Literal and Figurative Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literal and Figurative Language - Essay Example When one sees in a mirror, he sees himself. The man ‘staring back from the glass’ is your own self. The usage of simile can be seen in the following line, In the above-mentioned line, the poet compares the man looking in the glass to Jack Horner and chisel, a plum. The poem is metaphorical in its deliverance of ideas as the poet conveys the notion of a man looking for his own self, he cannot cheat himself as it has a disastrous ending but he can befriend himself by knowing him and by being true to himself. If he is unable to ‘look him straight in the eye’, he lacks strength to face himself. It has also some literal aspects such as a man seeing in mirror, sees his own reflection as the poet says, â€Å"A Bird Came Down† by Emily Dickinson also contains literal as well as figurative language. Emily narrates the incident of seeing a bird that ‘came down the walk’, his eating of the angle-worm, his drinking the dew, his rapid eyes, his cautiousness and the poet’s offering of a crumb, each and everything is literal as it appears as a true narration of an event. However, we can also find figurative language in the poem as the poet compares the bird’s flight and his style, His feathers were like oars, which divided the ocean, they appeared of silver color, his flight was like the flight of butterflies and his style of flight was like a swimmer who leaped and bounced, while flying. We can see the usage of simile and metaphor in the above lines. His stirring of ‘his velvet head/Like one in danger’ is again containing a simile. The poem, â€Å"Little Boy Blue† by Eugene Field shows the employment of literal as well as figurative language. The presence of old toys at their places and the dust and rust covering them is indicative of their being old and being neglected, which is literal language. The Little boy blue is the child who owns the toys, one of which is described explicitly, the soldier with the dog. The poet personifies

Performance of Information Systems through Organizational Culture Essay Example for Free

Performance of Information Systems through Organizational Culture Essay The objective of this paper is to determine the importance of the connection between the organizational culture and the information system which can be vital to achieve essential business goals. However the proper definition of information system (IS) is important, as different people create confusion in this respect, which according to Anderson (1992) it is the system which captures, records, and reorganize data then provides results which are useful for managerial purposes. On the other hand information technology IT is only the technological part of IS and the organizational culture is simply the way things are done in a firm. The interaction of these systems would result in huge advantages. Now it is that we have precisely viewed the explanation of IT, IS and organizational culture. We should now look at their interconnectedness. IT and organizational culture are incorporated in order to have statistical and meaningful information from the raw and unarranged data which is the information for decision making, however the feasibility of the implementation of such system is important in terms of technology and its cost. Once an idea or belief is accepted by a larger group it is said o be powerful and if it is accepted by a specific group then subcultures are said to exist and it is important to determine that which culture is dominant, and on the basis of this culture two opinions are created one which says that yes IT is important and the second which identifies IT as the fundamental basis of the IS, however it is also important that the new culture should be implemented or meant for a foreseeable future in the long-term and not in the short-term, as the short-term creates complexity quite earlier as compared to long-term approach, if there is some element of deviation of opinion. No matter what is the final decision is, the carrying out of the implementation process is important, currently in most firms there exists a ‘’IT specialist culture’’ which involves only the IT personnel in this process and obviously is not much effective. Therefore it is important that in the implementation of an IS, not only IT personnel should be involved but also the top management and the users of this IS should also be involved so that their requirements are catered in an efficient and effective way. Theoretical principles or basics Today the world is turned into a dynamic market place, where firms need to compete in terms of prices, efficiency and technology. For this purpose experts have realized the importance of information systems (IS) with information technology (IT) as its basis, combined together with the organizational culture. The perfect combination of these three important systems of a firm a firm is able to achieve a competitive status in the world market. Therefore it is important to have such elements in the firm in order to achieve businesses vital goals. For this purpose cultural change is to be incorporated, provided that it is the way things are done or the set of norms of the firm, therefore the bubble-like approach of incorporating cultural changes is said to be the most effective one. Under this idea of bubble-like cultural change, comes the idea of informatics and informational culture. The idea of IS is also important, however majority of people confuse it with IT however the correct expl anation are the one discussed earlier. The implementation of IS’s in most of the firms has resulted into various advantaged to the firms; briefly it enables the management to acquire meaningful information from the raw data and later to help decision making. But the successful implmetation and usage of the IS requires three important components which are: 1, the data or information, the people (implementers and users) and the material resources. Here the data can be any data form example businesses truncations or employee’s records, and the material resources are the mechanical supportive equipment for example office furniture and computers etc and lastly the people are the user and the implementers of the IS. Now with people here comes the notion of organizational culture, the culture in accordance with the IS and IT plays an important role if these three things are in line or are in agreement then vital advantages can be observed which are discussed as follows: Â · As it decreases the anxiety and confusion created by the IT/IS, it supports the adaptation of the environmental changes, therefore it contributes positively to the overall satisfaction level of the internal staff who have been involved in its implementation. Â · Â   Enables the management to know if the implantation id accepted by the users. Â · Â   Social relations are created when the implementers and users of different departments meet to implement the system. This adds to the motivation level of the employees. Â · Tells the users that which information will be available at what location in what time. Â · Â   Determines the effectiveness of the IT/IS associated to the means of communication, as both inside and outside, it is a vital way correspondence. Â · Â   As it explains that what are the norms and practices of the entity, a feeling of strong unity is created. Interconnectedness of IT, IS and Organizational Culture An IS is created so that meaningful information can be derived out of the raw data, therefore it is that an IS is responsible for converting data into information and therefore quantity and quality of the information is important. However the relationship between data, culture and information system is important. Only an effective IS can be developed when there is perfect correlation between these three. And then only information which is meaningful can be obtained and used for managerial purposes. We have discussed that appropriate people in appropriated places is important, another point about the feasibility in terms of technology and finance. If there are no sufficient financial and technological assistance and resources then the application of the IS may not be successful, for example if due to lack of finance some important features of the IS are excluded from the plan then it won’t produce accurate and meaningful results. Another way in which the relationship of IT and organizational can be reviewed can be provided with two questions that whether it is the IT which creates the lines of an organizational culture or whether it is the organizational culture that decides that whether IT solutions should be incorporated or not; answers to these can be this if there is strong feeling among the users of the IS and other supporting staff that the use of IT has resulted into the benefits of some particular group, department or a person then incorporation of computerized solution will form as the firms norms or in other words culture because majority thinks that yes IT is important. However it is also possible that opposite can happen, which can be further elaborated in a way that there have been opposite behaviors in respect of the discussion between the service and manufacturing sector. This is because in manufacturing businesses there is more of manual labor work and computerization and IT is incorporated to a lesser extent thus a culture in manufacturing would be less compatible to the IT, whilst in the service sector more of IT solutions are required and computerization is involved to a larger extent therefore there is strong evidence of the fact that information technology can set the value’s and norms of the firm. Now there is a question that which approach is the best? This is difficult question to answer because the two have enormous effects on each other, but in light of modern business techniques IT/IS solutions have been more effective on the cultural practices, this is because an IS not only automates the flow of data but also provides manage ment with alternatives ways of doing things in respect of efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness. Specific Relationship of Information System and the Organizational Culture It is possible that there exists a conflict between the norms or cultural practices of two groups in an entity. Therefore, it is in vital interest of the firms that these differences are rectified, because when there is one common way of doing things efficiency and timeliness are prone to occur along with economies of scale ( reaching a position when per unit cost is lowest). More specifically these divergences can be that a larger group supports one view and a smaller group supports the contrary this is known as the subculture. Distinction between these two opinions is necessary so that there might be an informatics or an in informational culture. Where informatics is that for example usage of IT is important, and the informational culture is with more detail where it says in order to make correct and accurate decisions IT should be incorporated as the basis of an IS. The first culture is easy to understand but the second one goes into more detail, it also includes in it the first culture and also the organizational behavior and the information data. It however necessary that in order to have a successful transformation of IT into an IS, conversion of informatics culture into the in informational culture is necessary. Informational and Informatics Culture; Features It is now that we have come to know that what are the two cultures now we must discuss that which one is to be transformed into the other through administrative intervention. When we talk about the informatics culture the case is that it only considers the costs of the IT department only in the short term, therefore it ignores the long-term research and development process which can result into the firms inters this is why it is a usual case that firms end up in spending more and earning less from IT centers as proper consideration are not taken when purchasing its equipment and employing staff. However on the contrary the informational culture approach considers the outputs of an IT center to a larger extent; it not only considers the quantitative aspects of the IT solution but also the long-term usefulness to the firms in respects of tactical and strategic planning, it not only sees the IT solution in terms of an IS as cost, but also highlights it advantages and long-term benefits in terms if research and development and therefore upon this approach distributes its cost over its useful life.

