Development of Compliance Checklists for Wastewater Treatment Plants Dissertation

Development of Compliance Checklists for Wastewater Treatment Plants - Dissertation Example The report identifies the essential wastewater management regulations provided by regulating authorities. The processes highlighted within this report describe the possible opportunities for improvement within the existing checklists. This report defines the essential elements of compliance checklists that could be changed in ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. The regulations provided assist the developers of the checklist in identifying the different aspects of waste management processes requiring improvement. Improvements to the existing management processes could essentially ensure sustainability of wastewater disposal. The report presents a discussion of the prevailing problems within the wastewater disposal procedures. The management of the processes involved in wastewater disposal continues to cause difficulties in terms of implementation. Implementation of the processes requires development of checklists aimed at ensuring the entire process remains compliant w ith the environment regulations. The environment regulations remain the fundamental base for developing of proper compliance checklists for wastewater treatment plants. The report further identifies the various components of the development approval aimed at ensuring comprehensibility of the developed checklist. The compliance of wastewater treatment plant with required regulations remains essential in the overall process of waste management.... Proper operating procedures need to be adopted by wastewater treatment plants in ensuring production of safe products free from environmental contaminants. The management of waste disposal remains a critical element in environment conservation that requires critical assessment. Different waste management processes could be applied in ensuring that the disposal of waste, produced within different areas, remains safe to the environment. The environment remains the biggest concern when developing waste management procedures. While some wastes could be classified as biodegradable, others contain chemicals with potential environmental hazards. Waste management processes seek to develop disposal methods having limited negative environmental impacts. Proper waste disposal method could potentially increase the safety of environment through reduction of pollutants. The disposal of effluent material remains critical as these materials might contain harmful elements within the liquid. While sol id wastes can be sorted physically, liquid wastes contain dissolved and suspended materials, which could cause adverse environmental effects. Majority of the effluent materials require specialized analysis before disposal to establish their safety in disposing. The process of disposing these materials includes utilization of industrial processes for filtering the harmful elements, dissolved or suspended within the effluent material. The industrial process of treating effluent material causes numerous environmental challenges to the involved parties. The process requires the establishment of proper procedures for ensuring the safety of the process. During the treatment process, the treatment plant also presents a challenge for handling the waste material released by the plant. The imminent

Quiz 3 Questions and Answers Essay Example for Free

Quiz 3 Questions and Answers Essay 1. You are installing a network card in a computer that has several devices configured. There is a printer on LPT 1, a mouse on COM 1, a modem on COM 2, and a SCSI host adapter occupying IRQ 10. The computer also has a sound card using IRQ 5. If your network card supports IRQs 3 through 5 and 9 through 11, which of the following IRQs could you set it for in this computer? IRQ7 IRQ3 IRQ10 None of these IRQ4 IRQ5 2. A 100BaseVG network is build on a ______ topology with all computers attached to a hub ring mesh all of these star bus 3. Your network is experiencing heavy traffic and signal attenuation due to long cable distances between computers. Required Result: Correct the signal attenuation problem. Optional Desired Results: Reduce the broadcast traffic that is present on your network. Filter the network traffic to reduce the number of frames transferred across the network. Proposed Solution: Install repeaters between distant segments. Install routers and configure them to filter broadcast traffic. Which results does the proposed solution produce? The proposed solution produces the required result but does not produce any of the optional desired results.. The proposed solution produces the  required result and produces only one of the optional desired results.. The proposed solution does not produce the required result. The proposed solution produces the required result and produces both of the optional desired results. None of these 4. In a Token Ring frame the ______ field indicates whether the frame is a token frame or a data frame. none of these Access Control error checking priority media type 5. Cables attach the individual clients and serves to the MSAU that works like other ____________ hubs switch active passive bridge none of these 6. A token is a special type of ____________ that circulates around a cable ring data transmission frame or packet electrical signals none of these serial signals 7. Managing data on a network depends on traffic control. The set of rules that governs how network traffic is controlled is called: Channels Layers Interface Drivers. Access Methods. 8. You are considering starting a training company that provides on-site classroom instruction to various businesses. Your service will include a temporary networked classroom environment. Assuming that the facilities do not have pre-installed wiring and that the classroom will use 10 or less computers, which topology would require the least equipment and be the easiest to set up and tear down. [Choose the best answer] Star. All of these Ring. Mesh Bus. 9. With the demand-priority access method, the ____________ manage network access by doing round-robin searches for requests to send from all nodes. none of these users routers gateways hubs 10. CSMA/CD is known as a ____________ access method because computers on the network compete for an opportunity to send data poling parallel contention sequential priority 11. Ethernet can use several communication ____________ including TCP/IP protocols data paths channels applications media 12. Typically, the hub of a 10BaseT network serves as a multiport ________. 13. The 100BaseTX topology runs on UTP Category ________ data-grade cable 5 1 2 4 3 14. Because single-segment 10Base2 Ethernet limits would be too confining for a large business, ____________ can be used to join Ethernet segments and extend the network to a total length of 925 meters (about 3035 feet). none of these 4 repeaters 5 repeaters 2 repeaters 3 repeaters 5-4-3 rule The thinnet 5-4-3 rule: 5 segments, 4 repeaters, and 3 populated segments 15. Wi-Fi Wireless networks use _________ access method. Demand priority Token Bus CSMA/CA CSMA/CD Token Ring 16. Access methods prevent ____________ access to the media. preemptive None of these slow random simultaneous 17. A standard ethernet network can combine as many as ____________ cable segments connected by four repeaters, but only three segments can have stations attached. 6 none of these 3 4 5 18. A 10Base5 topology is also referred to as ____________. standard ethernet 802.3 Thicknet all of these 19. Token passing is deterministic, meaning that a computer cannot force its way onto the network as it can in a ______ environment CSMA/CD Polling Demand priority CSMA/CA Switching 20. Which type of network media-access method do IBM LANs with Multistation Access Units employ? CSMA/CA. CSMA/CD Beaconing Token passing. None of these 21. The trailer of a packet contains the destination address False True 22. In the IBM implementation of Token Ring, a star-wired ring, the actual physical ring of cable is in the ________. MSAU all of these none of these hub Repeater 23. When using the CSMA/CA access method, a computer waits until the network is quiet and then transmits its data. If two computers transmit at the same time, the data will collide and have to be re-sent. If two data packets collide, both will be destroyed. False. True 24. Ethernet relies on the ____________ access method to regulate traffic on the main cable segment CSMA/CA CSMA/CD all of these Token Ring Demand Priority 25. MSAUs were designed to sense when a ________ fails and to disconnect from it. Hub Cable NIC Network Computer CPU 26. Which access method is used, when each computer communicates only with a hub. The hub then controls the flow of data a. CSMA/CD b. CSMA/CA. c. Token Bus. d. Token Ring e. Demand priority c only a only both c and d e only b only d only 27. With data masses divided into _______, individual transmissions occur more frequently so that every computer on the network has more opportunities to transmit and receive data. bits messages frames or packets files bytes 28. In a packet, the header usually contains an error-checking component called a CRC True False 29. Which access methods is used, when each computer must wait to receive a token before it can transmit data. Only one computer at a time can use the token. a. CSMA/CD b. CSMA/CA. c. Token Bus. d. Token Ring e. Demand priority both c and d c only e only d only both a and b 30. A Token Ring network is an implementation of IEEE standard ____________. 802.4 802.2 802.11 802.5 802.3 31. Which of the following network access methods sends a signal indicating its intent to transmit data on the wire? [Choose the best answer] CSMA/CD Token passing. Beaconing CSMA/CA. None of these 32. If you must configure a network for three mission-critical servers and want to provide a highly fault-tolerant cabling scheme, which topology would you implement? [Choose the best answer] Star. Bus. Mesh None of these Ring. 33. With the token-passing access method, only one computer at a time can use the token; therefore, there are no _______. broadcastings contentions collisions all of these collisions and contentions 34. A packet (frame) components are grouped into sections: _________. CRC data header all of these trailer 35. When an IBM Token Ring network is full, adding another ____________ can enlarge the network MSAU all of these repeater Hub 36. With CSMA/CD, if there is data on the cable, no other computer may ____________ until the data has reached its destination and the cable is clear again transmit and receive none of these receive transmit 37. With more traffic on a CSMA/CD network, ____________ tend to increase, slowing the network down broadcasting all of these transmissions collisions unicasting 38. Fast Ethernet is another name for the ____________ topology 100BaseX all of these 100BaseFX 100BaseT4 100BaseT 39. The 10BaseT topology is an Ethernet network that uses _________ cable to connect stations Coaxial UTP and STP STP UTP Fiber 40. Packets (Frames) may contain session-control codes, such as error correction, that indicate the need for a ______. unicast recall stop transmission retransmission broadcast 41. Your network is experiencing heavy traffic and signal attenuation due to long cable distances between computers. Required Result: Correct the signal attenuation problem. Optional Desired Results: Reduce the broadcast traffic that is present on your network. Filter the network traffic to reduce the number of frames transferred across the network. P roposed Solution: Install repeaters between distant segments. Which results does the proposed solution produce? The proposed solution produces the required result and produces both of the optional desired results. None of these The proposed solution does not produce the required result. The proposed solution produces the required result but does not produce any of the optional desired results.. The proposed solution produces the required result and produces only one of the optional desired results. Check with Prof 42. Which of the following is most likely the problem if the operating system is unable to detect the network card? (Choose the best answer) Wrong frame type is set on the network card Wrong IRQ is set on the network card Wrong IRQ is set on the IDE controller card Wrong protocol is bound to the network adapter 43. Wireless networks use _______ topology mesh all of these star bus ring 44. In the demand-priority access method, transmissions are not ____________ to all other computers on the network multicast routed unicast all of these broadcast 45. When a frame returns to its sending computer, that computer ____________ the frame and puts a new token back on the ring. copies writes reads removes none of these 46. Every network interface card sees all packets sent on its segment, but it interrupts the computer only if the packet address matches its individual address True False 47. Typically, Ethernet is a baseband architecture that uses a _________topology all of these star mesh bus ring 48. The maximum length of a 10BaseT segment is ____________ meters 138 1000 500 250 100

