Against the Death Penalty Essay - 1733 Words

In the U.S. there has been a debate whether or not the death penalty should be used. It continues to be a controversial issue in the world today. Some are for the death penalty, believing that a punishment should fit the crime and it is the only necessary way to reprimand those who have committed a terrible offense. Others believe that the death penalty violates human rights and that it is inhumane, merciless, and cruel. In Kenneth Josts article Death Penalty Controversies, he explains that critics and adversaries of the death penalty are warning that capital trials and sentencing hearings are extremely flawed and inadequate that they risk resulting in the execution of innocent people (Jost 785). Supporters of capital punishment†¦show more content†¦Thought and ideas of men such as Thomas Hobbes, John Mill, Thomas Aquinas, and Pope John Paul II can be incorporated when considering and addressing this issue. Hobbes believes that all men are equal and also men can claim the s ame right and benefits. In Leviathan Thomas Hobbes said, The right of nature, which writers commonly call Jus Naturale, is the liberty each man hath to use his own power as he will himself for the preservation of his own nature; that is to say, of his own life; and consequently, of doing anything which, in his own judgment and reason, he shall conceive to be the aptest means thereunto (Hobbes 91). Hobbes believes that naturally every man has a right to everything (91). Hobbes believes that nothing is unjust in the state of nature. He says in Leviathon, For where no covenant hath preceded, there hath no right been transferred, and every man has right to everything and consequently, no action can be unjust. But when a covenant is made, then to break it is unjust and the definition of injustice is no other than the not performance of covenant. And whatsoever is not unjust is just (Hobbes 100). Hobbes also feels that when everyman is against everyman there is no common ground for justi ce to be established (100). John Paul II believed that by nature, men are endowed with universal, inviolable, and inalienable rights (John Paul II 1). HeShow MoreRelatedDeath Penalty : Are You For Or Against The Penalty?1724 Words   |  7 PagesPolanowski Philosophy 1111 21 October 2015 Death Penalty Are you for or against the death penalty? Do you even know what the death penalty is? The Death Penalty is when a person is charged for a crime and receives punishment such as execution, and is put on death row. It has been a back and forth argument over decades on rather or not we should instill the death penalty. A common belief among people is, if someone commits murder, then they need to be put on death row, but if someone commits a crime forRead MoreA Argument Against The Death Penalty1647 Words   |  7 Pagespunishable by death or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole when specific â€Å"Special Circumstances† of the crime have been charged or been proven in court. It is possible though to be released by the parole board after a minimum of 25 years if they feel you are worthy. The death penalty is a topic that the United States is divided on. Currently there are 31 states with the death penalty and California is on that list. In 2012 a ballot was prop osed that would appeal the death penalty as theRead MoreEssay on Against the Death Penalty881 Words   |  4 PagesAgainst the Death Penalty The death penalty is one of the most controversial issues in our time. There are many issues that show and prove the death penalty is wrong and reasons why it should be ceased. Many issues have objections towards the death penalty shows that the death penalty is unfair, irreversible and expensive. The Death penalty is an unfair system used as punishment to criminals that performed wrong and unmoral crimes. The death penalty is unfair in the way that is discriminatoryRead MoreArgumentative Against Death Penalty1546 Words   |  7 Pages5) The death penalty does not deter criminals from committing violent crimes. The death penalty is a form of cruel and unusual punishment that violates citizen’s Eighth Amendment which has forced the Supreme Court to step in and evaluate this form of punishment. The death penalty has not always been practiced in the United States; however, there have been about 13,000 people who have been legally executed since colonial times. In 1972, the Supreme Court effectively nullified the death penaltyRead More Against the Death Penalty Essay731 Words   |  3 Pagesthe death penalty is the worst of them. I am strongly against the death penalty because it violates God’s rules, costs the tax payers too much money, and possibly the â€Å"wrongly accused,† may have to die because of the cruel and unusual punishment of the death penalty. How often do these concepts get into the public’s mind when it hears of our ‘fair, trusty’ government taking away someone’s breathing rights? Do we honestly want people thinking of us as mu rderers? I am against having the death penaltyRead MoreThe Case Against The Death Penalty773 Words   |  4 PagesCase Against the Death Penalty, which shows up in Crime and Criminals: Opposing Viewpoints, Eric Freedman contends that capital punishment does not discourage fierce crime as well as conflicts with decreasing the crime rate. This essay will analyse Freedman s article from the perspectives of a working man, a needy individual, and a government official. Working man: A working man would in all probability agree with Freedman s point of view with association with the monetary part of the death penaltyRead MoreAgainst The Death Penalty Essay959 Words   |  4 PagesAgainst the Death Penalty â€Å"Murder is wrong† (â€Å"Capital Punishment†). We’ve been taught this indisputable truth since childhood. The death penalty is defined as one human taking the life of another. Coincidentally, that is a classification of murder. There are as many as thirty-six states with the death penalty, and it’s essential that they change it. The United States needs the death penalty abolished because it is filled with flaws, cruel and immoral, and is an ineffective means of deterrentRead MoreArgument For And Against The Death Penalty1051 Words   |  5 Pages When arguing for or against a topic, the goal is to convince others to accept you opinion, take your opinion seriously, and you must seek common ground in order to establish some form of compromise. A good communicator must be specific, contestable, significant and reasonable. For this assignment, I will be arguing for and against The Death Penalty. When it comes to a topic such as The Death Penalty, many individuals cannot fathom the idea of putting another human to death because it is not permanentlyRead More Against the Death Penalty Essay1533 Words   |  7 Pages The Death Penalty Human rights are fundamental rights which every human being is entitled to just because they are human. The death penalty is the ultimate, irreversible denial of human rights. It is the cold blooded killing of a human being in the name of ‘justice’. In 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; in Articles 3 and 5 it states that â€Å"no one shall be subjected to cruel or degrading punishment and everyone has the rightRead MoreAgainst The Death Penalty Essay878 Words   |  4 Pagesoppose the death penalty. Many people can feel very strongly about whether or not they approve of this method of punishment. I feel that the death penalty is wrong, and I believe that there is much support to back this up. I believe that the death penalty is wrong because it is not an effective deterrent, racially and economically bias, unreliable, expensive, and morally wrong of society. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;One argument from death penalty supporters is that the death penalty acts as a deterrent

Death of a Dream in Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Essay

Gatsby and the Death of a Dream In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald creates the roaring twenties by showing the division of society. The Buchanans live on one side, East Egg, and Jay Gatsby lives on the other side, West Egg. The Buchanans belong to the socialites, yet their lives have no meaning. Gatsby tries to chase the American Dream, yet his idea is tarnished. He throws parties to try and fit in with the socialites. Gatsbys pursuit of the American Dream is doomed because he tries to buy his way into a society that will never accept him. Gatsby gets his idea of how to achieve the American Dream from Benjamin Franklins autobiography (Franklin 332) In Chapter nine, Mr. Wolfshiem shows Nick an old book of†¦show more content†¦Gatsby does not understand the traditions of East Egg society and therefore he does not realize that he cannot impress Daisy simply with shirts. Tom and Daisy Buchanan are a part of East Egg society. East Eggers have inherited their wealth and dwell on the traditions of high class society. They did not work for their money so they do not appreciate it the way West Eggers do. Like the West Eggers, East Eggers have not obtained the American Dream either. Tom is rich and has a beautiful wife and on the outside it looks like he has the perfect life. The only problem is that he cheats on his wife with Myrtle Wilson. Myrtles husband, George, loves her, but she is a money chaser. She says, I thought he was a gentleman . . . but he wasnt fit to lick my shoe . . . he borrowed somebodys best suit to get married in . . . (Fitzgerald 39) She couldnt appreciate the fact that George was working hard to provide for her. She just wanted money and found it in a relationship with a married man. Here Fitzgerald shows the other side of the American Dream. Myrtle has the love but not the money, and Gatsby has the money but not the love . This soap opera could have been worked out if Tom had divorced Daisy and married Myrtle, and then Daisy could marry Gatsby. George would have been left there to die of his guilt, but everything cannot be perfect.Show MoreRelatedEssay about Great Gatsby862 Words   |  4 Pages F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby / Gatsbys Desire for Daisy exploring why Gatsby had such an obsessive desire for Daisy. The writer purports that Gatsby began by pursuing an ideal, not the real woman. In fact, he could not recognize the type of person she had become since they last saw each other. Gatsby lives in a dream world and Daisy is part of that dream. As the novel progresses, however, Gatsbys feelings change. Bibliography lists Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby : The RoleRead MoreViews of Entitlement in the Great Gatsby1596 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Gatsby as Fitzgerald’s explanation of an American Reality which contradicts the American Dream That was always my experience—a poor boy in a rich town; a poor boy in a rich boys school; a poor boy in a rich mans club at Princeton.... However, I have never been able to forgive the rich for being rich, and it has colored my entire life and works.   —F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters, ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribners, 1994. pg. 352. The Great Gatsby, by F. ScottRead MoreThe American Dream : F. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1329 Words   |  6 Pagesthe American Dream at Angel Island. The immigration station’s detainment of these rejected dreamers destroyed stories before they could happen. These stories of opportunity and the fulfillment of the American Dream make America what it is today. For instance, many immigrants today who are lucky enough to settle into America enter with little money in their pockets. However, through hard labor and persistence, they are able to grasp onto the four elements that construct the American Dream: fame, fortuneRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1395 Words   |  6 Pagesmodernist 1920s, and his classic work The Great Gatsby was certainly a romantic book, and thusly did not succeed in his time; in fact, it did not succeed until after his death in the 1940s. Fitzgerald saw the green light, but it was just as out of reach to him as it was to Mr. G atsby. Though The Great Gatsby was unappreciated through Fitzgerald’s life, it has left a lasting impression on American literature that will prevail through literature forever. The Great Gatsby was written circa 1924-1925, and wasRead MoreFun Home By Alison Bechdel954 Words   |  4 Pagesof her father’s death after first knowing the catastrophe. By applying the allusion between writer Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald’s famous character Jay Gatsby, and her father, Bechdel effectively presents the tragic nature of her father that he lives in the fictional world created by himself. In this allusion, Bechdel first describes her father’s reverence for Fitzgerald, highlighting the deep influence of Fitzgerald on her father that he was fascinated by Fitzgerald’s lifestyle and sentimentRead MoreThe American Dream Is Just a Dream in F. Scott Fitzgerald ´s The Great Gatsby818 Words   |  3 Pageshave] had† (Fitzgerald 5). In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald explores the idea of the American Dream – the ideal life – the dream of every American to be rich, prosperous, famous, loved, all those amazing imaginations that one could have. In this novel though, Fitzgerald portrays this dream as reachable and possible for anyone, but he also shows that this dream is not as great as everyone thinks it is. Fitzgerald depicts this dream as a death wish that could ruin any person thatRead MoreExamples Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby951 Words   |  4 PagesThe Great Gatsby Essay Fabrizio Moreira once said, â€Å"The American Dream is that any man or woman, despite of his or her background, can change their circumstances and rise as high as they are willing to work.† (American Dream Quotes). This quote is reminiscent of what most people think of the American Dream as. Usually, their thoughts entail hard work leading to success and happiness. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there are many examples of the American Dream. Fitzgerald expressesRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1239 Words   |  5 PagesCoco Bai Ms. Dettmar English III 15 October 2015 Luhramann’s Film – A Great Adaptation of The Great Gatsby Through Nick’s narration in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Gatsby’s possessive personality and his blind love for Daisy eventually lead to the failure of his American dream. When casting the movie of The Great Gatsby, Baz Luhramann may have changed some of the dialogue, but he does stay unflinchingly true to the spirit of the book and its morals, which I think is vastly more importantRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald : The Jazz Age And The Great Gatsby1364 Words   |  6 Pagesparties of the upper social classes. With Fitzgerald’s work being described as poetic, it often contain underlying social or capitalistic characteristics rooted in spectacular imagery. The various aspects of Fitzgerald’s work allow for analysis on several levels and from differing perspectives, while functioning as a mirror through which to view society, values, and ideals. This statement speaks truth to The Great Gatsby, published in 1925. The Great Gatsby is a true prod uct of its time. ResearchersRead MoreEssay on The Great Gatsby1404 Words   |  6 Pagespioneering spirit of the American Dream was revitalized. The nouveaux riches often clashed with the established wealth, as evident throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald’s narrator, Nick Carraway, suddenly finds himself submerged in the paper-thin morals, and shallow values of upper-class New York after migrating from the Western interior. Throughout the novel, Nick is highly cynical of American society. Thus, The Great Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s means of criticizing the worsening

