Mixed Metaphor Definition and Examples

A mixed metaphor is a succession of incongruous or ludicrous comparisons. Also known—playfully—as a mixaphor. Although many style guides condemn the use of mixed metaphors, in practice most of the objectionable combinations (as in the examples below) are actually clichà ©s or dead metaphors. Examples An Apprentice contestant with a love of bizarre business lingo has left Twitter users in fits of laughter after describing a failed task as leaving a sour taste in the clients eye. Contestant Gary Poulton, from Birmingham, also said his team were dancing around the bush in last nights episode, which saw his stint as project manager for Versatile end in failure.(Phoebe Jackson-Edwards, Im Not Going to Dance Around the Bush: Apprentice Stars Bizarre Business Jargon Is Mocked on Twitter. Daily Mail   [UK], November 26, 2015)Well have a lot of new blood holding gavels in Washington.(Georgia Congressman Jack Kingston, quoted in the  Savannah Morning News, November 3, 2010)Thats awfully thin gruel for the right wing to hang their hats on.(MSNBC, September 3, 2009)Her saucer-eyes narrow to a gimlet stare and she lets Mr. Clarke have it with both barrels.(Anne McElvoy, London Evening Standard, September 9, 2009)I don’t think we should wait until the other shoe drops. History has a lready shown what is likely to happen. The ball has been down this court before and I can see already the light at the end of the tunnel.(Detroit News, quoted in The New Yorker, November 26, 2012)[Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben] Bernanke set the standard for muddled metaphors when he parried reporters questions that day. Certain economic data, he said, are guideposts that tell you how were going to be shifting the mix of our tools as we try to land this ship on a--in a smooth way onto the aircraft carrier.(Nick Summers, Lost in Translation. Bloomberg Businessweek, July 8-14, 2013)â€Å"I conclude that the city’s proposal to skim the frosting, pocket the cake, and avoid paying the fair, reasonable, and affordable value of the meal is a hound that will not hunt.(a labor arbitrator, quoted by the Boston Globe, May 8, 2010)Obviously, its been a very difficult two days for us, Nelson said. We kind of saw the writing on the wall Friday night. Its just apples versus oranges, a nd its not a level playing field by any means.(Seabury’s Football Team Done for the Season. Lawrence Journal-World, September 22, 2009)The year began with quarterback Tom Brady tarred, then unchained from a suspension on the heels of cheating allegations in the scandal known as Deflategate.(Associated Press, Deflating Ending Sends Patriots Into Offseason. Savannah Morning News, January 26, 2016)Nigel said (using, to my mind, an excessive amount of metaphor), Youve taken a rare orchid and shut her away in a dark outhouse. You havent nourished her or paid her enough attention. Is it any wonder that her roots are struggling to survive? Daisy is a trapped bird whose wings have been broken, she is a  Fabergà © egg that you have boiled for four minutes and eaten for your breakfast.I stopped him just as he was embarking on a new metaphor to do with Daisy being a submerged volcano.(Sue Townsend,  Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years. Penguin, 2010)The committee was tired of stoking public outrage with fortnightly gobbets of scandal. It decided to publish everything it had left, warts and all. Now everyone is tarred with the same ugly brush, and the myth that forever simmers in the public consciousness--that the House shelters 435 parasitic, fat-cat deadbeats--has received another shot of adrenalin.(Washington Post, 1992)I knew enough to realize that the alligators were in the swamp and that it was time to circle the wagons.(attributed to Rush Limbaugh)A lot of success early in life can be a real liability—if you buy into it. Brass rings keep getting suspended higher and higher as you grow older. And when you grab them, they have a way of turning into dust in your hands. Psychologists...have all kinds of words for this, but the women I know seem to experience it as living life with a gun pointed to their heads. Every day brings a new minefield of incipient failure: the too-tight pants, the peeling wallpaper, the unbrilliant career.(Judith Warner, The New York Times, April 6, 2007)There is no man so low that he has in him no spark of manhood, which, if watered by the milk of human kindness, will not burst into flames.(quoted by Willard R. Espy in The Game of Words. Grosset Dunlap, 1972)Sir, I smell a rat; I see him forming in the air and darkening the sky; but Ill nip him in the bud.(attributed to Sir Boyle Roche, 1736-1807) Observations I am tempted to believe that the indiscriminate condemnation of mixed metaphors arises more often from pedantry than from common sense.(Edward Everett Hale, Jr. Constructive Rhetoric, 1896)[T]o the fertile mind that thinks up a series of comparisons one gives admiration--and defense against those who misunderstand the ban on mixed metaphors.(Wilson Follett and Erik Wensberg, Modern American Usage, rev. ed. Macmillan, 1998)What is called mixed metaphor...is the coming into consciousness of a mixing that goes on all the time, a consciousness that offends our sensibilities because it calls attention to the device and perhaps might reveal the inexplicable bases of our worldview.(Dale Pesman, Some Expectations of Coherence in Culture Implied by the Prohibition of Mixed Metaphor. Beyond Metaphor: The Theory of Tropes in Anthropology. Stanford University Press, 1991)Mixed metaphors may be stylistically objectionable, but I cannot see that they are necessarily logically incoherent. Of course , most metaphors do occur in contexts of expressions used literally. It would be very hard to understand them if they did not. But it is not a logical necessity that every metaphorical use of an expression occurs surrounded by literal occurrences of other expressions and, indeed, many famous examples of metaphor are not.(Mark Johnson, Philosophical Perspectives on Metaphor. University of Minnesota Press, 1981) The Lighter Side of Mixed Metaphors Grace Adler:  You cant control your competitive nature any more than I can.Will Truman:  That is...Grace Adler:  Yes, you just like to play the cool Will Truman while Im all the intense crazy one. Well, once the bowling shoe is on the other foot, look whos the good cop and look whos the bad cop.Will Truman:  That is the worst  mixed metaphor  you have ever uttered.(Debra Messing and Eric McCormack, Alley Cats.  Will and Grace, 1999)

Design Plan for Talkie An Interactive Childrens Toy

The purpose of this paper is to describe a toy that I have designed for preschool children. In this paper, I will also discuss how my toy would promote the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development of preschool children. Play is very important for preschool children’s development because information processing is steady and ongoing in several areas of rationalization. The toy I have designed will involve parental and peer involvement to encourage the development of language skills through operant conditioning and imitation (Berk, 2010, p. 181). The name of the toy I have designed is â€Å"Talkie: The Interactive Phone That Does More Than Just Talk†. This toy is designed for preschool children between the ages of 2-5 years.†¦show more content†¦Children learn to assert control over their environment through dictating their play and interaction with peers. By taking control of their daily activities through the world of play and make- believe, childr en learn to achieve their responsibilities and encounter challenges (Berk, 2010, p. 257). During this stage it is imperative for parents to encourage their children to explore and make suitable decisions, independently. It is also crucial for parents not to be dispiriting or dismissive, which may lead to their preschoolers feeling ashamed and overly dependent upon help from others. â€Å"Talkie† is a mobile toy that is easy to take along; therefore, it can be used either in the privacy of one’s own home or even in additional care givers’ homes. This is helpful because it gives the child the ability to feel important as well as independent because they have access to a phone in which they can interact and communicate with adults and their peers; just like an adult. â€Å"Talkie† can be used by parents to promote language development in their preschool children by simply talking to them through the mobile phones. Language development can be achieved through the utilization of â€Å"Talkie† by teaching children to speak in a clear, correct, and simple manner. When parents engage in conversation through the phone with their child it is important that they avoid using babyShow MoreRelatedSupporting Childrens Ict Skills3763 Words   |  16 Pagesthis can be used as ICT as the children have to use buttons to set the clock to the correct time, and therefore it will also help the children to read the time. Battery powered toys: these are all forms of ICT, for example, a roma. This is because the children are having to use buttons to make the toy work, for example, a toy car will have an on and off button in which the children have to press to make the car work. Alongside this, there will also be a remote control where the children use to direct

