Insurance law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words - 1

Insurance law - Research Paper Example al law of contract.2 This essay discusses the relevance of the doctrine of utmost good faith in the face of a fast-changing business environment that requires flexibility and equal commitment from all parties to a contract. In order to achieve this, the author provides a background to the topic, and discusses the application of the doctrine in face of both the insurance and contract laws. Stages of the contract process are then interrogated to seek the different and similar requirements that necessitate application of the doctrine. Further, the views of scholars on the doctrine are explored so as to shed light on the apparent controversy that the doctrine has created among researchers and practitioners. The author remarks that the explored literature does not provide a strong basis to warrant a review of the doctrine. Consequently, its applicability in insurance law should remain as it is, even as more modern provisions of law are sought. The U.K. has some of the oldest, formalized insurance laws governing the insurance sector. The law on insurance has been evolving fast over the last century, with major developments intended to rhyme with the evolving geo-political scenes taking centre stage.3 For instance, the Maritime Insurance Act (1906) has recently been overhauled and the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act (2012) enacted as the industry’s new regulatory framework in order to respond to a growing significance of previously non-existent industries and harmonize the various provisions of the insurance law.4 While different countries have adopted slightly varying versions of the insurance law, the maritime insurance law appears to follow a close-global script. The general script is largely similar to the UK Marine Insurance Act (1906) whose framework has been widely consulted to create equally competent laws for insurance industries in other jurisdictions.5 Perhaps this apparent similari ty in the way different jurisdictions draft their

Gothic Satire Essay Example for Free

Gothic Satire Essay The subject of homework is cause for much debate between teachers, students, and parents. However, it is obvious that homework is not necessary every day. Homework should not be assigned to students on a daily basis because of health issues, the level of difficulty and the problem with time management. So I suggest the teacher can assign the homework twice a week, it is a way more easy to let students done their work. To begin, daily homework is unnecessary because of health issues. Students who have too much homework can develop poor sleep habits; many students pull â€Å"all-nighters† in an attempt to keep up. Another health issue is the lack of fresh air. Students show simple exposure to sunlight can provide bodies with neccessay vitamins, but there is no sunlight at your desk in your bedroom! Lastly, stress levels go through the roof when faced with too much work; in countries like China, overworked students have a high suicide rate. Evidently, too much homework can seriously damage your health. In addition, daily homework presents an unrealistic level of difficulty. If all teachers support daily homework, a student will have a heavy workload, with homework from four classes! Some homework is simply too difficult to be completed alone; a parent is not a teacher and should not be expected to know all the answers. Finally, struggling students who face failure at school and at home might choose to give up on school completely. A student who did not understand all day will fell even more discouraged when left alone to complete the work. Obviously, daily homework is simply too difficult. Finally, daily homework causes major problems when it comes to time. Many students need to work to supplement their family income or for posr=secondary education; there is no time for a student to manage a part-time job and homework. Valuable leisure time with family and friends also suffers when daily homework is assigned. Students need connections with the people who care about them in order to be emotionally and mentally healthy. With no time to simply unwind with those we love, we cannot form healthy relationships. Last but not least, students who have homework every day cannot join extracurricular activities such as sports and clubs. The educational system constantly stresses that a successful student is an active part of the school community, but a student with no free time has no time to join and make new friends. Thus, daily homework seriously compromises a student’s free time. In conclusion, due to problems such as good health, increased level of difficulty and lack of time, daily homework should not be assigned; it is, quite simply, unrealistic. Teachers should keep in mind that they are developing future people, and people require a healthy mind, body and spirit.

The Escape Theme in Sonny’s Blues and The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin

Escape in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† by James Baldwin and Huck in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Both the narrator in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† by James Baldwin and Huck in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain feel the urge to escape from their reality as a means of attaining happiness and finding their way in life. However, their reasons for escaping are completely different and so are the ways in which they manage to do so. The aim of this essay is, therefore, to discuss the how and why the Narrator in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† and Huck escape. We will start by briefly looking into both characters’ backgrounds in order to be able to understand the reasons and circumstances that led them to escape. First, it is worth mentioning that while â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† takes place in New York in the mid 20th century, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is mostly set in the Mississippi River (as it runs deep into the south) before the American Civil War in the mid 19th century. Despite the fact that the Narrator in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† and Huck belong to different places and times, both societies in which they live are plagued with discrimination against black people who are regarded as second class citizens having to endure violence and injustices from the white community . Both characters belong to low social class families. However, the Narrator in â€Å"Sonny’s blues† is a black middle aged, well educated man who has a family whereas Huck is a white child of about 12 years of age who is une...

Shakespeare’s Hamlet: A Conflicted Demonstration

Though Claudia also upset this order by murdering King Hamlet), for Hamlet to even consider killing Claudia, he crosses a moral taboo. Furthermore, when the ghost charges Hamlet to ‘Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder' and Hamlet accepts, replying ‘Haste me to Knott, that I with wings as swift/ As meditation or the thoughts of love/ May sweep to my revenge', he once again disregards the Christian value system that asserts Judgment and punishment to be only the right of God, and not of man.Hamlets only redeeming action, Is that after contemplating ‘To be, or not to be', he does not inevitably commit suicide: a death denied Christian burial. Secondly a sense of right and wrong can be derived from common sense, logic and the conscience. In this regard, Hamlet displays no moral integrity, as he firstly used Aphelia by displaying to her a faked ‘antic disposition' (ACTA, Sac. To which she was ‘so freighted' (ACTA, SSL) before allowing her to believe th at her love had been betrayed when he stated ‘I love you not' to her reply, ‘l was the more deceived' (Act, SSL After this, when given the opportunity to kill Polonium, ‘Now I might do it pat' he refrains because the victim ‘now a is a-praying' and the murder then would send him o heaven'. He shows no mercy, deciding to Walt till later when he is behaving In a way ‘That has no relish of salvation Inner choosing then to trip him that his heels may kick at heaven,] And that his soul may be damned and black,' As hell whereto It goes†¦ (ACTA, IS). It is possible however, that this example of postponing the revenge is an indication that Hamlet was perhaps reluctant, and did not truly wish to kill him. This indication of repressed guilt is also shown in ACTA Scenes where Hamlet states ‘†¦ I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things, that it ere better my mother had not borne me. I am very proud, revengeful, ambitio us, with more offences at my beck than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in'.Finally, a Judgment of moral integrity can take place when witnessing Hamlet's response to local laws. In this he varied. By Hamlet deciding to take Claudia' life In exchange for his fathers, he was following the pagan value systems of the era which accepted an ‘eye for an eye'. However, on discovering that Guilelessness and be struck off (ACTA, IS), he stole the commission, and illegally replaced it with a copy harming that Without debasement further, more, or less,] He should those bearers put to sudden death,] Not shriving time allowed'.Despite the action saving his life, Hamlet both broke a law, and ensured the death of those who once were his friends. Therefore, though it appears Hamlet believed he must extract his revenge, and at times showed unwillingness to do so, by this action and the behavior he used to carry it out Hamlet betrayed the relig ious rules, logic, common sense, conscience and law of the Elizabethan era, Hamlet displayed an at best conflicted, and at worst absent moral integrity.

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.

