Å"—I should then be mourning in place of Lord Karstark,† Catelyn said. â€Å"Your men did what they were sworn to do, Robb. They died protecting their liege lord. Grieve for them. Honor them for their valor. But not now. You have no time for grief. You may have lopped the head off the snake, but three quarters of the body is still coiled around my father's castle. We have won a battle, not a war.† â€Å"But such a battle!† said Theon Greyjoy eagerly. â€Å"My lady, the realm has not seen such a victory since the Field of Fire. I vow, the Lannisters lost ten men for every one of ours that fell. We've taken close to a hundred knights captive, and a dozen lords bannermen. Lord Westerling, Lord Banefort, Ser Garth Greenfield, Lord Estren, Ser Tytos Brax, Mallor the Dornishman . . . and three Lannisters besides Jaime, Lord Tywin's own nephews, two of his sister's sons and one of his dead brother's . . . â€Å" â€Å"And Lord Tywin?† Catelyn interrupted. â€Å"Have you perchance taken Lord Tywin, Theon?† â€Å"No,† Greyjoy answered, brought up short. â€Å"Until you do, this war is far from done.† Robb raised his head and pushed his hair back out of his eyes. â€Å"My mother is right. We still have Riverrun.†

Evolution of Wireless Technology Essay

These days when you hear the term wireless technology people automatically think of Wi-Fi or wireless internet, but the thing is wireless technology has been around much longer than wireless internet, or even internet itself. The thing is wireless technology has been around as long as the late 1800’s and has tremendously evolved over the course of the last 100 years since its creation and existence. The first true demonstration of wireless technology was the wireless telegraph system, which lead to the birth of the radio, which evolved to cellular phones, and has now gave way to what we know today as Wi-Fi. It has be the evolution of wireless technology and its abilities that has taken a giant leap in the technology race and is still maturing since it has only been around for 100 or so years. The first true wireless technological demonstration was when a message was transmitted between two English telegraph offices. This major feat was accomplished by Guglielmo Marconi who invented the first wireless telegraph. Marconi later gave way to the â€Å"Birth of the Radio† in 1897 when he was awarded the patent for the wireless telegraph by radio waves. Marconi later established a station on Needles Island that communicated with the English coast. At this time in history wireless was so new but so innovating that many saw how it could improve communication time vastly and was being improved to further the distance at which messages could be communicated. Only a year later after Marconi set up the station was communication between France and England established. It only took 3 more years for Marconi to set up communication across the Atlantic from Cornwall to Newfoundland which lead to Marconi getting the Nobel Peace Prize for physics for his discovery with radio waves and wireless communication. The birth of the radio we think of these days as hearing a voice transmitted didn’t happen until 1914 with the first voice over radio transmission. It wasn’t long till people started using radios to relay information to people. The first real use of radios was in Detroit when the police installed radio receivers in all their police cars to tell the drivers locations and other useful information. The next big advancement in wireless technology with the radio was the discovery and use of AM and FM radios that transmitted over different frequencies. AM radio waves vary with the combination of audio frequencies and radio frequencies, this allows for long distance communication but is susceptible interference from electricity and many other things; FM radio waves change to reproduce the audio signal, which allows for little to no interference and much better sound quality, but shortens the distance that FM radio waves can travel significantly. The major downside to radio at this time is that it is one way of communication; you have someone sending the message to someone else with a receiver, not cross communication. This was somewhat fixed with the introduction of two way radios that allowed for one person to talk to another through a handheld radio that worked off of different channels. The only problem with two way radios was that they were somewhat limited to range and it was possible for other people to listen in on communications. The next major advancement in wireless technology came in 1979 when Japan deployed the first cellular communication system. At this time though the system was crude and wasn’t able to support many users and service was poor. It took a few years for the systems to advance and become sufficient enough to support commercial use. In 1991 the US Digital Cellular Phone System was introduced and only a year later was the first (GSM) cellular phones approved for sale. After cellular phones hit the market wireless technology boomed in advancement. Companies were working on providing better quality service to more people around the nation and around the world as the number of cellular users surpassed 10 million. Only a few years down the road were the first smart phones hitting the market, which were capable of sending and receiving emails and fax services. Smart phones have since advanced to the point where we are capable of sending and receiving pictures and video, as well as achieving the ability to live stream video chat across your cell phone providers’ data connection. The cellular phone since hasn’t had many more breakthroughs in wireless technology other than improved signal quality and a larger coverage area. Another significant breakthrough in the wireless technology field was the introduction of satellites and satellite phones. Satellite phones were created as a means of placing a call to anyone from anywhere around the orld. As the name states, satellite phones transmit a satellite signal to one of 48 satellites orbiting the globe, from there the signal bounces around until it reaches a satellite that has a direct signal with the ground receiver it needs to transfer to. Satellites were created for many reasons but one was for a fast and easy way to transmit data from anywhere to anywhere around the globe. Howev er unlike radios, cell phones, and Wi-Fi; satellites transmit data on a spectrum that is regulated by the government and you need licensing to use a satellite signals. Another significant breakthrough in satellite technology was the introduction of satellite television, which enabled companies to broadcast television shows and movies to houses via satellite dish pointed towards the ellipses of a satellite. The one downside to satellite technology is that it needs an unobstructed signal in order to make a connection. The first real breakthrough in Wi-Fi was actually in 1985, several years before Wi-Fi was invented. In 1985 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), America’s telecoms regulator opened several bands in the wireless spectrum. This decision allowed these bands to be used without the need for a government license; at the time this was unheard of because there was very little unlicensed spectrum. A visionary engineer, Michael Marcus, sanctioned three chunks of the industrial, scientific, and medical bands of the spectrum to be opened to communications entrepreneurs. The next major advancement Wi-Fi came when several companies realized that the best way for it to thrive amongst the populace was to be universal so that a person wasn’t locked into a particular vendor’s products. It was at this time the Institute of Electrical and electronics engineers (IEEE) was approached by Viktor Hayes and Bruce Tuch from Bell labs for create a standard for all wireless internet providers to abide by. A committee called 802. 11 was set up with Mr. Hayes as chairman, and the negotiations started. It took a few years for the majority of vendors to come to an agreement and in 1997 the committee came up with a basic specification, of using spread-spectrum technologies, frequency hopping, or direct-sequence transmission. Engineers at this time quickly came up with prototypes to comply with the standard and two variants emerged, the 802. 11b which operated on the 2. 4GHz band and the 802. 11a which operated on the 5. 8GHz band. It was at this time the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) coined the term Wi-Fi as it was a consumer friendly name that stuck. So now the technology had been standardized; it had a name; now all it needed was a company to bring it to the market, and so it found one with Apple. Apple told Lucent that if it could make an adapter for fewer than one hundred dollars it would incorporate it into all of its laptops, and so shortly after it found its way into the new iBook. It didn’t take long for every other company to follow suite. Wi-Fi was then boosted by the popularity for high-speed broadband internet connections that allowed several computers to connect to one access point without the need for cables. In the last few years there haven’t really been any breakthroughs in wireless technology, just some major tweaking to the rules and regulations. The FCC tweaked the rules to allow a new standard 802. 11g which uses orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) which is capable of achieving speeds up to 54 megabits per second in the 2. 4GHz band. Since then many other variants have come up across the last few years such as 3G and 4G mobile phone networking and mobile hotspots which have provided better and faster internet to more people on the go as they are able to create a short range Wi-Fi â€Å"hotspot† from their cellular phone or adapter which has allowed people to bring the internet with them. A new technology has also popped up, 802. 16 also known as WiMax, which is capable of providing up to 70 megabits per second and capable of reaching 50 kilometers, much better than Wi-Fi that is only capable of 50 meters. Another standard 802. 15. 3 known as WiMedia, a short range high capacity connection specifically designed for media, capable of streaming videos and providing networking for entertainment devices. In the last two or three years wireless technology hasn’t seen any advancement, but many companies are working to come out with the next biggest thing to profit off of, and there is no doubt that wireless technology has not seen its demise for further advancing. In the last hundred years wireless technology started from sending a short simple message via telegraph to streaming videos, playing games and live steaming video chat across home and mobile broadband networks and satellite connections, wireless technology has rooted itself deep within society and as yet to improve even further as technology itself advances and revolutionizes our world. We have seen this technology evolve from telegraphs, to one way radios, two way radio transmitters, cellular devices, satellite signals, wireless internet to computers, to mobile wireless internet to phones and laptops; all while continuing to advance to meet societies needs and demands for something that is even better and faster. Only time can tell what the next big advancement in the wireless technology field will be and where it will take us, but one thing is for sure, it hasn’t finished advancing.

High Profile Organizations Including the Police Force, Mining Industry Essay - 1

High Profile Organizations Including the Police Force, Mining Industry, Building Industry - Essay Example According to Schein (2010), organizational culture is one the factors that can affect better organization performance; hence, organizations should change their cultural behaviors in case they want to achieve better performance. Many companies are aware of increasing responsibilities to both employees and the society; thus, they have considered management issues as effective means for achieving their stated objectives. Therefore, organizations employ CSR model, stakeholder engagement strategy, social accountability concepts among others as effective means for monitoring social demands and managing their social response mechanisms. Organizations monitor social demands and manage social response mechanism through various ways. The CRS model is one of the mechanisms organizations employ in order to manage social response mechanism. CSR is a sustainable response model used in many organizations for monitoring an ensuring that the organizations actively comply with the required ethical standards, regulation and international norms. It is a self-regulating mechanism that embraces the responsibilities for the organization’ actions and encourages a positive response from stakeholders, employees and consumers (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2003). Social responsibility is one of the significant themes that organizations give considerable attention. This is through employing various models such as the CSR model for monitoring the responsibilities. The growing attention to organization ethics fits well in the evolution of thinking on the quality services offered to customers. Many companies have employed the CSR as a mode l for creating positive social change in organizations. For instance, the police force employs CSR through integrating corporate governance and other organization theories into various actors, which are driven by moral motives. The aim is to improve the quality of services and enable customers to achieve effective satisfaction. Organization design effective grievances mechanism and  dispute resolution methods through incorporating CSR strategy as one of the organizational management systems.  