Criminal Justice Programme

Questions: 1. Explain with examples the different types of sentencing.2. Explain with examples the impact of policy on sentencing.3. Explain the possible effects of imprisonment on a defendant and his family. Answers: 1 a) Different types of sentences available to the judiciary Concurrent and consecutive sentences - When a person is involved or committed in more than one crime, then he or she will be given sentence for each crime. The difference between the two is that concurrent sentences are to be served at the same time while consecutive sentences are to be provided when the one is completed in a consecutive manner. For example, one year sentence for one crime, followed by six months of the sentence for another crime. Suspended prison sentences - This type of sentencing is carried out in the community. The defendant is suspended from the prison but he or she has to work for the community welfare. The convict has to follow certain conditions such as he or she has to stay away from a specific place or person and has to work without any payment or wages. It is also known as Community payback. If the conditions are not followed, the convict can be sent to the prison again(Citizensinformation.ie, 2014). Determinate sentences In this type of sentence there is fixed period of time. If the sentence is for the period of a year or more, the defendant has to spend the first part of the punishment in jail and the remaining for the community service. If they fail to follow the conditions or they get involved in another crime, they can be sent to the jail again. For prison sentences less than a year, the person usually gets free after the first half of the sentence (Findlaw, 2016). Indeterminate sentence - There is no fixed period of time for this type of sentence. It means no date is fixed for the release and for consideration for release they have to expend a least amount of time in jail. The Parole Board is accountable for making a decision for the release of a person from prison. Life sentence- It is given to the person guilty of murder or for severe offences like rape or armed robbery. Sentences for adolescents- The person aged between 12 to 17 years are provided detention and training order and it lasts between four months and two years. The first part of the detention and training order is to be spent in the custody and the remaining for the community service (UK Government, 2014). 1 b) Aims of Sentencing According to the section 142 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, there are five purpose of sentencing i.e. to penalize the wrongdoer, diminish offense, rehabilitate the criminal, defend the public, and to make reparations. These aims achieve: Retribution- The aim is to get the realization by the offender of his or her crime and that he deserves to be punished. Denunciation- The aim is to show the disapproval of the society regarding criminal activities. Incapacitation- The aim is to serve the useful purpose in the society and protection of the public. Deterrence- The aim is to reduce the future levels of crime. Rehabilitation- The intent is to make improvement in the criminal behavior and to rehabilitate them back into the society. Reparations- The intent is to reimburse the injured party by punishing the criminal to compensate an amount of money to the injured party (Legislation.gov.uk, 2003). 2. Impact of Policy on Sentencing Section 170 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 affirms the sentencing guidelines and its allocation. Section 170(2) states that the Secretary of the State can recommend to the Council to reframe or revise the sentencing guidelines in specific cases or for offences and offenders of a particular category any time. Subsection 3 of Section 170 states that the Council may consider whether to frame sentencing guidelines any time if it receives the proposal from the Panel or the Secretary of the State. Subsection 5 suggests the matters to be included when the Council makes a decision to outline or amend the guidelines. It includes the necessity to encourage reliability in sentencing, the impact of sentencing in stopping re-offending, to uphold public assurance in criminal justice system and the observations conversed by the panel. Subsection 7 states that sentencing guidelines must comprise of the criteria for identifying the gravity of the offenses and the weightage to be specified for any earlier crimes by the criminals (Centre for Social Justice, 2014). Section 148 of Criminal Justice Act (CJA) 2003 suggests that a court must be obliged to not pass community order to a criminal if the offenses are not serious enough to warrant such kind of sentences. For persistent offenders, section 151 states that the court may make community order as an alternative of imposing a fine if it believes it to be in the interest of justice to make such an order(Ministry of Justice, 2009) Section 148 of CJA 2003 mentions suitability of the punishment to the offenders. Section 149 imposes restrictions on liberty in a community order in respect of an offense(Ministry of Justice, 2011). The Court is supposed to think about reducing the overall span of the sentence while imposing a fixed period custodial sentence of a year or more than under the latest provisions. While imposing a suspended sentence, it should be for the similar period that would have issued if the offender were being sentenced to instant custody. Sentencing policy considers not only the expenditure of sentencing, but its cost efficacy can also be evaluated in context of its capability to check people from being sufferers in future. For example, in individual cases, sentencing policy and sentencing are influenced by the wish of the society to have a conclusion from the conviction which recognizes the severity of which the society relates such kind of crimes. 3. Effect of imprisonment on defendant and family It has been proved by several types of research that punitive judgments or harsh sentences do not reduce recidivism but increases the likelihood of the future offending. The offenders who are given prison sentences for a short period of time are more likely to re-offend than the offenders who are given community service. The U.S. War on Drugs and other imprisonment programs is an example of ensuring a continuous supply of the criminals. Sentencing adolescents for the community service ensures that they will be less likely to be in jobs upon release because they are stigmatized and hence, they are treated negatively by the community, in the workplace and in between their peers and friends. The defendants who become disciplined after their sentencing should also have to face such situations(The National Academies Press, 2014). They are ill-treated by the society and therefore, they are more likely to re-offend and get back to the prison. Most of the defendants lose their self-respect a nd are forced to be engaged in the illegal pathways. The defendants suffer such conditions and even their family members have to face the ill-treatment by the society because of which the defendants are mentally and emotionally distressed and involve themselves in crime(Doob et al., 2014). Families experience emotional distress due to the temporary loss of one of their loved family member. Families are also stigmatized for the offenses done by the offender and are referred as guilty by the association although they are innocent. This stigma makes the situation more complicated for the family members as they are treated negatively by the community. The partners of the prisoners have to take multiple responsibilities in the household works. Imprisonment of the family member imposes the financial strain on the families by declining the family income and by escalating the family expenditures. For example, costly visiting and phone calling to their family members in the prison (The Scottish Centre for Crime Justice Research, 2015). Prisoners' children often develop mental health problems and more likely to be engaged in anti-social behavior(Cunningham, 2016). Imprisonment of the mother causes great suffering to the young children and they have to be in the custody of others (Epstein, 2012). References Centre for Social Justice, 2014. The CSJs Crimina lJustice Programme. Centre for Social Justice. Citizensinformation.ie, 2014. Types of sentences. [Online] Available at: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/criminal_law/criminal_trial/types_of_sentences.html [Accessed 26 May 2016]. Cunningham, A., 2016. Forgotten families the impacts of imprisonment. [Online] Available at: https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/ac_0.pdf [Accessed 27 May 2016]. Doob, A.N., Webster, C.M. Gartner, R., 2014. The Effects of Imprisonment:Specific Deterrence and Collateral Effects. Criminological Highlights, 12(5), pp.1-26. Epstein, R., 2012. Mothers In Prison:the sentencing of mothers and the rights of the child. Coventry Law Journal, pp.1-33. Findlaw, 2016. Types of Sentences. [Online] Available at: https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-procedure/types-of-sentences.html [Accessed 26 May 2016]. Legislation.gov.uk, 2003. Criminal Justice Act 2003. The Stationery Office. Ministry of Justice, 2009. Government response to the Justice Select Committees Report: Sentencing guidelines andParliament: building a bridge. Crown. Ministry of Justice, 2011. Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. UK: Ministry of Justice. The National Academies Press, 2014. 9 Consequences for Families and Children. [Online] Available at: https://www.nap.edu/read/18613/chapter/11 [Accessed 27 May 2016]. The Scottish Centre for Crime Justice Research, 2015. Impact of punishment: families of people in prison. [Online] Available at: https://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/SCCJR-Impact-of-crime-prisoners-families.pdf [Accessed 2016]. UK Government, 2014. Types of prison sentences. [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/types-of-prison-sentence/sentences-for-young-people [Accessed 26 May 2016].

Van Helsing and Dr Seward Essay Example

Van Helsing and Dr Seward Paper During the Victorian era the advancement of technology was immense. Van Helsing and Dr Seward are the two characters who do the most debating on science and scientific method. In chapter fourteen Dr Seward describes his predicament: I do not know what to think, and I have no data on which to found a conjecture. It is, therefore, quite clear that these two characters face difficulties, this is because, the supernatural events in Dracula conflict with their rational and religious beliefs. Significantly, Van Helsing asks Dr Seward To believe in things that you cannot, seemingly highlighting the apparent conflict between science and the supernatural. Stoker introduces the supernatural in chapter one, with the wolves, with white teeth and lolling red tongues that the coach driver presumably Dracula appears to control, as well as the blue flames. This early introduction of supernatural phenomena prepares the reader for the horrific and violent acts in the novel, whilst also, presenting a sense of uncertainty as there appears to be no explanation for these uncanny events. It could, therefore, be suggested that Stoker is setting up the idea that there is not always an answer to every question. Van Helsing acknowledges that there are some possible impossibilities, thus, it would seem that he is characterised by Stoker as pivotal within the novel, as more then just a man of science, but as a character who believes and is aware that there are some questions that do not have answers. We will write a custom essay sample on Van Helsing and Dr Seward specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Van Helsing and Dr Seward specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Van Helsing and Dr Seward specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Moreover, as a character, Van Helsing is extremely open-minded, he is critical of Dr Seward who lacks this, and is instead, seemingly, dismissive of phenomena which cannot be explained. This is highlighted in chapter 14 when Van Helsing realises that Lucy was a vampire, consequently telling Dr Seward that he is to prejudiced, and that it is the fault of science that it wants to explain all. It would therefore seem that Stoker does not have an answer for everything, this is perhaps epitomised by Reinfield who is characterised as a madman who clearly does not conform to normal human behaviour. The mystery of Reinfields madness consequently places the idea that Stoker cannot provide answers to every question at the forefront of the readers mind, this is because the character is presented as unlike the normal lunatic with no reason or explanation given within the novel regarding the reason of his mad and erratic ways.

The Safest Type of Water Bottle to Drink From

The Safest Type of Water Bottle to Drink From Many people refill single-use plastic bottles (Plastic #1, PET) as a cheap way to carry water. That bottle was bought with water in it in the first place – what can go wrong? While a single refill in a freshly drained bottle probably will not cause any problem, there can be some issues when it is done repeatedly. First, these bottles are difficult to wash and are thus likely to carry the bacteria that have started colonizing it the minute you first unsealed it. In addition, the plastic used in the manufacturing of these bottles is not made for long term use. To make the plastic flexible, phthalates might be used in the manufacturing of the bottle. Phthalates are endocrine disruptors, a major environmental concern, and which can mimic the actions of hormones in our body. Those chemicals are relatively stable at room temperature (as well as when the plastic bottle is frozen), but they can be released into the bottle when the plastic is warmed. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) states that any chemical released from the bottle has been measured at a concentration below any established risk threshold. Until we know more, it’s probably best to limit our use of single-use plastic bottles and to avoid using them after they have been microwaved or washed at high temperatures.   Plastic (#7, polycarbonate) The rigid, reusable plastic bottles often seen clipped to a backpack are labeled as plastic #7, which usually means there are made of polycarbonate. However, other plastics can get that recycling number designation. Polycarbonates have been under scrutiny lately because of the presence of bisphenol-A (BPA) that can leach into the bottle’s content. Numerous studies have linked BPA with reproductive health problems in test animals, and in humans too. The FDA states that so far they have found the levels of BPA leached from polycarbonate bottles to be too low to be a concern, but they do recommend limiting children’s exposure to BPA by not heating up polycarbonate bottles, or by selecting alternate bottle options. Plastics containing BPA are no longer used in the United States for the manufacturing of children’s sippy cups, baby bottles, and baby formula packaging. BPA-free polycarbonate bottles were advertised to capitalize on the public fears of BPA and fill the resulting market gap. A common replacement, bisphenol-S (BPS), was thought to be much less likely to leach out of the plastics, yet it can be found in the urine of most Americans tested for it. Even at very low doses, it has been found to disrupt hormone, neurological, and heart function in test animals. BPA-free does not necessarily mean safe. Stainless Steel Food grade stainless steel is a material that can safely be in contact with drinking water. Steel bottles also have the advantages of being shatter resistant, long-lived, and tolerant of high temperatures. When choosing a steel water bottle, make sure the steel is not found solely on the outside of the bottle, with a plastic liner inside. These cheaper bottles present similar health uncertainties as polycarbonate bottles.   Aluminum Aluminum water bottles are resistant and lighter than steel bottles. Because aluminum can leach into liquids, a liner has to be applied inside the bottle. In some cases that liner can be a resin that has been shown to contain BPA. SIGG, the dominant aluminum water bottle manufacturer, now uses BPA-free and phthalate free resins to line its bottles, but it declines to reveal the composition of those resins. As with steel, aluminum can be recycled but is energetically very costly to produce. Glass Glass bottles are easy to find cheaply: a simple store-bought juice or tea bottle can be washed and repurposed for water-carrying duty. Canning jars are just as easy to find. Glass is stable at a wide range of temperatures, and will not leak chemicals into your water. Glass is easily recyclable. The main drawback of glass is, of course, that it can shatter when dropped. For that reason, glass is not allowed at many beaches, public pools, parks, and campgrounds. However, some manufacturers produce glass bottles wrapped in a shatter-resistant coating. If the glass inside breaks, the shards remain inside the coating. An additional drawback of glass is its weight – gram-conscious backpackers will prefer lighter options. Conclusion At this moment, food-grade stainless steel and glass water bottles are associated with fewer uncertainties. Personally, I find the simplicity and lower economic and environmental costs of glass appealing. Most of the time, however, I find drinking tap water from an old ceramic mug perfectly satisfying. Sources Cooper et al. 2011. Assessment of Bisphenol A Released from Reusable Plastic, Aluminium and Stainless Steel Water Bottles. Chemosphere, vol. 85. Natural Resources Defense Council. Plastic Water Bottles. Scientific American.  BPA-Free Plastic Containers May Be Just as Hazardous.