New Trends for Application Interoperability in Romania

New Trends for Application Interoperability in Romania HEALTH VERTICAL MARKET Silviu Cojocaru PhD, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Administration, University of Bucharest, [emailprotected] Camelia Cojocaru PhD, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Administration, University of Bucharest, [emailprotected]   1. Introduction The Internet’s development has fundamentally affected the architecture of informatics management systems, causing substantial changes in the way that this category of solutions is distributed and reached. This considering, one could say that gaining access to economical applications through a simple Web browser came as a necessity in a world that is characterized by dynamism and by the globalization of economical phenomena [Aamodt, 1996]. So, in the 90s, the main trend in application development was offering support and accessibility – for computers that had an internet connection – to a wide range of informational resources (databases and more) and applications. The testimony for this is the multitude of languages and technologies that allow the easy development of database exploitation applications through a simple Web browser. This is why scripting languages that run on servers (ASP and its follower ASP.Net; PHP; JSP etc.), are now mature technologies, that of fer the possibility of developing complex Web technologies. This technologies’ existence has caused changes in informational necessities and in the equipments users need. Nowadays internet connections are available not only to computers, but also to a multitude of equipment such as mobile phones and other hand-held devices. Considering these necessities, creating a universal language became a dire need [McAfee,2005]. XML is the answer to these requests, and is a new stage in the informational age, easing the data exchange between different equipments. Beside the possibility of transferring data onto these heterogeneous platforms there was also the need of creating a way of communication between them. The answer to these priorities is the Web Services technology, which is now the most efficient way of cross-application Internet communication. 2. Literature review Web services are a standardized way of distributing Internet applications and fundamental technologies that are at the basis of this network. Also, web services offer the possibility of interconnecting a wide range of applications, which are available on different platforms and in several worldwide locations. One could say that Web technologies became an Esperanto of application communication, as the new technology opens the gate towards a new age dominated by intelligent applications that make smart decisions and Internet searches, as a basis for well-balanced decisions [Agosta,2000]. Therefore, supposing that we wish to build an expert system that manages a share portfolio, we need to keep in mind that such a system cannot function without constant market quotation updates. Plus, making an optimal decision for selling or buying is a matter of minutes, and this highly influences the efficiency of the system. If a decade ago this system was very complicated due to the lack of efficient means of cross application communication, after the development of Web applications, it became much easier. One would have to develop the classic portfolio management expert and then the link to the outside world would be this paper’s technology. The data containing the quotations will be transmitted via Internet through a web service developed by the stock market. By using the functions and procedures exposed by this Web services, the right parameters can be transmitted, and the stock market informational system will return the requested information. Plus, all of the exposed functions of the stock market system will become a part of the developed applications, and will be called for as similarly developed procedures. You will be able to schedule the automatic checking of stock market quotations and the permanent update of the local database. Things could move even further, with the possibility of inclosing a Web service for the brokerage society that would allow the expert system to not only makes the optimal choice but to implement the decision taken. This example shows how optimal communication automation actually works and how human intervention becomes unnecessary. This has a decisive role in eliminating intentional and non-intentional human errors from the entire process (Jacobides,2000). 3. Service Oriented Architecture XML or eXtended Markup Language is the basis for all of the elements behind the Web Services technologies. Considering the independence from the platform, XML is the engine behind internet data transfers, and the fundament of Web services. XML is in fact â€Å"the brother† of HTML (HyperText Markup Language), as the two have a series of resemblances. But there are some distinctions that cannot be overseen. First of all, they have a common origin SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language), a general language that, through mechanisms similar to those of classic grammar, offers users the possibility of electronically structuring their data [Airinei,1995]. So, practically, HTML uses a set of tags which fine the way that the information will be displayed in the browser. The set of HTML tags is limited and not Customizable, and is generated through SGML technologies. Under these conditions, there is no way for you to customize you set of tags, and this lack of flexibility is an important restraint in some cases. So, with applications that use databases, using HTML is improper for transmitting data. Unlike HTML, XML offers users the possibility of building their own set of tags which can be used for formatting the document. This offers a high level of flexibility, as this element is necessary in defining specialized electronic documents. Normally, you may wonder: if a general language existed SGML, why was there a need for XML? The answer is simple – by its nature, SGML is a highly complex language, and is very hard to use on a large scale, so a simplifies system was created in the form of XML (Alter 2000,2002). Figure 1 – Interoperability for Application Web services are built on fundamental Internet technologies. So, for transmitting Internet technologies, these solutions use standard HTTP protocol (HyperText Transfer Protocol) and the transferred data is cased in XML files. Considering that both technologies are basic Internet elements, they will ensure the accessibility of the applications on any available platform. Unlike Web services, its predecessors had the main disadvantage of not offering such a wide portability range. Therefore, DCOM and CORBA were not accepted by all ITC solution providers, and this would determine limits in their usage. Considering the heterogeneity of the Internet, a technology needs to be supported by the widest possible range of users for it to be considered a universal Internet technology [5]. Plus, DCOM and CORBA technologies use binary files for transferring data and communicating between applications, and this contributes to a lower portability. Unlike these, Web services use XML for data transfer, which consist in simple text files, ensuring a maximum range of portability. Web services use port 80 which is the standard assignation for the HTTP protocol. In comparison, the 2 alternative technologies use their own protocols for transmitting data, and this determines the necessity for additional ports on the application server. In a world that is dominated by the n eed for a higher security level, this disadvantage of the CORBA and DCOM technologies could have a negative impact over the entire In conclusion, one could consider that the widespread of Web technologies in the past years comes from their compatibility with the two generally accepted technologies HTTP and XML. Considering there advantages, the specialists from IDC (a company for surveying and analyzing the ITC environment) consider that Web services will become the fundamental way of application distribution, surpassing all other alternative ways of application distribution (Damsgaard, 2000). Web services are a great part of the most important application development instruments. Microsoft, Oracle or IBM –not necessarily in this order – are the main promoters of this way of application distribution, integrating advanced development instruments for serving these purposes (Forrester Research,2009). This paper has chosen Microsoft’s development environment Visual Studio.Net. I have made this choice considering its advantages as well as its wide spread among developers in our country and abroad. The .Net version of Visual Studio, that was launched in the beginning of the year, offers an efficient way of development and of integrating Web services into one’s own applications. Considering that XML stands at the basis of these technologies, most available instruments are now using this language. We must add that the ADO.NET (ActiveX Data Object) object collection, used in developing database applications, is based exclusively on this language (Iyer,2003). Also, the new version proposes a common software framework (.Net Framework) that offers the possibility of accessing the libraries similarly by any application that has been written in a language that is compatible with this platform. Therefore, the environment shows a common application development framework, and the common element is CLR (Common Language Runtime). CLR translates any application that has been written in a language that is compatible with the technology into an intermediate language – Microsoft I ntermediate Language (IL). The applications that are available in this intermediate method can be transferred and executed onto the desired platform. This platform currently offers 21 application development languages, starting with the classic Cobol and ending with the modern C#. Our example used Visual Basic.Net. (Là ¶wer,1995) Web services will be provided using ASP.Net technology (Active Server Page). ASP is one of the main Web technologies, offering the development of dynamic web pages with database support. The latest version (ASP.Net), offers as a main novelty the possibility of creating and distributing web services. Plus, another set of facilities is included, and here are the most important ones: The possibility of separating the main code of the application from the static representation code of the pages that has been written in HTML; ASP.Net applications can be created in one of the 21 available languages; ASP.Net offers a complete set of server run controls, and this contributes to a better application interface. Figure 2 .NET Framework Architecture 4. Research The research was realised for 38 companies that are between the first 200 from Romania considering the 2010 turnover and its main purpose was to identify how the interoperability technologies were implemented. The enterprises come from different fields, such as financial-banking, telecommunications, retail and industry. The study was developed during December 2011-February 2012 and included a set of questions, from which we mention the most important. Did you implement / Do you plan to implement a technological solution dedicated to integrated informatics system interoperability within the enterprise? 65% of the companies implement solutions for the interoperability of informatics systems, and the rest of 35% plan to implement these solutions within one year. Did the interoperability technologies contribute to the improvements of processes within the enterprise? Those companies that use the interoperability systems have come to the conclusion that interoperability technologies lead a major role for the improvements of processes. 95% of the companies have registered increased efficiency. More than 60% of the companies have registered an increased performance within the company, as well as a faster adherence to certain imposed standards. Do you use integrated informatic systems with business partners? Although most of the companies apply informatic systems destined to the interoperability of internal informatic systems, the integration with the business partners is extremely reduced. Only 6% of the companies use components that allow the interoperability of their systems with their business partners’. The main reason for this low integration is determined by the lack of national or industry standards. Are the systems within the company integrated with those of public institutes? Only 1% of the participants have informatic systems in integration with those of the public institutions (such as city halls, fiscal administration, etc.). The main reason for this situation is the lack of national standards for the systems integration with different public authorities. The lack of these standards and also the frequent changes are also the reason for the low level of implementation. Which are the integrated systems categories? The most frequent system integrations are related to web-based systems and different e-business categories (business-to-business or business-to-customer) with ERP systems (Enterprise Resource Planning) implemented by enterprises. In the financial-banking department, the integration is between the Internet Banking and core-banking systems. 5. Conclusions and implications We are living in a world that is dominated by the need for interoperability between different informational systems running on different platforms. Under these circumstances, Web services are the technology able of efficiently solving this problem. The simplicity of Web services (simplicity that results from the compatibility with basic Internet technologies) ensures the universal acceptance of this solution as a way of communicating between applications. Plus, the relatively simple way of developing these elements will undoubtedly lead to their becoming widespread. Visual Studio.Net, by its integrated development instruments, became one of the main solutions serving this purpose. References Aamodt, A., and Plaza, E. (1996). Case-Based Reasoning: Foundational Issues, Methodological Variations and System Approaches Agosta, L. (2000). From data to insight: the critical path to data mining, a short history of data mining. PC/AI, Sept/Oct, 16-21. Airinei, D. Problemes concernant la generalisation des systems experts dans les activites financieres et comptables, The Proceedings of the 2-nd International Symposium of EconomiInformatics, May, 1995. Alexander J., Hollis B. (2002) Developing Web applications with Visual Basic .NET and ASP.NET, John Wiley and Sons. Alter, S. (2000) A taxonomy of Decision Support Systems. Sloan Management Review. Alter, S. (2002) Decision Support Systems; Current Practices and Continuing Challenges. Addison Wesley, Reading MA. Damsgaard, J. and True, D. (2000). Binary Trading Relations and the Limits of Edi Standards: The Procrustean Bed of Standards. European Journal of Information Systems, 9 (3), 173-188. Forrester Research Inc. 2009. The Value of a Comprehensive Integration Solution. Forrester Research Inc. Iyer, B., Freedman, J., Gaynor, M. and Wyner, G. (2003). Web Services: Enabling Dynamic Business Networks. Communications of the AIS, 11, 525-554. Jacobides, M.G. and Billinger, S. (2006). Designing the Boundaries of the Firm: From â€Å"Make, Buy, or Ally† to the Dynamic Benefits of Vertical Architecture. Organization Science, 17 (2), 249-261. Là ¶wer, U.M. (2005). Interorganisational Standards: Managing Web Services Specifications for Flexible Supply Chains. Physica-Verlag, Heidelberg. McAfee, A. (2005). Will Web Services Really Transform Collaboration? MIT Sloan Management Review, 46 (2), 78-84.