A Deeper Insight of “The Cask of Amontillado” Essays -- essays researc

A Deeper Insight of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is Edgar Allan Poe’s intense use of symbolism and irony throughout â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† that establishes the short story as a candidate worthy of analysis. The skillful use of these devices are utilized by the author to create this horrific and suspenseful short story. Irony and symbolism in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† greatly effect the outcome of Fortunato’s well being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Cask of Amontillado† should be regarded as a slice of a horror story, which revolves around the theme of revenge and pride† (Levine 90). â€Å"Poe’s story is a case of premeditated murder. The reader becomes quickly aware of the fact that Montressor is not a reliable narrator, and that he has a tendency to hold grudges and exaggerate terribly, as he refers to the thousand of injuries that he has suffered at the hands of Fortunato† (Womack NP). The story relates a horrible revenge made even more horrible by the fact that the vengeance is being taken when no real offense had been given. Montressor is â€Å"one who will stop at nothing to get the revenge that he deems himself and his family worthy of, and another who's pride will ultimately be the catalyst for his death† (Benton 215).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" Irony is a manner of expression through which words or events convey a reality different from and even opposite to appearance or expectation† (Juvante NP). The use of such devices in this sto...

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 28

They walked right by the weeping door-guards. But very quickly, they discovered that while almost everyone was listening to Lady Fazina, in each room of the palace that was open to the public, a black-clad, white-gloved steward awaited, ready to give out information, and to keep a watchful eye on his lady's possessions. The first room that gave them any kind of hope was Lady Fazina's Hall of Harpery, a room devoted entirely to the display of harps, from ancient, bowlike, single-stringed instruments, undoubtedly played by individuals who were similar to cavedwellers, to tall, gilded, orchestral harps like the one Fazina was now playing, the music audible throughout the palace. Magic, Elena thought again. They seem to use it here instead of technology. â€Å"Each kind of harp has a unique key to tune the strings,† Meredith whispered, looking down the length of the hall. On each side the line of harps marched into the distance. â€Å"One of those keys might be the key.† â€Å"But how will we even know?† Bonnie was fanning herself lightly with her peacock feather fan. â€Å"What's the difference between a harp key and the fox key?† â€Å"I don't know. And I've never heard of a key being kept in a harp, either. It would rattle around the sound box every time the harp shifted slightly,† Meredith admitted. Elena bit her lip. It was such a simple, reasonable question. She should feel dismayed, should be wondering how they could ever find one small half of a key in this place. Especially considering that the clue they had – that it was in the Silver Nightingale's instrument, suddenly seemed absurd. â€Å"I don't suppose,† Bonnie said a little giddily, â€Å"that the instrument is her voice, and that if we reach down her throat†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena turned to look at Meredith, who was looking heavenward – or at whatever was above this hideous dimension. â€Å"I know,† Meredith said. â€Å"No more drinks for birdbrain here. Although I suppose it's possible that they give out little silver whistles or instruments as favors – all big parties used to do that, you know – give you a gift.† â€Å"How,† Damon said in a carefully expressionless tone, â€Å"would they possibly get the key into a favor for a party being given at least weeks away, and how could they ever hope to retrieve it? Misao might as well have told Elena, ‘We threw the key away.'† â€Å"Well,† began Meredith, â€Å"I'm not at all sure that they did mean for the keys to be retrievable, even by them. And Misao could have meant ‘You'd have to search all the garbage from the night of this gala' – or some other party Fazina performed at. I imagine she gets asked to play at a lot of other people's parties, too.† Elena hated bickering, even though she was a champion bickerer herself. But she was a goddess tonight. Nothing was impossible. If only she could remember†¦ Something like white lightning struck her brain. For just an instant – one instant – she was back, struggling with Misao. Misao was in her fox form, biting and scratching – and snarling out a reply to Elena's question about where the two halves of the fox key were. â€Å"As if you would understand the answers I could give. If I told you that one was inside the silver nightingale's instrument, would that give you any kind of idea?† Yes. Those had been the exact words, the real words that Misao had spoken. Elena heard her own voice, repeating the words distinctly now. And then she felt something like an arc of lightning leave her mind – only to meet another's not far away. The next thing she knew her eyes were flying open in surprise because Bonnie was speaking in that blank toneless way she always did when making a prophecy: â€Å"Each half of the fox key is shaped like a single fox, with two ears, two eyes, and a snout. The two fox key halves are gold and covered with gems – and their eyes are green. The key you seek is yet in the Silver Nightingale's instrument.† â€Å"Bonnie!† Elena said. She could see that Bonnie's knees were trembling, her eyes unfocused. Then they opened and Elena watched as confusion surged in to fill the blankness. â€Å"What's going on?† Bonnie said, looking around to see everyone looking at her. â€Å"What – what happened?† â€Å"You told us what the fox keys look like!† Elena couldn't help this exclamation – almost a shout of joy. Now that they knew what they were looking for they could free Stefan; they would free Stefan. Nothing would stop Elena now. Bonnie had just helped move this quest to an entirely different level. But while she was quaking inside with joy at the prophecy, Meredith, in her own level-headed way, was taking care of the prophet. Meredith said quietly, â€Å"She's probably going to faint. Would you please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Meredith didn't have to ask further, for the vampires, Damon and Sage, were each quick enough to catch and support Bonnie on opposite sides. Damon was staring down at the diminutive girl in surprise. â€Å"Thanks, Meredith,† Bonnie said, and let out a breath, blinking. â€Å"I don't think I'll faint,† she added, and then with a glance up at Damon through her lashes, â€Å"But it's probably just as well to make sure.† Damon nodded and got a better grip, looking serious. Sage turned half away, seeming to have something stuck in his throat. â€Å"What did I say? I don't remember!† And after Elena had solemnly repeated Bonnie's words it was just like Meredith to say, â€Å"You're sure now, Bonnie? Does that sound right?† â€Å"I'm sure. I'm positive,† Elena cut in. She was positive. The Goddess Ishtar and Bonnie had unlocked the past for her and shown her the key. â€Å"All right. What if Bonnie and Sage and I take this room, and two of us can be distracting the steward, while the third looks in the harps for keys?† Meredith suggested. â€Å"Right. Let's do it!† Elena said. Meredith's plan proved to be more difficult in practice than it sounded. Even with two glorious young girls in the room and one terminally fit guy, the steward kept spinning in little circles and catching one or another of them handling and peering into a harp. Naturally, the handling was strictly forbidden. It put the harps further out of tune and it could easily damage them, especially since the only way to make absolutely sure that a small golden key was not in a harp's sound box was to actually shake the harp and listen for rattling. Worse, each of the harps was displayed in its own little nook, complete with dramatic lighting, a flamboyant painted screen behind it (most of them portraits of Fazina playing the harp in question), and a plush red rope across the front of the nook that said â€Å"Keep Out† as plainly as a sign. In the end Bonnie, Meredith, and Sage resorted to having Sage Influence the steward to be entirely passive – something he was only able to do for a few minutes of time, or the steward would notice the gaps in Lady Fazina's program. They would then each frantically search harps while the steward stood like a wax figure. Meanwhile Damon and Elena were wandering the palace, looking through the rest of the mansion that was off-limits to visitors. If they found nothing, they intended to search the more available rooms as the gala continued. It was dangerous work, this stealing in and out of darkened, cordoned-off – often locked – empty rooms: dangerous and strangely thrilling to Elena. Somehow, it seemed that fear and passion were more closely related than she had fully realized. Or at least, it seemed that way with her and Damon. Elena couldn't help noticing and admiring little things about him. He seemed to be able to pick any lock with a single little implement he produced from inside his black jacket, the way other people produce fountain pens, and he had such a swift, graceful way of taking the pick out and putting it back in. Economy of motion, she knew, earned by living for around five centuries. Also, no one could argue it: Damon seemed to keep his head in any situation, which made them a good pair right now when she was striding around like a goddess who could not be bound by the rules of mortals. This was even enhanced by the scares she got: shapes that looked like guards or sentries looming up at her turned out to be a stuffed bear, a slim cupboard, and something Damon didn't allow her more than a glimpse of, but what looked like a mummified human. Damon wasn't fazed by any of them. If I could just channel some more Power to my eyes, Elena thought, and things immediately brightened up. Her Power was obeying her! God! I'll have to wear this dress for the rest of my life: it makes me feel so†¦powerful. So†¦unashamed. I'll have to wear it to college, if I ever get to college, to impress my professors; and to Stefan's and my wedding – just so people understand I'm not a slut; and – to the beach, just to give the guys something to ogle†¦ She stifled a giggle and was surprised to see Damon glance with mock reproach at her. Of course, he was as closely focused on her as she was on him. But it was a slightly different case, of course, because, to his eyes, she wore a big label with STRAWBERRY JAM written on it, tied around her neck. And he was getting hungry again. Very hungry. Next time I'm going to see that you eat properly before you go out, she thought at him. Let's worry about succeeding this time before we start planning for next time, he returned, with just the faintest firefly hint of his 250-kilowatt smile. But it was all mixed in, of course, with a little of the sardonic triumph that Damon always carried with him. Elena swore to herself that laugh at her as he might, beg her as he might, threaten or cajole as he might, she wouldn't give Damon the satisfaction of even one nip tonight. He could just pop the top off another jam pot, she thought. Eventually, the sweet music of the concert was stilled and Elena and Damon dashed back to meet with Bonnie, Meredith, and Sage in the Harpery Hall. Elena could have guessed the news by Bonnie's stance, even if she hadn't already known from Sage's silence. But the news was worse than Elena could have imagined: not only had the three found nothing in the Harpery Hall, but they had finally resorted to quizzing the steward, who could speak, if not move, under Sage's Influence. â€Å"And guess what he told us,† Bonnie said, and added before anyone could venture a word, â€Å"Those harps are each cleaned and tuned every single day. Fazina has, like, a whole army of servants for them. And anything, anything that didn't belong to a harp would be reported at once. And nothing has been! It just isn't there!† Elena felt herself shrink from omniscient goddess to baffled human. â€Å"I was worried it would be like this,† she admitted, sighing. â€Å"It would have been just too easy the other way. All right, Plan B. You mingle with the gala guests, trying to get a look at each room that's open to the public. Try to dazzle Fazina's consort and pump him for information. See if Misao and Shinichi have been here recently. Damon and I will keep looking in the rooms that are supposed to be closed off.† â€Å"That's so dangerous,† Meredith said, frowning. â€Å"I'm afraid of what the penalty might be if you're caught.