Cloture Defintion - Senate Rule to Break a Filibuster

Cloture Defintion - Senate Rule to Break a Filibuster Cloture is a procedure used occasionally in the U.S. Senate to break a filibuster. Cloture, or Rule 22, is the only formal procedure in Senate parliamentary rules, in fact, that can force an end to the stalling tactic. It allows the Senate to limit consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours of debate. Cloture History The Senate first adopted the cloture rule in 1917 after President Woodrow Wilson called for the implementation of a procedure to end debate on any given matter. The first cloture rule allowed for such a move with the support of a two-thirds majority in the upper chamber of Congress. Cloture was first used two years later, in 1919, when the Senate was debating the Treaty of Versailles, the peace agreement between Germany and the Allied Powers that officially ended World War I. Lawmakers successfully invoked cloture to end a lengthy filibuster on the matter. Perhaps the most well known use of cloture came when the Senate invoked the rule after a 57-day filibuster against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Southern lawmakers stalled debate over the measure, which included a ban on lynching, until the Senate mustered enough votes for cloture. Reasons for Cloture Rule The cloture rule was adopted at a time when deliberations in the Senate had ground to a halt, frustrating President Wilson during a time of war. At the end of the session in 1917, lawmakers filibustered for 23 days against Wilsons proposal to arm merchant ships, according to the Senate Historians office. The delay tactic also hampered efforts to pass other important legislation. President Calls for Cloture Wilson railed against the Senate, calling it the only legislative body in the world which cannot act when its majority is ready for action. A little group of willful men, representing no opinion but their own, have rendered the great government of the United States helpless and contemptible. As a result, the Senate wrote and passed the original cloture rule on March 8, 1917. In addition to ending filibusters, the new rule allowed each senator an additional hour to speak after invoking cloture and before voting on a bills final passage. Despite Wilsons influence in instituting the rule, cloture was invoked only five times over the course of the following four and a half decades. Cloture Impact Invoking cloture guarantees that a Senate vote on the bill or amendment being debated will eventually happen. The House does not have a similar measure. When cloture is invoked, senators are also required to engage in debate that is germane to the legislation being discussed. The rule contains a clause the any speech following the invocation of cloture must be on the measure, motion, or other matter pending before the Senate. The cloture rule thereby prevents lawmakers from merely stalling for another hour by, say, reciting the Declaration of Independence or reading names from a phone book. Cloture Majority The majority needed to invoke cloture in the Senate remained two-thirds, or 67 votes, of the 100-member body from the rules adoption in 1917 until 1975, when the number of votes needed was reduced to just 60. To being the cloture process, at least 16 members of the Senate must sign a cloture motion or petition that states: We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move to bring to a close the debate upon (the matter in question). Cloture Frequency Cloture was rarely invoked in the early 1900s and mid-1900s. The rule was used only four times, in fact, between 1917 and 1960. Cloture became more common only in the late 1970s, according to records kept by the Senate. The procedure was used a record 187 times in the 113th Congress, which met in 2013 and 2014 during President Barack Obamas second term in the White House.

Operating Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Operating Systems - Essay Example Although operating systems like Linux or FreeBSD show better performance having 64 MB of RAM, Windows XP is able to run on the same hardware. Laskin (n.d.) writes that 128Mb was simply not enough to allow Windows XP to operate efficiently. He observed an average increase in speed of 25% between 128Mb and 256Mb. The next step up in his investigation was 512Mb. Here the increase was less dramatic but still quite noticeable, about a 5% increase in speed depending on the test. Whilst extra memory can affect the overall speed, Lackey (n.d.) writes, it can also make for smoother operation depending on the task in hand. Basic word processing and Internet access usually require no more then 128-256Mb of RAM. More demanding tasks can soon show the inadequacy of low amounts of RAM. Graphics and Sound are the two memory consumers. Complex documents containing graphics or embedded charts and especially more sophisticated PowerPoint presentations are much easier to handle with between 256and 512Mb. Databases start to benefit too at this level. In fact, the more RAM the better when it comes to these as they can keep their temporary tables in memory speeding up performance immensely. The real memory consuming tasks include 3D work, both CAD (Computer Aided Design) and more generalized computer graphics, real time video editing and real world modeling such as water flow calculations. Here the sky is the limit with 1Gb or more not being at all unreasonable. Most people who Lackey (n.d.) knows work with 3D graphics professionally tend to run at their systems maximum, usually 4Gb. Addressing of Memory in Windows XP As Nichol (2006) writes, a program instruction in a modern operating system on an Intel 386 or later CPU can address up to 4GB of memory, using its full 32 bits. This is normally far more than the RAM of the machine. So the hardware provides for programs to operate in terms of as much as they wish of this full 4GB space as Virtual Memory, those parts of the program and data which are currently active being loaded into Physical Random Access Memory (RAM). The processor itself then translates ('maps') the virtual addresses from an instruction into the correct physical equivalents, doing this on the fly as the instruction is executed. The processor manages the mapping in terms of pages of 4 Kilobytes each - a size that has implications for managing virtual memory by the system. Page File By Nichol (2006), only those parts of the program and data that are currently in active use need to be held in physical RAM. Other parts are then held in a page file (in Windows NT versions including Windows 2000 and XP: pagefile.sys). When a program tries to access some address that is not currently in physical RAM, it generates an interrupt, called a Page Fault. This asks the system to retrieve the 4 KB page containing the address from the page file (or in the case of code possibly from the original program file). This - a valid page fault - normally happens quite invisibly. Sometimes, through

Current Events and US Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current Events and US Diplomacy - Essay Example   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the fact remained that the US military forces had already lost over 25000 American soldiers along with hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese. In spite of such efforts, the US could not come out as victorious. Antiwar forces within the US were most vocal against the US government for the deployment of the US forces in Vietnam War. In such circumstances, Nixon assured US allies to honor treaty commitments (History.com, 2012).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the behest of Nixon Doctrine, it became amply clear that now South Vietnamese troops would have to fight on their own as the process of withdrawing American troops began after formal announcement. In keeping with this pronouncement, the US and North Vietnam signed a peace treaty in 1973 and it appeared that permanent peace will prevail in the area. However, two years later, in 1975, North Vietnamese forces demolished the South Vietnamese army bringing the who le country under communist rule (History.com, 2012).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important to note that though the Communist Party ruled the Vietnam since 1975 yet the country moved from planned economy to a market economy in the '80s. In recent years, the US relations with Vietnam have improved significantly. However, several incidents are responsible for that. In 1991, Soviet Union collapsed and disintegrated into several independent states. Also, East Germany merged into West Germany to accelerate economic growth based on the free market trade systems. It is important to note that Vietnam and the US tend to develop a free trade agreement between them. and they have already entered into an investment and trade agreement besides signing air transport, textile and maritime agreements. The US imports a variety of goods from Vietnam such as footwear, apparel, furniture, seafood, agricultural products; similarly, it exports machinery products, vehicles, yarn and fabri c. Thus, relations

Ensure a Safe Workplace Essay Example for Free

Ensure a Safe Workplace Essay Chemicals purchase large quantities of cleaning chemicals. These are delivered in 205 liter drums and include solvents, acids and other corrosives, and detergents. These products are decanted by ABC chemical’s staff into retail size containers (not exceeding 30 liters/kilograms) , re-labelled and shipped in company-badged delivery vehicles to retail outlets throughout the metropolitan area. There is, within 25 meters of ABC chemical, a local nursing home that cares for elderly residents with age-related conditions including dementia. Across the road from the nursing home is a child care center that provides day care for the under 5’s. ABC chemicals employs some 50 people whose duties include the day-to-day running of the business and decanting of the chemicals into smaller containers. Small spills during the decanting procedures are cleaned up with rags, which are disposed of at the end of the day into the general waste dumpster in the rear yard of the premises. The dumpster is collected by a waste contractor on a weekly basis. The ABC chemicals building was constructed in 2000 and has been fitted with limited emergency equipment. None of the staff has received any training in safe handling of chemicals or how to cope with emergencies and there is no emergency plan displayed in the workplace. ABC chemicals is situated on a busy intersection and there have been several significant vehicle accidents in front of the premises. All empty chemicals drums are stored in the rear yard against the back cyclone fence. These drums are collected on monthly basis and as many as 250 drums can be stored there awaiting collection. Behind the cyclone fence is a large open, overgrown paddock with dry grass, which is owned by the local council. The council has advised ABC chemicals that they wish to build a community center on this site at some time in the near future.