Essay --

The earliest beginnings of anatomy could be traced back to the Egyptians in 1600 B.C.E., when early examinations of sacrificial victims were taking place. From this time, scholars have found the earliest medical document, known as the Edwin Smith Papyrus, in which it described early anatomical observations made by the Egyptians, most likely due to their knowledge gained from mummification. The papyrus displayed organs such as the bladder, uterus, kidneys, liver, spleen, heart, and blood vessels. Following the Egyptians were the Greeks, who began their study of anatomy around fifth century B.C. (400 B.C.) with the works of Alcmaeon and Empedocles, two Greek scientists. It was during this time that the anatomy of animals was studied and medical schools were built in cities such as Crotona, Italy and Cyrene, Africa. Alcmaeon of Croton was most likely the first person to dissect the human body for research purposes, while Empedocles was the person to first propose the idea that an ethereal substance called pneuma flowed through the blood vessels. Hippocrates was another famous person from Greece. Regarded as the Father of Medicine and one of the founders of anatomy, he was also a physician who studied anatomy and hypothesized about physiology. Hippocrates made anatomical inferences without dissection and instead through observations. He proposed the idea that diseases were not caused by supernatural forces or were punishments from the gods. The well-known Aristotle also contribu ted to the history of anatomy as he was the first to distinguish the difference between nerves and tendons and between arteries and blood vessels using knowledge gained from animal dissections. Herophilus, another anatomist, is known as one of the earliest â€Å"Fa... ...certain scientists. During this time, many medical students began to rob graves in order to obtain bodies to perform dissections on. This then led to the development of the Anatomy Act of 1832 in order to supply a sufficient amount of dead bodies to perform dissections on. The nineteenth century also experienced an expanding amount of knowledge on developmental anatomy due to the many experiments and research being done to study it. In addition, England became the main focal point for medical and anatomical research. As the years continued to pass, more advancements are being made in the field and study of anatomy based on continuing research from scientists, researchers, and doctors. With new technology, more information and a better understanding can be gained about the structure and function of organs, organ systems, and DNA among other various parts of the body.

Global Warming Issues Facing the U.S. Today Essay

Throughout history, the fastest increase rate in the average global temperature has been recorded during the past 50 years, and experts further believe that the trend is alarmingly accelerating. Global warming is a complex phenomenon, and its full-blown consequences are difficult to foresee ahead of time. Nevertheless, every year scientists gain more knowledge of how global warming is upsetting the planet, and many have the same opinion that definite outcomes are expected to take place if present trends persist. Unless Americans reduce global warming emissions, distressing and almost irreversible impact on the country, planet and its life will be greatly expected in the near future. United States Issues Air pollutants, particularly carbon dioxide that is accumulating in the atmosphere is condensing extensively, trapping the heat of the sun and causing the earth to warm up. Despite the fact that Americans make up merely 4 percent of the world’s inhabitants, yet through fossil-fuel burning, they generate roughly 25 percent of the worldwide carbon dioxide pollution, which is considerably the largest share of any nation (â€Å"Global Warming Basics†). In the United States, the largest sources of carbon dioxide are the coal-burning power plants, producing 2. 5 billion tons annually; while automobiles running throughout the country’s streets are the second largest source, producing almost 1. 5 billion tons each year (â€Å"Global Warming Basics†). In the United States, global warming is already causing damage in its numerous regions. In June 2006, a panel organized by the United States National Research Council, the leading science policy body of the country, expressed confidence that the planet is the hottest it has been in at least four centuries, and probably even the last 20 centuries (â€Å"Global Warming†). Snow buildup in the United States has declined by almost 60 percent and winter seasons have abridged in a number of regions of the Cascade Range in Washington and Oregon since the early 1950s (â€Å"Global Warming Basics†). Oregon, Arizona and Colorado suffered their most terrible wildlife seasons, and drought produced relentless dust storms in Kansas, Colorado and Montana, and floods caused hundreds of millions of dollars in destruction in North Dakota, Kansas, Colorado and Montana. All the same, by the last part of the century, global warming is expected to further elevate the typical temperatures of the United States to three to nine degrees, which is expected to affect more of the country’s species and wildlife that cannot endure warmer environments. Americans wellbeing is as well in jeopardy, as abnormal climate changes may bring about the spread of certain illnesses, a greater possibility of heat stroke, poor air quality, and the flooding of the country’s foremost cities. Conclusion America must take a leadership function in solving the global warming crisis. Technologies exist today that make power plants produce electricity from nonpolluting sources, cars burn less gas and run cleaner, and electricity consumption lower and more efficient. Americans can take the initial move in seriously campaigning for energy conservation and manufacturing of more efficient appliances, as well as increase their reliance on renewable energy sources such as geothermal, sun and wind. Currently, the challenge for the country is to be certain that these solutions are implemented. Unfortunately, while the technologies are present, the country’s political and corporate will to put them into extensive exploitation are waning. Without doubt, every Americans must demand for it if development and environmental sustainability are desired to be achieved. Works Cited â€Å"Global Warming. † 2008. Standford SOLAR Center. 16 March 2009 . â€Å"Global Warming Basics. † 18 October 2005. Natural Resources Defense Council. 16 March 2009 .