Family and Social Structures Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Family and Social Structures - Case Study Example If we compare contemporary families with those from a century ago, the most significant difference we can note is the divorce rate. In 1911, approximately 700 families experienced divorce in England and Wales (Simpson 1994). Today that number has risen to 160,000 per year (Simpson 1994). Britain currently has the second-highest divorce rate in Europe (Simpson 1994). 55 percent of couples who divorced in 1990 had a child under the age of 16 (Simpson 1994). What, then, does this mean for the family as a structural unit Today, families continue to be less clearly defined as they must incorporate step-parents, step-siblings, half-siblings, and biological siblings or parents that are not in contact with one another. One such example is "Steve," a husband and father that Bob Simpson interviewed for his article Bringing the 'Unclear' Family into Focus: Divorce and Remarriage in Contemporary Britain. Steve is in his thirties and is married to "Karen." Since marrying in 1990, they've produced two children together. However, prior to their marriage, Karen had a daughter from a previous relationship, and Steve had two children from his marriage to "Kath," and a son from a relationship he'd had as a teenager. Steve considers himself to be a father of six, and the numerous other participants in his children's lives, such as his ex-partners, and his ex-partners' current partners, creates a network that functions as the family unit. While the typical nuclear family has two parents, this family has six. This differs most strikingly from the traditional family in the fact that there are no clear definitions. All six parents are part of the unit, but two children might be related to one set while the other four are not, creating an even more complex matrix of kinship. This becomes most complicated in how the grandparents treat all of the children. Steve's parents acknowledge all six children as family, but Karen's parents only acknowledge the three children that were born to Kar en as family. This causes conflict when Karen's parents ignore Steve's other three children and only give gifts and candies to the three that are biologically Karen's. The "network" family could be successful were all parties open and accepting of different family ties, but now we have one family circle that only exclusively accepts blood relatives, thus dividing the family structure into blood relations versus non-blood relations. This calls into question varying definitions that people have for the family unit. Is a family just two parents and the children that are biologically related to them If so, what is the resulting implication for the rest of society A society in which its members must meet strict biological standards if they are to gain acceptance One such example of the conventional family unit coming into conflict with the "network" family unit is in William Shakespeare's play, Much Ado About Nothing. The play depicts the rigid social structure of the Elizabethan era as it follows the efforts of Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato to make Benedick and Beatrix fall in love with one another. Don Pedro is the prince of Aragon, blood-heir to the throne, and as such, represents order, goodness, and purity. His bastard brother, Don John, is evil and devious, purposely setting out to ruin the marriage of Claudio and Hero. Don John is an outsider, an intruder, and thus his character is

Techniques used in the separation and identification of chemical Essay

Techniques used in the separation and identification of chemical compound and their real world applications - Essay Example In this technique, the sample to be analyzed is passed through an adsorbent. The components of the mixture will interact with it differently, resulting in separation of the elements (Scoog & Holler, 1992). HPLC has a wide range of application, for example it is used in pharmaceutical companies in the separation of vitamin C, and it also applied in the legal profession by detecting illegal substances such as cocaine in the urine (Ballinger et al., 2011). HPLC can be said to be a mass transfer process that involves adsorption. A typical HPLC instrument has a detector, sampler and a pump. The sampler is used to collect the sample, then the pump is used to pass sample through a mobile phase, which mostly consist of an adsorbent such as silica gel. In the mobile phase, the sample mixture will separate because they have different adsorption rates. It is this difference in adsorption rates that HPLC principle relies on. Finally, the detector is used to separate the different components (Kebbekus & Mitra, 1998). HPLC is one of the most preferred technique in the food industries. It is mostly used in the quality control. HPLC is preferred to other techniques, because it is cheap to maintain and it does not need a very qualified personnel to run it (Ballinger et al., 2011). An example, where HPLC is applied is the sugar cane industries. After sugar cane has been crushed, it is always squeezed to remove the juice. The juice is then treated with chemicals to kill any fungi which is available in it. It is at this stage, where HPLC finds its use. This is because some of the chemicals always remain in the final product. In connection to this, HPLC is always used to determine, if there are any traces of the chemicals in the final sugar. If there are any, it is then taken back for treatment (Scoog &Holler, 1992). The main limitation of this technique is that it cannot be used for very complex chemical elements. In

History of Oklahoma Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of Oklahoma - Research Paper Example The west side of state experienced extensive drought and winds to generate storms as the east side of the region experienced a tropical climate. Hunting and gathering was a perverse activity in the west side of the state. The people that lived on the eastern side of the state practiced farming since the climate was favorable. According to the evidence of anthropologists humanity exists in the region prior to 1500 A.D. Researchers find oldest form of Paleo cultures, clovis cultures and folsom. Indigenous people populate the area that symbolically represents a pan-shaped figure. The eastern side of Oklahoma represented the Caddoan Mississippian culture that practiced agrarian activities. Natives living in the area established their houses on mounds and Chiefdoms controlled different communities. The Caddoan Mississippian culture emerged from earlier culture in 1000 A. D. Geographical-location of Caddoan was on Woodland penetrating the Red River. Other communities believed to live in the eastern side of Oklahoma included Wichita people that survived on the Great Plains. The difference between Mississippian cultures and Wichita plains culture is that the latter practiced agrarian activities while the former practiced hunting and gathering. Farming activity appeared in the South Canadian Rivers at 900 AD. . Native Americans at this period that practiced farming grew different types of crops such as legumes. The people practiced fishing, hunting of rabbits, deer, and gathered mussels. Indigenous people constructed rectangular thatched dwellings mostly near the river basins. Apache groups appeared at around 1500 and collaborated with Wichita cultures. Archeologist evidence suggests that Kiowa-Apache culture were hunter and gatherers. The only difference between Wichita culture and Apache culture is that the latter used dogs in their hunting spree. Both cultures are similar in that they

Hume Of the Standard of Taste Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hume Of the Standard of Taste - Essay Example In this essay, I first of all, purpose to discuss what Hume proposes to be the condition for beauty. Secondly, I will demonstrate how an object can be termed as either beautiful or not, based on the proposal. In addition, I will analyze the factors that motivated this proposal by Hume, and lastly, examine whether there is sufficient reason to support Hume’s proposal. What is the condition for being beautiful? Hume is of the opinion that for something to be beautiful, then it must be able to have durability, uniformity, and generality in admiration (I.XXIII.12-13). For example, an object that has been around for many generations and withstood the criticisms leveled against it can be said to be truly beautiful. However, an object that was once considered beautiful but has since faded into history cannot be termed as beautiful since it lacks durability. In as far as general admiration is concerned; a beautiful thing tends to gain appreciation from people of multiple cultures all over the world. From Hume’s point of view, the observer’s mind must be at an ideal state of serenity and free of external hindrances and prejudice, while judging the beauty of an object (I.XXIII.11). In addition, Hume states that the observer must also pay very close attention to the object by focusing all thought on the object in order to study its finer details (I.XXIII.11). How does a beautiful object differ from one that is not beautiful? At the outset, Hume seems to agree to the fact that the beauty of an object only lies in the eyes of the observer. For example, Hume writes that a man of sense in as far as arts are concerned is more likely to differ with a man who has no sense of art, concerning the beauty of an object (I.XXIII.23). Similarly, according to Hume, a young man is more likely to consider tender and affectionate images as more beautiful (I.XXIII.30). On the other hand, Hume writes that an old man may find beauty in philosophical and wise teachings tha t teach on the value of life (I.XXIII.30). In Hume’s opinion, beauty can only be achieved if the human mind is free of all internal obstructions and external hindrances. Drawing form these expressions, it is clear that Hume perceives beauty as not stemming from the qualities of an object, but by the capacity of the object to stir up certain sentiments in the observer. Hume gives the example of how two of Sancho’s kinsmen were asked to give their opinion regarding the excellence of a hogshead (I.XXIII.16). Everyone knew that the wine was of superior quality, yet, when the two men tasted it, although both agreed that it was good, one noted that there was a bit of leather taste in it, while the other one noted that there was a silver taste in the wine. Hume goes on to narrate that the two men were ridiculed for their judgment, yet when the hogshead was emptied, therein lay an old key tied ton a leather thong (I.XXIII.16). In reference to this example, it is clear that alt hough people may unanimously decide that something is beautiful; there are critics who may find flaws by carefully studying the object under observation. What is Hume’s motivation for his proposal on beauty? Firstly, Hume tends to draw his motivation for proposing that beauty is an effect on the mind from the fact that beauty is valued by everyone, while ugliness or deformity is usually a repulsive characteristic. Nonetheless, different people have different opinions regarding which objects are beautiful and which ones are not. Secondly, from Hume’

Cultural differences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Cultural differences - Essay Example ould like to state that the importance of understanding different cultural factors is limited to business but it is vital for eliminating several societal problems prevailing in the community that comprise racism, gender inequalities and differences in social classes among others (Littlechild, 2012). According to my viewpoint, understanding cultural differences in the light of theories postulated by certain distinguished researchers and their implications on cultural diversity leads towards significant outcomes in terms of facilitating greater understanding different unaddressed cultural issues. Moreover, I believe that these theories guide an individual with necessary insights that promotes displaying of specific behaviour at varying cultural environment. Hence, in order to critically address the issues of cultural differences, I have chosen six primary topics like culture as well as lived experiences, working with the Spanish and Japanese, cultural intelligence, teams and cultural differences, historical perspective of British class of society and leadership along with management development. Bruce Parry is one the most well-known activists who possess a comprehensive understanding about different cultures. He strongly believed that there is only one way of understanding cultures. According to his observation, in order to understand the culture for any particular tribe, it is quite important to live with that particular tribe for a certain time period. He also realised that taking part in the daily cultural lives of tribes with all its richness as well as diversity would certainly enable to understand their culture better. One of the tribes that he observed was the Penan tribe that has its existence in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It has been observed that there lay the presence of a significant portion of Penan tribe in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. (BBC, 2008). In relation to determine Bruce Parry’s view i.e. ‘to understand a culture you need to

Management as a Regulated Profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Management as a Regulated Profession - Essay Example The introduction of strict legislative texts, like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the USA, has been proved to be an initial measure for the limitation of fraud in modern organizations (Heier et al., 2005, p.39). In the internal organizational environment, the ability of a firm to prevent fraud is depended on the level of cooperation/ coordination among employees at different levels of the organizational hierarchy. Under these terms, the human resources systems used within a specific organization are considered to be crucial for the success of the organizational initiatives against fraud. It should be noted that the effects of internal fraud on business performance can be differentiated in accordance with the nature of business operations, the business structure and the aims/ objectives of each organization; different assumptions are made in the literature regarding the effects of internal fraud on organizational performance; different plans of action can be suggested for mitigating fraud in firms that operate in various industrial sectors. Greenlee et al. (2007) focus on the relationship between the internal fraud and the type of organizational structure – the emphasis is given on non-profit organizations where ‘the losses due to fraudulent activities can directly reduce resources available to address tax-exempt purposes’ (Greenlee eta, 2007, 676). On the other hand, Levi (2008) notes that the expansion of global crime has been rapid due to the increased ability of ‘would-be perpetrators to recognize and act on specific opportunities’ (Levi, 2008, p.389). From another point of view, the external organizational environment is likely to affect a firm’s ability to control crime – the specific view is supported by Tilley et al. (2008) who emphasize on the difficulty to control crime in organizations that operate in ‘high crime neighbourhoods’ (Tilley et al., 2008, 443).  