Inherit the Wind Think Piece :: essays papers

Inherit the Wind Think Piece In today’s society, where angry children shoot, bomb, and threaten their schoolmates, there exists a rather incoherent line between appropriate classroom conversation and unacceptable discussion. True, this line did not exist some years ago, but as times changed, so did certain parameters. A teacher’s freedom in the classroom is one such hotly debated question. Where should the line be drawn? What is the difference between right and wrong? These are questions that are not easily answered. Some say that we should look at each individual incident of indecent or inappropriate discussion, but really, how will these halt future conversation? In a society where our youth is incredibly impressionable, how will this put an end to the tragedies that have become so terribly regular? Some say that since the community pays teachers’ salaries, they should be the ones to decide the curriculum. But how will this prevent incidents like the one portrayed in Inherit the Wind? True, parents should absolutely have a voice in what their children are taught, but is that where the buck stops? Really, it’s not. Perhaps it is the best idea that the entire community discussion curriculums, and that means teachers, school board comities, PTAs as well as parents. Through this way, everyone can discuss what goes into the minds of our leaders of tomorrow. We will get the best of both worlds. On the subject of how much freedom does a teacher possess, that too is up to the community. And when the term community is used, that again means everyone: teachers, school boards, and parents. Maybe it would be even better if teachers were allowed to discuss things as whole. A subject should be explained in as many ways, from as many view points, as possible. Then students can decide for themselves for themselves what they believe. However, in a time when kids will take most everything literally, and then take it too an extreme, maybe this methods is not the best. If this topic were to have been discussed two years ago, perhaps the answer would be different. However, since the tragedy at Columbine High School in Colorado a couple of years ago, parameters have changed, and perhaps tightened.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Fourteen

THE KEEPERS HAD MIXED REACTIONS to us leaving. They were usually glad to see outsiders go, especially since we had Sydney with us. But after the fight, they held me up as some kind of superhero and were enchanted by the idea of me marrying into their â€Å"family.' Seeing me in action meant some of the women were beginning to eye Dimitri now too. I wasn't in the mood to watch them flirt with him–especially since, according to their courtship rules, I would apparently have to be the one to battle it out with any prospective fiancee. Naturally, we didn't tell the Keepers our exact plans, but we did mention we'd likely be encountering Strigoi–which caused quite a reaction. Most of that reaction was excitement and awe, which continued to boost our reputations as fierce warriors. Angeline's response, however, was totally unexpected. â€Å"Take me with you,' she said, grabbing a hold of my arm, just as I started down the forest path toward the car. â€Å"Sorry,' I said, still a little weirded out after her earlier hostility. â€Å"We have to do this alone.' â€Å"I can help! You beat me †¦ but you saw what I can do. I'm good. I could take a Strigoi.' For all her fierceness, I knew Angeline didn't have a clue about what she'd be facing if she ever met an actual Strigoi. The few Keepers who bore molnijamarks spoke little about the encounters, faces grave. They understood. Angeline didn't. She also didn't realize that any novice at St. Vladimir's in the secondary school could probably take her out. She had raw potential, true, but it needed a lot of work. â€Å"You might be able to,' I said, not wanting to hurt her feelings. â€Å"But it's just not possible for you to come with us.' I would have lied and given her a vague â€Å"Maybe sometime,' but since that had led Joshua to thinking we were semi-engaged, I decided I'd better not. I expected more boasts about her battle prowess. We'd learned she was regarded as one of the best young fighters in the compound, and with her pretty looks, she had plenty of admirers too. A lot of it had gone to her head, and she liked to talk about how she could beat anyone or anything up. Again, I was reminded of Jill. Jill also had a lot to learn about the true meaning of battle but was still eager to jump in. She was quieter and more cautious than Angeline, though, so Angeline's next direction caught me off guard. â€Å"Please. It's not just the Strigoi! I want to see the world. I need to see something else outside of this place!' Her voice was pitched low, out of the range of the others. â€Å"I've only been to Rubysville twice, and they say that's nothing compared to other cities.' â€Å"It's not,' I agreed. I didn't even consider it a city. â€Å"Please,' she begged again, this time her voice trembling. â€Å"Take me with you.' Suddenly, I felt sad for her. Her brother had also shown a little longing for the outside world, but nothing like this. He'd joked that electricity would be nice, but I knew he was happy enough without the perks of the modern world. But for Angeline, the situation was much more desperate. I too knew what it was like to feel trapped in one's life and was legitimately sorry for what I had to say. â€Å"I can't, Angeline. We have to go on our own. I'm sorry. I really am.' Her blue eyes shimmered, and she raced off into the woods before I could see her cry. I felt horrible after that and couldn't stop thinking about her as we made our farewells. I was so distracted, I even let Joshua hug me goodbye. Getting back on the road was a relief. I was glad to be away from the Keepers and was ready to spring into action and start helping Lissa. Lexington was our first step. We had a six-hour drive ahead of us, and Sydney, per usual, seemed adamant that no one else was going to drive her car. Dimitri and I made futile protests, finally giving up when we realized that if we were going to be facing Strigoi soon, it was probably best we rest and conserve our strength. The address for Donovan–the Strigoi who allegedly knew Sonya–was only where he could be found at night. That meant we had to make it to Lexington before sunrise, so we wouldn't lose him when he went to his daytime lair. It also meant we'd be meeting Strigoi in the dark. Certain that little would happen on the drive–especially once we were out of West Virginia–Dimitri and I agreed we could doze a little, seeing as neither of us had had a full night's sleep. Even though the lulling of the car was soothing, I drifted in and out of restless sleep. After a few hours of this, I simply settled into the trancelike state that brought me to Lissa. It was a good thing too: I'd stumbled into one of the biggest events facing the Moroi. The nomination process to elect the new king or queen was about to begin. It was the first of many steps, and everyone was excited, given how rare monarch elections truly were. This was an event none of my friends had expected to see anytime soon in our lives, and considering recent events †¦ well, we all had especial interest. The future of the Moroi was at stake here. Lissa was sitting on the edge of a chair in one of the royal ballrooms, a huge sweeping space with vaulted ceilings and gold detailing everywhere. I'd been in this dazzling room before, with its murals and elaborate molding. Chandeliers glittered above. It had held the graduate luncheon, where newly made guardians put on their best faces and hoped to attract a good assignment. Now, the room was arranged like the Council chamber, with a long table on one side of the room that was set with twelve chairs. Opposite that table were rows and rows of other chairs–where the audience sat when the Council was in session. Except, now there were about four times as many chairs as usual, which probably explained the need for this room. Every single chair was filled. In fact, people were even standing, crowding in as best they could. Agitated- looking guardians moved among the herd, keeping them out of doorways and making sure the bystanders were arranged in a way that allowed for optimal s ecurity. Christian sat on one side of Lissa, and Adrian sat beside Christian. To my pleasant surprise, Eddie and Mia sat nearby too. Mia was a Moroi friend of ours who had gone to St. Vladimir's and was nearly as hardcore as Tasha about Moroi needing to defend themselves. My beloved father was nowhere in sight. None of them spoke. Conversation would have been difficult among the buzzing and humming of so many people, and besides, my friends were too awestruck by what was about to happen. There was so much to see and experience, and none of them had realized just how big the crowd would be. Abe had said things would move fast once Tatiana was buried, and they certainly had. â€Å"Do you know who I am?' A loud voice caught Lissa's attention, just barely carrying above the din. Lissa glanced down the row, a few seats away from Adrian. Two Moroi, a man and a woman, sat side by side and were looking up at a very angry woman. Her hands were on her hips, and the pink velvet dress she wore seemed outlandish next to the couple's jeans and T-shirts. It also wasn't going to hold up so well once she stepped outside of air conditioning. A glare twisted her face. â€Å"I am Marcella Badica.' When that didn't get a reaction from the couple, she added, â€Å"Prince Badica is my brother, and our late queen was my third cousin twice removed. There are no seats left, and someone like me cannot stand against the wall with the rest of that mob.' The couple exchanged glances. â€Å"I guess you should have gotten here earlier, Lady Badica,' said the man. Marcella gaped in outrage. â€Å"Didn't you just hear who I am? Don't you know who your betters are? I insist you give up your seats.' The couple still seemed unfazed. â€Å"This session is open to everyone, and there weren't assigned seats, last time I checked,' said the woman. â€Å"We're entitled to ours as much as you are.' Marcella turned to the guardian beside her in outrage. He shrugged. His job was to protect her from threats. He wasn't going to oust others from their chairs, particularly when they weren't breaking any rules. Marcella gave a haughty â€Å"humph!' before turning sharply and stalking away, no doubt to harass some other poor soul. â€Å"This,' said Adrian, â€Å"is going to be delightful.' Lissa smiled and turned back to studying the rest of the room. As she did, I became aware of something startling. I couldn't tell exactly who was who, but the crowd wasn't composed entirely of royals–as most Council sessions were. There were tons of â€Å"commoners,' just like the couple sitting near my friends. Most Moroi didn't bother with Court. They were out in the world, living their lives and trying to survive while the royals pranced around at Court and made laws. But not today. A new leader was going to be chosen, and that was of interest to all Moroi. The milling and chaos continued for a while until one of the guardians finally declared the room to be at capacity. Those outside were outraged, but their cries were quickly silenced when the guardians closed the doors, sealing off the ballroom. Shortly thereafter, the eleven Council members took their seats, and–to my shock–Adrian's father, Nathan Ivashkov, took the twelfth chair. The Court's herald yelled and called everyone to attention. He was someone who'd been chosen because of his remarkable voice, though I always wondered why they didn't just use a microphone in these situations. More old-world traditions, I supposed. That, and excellent acoustics. Nathan spoke once the room settled down. â€Å"In the absence of our beloved queen †¦' He paused looking down mournfully to offer a moment of respect before continuing. In anyone else, I might have suspected his feelings were faked, particularly after seeing him grovel so much in front of Tatiana. But, no. Nathan had loved his prickly aunt as much as Adrian had. â€Å"And in the wake of this terrible tragedy, I will be moderating the upcoming trials and elections.' â€Å"What'd I tell you?' muttered Adrian. He had no fuzzy affection for his father. â€Å"De- lightful.' Nathan droned on a bit about the importance of what was to come and some other points about Moroi tradition. It was obvious, though, that like me, everyone in the room really wanted to get down to the main event: the nominations. He seemed to realize that too and sped up the formalities. Finally, he got to the good stuff. â€Å"Each family, if they choose, may have one nominee for the crown who will take the tests all monarchs have endured since the beginning of time.' I thought that â€Å"beginning of time' part was a bold and probably unverified exaggeration, but whatever. â€Å"The only exclusion is the Ivashkovs, since back-to-back monarchs from the same family aren't allowed. For candidacy, three nominations are required from Moroi of royal blood and proper age.' He then added some stuff about what happened in the event more than one person was nominated from the same family, but even I knew the chances of that happening were non-existent. Each royal house wanted to get the best advantage here, and that would involve a unified standing behind one candidate. Satisfied everyone understood, Nathan nodded and gestured grandly to the audience. â€Å"Let the nominations begin.' For a moment, nothing happened. It kind of reminded me of when I'd been back in school, when a teacher would say something like, â€Å"Who'd like to present their paper first?' Everyone kind of waited for someone else to get things going, and at last, it happened. A man I didn't recognize stood up. â€Å"I nominate Princess Ariana Szelsky.' Ariana, as princess, sat on the Council and was an expected choice. She gave a gracious nod to the man. A second man, presumably from their family, also stood and gave the second nomination. The third and final nomination came from another Szelsky–a very unexpected one. He was Ariana's brother, a world traveler who was almost never at Court, and also the man my mother guarded. Janine Hathaway was most likely in this room, I realized. I wished Lissa would look around and find her, but Lissa was too focused on the proceedings. After everything I'd been through, I suddenly had a desperate longing to see my mother. With three nominations, Nathan declared, â€Å"Princess Ariana Szelsky is entered as a candidate.' He scrawled something on a piece of paper in front of him, his motions full of flourish. â€Å"Continue.' After that, the nominations came in rapid succession. Many were princes and princesses, but others were respected–and still high-ranking–members of the families. The Ozera candidate, Ronald, was not the family's Council member, nor was he anyone I knew. â€Å"He's not one of Aunt Tasha's â€Å"ideal' candidates,' Christian murmured to Lissa. â€Å"But she admits he's not a moron.' I didn't know much about most of the other candidates either. A couple, like Ariana Szelsky, I had a good impression of. There were also a couple I'd always found appalling. The tenth candidate was Rufus Tarus, Daniella's cousin. She'd married into the Ivashkovs from the Tarus family and seemed delighted to see her cousin declared a nominee. â€Å"I don't like him,' said Adrian, making a face. â€Å"He's always telling me to do something useful with my life.' Nathan wrote down Rufus's name and then rolled up the paper like a scroll. Despite the appearance of antique customs, I suspected a secretary in the audience was typing up everything being said here on a laptop. â€Å"Well,' declared Nathan, â€Å"that concludes–‘ â€Å"I nominate Princess Vasilisa Dragomir.' Lissa's head jerked to the left, and through her eyes, I recognized a familiar figure. Tasha Ozera. She'd stood and spoken the words loudly and confidently, glancing around with those ice-blue eyes as if daring anyone to disagree. The room froze. No whispers, no shifting in chairs. Just utter and complete silence. Judging from the faces, the Ozera family's nominee was the second-most astonished person in the room to hear Tasha speak. The first, of course, was Lissa herself. It took a moment for Nathan to get his mouth working. â€Å"That's not–‘ Beside Lissa, Christian suddenly stood up. â€Å"I second the nomination.' And before Christian had even sat down, Adrian was on his feet. â€Å"I confirm the nomination.' All eyes in the room were on Lissa and her friends, and then, as one, the crowd turned toward Nathan Ivashkov. Again, he seemed to have trouble finding his voice. â€Å"That,' he managed at last, â€Å"is not a legal nomination. Due to its current Council standing, the Dragomir line is regrettably not eligible to present a candidate.' Tasha, never afraid of talking in a crowd or taking on impossible odds, leapt back up. I could tell she was eager to. She was good at making speeches and challenging the system. â€Å"Monarch nominees don't need a Council position or quorum to run for the throne.' â€Å"That makes no sense,' said Nathan. There were mutters of agreement. â€Å"Check the law books, Nate–I mean, Lord Ivashkov.' Yes, there he was at last. My tactful father had joined the conversation. Abe had been leaning against a wall near the doorway, dressed splendidly in a black suit with a shirt and tie that were exactly the same shade of emerald green. My mother stood beside him, the slightest hint of a smile on her face. For a moment, I was captivated as I studied them side by side. My mother: the perfect picture of guardian excellence and decorum. My father: always capable of achieving his goals, no matter how twisted the means. Uneasily, I began to understand how I'd inherited my bizarre personality. â€Å"Nominees have no requirements concerning how many people are in their family,' continued Abe jovially. â€Å"They only need three royal nominations to be confirmed.' Nathan gestured angrily toward where his own wayward son and Christian sat. â€Å"They aren't from her family!' â€Å"They don't need to be,' countered Abe. â€Å"They just need to be from a royal family. They are. Her candidacy is within the law–so long as the princess accepts.' All heads swiveled toward Lissa now, as though they were suddenly just noticing her. Lissa hadn't twitched since the startling events began. She was in too much shock. Her thoughts seemed to move both fast and slow. Part of her couldn't even start to process what was happening around her. The rest of her mind was spinning with questions. What was going on? Was this a joke? Or maybe a spirit-induced hallucination? Had she finally gone crazy? Was she dreaming? Was it a trick? If so, why would her own friends have been the ones to do it? Why would they do this to her? And for the love of God, would everyone stop staring at her? She could handle attention. She'd been born and raised for it, and like Tasha, Lissa could address a crowd and make bold statements–when she supported them and was prepared. Neither of those things applied to this situation. This was pretty much the last thing in the world she had expected or wanted. And so, she couldn't bring herself to react or even consider a response. She stayed where she was, silent and shell- shocked. Then, something snapped her from her trance. Christian's hand. He'd taken Lissa's, wrapping his fingers with hers. He gave her a gentle squeeze, and the warmth and energy he sent brought her back to life. Slowly, she looked around the room, meeting the eyes of those all watching her. She saw Tasha's determined gaze, my father's cunning look, and even my mother's expectation. That last one proved most startling of all. How could Janine Hathaway–who always did what was right and could barely crack a joke–be going along with this? How could any of Lissa's friends be going along with this? Didn't they love and care about her? Rose, she thought. I wish you were here to tell me what to do. Me too. Damned one-way bond. She trusted me more than anyone else in the world, but she realized then that she trusted all of these friends too–well, except maybe Abe, but that was understandable. And if they were doing this, then surely–surely–there was a reason, right? Right? It made no sense to her, yet Lissa felt her legs move as she rose to her feet. And despite the fear and confusion still running through her, she found her voice inexplicably clear and confident as it rang out through the room. â€Å"I accept the nomination.'

Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory

Bandura’s social cognitive theory puts more emphasis on social origins of behavior. His social cognitive approach focuses on cognitive factors that are central to human functioning. He defines human behavior as vibrant and reciprocal interaction of personal factors behavior and the environment.The theory contends that behavior is largely regulated through cognitive processes. He adds that through the observations of models, an individual’s perceptions and action influence cognitive development. Bandura gives three types of models; live, symbolic and verbal instructions (Boeree, 2006).The theory states that learning can occur in the absence of direct reinforcement; rather people can learn new information and behaviors by watching other people and models. In learning, the learner must have a sense of self-efficacy which is termed as the learner’s belief that they can execute complex skills successfully.This perception provides the learner with an ability of self- d irection. The use of models influence learner’s self systems and as a result cognitive development becomes an independent process of observational learning.Additionally, observational learning involved four main steps which include attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. The implication in psychotherapy is that if you get an individual with a psychological disorder to observe someone dealing with the same issues in a wide productive fashion, the first individual will learn by modeling the second person.Bandura acknowledges that individual’s behavior is conditioned through the use of consequences. In psychotherapy, research is very vital and behaviorism is the most preferred approach (Bandura, 2001).Another concept which is applied in psychotherapy is locus of control. For instance, when persons believe they can alter their situation, they are said to have an internal locus of control and when they believe they cannot alter their situations they are said to h ave an external locus of control.ReferencesBandura, A. (2001). Social Cognitive Theory: An Agentic Perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 2, p. 4-7.Boeree, G. (2006). Albert Bandura 1925- Present. Retrieved August 10, 2010 from http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/bandura. html.

The Experts Scientific Definition of Dinosaurs

The Experts' Scientific Definition of Dinosaurs One of the problems with explaining the scientific definition of the word dinosaur is that biologists and paleontologists tend to use much drier, more precise language than your average dinosaur enthusiast on the street (or in an elementary school). So while most people intuitively describe dinosaurs as big, scaly, dangerous lizards that went extinct millions of years ago, experts take a much narrower view. In evolutionary terms, dinosaurs were the land-dwelling descendants of the archosaurs, egg-laying reptiles that survived the Permian-Triassic extinction event 250 million years ago. Technically, dinosaurs can be distinguished from the other animals descended from archosaurs (pterosaurs and crocodiles) by a handful of anatomical quirks. Chief among these is posture: Dinosaurs had either an upright, bipedal gait (like that of modern birds), or if they were quadrupeds, they had a stiff, straight-legged style of walking on all fours  (unlike modern lizards, turtles, and crocodiles, whose limbs splay beneath them when they walk). Beyond that, the anatomical features that distinguish dinosaurs from other vertebrate animals become rather arcane; try on  an elongate deltopectoral crest on the humerus for size (i.e., a spot where muscles connect into the upper arm bone). In 2011, Sterling Nesbitt of the American Museum of Natural History attempted to tie together all of the subtle anatomical quirks that make dinosaurs dinosaurs. Among these are a radius (lower arm bone) at least 80% smaller than the humerus (upper arm bone); an asymmetrical fourth trochanter on the femur (leg bone); and a large, concave surface separating the proximal articular surfaces of the ischium, aka the pelvis. With terms like these, you can see why the big, scary, and extinct is more appealing to the general public. The First True Dinosaurs Nowhere was the line dividing dinosaurs and non-dinosaurs more tenuous than during the middle to late Triassic period, when various populations of archosaurs had just started to branch off into dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and crocodiles. Imagine an ecosystem filled with slender, two-legged dinosaurs, equally slender, two-legged crocodiles (yes, the first ancestral crocs were bipedal, and often vegetarian), and plain-vanilla archosaurs that looked for all the world like their more-evolved cousins. For this reason, even paleontologists have a hard time definitively classifying Triassic reptiles like Marasuchus and Procompsognathus; at this fine level of evolutionary detail, its virtually impossible to pick out the first true dinosaur (though a good case can be made for the South American Eoraptor). Saurischian and Ornithischian Dinosaurs For the sake of convenience, the dinosaur family is divided into two main groups. To vastly simplify the story, starting about 230 million years ago a subgroup of archosaurs split off into two types of dinosaurs, distinguished by the structure of their hip bones. Saurischian (lizard-hipped) dinosaurs went on to include predators like Tyrannosaurus rex and huge sauropods like Apatosaurus, while ornithischian (bird-hipped) dinosaurs consisted of a diverse assortment of other plant-eaters,  including  hadrosaurs, ornithopods, and stegosaurs. (Confusingly, we now know that birds descended from lizard-hipped, rather than bird-hipped, dinosaurs.) Learn more about  how dinosaurs are classified. You may have noticed that the definition of dinosaurs provided at the start of  this article  refers only to land-dwelling reptiles, which technically excludes marine reptiles like Kronosaurus and flying reptiles like Pterodactylus from the dinosaur umbrella (the first is  technically  a pliosaur, the second a pterosaur). Also occasionally mistaken for true dinosaurs are the large therapsids and pelycosaurs of the Permian period, such as Dimetrodon and Moschops. While some of these ancient reptiles would have given  your average Deinonychus a run for its money, rest assured they werent allowed to wear dinosaur name tags during the school dances of the Jurassic period.