Consumers Behaviour for Longchamp free essay sample

Table of Content 1 Situational Analysis Pg 3 2 Segmentation Method Pg 4 3. 1 Demographic Pg 4 3. 2 Geographic Pg 4 3. Psychographic Pg 5 3. 4 Behaviouristic Pg 5 3 Target and Positioning Pg 6 4. 5 Target and Positioning 4. 6 Perception Map 4 Psychological Factors 5. 7 Motivation Pg 7 5. Customer Perception Pg 8 5. 9 Learning Pg 8 5. 10 Customers Attitude Pg 9 5 Sociological Factors 6. 11 Social Class Pg 10 6. 12 Family Pg 10 6. 3 References Group Pg 11 6 Conclusion Pg 12 7 Reference list Pg 13 1. Situation Analysis Longchamp is family owned brand that has been around for almost 70 years. This brand began in 1948 when Jean Cassegrain, the father of todays President, founded the company. The milestone of the business started off from tobacco business, followed by concentrating in leather coating for cigarette cases. When the smokers’ market is declining, this is when he decides to display leather wallets for men in his shop window. Little by little, bags replaced smokers’ items in the company’s sales outlets. Currently with only 3 boutiques located in Singapore, it competes in the saturated fashion market with other well known fashion brands such as Chanel and Hermes. Due to the fact of being a privately owned firm which will inevitably affect its financial position when compared with other brands with regard to advertising efforts. Looking further into the employment status, Longchamp has 35% male and 65% female employees which indicate a strong emphasis in hiring female employees which might assist in strengthening its position in the female handbags market in terms of understanding the needs and design of ladies handbags. 2. Market Segmentation Longchamp’s have segmented their customers by geographic, demographic, psychographic and behaviouristic: 2. 1 Geographic Longchamp has been a luxury brand in 102 countries. In Singapore, Longchamp is only available in Orchard Road, like ION Orchard, Takashimaya and Paragon. As Orchard is well known for offering a dazzling array of international names suited to all tastes and budgets. By locating at Orchard, it can increase their chances to attract the targeted consumers which include the tourists that are more willingly to spend on higher quality and priced products as compare to the heartland malls. 2. 2 Demographic Longchamp target baby boomers, mainly females, age: 46 to 64 years old, the largest segment of consumers. As these groups of consumers are confident and living well, who have the higher incomes and are first to buy a new product and services. With the sophisticated lifestyle and technology nowadays, Longchamp also need to target both genders that are in the age range of 16 to 26 years old. As Generation Y cohort is in internet generation, they are open to changes and are more interested in purchase product that is more personalize. Therefore, Longchamp see this as an opportunity and started to implement online customized bags. 2. 3 Psychographic Considering Longchamp consumer’s AIO (Activities, Interests, Opinions), Baby Boomers has interest in fashion, seeking for a high status quo and they would prefer to select brands that is durable and trendy. Longchamp ensured high quality selection of leather source, consistently creating new designs and good after sales service (e. g. replacement of product due to manufacturing’s fault) to retain consumers and promote brand loyalty. Pertaining to the second group of consumers which of targeted consumers have been earlier identified to be Generation Y consumers which are IT savvy personnel. By allowing consumers to customize their own bags online which help invoke the need for self uniqueness which is evident in the current modern society where there is a strong appeal for individual identity especially for the Generation Y cohort. . 4 Behaviouristic With reference to the aforementioned, frequent online usage of websites such as Facebook is common among the population coupled with a strong sense of self uniqueness, as nowadays consumers are variety seeking and like attention. Longchamp has been seen to place emphasis on behaviouristic segmentation of their consumer base. With Long champ’s online design and purchase mode and promulgation through websites such as Facebook hence satisfying the need for convenience and product uniqueness required by consumers in the current market. 3. Target and Positioning 3. Target Longchamp target baby boomers and Generation Y cohort as they are a reasonable size of consumers that is easily accessible and allow Longchamp to have a reasonable amount of profit to be sustainable in the fashion industry. They target to have long term relationship with their consumers by having relationship pricing. 3. 2 Positioning Expensive 3. 2 (a) Perception map in Fashion Industry They maintain their products in high quality and priced it in a lower range as compare to its competitors as shown: High Quality Affordable Mango Zara Louis Vutton Bottega Gucci DKNY St Louis Perlini Long Champ Loewe Hermes Prada Kate Spade Chanel Coach Elle FCUK Marc Jacob Dior Charles and Keith Low Quality 4. Psychological Factors 4. 1 Motivation Longchamp focused on driving customers to buy their products by attending their acquired needs. Longchamp using applications like instance communicationsadvertising, public relations, personal selling to create the desire and build up the tension to motivate customers. (E. g. When Kate Moss and Madonna are seen publicly with their bags, this can be one of the emotion causing stimuli that will motivate consumer to buy). This creates the drive to want to purchase their products and when they have purchase, the needs or goals are fulfilled. However, they also realise that everyone needs or goals is ever changing, as old needs is satisfy, new needs emerges. Therefore, they consistently come up with two designs every year to re-build the tension and create the drive to encourage current customer to purchase their bags again. Unfulfilled Needs, Wants and Desires Tension Drive Behaviors Goal or Need fulfilled Previous Learning Cognitive Processes Tension Reduction 4. 1(a) Model of Motivational Process Model of Motivation Process Source: From Jeffrey F. Dugree et al. , â€Å"Observations: Translating Values onto Product Wants,† Journal of Advertising Research, 36, 6 (November 1996). 4. 2 Consumer’s Perception Consumer’s perception is developed from the 5 stimuli like the sight, smell, sound, taste and touch. Longchamp have done a good job by designing and sell bags that come in a whole range of sizes, in different designs and colours that can be carried in an equally wide variety of ways. This is creating a differential threshold or the just noticeable difference (J. N. D). They make product improvements consistently is to allow consumers readily perceived that they have make improvement to the original products. Therefore, when it comes to price increase, less then J. N. D is desirable because their consumers are unlikely to notice it. However, Longchamp have overlooked their decorations and display in their shops as they are too dull and might not seems to be appealing to consumers. They should consistently change their display, re-designing their shop, adding scents so that they could to attract and encourage consumers to patronize their shop and purchase their products even in a higher price. . 3 Learning For instrumental conditioning learning, Longchamp believe that when their consumers are engage in extensive problem solving behavior, it will lead into a strong brand preference. They ensure their products meet the consumers’ satisfaction for their quality, design and colours which in result of the repeated purchase. Brands Awareness Purchas e Loyalty Learning Knowledge Repetition Longchamp also use medium like word of mouth from the consumers’ family and friends, internets (E. g. facebook and blogs), magazine advertisement (E. g. Females, Her World) to allow consumers to learn about their products, events and promotions. Using this classical conditioning, it encourages repetition of exposure and allows Longchamp to be known by people. However, in order for their brands and products to be sunk into consumers’ long term memories, they should associate refreshed information in different type of medium. 4. 4 Consumer’s Attitude Longchamp also emphasize on their customer service and after sales services. They believe that allowing their consumers to have a good personal experience will be the starting point of their attitude formation. They had after sales department to take care of any consumers’ complains or feedback. With this, their consumers will spread the information and share their good testimonials by the words of mouth to influence the attitude of their family and friends towards this brand through internet as one of the media. Though Longchamp have associated their brands with some celebrities like Kate Moss, however, they should also look into other admired groups or even sponsor events that involve mass media to build up their brand name and change beliefs about their competitors. Formation of Attitudes Influence of Family ; Friends Personal Experience Promotional Activities Internet Mass Media 5. Sociological Factors 5. 1 Social Class Longchamp consumers are from the middle to the upper income class group which stand 90% of the population in Singapore. The highest increase in consumption will be the middle income group which like to show their status in the society. In order for Longchamp to attract upper and upper middle class, they should hold more private exclusive closed door sales. This will encourage the upper income class to patronise their shop more often as they like to be treated differently. of population| Income Class| Monthly income S$| Type of Housing | 10| Upper | ;13,800| Condo and landed| 30| Upper Middle| ; 7,800| EC,EA,EM ; Condo| 50| Middle| ; 3,800| 3-5 Room HDB| 10| Lower | ; 1,500| 1-3 Room HDB| *Above Statistic is reported by the Board of Statistic in Singapore for Year 2009 5. 2 Family Longchamp target 3 stages in the family lifecycle. They are the bachelor stage when much freedom for decision-making is apparent. Secondly, newly married couples where there’s dual income in the family, they are able to spend on more luxury products especially the females. Lastly will be the empty nest, where the children are no longer living together, this is the stage where they have more disposable income and that they are shifting from a materialistic to a more experiential phase of their life and prefer to buy things that are stylish, and technologically oriented. 5. 3 Reference Group For consumers under Generation Y, they are highly influenced by the power of media as well as indirect reference group. As such, we should get celebrity endorsements both local and international to appeal to them. By having celebrity credibility, the consumer perception of both the celebrity expertise and trustworthiness will increase. Longchamp also aim and direct their attention towards the contractual group (existing consumers that satisfy with their products) and the aspirational groups and in at all time they should not target at the disclaimers and avoidance group as it could result in negative influence on consumption behaviours as we can see from the diagram 5. 3(a). 5. 3 (a) 4 Types of Reference group 1) Contractual Group 4) Avoidance Group 2) Disclaimers group 3) Aspirational Group Positive Respone Negative Membership Group Non Membership Group 6. Conclusion Having considered available marketing segmentation for Longchamp, it is clear this exclusive and luxury brand need to understand more about their consumers’ constant changes in psychological and sociological aspects. Especially in fashion industry these consumers can support the business lifecycle and they are also the main source of bright new ideas that can strengthen the businesses and consumer relationship. The main challenge is to discover the best way to attract these consumers consistently and create a long-lasting consumer loyalty. Many patronize these brands for their good quality, despite their expensive prices. Some people also buy these brands to enhance their style and fashion statements, which can be provided by using these brands. Furthermore, many patronize these popular brands to uplift their reputation in the society for many believe that people who have branded products are well off and educated. With these, it can be observed that the brand image of a certain product or products determines the loyalty of its consumers and its success in the market. (1,764 Words Count)