Mrs Dalloway Essay Example

Mrs Dalloway Essay Example Mrs Dalloway Paper Mrs Dalloway Paper Essay Topic: A Long Way Gone Literature Mrs Dalloway This essay will be investigating to what extent Woolf used her novel Mrs Dalloway to criticise the social system. To do this I will be taking into account the year the novel was written, and examining the social situations which the reader could have perceived to be critical. Also, it will be important to acknowledge that some of the socially critical situations Woolf uses had not been encountered before, and to reason that perhaps Woolf wrote Mrs Dalloway to try and draw public attentions to the reaction to events that the general public, politicians and all the social classes had no idea how to deal with. At the same time the essay will use these points to connect the novel and Woolf to its modernist roots. Woolf began writing what would become Mrs Dalloway in the summer of 1922 shortly after World War 1 had ended. Public suffering from the war was still inflicting its massive after effects, and Woolf wanted to write an expression of what she felt was happening. On my initial forays into researching Virginia Woolf my opinion was very closed, I felt she was very insular. Commenting on the outside world from the safety of her own well educated and wealthy life. But now I feel I passed judgment too quickly. Woolf came from a challenging background, loosing her mother at a young age and coping with depression at different stages of her life. She was an imperative aspect of a groundbreaking generation of people who were trying to shake off their Victorian roots and reach for something new, something different. Which is what we now know as the modernist era, where all absolute truths were questioned and life was about asking the where, why and who, of what they were. Septum also calls to Evans For Gods sake dont come! He calls this to Peter Walsh, mistaking him for Evans during a flashback he experiences, Lucre allies he Is having a flashback but despairs at It, because It Is yet another example of him not being the man she married. 4 Although Reseal explains Tanat seen NAS removed near waling-ruling Decease It Is now too big for her, how does Septum interpret this action? By removing her wedding ring Septum sees it as a sign that their marriage is over, Their marriage was over, he thought, with agony, with relief. He sees things very black and white, and therefore links his wifes taking off her wedding ring, to it being a sign she doesnt love him anymore and that the marriage is over. When ironically, he has removed her wedding ring because she loves him so much, if she didnt love him completely, she wouldnt have lost so much weight due to the stress of losing her husband mentally, and therefore the ring would still fit and she would be able to keep it on. However, due to Septum condition he is only able to see things in black and white, for instance he sees Evans thus Evans is able to be seen by everybody. Lucres takes of her wedding ring thus the marriage is over. He is unable to see the background of each situation and is therefore also unable to see that he really is very . Septum sees himself as the lord of men singled out to hear the truth, to learn the meaning. He believes he has been given the supreme secret and knows profound truths. Explain the role he thinks he has been given. Septum sees himself as able to see things more clearly than anybody else. He can see Evans. He believes that people are against him, especially doctors, who want him to lose his family, like he lost his friend. Ironically, he is the character who is able to see things the least clearly; he is deluded and cannot therefore learn the meaning f any situation because we have already seen him misinterpret the removal of his wifes wedding ring therefore showing that he doesnt hear the truth. . His body was macerated until only the nerve fibers were left. It was spread like a veil upon a rock. Comment on the use of figurative language here. How effective is this as an image of suffering? The language used here is extremely emotive. The imagery causes us to see the very nature of Septum condition, he can only feel hence nerve fibers he feels despair, sadness, and chock at what he has flashbacks to, and the choice of words are very art rock but th en contrast with soft imagery veil. The contrast shows suffering to an even more intense extent because it also creates confusion with the mixture of textures, and makes his condition seem even worse because it worsens in incoherent intervals. 7. Septum thoughts oscillate between comforting visions of beauty and Heaven as divinely merciful, infinitely benignant and hellish visions of flames and death. How do you react to this unhappy couple? Do you Just see him as mad? / DO you feel sorry for him? / Do you feel any sympathy for his wife? Ca ten warren-smelt s an unhappy couple Is Jumping to conclusions, In ten way that they used to be happy They went to Hampton Court on top of a bus They had happy times, but then as she progresses through her thoughts we as readers become more sympathetic towards Lucres Suddenly he said, Now we will kill ourselves She was enjoying her day, and then to hear her husband who she loves say that must be a feeling non comprehensible to anybody that hasnt experienced it, but we still feel so rry for her, because she has to witness it. TO some extent we feel more sorry for her than we do Septum, because although hes the one suffering erectly, he is deluded and doesnt see it as a mental problem, to him it is one hundred percent real, his wife on the other hand has to witness her husband digress in to madness every day. 8. When Peter Walsh walks past the Warren Smiths, he concludes that they are lovers squabbling under a tree. As readers, who have Just shared their internal worlds, we know very differently. So, what is Wolf highlighting about perspective here? Everybody perspective is different. To Septum he is back in the war reliving it in everyday situations. To Lucrative, she is losing her husband and doesnt know what else she can do to help him. Whereas Peter Walsh who knows nothing of the Warren Smiths concludes that they are squabbling, But I am so unhappy Septum we know just how devastated Lucrative is by this situation but to anybody else it could Just be a mere row between a young couples. Wolfs point about perspective here, shows how important the internal monologues she includes throughout her novel are because without them, we have no idea the true meaning behind what we see, Just as Peter Walsh misinterprets a couple in desperation with a couple having a petty argument.

Sdlc for Food Ordering System Essay Example

Sdlc for Food Ordering System Essay Example Sdlc for Food Ordering System Paper Sdlc for Food Ordering System Paper Introduction Generally, as it was mentioned in our first assignment, we supposed to choose any organization and try to develop an accurate system for it. We chose â€Å"Taktaz Restaurant† which serves Iranian traditional foods as our target and decided to develop an â€Å"online food ordering system† for it. We use Structured Analysis Method, which is time-tested and easy to understand method, as our system developing technique. Structured Analysis uses a series of phases, called the system development life cycle (SDLC), to plan, analyze, design, implement, and support an information system. In the first assignment we asked to concentrate on the first two phases of SDLC, planning and analyzing. In this assignment we are going to do last three phases, which are design, implement and support. The most important parts of these three phases that we are supposed to do in this assignment are as following: a. Output and user interface design b. Data design – ER Diagram c. System architecture d. System implementation (system prototype) – specify the hardware, software and platform used. e. System support maintenance Output Design Types of output In the system design phase, we will create the actual forms, reports, documents and other types of output. During this process we must consider the format and how it will be delivered, stored and retrieved. 1. Internet-Base Information Delivery Output In our information system we used internet-base information delivery as the output type. To support our online food ordering system, we have provided user-friendly screen interfaces that display output and accept input from customers. Customers visiting the site can check available food items and their prices in our menu, then can register for online ordering. 2. Screen Report Output Our information system also provides daily reports for Taktaz manager. To be useful, a report must include the information that a user need. Our system provides daily detailed reports in two categories: i. Total amount of daily orders ii. Total number of daily orders grouped by different customers’ name The examples of our system detailed report are shown in following. Total amount of daily orders Total number of daily orders grouped by different customers’ name As you can see, our system detailed report provides total for numeric fields. It also adds tax percentage to total selling amount for giving better estimation. The report also have auto incremental control field to controls output. User Interface Design Although output design involves a separate set of physical design issues, it is a part of the user interface (UI). User interface describes how users interact with a computer system and consists of all the hardware, software, screens, menus, functions, output and features that affect two-way communications between the user and the computer. Our customers through the website will work with a varied mix of input, output and, indirectly, date queries as they perform ordering process. Because all those tasks require interaction with the computer system, the user interface is a vital element in the systems design phase. It is important to design a user interface that is easy to use, attractive and efficient. To achieve these goals we have used following rules: 1. Focusing on basic objectives According to this rule, we tried to create a simple design that is easy to learn and understand. We aimed to design a logical and attractive layout as well. 2. Building an interface that is easy to learn and use. Based on this rule, we only used images that users can understand easily, to dentify icons. We also made it easy to return to any level in our menu structure system. 3. Minimizing input data problems We provided data validation checks and event-driven message and reminders as you can see in below sample from our system screen shot. 4. Providing feedback to users According to this rule, we made all of our feedback messages specific, understandable and professional. We a lso displayed messages on top of the screen and follow consistency every time. 5. Designing an attractive layout To satisfy this rule we tried to fulfill following guidelines in layouts of our system. Use appropriate colors to highlight different areas of the screen. Use hyperlink that allows user to jump to related topics. Group related objects and information by using similarity and proximity principles of Gestalt Theory. When the user enters data that completely files the field, don’t move automatically to the next field. We asked users to confirm the entries by pressing ok icon and tab key at the end of every fill-in field. User Interface Controls We include many control features, such as: menu bar or command button text box drop-down list box Date design Basic understanding of data design concepts includes data structure and the characteristics of file processing and database system which including web-based database design, will help the system analyst to come out with good and fulfilled information system. A data structure is a framework for organizing and storing data in an information system. Typically it contains files or tables that are linked in various ways. These files or table is data all about people, places, things or events that interact with the information system. A file processing system or more known as a file-oriented system, stores and manages data in one or more separate files. While, a database system consists of linked tables that form one overall data structure which offers great flexibility and efficiency in processing data. Database Management System (DBMS) is a collection of tools, features and interfaces that enable users to add, update, manage access and analyze the contents of a set of data. Data manipulation language is one of DBMS component which controls database operations, including storing, retrieving, updating and deleting data. Moreover, the complete definition of a database together with descriptions of all fields, tables and relationship, is called a schema. A subschema is a view of the database used by one or more systems or users and typically classifies only those portions of the database that a particular system or user needs or is allowed to access. Data dictionary ‘empprofile’ Table This table supposed to store information about the staff of Taktaz. If the value for â€Å"active† column of this table become ‘a’, then the proposed staff can log in as an administrator. ‘foodmnu’ Table This table stores data of available foods in the food menu. ‘order’ Table This table contains data of the ordered items. ‘userprofile’ Table This table stores information of registered customers. Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) An entity-relationship (ER) diagram is a specialized graphic that illustrates the interrelationships between entities in a database. To design a system it is necessary to uses these models during the requirements analysis to describe information needs or the type of information that is to be stored in a database The entities for our system would be customers, order, bill, inventory and kitchen. The relations the attributes are shown in the following ERD diagram. Use Case Diagram Use case diagram is a type of behavioral diagram defined by and created from a Use-case analysis. Its purpose is to present a graphical overview of the functionality provided by a system in terms of actors, their goals (represented as use cases), and any dependencies between those use cases. The users of our system are customers, manager, kitchen staffs IT supporters. According to our systems point of view we can implement a use case diagram as given below. System Architecture System architecture is the conceptual model that defines the structure, behavior, and more views of a system. The system architecture includes seven issues which are as follow: 1. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) 2. Initial and total cost of ownership (TCO) 3. Scalability 4. Web Integration 5. Legacy system interface requirements 6. Processing options 7. Security issues The Taktaz Restaurant had no online reservation or ordering system for customers, so to have such a system, we are required to design completely a new online system (or a website). The first step was to analyze the system which the restaurant was working for. Everything in Taktaz, buying the ingredients , preparation ,ordering and delivery process, was done manually. We needed to have the owner’s idea about the old system and the expectation of the new system. By knowing a clear idea of the future system, we started to design an online food ordering system that fulfilled the restaurant requirement and expectations. Developing a new system has its own cost and we, as designer should have deal with it. The desire system and design must be cost-effective to the owner and also to us to design, operate and perform the system. Also the maintenance cost should be noticed in the designing stage. The new system should be flexible enough so that the users (restaurant’s owner and staff) can easily work with it and if needed, make some changes in it, expand, change or even downsize to meet the changing needs of the business. We tried to consider all of the above mentioned issues in the designing the system. However, some of them needed and took much more time than the others. For instance, to perform scalability or the last mentioned issue, we must interview with the owner and staff of the restaurant to get their idea and expectation of the oncoming system and then, we could interpolate those ideas to the system. As a designer, we should consider many more issues in the developing of the system. First of all, we should notice how user friendly the website will be. In a project, especially in online ordering, it is extremely important that how user deal with the website, whether the user can use and access the different section of the website in the first attempts or not. It was one of our main concerns. The administrator section also was one of our concerns. This section, which is the management section, must be designed in a way that the manager (or website controller) can easily work and modify the system. The website should be as simple as possible so that the first time users can easily understand how to work with it. Also it must be as easy to use as possible for administrator to manage the ordering website. We should design a system with a minimum number of errors. To achieve it, we should first accurately analyze the requirements and expectations of the restaurant’s owner and after gathering all different information, and then we start to design a website. Designing of the website needed to be looked from two perspectives: as administrator and as customer. Obviously a website with many errors is not a comfortable website for neither of both users. From the password protection to billing the order, security threats and defenses were a major concern to us. As analysts and designers, we should consider and determine how the business (restaurant) will deal with the security threats. Users (usually customers), they put their personal information and details in the system. So they must do it trustfully and have no doubt about the security of the system. Our System Architecture Diagram is coming in below. System Architecture Diagram System Implementation Prototyping produces an early, rapidly constructed working version of the proposed information system. Prototyping, which involves a repetitive sequence of analysis, design, modeling and testing is a common technique that we used to design our system. Our system is being run on windows as its Platform. In addition, since it is based on the internet connections, the Network Card must be installed and used. A KEY must be defined and generated for security purposes and boot strap to prevent entering any unauthorized parties and any viruses and worms. We used PHP and our IDE is Dreamviwer. For our database we use MySQL. System Support Maintenance System support maintenance is the modification of the system. We have to correct faults, improve system’s performance and adapt the system to environment and requirements changes. The objective of our maintenance is to keep our system always running at an acceptable level. Corrective maintenance diagnoses and corrects errors operational levels. In this type of maintenance we will try to correct Design errors, Coding errors and Logic errors. Applying the Corrective maintenance can be helpful to avoid probable bugs and to fix logic errors. . In our project, which is Online Food Ordering System, the first step of support maintenance is to ensure that the issues related to programming and coding are correctly run. Debugging and troubleshooting can be the second step. The coding is the most important part to check especially when you are dealing with financial issues related to ordering. Therefore, we must be sure about the correctness of all functions and modules in our coding and proper connection with database to store and retrieve data. In addition to the software hard ware must also be checked regularly. Adaptive maintenance adds enhancements to an operational system and makes the system easier to use. Adaptive maintenance entails changes related to our applications operating environment. These modifications cam consist of Incorporating new operating systems, Hardware configuration changes, Regulations Localizations alterations and Changes in data format. As our system goes on we need to enhance our system with new features, capability and functions in response to new technology. Adaptive maintenance in our system is related to update new features. For example, adding new meals or recipes to the current menu, can ensure the capability of our system. Also when we need to upgrade or add new functions to the system we need to apply the adaptive maintenance. Perfective maintenance involves changing an operational system to make it more efficient, reliable or maintainable. Perfective maintenance can improve maintainability and performance. It involves computer programmers who work to improve the way software program functions or how quickly it processes requests. For example to change our menu layouts, command interfaces for some functions or changing the number of daily orders. The other maintenance type which is useful for our system is preventative maintenance. In this kind of maintenance we try to predict and avoid probable problems before occurring . For example, to ensure that our system is scalable to have more customers in the future, we must check if our system is able to handle high data loading and other stressful operations without problem or we need to limit the number of daily orders to avoid problems. Installing antivirus software to protect our system from attacks, having a regular backup schedule to use it when something wrong goes with the system, are also examples of preventative maintenance that we can apply simply for our system. Appendix Perform research on the Internet to learn more about Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and develop a TCO checklist that includes the five most important elements of TCO. Relate your answers to your Assignment 2. (Please put this analysis as appendices in Assignment 2 report). Total cost of ownership (TCO) generally includes ongoing support and maintenance costs, as well as acquisition costs. TCO totally formed from two different types of cost, which are Direct and indirect costs. Direct costs can be measured in dollars. These costs result from a decrease in expenses, an increase in revenues or both. If we want to list the most important elements of direct costs for an information system, the list would be as following: 1. Hardware and software (capital and lease expenses) In our project, because we do it in-house and we didn’t pay for hardware or software, this part didn’t add any cost to our TCO. 2. Support ( maintenance, training, travel etc) In this project, our group members have done all SDLC phases based on their knowledge gain from SAD course and have used their background knowledge for programming parts. Therefore, we didn’t pay for training. But, there are some costs for transportation and traveling to and from Taktaz restaurant which is placed in Serdang. 3. Development Because we did the whole project in-house with our group members, we didn’t pay any extra fees for labors or out-sourcing. 4. Communication fees The biggest part of our project costs, was communication fees which we paid to contact our group members in each phase of SDLC. Indirect costs are difficult to measure in dollars but are important and need to consider as a part of TCO. The most important indirect costs in our project are indicating in below. 1. User time User time cost is the cost of users supporting themselves and each other instead of out-sourcing costs. Costs for user formal training, casual learning, and self-studies are included in user time cost. We needed to learn some issues mostly related to programming part by ourselves during the project. 2. Opportunity cost The highest valued alternative that we need to forego when we are doing our project is part of opportunity cost or downtime cost . lost wages can be a measurement for this kind of costs.