† â€Å"I'm afraid of what the penalty might be to Stefan if we don't find this key tonight,† Elena retorted shortly, and turned on her heel, leaving. Damon followed her. They searched endless darkened rooms, now not even knowing whether they were looking for a harp or something else. First Damon would check if there were a breathing body inside the room (there might be a vampire guard, of course, but there wasn't much to do about that), then he picked the lock. Things were working seamlessly until they reached a room at the end of a long hall facing west – Elena had long since gotten lost in the palace, but she could unerringly tell west, because it was where the bloated sun hung. Damon had picked the lock of this room and Elena had originally started forward eagerly. She searched the room, which contained, frustratingly, a silver-framed picture of a harp, but with nothing as bulky as the half of the fox key inside it, even when she had carefully used Damon's lock pick to unscrew the backing. It was while she was placing this picture back on the wall that they both heard the thump. Elena winced, praying that none of the black-suited â€Å"security servants† who roamed the palace had heard the noise. Damon quickly put a hand over her mouth and dialed the gaslight knob into darkness. But they both could hear it now†¦footsteps approaching from outside in the hallway. Someone had heard the thump. The footsteps stopped outside the door and there was the distinct sound of an upper servant's discreet cough. Elena whirled, feeling in that moment as if Wings of Redemption were within her reach. It would only require the slightest rise in adrenaline and she would have the security worker on his or her knees, sobbing in the penitence of a lifetime's work at evil. Elena and Damon would be gone before – But Damon had another idea, and Elena was startled into going along with it. When the door opened silently a moment later, the steward found a couple locked in such a tight embrace that they seemed not even to notice the intrusion. Elena could practically feel his indignation. The desire of a couple of guests to discreetly embrace in the privacy of Lady Fazina's many public rooms was understandable, but this was part of the private household. As he turned the lights up, Elena peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. Her psychic senses were open enough to catch his thoughts. He was going over the valuables in the room with an experienced but bored gaze. The exquisite miniature vase with the trailing roses picked out in rubies and emerald-encrusted vines; the magically preserved 5,000-year-old wooden Sumerian lyre; the twin pair of solid gold candlesticks in the shape of rearing dragons; the Egyptian funerary mask with its dark, elongated eyeholes seeming to watch out of its brilliantly painted features†¦all were here. It wasn't even as if her ladyship kept anything of great value here, but still, â€Å"This room is not part of the public display,† he told Damon, who merely clasped Elena closer. Yes, Damon seemed very determined to put on a good show for the steward†¦or something like that. But hadn't they already†¦done so? Elena's thoughts were losing coherency. The last thing†¦the very last thing that they could afford†¦was to†¦lose the chance of†¦finding the fox key. Elena started to pull away, and then realized that she mustn't. Mustn't. Not couldn't. She was property, expensive property to be sure, decked out the way she was tonight, but Damon's to dispose of as he chose. While someone else was looking on, she must not seem to disobey her master's wishes. Still, Damon was taking this too far†¦farther than he had ever taken liberties with her, although, she thought wryly, he didn't know that. He was caressing the skin left unprotected by the ivory goddess dress, her arms, her back, even her hair. He knew how she liked that, how she could somehow feel it when her hair was held and the ends caressed softly or gently crushed in a fist. Damon! She was down to the last resort now: pleading. Damon, if they detain us, or do anything to us that keeps us from finding the key tonight – when will we have another chance?†¦She let him feel her desperation, her guilt, even the treacherous desire she had to forget everything and let each minute carry her further on this wave of ardor that he had created. Damon, I'll†¦say it if you want. I'm†¦begging you. Elena could feel her eyes prickling as tears flooded them. No tears. Elena heard Damon's telepathic voice gratefully. There was something strange about it, though. It couldn't be starvation – he'd had her blood not much more than two hours ago. And it wasn't passion, for she could hear – and sense – that, all too clearly. Yet Damon's telepathic voice was so taut with control that it almost frightened her. More, she knew he could feel that it frightened her and that he chose to do nothing about it. No explanation. No exploration, either, she realized as she found that behind the control, his mind was entirely shut to her. The only thing she could liken the feeling that she got from his steely control was pain. Pain that was just on the edge of the endurable. But from what? Elena wondered helplessly. What could cause him pain like that? Elena couldn't waste their time on wondering what was wrong with Damon. She turned up the Power of her own hearing and began to listen at the doors before they entered. It was while she was listening that suddenly a new idea solidified in Elena's mind, and she stopped Damon in a pitch-dark hallway and tried to explain to him what kind of room she was looking for. What, in modern days, would be called a â€Å"home office.† Damon, familiar with the architecture of great mansions, took her, after only a few false starts, into what was clearly a lady's writing room. Elena's eyes were by now as keen as his in the dimness as they searched by the light of a single candle. While Elena was being frustrated after searching a remarkable desk with pigeonholes for secret drawers, and not finding any, Damon was checking the hallway. â€Å"I hear someone outside,† he said. â€Å"I think it's time to leave now.† But Elena was still looking. And – as her eyes raced across the room – she saw a small writing desk with an old-fashioned chair and an assortment of various pens, from ancient to modern, flaunting themselves from elaborate holders. â€Å"Let's go while it's still clear,† Damon murmured impatiently. â€Å"Yes,† Elena said distractedly. â€Å"All right†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then she saw. Without an instant's hesitation she strode across the room to the desk and picked up a pen with a brilliant silver plume. It wasn't a genuine quill pen, of course; it was a fountain pen made to look elegant and old-fashioned – with a plume. The pen itself was curved to fit her hand, and the wood felt warm. â€Å"Elena, I don't feel very†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Damon, shhh,† Elena said, ignoring him, too absorbed in what she was doing to really hear. First: try to write. No go. Something was blocking the cartridge. Second: unscrew the fountain-pen carefully, as if to refill its cartridge, while all the time her heart was clamoring in her ears and her hands were shaking. Keep moving slowly†¦don't miss anything†¦for God's sake don't let anything fall away and bounce in this dimness. The two parts of the pen parted in her hand†¦ †¦and onto the dark green desk pad fell a small, heavy, curved piece of metal. It had just fit inside the widest part of the pen. She had it in her hand and was reassembling the pen before she could get a good look at it. But then†¦she had to open her hand and see. The small crescent-shaped object dazzled her eyes in the light, but it was just like the description Bonnie had given Elena and Meredith. A tiny representation of a fox with a nominal body and a jewel-encrusted head that sported two flat ears. The eyes were two sparkling green stones. Emeralds? â€Å"Alexandrite,† Damon said in a bedroom whisper. â€Å"Folklore has it that they change color in candlelight or firelight. They reflect the flame.† Elena, who had been leaning back against him, recalled with a chill the way Damon's eyes had reflected flame when he had been possessed: the bloodred flame of the malach – of Shinichi's cruelty. â€Å"So,† Damon demanded, â€Å"how did you do it?† â€Å"This is really one of the two pieces of the fox key?† â€Å"Well, it's hardly something that belongs in a fountain pen. Maybe it's a Crackerjack prize. But you went right to it the moment we entered the room. Even vampires need time to think, my precious princess.† Elena shrugged. â€Å"It's too easy, actually. When it was clear that all those harp keys were no goes, I asked myself what else was an instrument that you'd find in someone's house. A pen is a writing instrument. Then I just had to find out whether Lady Fazina had a study or writing room.† Damon let out a breath. â€Å"Hell's demons, you little innocent. You know what I've been looking for? Trap doors. Secret entries to dungeons. The only other instrument I could think of was an ‘instrument of torture' and you'd be surprised at how many of them you'll find in this fair city.† â€Å"But not in her house – !† Elena's voice rose dangerously, and they were both silent a moment to make up for it, listening, on tenterhooks, for any sound from the hallway. There was none. Elena let out her breath. â€Å"Quick! Where, where will it be safe?† She was realizing that the one fault of the goddess dress was that there was absolutely no place to hide anything. She'd have to speak to Lady Ulma about that for next time. â€Å"Down, down in the pocket of my jeans,† Damon said, seeming to be as urgent and shaking as badly as she was. When he had jammed it deep into the recesses of his black Armani jeans he caught her by both hands. â€Å"Elena! Do you realize? We've done it. We've actually done it!† â€Å"I know!† Tears were leaking out of Elena's eyes and all of Lady Fazina's music seemed to be swelling in one great, perfect chord. â€Å"We did it together!† And then somehow – like all the other â€Å"somehows† that were getting to be a habit with them, Elena was in Damon's arms, sliding her own arms under his jacket to feel his warmth, his solidity. She wasn't surprised, either, to feel a double piercing at her throat when she dropped her head back: her lovely panther was really only a little tamed, and needed to learn a few basics of dating etiquette; such as you kiss before you bite. He had said he was hungry earlier, she remembered, and she had ignored him, too enthralled by the silver pen to put the words together. But she put them together now, and understood – except why he seemed to be so exceptionally hungry tonight. Maybe even†¦excessively hungry. Damon, she thought gently, you're taking a lot. She could feel no response but the raw hunger of the panther. Damon, this could be dangerous†¦for me. This time Elena put as much Power as she could into the words she sent. Still no response from Damon, but she was floating now, down into darkness. And that gave her the vague thread of an idea. Where are you? Are you here? she called, picturing the little boy. And then she saw him, chained to his boulder, curled up in a ball, with his fists covering his eyes. What's wrong? Elena asked immediately, floating near to him, concerned. He's hurting! He's hurting! Are you hurt? Show me, Elena said instantly. No! He's hurting you. He could kill you! Husshh. Husshhh. She tried to cradle him. We have to make him hear us! All right, Elena said. She really was feeling odd and weak. But she turned, along with the child, and cried voicelessly: Damon! Please! Elena says stop! And a miracle happened. Both she and the child could feel it. The little sting of fangs being withdrawn. The stop of energy flow from Elena to Damon. And then, ironically, the miracle began to take her away from the child, with whom she really wanted to speak. No! Wait! she tried to tell Damon, clinging to the child's hands as hard as she could, but she was being catapulted back to consciousness as if by a hurricane. The darkness faded. In its place was a room, too bright, its one candle blazing like a police searchlight aimed directly at her. She shut her eyes and felt the warmth and heaviness of the corporeal Damon in her arms. â€Å"I'm sorry! Elena, can you speak? I didn't realize how much – † There was something wrong with Damon's voice. Then she understood. Damon's fangs were unretracted. Wha – ? Everything was wrong. They'd been so happy, but – but now her right arm felt wet. Elena pulled away from Damon entirely, staring at her arms, which were red and with something that wasn't paint. She was still too worked up to ask questions properly. She slipped behind Damon and pulled his black leather jacket off him. In the brilliant light she could see his black silk shirt marred by line after line of dried, partially dried, or just plain wet blood. â€Å"Damon!† Her first reaction was horror without a touch of guilt or understanding. â€Å"What happened? Did you get in a fight? Damon, tell me!† And then something in her mind presented her with a number. Since she had been a child, she had been able to count. In fact. she'd learned to count to ten before her first birthday. Therefore, she'd had seventeen full years of learning to count the number of irregular, deep, still-bleeding cuts in Damon's back. Ten. Elena looked down at her own bloody arms and at the goddess dress, which was now the horror dress because its pure milky whiteness was marred with brilliant red. Red that should have been her blood. Red that must have felt like sword slashes into Damon's back as he channeled the pain and the marks of the Night of her Discipline from her to him. And he carried me all the way home. The thought came swimming in from nowhere. Without a word about it. I would never have known†¦. And he still hasn't healed. Will he ever heal? That was when she started screaming on all frequencies.