Shadow Kiss Chapter 24

Twenty-four THE WHOLE WORLD WAS still. At this time of night, there were no birds or anything, but it seemed quieter than usual. Even the wind had fallen silent. Mason looked at me pleadingly. The nausea and prickling increased. Then, I knew. â€Å"Dimitri,† I said urgently, â€Å"there are Strig – â€Å" Too late. Dimitri and I saw him at the same time, but Dimitri was closer. Pale face. Red eyes. The Strigoi swooped toward us, and I could almost imagine he was flying, just like vampire legends used to say. But Dimitri was just as fast and nearly as strong. He had his stake – a real one, not a practice one – in his hand and met the Strigoi's attack. I think the Strigoi had hoped for the element of surprise. They grappled, and for a moment they seemed suspended in time, neither gaining ground on the other. Then Dimitri's hand snaked out, plunging the stake into the Strigoi's heart. The red eyes widened in surprise, and the Strigoi's body crumpled to the ground. Dimitri turned to me to make sure I was all right, and a thousand silent messages passed between us. He turned away and scanned the woods, peering into the darkness. My nausea had increased. I didn't understand why, but somehow I could sense the Strigoi around us. That was what was making me feel sick. Dimitri turned back to me, and there was a look I'd never seen in his eyes. â€Å"Rose. Listen to me. Run. Run as fast and as hard as you can back to your dorm. Tell the guardians.† I nodded. There was no questioning here. Reaching out, he gripped my upper arm, gaze locked on me to make sure I understood his next words. â€Å"Do not stop,† he said. â€Å"No matter what you hear, no matter what you see, do not stop. Not until you've warned the others. Don't stop unless you're directly confronted. Do you understand?† I nodded again. He released his hold. â€Å"Tell them buria.† I nodded again. â€Å"Run.† I ran. I didn't look back. I didn't ask what he was going to do because I already knew. He was going to stop as many Strigoi as he could so that I could get help. And a moment later, I heard grunts and hits that told me he'd found another. For only a heartbeat, I let myself worry about him. If he died, I was certain I would too. But then I let it go. I couldn't just think about one person, not when hundreds of lives were depending on me. There were Strigoi at our school. It was impossible. It couldn't happen. My feet hit the ground hard, splashing through the slush and mud. Around me, I thought I could hear voices and shapes – not the ghosts from the airport, but the monsters I'd been dreading for so long. But nothing stopped me. When Dimitri and I had first begun training together, he'd made me run laps every day. I'd complained, but he'd stated over and over again that it was essential. It would make me stronger, he had said. And, he'd added, a day could come when I couldn't fight and would have to flee. This was it. The dhampir dorm appeared before me, about half its windows lit. It was near curfew; people were going to bed. I burst in through the doors, feeling like my heart was going to explode from the exertion. The first person I saw was Stan, and I nearly knocked him over. He caught my wrists to steady me. â€Å"Rose, wh – â€Å" â€Å"Strigoi,† I gasped out. â€Å"There are Strigoi on campus.† He stared at me, and for the first time I'd ever seen, his mouth seriously dropped open. Then, he recovered himself, and I could immediately see what he was thinking. More ghost stories. â€Å"Rose, I don't know what you're – â€Å" â€Å"I'm not crazy!† I screamed. Everyone in the dorm's lobby was staring at us. â€Å"They're out there! They're out there, and Dimitri is fighting them alone. You have to help him.† What had Dimitri told me? What was that word? â€Å"Buria. He said to tell you buria.† And like that, Stan was gone. I had never seen any drills for Strigoi attacks, yet the guardians must have conducted them. Things moved too fast for them not to have. Every guardian in the dorm, whether they'd been awake or not, was in the lobby in a matter of minutes. Calls were made. I stood in a semicircle with other novices, who watched our elders organize themselves with amazing efficiency. Glancing around, I realized something. There were no other seniors with me. Since it was Sunday night, all of them had returned to the field experience to protect their Moroi. It was oddly relieving. The Moroi dorms had an extra line of defense. At least, the teenage Moroi did. The elementary campus did not. It had its normal guardian protection, as well as a lot of the same defenses our dorm did, like gratings on all the first-floor windows. Things like that wouldn't keep Strigoi out, but they would slow them down. No one had ever done too much more than that. There'd been no need, not with the wards. Alberta had joined the group and was sending out parties throughout campus. Some were sent to secure buildings. Some were hunting parties, specifically seeking out Strigoi and trying to figure out how many were around. As the guardians thinned out, I stepped forward. â€Å"What should we do?† I asked. Alberta turned to me. Her eyes swept over me and the others standing behind me, ages ranging from fourteen to just a little younger than me. Something flashed across her face. Sadness, I thought. â€Å"You stay here in the dorm,† she said. â€Å"No one can leave – the whole campus is under lockdown. Go up to the floors you live on. There are guardians there organizing you into groups. The Strigoi are less likely to get up there from the outside. If they get in on this floor†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She scanned around us, at the door and windows being monitored. She shook her head. â€Å"Well, we'll deal with that.† â€Å"I can help,† I told her. â€Å"You know I can.† I could tell she was about to disagree, but then she changed her mind. To my surprise, she nodded. â€Å"Take them upstairs. Watch them.† I started to protest being a babysitter, but then she did something really astonishing. She reached inside her coat and handed me a silver stake. A real one. â€Å"Go on,† she said. â€Å"We need them out of the way here.† I started to turn away but then paused. â€Å"What does buria mean?† â€Å"Storm,† she said softly. â€Å"It's Russian for ‘storm.'† I led the other novices up the stairs, directing them to their floors. Most were terrified, which was perfectly understandable. A few of them – the older ones in particular – looked like I felt. They wanted to do something, anything to help. And I knew that even though they were a year from graduation, they were still deadly in their way. I pulled a couple of them aside. â€Å"Keep them from panicking,† I said in a low voice. â€Å"And stay on watch. If something happens to the older guardians, it'll be up to you.† Their faces were sober, and they nodded at my directions. They understood perfectly. There were some novices, like Dean, who didn't always grasp the seriousness of our lives. But most did. We grew up fast. I went to the second floor because I figured that was where I'd be most useful. If any Strigoi got past the first floor, this was the next logical target. I showed my stake to the guardians on duty and told them what Alberta had said. They respected her wishes, but I could tell they didn't want me to be too involved. They directed me down a wing with one small window. Only someone my size or smaller could probably fit through, and I knew that particular section of the building was nearly impossible to climb up, due to its outside shape. But, I patrolled it anyway, desperate to know what was going on. How many Strigoi were there? Where were they? I realized then that I had a good way of finding out. Still keeping an eye on my window as best I could, I cleared my mind and slipped into Lissa's head. Lissa was with a group of other Moroi on an upper floor of her dorm too. The lockdown procedures were undoubtedly the same across campus. There was a bit more tension in this group than with mine, probably due to the fact that even while inexperienced, the novices with me right now had some idea how to fight Strigoi. The Moroi had none, despite those adamant Moroi political groups wanting to instigate some sort of training sessions. The logistics of that were still being figured out. Eddie was near Lissa. He looked so fierce and so strong – like he could single-handedly take on every Strigoi on campus. I was so glad that he among my classmates was assigned to her. Since I was completely inside her mind now, I got the full force of her feelings. Jesse's torture session seemed meaningless now compared to a Strigoi attack. Unsurprisingly, she was terrified. But most of her fear wasn't for herself. It was for me and Christian. â€Å"Rose is fine,† a voice nearby said. Lissa glanced over at Adrian. He'd apparently been in the dorm rather than guest housing. He had on his usual lazy face, but I could see fear masked behind his green eyes. â€Å"She can take on any Strigoi. Besides, Christian told you she was with Belikov. She's probably safer than we are.† Lissa nodded, wanting desperately to believe that. â€Å"But Christian†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Adrian, for all his bravado, suddenly looked away. He wouldn't meet her eyes or offer any conciliatory words. I didn't need to hear the explanation because I read it from Lissa's mind. She and Christian had wanted to meet alone and talk about what had happened to her in the woods. They'd been supposed to sneak out and meet at his â€Å"lair† in the chapel's attic. She hadn't been fast enough and had been caught by curfew just before the attack, meaning she remained in the dorm while Christian was still out there. It was Eddie who offered the words of comfort. â€Å"If he's in the chapel, he's fine. He really is the safest of all of us.† Strigoi couldn't enter holy ground. â€Å"Unless they burn it down,† said Lissa. â€Å"They used to do that.† â€Å"Four hundred years ago,† said Adrian. â€Å"I think they've got easier pickings around here without needing to go all medieval.† Lissa flinched at the words easier pickings. She knew Eddie was right about the chapel, but she couldn't shake the thought that Christian might have been on his way back to the dorm and been caught in the middle. The worry was eating her up, and she felt helpless with no way to do or find out anything. I returned to my own body, standing in the second floor hallway. Finally, I really and truly grasped what Dimitri had said about the importance of guarding someone who wasn't psychically linked to me. Don't get me wrong; I was still worried about Lissa. I worried more about her than any other Moroi on campus. The only way I wouldn't have been worried would have been if she were miles away, ringed in wards and guardians. But at least I knew she was as safe as she could be right now. That was something. But Christian †¦ I had no idea. I had no link to tell me his whereabouts or to even let me know if he was alive. This was what Dimitri had meant. It was an entirely different game when you didn't have a bond – and it was a scary one. I stared at the window without seeing it. Christian was out there. He was my charge. And even if the field experience was hypothetical†¦ well, it didn't change things. He was a Moroi. He might be in danger. I was the one who was supposed to guard him. They came first. I took a deep breath and wrestled with the decision before me. I'd been given orders, and guardians followed orders. With the dangers around us, following orders was what kept us organized and efficient. Playing rebel could sometimes get people killed. Mason had proven that in going after the Strigoi in Spokane. But it wasn't like I was the only one who faced danger here. Everyone was at risk. There was no safety, not until all the Strigoi were gone from campus, and I had no clue how many there were. Guarding this window was busy work, meant to keep me out of the way. True, someone could invade the second floor, and I'd be useful then. And true, a Strigoi could try to get in through this window, but that was unlikely. It was too difficult, and, as Adrian had pointed out, they had easier ways to get prey. But I could go through the window. I knew it was wrong, even as I opened the window up. I was exposing myself here, but I had conflicting instincts. Obey orders. Protect Moroi. I had to go make sure Christian was okay. Chilly night air blew in. No sounds from outside revealed what was happening. I'd climbed out of my room's window a number of times and had some experience with it. The problem here was that the stone beneath the window was perfectly smooth. There was no handhold. There was a small ledge down by the first floor, but the distance to it was longer than my height, so I couldn't simply slide down. If I could get to that ledge, however, I could walk off to the corner of the building where some scalloped edging would let me climb down easily. I stared at the ledge below. I was going to have to drop down to it. If I fell, I'd probably break my neck. Easy pickings for Strigoi, as Adrian would say. With a quick prayer to whoever was listening, I climbed out of the window, holding onto its sill with both hands and letting my body dangle as close to the lower ledge as I could. I still had two more feet between it and me. I counted to three and released my hold, dragging my hands along the wall as I dropped. My feet hit the ledge and I started to wobble, but my dhampir reflexes kicked in. I regained my balance and stood there, holding the wall. I'd made it. From this point, I easily moved to the corner and climbed down. I hit the ground, barely noticing I'd skinned my hands. The quad around me was silent, though I thought I heard some screams in the distance. If I were a Strigoi, I wouldn't mess with this dorm. They'd get a fight here, and while most Strigoi could probably take out a group of novices at once, there were easier ways. Moroi were less likely to put up a real fight, and anyway, Strigoi preferred their blood to ours. Still, I moved cautiously as I set out toward the chapel. I had the cover of darkness, but Strigoi could see in it even better than I could. I used trees as covers, looking every way I could, wishing I had eyes in the back of my head. Nothing, save more screams in the distance. I realized then that I didn't have that nauseous feeling from earlier. Somehow, that feeling was an indicator of nearby Strigoi. I didn't entirely trust it enough to walk off blindly, but it was reassuring to know I had some kind of early alarm system. Halfway to the chapel, I saw someone move out from behind a tree. I spun around, stake in hand, and nearly struck Christian in the heart. â€Å"God, what are you doing?† I hissed. â€Å"Trying to get back to the dorm,† he said. â€Å"What's going on? I heard screaming.† â€Å"There are Strigoi on campus,† I said. â€Å"What? How?† â€Å"I don't know. You have to go back to the chapel. It's safe there.† I could see it; we could get there easily. Christian was as reckless as me sometimes, and I almost expected a fight. He didn't give me one. â€Å"Okay. Are you going with me?† I started to say I would, and then I felt that nauseous feeling creep over me. â€Å"Get down!† I yelled. He dropped to the ground without hesitation. Two Strigoi were on us. They both moved in on me, knowing I'd be an easy target for their combined strength, and then they could go after Christian. One of them slammed me into a tree. My vision blurred for half a second, but I soon recovered. I shoved back and had the satisfaction of seeing her stagger a little. The other one – a man – reached for me, and I dodged him, slipping out of his grasp. The pair of them reminded me of Isaiah and Elena from Spokane, but I refused to get caught up in memories. Both were taller than me, but the woman was closer to my height. I feinted toward him, and then struck out as fast as I could toward her. My stake bit into her heart. It surprised both of us. My first Strigoi staking. I'd barely pulled the stake out when the other Strigoi backhanded me, snarling. I staggered but kept my balance as I sized him up. Taller. Stronger. Just like when I'd fought Dimitri. Probably faster too. We circled and then I leapt out and kicked him. He barely budged. He reached for me, and I again managed to dodge as I scanned for some opening to stake him. My narrow escape didn't slow him down, though, and he immediately attacked again. He knocked me to the ground, pinning my arms. I tried to push him off, but he didn't move. Saliva dripped from his fangs as he leaned his face down toward mine. This Strigoi wasn't like Isaiah, wasting time with stupid speeches. This one was going to go in for the kill, draining my blood and then Christian's. I felt the fangs against my neck and knew I was going to die. It was horrible. I wanted to live so, so badly†¦but this was how it would end. With my last moments, I started to yell at Christian to run, but then the Strigoi above me sudde nly lit up like a torch. He jerked back, and I rolled out from underneath him. Thick flames covered his body, completely obscuring any of his features. He was just a man-shaped bonfire. I heard a few strangled screams before he grew silent. He fell to the ground, twitching and rolling before finally going still. Steam rose from where fire hit the snow, and the flames soon burned out, revealing nothing but ashes underneath. I stared at the charred remains. Only moments ago, I'd expected to die. Now my attacker was dead. I nearly reeled from how close I'd been to dying. Life and death were so unpredictable. So close to each other. We existed moment to moment, never knowing who would be the next to leave this world. I was still in it, barely, and as I looked up from the ashes, everything around me seemed so sweet and so beautiful. The trees. The stars. The moon. I was alive – and I was glad I was. I turned to Christian, who was crouched on the ground. â€Å"Wow,† I said, helping him up. Obviously, he was the one who had saved me. â€Å"No shit,† he said. â€Å"Didn't know I had that much power.† He peered around, body rigid and tense. â€Å"Are there more?† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"You seem pretty certain.† â€Å"Well†¦this is going to sound weird, but I can kind of sense them. Don't ask how,† I said, seeing his mouth open. â€Å"Just roll with it. I think it's like the ghost thing, a shadow-kissed side effect. Whatever. Let's get back to the chapel.† He didn't move. A strange, speculative look was on his face. â€Å"Rose †¦ do you really want to hole up in the chapel?† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"We just took out two Strigoi,† he said, pointing to the staked and charred bodies. I met his eyes, the full impact of what he was saying hitting me. I could sense Strigoi. He could use his fire on them. I could stake them. Provided we didn't hit a group of ten or something, we could do some serious damage. Then reality hit. â€Å"I can't,† I told him slowly. â€Å"I can't risk your life†¦.† â€Å"Rose. You know what we could do. I can see it in your face. It's worth risking one Moroi life – and, well, yours – to take out a bunch of Strigoi.† Putting a Moroi in danger. Taking him out to fight Strigoi. It pretty much went against everything I'd been taught. All of a sudden, I remembered that brief moment of clarity I'd just had, the wonderful joy of being alive. I could save so many others. I had to save them. I would fight as hard as I could. â€Å"Don't use your full power on them,† I finally said. â€Å"You don't need to incinerate them in ten seconds like that. Just light them up enough to distract them, and then I'll finish them. You can save your power.† A grin lit his face. â€Å"We're going hunting?† Oh man. I was going to get in so much trouble. But the idea was too appealing, too exciting. I wanted to fight back. I wanted to protect the people I loved. What I really wanted was to go to Lissa's dorm and protect her. That wasn't the most efficient idea, though. Lissa had my classmates on hand. Others weren't so lucky. I thought about those students, students like Jill. â€Å"Let's go to the elementary campus,† I said. We set off at a light run, taking a route we hoped would keep us away from other Strigoi. I still had no idea how many we were dealing with here, and that was driving me crazy. When we were almost to the other campus, I felt the weird nausea hit me. I called a warning to Christian, just as a Strigoi grabbed him. But Christian was fast. Flames wreathed the Strigoi's head. He screamed and released Christian, trying frantically to put the flames out. The Strigoi never saw me coming with the stake. The whole thing took under a minute. Christian and I exchanged looks. Yeah. We were badasses. The elementary campus proved to be a center of activity. Strigoi and guardians were actively fighting around the entrances to one of the dorms. For a moment, I froze. There were almost twenty Strigoi and half as many guardians. So many Strigoi together†¦Until recently, we'd never heard of them banding together in such large numbers. We'd thought we'd disbanded a large group of them by killing Isaiah, but apparently that wasn't true. I allowed myself only a moment more of shock, and then we jumped into the fray. Emil was near a side entrance, fending off three Strigoi. He was battered and bruised, and the body of a fourth Strigoi lay at his feet. I lunged for one of the three. She didn't see me coming, and I managed to stake her with almost no resistance. I was lucky. Christian meanwhile set flames to the others. Emil's face reflected surprise, but that didn't stop him from staking another of the Strigoi. I got the other. â€Å"You shouldn't have brought him here,† Emil said as we moved to help another guardian. â€Å"Moroi aren't supposed to get involved with this.† â€Å"Moroi should have been involved with this a long time ago,† said Christian through gritted teeth. We spoke little after that. The rest was a blur. Christian and I moved from fight to fight, combining his magic and my stake. Not all of our kills were as fast and easy as our early ones had been. Some fights were long and drawn out. Emil stuck with us, and I honestly lost count of how many Strigoi we took down. â€Å"I know you.† The words startled me. In all this bloodshed, none of us, friend or foe, did much talking. The speaker was a Strigoi who looked to be my own age but was probably at least ten times older. He had shoulder-length blond hair and eyes whose color I couldn't make out. They were ringed in red, which was all that mattered. My only answer was to swing out with my stake, but he dodged that. Christian was setting a couple of other Strigoi on fire, so I was handling this one on my own. â€Å"There's something strange about you now, but I still remember. I saw you years ago, before I was awakened.† Okay, not ten times my age, not if he'd seen me when he was a Moroi. I hoped his talking would distract him. He was actually pretty fast for a young Strigoi. â€Å"You were always with that Dragomir girl, the blonde.† My foot hit him, and I jerked my kick back before he could grab me. He barely budged. â€Å"Her parents wanted you to be her guardian, right? Before they were all killed?† â€Å"I am her guardian,† I grunted. My stake swiped dangerously close to him. â€Å"She's still alive, then†¦There were rumors that she'd died last year†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was a sense of wonder in his voice, which mixed weirdly with the malice. â€Å"You have no idea what kind of reward I'd get to take down the last living Drag – Ahh!† He'd dodged my stake from hitting his chest again, but this time I managed an upward strike that dragged the stake's tip across his face. It wouldn't kill him there, but the touch of a stake – so filled with life – would feel like acid to the undead. He screamed, but it didn't slow his defenses. â€Å"I'll come back for you after I finish her,† he snarled. â€Å"You'll never get near her,† I growled back. Something shoved into me from the side, a Strigoi that Yuri was fighting. I stumbled but managed to drive my stake through Yuri's Strigoi's heart before he could regain his balance. Yuri gasped his thanks, and then we both turned to other parts of the battle. Only the blond Strigoi was gone. I couldn't find him anywhere. Another took his place, and as I moved toward that one, flames lit up around him, making him an easy mark for my stake. Christian had returned. â€Å"Christian, this Strigoi – â€Å" â€Å"I heard,† he panted. â€Å"We have to go to her!† â€Å"He was messing with you. She's across campus, surrounded by novices and guardians. She'll be okay.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"They need us here.† I knew he was right – and I knew how hard it was for him to say that. Like me, he wanted to run off to Lissa. Despite all the good work he was doing here, I suspected he would rather have sunk all his magic into protecting her, keeping her ringed in a wall of fire no Strigoi could cross. I had no time to deeply investigate the bond, but I could sense the important things: She was alive, and she wasn't in pain. So I stayed on, fighting with Christian and Yuri. Lissa hovered at the back of my mind, the bond telling me she was okay. Aside from that, I let battle lust consume me. I had one goal and one alone: Kill Strigoi. I couldn't let them get into this dorm, nor could I let them leave this area and possibly go to Lissa's dorm. I lost track of time. Only the Strigoi I was currently fighting at any given moment mattered. And as soon as that one was gone, it was on to the next. Until there wasn't a next one. I was sore and exhausted, adrenaline burning through my body. Christian stood beside me, panting. He hadn't engaged in physical combat like me, but he'd used a lot of magic tonight, and that had taken its own physical toll. I looked around. â€Å"We gotta find another one,† I said. â€Å"There are no others,† a familiar voice said. I turned and looked into Dimitri's face. He was alive. All the fear for him I'd held back burst through me. I wanted to throw myself at him and hold him as close to me as possible. He was alive – battered and bloody, yes – but alive. His gaze held mine for just a moment, reminding me of what had happened in the cabin. It felt like a hundred years ago, but in that brief glance, I saw love and concern – and relief. He'd been worried about me too. Then Dimitri turned and gestured to the eastern sky. I followed the motion. The horizon was pink and purple. It was nearly sunrise. â€Å"They're either dead or have run away,† he told me. He glanced between Christian and me. â€Å"What you two did – â€Å" â€Å"Was stupid?† I suggested. He shook his head. â€Å"One of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Half of those are yours.† I looked back at the dorm, shocked at the number of bodies lying around it. We had killed Strigoi. We had killed a lot of them. Death and killing were horrible things†¦but I had liked doing what I just did. I had defeated the monsters who had come after me and those in my care. Then I noticed something. My stomach twisted, but it was nothing like my earlier Strigoi-sensing feeling. This was caused by something entirely different. I turned back to Dimitri. â€Å"There are more than just Strigoi bodies there,† I said in a small voice. â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"We've lost a lot of people, in all senses of the word.† Christian frowned. â€Å"What do you mean?† Dimitri's face was both hard and sad. â€Å"The Strigoi killed some Moroi and dhampirs. And some†¦some they carried away.†