Green card para familiar indocumentado de militar (PIP)

Green card para familiar indocumentado de militar (PIP) El parole in place (PIP, por sus siglas en inglà ©s)  es un camino poco conocido que permite obtener la tarjeta de residencia, tambià ©n conocida como green card, a migrantes indocumentados que son  familiares inmediatos de  ciudadanos  militares, reservistas o  veteranos. Cuando una persona decide alistarse en el Ejà ©rcito, toma en consideracià ³n un conjunto de factores, como servir a su paà ­s, y tambià ©n por supuesto quà © beneficios e incentivos puede lograr en esa profesià ³n. Entre los beneficios destacan los migratorios que son de especial interà ©s para las personas que son inmigrantes o que tienen familiares que lo son. En este artà ­culo se explica  un beneficio migratorio concreto: el parole in place:  Ã‚  quià ©nes aplica el PIP, cules son los trmites, cules pueden ser los problemas que pueden surgir  y quà © opciones existen para los migrantes que no pueden beneficiarse. Quià ©nes se pueden beneficiar de la medida del parole in place (PIP) Para solicitar con à ©xito es necesario cumplir los siguientes requerimientos: En primer lugar, estar  calificado por las leyes migratorias dentro de la categorà ­a de familiar inmediato de un ciudadano estadounidense. Esto quiere decir que se tiene que ser: cà ³nyuge. Se admiten tanto los matrimonios heterosexuales como los homosexuales.padre, o madrehijo soltero que adems debe ser menos de 21 aà ±os. En segundo lugar, la persona interesada en obtener el PIP  tiene que estar presente en Estados Unidos. No aplica a las personas que se encuentran en otro paà ­s. En tercer lugar, estos  migrantes indocumentados  no pueden regularizar  su situacià ³n a pesar de ser familiares inmediatos de un ciudadano. La razà ³n es porque entraron a Estados Unidos sin ser inspeccionados, es decir, cruzando la frontera ilegalmente por un lugar que no era la Aduana y, por lo tanto, no autorizà ³ su entrada un oficial de Inmigracià ³n.   En otras palabras, los familiares inmediatos de ciudadano pero que ingresaron a los Estados Unidos legalmente pero que despuà ©s se convirtieron en indocumentados porque no salieron del paà ­s cuando debà ­an hacerlo no tienen que recurrir al PIP. La razà ³n es que para ellos es posible ajustar su estatus, es decir, arreglar los papeles sin salir de Estados Unidos si ese es el à ºnico problema que existe en su rà ©cord migratorio. En cuarto lugar, el à ºnico problema migratorio que se tiene es que se ha ingresado ilegalmente. Esto lo hay que tener muy claro porque el PIP no aplica si hay otros problemas. Y en quinto  y à ºltimo lugar, el migrante indocumentado para el que se pide el PIP  tiene que ser el familiar inmediato de un militar ciudadano americano  en activo en cualquiera de las ramas del Ejà ©rcito Americano. Tambià ©n se admite para los familiares de un Reservista, incluidos los de la Guardia Nacional, o de un veterano. Cà ³mo se aplica para recibir el  parole in place (PIP) Para obtener la green card por medio del PIP  para familiares inmediatos de ciudadanos que son militares se necesita seguir dos trmites distintos: en primer lugar el de solicitud del PIP y, una vez que se obtiene la aprobacià ³n, entonces se debe proseguir al segundo paso, pidiendo el ajuste de estatus. Por lo tanto, para cumplir con el requerimiento de solicitud del PIP es necesario enviar los siguientes documentos al director de la oficina del Servicio de Ciudadanà ­a e Inmigracià ³n (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) que corresponda segà ºn el lugar de residencia del extranjero que pide el beneficio. La planilla I-131 debidamente llenada. El documento se llama Application for Travel Document. A pesar del nombre, es el que hay que cumplimentar. A diferencia de lo que ocurre en otros casos, cuando se est solicitando una parole in place por ser familiar directo de un militar o veterano no hay que pagar cuota.Evidencia de la relacià ³n de familia entre el inmigrante y el militar o veterano, como certificado de matrimonio, acta de nacimiento, etc. I.D. militar, DEERS, etc.  Enviar fotocopia legible, no original.Prueba de que el militar, veterano o reservista realmente lo es. Para este caso enviar una fotocopia de ambas caras de la tarjeta de identificacià ³n militar. Acreditacià ³n de la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense del militar.   Dos fotos del inmigrante que sean  idà ©nticas, tipo pasaporte Documentos de cualquier tipo que puedan ayudar a que el oficial de inmigracià ³n que debe tomar una decisià ³n sobre el caso lo adopte favorablemente. Todos los documentos mencionados necesitan ser presentados. Adems, con carcter voluntario y sà ³lo en los casos en los que proceda, una carta escrita por el ciudadano americano en la que se describe la situacià ³n que el estatus migratorio del familiar puede estarle causando. En este caso, aportar la documentacià ³n que sirva para acreditar lo que se afirma. La declaracià ³n debe ir firmada, fechada e incluir direccià ³n y telà ©fono del militar. Finalmente, si la relacià ³n entre el militar y el migrante para el que se solicita el PIP es que son cà ³nyuges, entonces tambià ©n es recomendable aportar documentacià ³n que sirva para probar que el matrimonio es de buena fe, es decir, de los de verdad y no solo contraà ­do con la intencià ³n de obtener papeles. Si la peticià ³n del PIP es aprobada, se recibir una tarjeta que se conoce como I-94. Eso es la prueba de que se puede continuar y pedir un ajuste de estatus mediante la planilla I-485  para obtener la green card. Incluir pago y toda la documentacià ³n de apoyo, incluida la que sirva para probar que se ha recibido la aprobacià ³n del PIP. Quà © puede pasar cuando se solicita una parole in place (PIP) La PIP  se concede en casos muy excepcionales. Pero por orden del gobierno de los Estados Unidos desde noviembre de 2013 se conceder en la mayorà ­a de los casos a aquellas personas que son familiares directos (esposos, padres o hijos) de un militar, reservista o veterano. Es posible incluso solicitar el PIP cuando se tiene iniciado en contra un procedimiento de deportacià ³n o se tiene una orden ya dictada.   Pero sà ³lo en los casos en los que el problema migratorio està © causado por haber ingresado ilegalmente. En todo caso es necesario que el inmigrante para el que se solicita no tenga un rà ©cord criminal u otros problemas de inadmisibilidad. Tener en cuenta que en todo este proceso se va a tener que decir la verdad sobre arrestos, imputaciones, condenas, violaciones migratorias, falsedades que se han cometido al llenar documentos oficiales, nà ºmero de veces en las que se intentà ³ ingresar ilegalmente sin à ©xito a los Estados Unidos y problemas migratorios que causa el hecho de ingresar a Estados Unidos, quedarse ms de un aà ±o, salir, y volver a ingresar ilegalmente. En cualquiera de estos casos es necesario consultar con un abogado antes de enviar la aplicacià ³n. No olvidar que el PIP es discrecional, es decir, el gobierno no est obligado a aprobarlo. Y si no se aprueba se le ha dicho a las autoridades migratorias donde reside un migrante indocumentado con serios problemas migratorios. Dà ³nde buscar ms informacià ³n y asistencia Los militares tienen oficinas dedicadas a resolver dudas migratorias y ayudar con la papelerà ­a. Preguntar en el lugar donde se est estacionado. Adems, el militar, reservista o veterano (pero no su pariente que est ilegalmente en Estados Unidos) pueden solicitar una cita con el USCIS utilizando el sistema InfoPass para ayudar a resolver sus dudas, segà ºn las especificaciones del caso. Si se est en situacià ³n de indocumentado y no se califica para esta medida, verificar si es posible hacerlo a travà ©s de alguno de estos caminos para la regularizacià ³n.  Es muy importante conocer quà © es realmente posible y quà © no y evitar ser và ­ctima de un fraude migratorio.   Cambios recientes PIP es una medida de alivio que aprobà ³ el presidente Barack Obama al igual que  DACA clsico, tambià ©n conocida como la Accià ³n Diferida,  sà ­ que est en vigor y se puede aplicar si se cumplen los requisitos. Desde que asumià ³ la presidencia de Donald Trump se ha pronunciado sobre numerosos asuntos migratorios  e incluso ha emitido à ³rdenes ejecutivas con grandes repercusiones migratorias. Ya se han comenzado a notar los efectos de la nueva polà ­tica de prioridades de deportacià ³n. Por à ºltimo, pensar si se necesita contar con la opinià ³n de un abogado, es recomendable elegir a  uno especialista en leyes migratorias, aà ºn cuando puedan resultar caros en algunos casos.   Este artà ­culo es meramente informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal para ningà ºn caso concreto.