The Letter C in French

The Letter C in French The letter C in French is very similar to how we use it in English. It can be hard or soft depending on the letters that follow it, it can have an accent, and the pronunciation changes when combined with other letters.   This quick French lesson will walk you through the various ways to pronounce the letter C. There are even a few examples to practice along the way. Pronunciation The French letter C  is a lot like the C in English. The sound will change depending on if it is followed by a hard or a soft vowel. The French C  can be pronounced in one of two ways: Soft pronunciation - In front of an E, I, or Y, the C is pronounced like an SHard pronunciation - In front of an A, O, U, or a consonant, C is pronounced like a K When a C is in front of a hard vowel but has to be pronounced as a soft C, the accent cà ©dille - à § - is added to make it soft. Thus, à § is never found in front of an E or I  because those are soft vowels. French Words With 'C' With that introduction, lets practice a few C words in French. Given what you just learned, try to pronounce each of these words on your own. Then, check to see how you did by clicking on the word and listening to the proper pronunciation. Run through this exercise as much as needed to perfect your C sounds and expand your vocabulary. cafà ©Ã‚  (coffee)sucre  (sugar)ceinture  (belt)nià ¨ce  (niece)à §a va?  (how are you?)caleà §on  (mens underwear) Letter Combinations With 'C' The letter C is also used in a few common combinations and the C sound will change. As you learn more French, you will come across these quite often, so its good to practice them. CH  - Pronounced like the English SH or like a K.SC  - In front of a soft vowel, it sounds like an S. In front of a hard vowel or consonant, the S and C are pronounced separately and according to their respective rules.As in  sciences  (science) or escargots  (snails).XC - In front of a soft vowel, it sounds like [ks] or the soft X.  In front of a hard vowel or consonant, the X and C are pronounced individually and according to their traditional rules.As in  excentre (outlying) or express (espresso).

Critically discuss why Knowledge of the prevailing conditions in the Essay

Critically discuss why Knowledge of the prevailing conditions in the labour market is fundamental to the Human Resource Plann - Essay Example Human resource planning involves identifying the forecasts of labour demand and labour supply in the market. Some of the techniques that can be utilized in forecasting the labour requirement in the organisation include sales projections, managerial estimates, simulations and analysis of employee turnover in the organisation (Briscoe 2008). The human resource managers can utilize succession charts, labour market analysis, personnel ratios and skills inventories in forecasting the labour availability (Reddy 2005). This process is geared at ensuring that there is an adequate number of qualified persons at all the time to perform the jobs that aim at meeting the organisational objectives. Kleynhans asserts that â€Å"human resource planning is depended on the labour market outlook† (2006 p 69). Organisations are currently monitoring the skills in the labour market, the skills shortage and changing trends (Briscoe 2008). Some of the objective of human resource planning process is t o ensure there is enough manpower and proper utilization of manpower in the organisation (Dawra 2003). The process should forecast the future requirements of the human resources at all skills levels in the organisation and access the shortage or surplus at different periods. Another objective is to analyze the impact of changing work processes and technology on the human resource requirements and maximize the return on investment in the people resources. Since employees retire, resign or die, human resource planning process helps the organisation deal with employee turnover and meets both short term and long term people requirements in the organisation (Pattanayak 2005). Some factors that influence the process include the organisational business strategies, growth cycles, and time horizons, quality of human requirement forecasting information, environmental uncertainties and the nature of jobs in the organisation. Human resource planning will anticipate the redundancies, the recruit ment levels and determine the training needs in the organisation (Dawra 2003). Some commonly used methods of labour requirement forecasting include managerial judgments, work study methods, ratio-trend analysis and mathematical models (Reddy 2005). Labour supply in the organisation can be either internal or external. Internal sources of labour supply include promotions, job rotations and training the existing employees on new roles. External sources include the external labour market whereby employees can be employed from educational institutions, referrals and outsourcing (Pattanayak, 2005). Reviewing the human resource audits and making future projections can be utilized to understand the internal human resource supply (Reddy 2005). The internal human resource requirements can be affected by temporal absences, turnovers such as dismissals and resignations and also permanent absences such as death, retirements and disability (Mathis and Jackson, 2012). The simplest method of foreca sting the future human resource supply is the trend analysis that assumes that ratios of employee turnover and movements will be stable in the future. The labour patterns include retirement patterns and hiring patterns that assume the same patterns will remain stable and thus predict the future manpower requirements of the organisation. Another model of forecasting the

World Literature Comparison Work with some Creative Writing. An elegy Essay

World Literature Comparison Work with some Creative Writing. An elegy and Folklore - Essay Example He rode with a naked sword in one hand An eagle adorned his shoulder He fought in the battles to save his people Came victorious over and over He was needed by the people but he wanted to meditate He left for heavenly abode never to come back again He was our guide ,our saviour, our Guru We lament His loss ,Respect Him, Consider him our God He would appear whenever we call him For, he is dear to all. 2. A Folklore Once upon a time, there was a little shepherd .He used to go early morning with his cattle to the fields near a forest and come back late in the evening. In the same forest, there lived a clever fox. She always wanted to eat that little boy and thought different ways to do it. The boy had a dog which warned him whenever the fox was around, that way the boy was saved every time the fox planned the attack. One day this little boy’s father went to the fair that held every Friday in the nearby village. The father took the dog along. The boy went to the forest as usual, w ith his cattle but without dog that day. The fox thought that it was the best opportunity to make to the boy her prey. When the night drew near and the boy took his cattle back to the village, the fox started following him and said, dear boy, where is your dog today. The boy told him that he is busy with his father. Then, the fox asked so dear boy, you might be lost in the jungle as there is no one to guide you home, why don’t you come with me? The boy got scared but thought, if he will not get rid of the fox today she is surely going to kill him. The boy plans to befool the fox. He tells the fox, I know you want to eat me but before you kill me, can you play a flute for me with your eyes closed, I want to dance a last dance. The fox thought that it is always good to comply with a dying man wishes. Therefore, she decided to play a flute for the boy. She started piping and the boy started dancing. The boy knew that by this time of the evening the group of hounds pass this way. They were his dog’s friends. When they heard the sound of flute, they came to that place. The boy heard the voice of the hounds from afar and immediately climbed the tree nearby .The fox kept playing the flute with her eyes closed .She heard the noises and opened her eyes .She found a group of hounds about to attack her. She started running but was chased and killed. 3. IN  THE NAME  OF  ALLAH THE  COMPASSIONATE THE MERCIFUL      Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Creation, The Compassionate, the Merciful, King of Judgment-day! You alone we worship, and to You alone we pray for help. Guide us to the straight path The path of those whom You have favored, Not of those who have incurred Your wrath, Nor of those who have gone astray. (Koran) A raindrop, dripping from a cloud, Was ashamed when it saw the sea. â€Å"Who am I where there is a sea?† it said. When it saw itself with the eye of humility, A shell nurtured it in its embrace. (Saadi) The extract from the Koran exalts the Lord, who is the master of creation. The songs are sang in His praise for being compassionate and merciful towards His creation .The extract explains that he is the only benefactor Lord who is worshiped and one can ask for help. The writer of the extract insists that the benevolent Lord must guides us to the straight path, which is right path and the followers, must get directions from the right leader who is favoured by Allah. The Second extract culled from saying of Saadi conveys a deeper meaning. It says a raindrop is ashamed on looking at the vast sea. It thinks that it is very insignificant in presence of this colossal water source. But its importance is realised in the

Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA) - Assignment Example It is conclusive to state that although some companies adopt various leadership styles due to other factors such as incompetence, the main determinant of an organization’s leadership is its desired organizational effectiveness. However, it is important to note that leadership is also affected by other factors such as personality, attitude, and beliefs. The core task of leadership in an organization is to establish, develop and sustain an effective organizational culture. Organizational culture refers to the beliefs, feelings, and values of the organization’s personnel. Effective leadership should steer an organizational culture, positively promoting team dynamics, motivation and commitment to the organization’s operations. Organizational leadership plays a significant role in enhancing job satisfaction in an organization’s workforce. According to Quinn and Rohrbaugh, job satisfaction translates into organizational effectiveness. This is because job satisfaction optimizes the productivity of an organization’s workforce. Although there are other parameters that are used to assess organizational performance, the main factor of consideration is productivity. Organizational performance is based on set goals and objectives which are mainly based on the organization’s productivity. Organizational effectiveness is realized through role modeling and strong service organizational leadership.