Love and Hate Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Love and Hate - Research Paper Example In the end a conclusion is given about the essay. Thesis Statement: In this essay, a relationship between ‘Love’ and ‘Hate’ is emphasized. A descriptive commentary is given in the favor of the existence of relationship between Love and Hate. Stories of ‘The Storm’ by Kate Chopin, ‘Eveline’ by James Joyce, ‘Araby’ by James Joyce and ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ by Edgar Allan Poe are also discussed as references to prove the existence of relationship between Love and Hate. There are numerous beliefs about ‘Love and hate’. People consider these two emotional jargons according to the manifestations of their own minds. So, in this stance it can be said that the individual meanings of Love and Hate may differ from person to person. Likewise, the relationship between these two extreme emotions may vary according to the circumstances. It has been perceived that there is a relationship between ‘Love and Hate’, although they seem contrary to each other. It has been noticed that almost all the Love stories have vast number of harmonies and they quite look alike. To prove this, there are many things which are needed to be taken into consideration. Many writers and poets have written loads of chunks about ‘Love and Hate’. Spot light must be put on extracts of those writers and poets. Literal meanings of ‘Love’ and ‘Hate’ in solitude must be deemed. ... t can be seen that in real life as well ‘Love’ reaches to the verge of extreme intensity and the lovers, normally called as love birds do not seem to consider this intensity. The real life experiences may also prove the literal meaning of ‘Love’. Now, if we see the literal meaning of ‘Hate’, then it means that ‘an intense and strong aversion or hostility, which is normally derived from anger, sense of injury or fear’ (Webster). Similarly as ‘Love’ can be evidenced from the different examples of practical life, ‘Hate’ can also be proven to be giving the same meaning in the real life, as the literature explains. A person hates some other person if he or she is having some sense of injury or fear from other person. This can also be called as an emotional distress because this fear/sense of injury causes the ‘Love’ to evaporate in the air. Apparently it seems that ‘Love’ and ‘Hat e’ do not have any relationship with each other. However, a deep thought is needed to be given in order to break the shell and think other way round. A vague idea about ‘Love’ and ‘Hate’ is unlikely to become a source of conviction to prove that ‘Love’ and ‘Hate’ are integral to each other. There are many common things between ‘Love’ and ‘Hate’. The most common thing is that both are intense and extreme feelings which cause a robust emotional bond and cause a strong emotional arousal. Both are related to intangible feelings of emotions. When we look at the relationship between the ‘Love’ and ‘Hate’, in the perspective /context of science, then scientists also come up with an idea that ‘Hate’ and ‘Love’ have a thin line in the brain. (Reporter). According to the biologists passion of hate is equal interest to the feelings of

Methods of Study in Economics Essay Example for Free

Methods of Study in Economics Essay This method is also called as abstract, analytical and priority method. Under this method, laws are deduced in a logical manner. On the basis of certain fundamental assumptions or accepted axioms (principles) or truths which have been established and handed down from generation to generation, the required conclusions are found out. This method is called as abstract since it is based on abstract reasoning and not actual facts. However, actual situation may differ from what deductive logic suggests. For example, it is assumed that the man is rational and on the basis of this it is deduced that he will buy cheap and sell dear ones. However, in actual situation this may not happen because of the absence of proper knowledge and market conditions. The principle steps in the process of deriving economic generalizations through deductive logic are: 1.perception of the problem; 2.defining the technical terms and making the appropriate assumptions; 3.deducing hypothesis and; 4.testing of hypothesis deduced. Through the use of deductive method, many theories and generalizations have been established in economics. It is called as inverse relationship between the price and quantity demanded, the direct relationship between the price and quantity supplied etc. However, this method also suffers from certain handicaps such as (i) assumptions generally turn out to be untrue or partially true; (ii) valid conclusions cannot be drawn in the absence of proper knowledge of the whole situation and (iii) it is dangerous to claim universal validity for the economic generalizations so deduced. Inductive method: According to this method, conclusions are drawn on the basis of collection and analysis of the facts which are relevant to the inquiry. The logic in this case proceeds from the particular to the general. The generalizations are based on observation of individual examples. The principle steps in this method are †¢Perception of the problem; †¢Collection, classification and analysis of data by using appropriate statistical techniques; †¢Finding out the reasons for the relationship established through statistical analysis and to set rules for the verification of the principles. Many researches in macroeconomics have been obtained through inductive method such as principle of acceleration describing the factors which determine investment in an economy, the nature of consumption function describing the relationship between income and consumption etc. Inductive method is increasingly being used on account of the under mentioned facts: †¢Statistical induction leading to precise, exact and measurable conclusions; †¢It underlines the importance of relativity of economic laws and †¢It shows that generalizations are valid only under certain conditions. †¢However, this method suffers from †¢Risk of hurried conclusions having being drawn from an insufficient number of facts; †¢Difficulties involved in the collection of facts; †¢The fact that observation and experimentation have very limited application in a science that deals with human activities. Reference: http://classof1.com/homework-help/economics-homework-help