Personal financial mgmt Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal financial mgmt - Term Paper Example †¢ The bank uses a single: maximum 25% of income for mortgage payments, property taxes and insurance test, rather than the double: maximum 28% of income for MPPI and maximum 33% of income for MPPI plus other monthly debt service Being a new employee of a large US corporation, you should create monthly personal balance sheets and projected budgets when selecting and enrolling in these plans. You will need appropriate financial goals based on age, marital status, current income and savings status. Do estimate your tax liabilities and select investments for a 401(k) retirement account is also important (â€Å"Investment Guide† 2013). Consider evaluating the health insurance options available to you. They include; Of the three different Bank of America health insurance plans available to you, it is more effective to use the consumer-directed plan (â€Å"Investment Guide† 2013). It is because, if anybody sheltered in your plan meets the family annual deductible, or two or more family members combine to reach it, they will pay the coinsurance rate. In case anyone sheltered under your plan meets the out-of-pocket maximum, or two or more people combine to meet it, 100% of the costs for all your family members on the plan are covered. The Comprehensive Traditional Plan is another option, but in it, coinsurance begins only for that person in your family who meets the individual annual deductible. Besides, suppose two people on the plan have costs, which combine to meet the family deductible, coinsurance begins for everyone on the plan. The consumer-directed plan still has the biggest benefit for you. Finally, you will need to monitor the progress of your chosen plan options. After making the investment choices, you must to evaluate frequently the performance of the plan investments to see if the finances allocated are still suitable for the portfolio. It will also help you know if there is a need to rebalance the accounts to match your desired asset

Developing Leadership Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Developing Leadership Skills - Essay Example For this assignment, I observed my friend Carl who is a soccer captain and Jenny who is the head pharmacist at my local drug store. On this day, Carl had fallen out with his teammate Mark and it had escalated to a physical fight. Tensions had been brewing between the two because Mark had consistently challenged the captain’s decisions in front of his teammates. Mark is a very talented and hardworking player but has a high temper and is generally stubborn. He could have actually made captain but his mean tempered streak and sense of individualism stood in the way. Carl is also a talented player and a team player but is generally passive aggressive. He barely shows any emotion and has generally ignored Mark’s negative comments and public jabs to avoid fueling his anger. However, Carl had resulted to benching Mark during practice when the coach was not around to alienate him, decision that Mark had not taken kindly after missing out on several practice sessions. Constant a rguments had a cold war had gone on between the two till Mark finally confronted Carl and a fight ensued. The two now sat before the coach pleading their case and explaining what happened. Carl argued that Mark had constantly disrespected him and did not heed the advice of his peers during practice. Therefore he had been forced to make him sit out during practice and work with teammates who followed his lead. Mark on the other hand argued that he did not mean to be disrespectful and was only trying to have his voice heard. Being a good player and an avid reader on how to improve the way they played was only trying to get the captain to incorporate a few plays during practice. Carl interpreted this as a threat to his authority and hit back by alienating him from the team. Mark kept insisting that even though he has a short temper and sometimes speaks his mind in an assertive manner, he did not mean to fuel a feud between him and the captain. Carl appeared insecure about his abilities as a leader and did not act objectively. As a leader, he had identified that there was a problem based on how Mark behaved towards him. However, he did not deal with it effectively. Alienating him only fueled a feud between them and drove the team to take sides making it harder to work as a team. They had never evened out their differences and sat to talk about how they felt about each other. Luckily, this was an avenue to settle old scores and agree to work together as a team. Carl accepted that as the captain he could have stimulated participation and teamwork and allowed Mark to try some plays. Accepting Mark’s suggestions was not a threat to his authority. Carl used the paternalism leadership approach where anyone appearing question his authority was punished by being forced to sit out, a leadership style which drew the team apart and let to a physical fight. Jenny is the head pharmacist at the largest local retail pharmacy and has been lauded for her management and lead ership skills over the years. As the head of the largest pharmacy she has earned respect and is considered a mentor and role model among professional women. However, it has not always been an easy task as pharmacists can easily fall prey to the lure of money due to conflict of interest. On this day jenny sat before the owners of the pharmacy after a decision she had made to change drug suppliers from Hadleys pharmaceuticals to Clavam pharmaceuticals led to a crisis. The suppliers enjoyed a cordial relationship with the store owners and had been supplying drugs to the store since its inception. Jenny had recently signed a new contract with a different drug supplier and the old suppliers had reached out to the store owners to

Change Model Assessment in XYZ Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Change Model Assessment in XYZ Inc - Essay Example The term change is recognized in every business organization. The management of change in organizations can vary according to the type of business, involvement of employees or type of change. The major part of change relies on how the employees in an organization understand the procedure playing a vital role in determining their acceptance for such alterations. In case of XYZ Inc the type of change is defined by the expansion of the business. In the short term the company plans to open new branch in China and in long term the company will pursue for further expansion in countries such as Brazil, Russia and India. In order to control the short term change process, XYZ, Inc can apply Kurt Lewins ‘Change Management Model’. Kurt Lewin has developed a unique change theory which consists of three distinct phases. Unfreeze: ‘Unfreeze’ is the first phase of change according to the model. In this phase, XYZ, Inc can find appropriate method to make employees understand the requirement for change in business. XYZ, Inc will need to develop the desire for change by providing appropriate justification such as increasing sales or high financial prospects among other factors (Kaminski, 2011). Refreeze: Refreeze is the ultimate phase of change where XYZ, Inc will intend to establish new business practices and new organizational procedures. It will be conducted through supportive instruments such as new strategies and concrete alignment of new system for new workforces (Kaminski, 2011). In the long-term, XYZ, Inc can follow the John Kotters ‘Eight Step Change Model’. In the long run, XYZ, Inc. needs to develop system oriented change. At the first phase, XYZ, Inc. will require generating a feeling of urgency among employees about change. It can further help to prompt them towards change.