The Five Major Battles.

The Five Major Battles. Ypres-Canadian soldiers were sent to help protect the Western Front after training inEngland-They reached the Western Front in February 1915-They joined French-Algerian troops in the trenches near the town of Ypres-April 22, two months after arriving, Germany choose Ypres for the first gasattack ever-They set off 5730 cylinders of chlorine gas-The gas killed 6037 Canadian soldiers-The soldiers still stood their ground-Little land was gained by the GermansPasschendaele-Douglas haig (British general) determind to break through the german front-Launched a disastrous drive across Belgium (1917)-Canadian Corps prepare for capture of Passchendaele-4 million shells destroyed dams and drainage systems-German on high ground above the battlefield-Canada lower ground-Barely any germans get hit (Canada had bad aim)-Fighting stopped on Nov. 15-Brits gained 6km-Canadian casualties stood at 15, 654-9 soldiers were awarded the Victoria CrossCanada's Hundred Days-Allied troops try to get back the Fre nch and Belgian land, which was taken byGermany-They started August 8th, 1918-Canada gained 130km of land-By that time Germany's army was about to collapse and ready to talk terms ofpeace-That same day the armistice ended the war-World War 1 ended November 11th, 1918, which was the end what is known asCanada's Hundred DaysThe Battle of the Somme-(1916) German army began pressing the French troops hard at VerdunDouglas Haig-decided to go on the offensive and smash through the German lines (known asthe battle of the somme)-was slow to adjust to the new demand of trench welfare (countless allied liveswere lost in series of badly planned and poorly excuted battles alone the soome)-over estimatedthe effectiveness of the artillery barrage-Brit/French bombared German lines with 1.5...English: German prisoners of war on the march to c...

Changing Family Structure in Japan essays

Changing Family Structure in Japan essays Belief that one should love and respect ones parents and as they grow older, one should take the BEST POSSIBLE CARE OF THEM!!! Japanese children grow up believing that it is a tremendous honor to spend time with their grandparents and that Age is wisdom People in Japan generally believe that it is shameful to abandon ones parents in a nursing home. (added info, dont know if you want to use it but anyway... officials tell stories of people in rural areas who continue to hang out their parents laundry long after they have gone to a nursing home just so that their neighbors wont think they have abandoned their parents) Traditional Multigenerational Family Structure or Ie: Aging parents typically choose to live with an elder son and his wife (this is because traditionally only the eldest son inherited.) The eldest male (grandfather) is the head of the household, but at the age of 60 he becomes go inkyo or retired master. Eldest female (grandmother) is the obason and has authority over the daughter-in-law. Eldest son spends his time working and his wife is responsible for taking care of their husbands needs, HIS parents, and their children... as well as all the housework!!! The family structure is changing in Japan. More women are working full-time and have their own careers to worry about and taking care of aging parents on top of their own families has become an enormous burden. MAJOR STRESS!! Many young women are now choosing not to marry because they dont want to be put in this difficult position. They realize that because times are changing, they will not be able to count on their children to take care of them when they get older. They are focusing on their careers and putting money into their pension ...