The Economic Role of Slavery During the Civil War free essay sample

This paper examines the correlations between slavery, economics, and the Civil War. This paper shows how the study of the economics surrounding slavery can give a better understanding of the issues surrounding both slavery and the Civil War. Topics covered include the origins of slavery, opposing views on slavery, the and the economic effectiveness of slavery. Slavery and the civil war are very complex economic and historical issues. Many prominent Economic Historians view the institution of slavery vastly different from one another. With the difference in views also comes opposing opinions on whether or not the Civil War was actually needed to end the practice of slavery. While it is impossible to truly know what would have happened had events been different surrounding the American Civil War, it is possible to learn about the differences in opinions. Examining the origins of slavery, the opposing views of slavery, and the economics of the civil war can lend a clearer picture of this time frame

The Art of Racing in the Rain Essays

The Art of Racing in the Rain Essays The Art of Racing in the Rain Essay The Art of Racing in the Rain Essay The ART OF THE RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein, Published May 8, 2008. It’s a novel; this title of the story is about a dog who believes that you come back into life as a man. He the narrator of the story. Also, the titlemeans courage, patience, mind, body, and how when you drive on a track you keep going in the rain and the sky keeps moving forward and believingthat you aren’t yourself. You are everything. Let’s see what this book all about and the meaning? This book THE ART OF THE RACING IN THE RAIN, main purpose is you aren’t feeling who you are on the outside but knows how you feel in the inside. There’s this small family who lives in Seattle in an Apartment on Lake Washington. The dog name is Enzo, who is an older dog who is ill. His owner name is Denny, Enzo and Denny are buddies and Enzo goes to work with Denny. Dennyhas a wife and kid, the family is a loveable and happy and,also very close. The wife name is Eve and the daughter name is Zoe. Enzo can read things like a human and is very close with his family and also has a good understanding in human mind. Denny works at a shop and he races race cars he and Enzo are very competive. His wife Eve is a stay home mom. One day she didn’t feel right so she went to the hospital. Denny was out of town racing and working. When he got back from his trip, he found out Eve had an illness, it grew more and more. Suddenly they found out it was a brain tumor. Zoe had no ide a what’s going on. Enzo really stayed back and protect Zoe and the family. Eve came back out of the hospital and stayed with her parents. Sooner or later Eve parents took Zoe for a while because Denny worked and travel a lot. They thought it was better for her. Sooner or later Eve past away, and her parents put custied on Zoe for not living with her father. Also Denny knew this one girl who was young and she put him on a strain order because he didn’t do what she wanted which would be very wrong. so

Sea Sponges Facts

Sea Sponges Facts When you look at a sponge, the word animal  might not be the first that comes to mind, but sea sponges are animals. There are over 6,000 species of sponges; most live in the marine environment, although there are also freshwater sponges. Natural sponges have been used by humans to clean and bathe with for at least 3,000 years. Sponges are classified in the phylum Porifera. The word Porifera  comes from the Latin words porus (pore) and ferre (bear), meaning pore-bearer. This is a reference to the numerous pores or holes on a sponges surface. It is through these pores that the sponge draws in water from which it feeds. Fast Facts: Sponges Scientific Name: PoriferaCommon Name: SpongeBasic Animal Group: InvertebrateSize: Various species range from under a half inch to 11 feet in lengthWeight: Up to approximately 20 poundsLifespan: Up to 2,300 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Oceans and freshwater lakes the world overPopulation: UnknownConservation Status: One species is classified Least Concern; most are Not Evaluated. Description Sponges come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Some, like the liver sponge, look like a low-lying crust on a rock, while others can be taller than humans. Some sponges are in the form of encrustations or masses, some are branched, and some look like tall vases. Sponges are relatively simple multi-celled animals. They do not have tissues or organs like some animals do; rather, they have specialized cells to perform necessary functions. These cells each have a job. Some are in charge of digestion, some reproduction, some bringing in water so the sponge can filter feed, and some are used for getting rid of wastes. The skeleton of a sponge is formed from spicules which are made of silica (a glass-like material) or calcareous (calcium or calcium carbonate) materials, and spongin, a protein that supports the spicules. Sponge species may be most readily identified by examining their spicules under a microscope. Sponges do not have a nervous system, so they dont move when touched.   Placebo365/Getty Images   Species There are an enormous number of species in the phylum Porifera, broken into five classes: Calcarea (Calcareous sponges)Demospongiae (Horny sponges)Hexactinellida (Glass sponges)Homoscleromorpha (Includes about 100 species of encrusting sponges)Porifera incertae sedis (Sponges whose classification has not yet been defined) There are over 6,000 formally described sponge species, measuring from under a half inch to 11 feet. The largest sponge discovered to date was found in Hawaii in 2015, and has not yet been named. Habitat and Distribution Sponges are found on the ocean floor or attached to substrates such as rocks, coral, shells, and marine organisms. Sponges range in habitat from shallow intertidal areas and coral reefs to the deep sea. They are found in oceans and freshwater lakes throughout the world. Diet and Behavior Most sponges feed on bacteria and organic matter by drawing water in through pores called ostia (singular: ostium), which are openings through which water enters the body. Lining the channels in these pores are collar cells. The collars of these cells surround a hair-like structure called a flagellum. The flagella beat to create water currents. Most sponges also feed on small organisms that come in with the water. There are also a few species of carnivorous sponges that feed by using their spicules to capture prey such as small crustaceans. Water and wastes are circulated out of the body by pores called oscula (singular: osculum). Reproduction and Offspring Sponges reproduce both sexually and asexually. Sexual reproduction occurs through the production of egg and sperm. In some species, these gametes are from the same individual; in others, separate individuals produce eggs and sperm. Fertilization occurs when the gametes are brought into the sponge by currents of water. A larva is formed, and it settles on a substrate where it becomes attached to the rest of its life. Asexual reproduction occurs by budding, which happens when a part of a sponge is broken off, or one of its branch tips is constricted, and then this small piece grows into a new sponge. They may also reproduce asexually by producing packets of cells called gemmules. Threats In general, sponges arent very tasty to most other marine animals. They can contain toxins, and their spicule structure probably doesnt make them very comfortable to digest. Two organisms that eat sponges though are hawksbill sea turtles and nudibranchs. Some nudibranchs will even absorb a sponges toxin while it eats it and then uses the toxin in its own defense. Most of the sponges have been evaluated by the IUCN, as Least Concern. RainervonBrandis/Getty Images Sponges and Humans The modern plastic sponge in our kitchens and bathrooms are named after natural sponges, living animals which were harvested and widely used as long ago as the 8th century BCE as implements for bathing and cleaning, as well as in medical practices such as assisting in healing and to cool or warm or comfort a body part. Ancient Greek writers such as Aristotle (384–332 BCE) suggested the best sponge for such tasks was one that is compressible and squeezable but not sticky, and holds great quantities of water in its canals and expels it out when compressed.   You can still buy natural sponges in health food stores or on the Internet. Artificial sponges were not invented until the 1940s, and long before that, commercial sponge harvesting industries developed in many areas, including Tarpon Springs and Key West, Florida. Sources Brusca Richard C. and Gary J. Brusca. Phylum Porifera: the sponges. Invertebrates. Cambridge, MA: Sinauer Press, 2003. 181–210.Castro, Fernando, et al. Agalychnis The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T55843A11379402, 2004.  Ã‚  Coulombe, Deborah A. The Seaside Naturalist. New York: Simon Schuster, 1984.Denoble, Peter. The Story of Sponge Divers. Alert Diver Online, 2011.Hendrikse, Sandra and Andrà ©Ã‚  Merks, A. Sponge Fishing in Key West and Tarpon Springs, American Sponge Diver, 2003Martinez, Andrew J. Marine Life of the North Atlantic. New York: Aqua Quest Publications, Inc., 2003.UCMP. Porifera: Life History and Ecology. University of California Museum of Paleontology.Wagner, Daniel, and Christopher D. Kelley. The Largest Sponge in the World? Marine Biodiversity 47.2 (2017): 367–68.  Voultsiadou, Eleni. Sponges: An Historical Survey of Their Knowledge in Greek Antiquity. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 87.6 (2007): 1757 –63. Print.