The Criminal Justice System Essay Example for Free

The Criminal Justice System Essay America imprisons 756 inmates per 100,000 residents, a rate nearly five times the worlds average. About one in every 31 adults in this country is in jail or on supervised release. Either we are the most evil people on earth or we are doing something very wrong. (Webb, 2009, p. 4) This paper will look at basic criminal law, the reasons for lives of crime, a brief outline of the modern criminal justice system, and its future. Criminal LawCriminal law seeks to protect the public from harm by inflicting punishment upon those who have already done harm and by threatening with punishment those who are tempted to do harm. Most people accept that there are consequences for criminal conduct. The consequences are generally unpleasant and take away from the law breaker either his liberty or his property. One purpose of criminal law is to respond to harmful acts committed by individuals. However, each type of law provides different responses. A person who acts in a way that is considered harmful to society in general may be prosecuted by the government in a criminal case. If the individual is convicted (found guilty) of the crime, he or she will be punished under criminal law by a fine, imprisonment, or death. Once someone is found guilty of a crime, either a felony or a misdemeanor, punishment is imposed. The reasons for punishing law breakers are varied, and in some instances the reason may vary with the crime. Each reason has its own purpose, with the principal reasons being: Deterrence, Incapacitation, Retribution, and Rehabilitation. (Davenport, 2009)DeterrenceImposing a penalty for a criminal act is also intended to deter that person from repeating the act. If the penalty is significant enough, the law breaker will think twice before doing it again. Also, when the penalties are well known and there is public dissemination of penalties for a particular crime, it is expected that others who might contemplate the crime would be deterred from engaging in the prohibited activity. (Clarkson, 2005, p. 38) When there is a trial, sentencing, and punishment imposed, there is often a lot of publicity. This publicity is part of the deterrent factor in imposing a criminal penalty. Deterrence is frequently an  argument used to support the death penalty. IncapacitationJail or prison terms generally lengthen with the seriousness of the crime. The longer sentences serve as both revenge and deterrence, and also can serve another purpose. The longer a person is in custody, the less opportunity that person has to commit new crimes. This is particularly true of repeat offenders, which is why there has been a movement toward laws known as three strikes which impose long prison terms or even life sentences on individuals with multiple convictions. When an offender has not been deterred by prior penalties, protection of potential victims from that offender becomes an important consideration. Long jail or prison terms for individuals with multiple DUIs are becoming common as a protection for society. At some point it is in societys best interest to protect itself by certifying that a dangerous person is unable to harm others and incapacitation through custody serves that interest. (Farrington, 2003)RetributionA crime is considered an act that not only injures the specific victim, but also harms society at large. (Davenport, 2009, p. 12) A persons harmful acts may outrage the society as a whole. This gives rise to a desire for revenge, and punishing the criminal tends to satisfy that need. Additionally, having a person punished by society provides some measure of revenge for the specific victim of the act. If society provides an adequate punishment, the need for an individual to seek revenge personally is diminished and provides incentive to seek retribution through law enforcement. (Davenport, 2009)RehabilitationThere is also a value that every human life has meaning and worth, that there is a spark of good in everyone, even those who have chosen to break the laws of society. With that thought in mind, places that were previously known as jail or prison have become Departments of Correction. Some rehabilitation may come from within a person who is incarcerated. Criminals who are imprisoned may evaluate their actions and reshape their behavior so that when their liberty is restored they are able to readjust to  the boundaries of the law. Often programs are offered to offenders to assist in dealing with certain problems. Participation in programs such as drug and alcohol counseling or domestic violence education serves to potentially rehabilitate an individual. Involvement in such programs is often a condition of either continued freedom or reduction of jail time. (Davenport, 2009, p. 41)Justification for criminal punishment is not mutually exclusive. A particular punishment may advance several goals at the same time. A term of imprisonment, for example, may serve to incapacitate the offender, deter others in society from committing similar acts, and, at the same time, provide an opportunity for rehabilitative treatment of the offender. On the other hand, the goals of punishment may at times conflict. Retribution and deterrence call for the infliction of unpleasant experiences upon the criminal, including harsh prison treatment; but the prison environment may not be conducive to, or may even defeat, rehabilitation. Some offenders may even learn to become better criminals while incarcerated. Criminal CareersWhy do criminals pursue careers in crime? To understand the life of a career criminal we must first look at some Historical Backgrounds and Criminal Career Patterns. Historical BackgroundsThere are many theories as to why criminal activity occurs. The classical school theory has five basic concepts. One; everyone has free will. This means that a person chooses to do right or wrong. It also states that the two main determinates of human behavior are pleasure and pain. This theory also states that crime is immoral because of the bond that the act puts between the individual and their society. Also, that punishment is a necessary evil that can keep violators from repeating the crimes and sets examples for others. Finally they believe crime prevention helps to offset the gains of criminal behavior. (Davenport, 2009)Criminal Career PatternsThere appear to be ten widely accepted conclusions about the development of offending (Farrington, 2003):1 The age of onset of offending is most typically between ages 8 and 14, earlier with self-report data and later with official records, while the age of desistance from offending is  typically between 20 and 29 (though a small subset of offenders continue well into adulthood). 2 The prevalence of offending peaks in the late teenage years: between ages 15 and 19. 3 An early age of onset predicts a relatively long criminal career duration and the commission of relatively more offenses. 4 There is marked continuity in offending and antisocial behavior from childhood to the teenage years and adulthood. In other words, there is relative stability of the ordering of people on some measure of antisocial behavior over time, and people who commit relatively many offenses during one age range have a high probability of also committing relatively many offenses during a later age range. 5 A small fraction of the population (chronic offenders) commit a large fraction of all crimes; chronic offenders tend to have an early onset, a high individual offending frequency, and a long criminal career. 6 Offending is more versatile than specialized; violent offenders in particular appear to offend frequently in other kinds of offenses. 7 The types of acts defined as offenses are elements of a larger syndrome of antisocial behavior that includes heavy drinking, reckless driving, promiscuous sex, and so forth. 8 It appears that, as people enter adulthood, they change from group to lone offending. In fact, most offenses up to the late teenage years are committed with others, whereas most offenses from age 20 onward are committed alone. 9 The reasons given for offending up to the late teenage years are quite variable, including excitement/enjoyment, boredom, and/or emotional or utilitarian reasons. From age 20 onward, utilitarian motives become increasingly dominant. 10 Different types of offenses tend to be first committed at distinctively different ages. This sort of progression is such that shoplifting tends to be committed before burglary, burglary before robbery, and so forth. In general, diversification increases up to age 20; but after age 20, diversification decreases and specialization increases. Analysis of criminal careers has great value. Understanding why or how offenders get involved in a life of crime can lead to policies and procedures that can prevent criminal careers from developing. I have asked offenders in the prison I work in why they did their crime. Most answered that they needed money, some were gang related, and others done out of fits of rage. Most of them thought they would not get caught while some others just did not care or showed no remorse those are the scary ones. The Criminal Justice SystemThe criminal justice system has three component subsystems, they are: Police, Courts, and Corrections (Schmalleger, 2007). PoliceThe first step in the criminal justice system is the police officers or federal agents. When a crime is committed the police investigate the crime scene and if the suspect is still present they arrest the person. The police officer must always read the suspect his/her rights before questioning. During the questioning the suspect has the right to refuse to answer any questions at anytime during the questioning and ask for a lawyer. If the suspect is not at the scene of a crime, after an investigation the police will make a report and a judge or magistrate will issue a warrant for the suspects arrest. After an arrest the suspect is booked. This is a process where he/she has a picture taken, finger printed, and personal information is recorded (Schmalleger, 2007). CourtsThe prosecutors office becomes involved after an arrest. The information that is collected at the scene of the crime is turned over to the prosecutions office so they can determine if enough evidence exists for a conviction. It is not a good idea for a prosecutor to be involved in the beginning of an investigation because the defense counsel does not have the  opportunity till after they are either hired by the defendant or appointed one to them. The defense attorney is not involved in a criminal case until he/she is appointed or hired by the defendant. They cannot be involved prior to an indictment or arrest. At a preliminary hearing the defense attorney will hear the evidence presented and then determine if the evidence presented by the prosecution is strong enough for a plea bargain or a trial (Schmalleger, 2007). A judge or magistrates function begins with issuing a warrant if one is needed. A warrant is needed only if the criminal has not already been arrested. After a criminal defendant has been arrested, he/she is brought before a judge for a first appearance. This is when the judge will inform the defendant of the charges brought against him/her, read the defendant his/her rights again, and sometimes provide the defendant the opportunity to make bail. The next step for the criminal defendant is the preliminary hearing. During the preliminary hearing a judge will determine if there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed and if there is enough evidence to show the defendant committed the crime. This is when the prosecution presents the evidence to the judge and the defendant has the right to hire an attorney or if he/she cannot afford one the court will appoint the defendant a defense attorney (Schmalleger, 2007). The first appearance for a criminal defendant before the court that has the authority to conduct a trial, is called an arraignment (Schmalleger, 2007, p. 18). In this process the judge will hear the information (charges) and read it to the defendant, and again his/her rights are read to him/her by the judge. This is when the criminal defendant will enter a plea of either; not guilty, guilty, or no contest (Schmalleger, 2007). CorrectionsOffenders are then turned over to the correctional authorities, from the court system after the accused has been found guilty. Depending on the sentence, offenders will serve their time either in a jail or a prison. Jail is where you are held until you are sentenced. Jails are maintained by  municipalities or counties, and are generally used for incarceration sentences of less than one year. In most states, jail is for pre-trial detention for those who cannot raise bail (if bail is available), and also for post-conviction detention of those convicted on misdemeanor charges, which are defined as those convictions carrying a sentence of a year or less. Jails are generally run by counties, and every countys system will be different. Prisons are maintained by states or the federal government, and are used for sentences longer than one year. Prison is for post-conviction only, and is exclusively for felony convictions, that is, those charges with a sentence of a year or more. Prisons are operated by a states department of corrections (or equivalent agency), and tend to be more standardized; manning them are corrections officers from a statewide pool. The FutureLocal, state, and federal spending on corrections adds up to about $68 billion a year. Our overcrowded, ill managed prison systems are places of violence, physical abuse, and hate, making them breeding grounds that perpetuate and magnify the same types of behavior that they are intended to prevent. (Webb, 2009) One way that we can reverse this trend is through privatization. Corporations can bring more effective management and turn a tax drain into a profitable business. This can be done by employing the inmates as labor and giving them job skills at the same time. Another way we can reduce costs and prison overcrowding is by legalization and decriminalization of certain drugs. Drug offenders, most of them passive users or minor dealers, are swamping our prisons. According to data supplied to Congress Joint Economic Committee, those imprisoned for drug offenses rose from 10% of the inmate population to approximately 33% between 1984 and 2002. Experts estimate that this increase accounts for about half of the dramatic escalation in the total number imprisoned over that period. Justice statistics also show that 47.5% of all the drug arrests in our country in 2007 were for marijuana offenses. Additionally, nearly 60% of the people in state prisons serving time for a drug offense had no history of violence or of any significant selling activity. We need to save prisons and jails for  the more violent offenders. It is time to change the law. As a Correctional Officer, I have witnessed firsthand the results of the modern legal system. While there is clearly a lot of progress to be made there is also many educational and vocational programs available to offenders. The largest obstacle to their reform, however, is that the offender has to want to change. He must develop a conscious and be aware of the harm he has inflicted upon others. More importantly, he must have a desire to live productively, peacefully, and within the laws of society. References Clarkson, C. (2005). Understanding Criminal Law. London: Sweet Maxwell Ltd. Conklin, J. (2009). Criminology. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Davenport, A. (2009). Basic Criminal Law: The Constitution, Procedure, and Crimes. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Press. Farrington, D. (2003). Evidence-based Crime Prevention. New York: Routledge PressSchmalleger, F. (2007). Criminal Justice Today. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall Publishing. Webb, J. (2009, March 29). Whats Wrong With Our Prisons? Parade, 4-5.