Creativity and Innovation Management in Restaurant

Creativity and Innovation Management in Restaurant SUKHRAJ SINGH CREATIVE AND INNOVATION MANAGEMENT In this document I am going to discuss about the Sousa restaurant that located in the Auckland in CBD. This document is the further part of previous recommendation for innovation in Sousa. Mainly in this document discuss the innovation plan for Sousa. As well as focus on the how to increase the motivation of staff and stakeholder returns. Also talk about the key barriers and how to implement the new creative and innovation idea on the Sousa organization. Determine study on the key goals of Sousa and practice of reward management and performance of curve. Create a plan strategy to control the overcome barriers and how to evaluate the company overcoming barriers. KEY BARRIES TO INNOVATION AT SOUSA We all know that every company faces lot of barriers even if it is new entrant or an old company. Every company tries to develop new inventions and new ideas. When some new ideas implement on company system someone handle easily but some company face lot of barriers. RESOURCE BARRIERS Resource barriers are barriers which related to resource required for efficiently running business. For example: Finances, Human Resources, Technology. Sousa is traditional restaurant but it has some resource barriers which should be taken care for successful running of business. HR- Human resources at Sousa are working since its existence. But all of them lack skills that are trained and equipped with latest requirements of the market. Technology- Sousa is using traditional ways of working. Use of traditional cash register and order booking on memo pad are example of lack of latest technology. Leadership- Sousa has a traditional ownership and none of the past owners and future owners (sons of owner) have leadership skills or experience. Leadership generally directs the future of an organization. So, without skilled leadership, Sousa will experience hard times for innovation. Tools and processes- just looking for innovation and asking employees to do innovative way is not a solution of creating innovation in organization. However, without tools and processes employees find it difficult to generate new ideas. Overcoming the barriers While there are some barriers to innovation in Sousa, there must be some things to overcome these barriers. While overcoming these barriers to innovation; always dig deep to get better solutions to overcome barriers. Organizational culture and innovation Success of organization is so much depends on the culture of organization. Sousa has a very traditional culture of working without many efforts to do something new. Culture of organization impacts the employee’s performance, the interest of investors and suppliers behaviors towards organization. Alignment of the goals plans of organization with organizational culture is necessary. While, Sousa will need a big route level change to implement innovation in organization, culture change is necessary. Awareness of culture is necessary. At the moment, most of the employees are just working for day to day works without any future aspects worries about organizations future. They feel safe and secure with long term relations to Sousa, so making them feeling of new needs is necessary while providing them tools to enhance their interest and skills for innovation. Tools of creating culture of innovation: Increase passion- talk with employees, involve them in organization strategy, ask for solutions, and attach them to a mission of big organizational change and survival + growth of organization. Rewards – rewards and recognition culture should be aligned to involvement in organizational planning and implementation to new ideas. Each employee that comes up with some genuine ideas should be praised or provided some monetary rewards. Give confidence to employees- give confidence to employees to take decision to their own. Most of the employees take it difficult to decide on small issues by their own. Going to boss for every little decision decrease self confidence of employees. So, employees should be given confidence to take decisions which will enhance their ability and confidence for getting solutions to problems. Fail forward- give confidence to people who give ideas that ultimately results in failure when implemented. The main thing is to fail early and try something new, this will make it sure that time and resources are utilized properly. Think little- small organizations like Sousa thinks that they are not big enough to penetrate with new innovations. This mindset shouldn’t be encouraged in Sousa. Each large business started small some day in history. ATTITUDES In a practiced place of work location, bad attitude be able to influence everybody and reason clash with employees. In a number of cases attitude harms are capable to be unseen by the majority of workers and a creative employee through a small attitude difficulty is not a disruption. A boss needs to study how to identify increasing attitude problems inside the place of work to stop them as of suitable a disruption. Everyone face attitude in every place where they go like local area and where they work. In sample words attitudes are the way of thinking towards the person our work. This is also relating to the workplace and outside area. Mainly attitudes has three different components these are as Cognitive – it’s mean what we think, other one is Belief, Affective: the way how to dealing with feeling or emotions, Co native- this show that what action we will take towards something. According to the case study attitudes is the one of main barrier for Sousa, because Sousa used old methods of food making they can’t used new technology equipment so it’s hard to Sousa employee to used new food making equipment like new BBQ chambers. They fellows also do not know how they take order with new ipad and how the show the new deals to customer on ipad. Sousa management should provide proper training to front staff how they used this things. Otherwise this put negative attitudes on customers and become barrier for Sousa. Management know that if they can invest lot money on new food making machines but they cannot trained our employees it’s become big barrier towards the Sousa marketing. Sousa management try to fined the sample and easy way to how they trained our staff and staff should learn new skills and delivery service. REWARD MANAGEMENT Reward means that thing given to employee because of his contribution to company. Most of company gives rewards in incentives and some company give employee of month and some give like pay increments. Few companies design reward system regular with organizational goals, visions, missions and job performances. In other words reward systems define that total return given by an employer to a company staff. Simply reward management main motivate is to give motivation to our employees. According to Sousa case study they need to make a perfect reward management because Sousa implements lot of new things in our store. Sousa has 14 restaurant employees and 2 duty managers. Sousa management makes new reward policy when company any employee helps Sousa to achieve goal a reward often follow, but one thing management keep in mind because some time one employee feel jealous to other employee like cast, color and some other reason like harassment. When these type of happen seen in company and workplace area it also put bad impact on the employee work ability. PERFORMANCE OF CURVE The change curve model is originated in 1969 by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross to reveal the performance of people while they come to identify that they have sickness. These years this model is new to each challenge and emergency at what time an organization change their offered strategies or method of job. Likewise as among all models opinion, it has difficulty and debaters, on the other hand, it is a good equipment to use to understand anywhere individuals are in their tour during change. Thus this sympathetic can help director adapt approach and doing well communication to people organization the change, selection them through the move about effectively. Sousa restaurant follow the old traditional way to food making and order taking. But if they can want change in our restaurant then they can try to some changes in staff area like hire new employees those are well experience in food making area, they also know how they can used the new food making machines like they can know what food need how much time and how much temperature because every dish making style is different. Nowadays in Auckland there are lot new people arrive like Indian, Japanese, and European. FIRST STAGE Sometimes any change set up to people in early stages people get shocked and mostly someone are probably they just say straight way disagree to adopt this change. Sousa employee should be shocked when the owner represents the new plan like hire new employees and new technologies machines. SECOND STAGE Anger- is the next stage. The scapegoat, inside the structure of the business, group or exacting person, is often practical. Focus the fault through an individual or one item will let am additional room of the denial by generous one more importance for the doubts since fine anxieties the potential shock can be produce. THIRD STAGE Retaining the exacting commitment to working of individuals, facilitating these people from the change curve, it will eventually grow to be obvious how the change will be here to keep. It is not any fashion and also large changes into their day-to-day lives could possibly be ought to take place. At this stage, folks will frequently try to skimp on a good end result to the change. Communication plan for implementing innovation in Sousa Stakeholder: Stakeholders are someone who have any type of interest in the business activities of organization. Stakeholders of organization I am going to discuss the most important stakeholder of Sousa, that are customers. Customers in Sousa are long term customers and were very loyal till times, but due to introduction of new restaurants in Auckland and change in customer mindset forced them to change to other restaurants which results in falling sales for Sousa. Communication plan for stakeholders: Customers adapt new thing very quickly these days. They get bored very quickly and always look for something new that is convenient to use and interesting. So, communication of innovation in Sousa to customers is necessary. Strategic communication plan This is a planned strategy that is analytical to get par the challenges of getting innovation in Sousa. Communication plan pre requirements: Analysis of stakeholders analyse the customers and their needs for communication. Channel assessment which should be the best channel of communication. For example, advertisement is one of the ways to communicate to customers. Development of communication plan: Time of communication innovation should be communicated while implementation is in process and when it is fully implemented. So, communication with customers should be regular. Required changes in customer behaviour customers should be positively adapting innovation in Sousa. This should result in most customer visits and sales. Message of occasion message should be clear to customer. They must get that which innovation ideas are implemented and what is new in Sousa. Channels of communication best channel of communication to customers are one to one talks within the restaurant. Apart from that, social media and posters should be also used.

Essay --

Review of â€Å"Prediction Models for Annual Hurricane Counts† ELserner, J. (2006). Prediction Models for Annual US Hurricane Counts. American Meteorological Society, 2935-3951. HURRICANES This paper provides a Bayesian approach towards developing a prediction model for the occurrence of coastal hurricane activity based on historic hurricane data from 1851 to 2004 from US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A hurricane is defined as a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained (1min) 10-m winds of 65kt (33 m s-1) or greater. [1]A Hurricane landfall occurs when a storm passes over land after originating in water. A hurricane can make more than one landfall. A landfall may occur even when the exact centre of low pressure remains offshore(eye) as the eyewall of the hurricane extends a radial distance of 50km. The literature review in the paper suggests a significant effect of El Nino Southern Oscillations (ENSO) on the frequency of hurricanes forming over topics and a less significant effect over sub tropics. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) also plays an important role in altering hurricane activity (Elsner 2003; Elsner et al. 2001; Jagger et al. 2001; Mur nane et al 2000) has been stated. The hurricane observations considered in the model fulfills the following criteria 1 The storm hits the US continent atleast once at hurricane intensity. 2 The storm is recorded in the US continent only except Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands The discrepancy associated with the available data of hurricanes is about the certainty of the records for before 1899 ie the hurricane record from 1851-1898 are less certain than records available after 1899. The challenge here is to achieve such a model that gives accurate predictions even if t... ...June. Therefore the partial season count excludes hurricanes of May (1 occurred) and June (19 occurred) from the total of 274 hurricanes from 1851 to 2004. A total of 20% data is eliminated from 274 hurricanes. MODEL FOR ANNUAL HURRICANE COUNT POISSON REGRESSION MODEL h≈ Poisson (lamdai ) lamdai =exp(ÃŽ ²o+ X`i ÃŽ ²) Ln(lamdai)= ÃŽ ²o+ X`i ÃŽ ² ÃŽ ²o and ÃŽ ² define a specific model and are calculated on Bayesian approach. The model assumes the parameters (intercept and coefficient) to have a distribution and that inference is made by computing the posterior probability density of the parameter conditioned on the observed data. The Bayesian approach combines Prior belief [ f(ÃŽ ²) ] and most frequent likelihood to give the posterior Density: f(ÃŽ ²|h) proportional f(h/ ÃŽ ²).f(ÃŽ ²) The posterior density talks about the belief of parameter values after considering the observed counts.