Managing Quality in Health and Social Care Assignment

Managing Quality in Health and Social Care - Assignment Example The study scenario proves the quality perspectives in regard of the user perspective places emphasis on the value of consultation services offered in the clinic in ensuring the proper management of cancer through screening. The clients can never approve anything concerning the quality of health care services because of the various preferences to the consultation service they have encountered or would like to have in place working for them (Mollenkopf and Alan 215). Therefore, when it is an issue regarding the quality of consultation services offered in the hospital, the patients expect fast attendance within the stipulated time so that they can leave and attend to other crucial things elsewhere. What makes and keeps one satisfied regarding the quality of service is when things move on smoothly in terms of time and space while one is seeking consultation services in the hospital. The quality concept from the institutions perspective is ensuring a system that enhances timely attendance to the patients. The model that works best in such situations is the Philip Crosby model that emphasizes on doing thing right the first time (Bryans 64). The application of a model in ensuring quality service delivery in the hospital follows that the quality concept should start with the doctors, nurses, and receptionists in this case. Therefore, they have the mandate of making strategic improvements in ensuring that the patients have timely assistance whenever they come for consultations. The receptionists for instance should ensure that the patient’s records are available all the time to avoid inconveniences. On the other hand, the doctors and the nurses should ensure they have in place the needs of their client and work fast to meet the needs. In so doing, they will reduce the cancer cases thus finding it easier to manage the consultation services (Bryans 66). The relationship between the

Consumer credit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Consumer credit - Assignment Example en busy at work, he has not had time to carefully review his monthly statements, but is spending the weekend catching up on paying bills and organizing his desk. He is particularly interested in how much he still owes the credit card company. He reviews the statement and discovers there is a page missing – the one with the unpaid balance. He can see that his beginning balance for March (March 1 through March 31) was $800 and that he paid $280 on March 12, charged purchases of $150 on March 5, $100 on March 20, and $50 on March 30. Ling remembers that the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on the credit card is 16% of the unpaid balance and interest is charged using the average daily balance method, including current purchases. d. Answer: Average daily balance is calculated by including the outstanding balance, new purchases and deducting payments and credits on each day in the billing cycle, we need to divide by number of days in the billing cycle. From the author’s point of view, the five factors are named as â€Å"Satisfying needs in case of insufficient income†, â€Å"Convenience in case of cashless case†, â€Å"Socialization and modernization†, â€Å"Easiness and safety in comparison with carrying cash† and â€Å"Shopping via telephone and inter-net†. (Okan Veli à ¹afakli, 2007). Credit cards can be a convenient means of payment, a useful tool for learning financial responsibility, a resource in case of emergencies, a means to establishing a good credit history and a way to gain greater access to credit in the future. If credit cards are mismanaged or misused, however, the disadvantages can result in severe financial consequences. (Louisiana State University, 2003). Ling has used the credit card wisely. He made the payment on time and as it is a revolving credit, it is good to charge the card and simultaneously make payments. This can have good impact on the credit history. It is a good practice to keep the balance less than the credit limit and this can