The impact of Gorbatchev's reform Glasnost on arts and media between Research Paper

The impact of Gorbatchev's reform Glasnost on arts and media between 1980 and 1990 - Research Paper Example In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev became the Secretary of the CPSU and introduced the concept pr policy of Glasnost. Translated to English, Glasnost means openness. Glasnost was an important component of Gorbachev’s perestroika by which Gorbachev attempted to raise the sagging economic fortunes of the Soviet Union and make the inefficient system of governance more efficient (Gibbs, 1999). 2. Literature Review Understanding the impact of Gorbachev’s glasnost on arts and media in the Soviet Union in its early years till 1990, is a challenge in understanding what it meant during that period and the objective of Gorbachev in introducing it. From 1985 to 1988 many interpretations were given by different sources for glasnost. While openness, public airing, and freedom of speech were the most commonly used interpretations, there were wordier interpretations. An astute interpretation put forward was that glasnost was the means by which Gorbachev intended to enlist the entire huge media of the country towards attacking the entrenched party workers and government bureaucrats that were so keen on profiting from the existing system of governance. ... as meant as â€Å"maximum openness and truthfulness in the activity of the state and public organizations †¦ But at the same time glasnost is not synonymous with universal permissiveness, the undermining of socialist values; it is invoked to strengthen socialism, the socialist code of morals(Gibbs, 1999, p.13)†. Yet, in his memoirs Gorbachev himself that the glasnost that he had introduced with limited freedom aims, but â€Å"glasnost broke out of the limits that we had initially tried to frame and became a process that was beyond anybody’s control† (Gibbs, 1999, p.14). 2.1. Influence of Glasnost on Visual Art Government censorship of art for several decades in the Soviet Union under the CPSU had led to a situation where genuine visual art had virtually become non-existent in the Soviet Union. The censorship introduce by the Soviet government was so harsh that it made sure that visual art could not become a means for registering agitation for political refor ms or as a platform for criticism of the government. Instead under pressure from the government visual art had become a visual tool and visual ally of the government. During the days of Stalin a non-conformist artist could end up in the Gulag or be put to death for non-conformist art was considered to be a part of political dissension. The only option left for non-conforming artists was to leave the country, like Ilya Kabokov and present to the rest of the world the fallacies that existed with regards to the political and social situation in the Soviet Union. Visual art prior to glasnost was in actuality a state sanctioned art that presented and idealistic picture of the state of politics and social situations under the CPSU in the Soviet Union. Thus visual art presented a very biased picture of the actuality in

Target Population Needs at JHUSON Primary Care Clinic Case Study

Target Population Needs at JHUSON Primary Care Clinic - Case Study Example In addition, the two years funding by a philanthropist and the offer by Microsoft for both hardware and software installations as opportunities. On the other hand, one threat is the daily violence experienced in the area. One social factor playing out from this case study is that only 50% of the people in this location are enrolled in some medical insurance. In effect, another 50% of the population has no form of medical insurance. On the other hand, there is a high case put forward concerning expected emergency cases in the hospital influenced by the violence cases. In addition, there is a prevalence of respiratory diseases, teen pregnancy, personal and intergenerational drug and alcohol use in the neighbourhood. Observing these facts, which could bring emergency medical cases, ensures that the facility will be wary of emergency cases and thus avoid Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986 violations (Smith, 2002; Strickler, 2006). According to a Harris Poll conducted in 2002, most Americans preferred hospitals that had nurses with speciality certification (Advanced Practice Nursing Roles, n.d.). Therefore, with this external opportunity will help JHUSON employ nurses that were specialists in the common illnesses in the neighbourhood. In this regard, the neighbourhood will feel safe in the hands of specialists. Another external opportunity related to JHUSON’s business plan concerns the use of health information technology. With its quest of having the service a model for future HIT-enabled inner-city community-based models of care, JHUSON stands to benefit. The government has federal financial incentives to the health service providers that make meaningful use of the electronic method of keeping health records (Jha, DesRoches, Kralovec & Joshi, 2010). Thus, with the business tailored to come with a benefactor in a HIT in the form of Microsoft, the JHUSON service will stand to benefit in terms of financial initiatives offered to HIT users by the government.

Sustainability Led-Marketing - Small business Term Paper

Sustainability Led-Marketing - Small business - Term Paper Example Sustainable marketing aims at winning consumers who have adapted to eco-friendly products made by businesses, which have embraced sustainable production. For a sustainable business, companies seek to enhance their production processes to minimise the side effects it causes to the environment. A sustainable business ensures that it reduces air pollution, water pollution and the side effect the product has on the consumer using the product or the service (Meffert et al. 2014, p. 156). Sustainable business is more of a business that looks toward enhancing or achieving corporate social responsibility to the community it serves. The illustration above implies that sustainable business aims at creating an environment where people believe that the product being manufactured by the company is the best in the market. In addition, it implies that the qualities a company’s product cannot be compared with any other firm in the same industry. Consumers are made to believe the product they are consuming was manufactured in a clean environment that not any other company can achieve (Belz & Peattie, 2010, p. 31). To bring to light a better understanding of sustainable marketing, Philips Lumileds Lighting Company will be used as a case study, as it enjoys the use of sustainable led marketing procedures. Philips Lumileds Lighting Company is an American light product manufacturing company that is located in San Jose, California, USA. The Company was established in 1999 with the aim of producing solid-state lighting solutions that include automotive lighting, LCD televisions, computer displays, creating a signal, and general lighting. It is the world-leading producer of high power light emitting diodes. In partnership with LUX EONPower Light Company, they came up with long life cost-effective light emitting diodes that have been ranked as the world-leading producer of light emitting diode lighting. In lieu of this information, it is

Financial Upheavals. Financial crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Upheavals. Financial crisis - Essay Example The aftermaths of any such business cycle may vary from being modest to remorseless hinging upon its magnitude and continuance. History show that the American economy has moved through periods of boom, recession and recovery. The years 1837, 1893 and 1929 help retrace the occurrence of three major depressions in United States (Calomiris 2010). The downturns of 1857, 1873, and 1907 are also referred in the history books (Rothbard 2002). The America of 1819 and the financial crisis its people went through was only the first of speculative cacoethes which is America's true national interest (Maloney 2009). But then again, the Great Recession of 2008 is the latest financial turmoil in the United States, the twinges of which are still being sensed. Both these financial upheavals resemble one another with respect to their causes and consequences. For instance, they headed to extended bank failures, loan foreclosures, high unemployment rates and a depression in manufacturing sector. The cau ses of the panic of 1819 can be assigned to the economic system of the United States (Rothbard 2002). The panic of 1819 ended the tremendous economic expansion that occurred after the War of 1812. Rampant inflation, debtors’ relief which was constantly associated with monetary strategies and a protective tariff on imports worked as a pivotal point in creating the situation of panic in the US at that time. Whereas, the oncoming of the Recession of 2008 can be assigned to complicated and interconnected constituents. Sub-prime loans, lax financial regulation, loose monetary policy and global instabilities collectively induced the latest financial upheaval that caused entire world staggering. This suggests that there were more than one element that sparked off the two financial upheavals discussed above. Among those major causal elements, monetary policy played a key role to trigger the financial turmoils. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast these two historic fi nancial upheavals; the earliest and the latest to have rocked the United States of America with special emphasis on the role of the monetary policy in each case. The Panic of 1819 The major causes of the panic of 1819 were delved within the US economy. Similar to so much of what is disastrous to civilized society, the Panic of 1819 had been produced in the violent agitation particularly of the War of 1812. The young American economy confronted many rapid breakdowns that were brought by the War of 1812 and its consequences. United States previously had been a big country with a thin population of around seven million which were mostly committed solely to agriculture. Many agricultural products such as wheat, cotton, and tobacco were exported across borders, although the residual of the agricultural products was mostly consumed by self-sustaining rural families. Public debt held by Americans during the war of 1812 induced the prices rise throughout the United States. At that time, the monetary system of the country was not advance or highly-developed. The American banks were restricted almost entirely to the cities and their tools and methods to run the economy inclined to be lax with insignificant Government control. The reality, that most banks and other institutions of that era had to acquire their position by exceptional legislative charter, tempted inquisitive and high-risk misuses through exerting force on the legislature. All this resulted in an inadequacy of uniformity in administering banks within and among states. The emergence of the First Bank of the United States had regulated the banks towards uniformity until the year 1811. Irresponsible and mismanaged banking system had played a crucial role in creating that panic. From 1811 to

How science should inform drug policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

How science should inform drug policy - Essay Example It is proposed that there should definitely be more of the following: drug prevention for youth; drug intervention for young adults; and drug rehabilitation for older adults. This way, the prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse can be severely limited or possibly even eliminated to a certain extent in reaching out to various age groups. Drug policy in the UK definitely has the potential to be influenced by the scientific research that is being done by Robinson and Berridge, as well as George F. Koob and his own colleagues, too. Drug prevention for youth should be put into place in order to prevent young people from sustaining neural damage due to drug usage. Alcohol and drug usage can severely impair brain function and cause neurological damage that is irreversible. According to Sussman and Ames (2008), â€Å"Robinson and Berridges (1993, 2000) incentive- sensitization theory focuses on the influence of neural adaptation (ie, sensitization) to drugs and drug-conditioned stimuli as the underlying mechanism perpetuating drug use† (pp. 81). Obviously, one of the concerns that plagues parents and teachers is the possibility that youth are exposed to alcohol and drugs early on—and as such, they are worried that their young charges and students may fall prey to peer pressure. Not only that, but it is a worry that the use of alcohol and/or drugs will be, unfortunately, used in order to stave off problems associated with reducing alcohol and/or drug usage. Additionally, it is a fear that young people will turn to alcohol and/or other drugs for recreational purposes.

Are Human Activities Contributing to Climate Change Research Paper

Are Human Activities Contributing to Climate Change - Research Paper Example Since then, man has been moving forward in terms of technological advancement but overlooking the damages it is causing to the Earth’s atmosphere. The greenhouse gases, which occur naturally, absorb the thermal infrared and warm the Earth’s temperature by 63 degrees Fahrenheit. This whole process is known as the Greenhouse Effect. The main greenhouse gases that are present in the Earth’s atmosphere are carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide and the ozone. (Maslin, 2007) Carbon dioxide and other green house gases such as methane are added to the earth’s atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. Previously, the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were in balance but today, human activities are releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at an increasingly high level. The earth’s vegetation has not been able to take in and absorb the excess of carbon dioxide and thus, the atmospheric level of CO2 has increased. Fossil fuels are burnt to create energy for humans in the form of heat, electricity and gas. Apart from making our lives easier, it has also emitted enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to cause climate changes. Through the Earth’s natural cycle, large amounts of carbon dioxide are released in and out of the atmosphere annually and so the CO2 levels remained in balance throughout. However; scientists have confirmed that human activities add around 7 billion tonnes of CO2 into the earth’s atmosphere which ends up upsetting the balance. According to research, the trees and the oceans only absorb half of the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere. The remainder stays in our environment for as long as 100 years. Carbon dioxide is created from fossil fuels through the form of heat and gas. It is also released in natural processes like decay of organic matter. Apart from that, trees release CO2 into the atmosphere but due to deforestation, the absorption of this gas has