Ergonomics and Human Factors Design Personal Statement

Ergonomics and Human Factors Design - Personal Statement Example While psychology is one of the areas covered by ergonomics, I want to study other subjects that have a close relation to the human body, mind and the cognitive system. Accordingly, I want to gain knowledge in areas such as human biology, anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and related subjects. After acquiring such knowledge, I will be confident enough to understand the mysteries behind the relation of human beings with each other.  Once I have acquired the knowledge of understanding the importance of such interaction, I wish to utilize such knowledge in the development of better and result oriented systems so that they become most user-friendly for the maximum benefit of humankind. The knowledge shall be applied to areas like tackling bigger challenges faced by the world currently. Ergonomics provides a platform to enhance the human experience through the use of available technology and other materials in modern times. This enables the researchers and designers in augmenting everyda y environments and objects intelligently with an aim of improving the quality of life in a significant manner.  My education curriculum includes attending a course in Public Relations of the Chinese Society Program at the University of Bristol. Currently, I am pursuing the International Foundation Program at the University of Bristol, with an aim to gain sufficient exposure to arts and humanities subjects. The course content involves highlighting the areas like psychosocial and socio-cultural issues, which can help me in understanding the desired human factors design course under the Ergonomics program. In addition, the course provides a better understanding of interpersonal communication skills, required to run any kind of business in the current global competitive scenario.

Plato vs Aristole Political Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Plato vs Aristole Political Philosophy - Essay Example Philosophers were prominent people to those societies since they were influential to the people. Plato and his student Aristotle are well known for their efforts and contribution to the society on matters concerning governance and leadership. This paper will therefore, analyze the views of Aristotle and Plato towards governance. The essay will focus on their views towards self-interest and property. Philosophers around the world consider Plato as the greatest philosopher of western civilization. Although western civilization was characterized by a by democracy and capitalism, Plato considered communism government and lifestyle as the most appropriate. According to Plato, democracy and capitalism were just experimental ideologies that were not practical (Benardete 134). Plato considered communism as the most applicable lifestyle in people’s lives. According to his utopian society, the success of a government can only be defined by the success of its people. Plato also considers that a society is best governed by its best minds. A society can only be ruled by its best mind when there is limited competition or self-interest within the society. In such society, people would be working towards the realization of a common goal. This is the basis of communism according to Plato. The best minds of a society are the kings or philosophers within that society. Plato considers a socialist society as a society that is governed by wisdom and proved knowledge. A society that is different from Plato’s society is governed on un-established knowledge. The philosopher considers a socialist society to be better than a capitalist society. A communist society as described by Plato is a selfless society such society people work towards the realization of common goals. According to Plato, a utopian society can only be realized if people adapt knowledge. Plato acknowledges that people in an ideal society have no desire for power and common interests and goals drive them. People need knowledge to tame their desire for power and self-interest. According to Plato, people with self-interests are uneducated and therefore, quality education will eliminate people desire for power. Educating people will make them change their attitude towards the community and the country and, this will eliminate their desire for power. Application of knowledge is power; an educated person will be able to visualize the relationship between power and knowledge. According to Plato, relevant education will make the people understand the relationship between power and knowledge. This will make people compete for power based on their knowledge. People with less knowledge therefore consider themselves less appropriate to take leadership positions The love for the public is the second strategy that Plato proposes to use in order to tame people’s desire for power. Plato proposes that creating the love towards the nation among people makes them have an obligation towards the nation. This is followed by a separation of self-interests from national issues. People who have love for the nation assume responsibility over the nation and, this eliminates their desires for power. People who are hungry for power cannot establish an ideal nation that Plato proposes. People can only live satisfactory lives if they establish a gap between their self-interests and national interests (Allen 76). Plato is confident that acquisition of knowledge can tame desires for power and sel

Discuss the relationship between human beings and the natural world as Essay

Discuss the relationship between human beings and the natural world as discussed by all three of Montaigne, Descartes, and Pascal - Essay Example The admiration given to the persons who rule, and to all who treasure the advantages or worldly â€Å"greatness† relies on nothing more considerable than the acquaintance of imagination. (Farrell, 2006) Montaigne thus makes seemingly conflicting festivities of both the universality of and the dissimilarity among human beings. On one hand he commemorates multiplicity and can truly speak out that everyone has, in himself, a pattern of his own, a ruling pattern. On the other hand, the convinced from the hypothetical, the factual from the forged, the universal and essential from the unintentional and unconcerned. Final conclusions might not be accomplished, for human beings subsist in the realm of estimation, final answer might not be available to human beings (except perhaps for knowing this), but life must still be lived. (Levine, 2001) The primary structural boundary of the human situation that must be established if one is to achieve complicated minimalism requires ditching â€Å"metaphysics† as a conduct of human life. Montaigne deems this essential for a human being to live a well and soothing life because he believes metaphysical questing often to be a indication of a com mon kind of human dissatisfaction with the world as it is, which leads people to inflict atrocious cruelties to â€Å"remedy† the circumstances. Rather than run away to some imaginary ideal, Montaigne, like Nietzsche, wants people to accept the world. (Levine. Page 1999) While supporters of Aristotle held the view that exacting natural bodies are parading substances, Descartes holds the view point that there are no substances at all, and therefore it is no shocker that they do not take bliss in the virtue which he posits as a belonging of all true substance. Followers of Aristotle made a critical dissimilarity between natural things and synthetic objects. Restricting substantiality to the natural: a

Plato vs Aristole Political Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Plato vs Aristole Political Philosophy - Essay Example Philosophers were prominent people to those societies since they were influential to the people. Plato and his student Aristotle are well known for their efforts and contribution to the society on matters concerning governance and leadership. This paper will therefore, analyze the views of Aristotle and Plato towards governance. The essay will focus on their views towards self-interest and property. Philosophers around the world consider Plato as the greatest philosopher of western civilization. Although western civilization was characterized by a by democracy and capitalism, Plato considered communism government and lifestyle as the most appropriate. According to Plato, democracy and capitalism were just experimental ideologies that were not practical (Benardete 134). Plato considered communism as the most applicable lifestyle in people’s lives. According to his utopian society, the success of a government can only be defined by the success of its people. Plato also considers that a society is best governed by its best minds. A society can only be ruled by its best mind when there is limited competition or self-interest within the society. In such society, people would be working towards the realization of a common goal. This is the basis of communism according to Plato. The best minds of a society are the kings or philosophers within that society. Plato considers a socialist society as a society that is governed by wisdom and proved knowledge. A society that is different from Plato’s society is governed on un-established knowledge. The philosopher considers a socialist society to be better than a capitalist society. A communist society as described by Plato is a selfless society such society people work towards the realization of common goals. According to Plato, a utopian society can only be realized if people adapt knowledge. Plato acknowledges that people in an ideal society have no desire for power and common interests and goals drive them. People need knowledge to tame their desire for power and self-interest. According to Plato, people with self-interests are uneducated and therefore, quality education will eliminate people desire for power. Educating people will make them change their attitude towards the community and the country and, this will eliminate their desire for power. Application of knowledge is power; an educated person will be able to visualize the relationship between power and knowledge. According to Plato, relevant education will make the people understand the relationship between power and knowledge. This will make people compete for power based on their knowledge. People with less knowledge therefore consider themselves less appropriate to take leadership positions The love for the public is the second strategy that Plato proposes to use in order to tame people’s desire for power. Plato proposes that creating the love towards the nation among people makes them have an obligation towards the nation. This is followed by a separation of self-interests from national issues. People who have love for the nation assume responsibility over the nation and, this eliminates their desires for power. People who are hungry for power cannot establish an ideal nation that Plato proposes. People can only live satisfactory lives if they establish a gap between their self-interests and national interests (Allen 76). Plato is confident that acquisition of knowledge can tame desires for power and sel

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case Study Example So, he measured high on the self awareness. Other than that, he did not control his emotions, so his score on self management is very low. He lost all hope for building his career in the company, and therefore took the extreme steps which speaks of his low score on self motivation. He did not understand Marilyn’s reason for disapproving his promotion, so he measured low on empathy. He took actions against the peers because of poor social skills which earned him bad name in the company. 2. Alex needs to improve his emotional intelligence particularly on the dimensions of empathy and social skills. He should have realized how abrupt he used to talk on the phone, and how often he refused to provide answers through emails when he was required to do so by his peers. He should make a written note of apology to the company’s owners and all of the management and peers. 3. Alex’s suspension and recommendation for his termination is very justified given his misconduct and lack of consideration for the reputation of the company.