Advantages & Disadvantages of E-Learning

E-learning is a broad term that generally refers to any kind of learning done with a computer and Internet connection or CD-ROM. It is used by individuals, educational institutions and businesses. As with any type of learning, it works better for some than others. The quality of e-learning has improved in recent years, as teachers and students have become more comfortable with the technology. 1. Considerations * E-learning is an excellent option in education, particularly when there are hindrances to traditional learning situations.For example, some people wish to continue their educations but do not live within driving distance of a college or university and don't find it feasible to relocate. E-learning is a viable alternative for these students. Another hindrance to traditional learning, especially in grades K through 12, is the â€Å"one size fits all† mentality it embraces. Many students just do not learn well in a traditional learning environment, but thrive in a more fl exible setting. To address this issue, parents are turning to e-learning opportunities for their children.Some choose full-time enrollment in a virtual school, while others use e-learning to supplement a home school curriculum. In the business world, e-learning provides a way for companies to train and instruct employees without requiring them to travel to a central location. Advantages * Convenience is one of the major advantages of e-learning. It allows students to work and learn at their own pace without the unyielding time restrictions of traditional learning. Because e-learning provides access to learning materials at any time, students have the flexibility to schedule around families, jobs and other activities.Another major benefit of e-learning is the accessibility it provides. Students can learn from anywhere in the world. This is an especially important consideration for students who wish to study in a different country. In addition, because e-learning can be done from home , students have less clothing and driving expenses than with traditional learning. Disadvantages * A major disadvantage to e-learning is the self-discipline it requires. While being able to work at your own pace can be an advantage, it can also be a disadvantage.This is especially true for students who have difficulty with time management and procrastination. These students tend to be more successful with the structure of traditional learning. Another disadvantage to e-learning is the technology involved. Some people do not have ready access to a computer and Internet connection. And some who do have the required equipment feel ill-equipped to use it. Lack of interaction between teacher and student is another drawback to e-learning. Some students need the immediate feedback that interaction provides. Types * There are several types of e-learning situations.The most common include taking a single course online, full-time enrollment in an online high school or college, distance learni ng via satellite and learning from information on a CD-ROM. Many businesses and organizations offer training for their employees using various e-learning methods. Warning * E-learning greatly increases the availability of educational opportunities. Unfortunately, it also increases the number of scams related to online education. Persons considering e-learning possibilities should be alert to such scams and thoroughly investigate any program before making a commitment.