Financial Upheavals. Financial crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Upheavals. Financial crisis - Essay Example The aftermaths of any such business cycle may vary from being modest to remorseless hinging upon its magnitude and continuance. History show that the American economy has moved through periods of boom, recession and recovery. The years 1837, 1893 and 1929 help retrace the occurrence of three major depressions in United States (Calomiris 2010). The downturns of 1857, 1873, and 1907 are also referred in the history books (Rothbard 2002). The America of 1819 and the financial crisis its people went through was only the first of speculative cacoethes which is America's true national interest (Maloney 2009). But then again, the Great Recession of 2008 is the latest financial turmoil in the United States, the twinges of which are still being sensed. Both these financial upheavals resemble one another with respect to their causes and consequences. For instance, they headed to extended bank failures, loan foreclosures, high unemployment rates and a depression in manufacturing sector. The cau ses of the panic of 1819 can be assigned to the economic system of the United States (Rothbard 2002). The panic of 1819 ended the tremendous economic expansion that occurred after the War of 1812. Rampant inflation, debtors’ relief which was constantly associated with monetary strategies and a protective tariff on imports worked as a pivotal point in creating the situation of panic in the US at that time. Whereas, the oncoming of the Recession of 2008 can be assigned to complicated and interconnected constituents. Sub-prime loans, lax financial regulation, loose monetary policy and global instabilities collectively induced the latest financial upheaval that caused entire world staggering. This suggests that there were more than one element that sparked off the two financial upheavals discussed above. Among those major causal elements, monetary policy played a key role to trigger the financial turmoils. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast these two historic fi nancial upheavals; the earliest and the latest to have rocked the United States of America with special emphasis on the role of the monetary policy in each case. The Panic of 1819 The major causes of the panic of 1819 were delved within the US economy. Similar to so much of what is disastrous to civilized society, the Panic of 1819 had been produced in the violent agitation particularly of the War of 1812. The young American economy confronted many rapid breakdowns that were brought by the War of 1812 and its consequences. United States previously had been a big country with a thin population of around seven million which were mostly committed solely to agriculture. Many agricultural products such as wheat, cotton, and tobacco were exported across borders, although the residual of the agricultural products was mostly consumed by self-sustaining rural families. Public debt held by Americans during the war of 1812 induced the prices rise throughout the United States. At that time, the monetary system of the country was not advance or highly-developed. The American banks were restricted almost entirely to the cities and their tools and methods to run the economy inclined to be lax with insignificant Government control. The reality, that most banks and other institutions of that era had to acquire their position by exceptional legislative charter, tempted inquisitive and high-risk misuses through exerting force on the legislature. All this resulted in an inadequacy of uniformity in administering banks within and among states. The emergence of the First Bank of the United States had regulated the banks towards uniformity until the year 1811. Irresponsible and mismanaged banking system had played a crucial role in creating that panic. From 1811 to

Are Human Activities Contributing to Climate Change Research Paper

Are Human Activities Contributing to Climate Change - Research Paper Example Since then, man has been moving forward in terms of technological advancement but overlooking the damages it is causing to the Earth’s atmosphere. The greenhouse gases, which occur naturally, absorb the thermal infrared and warm the Earth’s temperature by 63 degrees Fahrenheit. This whole process is known as the Greenhouse Effect. The main greenhouse gases that are present in the Earth’s atmosphere are carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide and the ozone. (Maslin, 2007) Carbon dioxide and other green house gases such as methane are added to the earth’s atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. Previously, the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were in balance but today, human activities are releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at an increasingly high level. The earth’s vegetation has not been able to take in and absorb the excess of carbon dioxide and thus, the atmospheric level of CO2 has increased. Fossil fuels are burnt to create energy for humans in the form of heat, electricity and gas. Apart from making our lives easier, it has also emitted enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to cause climate changes. Through the Earth’s natural cycle, large amounts of carbon dioxide are released in and out of the atmosphere annually and so the CO2 levels remained in balance throughout. However; scientists have confirmed that human activities add around 7 billion tonnes of CO2 into the earth’s atmosphere which ends up upsetting the balance. According to research, the trees and the oceans only absorb half of the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere. The remainder stays in our environment for as long as 100 years. Carbon dioxide is created from fossil fuels through the form of heat and gas. It is also released in natural processes like decay of organic matter. Apart from that, trees release CO2 into the atmosphere but due to deforestation, the absorption of this gas has

Title Essay Example for Free

Title Essay The first 5 marks are based on your tutor’s monitoring of your contributions to the TGF discussions associated with B120 Book 2. Your tutor will introduce these at the appropriate time. We expect you to participate in all TGF discussions for Book 2. If your tutor does not feel you have participated in at least two of these, the 5 marks will be lost. The second 5 marks for Part II are based on another piece of work which will be a short report you will submit in the same file as Part 1 of the TMA, at the end. This will be a brief summary of one of the TGF discussions relating to Book 2 and what you have learned from it. It should not be any longer than 200 words. Remember that you must submit this short report at the end of your TMA through the eTMA system. demonstrate your understanding of HRM ideas by being able to show how they are relevant and useful to a particular example. This part of the TMA is worth 30 marks. Part (d) The final part of the TMA asks you to perform a simple web-based information search about the concept you have chosen and to present information succinctly. You need to include the URLs, the date the websites were accessed and why you chose them, and also state how trustworthy this information is to gain the full 5 marks available. 3. 4 TMA 02 Part II Part II of TMA 02 is worth the other 10 marks (the TMA is marked out of a total of 100). The first 5 marks are based on your tutor’s monitoring of your contributions to the TGF discussions associated with B120 Book 2. Your tutor will introduce these at the appropriate time. We expect you to participate in all TGF discussions for Book 2. If your tutor does not feel you have participated in at least two of these, the 5 marks will be lost. The second 5 marks for Part II are based on another piece of work which will be a short report you will submit in the same file as Part 1 of the TMA, at the end. This will be a brief summary of one of the TGF discussions relating to Book 2 and what you have learned from it. It should not be any longer than 200 words. Remember that you must submit this short report at the end of your TMA through the eTMA system.