Importance of Cost Reduction and Control

Importance of Cost Reduction and Control Assignment on financial principles and techniques Introduction Strategic investment decision making indicates the process of identifying, evaluating, and selecting among projects which are more likely to have significant effect on the organizations competitive advantage. More clearly, the decision influences what the organization does (i.e., the set of product and service attributes that are offerings of the organization), where it does it (i.e., the structural characteristics that determine the scope and geographical dispersion of organizations operations), and how it does it (i.e., the set of operating processes and work practice).The strategic investment decision making process is arguably one of senior management greatest challenges. It is significantly needed to get these decisions right. If the decision is successful, the firm can enjoy strategic as well as operational advantage. But while the decision proves wrong, either a potential opportunity is lost or it has needlessly spoiled substantial resources (through fruitless investment). Som e traditional approaches to strategic investment appraisals which include payback, accounting rate of return, return on investment, residual income, and discounted cash flow have been criticized on the basis of a number of grounds. Some main criticisms are their narrow perspective, exclusion of nonfinancial benefits, overemphasis on the short-term, faulty assumptions about the status quo, inconsistent treatment of inflation, and promotion of non-value adding behavior. Task 1 Cost Reduction Techniques. Cost reduction means reducing cost associated with production or other cost activities without affecting the quality of product or service as well as activities. Through cost reduction procedures or techniques managers reduce cost. For this they develop different cost reduction techniques. The success of any organization largely depends on how strategically cost is managed compared with that of competitors. It certainly provides competitive advantage which is essential in this hyper competitive market or business world. As the manager is the higher authority of any organization, they are to develop different types of policies and strategies to run the business successfully. Processes of Cost Reduction: Identify the Saving Make your prediction on saving Measure the process prior to adjustment Make the cost saving change Measure the process after Confirm saving has been made and it hasnt impacted other areas to make a loss. If YES move onto next project. If NO go back to the beginning and start again. Appropriate Costing System: Cost that is allocated to units of production can be actual cost or standard cost. In an actual or historical cost system, cost is allocated as they occur. Under standard costing system, product operations and process are costed through using standard for both activities and dollar amount. These standards are predetermined in advance of production. The actual cost system and standard cost system can be used with either job order or process cost accumulation approaches. Job order costing is applied to job order work in factories, workshops and repair shops as well as to work by builders, construction engineers and printers. A variation of the job order cost method is that of costing orders by lots. In the shoe manufacturing companies for example, a contract is typically divided into lots which consists of 100 to 250 pairs of one size and style of shoe. The cost is then accumulated for each lot. On the other hand, the process cost system is applied to industries such as flour mills, br eweries, chemical plants and textile factories. However there are many companies that use both job order and process costing according to their needs. The basic difference between job order costing and process costing is the breadth of the denominator. The denominator of job order costing system is small (e.g.: one painting 100 advertising circulars, one special package machine or one highway bridge). But in the case of process costing, the denominator is large (e.g.: thousands of pounds, gallons or board feet.). Task 2 The importance of developing cost reduction techniques: It helps to enhance management performance or efficiency It helps to know the nature of cost It helps to reduce the cost of operations of the organization It helps to set competitive price of product or service It helps to increase market share in the industry It helps to increase profit or return It helps to enjoy competitive advantage over competitors Proposed costing and pricing systems Basis of Costing Methods Material cost Labor cost Overhead cost Opportunity cost Structure of Costing Costing principles and methodology Fixed and variable cost Direct cost (material and labor) Indirect cost (overhead and activity based costing) Product cost and periodic cost Product cost and sales cost Actual Costing To set actual cost To change to actual cost To analyze variance Evaluation of Project Breakeven analysis Marginal contribution Opportunity cost Payback NPV,DCF, IRR ROI ROC Project Case Pricing How to cost project correctly How to get project approve What cost to exclude Essential cost to include A business case proposal Preparing a Master Budget Master budget is a comprehensive planning document which incorporates several other individual budgets. The operation budget consists of eight individual budgets which are as follows: Sales budget: The sales budget shows the expected sales in units at their expected selling price in a certain period of time. A business firm generally prepares the sales budget for a given period of time on the basis forecasted sales level, production capacity, as well as long and short term goals. Production Budget: Production budget is a plan for obtaining the resources needed to carry out the manufacturing operations of the organization to meet up the expected sales and maintain the expected level of ending inventory. The current production level depends on sales level, units of finished goods ending and beginning inventory. Direct Material Budget: The directed material budget shows the direct materials business firm needs for its production and the budgeted cost. This budget is very much related to production budget. Direct Labor Budget: To prepare direct labor budget and the direct materials budget, production budget is needed. It helps personnel department of the organization to plan for new hires and repositioning of employees. A good labor budget is very helpful for a business firm to avoid urgent hiring and help to prevent the shortage of labor. Factory Overhead Budget: This budget includes all the production costs except for direct materials and direct labor budgets. Manufacturing cost is the cost that varies in direct proportion with the manufactured units and how the business firm carries out its operation. Selling and administrative expenses budget: This type of budget indicates a plan for all non-manufacturing expenses. This budget provides you with a guideline for selling and administrative activities for the period of your budget. Budgeted income Statement: Budgeted income statement is the last part of operational of a master budget. It actually estimates the expected operating income from budgeted operations in a certain period of time. The second part of master budget includes financial budget and financial budget is the combination of following two individual budgets: Cash Budget: A cash budget shows the effect/impact of all the budgeted activities on cash. Through preparing a cash budget, the management of a business firm is supposed to be able to make sure that they have sufficient cash on hand needed to carry out activities. It also helps them to have enough time to plan for any additional financing and plan for investment of surplus cash. Budgeted Balance Sheet: Budgeted balance sheet is the last part in preparing master budget. This budgeted balance sheet shows the expected financial position at the end of the fiscal year (at a point of time) or budget period. It is very important to understand how to prepare a master budget since it helps a business to maximize its profit/return and to have a good handle on their budget period. Potential for the Use of Activity Based Costing ABC system provides highly accurate product or customer cost that a company can use for strategic decision. This system helps to understand the cause effects relationship between day to day activities and product or customer cost and theory aids the operational control purpose of cost management system. Task 3 Calculation of ratio Ratio analysis of Amber Lights ltd for two years is as follows: Last Year a) Return on capital employed = Net Profit/Total capital = 8000/109000 = 7.34% b) Return on ordinary shareholders fund = Net profit/ ordinary shareholders fund =8000/16000 =50% c) Gross profit margin = Gross profit/Net sales = 92000/350000 =26.29% d) Net profit margin = Net profit/Net sales =8000/350000 =2.29% e) Current ratio = Current asset/current liabilities =110000/50000 =2.2:1 f) Acid test ratio =C.A-Closing stock/ current liabilities =110-44/50 =1.32:1 g) Average stock turnover period =Cost of sales/Average Inventory =258000/44000 =5.86 times Period =360/5.86 =61.43 days This Year a) Return on capital employed = Net Profit/Total capital = 12000/117000 = 10.26% b) Return on ordinary shareholders fund = Net profit/ ordinary shareholders fund = 12000/16000 =75% c) Gross profit margin = Gross profit/Net sales =110000/420000 =26.19% d) Net profit margin = Net profit/Net sales =12000/420000 =2.86% e) Current ratio = Current asset/current liabilities =136000/92000 =1.48:1 f) Acid test ratio =C.A-Closing stock/ current liabilities =136000-63000/92000 =.79:1 g) Average stock turnover period =Cost of sales/Average Inventory =310000/63000 =4.92 times Period =360/4.92 Analysis of Operating Efficiency and Profitability The given ratio of Amber Lights ltd. indicates two types of ratio including operating efficiency and profitability. The operating profitability ratio indicates that return on capital employed ratio of last year is 10.26% and this year is 7.34%, return on ordinary shareholders fund ratio of last year is 50% and this year is 75%, gross profit margin of last year is 26.29% and this year is 26.19%, on the other hand, net profit margin ratio is 2.29% and this year is 2.86%.So we can say from the above discussion that operating profitability of two year is very close except ordinary shareholder fund. So this year performance is better than last year. We also see from the operating efficiency ratio that current ratio of last year is 2.20:1 and current year is 1.48:1, acid test ratio of last year is 1.32:1 and current year is .79:1, and average stock turn over period of last year is 61.43 days and this year is 73.17 days. From the given data of last year and the current year of Amber Lights ltd we find that last year performance is better than this year. So from the given data analysis we can say that last year operating efficiency was better than that of current year. Limitation of Ratio Analysis: Although ratio analysis provides important implications, there are some limitations of ratio analysis. The main limitations of ratio analysis are given below: Accounting treatment varies between firms Firms with different divisions operating in different industries make it difficult to find industry ratio analysis Some Results may be in consistent Ratios which are outside an industry range might be cause of much concern. Task 4 Financial Appraisal Methods There are several different appraisal methods and each of those methods has its particular applications, advantages and drawbacks. Simple Payback This is one of the simplest and widely recognized methods of cost/benefit analysis. Payback period is defined as the length of time required to recover the original investment on the project, through cash flows. The cash flows include operating profit, less income tax payable, plus depreciation. Internal Rate of Return It can be said that it is the mostly used method for the financial evaluation of a companys investment. The internal rate of return (IRR) can be defined as the rate of return required to make the present value of future cash flows plus the final market value of the investment, equal to the current market price for the investment. Actually it is a discount rate making the net present value equal to zero. Average Rate of Return The average rate of return is calculated profit after tax divided by book value of investment. Under this method, the entire life of any project is considered. Net Present Value Net present value is one of the discounted cash flow techniques. This method considers time value of money. It is calculated as present value of future cash inflows over the life of the project less present value of cash outflows. Benefit Cost Ratio Benefit cost ratio is another version of net present approach. Under this approach, the benefits from the project are reduced to their present value at a specified rate of discount and this figure is divided by the present value of the cost of the project. Discounted Cash Flow This approach actually represents what a company is willing to pay at the present (today) to receive anticipated cash flow in future years. So it is a process of converting future earnings into todays money. Future cash flows are discounted to demonstrate their present values and determine the value of the project. These are well established and understood appraisal tools to financially evaluate projects. All appraisal methods are not supposed to provide the same result. Increasingly, with the creation of stakeholder value being determined by an organizations environmental and social policies and values, new criteria and perspectives will have to be factored into organizations decision-making process. Strategic Issues in Making Investment Decisions The prime objective of every business organization is to make money for the owners now and in the future. Investment decision plays a significant role in making investment decisions. Both quantitative as well as qualitative issues must be considered in decision making. Short-term decisions are relatively easy on the quantitative side: Would you rather spend $10,000 or $15,000 given the same revenue? Would you rather sell something for $5.00 per unit or $7.00 per unit given the same costs? Would you rather have net income of $60,000 or $50,000? Long-term (investment) decision involves two additional dimensions as follows: Timing Magnitude Discounted Cash Flow Analysis addresses the timing issue. Discounted Cash Flows (DCF Analysis) A dollar today is worth more than a dollar in the future. A dollar in the future is worth less than a dollar today. Steps to DCF To determine future cash flows To determine the appropriate discount rate Higher discount rate = lower present value Lower discount rate = higher present value High risk generally requires greater return Higher risk = higher discount rate Discount the future cash flows by using the selected hurdle rate Compare the present value of the future cash flows to the investment If PV of inflows > PV of outflows, project is acceptable If PV of inflows < PV of outflows, project is rejected NPV = PV of all Inflows PV of all outflows Tools of DCF: PV = to compute the present value of single future amount or a set annuity using a given particular discount rate FV = to compute the future value of a single present amount or a set annuity given a particular discount rate Rate = to computes the particular discount rate needed to convert a present value to a future value or a future value to a present value NPV = to computes the net present value of a series of dissimilar future cash flows given a particular discount (hurdle) rate If NPV > 0, the investment is acceptable If NPV < 0, the investment is rejected IRR = computes the discount (hurdle) rate which makes net present value equal to zero. If IRR > the hurdle rate, the investment is acceptable If IRR < the hurdle rate, the investment is rejected Example: Suppose, company XYZ wants to make investment decision of $ 200000 for a project. The company must justify the PV of cash inflows and compare it with the cash outflows. If the value of PV is greater than cash outflow then the company should accept the project. Conclusion: Cost concept is very essential for decision making process. As the manager is the higher authority of any organization, they are to develop different types of policies and strategy to run the business successfully. So development of cost reduction procedures is one of the most important strategies. It is very important to develop cost reduction procedures because it increases the profit of the firm through reducing cost of production. If the manager cannot control cost their operating expense will be higher and higher and therefore reducing the profit of the firm. A firm which can not control cost cannot sustain in the competitive business world. So to make proper investment decisions financial managers should have clear knowledge about financial principles and techniques for better performance.