Free Essays on Australia’s Relations With Japan And Other Pro-Whaling Nations

Australia’s Relations with Japan and other Pro-Whaling Nations Introduction Commercial whaling is a very controversial issue. The question whether or not to whale is an issue with many factors. Commercial whaling is the focus of a debate between pro-whaling nations such as Japan and Norway and anti-whaling nations like Australia, United States and the UK. Both sides present justifiable arguments both for and against commercial whaling Arguments for whaling Countries such as Japan, Greenland, Iceland and Norway claim they are reliant on whaling for economic and cultural reasons.Whale meat provides a key source of protein in the diet and the sale of whale meat and products made from whales provides an economic foundation for these communities. These societies are centred on a cultural tradition of whaling. This small-scale coastal whaling is prohibited by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Some argue this is causing continuing social and economic hardship for people whose traditional customs and lifestyle directly relate to the whaling culture. Japan claims that small-scale exploitation of whales pose no threat to whale populations yet is critical to the survival of their society. Japan along with many nations have a long history and tradition of whaling and it is part of their culture. Anti-whaling countries such as Australia, the UK and the United States are accused of cultural ignorance in their ongoing opposition to commercial whaling. Japan argues that this cultural bias is based on Western societies norms and political prejudice against whaling. The projection of the Western world's anti-whaling beliefs onto traditional whaling nations is seen to infringe on the rights of those nations. Some argue that whaling is an ecologically sustainable industry, which uses a plentiful marine resource to support a growing human population. Whaling nations say it causes minimal environmental damage when compared to the land base... Free Essays on Australia’s Relations With Japan And Other Pro-Whaling Nations Free Essays on Australia’s Relations With Japan And Other Pro-Whaling Nations Australia’s Relations with Japan and other Pro-Whaling Nations Introduction Commercial whaling is a very controversial issue. The question whether or not to whale is an issue with many factors. Commercial whaling is the focus of a debate between pro-whaling nations such as Japan and Norway and anti-whaling nations like Australia, United States and the UK. Both sides present justifiable arguments both for and against commercial whaling Arguments for whaling Countries such as Japan, Greenland, Iceland and Norway claim they are reliant on whaling for economic and cultural reasons.Whale meat provides a key source of protein in the diet and the sale of whale meat and products made from whales provides an economic foundation for these communities. These societies are centred on a cultural tradition of whaling. This small-scale coastal whaling is prohibited by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Some argue this is causing continuing social and economic hardship for people whose traditional customs and lifestyle directly relate to the whaling culture. Japan claims that small-scale exploitation of whales pose no threat to whale populations yet is critical to the survival of their society. Japan along with many nations have a long history and tradition of whaling and it is part of their culture. Anti-whaling countries such as Australia, the UK and the United States are accused of cultural ignorance in their ongoing opposition to commercial whaling. Japan argues that this cultural bias is based on Western societies norms and political prejudice against whaling. The projection of the Western world's anti-whaling beliefs onto traditional whaling nations is seen to infringe on the rights of those nations. Some argue that whaling is an ecologically sustainable industry, which uses a plentiful marine resource to support a growing human population. Whaling nations say it causes minimal environmental damage when compared to the land base...

Cyber Debate on Evolution Essays

Cyber Debate on Evolution Essays Cyber Debate on Evolution Essay Cyber Debate on Evolution Essay 1. Deoxyribonucleic acid informations suggests that microevolution every bit good as macroevolution can be altered at a familial degree. therefore indicating out that tail development can be triggered or prevented through the change of a individual cistron ( Miller. 1996a ) . a. Harmonizing to current research findings. microevolution and macroevolution are both affected by cistron looks ; therefore. the grounds is good established. B. The development of the organic structure parts of the Drosophila can decidedly be altered through the usage of induced mutant which has direct effects on the DNA ( Hlodan. 2007 ) . 2. Paleontology informations. specifically the dodos. provides a clear position of the evolutionary procedure as the relationship between current and hereditary signifiers of the line of descent of animals ; the dodos provide insight into the transitional stages. portraying the alterations in organ development in field position ( Miller. 1996b ) . a. Recent treatments in scientific literature support this claim. all indicating out that dodos serve as a tool for garnering insight sing transitional evolutionary development. The occasional losing links or information spreads are apprehensible since non all dodos are easy found. B. Transitional dodos are present which show direct or indirect relationships between related animals. The of import thing is that general resemblance is considered in set uping what a transitional dodo is ( Isaak. 2006 ) . B. Phillip E. Johnson 1. Deoxyribonucleic acid informations proposing that development occurs and Begins at the familial graduated table is contradictory to established facts. as there have been surveies indicating out that the lone fluctuation produced at the familial degree is of microevolution. Hence. there is no significant alteration to turn out that development in footings of organ development can be attained through the familial degree ( Johnson. 1996 ) . a. Johnson made a direct mention to the purportedly irreducibly complex extremities of micro-organisms to set up his point. However. the construct of these extremities being irreducibly complex is easy being debunked by the scientific community. Therefore. this statement is weak. B. The chief point that refutes the construct of the scourge as irreducibly composite is based on the fact that proteins within the cells play a function in finding the fluctuations in construction and characteristics. Hence. even in scourge. development is apparent ( Le Page. 2008 ) . 2. Paleontology informations. specifically the dodos. supply an ill-defined lineation of the procedure of development since the relationships between purportedly related dodos in footings of descent can non be decently tested by any agencies ( Johnson. 1996 ) . a. No definite trials are done. but there are definite methods to measure the relationship between beings through the information derived from dodos by specific tools. ensuing in an increased apprehension of line of descents. Therefore. the point given is instead improperly defined. B. Computer simulation engineerings provide a manner to deduce relevant phyletic information and relationship from samples that are one time thought to be inconclusive ( Santini A ; Tyler. 2004 ) . II. The arguers are from two really diverse cognition countries. Miller was a life scientist while Johnson patterns jurisprudence. With this point. there is an apparent job sing the degree of authorization of Johnson to decently come in such a argument since his educational attainment is non in any manner related to development. From the procedure of the argument. the inclination of Johnson to be a attorney is good observed. Unlike Miller who expressed the cogency of his points by explaning the constructs implicit in development. Johnson opted to mention books and people refering to development and from these. he gathered specific points good to his base. In the instance of utilizing Miller’s book for case. Johnson specifically selected a certain set of words deemed as defects and used them for statement. This manner. Johnson seems to hold utilized a simplified attack towards set uping his point and at certain points well out of context. Another job seen in Johnson’s attack is that in points wherein no given cogent evidence is yet established and merely a general construct is provided. he argues that no such cogent evidence exists due to the fact that the Godhead is left out of inquiry. The job with this is that this point is rather irrelevant. as normally stated. scientific discipline and faith do non and should non be used in analysis at the same clip. The argument on development and its cogency is based on supplying findings and should non be based upon constructs of faith. It is apparent that throughout the terminal of the argument. the onslaughts on the cogency of development by Johnson are instead derived from spiritual footing. go forthing Miller to merely support cardinal points of development through scientific constructs. Therefore. since the general discontent of Johnson in the theory of development relies on the undetermined facets in support of the theory. it seems that he does non hold a complete apprehension of the construct of theory. In a theory. constructs and thoughts are invariably being tested and elucidated to see if it so holds up. Hence. spreads in informations and undertanding are expected. III. The victor of the argument clearly is Miller. He was able to keep the cogency of the theory of development integral by decently explicating related constructs and supplying cogent evidence and illustrations when needed. Throughout the argument he was able to reply all inquiries raised and at the same clip expose the faith based end of Johnson. whom in fact argued for the deficiency of trial processs to do cogent evidence for development established. Mentions Hlodan. O. ( 2007. March ) Macroevolution: Development above the species degree. BioScience. 57 ( 3 ) . 222–225. Isaak. M. ( 2006. November 5 ) ClaimCC200: Transitional dodos. The Talk Origins Archive. Retrieved April 9. 2009. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. talkorigins. org/indexcc/CC/CC200. hypertext markup language. Johnson. P. E. ( 1996. November 19 ) Letter 2 – How did we acquire here? . NOVA Online – Odyssey of Life. Retrieved April 2. 2009. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. phosphate buffer solution. org/wgbh/nova/odyssey/debate/deb02joh1119. hypertext markup language. Le Page. M. ( 2008. April 16 ) Development myths: The bacterial scourge is irreducibly complex. New Scientist Life. Retrieved April 9. 2009. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. newscientist. com/article/dn13663-evolution-myths-the-bacterial-flagellum-is-irreducibly-complex. hypertext markup language. Miller. K. R. ( 1996a. November 30 ) Letter 5 – How did we acquire at that place? . NOVA Online – Odyssey of Life. Retrieved April 2. 2009. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. phosphate buffer solution. org/wgbh/nova/odyssey/debate/deb05mil1130. hypertext markup language. Miller. K. R. ( 1996b. November 23 ) Letter 3 – How did we acquire at that place? . NOVA Online – Odyssey of Life. Retrieved April 2. 2009. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. phosphate buffer solution. org/wgbh/nova/odyssey/debate/deb03mil1123. hypertext markup language. Santini. F. A ; Tyler. J. C. ( 2004 ) Importance of even extremely uncomplete dodo taxa in retracing the phyletic relationships in tetraodontiformes. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 44 ( 5 ) . 349–357.