Creative writing Essay Example for Free

Creative writing Essay On Writing by Stephen King is a memoir of the craft of the job as a published author, mainly aimed toward the aspiring ones. The book is divided up into three sections. The first section titled C. V. was all authentic glimpses into King’s life and featured interesting little episodes that King considered his ‘life lessons’ or things that sparked his sense of humor. It also provided a very important part in the basic aspects of being a good writer: King grew up loving to read and read frequently. He started writing and submitting his work at an early age and that’s where C. V. paints the picture of a real-life struggling novelist: how he had to work at several different crummy, though nevertheless interesting, and inspiring book setting jobs while supporting a family, a drug habit, and a fairly large and fairly flawed manuscript. The second section was titled On Writing, a section I found the most interesting and identified the most with as part of being both an aspiring author and a curious one. In this portion of the memoir of the craft, King gives you, flat-out but not in a patronizing tone, what you need to succeed as a decent writer. The best way to summarize how I felt about the section as a whole is this: when he revealed that he taught high school English for several years before the success of Carrie, I was desperately jealous of those students. But at the end of the day, I suppose any reader that is interested enough in King could always be his student by picking up book after book of his and becoming transfixed by his material and intelligence from cover to cover. Lastly, there’s the last section of the book, where King explores his painful memories of the accident from when an oblivious man in a blue van literally ran King over during one of his notorious thought-processing walks. The man, in attempt to calm down his Rottweiler’s in the backseat, veered off road and took King clear off his feet. This section of the book is about that and his slow road to recovery. It literally wrenched my heart when he talked of his wife setting up a table in the stuffy hall that he sat at to write for the first time. It was obvious that writing is more than just a business occupation and it becomes obvious in this section that King has a true passion for the craft. Despite it being far from the definitive writer’s guideline, this book takes on a unique perspective on creative writing spectrum. King lays down the law and then he teaches it, essentially. He shares his techniques, his pet peeves, and his own personal horrific experiences both as child and adult and he does it all within the defined space of what all he can say on a printed page. And he does it well. He constructs a personal ending with tragedy, growth, and experience within a tight covering of his famous storytelling style. And overall, I think Stephen King wrote this simply because he could. He knew it is a select audience that is going to read it and those fans who don’t ever care to be writers won’t read this book. Maybe I’m wrong and they might with the mindset that they might gain some secret insight into the mind of their idol and let me just tell you firsthand if that is the case, they will be disappointed. In not so many words, King says exactly the same thing himself. â€Å"There is no secret to my storytelling. It just is what it is. As true as I can say it, it’s just a lot of hard work, dedication, time, and exceled patience. All of which, I had to learn on my own,† King writes. Lastly, in the heart of the book, in the section On Writing, King writes, â€Å"Now comes the big question: What are you going to write about? And the equally big answer: Anything you damn well want. Anything at all as long as you tell the truth. Your truth. † That’s the biggest lesson I took away from this. But there is more, believe it or not. You can tell it from his writing. And before he gets to the end, King goes ahead and lets the cat out of the bag when he is writing about beginning again after his debilitating accident. He writes, â€Å"I feel that buzz of happiness, that sense of having found the right words and put them in a line. It’s like lifting off in an airplane: you’re on the ground, on the ground, on the ground and then you’re up, riding on a magical cushion of air and prince of all you survey. That makes me happy because it’s what I was made to do. † As a human, I was touched by his childhood anecdotes and often laughed with him about his insecurities. I am still in awe at what he has recently had to overcome physically. But as a writer, I am grateful for a brief glimpse into his vocational, bright burning world. I gained confidence from learning about things I have been doing right and have changed many bad habits or wrongdoings I’d been screwing up on obliviously the entire time because sometimes the coldest hands to wrap around your neck are the true ones. The only bad thing I can say about this book is that it’s too short, something one rarely has the opportunity to state regarding the beloved author. And a huge thank you goes to the beloved author himself Stephen King for a brief indulgence into the life of a genius storyteller.

Hemmingway Influences :: essays papers

Hemmingway Influences Hemmingway’s Literary Influences As one of America’s greatest writers, Ernest Hemmingway recounted his personal life experiences to create his novels. Hemmingway lead an interesting life, filled with romance, travel, and adventure. It was this lifestyle that provided him with much of the material that he used to write his greatest novels. Writing was more of a story telling exercise for Hemmingway, because he had firsthand experience at most of what he wrote about. Hemmingway was also influenced by many of the people he met throughout his life, including women, authors, and news journalists. Hemmingway was born in his family’s home in Oak Park, Illinois on July 18, 1899. It was here that he was raised with the conservative Midwestern values of strong religion, hard work, and self-determination. His father taught him to fish and hunt along the shores and in the forest around Lake Michigan. His love of the outdoors was cultivated here, and would influence his writing later in life. Hemmingway’s mother was very creative, with a special talent for singing. Although Ernest never took to music, he inherited his mother’s creativity. (Online ref #1) The first writing influence in Hemmingway’s life came from his first job, as a reporter at the Kansas City Star newspaper. The Star’s style and usage book advocated using short sentences, active verbs, authenticity, clarity, smoothness, and writing in a positive tone. This left an impression on Hemmingway that can be seen in all of his writing. He called them â€Å"the best rules I ever learned in the business of writing† and, based upon his work, never forgot them. (Online ref. #2) While working at The Star, Hemmingway made the next major decision in his life, joining the Red Cross to help in the war effort in Europe. (Online Ref #3) Experiencing war first hand made a huge impact on Hemmingway. His role as an ambulance driver exposed him to the harsh realities of war shortly after arriving in Europe. He loved the adventure and drama that war provided, and wanted to be part of the action. Hemmingway was wounded shortly after transferring to a position that brought him closer to the front lines. (Online Ref #4) The experiences of war inspired one of Hemmingway’s great novels, â€Å"A Farewell to Arms,† and the frustration of war inspired another, called â€Å"A Soldier’s Home.† After returning home to Oak Park in 1919, Hemmingway meet his first of four wives, Hadley Richardson, who he married in September 1921.

Effects of Catalase Over-expression on Aging :: Biology Age

Introduction What exactly causes the infirmities of old age? According to the free-radical theory of aging, oxidative damage caused by ROS (reactive oxygen species) is the main culprit. This paper focuses on a study that partly supports this theory by showing that murine life span can be extended by an overexpression of human catalase in mitochondria. The specific paper that this is based on is Extension of Murine Life Span by Overexpression of Catalase Targeted to Mitochondria by Samuel E. Schriner et al. Another paper that was used in the construction of this paper is The Anti-Aging Sweepstakes: Catalase Runs for the ROSes by Richard A. Miller. These scientific papers are summaries of the experiments carried out by Schriner and his group dealing with the topic of catalase-overexpression and its effect on murine lifespan. However, it is important to remember that this is a topic still under much debate. Though these experiments do not provide us with a definat cureall for aging, it is believed by many that the data aquired from them point us to one of the major culprits of aging and age related diseases, ROS's. Why the fuss over R.O.S.? Attempts to prolong longevity have been a major endeavor in science and several hypotheses have been proposed about the major causes. Scientists have focused on the role of reactive oxygen species in longevity through investigations using mice models. Reactive oxygen species’ role in aging processes is also known as the free radical theory of aging. Scientists have found that reactive oxygen species attack molecules of biological systems and are the main cause for the functional decline of organ systems that lead to eventual death. Various experiments were conducted to investigate the role of reaction oxygen species using transgenic mouse models. Specifically, the purpose of these experiments are to determine if minimizing the level of ROS (reactive oxygen species) in certain organelles in mice have any effect on the overall health and lifespan of the mouse. The hypothesis was tested by amplifying a certain gene in mouse DNA that expresses catalase, an enzyme that breaks down the ROS’s. However, prior to beginning the experiments, transgenic mice are necessary for the experimentation. Development of a Transgenic Mouse A transgenic mouse is a mouse that has had a specific gene, in this case the human catalase gene, inserted into its genome.

Media Bias in Politics Essay

Media bias is alive and well in politics. It is a â€Å"term used to describe prejudice in news and media reports, in which it is perceived as an imbalance or unfair presentation of facts or selective reporting of which events or facts are reported. † Media bias is present in every aspect of American politics, and plays a significant role in influencing voters’ opinions and beliefs. The media frames the information that voters utilize within their decision making process. As a result, many have voiced their concern that the media may be conventionally distorting political opinion. Media bias has the ability to make voters bias, and hence, bias policy decisions. It is a vicious cycle that can either make or break a candidate’s campaign, as well as their chances of obtaining an office seat. It can make a villain out of a candidate or make him/her a hero. The media affects the publics’ interest in politics by presenting the people with what they want to see and hear. Within a campaign, the media will focus their attention on the issues that they consider to be the most important. The other issues will be ignored, or placed on the back burner. This goes for candidate coverage as well. The media will focus on the candidates they consider most important, and the others will be ignored. One of the most prominent examples of media bias in politics dates back to the first televised Presidential debate between Kennedy and Nixon in 1960. It showed just how biased the media was toward public figures that oozed charisma and harbored a strong emotional presence. It tarnished the campaigns of those whose auras were less engaging. On television, Kennedy appeared to the general public as young, vibrant; full of charisma, and needless to say, â€Å"television friendly†. Nixon on the other hand, appeared to the general public as old and uninteresting, not suitable for television. A poll conducted after the televised debate suggested that radio listeners thought Nixon had won, while television viewers thought Kennedy had won, by a landslide. Needless to say, Kennedy emerged as the first President â€Å"made for television†. Many political candidates use the power of â€Å"image,† projected by the media, to influence viewers. When running for President, Bill Clinton used the media to his advantage, appearing on talk shows where he played his saxophone. To the public, this made him appear more of a â€Å"people person†, more accessible, and more charismatic. Barack Obama did the same thing, appearing on the View, SNL, and several other talk shows. The media loved this fun-loving side of Obama, and from this projected image, so did the American people. Other political candidates have had terrible luck with media bias. Ron Paul is a prime example. The media portrayed Ron Paul as the joke of the 2008 Presidential election. He received very little coverage. He was â€Å"that boring, old guy with the uncommon Libertarian views. † He did not appeal to the American people, and as a result, was considered â€Å"unelectable. † Media bias is also known to greatly affect women candidates. A recent study showed that men received substantially more press coverage than women. Men had about twice as many stories written about them than women. Furthermore, research showed that stories about female candidates were big on emphasizing their physical appearance and personal lives. There were approximately three times as many physical descriptions (referencing their clothing style, hair, age, etc. ) as their male competitors in the race. Furthermore, women candidates were portrayed in a stereotypical light, as being more emotional and oftentimes, their professional titles were excluded from stories. In the 2008 presidential election, Obama was far more prominent in the press than his female competitor, Hillary Clinton. Both candidates announced their run for presidency in January of 2007. Despite the fact that Clinton had higher poll ratings than Obama, the six most influential newspapers in the United States ran twice as many stories mentioning Obama in the headline than Clinton that month. Sarah Palin is another woman candidate/ â€Å"victim† of negative media bias. A great deal of the media coverage that Palin has garnered has been negative. The media focused a great deal on her physical appearance and her family life. During her campaign, her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, became pregnant, and the media coldheartedly used that to bash Palin’s parenting skills, bringing personal life into politics. The media questioned â€Å"how can Palin be a good president if she can’t be a good mother? † Furthermore, the media criticized Palin for not staying home to care for her sick child who had been born with Downs Syndrome. Perhaps it is this brutal media bias towards women that scares them away from the political arena. The media is influential in politics, past, present, and future. For those who do not take the time to educate themselves on matters of politics, they depend on the media to exhibit the news in a readily accessible form. It becomes easy to grasp how crucial the media is, and what the effects of the news on society will be. Media bias can make or break a political candidate. Positive and frequent media coverage wins elections. Negative and/or minimal media coverage loses elections. Some candidates have learned how to use the media to their advantage, while others have little control, unable to recover from the scars left from negative media bias. Media bias will forever be a part of American politics, and to be in its favor welcomes success.