Hazards In Sewage Treatment Plants Biology Essay

Hazards In Sewage Treatment Plants Biology Essay Wastewater consists of a mixture of domestic sewage which includes waste from sinks, household toilets, showers, washing machines. It also consists of industrial effluent, occasional run-off of surface water and ground water which has infiltrated into the sewers. 99.99% of wastewater consists of water, and 0.01 % of it comprises of dissolved or suspended solid matter (www.fairfield-city.org/wastewater.cfm Date Accessed 14.02.13) 2.1 Wastewater Biology Untreated sewage may contain a number of disease causing organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungus, worms and protozoa (McCunney, 1986; Weldon et al, 2000; Schlosser et al, 1999). Airborne bacteria concentrations are usually very high where sewage is agitated, such as near incoming wastewater inlets and sludge treatment areas (Laitinen et al, 1994). Compare to other areas of a WWTP, a few airborne bacteria have also been found in clean areas such as control rooms (Laitinen et al, 1994). The major route of exposure to these microorganisms is the foecal-oral route (McCunney, 1986). This commonly occurs during eating, drinking, smoking or by touching the face with contaminated hands or gloves (HSE, 1998). Inhalation of aerosols containing microorganisms is not so common. Nevertheless it is an essential method of entry. Skin absorption is less frequent since pathogens only enter skin damaged by cuts, burns, blisters, or puncture wounds (Laitinen et al 1994; McCunney, 1986). The mucous membranes such as in the eyes and nose may also provide a pathway of entry for certain disease causing microorganisms. 2.2 Hazards in sewage treatment plants 2.2.1 Biological Hazards in wastewater Diseases are caused by infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, helminths and fungi which are present in the raw domestic wastewater mainly from human origin and in agricultural wastes. Diseases are also caused by contact with the toxins released by the infectious organisms, by insects or rodents thriving in the sludge drying beds (ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 1983). The following infectious agents can be found in raw wastewater: Table 2.1: The biological organisms in wastewater Organism Signs Symptoms Bacteria Salmonella Nausea, headache, diarrhea and vomiting; almost always with a fever. Tetanus (lockjaw) Muscular stiffness in jaw, neck. Sweating, fever, difficulty swallowing. Shigella Cramps, diarrhea, fever, bloody stool, nausea, vomiting. Leptospirosis (Weils Disease) Intestinal problems, liver and kidney disease, jaundice. E. coli Diarrhea, vomiting, little or no fever, blood often seen in stool. Tulareisis Chills, fever, swollen lymph nodes, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting. Yersinia Diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain that resembles appendicitis. Viruses Hepatitis A Fever, abdominal pain, nausea, jaundice, dark-colored urine. Hepatitis B Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, jaundice, joint pain. Hepatitis C Develops slowly, loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. Jaundice is less common. HIV Destroys immune system, prone to opportunistic infections. Polio Fever, headache, nausea, muscle pain and stiffness, paralysis. Parasites Entameoebahistolytica (amebiasis) Mild nausea, loose stool, abdominal tenderness. In severe cases can spread throughout the body and attack other organs, especially the liver. Giardia lamblia Cramps, weight loss, loose/greasy stool, bloating. Fever is rare. Sources: AFSCME; Utah Dept. of Health. 2.2.2 Virus 2.2.2.1 Hepatitis A A study was carried out to determine whether or not occupational exposure to sewage is associated with a higher seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus. In order to carry out the study about 600 sewage workers in Singapore were tested. The study showed that sewage workers had an increased occupational risk of acquiring HAV infection and should be protected by active immunisation (B. H. Heng, K. T. Goh, S. Doraisingham, and G. H. Quek, 1994). 2.2.3 Bacteria 2.2.3.1 Helicobacter pylori Several studies have shown that there was an increased risk for gastric cancer among sewage workers. During the last decade, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori has appeared as one important risk factor for gastric cancer and is now considered a class I carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (Rajnarayan R. Tiwari, 2008). 2.2.3.2 Legionella Legionella pneumophiliais usually spread by water aerosols caused either pneumonia or a no pneumonic disease (Pontiac fever). An investigation on American sewage workers found that there was no increased risk of infection with L pneumophilia. But recently some cases of Pontiac fever have been reported in workers exposed to aerosols from a sewage plant in the food industry treating only organic industrial waste. L pneumophilia, similar to that present in the infected workers was cultured from the sludge (Gregersen P, Grunnet K, Uldum SA, Andersen BH, Madsen H. 1999). 2.2.4 Parasites There has been a significant positive association between the finding of protozoa in faeces from sewage workers and the duration of exposure to sewage, (Knobloch J,Bialek R,Hagemann J. Intestinaler Protozoenbefall durchberufsbedingten Abwasserkontakt,1983). It has been reported that the prevalence of infestation with intestinal parasites was decreased by adopting good hygienic practices (Schlosser, O., et al, 1999). An increased risk for giardiasis has been reported among workers in France and Germany (Schlosser et al, 1999; Knobloch J, Bialek R, Hagemann J. Intestinalerb Protozoenbefallb durchberufsbedingtenb Abwasserkontakt,1983; Doby JM, Duval JM, Beaucournu JC.Amibiase, 1980; Clark CS, Linnemann CC, Clark JG, Gartside PS.1984; Sullivan R, LinnemannJr CC, Clark CS, Walzer PD.1987).An increased incidence of Entamoebahistiolytica has been reported in sewage exposed workers in France, but not in Germany (Bialek R, Hagemann J. Intestinaler Protozoenbefalldurchberufsbedingten Abwasserk ontakt. Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 1983; Doby JM, Duval JM, Beaucournu JC.Amibiase, 1980). 2.3 Chemical Hazard Wastewater contains a great amount of industrial contaminants which may harm those people who come into contact with sewage. According to the Pennsylvania DEP, methane and carbon dioxide were the most common chemical byproducts of wastewater. If found in a small enclosed space with a quantity of sewage, these gases could crowd out oxygen and asphyxiate anyone trapped in the area (Nellie J.Brown, 1997). Sewage workers were also exposed to gases such as hydrogen disulfide, methane, ammonia and carbon monoxide. Watt and his colleagues carried out a study on 26 sewer workers exposed to smell and it was found that 53.8% developed sub-acute symptoms including sore throat, cough, chest tightness, breathlessness, thirst, sweating and irritability. Severity of symptoms seemed to be dose related (Watt MM, Watt SJ, Seaton A. 1997). 2.4 Physical Hazard Physical hazards were caused due to exposures to excessive noise levels from mechanical equipment, UV radiation and adverse weather such as low or high temperature, and rain. (ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 1998) 2.5 Ergonomic Factors Musculoskeletal injuries were caused by over exertion during handling heavy loads, such as containers of chemicals, or by awkward working postures including frequent bending (ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 1983). Sewage workers have reported osteoarthritic problems and intervertebral disc herniation which are the common spinal disorders (ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 1970). An investigation was carried out by Friedrich on 255 sewage workers to determine the occurrence of spinal troubles (i.e., neck, upper back and lower back pain [LBP]). He reported that the 12-month prevalence rates of neck, upper back and LBP were 52.4%, 54.8% and 72.8%, respectively. He concluded that the occurrence of spinal troubles and work disability due to LBP increased with age, weekly duration of stooping, lifting and higher abnormal illness-behavior scores (Friedrich M, Cermak T, Heiller I, 2000). 2.6 Psychosocial and organizational factors Discomfort and psychological problems were related to prolonged wearing of protective clothing, the bad smells of the wastes, the feeling of working with soiled liquids in a dirty and not too respectable occupation, and to the worries caused by awareness of the dangers of the workplace (ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 1983). 2.7 Accidental hazards Accidental hazards which occurred in wastewater treatment plants included the followings: Slips and falls on floors made slippery by water, aqueous solutions or solvents. Falls into ponds, pits, clarifiers or tanks causing injuries or drowning. Hazards related to entry into confined spaces. Suffocation can occur due to oxygen shortage, poisoning such as hydrogen sulfide. Burns, by steam or hot vapors, by splashes of hot plating baths, solvent sand other liquids, by contact with hot surfaces (e.g., annealing ovens), Electric shock caused by contact with faulty electrical equipment and cables. Cuts and pricks by sharp tools sharp edges. Injuries especially of eyes caused by flying particles, in particular from rotating brush cleaning or wheel grinding. Fire and explosions due to the formation and release of flammable gases such as methane, hydrogen during processing. Strong chemical reactions caused by uncontrolled mixing of chemicals For example when mixing water with concentrated sulfuric acid during the preparation of reagents for wastewater treatment. Acute poisoning caused by various chemicals such as gaseous chlorine present in the wastes which is used as reagents, or released during the treatment. Acute intoxication caused if mistakenly drank untreated wastewater. Poisoning by phosgene, this may be formed if a worker smokes in the presence of chlorinated-solvent vapors, or if welding or other flames or arcs are used. Chemical burns by corrosive liquids. Damage to eyes by splashes of irritating or corrosive liquids (ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 1998). At a sewage treatment plant in Homeballe in Kimberley,five men aged between thirty and fifty who were repairing the pipes had lost their lives after drowning in a bay. It was believed that they may have gone unconscious due to the toxic fumes from the sewage and the area that they were in then filled up with water and sewage causing all five men to then drown (Jonckie on November 6th, 2012). 2.8 Health problems of workers at the treatment plant 2.8.1 Effects on skin and mucous membranes among the workers Many sewage workers have reported skin disorders (Lundholm M, Rylander R, 1983; Scarlett-Kranz JM, Babish JG, Strickland D, Lisk DJ, 1987) and inflammation of the eyes (Lundholm M, Rylander R, 1983; Mattsby I, Rylander R., 1978).After an accidental exposure to dust containing sludge, several incinerator workers at a sewage treatment plant in Toronto, Canada were affected by irritant contact dermatitis (Nethercott JR, 1981). 2.8.2 Effects on the nervous system Studies have also revealed that central nervous system symptoms such as headache, unusual tiredness, and concentration difficulties have been found among the sewage workers. In addition, an increased risk for non-specific work related gastrointestinal symptoms was found among the sewage workers (J Thorn, L Beijer, R Rylander, 2002). 2.8.3 Respiratory symptoms Several studies have been done to study the respiratory function of sewage workers. All of them demonstrated that respiratory symptoms such as chronic bronchitis and toxic pneumonitis were common among these workers (J Thorn, L Beijer, R Rylander, 2002). Moreover, abnormal respiratory functions which arose due to exposure to endotoxins and airborne bacteria by way of bio aerosols were also discovered in those sewage workers. Furthermore, Zuskin et al. reported that sewage workers were exposed to different occupational noxious agents, which may lead to the development of chronic lung function changes (Zuskin E, Mustajbegovic J, Schachter EN, 1993). 2.9 Health Safety of workers According to OSHA, the employer should give the worker: Training and education about the hazards present at the wastewater treatment plant. A place onsite with clean water for washing hands A place to wash and clean up after work. The right PPE, such as gloves, goggles, a face shield, water-resistant suit, or respirator, depending on the job type. Clean areas for eating and smoking. Cleaning facilities or services for clothing and equipment. (If clothing is badly soiled, change out of it. Keep equipment clean to limit your exposures to the disease-causing agents (Anon, 2004). 2.9.1 Safety of workers In wastewater treatment plants, engineering controls and work practices are the best ways to protect workers from exposures to disease. When engineering controls are not possible, the use personal protective equipment (PPE) is encouraged (Anon, 2004). 2.9.1.2 Engineering controls Engineering controls remove or reduce the hazard either by initial engineering design specifications or by applying methods such as substitution, isolation or ventilation (Raterman, 2002). 2.9.1.3 Administrative control Administrative controls that minimise employees exposures by scheduling reduce work times in contaminant areas, good work practices and employee training. Appropriate training which includes hazard recognition and work practices specific to the employees job that can help reduce exposures are given (Raterman, 2002). 2.9.1.4 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Personal Protective Equipment means any equipment intended to be worn or held by an employee and which protects him against risk to his health or safety. It includes: (a) Any addition or accessory designed to meet that objective; and (b) Clothing affording protection against the weather; (Occupational Safety and Health act, 2005) Workers handling sewage are provided with proper PPE. The following PPE are recommended for workers handing sewage: Goggles: to protect eyes from splashes of human waste or sewage. Protective face mask or splash-proof face shield: to protect nose and mouth from splashes of human waste or sewage. Liquid-repellent coveralls: to keep human waste or sewage off clothing. Waterproof gloves: to prevent exposure to sewage. Rubber boots: to prevent exposure to sewage.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2002). 2.9.1.5 Training for Workers All workers who handle sewage receive training. The training should include information on basic hygiene practices; use and disposal of personal protective equipment; proper handling of sewage; signs and symptoms of the different types of diseases present; and ways in which diseases can be transmitted. Workers are also advised to immediately seek medical attention if displaying any signs or symptoms such as vomiting, stomach cramps and watery diarrhea (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2002). 2.10 Hygiene Practices 2.10.1 Hygiene Hygiene is the association of human sciences, professions, technologies and disciplines for the purpose of protecting the health of individuals and community from any harmful exposure (Goldner, 2009). The science of hygiene comprises of disciplines, microbiology, parasitology, immunology, toxicology, entomology, pharmacology, environmental health including geography, topography, and engineering, all with a view to limit, inhibit, or block sources and characteristics that deter from normal living. 2.10.2 Hygiene at Work Protecting workers against disease, ill-health or impairment due to chemical, microbiological and physical health hazards, not only during, but after work, has been the traditional goal of occupational hygiene. Prevention of occupational diseases emanating from the workplace due to toxic exposures has been one of the primary roles (Pityn, 2007). A well planned and properly executed sanitation program for the workplace is of great importance for both the workers and the employers as it helps a company to attain better productivity in a safer work place and it ensures good working conditions for the workers. 2.11 Medical surveillance According to Occupational Safety and Health act, health surveillance should be provided to employees who are exposed to potentially hazardous substance. The medical surveillance should be free of charge and should be carried out at intervals of not less than once every 6 months or at shorter intervals as the medical practitioner may advise. (Occupational Safety and Health act 2005). 2.12 The role of Waste Water Management Authority (WMA) The WMA manages the public sewerage system which consists of 515 km of sewer network, 19 treatment plants and 50 pumping stations with the main treatment plants located at St-Martin, Grand-Baie, Baie-du-Tombeau, and Montagne Jacquot. The Wastewater Management Authority (WMA) has been established as a corporate body under the Wastewater Management Authority Act to be responsible for all matters relating to the collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater. It operates as an autonomous organization under the aegis of the Ministry of Renewable Energy and Public Utilities. The WMA thus plays an important role in the protection of the environment and in ensuring the countrys sustainable development by the provision of appropriate water pollution standards, wastewater control systems and management services to the entire population of Mauritius (www.gov.mu Accessed on 16.12.12). 2.13 The purpose of this study The general aim of the present study is to identify the general conditions of workers, the possible communicable and non-communicable disease which may affect the workers, the different types of symptoms experienced by the workers at the workplace, the personal protective equipment provided to the workers and the potential risk that can affect the workplace. In addition, information collected from the survey shall broaden the knowledge of sewage workers in regards to the harmful effects of sewage on health.