Biography of George S. Patton, Famed American General

Biography of George S. Patton, Famed American General George S. Patton (November 11, 1885–December 21, 1945) was an American Army general noted for winning battles in World Wars I and II. He first came to attention as a commander fighting Pancho Villa in Mexico and helped revolutionize the use of tanks in warfare. Despite his many successes, his aggressive, colorful personal style and his temper often caused issues with his superiors. Fast Facts: George S. Patton Known For: Famed but controversial American combat generalAlso Known As: Old Blood and GutsBorn: Nov. 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, CaliforniaParents: George Smith Patton Sr., Ruth WilsonDied: Dec. 21, 1945 in Heidelberg, GermanyEducation: West PointSpouse: Beatrice AyerChildren: Beatrice Smith, Ruth Ellen, George Patton IVNotable Quote: Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. Early Life Born on November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California, George Smith Patton, Jr. was the son of George S. Patton, Sr. and Ruth Patton. An avid student of military history, the young Patton was descended from American Revolution Brigadier General Hugh Mercer and several of his relatives fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. During his childhood, Patton met former Confederate raider and family friend John S. Mosby. The old veterans war stories helped fuel Pattons desire to become a soldier. Departing home, he enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute in 1903 before transferring to West Point the following year. Compelled to repeat his plebe year due to poor grades in mathematics, Patton reached the position of cadet adjutant before graduating in 1909. Assigned to the cavalry, Patton went on to compete in the modern pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. Finishing fifth overall, he returned to the United States and was posted to Fort Riley, Kansas. While there, he developed a new cavalry saber and training techniques. Assigned to the 8th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas, he took part in Brigadier General John J. Pershings Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa in 1916. World War I During the expedition, Patton led the U.S. Armys first armored attack when he assaulted an enemy position with three armored cars. In the fighting, key Villa henchman Julio Cardenas was killed- earning Patton some notoriety. With the U.S. entry into World War I in April 1917, Pershing had Patton promoted to captain and took the young officer to France. Desiring a combat command, Patton was posted to the new U.S. Tank Corps. Testing new tanks, he observed their use at the Battle of Cambrai late that year. Organizing the American tank school, he trained with Renault FT-17 tanks. Swiftly advancing through the ranks to colonel in the wartime army, Patton was given command of the 1st Provisional Tank Brigade (later the 304th Tank Brigade) in August 1918. Fighting as part of the 1st U.S. Army, he was wounded in the leg at the Battle of St. Mihiel that September. Recovering, he took part in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Distinguished Service Medal, as well as a battlefield promotion to colonel. With the end of the war, he reverted to his peacetime rank of captain and was assigned to Washington, D.C. Interwar Years While in Washington, he encountered Captain Dwight D. Eisenhower. Becoming good friends, the two officers began developing new armored doctrines and devising improvements for tanks. Promoted to major in July 1920, Patton tirelessly worked as an advocate for the establishment of a permanent armored force. Moving through peacetime assignments, Patton led some of the troops that dispersed the Bonus Army in June 1932. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1934 and colonel four years later, Patton was placed in command of Fort Myer in Virginia. A New War With the formation of the 2nd Armored Division in 1940, Patton was selected to lead its 2nd Armored Brigade. Promoted to brigadier general in October, he was given command of the division with the rank of major general in April 1941. In the U.S. Armys build-up prior to World War II, Patton took the division to the Desert Training Center in California. Given command of the I Armored Corps, Patton relentlessly trained his men in the desert through the summer of 1942. In this role, Patton led the Western Task Force during Operation Torch, which saw his men capture Casablanca, Morocco in November of that year. A Unique Style of Leadership Seeking to inspire his men, Patton developed a flashy image and routinely wore a highly polished helmet, cavalry pants and boots, and a pair of ivory-handled pistols. Traveling in a vehicle featuring oversize rank insignias and sirens, his speeches were frequently laced with profanity and espoused the utmost confidence in his men. While his behavior was popular with his troops, Patton was prone to indiscreet remarks which often stressed Eisenhower, who had become his superior in Europe, and caused tension among the Allies. While tolerated during the war, Pattons vocal nature ultimately led to his relief. North Africa and Sicily In the wake of the U.S. II Corps defeat at Kasserine Pass in February 1943, Eisenhower appointed Patton to rebuild the unit at the suggestion of Major General Omar Bradley. Assuming command with the rank of lieutenant general and retaining Bradley as his deputy, Patton diligently worked to restore discipline and fighting spirit to the II Corps. Taking part in the offensive against the Germans in Tunisia, the II Corps performed well. Recognizing Pattons achievement, Eisenhower pulled him to aid in planning the invasion of Sicily in April 1943. Moving forward in July 1943, Operation Husky saw Pattons Seventh U.S. Army land on Sicily along with General Sir Bernard Montgomerys Eighth British Army. Tasked with covering Montgomerys left flank as the Allies moved on Messina, Patton grew impatient as the advance bogged down. Taking the initiative, he sent troops north and captured Palermo before turning east to Messina. While the Allied campaign was successfully concluded in August, Patton damaged his reputation when he slapped Private Charles H. Kuhl at a field hospital. Having no patience for battle fatigue, Patton struck Kuhl and called him a coward. Western Europe Though tempted to send Patton home in disgrace, Eisenhower, after consultations with Chief of Staff General George Marshall, retained the wayward commander after a reprimand and apology to Kuhl. Knowing that the Germans feared Patton, Eisenhower brought him to England and assigned him to lead the First U.S. Army Group (FUSAG). A dummy command, FUSAG was part of Operation Fortitude which was intended to make the Germans think that the Allied landings in France would occur at Calais. Though unhappy with losing his combat command, Patton was effective in his new role. In the wake of the D-Day landings, Patton was returned to the front as the commander of the U.S. Third Army on August 1, 1944. Serving under his former deputy Bradley, Pattons men played a key role in exploiting the breakout from the Normandy beachhead. Surging into Brittany and then across northern France, the Third Army bypassed Paris, liberating large chunks of territory. Pattons rapid advance came to a halt on August 31 outside of Metz due to supply shortages. As Montgomerys efforts in support of Operation Market-Garden took priority, Pattons advance slowed to a crawl, leading to a protracted battle for Metz. Battle of the Bulge With the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge on December 16, Patton began shifting his advance toward the threatened parts of the Allied line. As a result, in perhaps his greatest achievement of the conflict, he was able to quickly turn the Third Army north and relieve the besieged 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne. With the German offensive contained and defeated, Patton advanced east through the Saarland and crossed the Rhine at Oppenheim on March 22, 1945. Charging through Germany, Pattons forces reached Pilsen, Czechoslovakia by the wars end on May 7/8. Postwar With the end of the war, Patton enjoyed a brief trip home to Los Angeles where he and Lieutenant General Jimmy Doolittle were honored with a parade. Assigned to be the military governor of Bavaria, Patton was irritated not to receive a combat command in the Pacific. Openly critical of Allied occupation policy and believing that the Soviets should be forced back to their borders, Patton was relieved by Eisenhower in November 1945 and assigned to the Fifteenth Army, which was tasked with writing the history of the war. Patton died on December 21, 1945, from injuries sustained in a car accident 12 days earlier.