How Organizations Can Learn from Failure Essay

Even though there is a no precise definition for failure in organizations, there is a general agreement to what failure means and could lead to. Failure is broadly defined as a condition of not meeting the intended objective or end. Failure could result in the depletion of finance, shrinking market, exit from the market, loss of market share, project failure and loss of legitimacy. We can assume that failure has negative consequences even though the final outcome may be positive, with firms learning from failure. Understanding the need for learning from failure is unquestionable; however it is tough for organizations to put this into practice. It is crucial that organizations understand failure and think about it in the right way before they can go about implementing procedures to prevent such failures from happening in the future. Learning from failure involves understanding that failure is not always bad and that learning from failure is no straightforward task. An organization cannot simply reflect on what they did wrong and expect to not make the same mistakes again. Organizations have to understand about the different degrees of failure which occur on a scale ranging from blameworthy to praiseworthy. They fall into three broad categories which are 1, failures which occur in predictable operations which could be prevented. 2, unavoidable failures which occur in complex organizations which can be managed to prevent snowballing. 3, unwanted outcomes†¦. To learn from failure, we require different strategies for each setting. It is key to detect them early, analyze failures with depth, develop hypothesis, experiments and projects to product them. In order to minimize failure employees first have to feel safe to report these failures. In the article titled strategies for learning from failure the author Amy C. Edmondson talks about http://hbr. org/2011/04/strategies-for-learning-from-failure/ar/1 First the organization has to go about understanding failure in the right way as well as all the possible side†¦ Important for managers to think about failure in the right way. Failure is not always bad. It is sometimes bad and sometimes inevitable and sometimes good. Learning from failure is not a straightforward task. The attitudes and activities required to effectively detect and analyze failures are in short supply in most companies and the need for context-specific learning strategies is underappreciated.? Organizations need new and better ways to go beyond lessons which are superficial( procedures which weren’t followed) or self serving ( The market just wasn’t ready for our great new product) That means jettisoning old cultural beliefs and stereotypical notions. The blame game? A spectrum of reasons for failure? http://www. uk. sagepub. com/upm-data/10989_Chapter_9. pdf Failing to learn from failure reasons? -Simply experiencing a negative event is not sufficient for learning. – Learning can be a complicated process, the acquisition of knowledge and the shifts in behavior must occur at all levels of a highly complex system. â€Å"Bazerman and Watkins (2004) contend that, when organizations fail to learn failures, they become susceptible to predictable surprises. What is the difference between predictable and unpredictable surprises? Predictable surprises occur when an organization leadership ignores or fails to understand clear evidence that a potentially devastating problem to occur. There are different sort of failures and not all failures are created equally. Bazerman and Watkins( 2004) identify four ways in which organizations fail to learn from failures that occur around them: Scanning Failures: failure to pay close attention to potential problems both inside and outside the organization; this failure could be due to arrogance, a lack of resources, or simple inattentions? Intergration failures: failure to understand how pieces of potentially complicated information fit together to provide lessons of how to avoid crises. 3. Incentive Failures: failure to provide sufficient rewards to people who report problems and take actions to avoid possible crises 4. Learning Failures: failure to draw important lessons from crises and preserve their memory in the organization Organizations who face these failures potentially could damage their organizational integrity. Eg Mitroff and Anagnos 2001, Managing Crises before they happen: what every manager needs to know about crisis management. 1982, Johnson and Johnson could respond to an external crisis with their product being linked to cyanide poisoning and thus the company responded quickly by pulling their stock of capsules from the shelves and having great PR work. J and J knew how to handle their PR well and their product managed to get back to the top seller. J and J however became a victim of its previous succ ess and had not done well with ‘Predictable surprises’ where crises occurred within the company. J and J had failed to do proper product scanning and had been a different sort of failure. failure of a different type? Failure of Success. Problem 1 and 4. Learning from failure: Sitkin 1996- Mittelstaedt (2005) – Failure is an essential part of learning for many organizations. Failures, should not be hidden or avoided. Making mistakes is essential to success, a company which appears to be free from disruption may be operating unrealistically and from a uniformed perspective. â€Å"learning to identify mistakes analytically and timely is the difference between failure and success. † Too often employees and managers are unwilling to admit small failures for fear of reprisal. The unwillingness to recognize and embrace failure is also a failure to recognize and respond to potential crises. The longer these small crises build up the higher likelihood it could escalate into a major crisis. In successful organizations, failure creates recognition of risk and a motivation for change that would not exist otherwise. Describes this recognition as a â€Å"learning readiness† without failure, very difficult to produce in most organizations. Sitkin cautions that not all failures are equally effective in fostering good risk management. Organizations learn best from intelligent failures, which have these characteristics, result from planned actions, uncertain outcomes, modest in scale, and take place in domains that are familiar enough to permit effective learning. Organizations need to recognize risks by accepting and acting on failures. Learn the best when failure results from competent actions, not major crises. Still within the comfort zone and employees are eager and experienced enough to respond. These opportunities arise: Vicarious Learning – learning that occurs as a function of observing, retaining and replicating behavior observed in others. Organizations need not fail as an entity in order to learn. Successful organizations engage in vicarious learning in order to recognize risk, organizational leaders observe the failures or crises experienced by similar organizations and take action to avoid making the same mistakes. Examples of Vicarious Learning- Give!!! Organizational memory: Without learning from their own and other’s mistakes organizations stagnate and fail to respond to potential threats in an ever-changing world. Learning has no use if the knowledge is not retained. An example of failure in organizational memory is the Union carbide plant in Bhopal, India in 1984. Early in December morning, the plant leaked a deadly cloud of gas that settled over part of the sleeping city of a million residents. Within two hours 2000 of them were dead with thousands left injured? Part of the reason for the disaster was a loss in organizational memory. The plant had been slated for closure and many experienced staff had been transferred out, leaving minimal crew with little work experience, with the training for remaining crew at a minimum. The crisis was traced to staff reductions and oversight failures. Much of the blame for the tragedy rests with a rapid reduction in experienced staff that took with them a large share of organizational memory. Organizational memory comprises of, a) Acquiring knowledge, done by recognizing failures within the organization and by observing failures of similar organizations. b) Distributing knowledge is the key to organizational memory. Highly experienced employees will leave the organization and these people should be given an opportunity to share their knowledge around or those departing personnel will go along with their experience. ) Acting upon knowledge, is important for organizational memory to serve an organization. New employees need to learn from those departing ones.! New employees cannot do things their own way or else it will lead to repeat failures†¦.!!!! Employees have many opportunities to discard the hard-earned knowledge. Because organizational memory depends on exchanging information from one person to another perception change , mistreatment and stubbornness to learn can disrupt preserving organizational memory. Organizations need to learn and build from previous experiences. Unlearning: Effective organizational learning depends on an organizations ability to unlearn practices and policies that have become outdated by environmental changes. Example of Unlearning 1. Expanding Options: When organizations are unwilling to forego routine procedures during crisis or potential crisis situations, they lose the capacity to react to unique circumstances. Unlearning enables the organization to expand its options. 2. Contracting Options: In some cases, organizations may respond to a crisis with a strategy that has worked well in the past. In the current situation, however, the strategy from the past may actually make matters worse. In such cases, organizations must be willing to reject some strategies in favor of others. 3. Grafting: In the previous section, we discussed the need for organizations to hand down existing knowledge to new employees. If the socialization of new employees is so intense that they cannot bring new knowledge to the organization, however, the organization is doing itself a disservice. Although organizational memory is essential, some degree of unlearning Opportunity 1: Organizations should treat failure as an opportunity to recognize a potential crisis or to prevent a similar crisis in the future. Opportunity 2: Organizations can avoid crises by learning from the failures and crises of other organizations. Opportunity 3: Organizational training and planning should emphasize the preservation of previous learning in order to make organizational memory a priority. Opportunity 4: Organizations must be willing to unlearn outdated or ineffective procedures if they are to learn better crisis management strategies Bazerman, M. H. & Watkins, M. D. (2004). Predictable surprises: The disasters you should have seen coming and how to prevent them. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Huber, G. P. (1996). Organizational learning: The contributing processes and the literatures. In M. D. Cohen & L. S. Sproull (Eds. ), Organizational learning (pp. 124-162). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Mitroff, I. I. , & Anagnos, G. (2001). Managing crises before they happen: What every executive and manager needs to know about crisis management. New York: AMACOM. Mittelstaedt, R. E. (2005). Will your next mistake be fatal? Avoiding the chain of mistakes that can destroy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton. Sitkin, S. B. (1996). Learning through failure: The strategy of small losses. In M. D. Cohen & L. S. Sproull (Eds. ), Organizational learning (pp. 541-578). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Tompkins, P. K. (2005). Apollo, Challenger, Columbia: The decline of the space program. Los Angeles: Roxbury. Organizations who face these failures potentially could damage their organizational integrity. It is important for an organization to identify these failures and act on them while the company is still in operation. Having a crisis management team to prepare, respond and recover from a crisis is paramount in ensuring that the organization recovers and continues. Preparation must happen before a crisis occurs. In times of crisis, organizations need to systematically analyze its errors, acknowledge the errors and limits of the organization as well as address the issue with a level of sophistication. When an organization continually fails to differentiate and neglect crisis and failures it could lead to detrimental problems for the organization. Failure/ Crisis Management Case Study 1 A hypothetical example would be the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (BP oil spill) that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico from 20 April 2010 to 15 July 2010. The estimated 185 million barrels of oil first made landfall in Louisiana. By June 2010, the tar balls and oil mousse had reached the shores of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. By August, it had smeared tourist beaches, washed onto the shorelines of sleepy coastal communities, oozed into the marshy bays that fishermen have worked for generations as well as killed millions of wildlife in the process. Instead of dealing with the failure in a professional way, BP inadvertently created a PR situation synonymous with herding cats. It’s had to fight to clear up two quagmires – its oil mess and its tarnished image. (Please Refer to Appendix- New York Times, Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill) In times of crisis or failure, it is important for an organization to understand the need for a comprehensive risk analysis. Should the failure be environmentally or socially threatening, impressions demonstrations of empathy and competence are vital. BP was not prepared to successfully deal with such a catastrophe. To minimize the damage, BP should have immediately accomplished five tasks: 1. Issue regular, frequent progress reports 2. Control the pictures (even some on the Web site appeared to be canned or generic) 3. Transparency 4. Display empathy as a concerned corporate entity comprised of authentic people diligently making a good-faith effort to solve the problem Failure/ Crisis Management Case Study 2 Failure, if properly attended to and rectified is a great plus. It gives the much needed confidence to the public, client or stakeholders in the product and organization. Furthermore, with proper management, the organization will be able to assess its capacity to deal with the systemic and circumstantial deficiencies leading to failures and work out a way forward. A great example would be the Johnson and Johnson Tylenol poisoning crisis in 1982. When the Tylenol scare occurred, Johnson and Johnson responded immediately and positively, taking the analgesic off the shelves, keeping the public apprised of the investigation, and their instituting new tamper-proof seals to make their product more secure. An organization needs to be upfront and out front with their communication about the situation and what they are doing to correct it and protect the public. The organization has to keep the public’s best interests at heart when communicating the issue effectively, clearly, accurately, and promptly upon discovering the problem. Having a crisis management plan in place before a crisis occurs puts an organization in a solid position to handle it more effectively and responsibly. Detecting failure, analyising failure, promoting experiementation? Deviance Inattention Lack of Ability Process Inadequacy Task Challenge Process Complexity Uncertainty Hypothesis Testing Exploratory Testing Blameworthy Praiseworthy Violating a prescribed practice or process by choice Straying away from specifications Does not possess the necessary qualifications or skills for the task Adhering to a prescribed but faulty or incomplete task Task too difficult to be executed reliably each time Process comprises of element breaks when encountering interactions Lack of clarity causes actions which seem reasonable but produces undesired results An experiment to prove and idea, fails Experiment to increase knowledge and understand possibilities leads to an unwanted result