Who Is To Blame? :: essays research papers

Throughout the Elizabethan Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet there have been key people responsible for the two young lovers' deaths. The main reasons for the death of these two fine individuals may be found on the consciences of the people surrounding them both. It may also be the feud. between their families, and the well-meaning but misguided assistance of others? Before all of this may by judged, we must think if this was nothing but fate that brought these two lustful teens to their deaths.Before the facts may be stated, I must first introduce the main people that may have had a powerful effect on Romeo or Juliet. The friends of Romeo, Merutio and Benvolio, are slightly to blame. Benvolio, the peace maker, may have tried to help but most likely he wasn't to blame. Mercutio, the mean prankster, was largely responsible for the death of himself and Tybalt. Mercutio was the main reason for Romeo's anger toward Tybalt. The main person responsible for Romeo's death was most likely Friar Lewernce. He was the person that took these too newly met, lustful children into their marriage. Since the two children were married so soon and at such a young age, this made them very unable to make their own important decisions. This can be proved about Romeo when he was banished he bellowed like a little baby. The nurse had to make young Romeo act like a man just to think about Juliet instead of just himself. The main reason for the Friar's decision to make the two be married is because this may help their families stop fighting. In the end this was proven to be indispensably the motivation for the two kids to kill themselves.Numerous individuals were accountable for the death of Juliet. The main people that were responsible for this happening were the nurse and lady Capulet. The nurse, being a blabbermouth out spoken person, was most responsible for her death. She never acknowledged that maybe Juliet wasn't ready for this immense of a step in her life. The nurse never took any responsibility for her deadly actions for Juliet. In Act two-Scene four the nurse warns Romeo to be true to Juliet.

An Analysis of Margaret Atwoods Siren Song Essay examples -- Siren So

An Analysis of Margaret Atwood's Siren Song Throughout her many years as a poet, Margaret Atwood has dealt with a variety of subjects within the spectrum of relationship dynamics and the way men and women behave in romantic association. In much of her poetry, Atwood has addressed the topics of female subjugation in correlation with male domination, individual dynamics, and even female domination over males within the invisible boundaries of romantic relationships. With every poem written, Atwood's method for conveying the message of the poem has remained cryptic. She uses a variety of poetic devices - sometimes layered quite thickly - to communicate those themes dealing with human emotion. In the poem, Siren Song, Margaret Atwood employs such devices as imagery and tone to express and comment on the role of the dominating "siren" that some women choose to play in their relationships.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "Siren Song" opens with the feel that the reader has just walked into a story being told by the speaker. It even seems to give the effect of literally walking a few moments late into a storytelling session. In this particular session, the speaker seems to be a woman portraying herself as a siren of ancient Greek lore. In literature, these mythological beings are most frequently described as creatures with the face of a woman and the feathered body of a bird, cursed to exist as such by the goddess Demeter. They were cursed for having stood by during the kidnapping of Demeter's daughter Persephone, when Hades whisked her away to the underworld. The sirens supposedly lived on a series of rocky islands and, with the irresistible charm of their songs, they lured mariners to their destruction on the rocks surrounding the islands. The ima... ... with them without denying herself the right to exist on her own terms. She does not fear her own nature, and she is not afraid to play the dominant role. Being a siren, though, means never truly getting close to anyone - victims do not last long - and so, on some level, her words must be double-edged. She may not be afraid and she may not regret the so-called deaths of these men, but she does seem to regret the death of something else. Perhaps this something else is her own heart, now seemingly incapable of 'normal' sentiment. This siren may not only be a portrait of a specific female role in romantic relationships, but she may also be a form of commentary on that role. The siren may also be seen as a depiction of the loneliness that stems from toying with the human heart. With her song, she provides a warning to the readers about the fate that follows such games.

Planet of the Apes Essay -- essays research papers

Planet of the Apes When Planet of the Apes opened in theaters, few people knew what to expect. To most, the idea of a movie with the premise of a planet full of intelligent apes went against everything they had been taught. The initial attraction was the superb cast, spearheaded by Charlton Heston who portrays Taylor, an astronaut who crashes onto the planet. Heston was joined by many popular actors and actress such as, Roddy McDowell as Cornelius, Maurice Evans as Dr. Zaius and Kim Hunter as Zira. Though the cast may have been the initial draw, the content is what has made the movie Planet of the Apes a classic that will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come. The movie Planet of the Apes deals with a great number of issues that come up in everyday societal life. If one looks closely at the story, it is very easy to realize that Planet of the Apes is not at all about apes, but truly about mankind. It is a story about the human condition, and the way humans interact with their natural environment. It is a story about the dangers of religion, and even more powerfully a warning about the dangers of a politically active church. Planet of the Apes is a political allegory. From the beginning to the end of the film, the viewer is shown a picture of a world ruled by a heavy handed government, and led by apes that represent the church and state alike. The main character that is an example of this is Dr. Zaius, â€Å"Chief Prosecutor and Defender of the Faith,† who rules both nat... Planet of the Apes Essay -- essays research papers Planet of the Apes When Planet of the Apes opened in theaters, few people knew what to expect. To most, the idea of a movie with the premise of a planet full of intelligent apes went against everything they had been taught. The initial attraction was the superb cast, spearheaded by Charlton Heston who portrays Taylor, an astronaut who crashes onto the planet. Heston was joined by many popular actors and actress such as, Roddy McDowell as Cornelius, Maurice Evans as Dr. Zaius and Kim Hunter as Zira. Though the cast may have been the initial draw, the content is what has made the movie Planet of the Apes a classic that will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come. The movie Planet of the Apes deals with a great number of issues that come up in everyday societal life. If one looks closely at the story, it is very easy to realize that Planet of the Apes is not at all about apes, but truly about mankind. It is a story about the human condition, and the way humans interact with their natural environment. It is a story about the dangers of religion, and even more powerfully a warning about the dangers of a politically active church. Planet of the Apes is a political allegory. From the beginning to the end of the film, the viewer is shown a picture of a world ruled by a heavy handed government, and led by apes that represent the church and state alike. The main character that is an example of this is Dr. Zaius, â€Å"Chief Prosecutor and Defender of the Faith,† who rules both nat...