The Public Needs to Know

The Acquisition Process Competition Requirements Choconda Martin BUS 319 November 5, 2012 Professor Calvin D. Fogle Almost all DOD systems are competed at some stage in the acquisition system (we would guess that less than 10% of acquisition programs do not go through a competitive process at least once in their acquisition cycle). Generally, the sequence is: †¢ Define the requirement (determine the mismatch between operational capability–more about this below); †¢ Advertise the need for a product that can satisfy the requirement; †¢ Accept bids from potential suppliers; †¢ Review proposals and select one or more suppliers, Order the product; †¢ Monitor progress; †¢ Accept the finished product; †¢ Review project documentation and pay for the product. This cycle repeats itself one or more times during system development and one or more times during procurement (purchase of a major end item previously developed or available commercially). For l arge systems, procurement follows a highly demanding DOD-funded development process and the prime manufacturer, almost by necessity, is the developer. In such cases, the competitive steps for a given phase of the acquisition process (listed above) would not be repeated during the procurement phase.Some things that I would change would be the misconception of communication within the industry during acquisition processing. The Federal Government has an obligation to conduct procurements in the most effective, responsible and efficient manner possible. Current market information is very vital as they define the requirements, so that the contracting officers can develop the acquisition strategies, seek opportunities for small businesses, and negotiate contract terms. Industry partners are the best source for this information, so productive interactions is very important and should be encouraged.The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) authorizes a broad range opportunites for vendor co mmunication, but agencies most time do not take advantage of these existing flexibilities. Some agencies may be reluctant due to fear of protests or fear binding the agency in unauthorized commitments. If we increase the awareness by training the agencies with the help of DAU (Defense Acquisition University) and agency training practitioners to conduct an awareness campaign we might be able to eliminate unnecessary barriers to engagement.Agencies should provide clear, consistent direction to their workforce and industry partners about how to engage with industry prior to award of contracts and task and delivery orders under the Federal Supply Schedule, government-wide acquisition contracts, and other indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts. While agencies do not have the resources, and are not required, to meet with every vendor at every step of the acquisition process, information gathered from industry sources plays an invaluable role in the acquisition process.For this reason, agencies must develop practices that will ensure early, frequent, and constructive communication during key phases of the process. The federal government’s ability to achieve successful program outcomes, effectively and efficiently, depends upon agencies establishing effective strategies for industry engagement and supporting those strategies with senior-level commitment.References Co-Workers/Supervisor/FAR The Public Needs to Know The Acquisition Process Competition Requirements Choconda Martin BUS 319 November 5, 2012 Professor Calvin D. Fogle Almost all DOD systems are competed at some stage in the acquisition system (we would guess that less than 10% of acquisition programs do not go through a competitive process at least once in their acquisition cycle). Generally, the sequence is: †¢ Define the requirement (determine the mismatch between operational capability–more about this below); †¢ Advertise the need for a product that can satisfy the requirement; †¢ Accept bids from potential suppliers; †¢ Review proposals and select one or more suppliers, Order the product; †¢ Monitor progress; †¢ Accept the finished product; †¢ Review project documentation and pay for the product. This cycle repeats itself one or more times during system development and one or more times during procurement (purchase of a major end item previously developed or available commercially). For l arge systems, procurement follows a highly demanding DOD-funded development process and the prime manufacturer, almost by necessity, is the developer. In such cases, the competitive steps for a given phase of the acquisition process (listed above) would not be repeated during the procurement phase.Some things that I would change would be the misconception of communication within the industry during acquisition processing. The Federal Government has an obligation to conduct procurements in the most effective, responsible and efficient manner possible. Current market information is very vital as they define the requirements, so that the contracting officers can develop the acquisition strategies, seek opportunities for small businesses, and negotiate contract terms. Industry partners are the best source for this information, so productive interactions is very important and should be encouraged.The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) authorizes a broad range opportunites for vendor co mmunication, but agencies most time do not take advantage of these existing flexibilities. Some agencies may be reluctant due to fear of protests or fear binding the agency in unauthorized commitments. If we increase the awareness by training the agencies with the help of DAU (Defense Acquisition University) and agency training practitioners to conduct an awareness campaign we might be able to eliminate unnecessary barriers to engagement.Agencies should provide clear, consistent direction to their workforce and industry partners about how to engage with industry prior to award of contracts and task and delivery orders under the Federal Supply Schedule, government-wide acquisition contracts, and other indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts. While agencies do not have the resources, and are not required, to meet with every vendor at every step of the acquisition process, information gathered from industry sources plays an invaluable role in the acquisition process.For this reason, agencies must develop practices that will ensure early, frequent, and constructive communication during key phases of the process. The federal government’s ability to achieve successful program outcomes, effectively and efficiently, depends upon agencies establishing effective strategies for industry engagement and supporting those strategies with senior-level commitment.References Co-Workers/Supervisor/FAR