Characteristics of Business Leadership Assignment

Characteristics of Business Leadership - Assignment Example Paul Jobs, his father, was a machinist who gave young Jobs hands on experience with electronics and helped to fuel his curiosity and passion to work with electronics. It is during this time that the seed was planted and grew to make Jobs who he was, a global icon. Just to mention, Jobs had an adopted sister, Patti. Jobs was a cofounder and pioneer of Apple Computer Inc., Chief Executive of Pixar animation studios and founder of NeXT. His passion for electronics that started early in his life propelled him to admired heights in previously uncharted waters. Jobs helped to design the world of computer technology as we know it today. In his career, like many other successful of his peers, he had many challenges, most of which he managed to elude until he succumbed in October this year to cancer he had been fighting for 8 years. Steve Jobs was an inspiration to many in Silicon Valley as he saw potential in changing the approach on computer production and design of devices and equipment fo r corporate and industrial use. On his death, the computer world lost a brilliant mind, inventor and businessperson (Vivek, 2009). Steve Jobs did three main businesses in his life and at the time of his death, he was registered as an inventor or co-inventor of 342 United States patents and pending patents. All of these were geared towards improvement of the computing experience. In 1970, he and others formed Apple Computer Inc., but on leaving Apple in 1985 due to power struggles, his creative genius did not dampen but he went on to form NeXT computer and Pixar. The two firms were later acquired by Apple and Disney respectively. When starting his businesses, Jobs did not have much but his creative genius and genuine commitment to his hard work. The major challenges that Jobs faced during his business days included competition, power struggles, and hardship in selling his high quality and expensive products. As a startup corporation, the major competitor to Apple was IBM which had mo nopolized the market, making it almost impossible to sell Apple’s computers, though they were of a higher quality (Kahney, 2004). Competition between Apple and Dell computers resulted into a war of words between Jobs and CEO of Dell computers, Michael dell. Later, after Apple was up and running, a new CEO who did not like Jobs’ habit of innovating got him stripped of his duties on allegations of wastage of resources. Steve moved on to form other successful companies; NeXT and Pixar, and Apple had to enlist his services again to save it from an imminent collapse in 1996 (Kahney, 2004). 2. Analyze this business leader's leadership style and discuss how he or she has adapted to cultural differences and how he or she operates the business effectively in global markets Jobs was an aggressive perfectionist who tolerated nothing but the best from colleagues. Though a good boss, if one was not up to his standards, Jobs did not hesitate to terminate the employment, thought he d id so in the kindest words possible. Because of this, in 1993 he was termed by fortune magazine as America’s toughest boss. Employing only the best and being the best at what he did made him a trendsetter in innovation and style, in the growing computer world. Jobs had a hands-off policy when it came to his employees as he did not interfere with their innovation processes. He only communicated

What is the best solution to preventing deaths from drunk driving this Essay

What is the best solution to preventing deaths from drunk driving this is a(problem solution) - Essay Example To start with, drivers who drive under alcohol influence have impaired driving skills. According to Duke University, drunk drivers show deviations from pure rational decision making (4). Driving under influence of alcohol makes many people fail to obey the traffic rules accordingly or even fail to see the road signs at all. This is because many of those drivers may have taken the alcohol for fun or out of stress. Those who consume the alcohol for the fun bit of it may start exercising funny driving habits like driving with loud music in the vehicles just for fun but, loud music can cause obstruction to the driver leading to accident. On the other hand, drivers who take alcohol as a way of relieving stress can unknowingly drive the vehicles at very high or extremely low speeds that can obstruct other road users leading to accident. Secondly, the road fatalities that result from drunk driving are alarmingly high calling for attention to solve the problem. Considering the number of road trips taken by people while driving under alcohol influence, the increased road fatalities are inevitable. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, â€Å"one out of every two thousand trips† are taken by drivers under alcoholic influence in America (1). This indicates the high probability of having road accidents caused by drunk drivers. Further, Mothers Against Drunk Driving state that someone gets killed in a drunk driving accident on an average of 53 minutes (1). The large numbers of deaths resulting from drunk driving indicate the seriousness of the problem to the society. However, despite the seriousness of the problem, there exists a viable solution that when implemented could result into zero alcohol related accidents. Incorporation of technology to assist deter drunk drivers from driving vehicles can minimize if not end the problem. Use of alcohol detection gadgets by police on road patrol and

A Major Issue Surrounding Religion In Africa Research Paper

A Major Issue Surrounding Religion In Africa - Research Paper Example The challenges that this continent is facing is presumed to not only haunt them in the next decade but they will be of concern to the wider international community as well. This paper aims at providing an analysis of the contemporary issues that confront the continent especially related to religion. I will try to cover different religions that exist in this continent. What are the major issues related to it? I will try to analyze them in the light of past and present so that a theme could be developed that connects the historical and contemporary world. In order to do so we have to peep into the traditional religions of Africa as well as into Islam, this is predominantly the current religion of Africa. I will also try to analyze how religion affects the continent today and what are the defining factors. An analysis of the issues surrounding religion is not possible in isolation. A number of other factors have their own strong impact ( (Deagan) on it such as development, culture, demo cratic environment, health and security, conflicts, arms and reconstruction. Any study done without taking into consideration all these facts will not be based on reality. In short we can say it will be inconclusive. So I will do a detailed analysis and will draw conclusion based on all these factors. We cannot deny the social importance of religion. Religion is an important strand of society. It provides a value system that underpins the foundation of society. Without a common value system of which religion is an important thread, the concept of society is not possible. Religious Plurality in Africa African history is very vast and old. Africa has religious plurality. Religious plurality means sharing of different religious traditions by the same family, immediate or extended, similar ethnic groups and nations. Many religions exist side by side. Members of the same family may follow different religions. If we take a closer look we can categorize the religions in Africa into three t iers, Traditional religions, Christianity and Islam. After Second World War self concept of Africans has changed due to political, intellectual changes around them. History of Religion in Africa The recorded history of Africa dates back to 3000 BC in Egypt. People worshipped gods like Isis, Horus, Osiris, Ra, and Hapi. This was the case within Egypt. In West Africa the trend was to worship single god like sky god. Monotheism that is belief in single god also originated in Egypt in 1300 B.C. that led to worshipping of Akenanten. Religious history is deeply influenced by political history. (History of Religions in Africa) Conquerors of Africa always influenced the religion of the region. Africa was conquered by Greeks, Romans and Phoenicians after the death of Akenanten and each of them influenced the concept of god. The great change in the religious beliefs of the Africans came in 300 AD. Roman emperors believed in Christianity and that is how Christianity entered this region. Even a t that time Christianity was not the only religion. The Bantu faith, who believed in Polytheism, was also expanding in Southern Africa at that time. They believed in the powers of ghosts and evil powers, which supposedly had great influence on their lives. They worshipped ghosts of dead kings and heroes. Islam entered into this region in 600 AD. This shift

Challenge of Searching One's True Self Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Challenge of Searching One's True Self - Essay Example I believe father Lawton has very wisely declared the process of self-discovery as being parallel to that of a risky adventure. The journey to become ourselves is a risky journey because there are so many hurdles in the way. Man can be easily deceived and distracted away from the true path. The greatest risk while searching one’s true self is to lose the way, forget the real purpose of being and become distracted. Bible itself warns against this: "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,   which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." (Colossians 2:8) Self-exploration is a difficult and complex task and men tend to lose their focus on the way. In this tedious task, there are illusions of truth, one starts believing that he has attained the knowledge of his inner self and is now able to control it while actually what he has covered is just one tiny milestone. Since college life is full of new horizons and avenues, as chapters of knowledge unfold, so does the risk of being drawn away and distracted. In my journey towards self, I see many risks of misperception and distraction. College life will bring with it all sorts of information and I’ll have to categorize it in a manner that adheres to my Christian belief and guides me towards self-discovery.

In a climate of austerity is it right for government to support small Essay

In a climate of austerity is it right for government to support small business - Essay Example There are also people who advocate that government should not intervene at all and should let the forces of market prevail. So there are many differing opinions about areas where government should or should not spend money of tax payers. In this essay we will argue why governments should support small businesses even in a climate of austerity. It is not only economically but socially also desirable for any economy if small and medium enterprises are encouraged. These small businesses can provide employment and at the same time can boost economy by increasing consumer spending. The arguments against government support to small and medium enterprises will also be studied in order to understand both sides of the debate. There is no doubt that these are tough times for the economy but it is not logical to curb spending in areas that will reap positive cash flows in future. Support for small businesses should be seen as an investment. This is the reason why governments should support smal l businesses even in a time of economic austerity. Why Government Should Support Small Businesses? This portion of the text will be devoted to the understanding of the reasons for government support of small businesses. There are many reasons why government should support small and medium enterprises. The effect of support to small businesses is seen directly in a country’s economy. ... With the support of government small businesses can help an economy increase its GDP. Economists argue that growth of GDP can solve many problems of a country. If economy is growing at a good pace then it is an indicator that the country is going in the right direction. These are tough times for the whole world and countries are still trying to recover from the crisis of 2008. In these times focus of the governments should be on increasing Gross Domestic Product of the country. More GDP means growth and growth in an economy can fight every crisis. It is actually a stimulus for the economy as whole. Small business can help governments do that and the money that is needed for small business support is very small as compared to the other methods of increasing growth. It can be safely concluded that governments should spend money in order to support small business even in a climate of austerity because it will help the economy recover from the very crisis it is going through. The role of government in this regard can be substantial and development and growth of small businesses are dependent upon government policies regarding small and medium enterprises (Li & Matlay, 2006). The best way through which small businesses can help solve problems of any economy is by creating jobs. Unemployment is a very awful thing for an economy because as a result government revenues decrease and more and more people become dependent on the state instead of earning for themselves. The problem of unemployment can be reduced, if not resolved, by supporting small and medium enterprises. These small businesses will provide the people with the job opportunities that they desperately need.