Hospitality Story Assignment Essay

This paper discusses strategic opportunities for a unique non-profit venture. The equine industry is one among the major animal industry in the world. This is because horses – the layman’s term for equine – are one of the most expensive animals to buy and to take care of. Equines can be considered as a pet for animal lovers, a practical means of transport within the farm or to country-side areas, and also a good form of business in a way of breeding and racing quality horses. But what happens to the race horses that can no longer race? Introduction The equine industry is one among the major animal industries in the world. This is because horses – the layman’s term for equine – are one of the most expensive animals to buy and to take care of. Horses can be considered as a pet for animal lovers, a practical means of transport within the farm or to country-side areas, and also a good form of business in a way of breeding and racing horses. Indeed, there are a number of uses that can be applied for the horses. This is the very reason why the equine industry has been receiving great attention both from the government sector and the private animal-related organizations. There are a series of laws and regulations made to facilitate the smooth flow of equine industry, both in the business and health perspectives. Background Racing Industry History Horses, one of the most fascinating animals in the history of mankind, have been an integral part of society since the beginning of civilization. In the days of primitive culture, man looked towards the horse as a source of food. Since that time however, he has relied on the horse for warfare, work, transportation and sport. After God, said the Spanish conquistadors, we owed the victory to the horse. With equal truth it can be asserted that much of our human progress has been dependent upon the use man has made of the horse (Edwards, 1985). Edward’s affirmation is further proven throughout history. From the migration of primitive nomads to the conquering of entire civilizations, there is no aspect of life that the horse has not affected. The horses’ history began millions of years before humans even evolved. Horses were so important to ancient society, that such evidence is depicted through many works of art and literature. Through these remnants one can see exactly how horses were eaten, sacrificed, worshiped and ridden in battle since pre-historic times. Often times, especially in mythology, certain ideas about horses came about from an explanation of actual events. What is known today as the modern horse took many years to evolve into what it has become. â€Å"One of the earliest records of man riding a horse is an engraving on bone, found at Susa from the third millennium BC† (Edwards, 1985). As they became more popular, horses soon replaced reindeer, and were used to draw sleds in Northern Europe. Likewise, horses also began to replace other animals as a vehicle. A mounted man on these fast-moving creatures could certainly hunt with greater efficiency. â€Å"The first time man employed some means other than human power was an immense step in world history† (Roberts, 1987). â€Å"Man’s domestication of the horse throughout the centuries has been so thorough and comprehensive that there are really no truly wild horses left in existence† (Roberts, 1987). Although horses do run free in the world, they are all decedents of some form of domesticated animal. The Breeders Breeders of Thoroughbred racehorses have a motto: â€Å"Breed the best to the best, and hope for the best. † Farms from California to New York, Florida to Maryland, are all trying to emulate what breeders in the state of Kentucky have done for centuries — produce champions. For breeders, the study of bloodlines is a way of life. The art of matching a dam (the horse’s mother) with a sire (the father) to produce a top foal is part art form, part science, and a great deal of luck. For instance, Alydar, who finished second to Affirmed in all the 1978 Triple Crown races, sired a pair of Kentucky Derby winners in Alysheba (1987) and Strike the Gold (1991); Affirmed has yet to sire a Derby winner. The breeder will contribute to the race horse shelter every time a thoroughbred race horse is registered with the Jockey Association. This fee, of $200. 00 is collected by The Jockey Association and sent directly to the shelter to help with the costs of providing food, shelter and medical care for the horses. The fee will also provide the necessary salaries to the members of the team. The Horses The Thoroughbred breed originates from the Middle East, where centuries ago Arab rulers bred their great stallions to select mares in the hopes of producing faster and stronger horses. The lineage, or family history, of a horse is known as its pedigree. Soon after a horse’s birth, the owner and/or breeder registers it with The Jockey Club, the official racing record keeping organization for the breed. After the colt (male) or filly (female) is born, the breeder puts in countless hours of hard work to get the horse ready for the races. While most thoroughbreds are born between January and June, they have a universal birthday of January 1. This standard was set up to simplify the process of creating races for horses of a certain age. (For example, the Kentucky Derby is restricted to three year olds). During the young horse’s first autumn, they are separated from the mother and grouped together with other â€Å"weanlings†; continuing to grow and learn. The following spring, the developing horses, now known as â€Å"yearlings† will begin to be taught the ways of the racetrack. Beginning with the first days of placing a saddle on their back, they are being trained for a career at the races. The young horses begin training at on their â€Å"home† farm or shipped to a training facility to be â€Å"broken† for riding and eventually racing. Developing a good racehorse takes considerable time and patience. Training begins slowly, with light jogs and gallops around the track; developing a routine to get the horse accustomed to track life. Later, serious training begins; they start to put in longer gallops to build stamina, and work their way up to a â€Å"two-minute lick†, meaning a robust mile gallop in two minutes. As it gets closer to their second birthday, the casual farm life has been left behind. Horses at this age now begin workouts, usually starting with 1/8 of a mile, called their first â€Å"blowout†, and working their way up as the day of moving from training center to racetrack nears. The Thoroughbred on the Track Today, Thoroughbreds generally begin their racing career at age two (Remember, all racehorses have a universal birthday of January 1), and remain racing as long as they are main competitive or until retirement for breeding purposes. A Thoroughbred is not considered an adult horse until it is five years of age, so when they begin their career at age two or three, they are really just developing children and teenagers. Horses go through a lot of growing pains and changes during this time. Often you will see precocious two-year-olds that are touted as next year’s Kentucky Derby favorite that end up no where to be seen come that first Saturday in May. Most everyone in racing will tell you that their dream is to see their horse in the Derby winner’s circle, but with some 35,000 foals born in the United States each year, and only 20 maximum make it to the race, reality sets in quickly. So even if a horse doesn’t make the Derby, there are plenty of opportunities for a horse to be successful on the track. As a horse develops, it usually acquires a certain racing style; whether it is a front-runner or off-the-pace type, or maybe it prefers racing on turf rather than dirt. There is the rare animal that is comfortable no matter how the race develops or on any type of track, able to adapt to every situation. Whatever their style, the bettor needs to compare it to the rest of the horses in the field and see how the race might unfold. The Trainers While the jockey is usually the person that the racing fans most identify with, the single most important player in a racehorse’s life is the trainer. Trainers generally earn their money in two ways: through a â€Å"day rate† they charge the owner(s) for day-to-day training; and â€Å"stakes† they earn when their owner’s horse wins a race, usually 10% of the owners winnings. The trainer is comparable to a team’s coach – continually trying to produce winners with a constantly changing barnful of talent. For every horse in the barn, the trainer teaches them how to race, hones their speed, builds their endurance, sees to their care, and calls in help to heal their injuries. All horses possess a certain amount of class; ultimately telling in the level of race at which they will be successful. As a trainer begins to work with a horse, they assess that class and train accordingly. For the fans, training is like practicing. Horses are trained almost every morning, when they are taken to the racetrack to walk, jog, gallop or workout, depending on their schedule. Workouts are the most noteworthy part of the training regimen. Shorter workouts (those a half mile or under) are designed to increase speed, while longer ones build stamina. As with any athlete, horses experience physical problems. This is where the keen eye of an experienced trainer can significantly affect a horse’s career. Racehorses are by nature delicate, and by closely watching for and treating injuries before they become serious, the trainer will save his horse, owner and himself a lot of problems. For medical problems, trainers call in their veterinarian. At all racetracks, there are a group of vets who, usually working out of their vehicle instead of an office, travel through the barn area taking care of their clients’ horses day to day needs. After all of this, the trainer still has to select the races in which the horses will compete. Trainers use the condition book, created by the Racing Secretary, to select the type of race for each horse in the stable. For example, if the horse has yet to win, it would be entered in a â€Å"maiden† race against other non-winners. An old horsemen’s adage is to, â€Å"keep myself in the best company and my horses in the worst†. Easier said than done, but some trainers have the knack. For the bettor, it is essential to watch the trainers and see which ones are the most successful. The track program has a stats page for trainers, with all the information needed evaluate when they are most successful. Knowing the trainers and being able to pick up on their hot and cold spells is a top priority in making winning selections at the track. The trainer will contribute to the race horse shelter every time a thoroughbred race horse is registered as a racing horse. This fee, of $100. 00 is collected by the race track and sent directly to the shelter to help with the costs of providing food, shelter and medical care for the horses. The fee will also provide the necessary salaries to the members of the team. The Jockeys Jockeys generally get their mounts in races when the horses are training each morning. A jockey employs an agent, who, working for a percentage of their rider’s winnings, tries to secure the best horse for them in each race. The tricky part for the agent comes when several trainers want their rider for the same race. Now the jockey’s agent is like any bettor – they are handicapping the horses and putting their rider on the most likely winner. Riding atop a Thoroughbred at speeds up to 40 miles per hour for a mile or more requires tremendous athletic ability and concentration. The best jockeys are skillful strategists and superior gamesmen. They are experts at bringing out the best qualities of their mounts. Top riders are also familiar with the characteristics of many other horses in the race. In addition to the athletic demands of racing, a jockey must maintain a certain weight for riding, normally between 100 and 115 pounds. Strict dieting and conditioning programs are a constant concern for most riders. The jockeys will be desired as caregivers and exercisers for the horses residing at the race horse shelter. The jockeys will be a salaried employee of the team. Many jockeys have a hard time finding employment after their racing careers are over. The race horse shelter will provide employment for these retire jockeys. Racehorse Industry The racehorse industry has been demonstrating positive levels of success and has had a considerable impact on the market overall. A 2003 summary report provided by the Louisiana State University summarized the successes and contributions of the horse industry as follow: â€Å"The race horse industry is composed of 1,178 breeders who own 10,161 mares that produced 5,971 foals that were sold in 2003 for $35. 8 million. These breeders own 1,977 stallions that were bred to 5,313 mares, generating income from stud fees of $13. 3 million. The total income generated from racehorse production was $49. 1 million. An additional 2,229 racehorse owners owned 10,903 racehorses in training or on the track at a value of $109 million. The impact of racehorse owners and breeders’ activities in 2003 was $158. 1 million. The show and competition horse industry (horse shows, barrel racing, cutting, roping, team penning, etc. ) is composed of 2,600 breeders who own 7,847 mares that produced 4,901 foals that were sold for $14. 7 million. These breeders own 718 stallions that bred 8,351 mares, generating $12. 5 million in income from stud fees. The total income generated from show and competition horse production was $27. 2 million. Another 4,634 owners compete on their 14,901 horses valued at $59. 6 million. The total impact of the show and competition horse industry is $86. 8 million. A large portion of the horse industry is recreational. The horse is used for comfort, exercise and enjoyment. About 20% or 8,570 of the recreational horse owners bred 21,554 mares and sold 11,392 foals in 2003 for $17. 1 million. These horsemen own 933 stallions that were bred to 5,924 mares, generating income from stud fees of $592,400. The total income from production in the recreational horse industry was $17. 6 million in 2003. Another 25,453 recreational horse owners have 61,366 horses valued at $61 million. There are 129,022 registered horses in Louisiana, owned by 45,331 horsemen. These horses are valued at $324 million. An additional 70,000 grade and other equines are owned by 25,000 people who have a $210 million impact on the economy. In addition to the value of horses produced and maintained in Louisiana, the activities of the horse industry generate a tremendous cash flow. The four racetracks employ 3,000 people and generate expenditures of about $1 billion per year. The show and competition industry conducts an estimated 500 activities per year and generates $12. 5 million in expenditures. With the value of horses, expenditures on horses and the activities in which they engage, the impact of the horse industry is estimated at $1. 