Pediatric Nursing Shortage Essay

The Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN) has been instrumental in advocating for high quality, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive care for children and families. The healthcare needs of pediatric patients present unique challenges due to different developmental stages, limited communication skills, and differences in epidemiology and approaches to treatment as compared to adults. Nurse staffing is a focus of major concern because of the impact of staffing patterns on patient safety and quality of care. The advent of managed care, shortened hospital stays, and public reporting of quality measures demand that healthcare organizations objectively define and assess the quality of care delivered to children and families. Registered Nurses are the primary caregivers within the healthcare setting and are the essential link in assisting patients and families with navigating and humanizing a highly technical and impersonal healthcare system. An organization’s commitment to high quali ty pediatric care is dependent upon appropriate staffing levels with adequately prepared nurses and the implementation of collaborative, evidence-based practice (Schwalenstocker, Bisarya, Lau, & Adebimpe, 2007). In 2007, members of the Public Policy Committee developed the Safe Staffing Position Statement. This document outlined recommendations for safe and effective nursing care for children and their families. The position statement was recently updated and is intended to serve as the framework to assist organizations providing care to children in the implementation of evidenced based staffing plans to promote high-quality care. It is imperative that schools of nursing, healthcare institutions and pediatric nurses utilize this document as a resource to ensure that appropriate education, training, resources and effective staffing plans are provided to ensure the provision of safe, quality, customer focused care to pediatric patients and their families. Problem Statement Following a Congressional request in 1993 for the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to study the adequacy of nurse staffing in hospitals and nursing homes, a 1996 IOM report recognized the importance of determining the appropriate nurse-patient ratios and distribution of skills to ensure patients receive quality care. A September 1999 IOM report first called the public’s attention to the problem of increased patient morbidity and mortality related to errors occurring within healthcare delivery systems. Since that time there has been a growing emphasis on patient safety, process improvement and the potential effects of adequate staffing. Rationale and Supporting Information Research has continued to show the association between nursing staffing and improved patient outcomes (Aiken, et al, 2010; Kane, et al, 2007; Needleman, et al, 2006; Stanton, 2004; American Organization of Nurse Executives, 2003; Aiken, et al, 2002). In 2007 the Child Health Corporation of America is association with the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) and Medical Management Planning/BENCHmarking Effort for Networking Children’s Hospitals found increased nurse staffing was associated with improved patient/family experience with care and a reduced incidence of adverse outcomes. NACHRI also reported that The Joint Commission found staffing levels had been a critical factor in 20 percent of sentinel events occurring over a ten year period from 19952005 (Schwalenstocker, Bisarya, Lau & Adebimpe, 2007). Stratton (2008) found a reduction in the rate of pediatric central line blood stream infections with an increase in nursing sta ffing hours. Research conducted by Mark, Harless and Berman (2007) showed a statistically significant reduction in postoperative cardiopulmonary complications, pneumonia and infections in the pediatric population with increased RN staffing. In addition, nurse staffing levels have also been found to be a critical determinant of nurse job satisfaction (American Organization of Nurse Executives, 2003). During the 108th Session of Congress (2003-2004), The Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act was first introduced. The intent of the act is to hold hospitals accountable for the implementation of valid and reliable nurse staffing plans, taking into consideration each hospital unit’s unique needs and strengths. The Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act was reintroduced in the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and further refined and reintroduced on June 15, 2010 under S.3491/H.R.5527 during the 111th Congress (American Nurses Association, 2010). The Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN) believes the following additional factors are of critical importance regarding safe staffing for pediatric patients: †¢ There are unique challenges with caring for children. These challenges include: o Infants and young children are dependent upon adult caregivers and require closer supervision. o Many children have not yet acquired the communication skills to warn clinicians about a potential mistake or verbalize possible adverse effects about their care. Medication administration is much more complex since weight based dosing is required o for most medications (Kaushal, et al, 2001). The acuity and intensity of nursing resources required to care for children have been growing steadily (Monsen & Finley, 2007; NACHRI, 2003). Of the 14.1 million children in the US living in poverty, 1 in 10 lack health care coverage (Children’s Defense Fund, 2010). Childhood poverty contributes to deficits in primary and preventative health care and results in increased healthcare issues and higher acuity for these children (Children’s Defense Fund, 2002). Pediatric nurses practice in many settings including hospitals, schools, homes, clinics, long term care facilities, and public health centers. The multitude of settings and the wide range of resources available in each setting greatly affect the type and number of nursing staff required to care for any given patient population. The level of experience of nursing staff, unit layout, and level of ancillary support must be considered when establishing the staffing needs and assignment plan for any given unit (Institute of Medicine, 2010; American Nurses Association, 2007). Society of Pediatric Nurses Position/Recommendations SPN believes that all children and their families should receive safe, high quality, culturally sensitive, family-centered care in an environment that supports the development of the child and promotes excellence in nursing care. As an advocate for patients, families, and the pediatric nursing profession, SPN endorses the following recommendations: 1. Staffing is a complex issue composed of multiple variables (American Organization of Nurse Executives, 2003). No single published ratio for nursing staffing is automatically applicable in all settings where children receive care. Published recommendations for staffing ratios must be carefully evaluated for the particular pediatric setting since these ratios may inadvertently minimize the complexity and multitude of issues that must be considered in the care of pediatric patients and their families. 2. The professional registered nurse must be considered an essential member of the team providing care for children and their families; staffing plans must reflect this vital role (American Nurses Credentialing Center, 2003). 3. Healthcare institutions should develop valid and reliable staffing plans (American Nurses Association, 2010) and patient assignments should promote developmentally appropriate, high quality care for children and families. Nursing leadership, registered nurses and other designated nursing staff should be involved in the development of staffing plans and proper preparation of staff for the patient populations cared for within the facility (Joint Commission, 2010). 4. While the specific details of these staffing plans will vary with individual patient needs and facility resources, SPN believes the following factors should be considered in all staffing situations: Number and acuity of the patient population. a. Assessment of patient needs including special developmental, physiological, psychosocial, and learning needs of children and their families. b. Availability of specialized pediatric equipment and supplies to provide the necessary care and the availability of other support services such as respiratory care, child life, social services, and spiritual care (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2006, 2004a, 2004b, 1998). c. Level of education, competency, and the extent of experience and specialized pediatric training of available staff. d. Family involvement and/or the family’s special needs related to meeting the healthcare needs of the child (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2006; Lewandowski & Tessler, 2003). e. Comparable pediatric staffing benchmark data and/or staffing guidelines from other pediatric focused professional organizations should be integrated into developing staffing plans if at all possible (National Association of Neonatal Nurses 2008; American Nurses Association, 2008; American Academy of Pediatrics 2006, 2004a, 2004b, 1998; NACHRI, 2003). 5. Nurses caring for pediatric patients must have appropriate education and experience to demonstrate competency in the care of this highly specialized patient population. The core concepts as cited in the following sources should be included in education and training: Pediatric Nursing: Scope and Standards of Pediatric Nursing Practice (American Nurses Association, 2008) Position Statement on Family Centered Care Content in the Nursing Education Curriculum (Society of Pediatric Nurses, 2008) Position Statement on Child Health Content in the Undergraduate Curriculum (Society of Pediatric Nurses, 2007) Core Curriculum for the Nursing Care of Children and Their Families (Broome & Rollins, 1999) Standards and Guidelines for Pre-Licensure and Early Professional Education for the Nursing Care of Children and Their Families (Woodring, 1998). 6. Organizations and nursing staff providing care for pediatric patients should commit to ongoing maintenance of nursing staff’s clinical competency through continuing education that ensures a current knowledge base of issues and trends in pediatric care delivery. 7. Organizations should work to establish practice environments characterized by open communication, teamwork, and effective collaborative problem solving to address nurse staffing issues and ensure safe, effective care for children and families. 8. Nurses are encouraged to assume professional accountability for their own practice. Nurses have accountability for the following: Being an advocate for the role of the registered professional nurse Being knowledgeable of state practice acts Being knowledgeable of the mechanisms available to address potential staffing issues References Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D. M., Cimiotti, J. P., Clarke, S. P., Flynn, L., Seago, J. A., Spetz, J. & Smith, H. L. (2010). Implications of the California nurse staffing mandate for other states. Health Services Research, 45(4), 904-921. Aiken L. H., Clarke, S. P., Sloane, D. M., Sochalski, J., Silber, J. H. (2002). Hospital nurse staffing and patient mortality, nurse burnout, and job dissatisfaction. Journal of the American Medical Association, 288(16), 1987-1993. American Academy of Pediatrics (2006). Child life services. Pediatrics, 118(4); 1757-1763. American Academy of Pediatrics (2004b). Levels of neonatal care. Pediatrics 114(5); 1342-1347. American Academy of Pediatrics (2004a). Guidelines and levels of care for pediatric intensive care units. Pediatrics 114(4); 1114-1125. American Academy of Pediatrics (1998). Facilities and equipment for the care of pediatric patients in a community hospital. Pediatrics 101(6); 1089-1090. American Nurses Association. (2010). Safe staffing saves lives. Federal legislation: Registered nurse safe staffing act. Retrieved on-line February 13, 2011. http://www.safestaffingsaveslives.org/whatisANAdoing/federallegislation.aspx?css=print American Nurses Association (2008). Pediatric nursing: Scope and standards of practice. Washington DC: Author. American Nurses Association. (2007). Acute care staffing. Nursing’s legislative and regulatory initiatives for the 110th Congress: Appropriate staffing. Retrieved on-line: February 13, 2011. http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAPoliticalPower/Federal/legis/AcuteCare.aspx. American Nurses Credentialing Center. (2003). The magnet recognition program for excellence in nursing service health care organization, instructions and application process. Pub# MAGMAN03. Washington, DC: Author. American Organization of Nurse Executives (2003). AONE policy statement on mandated staffing ratios. Retrieved on-line: January 21, 20 11. http://www.aone.org/aone/advocacy/ps_ratios.html. Broome, M. & Rollins, J. (Eds.). (1999). Core curriculum for the nursing care of children and their families. Pittman, NJ: Jannetti Publications. Children’s Defense Fund. (2010). The state of America’s children 2010. Retrieved on line February 13, 2011. http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-research-data-publications/data/state-of-americas-children2010-report.html. Children’s Defense Fund. (2002). Basic facts on poverty. Child Poverty FAQs. Washington DC: Author. Institute of Medicine. (2010). The future of nursing: leading change, advancing health. Report brief: 2010. Washington DC: Author. Institute of Medicine. (1999). To err is human: Building a safer health care system. Washington, DC: Author. Joint Commission. (2010). Joint commission accreditation resources: Accreditation manager plus. Retrieved on-line: February 21, 2011. http://qvcsql01/JCRAMP/Frame.aspx. Kane, R. L., Shamliyan, T. A., Mueller, C., Duval, S., Wilt, T. J. (2007). The association of registered nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Medical Care, 45(12): 1195-1204. Kaushal, R., Bates, D.W., Landrigan, C., McKenna, K. J., Clapp, M. D., Federico, F., Goldman, D. A. (2001). Medication errors and adverse drug events in pediatric inpatients. Journal of the American Medical Association, 285(16), 2114-2120. Lewandowski, L. A. & Tessler, M. D. (Eds.). (2003). Family-centered care: Putting it into action: The SPN/ANA guide to family-centered care. Washington DC: American Nurses Publishing. Mark, B. A., Harless, D. W., Berman, W. F. (2007). Nurse staffing and adverse events in hospitalized children. Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice, 8(2): 83-92. Monsen, R. B., Finley, S. (2007). Shortage of nurses and child health. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 22(3), 231-232). National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institution s. (2003). Clinical practices service program: Benchmark data. Available from www.childrenshospitals.net/nachri. National Association of Neonatal Nurses (2008). Minimum RN staffing in NICU’s. Retrieved online February 11, 2011. http://www.nann.org/pdf/08_3009_rev.pdf. Needleman, J., Buerhaus, P. I., Stewart, M., Zelevinsky, K., Soeren, M. (2006). Nurse staffing in hospitals: Is there a business case for quality? Health Affairs, 25(1): 204-211. Schwalenstocker, E., Bisarya, H., Lau, S. & Adebimpe, O. (2007). Nursing-sensitive indicators for children’s hospital care quality: Indicators are essential, but further testing is needed for use in comparing hospital performance. A white paper prepared by the Pediatric Data Quality Systems (PediQS) Collaborative. September 2007. Retrieved on line: February 8, 2011: http://www.childrenshospitals.net/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Site_Map3&Template=/CM/ContentDisp lay.cfm&ContentID=29730. Society of Pediatric Nurses. (2008). Position st atement on family centered care content in the nursing education curriculum. Retrieved on-line: February 21, 2011. http://www.pedsnurses.org/component/option,com_docman/Itemid,222/task,doc_view/gid,193/