Wireless videophones Essay Example for Free

Wireless videophones Essay Wireless videophones and high-speed Internet access are a reality with the worlds first Third Generation mobile serviced, which were launched on October 1st 2001 by NTT DoCoMo in Tokyo, Japan. These has symbolized that human had enter a new era in mobile network technology. Facing with the ever advancing technologies, mobile network had integrated deep into our daily life style, cater for the needs to interact between friends and business organizations in a more effective, efficient and convenient way. At this moment, as we are discussing, there is a lot of network companies busily preparing for 3G or the Third Generation in mobile telephone devices. The precursors to this technology had began and entered the markets in year 2001 and 3G itself is due to have proliferated in the earnest by 2005. Singapore Telco, Singtel had announced a trail on the 3G network within CBD area at the last quarter of 2003. If 3G delivers what the developers promise, by 2004 we can look at broadband speeds via our mobile phones, plus a variety of new generation mobile devices that combine PC, PDA, camera, you name it, functionality. With 3G, data speeds will reach upwards of 2 Megabits per second (Mbps), which will give us high speed Web access and superlative quality video access via our trusty mobile communication devices. 3G also promises roaming capability throughout Europe, Asia and North America. 3G devices will deliver all that GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) can do, except a whole lot faster. Just imagine, how about catching up with that important client who never has time for a face to face meeting when hes in a taxi on his way to an airport at the other side of the globe? Consider watching your favourite television programmes on the MRT on your way home from work. How about consider connecting to your network, downloading files, transferring data, zipping off an email? With transfer speeds of more than 2 Mbps, tasks like these can be completed within seconds. Nokias concept team, for example, are currently considering four different categories for their 3G terminals: Â  Communicators These would be business tools, allowing users to quickly and efficiently log onto their networks, transfer information, wrote emails and synchronise information with conventional PC devices. Media phones These would perhaps give access to Internet services and include Personal Information Management, audio and data functions. Â  Imaging phones Sending of photos and video clips to our friends on the other side of the world within seconds. Â  Entertainment phones How about playing a game with friend at the other side of the globe. Or sending your distributor teams a video clip of your new office? To introduce, switch or implement a new technology can never be an easy task. It involved a lot of technology know how, equipments and researches. The bottom line is, a huge sum of money will be required. Take for example, other than GPRS technology, some other technology will be required to kick off the 3G network system. One of them is WCDMA, or Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, a wideband radio technique providing high data rates, and EDGE, or Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution, a high-speed modulation technique that triples the capacity of GPRS. The various networks have spent a lot of money on this technology and will spend even more before the services are launched. In UK mobile networks have paid (22 billion just to use the required radio spectrum. According to Gartnet Dataquests survey in May 2002, Singapore will spend an estimate of US$19. 9 million in 2003 and US$102. 9 million in 2004 on the WCDMA infrastructure alone. That is not all, according to reports from Europe and Japan, which had started the 3G networking, had been under a lot of criticize. Most of their problems were mainly from the handsets and the network integration. Those countries in the preparation for the 3G launch had been very cautious on the setup. Europe and Japan experience will serve as a guidance for their future operation. Introduction. 3G wireless networks are capable of transferring data at high speeds of up to 384Kbps. Average speeds for 3G network will range between 64Kbps and 384Kbps, quite a jump when compared to common wireless data speeds in the U. S that are often slower than a 14. 4Kb modem. 3G is considered high speed or broadband mobile Internet access, and as time to come, 3G networks are expected to reach speeds of more than 2Mbps. In order to know the evolution of 3G, it might be interesting to get an idea on the history on the revolution of mobile networking . History of Mobile Networking System First Generation (1G). The first generation of mobile cellular telecommunications system appeared in the 1980s. The first generation was not the beginning of mobile communication, as there were several mobile radio networks in existence before then, but they are not cellular systems. The capacity of those early networks was much lower than that of mobile networks. And the support for mobility was weak. In mobile cellular networks the coverage area is divided into small cells, and thus the same frequencies can be used several times in the network without disturbing interference. This increase the system capacity. The first generation used analog transmission techniques for traffic, which was almost entirely voice. There was no dominant standard but several competing ones. The most successful standards were Nordic(TACS), and Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS). Note that although the world is now busy moving into 3G networks, these first-generation networks, and many existing networks are growing. First Generation networks ( Extract from Introduction To 3G Mobile Communication) System Countries TACS/ETACS Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, China, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Philippines. Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, UAE, UK AMPS Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, Georgia, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, USA, Vietnam, Western Samoa Second Generation (2G), 2G evolve in the year 1991, in Finland. Second generation mobile network system use digital radio transmission. Thus the boundary line between first and second generation systems is obvious: it is the analog/digital split. The second generation networks have much higher capacity than the first generation systems. One frequency channel is simultaneously divided among several users (either by code or time division). Hierarchical cell structures- in which the service area is covered by macro and picocells enhance the system capacity even further. There are four main standards for second-generation systems,: Global System for Mobile ( GSM ) communications and its derivatives, Digital AMPS (D-AMPS), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA {IS-95}) and Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) GSM uses the 900-MHz band is by far the most successful and widely used 2G system. PDC was eventually adopted by Japan. Generation 2. 5 (2. 5G), 2. 5G is a designation that broadly includes all advanced upgrades for the second generation networks. These upgrades may in fact sometimes provide almost same capabilities as the planned 3G systems. The boundary line between 2G and 2. 5G is a hazy one. It is difficult to say when a 2G becomes a 2. 5G system in a technical sense. When the wireless industry realized that it was going to be costly and technologically challenging to upgrade to 3G networks, 2. 5G emerged as an interim stage. These networks transfer data at speeds of up to 114Kbps, which is faster than traditional digital (2G) network. They are always on. A phone with 2. 5G services can alternate between using nets, sending or receiving test messages, and making calls without losing its connection to the Internet and email. Analysis of 3G Technology In the old days, when all phones were fixed rather than mobile, making a call involved establishing a direct electrical connection between your handset and the one you were calling. The same happens with 2G and 2. 5G networks, but instead of setting up a dedicated circuit, a small portion of the airwaves are reserved for your call. This is a really bad way of dividing up the available airwaves because it means that the spaces and pauses in speech get the same priority as the words. 3G networks change all this. Instead of reserving airspace each conversation is chopped up into packets, each one of which is labelled with a code denoting which dialogue it is from. The wireless literate generation of today (aged 12 35) provides a snapshot of tomorrows society and its drivers. The new generation is creating new usage patterns in favour of messaging and visual content. For them, messaging e. g SMS text messaging is the most natural way of personal communication. Instant communication is about being able to create and consume content (greetings, notes, snapshots/ postcards, moving pictures, instant voicemail) on the fly, and about filling transit moments with meaningful experiences. The mobile phone has become a personal trusted device that is capable of life management and enrichment, thanks to higher data rates and evolutionary user interfaces that have increased the simplicity and usability of terminals. Traditionally the major service has been voice but there has been an evolutionary step in 3G from Short Messaging Service (SMS) to 3GPP defined Multimedia Messaging, incorporating digital images and video clips with text or voice annotations. Industry analysts estimate that vendors are currently allocating from $200 billion in research and development resources to specify, design and manufacture infrastructure for evolving 3G networks. Of the 3G licenses currently awarded, more than 90 percent of those operators have specified WCDMA as their core 3G technology. Observers point out that, given this expected dominance of WCDMA as the 3G standard, this technology will undoubtedly receive the majority of RD funding and will yield the earliest, most extensive and most reliable product availability. What is WCDMA? WCDMA Wideband Code Division Multiplex Access (WCDMA) is the radio frequency technology indicated for all UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication Services) networks, and WCDMA is widely expected to be the dominant technology for 3G networks worldwide. WCDMA supports high capacity, multiple simultaneous services and bit-rate performance of up to 2Mbit/s. But as a wideband (5 MHz channels) technology, WCDMA presents deployment challenges when implemented on narrow frequency allocations. When evaluating WCDMA infrastructure, operators should consider system solutions that provide well-established Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compatibility and that the resource allocation capabilities follow UMTS traffic class guidelines and Quality of Service attributes, allowing operators to optimize service differentiation. Modular designs allow these solutions to scale quickly to meet escalating network traffic demands. These same design advantages will allow these WCDMA solutions to be adapted to meet the demand for location-based services, personalized messaging and packet data traffic volumes that will define the coming wireless IP networks. These advanced WCDMA systems will also support seamless integration with GSM networks. 3G Concepts And Technology for Business 3G will be primarily driven by services and applications, not technology, although technologies such as Java, WAP, Bluetooth, SynchML and IPv6 have enabled third party application developments to meet users end-to-end service needs and expectations. The Mobile Internet will bring an explosion in the number of new applications a 3G hypermarket of services creating new marketing and revenue channels. Few business leaders are likely to turn down an opportunity to get an extra 10% of productivity from their mobile workforces, especially if it only costs a fraction of the reward. Third-generation (3G) wireless networks could facilitate this kind of return on investment (ROI) by extending desktop business-application, database, and intranet access into the mobile environment. 3G is an improvement over current networks, which deliver data and voice at no more than double the speed of dialup modems. The 3G infrastructure will eventually be able to transmit text, voice, video, and multimedia to a mobile handset with an always-on connection that is five times faster than a dialup modem. Initially, data-transfer rates may only equal todays dialup modem speeds, but that is still fast enough to make wireless service attractive to businesses seeking efficiency gains. Japans NTT DoCoMo turned on the worlds first 3G network in October 2001. Other mobile operators are conducting 3G trials in the United States and Europe, with plans to go live this year. The challenges include the complexity and costs of upgrading carrier networks and telephone handsets to handle 3G multimedia transmissions. Companies that adopt 3G networking for their mobile workforces within the next two years should expect limited coverage areas and the typical problems associated with any emerging technology. IDC recommends that company executives seeking 3G wireless connectivity should decide exactly why they want the service and pinpoint the efficiency points they need in order to recoup their investment costs in less than two years. Early adopters should measure the specific benefits of connecting mobile employees-reduced paperwork, faster collection of customer data, higher accuracy-and know which group of mobile employees will get the service first and why. In Europe, if an operator does not move fast into wireless data (3G) then the market will start to move without it threatening disintermediation for the laggards. At such, licences of the wideband connection, which carry new content-rich data and video-streaming services, cost up to US$10 billion in Italy and $45 billion in Germany respectively. (Source : Global Telecoms Business magazine). In both Japan and Korea, there is also a significant raise in the subscription in 3G mobile usage, stimulating the economic movement in the countries. In what ways can 3G networks be applied ? Application and Advantages, Multimedia Messaging Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS, is a messaging service for the mobile environment standardized by the WAP Forum and 3GPP. For consumers, MMS is very similar to Short Message Service (SMS): it provides automatic, immediate delivery of user-created content sent primarily from phone to phone. MMS also provides support for email addressing, so messages can be sent to email. In addition to text, an MMS message sent to or from the Nokia 6650 phone can contain still images, voice or audio clips, and video. An MMS message is a multimedia presentation in one entity; it is not a text file with attachments. MMS delivers a location independent, total communication experience and is a simple, logical extension of SMS, also providing a similarly solid and reliable platform on which the operator can build additional services and increase service differentiation. Rich Call Rich call is an audio conversation supported by concurrent access to an image or data and allows users to not only listen to what I say but also see what I mean. Multiple simultaneous media types such as messaging, voice and video games can be started and ended independently but without the need to obtain the information first and then call back. Mobile Internet Mobile Internet is not just todays internet accessed from a mobile device (although it will of course still be possible,) but instead applications will provide users with personalised, context dependent and interworking applications. The scope of these services will cover areas such as information, entertainment, travel and personal information management. Many will be wholly or partly sponsored by advertisers, be location aware and have mCommerce integration. Multimedia streaming and downloading In 3G, enhanced bandwidth capabilities and advanced terminals enable video and audio, either real time or near real time or download. Eg, two way video conferencing with audio, video streaming. Streaming Media Services Audio streaming (eg MP3) is seen as the first widespread mainstream service to generate revenue through increased data traffic, attracting well off, music consuming and impatient twenty to thirty something generation consumers to subscribe to higher Quality of Service access. Although these services are available, to some extent, through 2. 5G terminals and networks, the bandwidth vs capacity evolution suggests that the real enabler for mass market service is WCDMA radio access. Streaming alleviates the need for a large memory resource in the terminal since only a small sample of the video or music data resides there at any one time. Copyright is also less of an issue because at no time is the entire data stored in the device. Entertainment There are two types of entertainment passive and interactive (games and media ie TV. ) Users will be able to connect to online multi platform gaming experiences or download, try out and purchase games. Handsets will allow inter operability though WAP, GPRS, Java and Symbian OS, making play possible across handset manufacturers. 3G Problems and Disadvantages, As we have mentioned earlier on, 3G is not flawless. Japan NTT was hit with the lack of delicated applications written for broadband speeds of 384 Kbps and handsets were designed for voice-centric application. Many people had to carry 2 handsets to ensure national coverage. Handset Problems, all the extra tasks will put something of a burden on the handset. At the moment screens on phones are small, they are difficult to type or get data into and they typically only work with one mobile phone technology.

Western History :: essays research papers

There is no doubt that Napoleon had a major impact on the post French revolution period. First I will describe negative impact he had on France and western Europe then I will discuss the positive impact Napoleon had on France and western Europe. Napoleon became the first consul in 1799 and helped overthrow the government he once helped build. Napoleon set out to secure his position of power by eliminating all of his enemies and weakening all others. He also guaranteed the security of all other property gained in the revolution, this move made royalist very upset because the idea of returning the property to it’s original owners.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During Napoleon reign he was either preparing for a war or at war. He wanted to all the European powers. Napoleon was quite capable of doing so with his prior success with the military. He then signed treaties with Austria and Great Britain. He wanted to establish France as a dominate power in Europe. The peace was very short lived France began an 11 year war period that started in 1803. With Napoleon in power, European powers began to fall one by one. First came Austria in 1805 next up was Prussia in 1806 then Russia in 1807 then finally came Spain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Napoleon had some positive impacts but not many in my view on France and Western Europe. Napoleon reestablished relations with the pope in 1801 by the concordat, which recognized Catholicism as the religion of the French and restored the roam catholic hierarchy to France. Napoleon wanted France to be on top of everyone so he supported science work in areas such as physics and chemistry.