6 billion per year. † (LSU, 2003). Apparently, the industry is heading in a positive direction. However, there needs to be better regulation of the industry, particularly in the development of appropriate business ethics to govern those involved in the industry. Sensible business ethics are one of the keys to organizational success. As a corporate strategy businesses involved with horses should lobby for effective legislation to protect the consumer, the business owner and the horse. In the U. K. , for example, all horses are required to possess a passport according to a legislation that came into effect on 31 December 2003. Other European countries have similar requirements. Even though horse owners previously registered horses this was on a voluntary basis for horses born after 1 January 1998. The new requirement ensures that all horses, particularly those specifically reared for the purposes of slaughtering and consumption, have a passport containing a history of veterinary medicines so that certain medicines do not pass along the food chain to humans. This requirement is also a more effective way of controlling over breeding in certain areas (Defra, 2002). Policies such as these are useful guidelines for conducting business so that managers adopt correct strategies in all aspects of the industry. Organizations must provide these business ethics and rights to employees (as well as to the livestock of the agriculture or farm industry) to safeguard their needs, to maintain friendly working environment, and to provide boost to a certain industry. Managers cannot anticipate that there will not be challenges in implementing certain principles that will contribute to eventual organizational success. Jonash (2005) warns that business owners need to be willing to face the challenges that go along with difficult business decisions and strategies. He holds that achieving short, medium and long-term success is not easy. He suggests that managers accept the reality that there are no quick fixes to organizational problems and thus should be willing to follow through with tested and proven strategies even if the implementation process seems difficult. The above-mentioned statistics show clearly that this system is working very well in the US and can even improve if the overall racehorse industry follows proper policies and procedures. Slaughter Industry History Slaughterhouses slaughter, for consumption, horses which have outlived their usefulness, or are in poor health condition. The history of horse slaughter houses can be trace back from the 8th century when Pope Gregorio III declared that the consumption of horse meat for food is an abominable act (Martuzzi et. al. , n. d. ). He also declared the people eating it as unclean people. However, until today, the use of horse meat is rampant. Customers who use horsemeat in their diet purchase the slaughtered meat in large quantities (House of Commons Hansard, 2002). Horses are slaughtered for meat and sold in France, Belgium, Holland, Japan and Italy. This mainly originates from the horse slaughtering houses that are widely distributed in Europe and in America. It was in 1928 when the selling of horse meat was strictly prohibited. However, the eventual abolition of this law may be the caused of the emanating horse slaughtering houses. During 1995-2000, the number of horse slaughtering houses along with horse consumption increased. It was only in 1999 when a decrease in the trend was observed and this was mainly caused by BSE, a disease that can be obtained from eating animal meat. More recently (2005), â€Å"around 100,000 horses are slaughtered each year in the United States alone †¦ to be slaughtered† (Meszoly, 2006). Among this large number of horses, 20,000 were exported alive to their countries. These countries include Japan, Mexico, and Canada (Reeves, n. d). In line with the rampant case of horse slaughtering houses, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act was established. Its primary goal is to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Most recently, it was on August 2, 2007 when an amendment to the 2008 Agriculture Appropriations bill was approved. This is another move to stop the act done by horse slaughtering horses, to remove its history, present deeds and future acts. Humane Society History The word humane means merciful, sympathetic and benevolent. (HSI Europe, 2008). The humane society is a collective effort of an association to ensure that feelings of mercy and benevolence spread among the local people not only towards their fellow humans but also towards all the â€Å"living beings† around them. These living beings include a whole range of animals, birds and at times even plants. Most recently altering the gene of animals through genetic engineering for the purpose of mere experimentation are also taken into serious consideration by the modern humane societies. Humane societies aim to prohibit in-humane and brutal behavior towards other humans and animals. Today humane societies for animal protection are specifically called â€Å"societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals (SPCA’s)† (HSI Europe, 2008). Brief Aims and Purposes of Humane Societies The basic aim of most humane societies and SPCA’s, remains to be the prevention of cruelty against animals. If animals cannot voice their own demands and cannot speak up against the brutalities being committed on them, it does not mean that humans should take advantage of them and justify their cruel acts to be correct. Other major purposes include dealing with the problem of shelter, adoption and euthanasia. Euthanasia (bringing about an easy death) is carried out in order to deal with the problems of unwanted animals in a community and prevent conditions of overcrowding in animal shelters. However, some SPCA’s have a no kill policy. This nevertheless does not mean that euthanasia is completely avoided; it means that it is used only very rarely in serious situations. On the international and national front many organizations fight for the rights of wildlife and work animals which face extremely harsh treatment from poachers, smugglers, hunters and other people who kill or use animals merely for economic gain and people who employ animals to work for them. History of Humane Societies United States of America: Though England was possibly the first known country to have set up a humane society, other countries like USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand were quick to follow. Henry Burgh founded the first humane society of USA in 1866 in New York, known as the â€Å"American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)† The Humane Society of the United States, American Humane which was founded in 1877 as a network of local organizations to prevent cruelty to children and animals (HSI Europe, 2008). Many other local organizations were set up and worked with similar objectives such as, animal safety, providing sanctuaries and possibilities of adoption for animals and dealing with the problems of unwanted animals through the controversial process of euthanasia or otherwise through a â€Å"no kill† policy (HSI Europe, 2008). No kill actually means minimizing euthanasia so that it is only used under certain circumstances. United Kingdom: The first ever humane society was set up in England, known as the Royal Humane society founded in 1774 A. D. (HSI Europe, 2008). It was a charitable organization which awarded people for acts of saving human lives or restoring human lives by resuscitation. Following the steps of Royal Humane society, the Glasgow Humane Society was founded in Glasgow, Scotland in 1790. Since then it has been acting as an organization for the† prevention, rescue and recovery group set up for Greater Glasgow, Scotland (HSI Europe, 2008). An organization especially for animal rights was founded in 1824, known as the â€Å"Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to animals (RSPCA) followed by Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to animals (SSCPA) and Ulster Society for Prevention of Cruelty to animals (USCPA). An organization for treating animal illnesses and injuries of wildlife and the pets and working animals of the local poor people, known as the People’s Dispensary for Sick animals was founded in 1917 (HSI Europe, 2008). Canada: The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies is a federation which represents as whole around 123 humane societies all over Canada. However, in 1869 in Montreal the first ever humane society of Canada was set up, known as the Canadian SPCA (HSI Europe, 2008). Australia: The first Australian SPCA was founded in 1871 in Victoria based on British RSPCA. Later, other such organizations were built in other states like in Tasmania in 1872, New South Wales in 1873, Queensland in 1883 and Western Australia in 1892. Though they were warranted the Royal Warrant in 1956, they had no connection with the RSPCA in the UK. For the purpose of voicing their desires in the federal government regarding animal issues, Australian RSPCA was founded in 1981 (HSI Europe, 2008). New Zealand: In 1882, in Dunedin, the first SPCA of New Zealand was set up. Other such organizations were formed in quick succession. Later they all combined into a union known as the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, to work for unified goals and objectives (HSI Europe, 2008). International: Many SPCA’s are also running successfully on an international scale, mostly in European countries. Humane Society International HSI is one such example of an eminent US based SPCA working successfully in Europe since 1990 (HSI Europe, 2008). Non Profit Horse Rescue History At present, there are many non profit organizations for horse rescue and all of them share the same goals and objectives. These organizations’ main goal and mission is to provide rescue, rehabilitation, foster care, and have a positive environment for those horses and equines that have either been abandoned, abused, unwanted, mistreated, neglected, tortured, retired, or are at risk of going to slaughter. Each non profit organization for horse rescue has its own history. Long ago, horses and equines were used for transportation. In 1950’s when motorized vehicles were becoming more practical and affordable, horses were replaced as means of transportation by these lower maintenance and faster vehicles. Because of this, many horses were abandoned and neglected and were being sent to slaughter. Thus in 1952, a non profit horse rescue organization called HorseWorld was established to take care of the many working horses whose jobs were taken away and replaced by the motorized vehicles (HorseWorld, 2008). Many wild horses or mustangs or more accurately termed as feral horses freely roam on public lands in several states of America like Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming. However, the numbers of mustangs were declining as time passes. Mustangs are horses whose ancestors were domestic horses that first arrived in America with Christopher Columbus on his voyage in 1493 (Lifesavers Inc. , 1997). Many of these domestic horses were freed or escaped from early explorers, native tribes, etc. to become free-roaming horses all across America. In order to protect and rescue these horses, the Wild Free-roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed by Congress in 1971 and many non profit horse rescue organizations have come out to protect, manage, and control wild free-roaming horses on public lands. One of these organizations is the Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue. There are many other non profit organizations that protect and rescue not only horses but also dogs and cats from dangerous situations. The important thing is that these organizations give a chance for these animals to have a better life. This reflects how these animal rescue organizations give value to the rights of animals to safety and just treatment. The equine rescue also provides a better option rather than horse slaughter. The fact that most of the rescue facilities are privately owned and mainly rely on donations may pose a challenge the implementation regulations lay down. This means that horses should not just be sent to slaughter just because they have lost their usefulness. The termination of these horses may be termed as a better option instead of heaping the animals in a rescue facility. Problem Statement This study is designed to assess the need to provide an alternative to sending race horse to slaughter, if the horse can be rehabilitated and have a successful purpose in life. The study includes a survey to the population of, breeders, trainers, jockeys, and race track owners. The survey consists of both qualitative and quantitative questions. The primary objective of the survey is to determine the need for optional resources for the race horse that can still have a viable life outside if the racetrack. Horseracing and the slaughtering of horses are two key industry areas involving the use of horses and both private and public sector corporations have some amount of share in either industry area. As with any other animal group it is no surprise that there is a continuing debate on the ethics of both horseracing and horse slaughtering for consumption. These twin industry areas have been the targets of concerns raised on the ethic of slaughtering horses, particularly those that would have previously been used in the horseracing industry but which are no longer of further use to their owners for a variety of reasons. These horses may be diseased, injured or ill and have little prospect for future recovery. To ensure that they do not suffer a complete loss, owners of racehorses sell these unwanted horses to slaughterers. Some people are totally against the slaughtering of horses. In America and European countries, horsemeat is comparable to the meat of other large animals such as the buffalo, goat, sheep, pig and others. Since people throughout the United States and Europe desire to have horsemeat as a part of their diet then naturally, the slaughter industry too has its own place. Thus, while persons object to the slaughtering of horses, there are those who have little or no objection to the consumption of horsemeat. Similarly, there are objections to the use of horses for racing because of the reported cruel treatment of these animals and their injection with dangerous substances and steroids to enhance performance. This is a very sore issue in the horse industry. Even sorer is the slaughtering of these horses when they are no longer profitable in the horseracing industry. This debate is challenging the viability of the equine industry, putting industry shareholders in an uncomfortable position. Both the racehorse and the slaughtering industries are producing at their full capacities in the US and the rest of the world. Like any other business these industries whether private or public need to adopt sound business management strategies through appropriate training so as to be good in business and to provide the best service to buyers and consumers. The care and the right use of horses is also the matter of concern. The primary use of horses is for racing. However, one cannot avoid the fact that the slaughterhouse, rather than the racecourse, becomes the home for horses unfit for racing. Every year, the number of unfit horses increases thus the number of slaughterhouses also increases. Slaughter industries in the public and private sectors purchase the unwanted horses. Traditionally, the hunter-jumper market has acquired most former racehorses that have no signs of muscular-skeletal abnormalities, and some use previous standard-bred racehorses for driving carriages. Horses that obtain career-ending injuries are not useful anymore for the owners and fall into the category of unwanted horses. Figures produced by the U. S. department of agriculture reveal, however, that the majority of horses slaughtered (92. 3%) are quite healthy and not, in fact, neglected. An overwhelming majority of Americans and members of Congress oppose slaughtering horses for human consumption (HSUS, 2007). One of the options in dealing with these unwanted horses is for slaughtering and distribution for consumption. The precise number of horses that make up this category of unwanted is unknown. However, some research reveals that 100,000 horses fall to slaughterhouses each year in the USA. The real number of unwanted horses is much higher than that reported. Horses used on farms are costly to owners, specifically maintenance costs for food, wastage disposal and land use. The slaughter industry appears to be the most attractive option in dealing with these horses.