Client Paper Essay

Human service professionals, or helpers, will likely work with many different clients, each with their own set of problems. These problems can range from physical abuse and neglect, aging issues including death and dying, and a number of other issues concerning the basic needs of life. Problems can also encompass the many different situations people find themselves in either as a result of life choices or out of no fault of their own. These problems may include homelessness, combat veteran issues, and mental illness. Whatever the problem or problems are, it is the responsibility of the helper to use a wide range of skills to assess client needs, create a treatment plan, and offer resources and emotional support to the client as they accomplish the goals included in the treatment plan. These skills include communication, empathy, compassion, patience, analytical skills, and teamwork. A range of problems faces human services clients â€Å"Problems for clients are rarely single issues, and the human service professional should approach each client with the expectation of more than one problem.† (Woodside & McClam, 2011, p. 131) Every problem that a client presents with cannot be predicted. In fact, client problems encompass a wide range of needs and circumstances. For example, a client who is struggling with domestic violence may also have a need for mental health support. A client with mental health issues may also be experiencing a lack of food, clothing or shelter. The problems facing clients are very broad and it is helpful to better understand them. Problems facing children and families include physical and sexual abuse, poverty, lack of a healthy home, or little education. Children are especially vulnerable as they cannot provide for themselves. Although â€Å"[t]he best place to serve kids is in their home and with a family,† there may be a necessity for placement in foster care or, in some c ases, adoption (Moffat, 2011, p. 5). The elderly also face  unique problems such as lack of mobility, losing their independence, and end of life issues. When the elderly can no longer care for themselves, finding in-home care or placement in assisted living or nursing home facilities becomes the focus. In addition, the elderly may struggle with some of the basic needs of life such as food, shelter and clothing. Immigrants, veterans, and people with disabilities face other problems in the human service field. Immigrants struggle with adapting to a new culture in a new country as well as learning a new language. Immigrants may have problems with finding employment, housing, and legal help, as well. Veterans need assistance with adjusting to civilian life including adjusting their skill sets to match employment opportunities. Combat veterans especially struggle with physical and mental disabilities and are in need of appropriate services for rehabilitation. Disabled people face challenges in personal care as well as employment, including issues with rehabilitation and adapting to their disabilities. The need for residential or group care facilities may also be at issue for the disabled community. Problems with substance abuse and addiction, mental illness, and clients with criminal records also exist. Many of these problems co-exist in a client’s life and need to be addressed as a whole. â€Å". . . the client is an individual comprised of psychological, social, economic, educational, vocational, and spiritual dimensions and possibly will have needs in many of those areas.† (Woodside & McClam, 2011, p. 132) Specific helping skills can be used with clients Essential to the helping process is knowledge and practice of professional and interpersonal skills that help the human service professional in effectively addressing the needs of clients. These skills include communication, empathy, compassion, patience, analytical skills, and teamwork. â€Å"Chief among these are interpersonal and communication skills, because more workers deal directly with a variety of people† (Moffat, 2011, p.9). The work of human service professionals centers on building relationships of trust with the client. It is the responsibility of the helper to facilitate effective communication. Listening is vital to the process. In order to fully grasp the client situation, the helper needs to observe both the verbal and nonverbal messages. Listening involves paying  attention to both words and actions as they go hand in hand in understanding the total message being given. G.E. Egan introduced the SOLER concept for responsive listening. Learning this concept c an be very useful to the human service professional (Egan, 2010). Details of the SOLER concept are illustrated in the following table: S Face client Squarely O Adopt an Open posture L Lean toward the person E Maintain good Eye contact R Try to be relatively Relaxed In addition to the SOLER method, paying attention to vocal tone and speech rate, and verbal tracking of the client’s message will exhibit attending behavior and help the communication process (Ivey, Ivey & Zalaquette, 2009). The helper can encourage the client to discuss their issues openly by not changing the subject they have chosen. Effective listening shows compassion for the client and creates an opportunity to show empathy and patience, additional skills that are essential to the success of the human service field. Clients in the human service field come from a variety of situations. Their values and belief systems vary widely as much as their problems do. In order to effectively help people, helpers need to develop acceptance and understanding of these differences. Unconditional acceptance of the client is essential to the success of treatment. Helpers need to see the situation and experience feelings from the perspective of their client. Patience is necessary for the h elping process as there are likely to be setbacks or resistance to the treatment plan. Helpers should learn to adapt their approach as the situation changes; which leads to the skill of critical thinking. â€Å"The ability to think creatively helps workers determine ways to get around hurdles that interfere with clients’ efforts to succeed† (Moffat, 2011, p.10). Throughout the helping process, a variety of changes is bound  to occur. Whether these are positive or negative changes, client and human service professional must work together to deal with them and continue to move forward with the assistance process. Using analytical and problem-solving skills, helpers can overcome the roadblocks to treatment and continuously work towards solutions. Treatment often involves networking with a number of other professionals and utilizing a variety of resources. Being able to work well as a team is another essential skill for human service professionals. Psychologists, Social Workers, Mental Health Facilitators and Counselors are all participants in the work of h uman services. Using communication, empathy, compassion, patience, analytical skills, and teamwork, the helper can effectively recognize and define the variety of client problems that exist and work with them towards accomplishing the goal of the helping process, which is to encourage responsibility and promote self-help. References Egan, G.E. (2010). The skilled Helper: A problem management and opportunity development approach to helping (9th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M. B., & Zalaquett, C. P. (2009). Intentional interviewing and counseling: Facilitating client development in a multicultural society (7th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Moffat, C. (2011). Helping those in need: Human service workers. Occupational Outlook Quarterly, 55(3), 22-32. Woodside, M., & McClam, T. (2011). An introduction to human services (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage.

Digital Fortress Chapter 85-87

Chapter 85 Greg Hale lay curled on the Node 3 floor. Strathmore and Susan had just dragged him across Crypto and bound his hands and feet with twelve-gauge printer cable from the Node 3 laser-printers. Susan couldn't get over the artful maneuver the commander had just executed. He faked the call! Somehow Strathmore had captured Hale, saved Susan, and bought himself the time needed to rewrite Digital Fortress. Susan eyed the bound cryptographer uneasily. Hale was breathing heavily. Strathmore sat on the couch with the Berretta propped awkwardly in his lap. Susan returned her attention to Hale's terminal and continued her random-string search. Her fourth string search ran its course and came up empty. â€Å"Still no luck.† She sighed. â€Å"We may need to wait for David to find Tankado's copy.† Strathmore gave her a disapproving look. â€Å"If David fails, and Tankado's key falls into the wrong hands†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Strathmore didn't need to finish. Susan understood. Until the Digital Fortress file on the Internet had been replaced with Strathmore's modified version, Tankado's pass-key was dangerous. â€Å"After we make the switch,† Strathmore added, â€Å"I don't care how many pass-keys are floating around; the more the merrier.† He motioned for her to continue searching. â€Å"But until then, we're playing beat-the-clock.† Susan opened her mouth to acknowledge, but her words were drowned out by a sudden deafening blare. The silence of Crypto was shattered by a warning horn from the sublevels. Susan and Strathmore exchanged startled looks. â€Å"What's that?† Susan yelled, timing her question between the intermittent bursts. â€Å"TRANSLTR!† Strathmore called back, looking troubled. â€Å"It's too hot! Maybe Hale was right about the aux power not pulling enough freon.† â€Å"What about the auto-abort?† Strathmore thought a moment, then yelled, â€Å"Something must have shorted.† A yellow siren light spun above the Crypto floor and swept a pulsating glare across his face. â€Å"You better abort!† Susan called. Strathmore nodded. There was no telling what would happen if three million silicon processors overheated and decided to ignite. Strathmore needed to get upstairs to his terminal and abort the Digital Fortress run-particularly before anyone outside of Crypto noticed the trouble and decided to send in the cavalry. Strathmore shot a glance at the still-unconscious Hale. He laid the Berretta on a table near Susan and yelled over the sirens, â€Å"Be right back!† As he disappeared through the hole in the Node 3 wall, Strathmore called over his shoulder, â€Å"And find me that pass-key!† Susan eyed the results of her unproductive pass-key search and hoped Strathmore would hurry up and abort. The noise and lights in Crypto felt like a missile launch. On the floor, Hale began to stir. With each blast of the horn, he winced. Susan surprised herself by grabbing the Berretta. Hale opened his eyes to Susan Fletcher standing over him with the gun leveled at his crotch. â€Å"Where's the pass-key?† Susan demanded. Hale was having trouble getting his bearings. â€Å"Wh-what happened?† â€Å"You blew it, that's what happened. Now, where's the passkey?† Hale tried to move his arms but realized he was tied. His face became taut with panic. â€Å"Let me go!† â€Å"I need the pass-key,† Susan repeated. â€Å"I don't have it! Let me go!† Hale tried to getup. He could barely roll over. Susan yelled between blasts of the horn. â€Å"You're North Dakota, and Ensei Tankado gave you a copy of his key. I need it now!† â€Å"You're crazy!† Hale gasped. â€Å"I'm not North Dakota!† He struggled unsuccessfully to free himself. Susan charged angrily. â€Å"Don't lie to me. Why the hell is all of North Dakota's mail in your account?† â€Å"I told you before!† Hale pleaded as the horns blared on. â€Å"I snooped Strathmore! That E-mail in my account was mail I copied out of Strathmore's account-E-mail COMINT stole from Tankado!† â€Å"Bull! You could never snoop the commander's account!† â€Å"You don't understand!† Hale yelled. â€Å"There was already a tap on Strathmore's account!† Hale delivered his words in short bursts between the sirens. â€Å"Someone else put the tap there. I think it was Director Fontaine! I just piggybacked! You've got to believe me! That's how I found out about his plan to rewrite Digital Fortress! I've been reading Strathmore's brainstorms!† Brain Storms? Susan paused. Strathmore had undoubtedly outlined his plans for Digital Fortress using his BrainStorm software. If anyone had snooped the commander's account, all the information would have been available†¦ â€Å"Rewriting Digital Fortress is sick!† Hale cried. â€Å"You know damn well what it implies-total NSA access!† The sirens blasted, drowning him out, but Hale was possessed. â€Å"You think we're ready for that responsibility? You think anyone is? It's fucking shortsighted! You say our government has the people's best interests at heart? Great! But what happens when some future government doesn't have our best interests at heart! This technology is forever!† Susan could barely hear him; the noise in Crypto was deafening. Hale struggled to get free. He looked Susan in the eye and kept yelling. â€Å"How the hell do civilians defend themselves against a police state when the guy at the top has access to all their lines of communication? How do they plan a revolt?† Susan had heard this argument many times. The future-governments argument was a stock EFF complaint. â€Å"Strathmore had to be stopped!† Hale screamed as the sirens blasted. â€Å"I swore I'd do it. That's what I've been doing here all day-watching his account, waiting for him to make his move so I could record the switch in progress. I needed proof-evidence that he'd written in a back door. That's why I copied all his E-mail into my account. It was evidence that he'd been watching Digital Fortress. I planned to go to the press with the information.† Susan's heart skipped. Had she heard correctly? Suddenly this did sound like Greg Hale. Was it possible? If Hale had known about Strathmore's plan to release a tainted version of Digital Fortress, he could wait until the whole world was using it and then drop his bombshell-complete with proof! Susan imagined the headlines: Cryptographer Greg Hale unveils secret U.S. plan to control global information! Was it Skipjack all over? Uncovering an NSA back door again would make Greg Hale famous beyond his wildest dreams. It would also sink the NSA. She suddenly found herself wondering if maybe Hale was telling the truth. No! she decided. Of course not! Hale continued to plead. â€Å"I aborted your tracer because I thought you were looking for me! I thought you suspected Strathmore was being snooped! I didn't want you to find the leak and trace it back to me!† It was plausible but unlikely. â€Å"Then why'd you kill Chartrukian?† Susan snapped. â€Å"I didn't!† Hale screamed over the noise. â€Å"Strathmore was the one who pushed him! I saw the whole thing from downstairs! Chartrukian was about to call the Sys-Secs and ruin Strathmore's plans for the back door!† Hale's good, Susan thought. He's got an angle for everything. â€Å"Let me go!† Hale begged. â€Å"I didn't do anything!† â€Å"Didn't do anything?† Susan shouted, wondering what was taking Strathmore so long. â€Å"You and Tankado were holding the NSA hostage. At least until you double-crossed him. Tell me,† she pressed, â€Å"did Tankado really die of a heart attack, or did you have one of your buddies take him out?† â€Å"You're so blind!† Hale yelled. â€Å"Can't you see I'm not involved? Untie me! Before Security gets here!† â€Å"Security's not coming,† she snapped flatly. Hale turned white. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Strathmore faked the phone call.† Hale's eyes went wide. He seemed momentarily paralyzed. Then he began writhing fiercely. â€Å"Strathmore'll kill me! I know he will! I know too much!† â€Å"Easy, Greg.† The sirens blared as Hale yelled out, â€Å"But I'm innocent!† â€Å"You're lying! And I have proof!† Susan strode around the ring of terminals. â€Å"Remember that tracer you aborted?† she asked, arriving at her own terminal. â€Å"I sent it again! Shall we see if it's back yet?† Sure enough, on Susan's screen, a blinking icon alerted her that her tracer had returned. She palmed her mouse and opened the message. This data will seal Hale's fate, she thought. Hale is North Dakota. The databox opened. Hale is – Susan stopped. The tracer materialized, and Susan stood in stunned silence. There had to be some mistake; the tracer had fingered someone else-a most unlikely person. Susan steadied herself on the terminal and reread the databox before her. It was the same information Strathmore said he'd received when he ran the tracer! Susan had figured Strathmore had made a mistake, but she knew she'd configured the tracer perfectly. And yet the information on the screen was unthinkable: NDAKOTA = [email protected] â€Å"ET?† Susan demanded, her head swimming. â€Å"Ensei Tankado is North Dakota?† It was inconceivable. If the data was correct, Tankado and his partner were the same person. Susan's thoughts were suddenly disconnected. She wished the blaring horn would stop. Why doesn't Strathmore turn that damn thing off? Hale twisted on the floor, straining to see Susan. â€Å"What does it say? Tell me!† Susan blocked out Hale and the chaos around her. Ensei Tankado is North Dakota†¦. She reshuffled the pieces trying to make them fit. If Tankado was North Dakota, then he was sending E-mail to himself†¦ which meant North Dakota didn't exist. Tankado's partner was a hoax. North Dakota is a ghost, she said to herself. Smoke and mirrors. The ploy was a brilliant one. Apparently Strathmore had been watching only one side of a tennis match. Since the ball kept coming back, he assumed there was someone on the other side of the net. But Tankado had been playing against a wall. He had been proclaiming the virtues of Digital Fortress in E-mail he'd sent to himself. He had written letters, sent them to an anonymous remailer, and a few hours later, the remailer had sent them right back to him. Now, Susan realized, it was all so obvious. Tankado had wanted the commander to snoop him†¦ he'd wanted him to read the E-mail. Ensei Tankado had created an imaginary insurance policy without ever having to trust another soul with his pass-key. Of course, to make the whole farce seem authentic, Tankado had used a secret account†¦ just secret enough to allay any suspicions that the whole thing was a setup. Tankado was his own partner. North Dakota did not exist. Ensei Tankado was a one-man show. A one-man show. A terrifying thought gripped Susan. Tankado could have used his fake correspondence to convince Strathmore of just about anything. She remembered her first reaction when Strathmore told her about the unbreakable algorithm. She'd sworn it was impossible. The unsettling potential of the situation settled hard in Susan's stomach. What proof did they actually have that Tankado had really created Digital Fortress? Only a lot of hype in his E-mail. And of course†¦ TRANSLTR. The computer had been locked in an endless loop for almost twenty hours. Susan knew, however, that there were other programs that could keep TRANSLTR busy that long, programs far easier to create than an unbreakable algorithm. Viruses. The chill swept across her body. But how could a virus get into TRANSLTR? Like a voice from the grave, Phil Chartrukian gave the answer. Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet! In a sickening revelation, Susan grasped the truth. Strathmore had downloaded Tankado's Digital Fortress file and tried to send it into TRANSLTR to break it. But Gauntlet had rejected the file because it contained dangerous mutation strings. Normally Strathmore would have been concerned, but he had seen Tankado's E-mail-Mutation strings are the trick! Convinced Digital Fortress was safe to load, Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet's filters and sent the file into TRANSLTR. Susan could barely speak. â€Å"There is no Digital Fortress,† she choked as the sirens blared on. Slowly, weakly, she leaned against her terminal. Tankado had gone fishing for fools†¦ and the NSA had taken the bait. Then, from upstairs, came a long cry of anguish. It was Strathmore. Chapter 86 Trevor Strathmore was hunched at his desk when Susan arrived breathless at his door. His head was down, his sweaty head glistening in the light of his monitor. The horns on the sublevels blared. Susan raced over to his desk. â€Å"Commander?† Strathmore didn't move. â€Å"Commander! We've got to shut down TRANSLTR! We've got a-â€Å" â€Å"He got us,† Strathmore said without looking up. â€Å"Tankado fooled us all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She could tell by the tone of his voice he understood. All of Tankado's hype about the unbreakable algorithm†¦ auctioning off the pass-key-it was all an act, a charade. Tankado had tricked the NSA into snooping his mail, tricked them into believing he had a partner, and tricked them into downloading a very dangerous file. â€Å"The mutation strings-† Strathmore faltered. â€Å"I know.† The commander looked up slowly. â€Å"The file I downloaded off the Internet†¦ it was a†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Susan tried to stay calm. All the pieces in the game had shifted. There had never been any unbreakable algorithm-never any Digital Fortress. The file Tankado had posted on the Internet was an encrypted virus, probably sealed with some generic, mass-market encryption algorithm, strong enough to keep everyone out of harm's way-everyone except the NSA. TRANSLTR had cracked the protective seal and released the virus. â€Å"The mutation strings,† the commander croaked. â€Å"Tankado said they were just part of the algorithm.† Strathmore collapsed back onto his desk. Susan understood the commander's pain. He had been completely taken in. Tankado had never intended to let any computer company buy his algorithm. There was no algorithm. The whole thing was a charade. Digital Fortress was a ghost, a farce, a piece of bait created to tempt the NSA. Every move Strathmore had made, Tankado had been behind the scenes, pulling the strings. â€Å"I bypassed Gauntlet.† The commander groaned. â€Å"You didn't know.† Strathmore pounded his fist on his desk. â€Å"I should have known! His screen name, for Christ's sake! NDAKOTA! Look at it!† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"He's laughing at us! It's a goddamn anagram!† Susan puzzled a moment. NDAKOTA is an anagram? She pictured the letters and began reshuffling them in her mind. Ndakota†¦ Kadotan†¦ Oktadan†¦ Tandoka†¦ Her knees went weak. Strathmore was right. It was as plain as day. How could they have missed it? North Dakota wasn't a reference to the U.S. state at all-it was Tankado rubbing salt in the wound! He'd even sent the NSA a warning, a blatant clue that he himself was NDAKOTA. The letters spelled TANKADO. But the best code-breakers in the world had missed it, just as he had planned. â€Å"Tankado was mocking us,† Strathmore said. â€Å"You've got to abort TRANSLTR,† Susan declared. Strathmore stared blankly at the wall. â€Å"Commander. Shut it down! God only knows what's going on in there!† â€Å"I tried,† Strathmore whispered, sounding as faint as she'd ever heard him. â€Å"What do you mean you tried?† Strathmore rotated his screen toward her. His monitor had dimmed to a strange shade of maroon. At the bottom, the dialogue box showed numerous attempts to shut down TRANSLTR. They were all followed by the same response: SORRY. UNABLE TO ABORT. SORRY. UNABLE TO ABORT. SORRY. UNABLE TO ABORT. Susan felt a chill. Unable to abort? But why? She feared she already knew the answer. So this is Tankado's revenge? Destroying TRANSLTR! For years Ensei Tankado had wanted the world to know about TRANSLTR, but no one had believed him. So he'd decided to destroy the great beast himself. He'd fought to the death for what he believed-the individual's right to privacy. Downstairs the sirens blared. â€Å"We've got to kill all power,† Susan demanded. â€Å"Now!† Susan knew that if they hurried, they could save the great parallel processing machine. Every computer in the world-from Radio Shack PCs to NASA's satellite control systems-had a built-in fail-safe for situations like this. It wasn't a glamorous fix, but it always worked. It was known as â€Å"pulling the plug.† By shutting off the remaining power in Crypto, they could force TRANSLTR to shut down. They could remove the virus later. It would be a simple matter of reformatting TRANSLTR's hard drives. Reformatting would completely erase the computer's memory-data, programming, virus, everything. In most cases, reformatting resulted in the loss of thousands of files, sometimes years of work. But TRANSLTR was different-it could be reformatted with virtually no loss at all. Parallel processing machines were designed to think, not to remember. Nothing was actually stored inside TRANSLTR. Once it broke a code, it sent the results to the NSA's main databank in order to – Susan froze. In a stark instant of realization, she brought her hand to her mouth and muffled a scream. â€Å"The main databank!† Strathmore stared into the darkness, his voice disembodied. He'd apparently already made this realization. â€Å"Yes, Susan. The main databank†¦.† Susan nodded blankly. Tankado used TRANSLTR to put a virus in our main databank. Strathmore motioned sickly to his monitor. Susan returned her gaze to the screen in front of her and looked beneath the dialogue box. Across the bottom of the screen were the words: TELL THE WORLD ABOUT TRANSLTR ONLY THE TRUTH WILL SAVE YOU NOW†¦ Susan felt cold. The nation's most classified information was stored at the NSA: military communication protocols, SIGINT confirmation codes, identities of foreign spies, blueprints for advanced weaponry, digitized documents, trade agreements-the list was unending. â€Å"Tankado wouldn't dare!† she declared. â€Å"Corrupting a country's classified records?† Susan couldn't believe even Ensei Tankado would dare attack the NSA databank. She stared at his message. ONLY THE TRUTH WILL SAVE YOU NOW â€Å"The truth?† she asked. â€Å"The truth about what?† Strathmore was breathing heavily. â€Å"TRANSLTR,† he croaked. â€Å"The truth about TRANSLTR.† Susan nodded. It made perfect sense. Tankado was forcing the NSA to tell the world about TRANSLTR. It was blackmail after all. He was giving the NSA a choice-either tell the world about TRANSLTR or lose your databank. She stared in awe at the text before her. At the bottom of the screen, a single line was blinked menacingly. ENTER PASS-KEY Staring at the pulsating words, Susan understood-the virus, the pass-key, Tankado's ring, the ingenious blackmail plot. The pass-key had nothing to do with unlocking an algorithm; it was an antidote. The pass-key stopped the virus. Susan had read a lot about viruses like this-deadly programs that included a built-in cure, a secret key that could be used to deactivate them. Tankado never planned to destroy the NSA databank-he just wanted us go public with TRANSLTR! Then he would give us the pass-key, so we could stop the virus! It was now clear to Susan that Tankado's plan had gone terribly wrong. He had not planned on dying. He'd planned on sitting in a Spanish bar and listening to the CNN press conference about America's top-secret code-breaking computer. Then he'd planned on calling Strathmore, reading the pass-key off the ring, and saving the databank in the nick of time. After a good laugh, he'd disappear into oblivion, an EFF hero. Susan pounded her fist on the desk. â€Å"We need that ring! It's the only pass-key!† She now understood-there was no North Dakota, no second pass-key. Even if the NSA went public with TRANSLTR, Tankado was no longer around to save the day. Strathmore was silent. The situation was more serious than Susan had ever imagined. The most shocking thing of all was that Tankado had allowed it to go this far. He had obviously known what would happen if the NSA didn't get the ring-and yet, in his final seconds of life, he'd given the ring away. He had deliberately tried to keep it from them. Then again, Susan realized, what could she expect Tankado to do-save the ring for them, when he thought the NSA had killed him? Still, Susan couldn't believe that Tankado would have allowed this to happen. He was a pacifist. He didn't want to wreak destruction; all he wanted was to set the record straight. This was about TRANSLTR. This was about everyone's right to keep a secret. This was about letting the world know that the NSA was listening. Deleting the NSA's databank was an act of aggression Susan could not imagine Ensei Tankado committing. The sirens pulled her back to reality. Susan eyed the debilitated commander and knew what he was thinking. Not only were his plans for a back door in Digital Fortress shot, but his carelessness had put the NSA on the brink of what could turn out to be the worst security disaster in U.S. history. â€Å"Commander, this is not your fault!† she insisted over the blare of the horns. â€Å"If Tankado hadn't died, we'd have bargaining power-we'd have options!† But Commander Strathmore heard nothing. His life was over. He'd spent thirty years serving his country. This was supposed to be his moment of glory, his piece de resistance-aback door in the world encryption standard. But instead, he had sent a virus into the main databank of the National Security Agency. There was no way to stop it-not without killing power and erasing every last one of the billions of bytes of irretrievable data. Only the ring could save them, and if David hadn't found the ring by now†¦ â€Å"I need to shut down TRANSLTR!† Susan took control. â€Å"I'm going down to the sublevels to throw the circuit breaker.† Strathmore turned slowly to face her. He was a broken man. â€Å"I'll do it,† he croaked. He stood up, stumbling as he tried to slide out from behind his desk. Susan sat him back down. â€Å"No,† she barked. â€Å"I'm going.† Her tone left no room for debate. Strathmore put his face in his hands. â€Å"Okay. Bottom floor. Beside the freon pumps.† Susan spun and headed for the door. Halfway there, she turned and looked back. â€Å"Commander,† she yelled. â€Å"This is not over. We're not beaten yet. If David finds the ring in time, we can save the databank!† Strathmore said nothing. â€Å"Call the databank!† Susan ordered. â€Å"Warn them about the virus! You're the deputy director of the NSA. You're a survivor!† In slow motion, Strathmore looked up. Like a man making the decision of a lifetime, he gave her a tragic nod. Determined, Susan tore into the darkness. Chapter 87 The Vespa lurched into the slow lane of the Carretera de Huelva. It was almost dawn, but there was plenty of traffic-young Sevillians returning from their all-night beach verbenas. A van of teenagers laid on its horn and flew by. Becker's motorcycle felt like a toy out there on the freeway. A quarter of a mile back, a demolished taxi swerved out onto the freeway in a shower of sparks. As it accelerated, it sideswiped a Peugeot 504 and sent it careening onto the grassy median. Becker passed a freeway marker: SEVILLA CENTRO-2 KM. If he could just reach the cover of downtown, he knew he might have a chance. His speedometer read 60 kilometers per hour. Two minutes to the exit. He knew he didn't have that long. Somewhere behind him, the taxi was gaining. Becker gazed out at the nearing lights of downtown Seville and prayed he would reach them alive. He was only halfway to the exit when the sound of scraping metal loomed up behind him. He hunched on his bike, wrenching the throttle as far as it would go. There was a muffled gunshot, and a bullet sailed by. Becker cut left, weaving back and forth across the lanes in hopes of buying more time. It was no use. The exit ramp was still three hundred yards when the taxi roared to within a few car lengths behind him. Becker knew that in a matter of seconds he would be either shot or run down. He scanned ahead for any possible escape, but the highway was bounded on both sides by steep gravel slopes. Another shot rang out. Becker made his decision. In a scream of rubber and sparks, he leaned violently to his right and swerved off the road. The bike's tires hit the bottom of the embankment. Becker strained to keep his balance as the Vespa threw up a cloud of gravel and began fish-tailing its way up the slope. The wheels spun wildly, clawing at the loose earth. The little engine whimpered pathetically as it tried to dig in. Becker urged it on, hoping it wouldn't stall. He didn't dare look behind him, certain at any moment the taxi would be skidding to a stop, bullets flying. The bullets never came. Becker's bike broke over the crest of the hill, and he saw it-the centro. The downtown lights spread out before him like a star-filled sky. He gunned his way through some underbrush and out over the curb. His Vespa suddenly felt faster. The Avenue Luis Montoto seemed to race beneath his tires. The soccer stadium zipped past on the left. He was in the clear. It was then that Becker heard the familiar screech of metal on concrete. He looked up. A hundred yards ahead of him, the taxi came roaring up the exit ramp. It skidded out onto Luis Montoto and accelerated directly toward him. Becker knew he should have felt a surge of panic. But he did not. He knew exactly where he was going. He swerved left on Menendez Pelayo and opened the throttle. The bike lurched across a small park and into the cobblestoned corridor of Mateus Gago-the narrow one-way street that led to the portal of Barrio Santa Cruz. Just a little farther, he thought. The taxi followed, thundering closer. It trailed Becker through the gateway of Santa Cruz, ripping off its side mirror on the narrow archway. Becker knew he had won. Santa Cruz was the oldest section of Seville. It had no roads between the buildings, only mazes of narrow walkways built in Roman times. They were only wide enough for pedestrians and the occasional Moped. Becker had once been lost for hours in the narrow caverns. As Becker accelerated down the final stretch of Mateus Gago, Seville's eleventh-century Gothic cathedral rose like a mountain before him. Directly beside it, the Giralda tower shot 419 feet skyward into the breaking dawn. This was Santa Cruz, home to the second largest cathedral in the world as well as Seville's oldest, most pious Catholic families. Becker sped across the stone square. There was a single shot, but it was too late. Becker and his motorcycle disappeared down a tiny passageway-Callita de la Virgen.

Letter Essays - Run, 9, Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers

Letter Essays - Run, 9, Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers Letter October 16, 2000 Mrs. Jensen 319 Bibb Graves Jacksonville, AL 362265 Dear Mrs. Jensen I attended Rome High School of Rome, Ga. Rome High School is about forty-five minutes from Jacksonville. Just head towards Piedmont, Al and then drive straight to Cedartown, Ga. The road signs will lead you there. My major is going to be Criminal Justice. I look forward to becoming a K-9 police officer. I chose JSU because I had a pole-vaulting contract and I also want to be on the number one drum line of the nation. I havent started either yet so I assume you could just call me another broke student running around having fun. There are many things I like about JSU. There are defiantly plenty of parties, not that I go or anything. Mainly I like the band. The band is the main reason that I came. At my high school I was a drummer. My high school band practically lives at JSU. JSU has the number one drum line in the nation, so from a drummers perspective where better to march for. The other reason I came to JSU you is to be close enough to home so I can go see my girlfriend every weekend. I really like this campus, everyone is very friendly and it isnt hard to find all of your classes. There isnt really any thing I dont like about JSU. It is a great college. I guess if I had to say there was something I would like, it would be the classes. College should just be a place that you go and live and hangout with people for a year. That way classes could be optional. Things I like and dislike about computers: I love using the Internet. I dislike slow computers. I dislike when you cant load something. I dislike not understanding why a computer does something. I like using computers to type (my handwriting is awful) I dont like loosing programs or papers And on Gateway computers I like the Go Back Program I like you class very much but I dont feel like I need to be there for anything except for the tests and when you give out homework assignments. I missed a few of you classes last week and I want to apologize. My car had broken down when I was at home so I was stranded for three days. Sincerely, Nick Steketee