Comparison Asian American History Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparison Asian American History - Case Study Example    He uses the metaphor of the family picture album, full of old pictures of family members that evoke both good and bad memories. He recognizes that this metaphor can only go so far, since instead of using visual pictures of his subjects and their families, he uses oral accounts taken from a variety of oral sources. Okihiro recognizes that he has â€Å"mixed my metaphors† (95), as he puts it. Instead of being an inferior way to present history as he intimidates, however, it is one of the best way to recount the history of Asian Americans. It is the use of oral history and of autobiography, a common way that the histories of people of color and women have been presented throughout history. Oral history and autobiography have traditionally been used to recount the histories of marginalized and oppressed peoples because they have not been able to access more traditional history. The slave narrative, for example, is one of the earliest forms of American autobiography. As Africa n American scholar Joanne M. Braxton (1986) states, the purpose of the slave narrative was not only to present the oral histories of slaves in America, but as a tool for abolitionists seeking to end slavery. In many cases, the autobiographies of former slaves were accompanied by prefaces written by white abolitionists to provide them with credibility to white readers. Modern African American writers like Maya Angelou and Richard Wright continued the tradition of using autobiography to present their histories. Other minority groups in America have used autobiography and oral histories for similar purposes. This is certainly true of the presentation of the history of Asian Americans. Another common way to present the history of Asian Americans and other minority groups has been to present them in fictionalized forms. This has been done effectively by Milton Mirayama (1998) in his critically acclaimed, beautifully written, and poignant novel, All I Asking for is My Body. Murayama wrote the first draft of the novel while a student at Columbia University. It was first published as a short story entitled â€Å"I’ll Crack Your Head Kotsun† and published in the Arizona Quarterly in 1959. The story became the first chapter of All I Asking for is My Body and was published in 1968, in a Hawaiian anthology. It was not well received at first, but received critical acclaim and became a cult classic when the University of Hawaii published it in 1988 (Kim, 2005). All I Asking for is My Body reads like a classic autobiography. The novel, including the title, is written in modified pidgin, but is readable by non-pidgin speakers. Murayama seems to understand that he is writing more than just a novel, and that he is presenting Japanese culture and what life was like for Japanese immigrants in Hawaii in the years just prior to and during World War II. Consequently, he spends a great deal of time explaining his language use.  Ã‚  

In a climate of austerity is it right for government to support small Essay

In a climate of austerity is it right for government to support small business - Essay Example There are also people who advocate that government should not intervene at all and should let the forces of market prevail. So there are many differing opinions about areas where government should or should not spend money of tax payers. In this essay we will argue why governments should support small businesses even in a climate of austerity. It is not only economically but socially also desirable for any economy if small and medium enterprises are encouraged. These small businesses can provide employment and at the same time can boost economy by increasing consumer spending. The arguments against government support to small and medium enterprises will also be studied in order to understand both sides of the debate. There is no doubt that these are tough times for the economy but it is not logical to curb spending in areas that will reap positive cash flows in future. Support for small businesses should be seen as an investment. This is the reason why governments should support smal l businesses even in a time of economic austerity. Why Government Should Support Small Businesses? This portion of the text will be devoted to the understanding of the reasons for government support of small businesses. There are many reasons why government should support small and medium enterprises. The effect of support to small businesses is seen directly in a country’s economy. ... With the support of government small businesses can help an economy increase its GDP. Economists argue that growth of GDP can solve many problems of a country. If economy is growing at a good pace then it is an indicator that the country is going in the right direction. These are tough times for the whole world and countries are still trying to recover from the crisis of 2008. In these times focus of the governments should be on increasing Gross Domestic Product of the country. More GDP means growth and growth in an economy can fight every crisis. It is actually a stimulus for the economy as whole. Small business can help governments do that and the money that is needed for small business support is very small as compared to the other methods of increasing growth. It can be safely concluded that governments should spend money in order to support small business even in a climate of austerity because it will help the economy recover from the very crisis it is going through. The role of government in this regard can be substantial and development and growth of small businesses are dependent upon government policies regarding small and medium enterprises (Li & Matlay, 2006). The best way through which small businesses can help solve problems of any economy is by creating jobs. Unemployment is a very awful thing for an economy because as a result government revenues decrease and more and more people become dependent on the state instead of earning for themselves. The problem of unemployment can be reduced, if not resolved, by supporting small and medium enterprises. These small businesses will provide the people with the job opportunities that they desperately need.

Slave ownership in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Slave ownership in America - Essay Example They were degraded, kept like animals and had no civil rights. They were for decades, invisible in the human society. However, slowly as advancements were made, as agriculture took and backseat to science and people began to see beyond economics, things changed. Blacks and white people began to realize that slavery was wrong. They realized that enslaving a whole race of people was simply unacceptable. Over time, more and more slaves began to get an education. They began to read and understand that their lives had value. Individual people changed the course of a nation as they taught others that racism was something to be scorned. The battle was slow, it took decades to win but steadily they did win. As literacy spread, as knowledge and understanding of the value of a human life was established, abolition became possible, and acceptable. Analysis: Initially, blacks came to the shores of American as missionaries caught them in African and took them into bondage. This first set of slaves was perhaps the most terrified. They had come to a strange land, brought by strange men who considered them savages. They forced them to give up their religion, their culture and their social behavior and made them into a slave. The brutality they endured broke their spirit and any rebellion on their part meant sure death. Since they were considered savages their lives were worthless. Once the culture of slavery was established the economic advantage the country gained allowed the culture to continue. It was forgotten that the original slaves were brought to be 'saved' by the greater god. The fact was they were a cheap form of labor that allowed their masters to control them without any rules or regulations. Overtime slavery became an institution so that children born into it knew no other life and did not realize that they could have something more than the brutal life they lived. That was the tragedy of slavery. Human life is sacred mainly because it is an intelligent form of life. Yet, this race of people was completely cut off from getting an education, from being allowed to realize that they were even human. The critical analysis of African American literature is the key to understanding slavery. For it is hard to believe how the blacks allowed themselves to be slaves for so long. Reading the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave we realize how a whole race was subjugated for so long. From the first line of the book we realize that slave owners thought of slaves as animals. They were treated like animals and so, came to believe that they were less than human. Slaves were so confined to their individual plantations that they did not know another world existed outside it. Douglass writes of himself as a boy who did not know how old he was. That was nothing unusual for slave he wrote "know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs" (p. 47). This goes to prove the mindset of slaves; they considered themselves comparable to animals. Slave owners tried hard to ensure that no slave became literate. They realized that the only way to control the blacks was making them completely dependent on them. They made sure slaves were born and stayed that way. Every slave owner knew that once a slave learnt to read and write he would be able to think about and critically evaluate his situation and that would lead to the abolition of slavery. In the words of Mr. Auld, his master, "If you give a nigger an

Ancient democracy to present democracy Essay Example for Free

Ancient democracy to present democracy Essay The word democracy is derived from two Greek words, demos, which means people, and kratos, which means rule. Today the word has come to mean exactly that, ruled by the people. Many ancient political Greek philosophers would use the phrase the governors are to be governed which we can relate to today. Even though the Greeks notion of democracy is dramatically different from our current democracy, it has been one of the most influential philosophies that have shaped the political thought of the United States. Ironically the term democracy is the most used term to describe the American government even though it has little meaning in our government today. The Athenian government was the first democracy known to the world. Athens had a government where all of the citizens took part in the decision making. Thus, everyone who qualified as a citizen could participate and did not have to be an elected representative. For one to be considered a citizen they first had to be born in Athens and had to be free. Next, once turned eighteen years of age he had to have at least two years of military training then serve in the navy or army. After he has served he could then vote. After the age of thirty he could be considered for council. The women of Athens were also considered to be citizen however they did not posses any political power. The Athenian democracy had three main branches which were the assembly, the council, and the jurymen. The assembly had the reasonability of making the policies for Athens. The assembly could be considered the legislative branch and it was made of eligible Athenian citizens. The council enforced administrative matters and the policies. They were also in control of the military and finances. The council was made of five hundred citizens and could be considered the executive branch. The jury men had the important yet tedious job of resolving disputes of the people. There were six thousand jurymen to manage this job in the courts. The Greeks of Athens had no single head of the government and no political parties. The United States has some similarities with Athenian democracy but very few. There are three branches, the legislative, executive, and the judicial which  are similar to the three branches of Athenss government. The legislative branch is made of the Senate and the House of Representatives. They are in charge of making the laws of the states. The House of Representatives consists of a representative from each state. There is one representative from each district in the state. The district in each state depends on the population of the state. There are four hundred and thirty five members of the House. Each of them only serve for two years and then have to run for re-election. The Senate consists of one hundred members. Each state has two representatives in the Senate. The Senate has three times the amount of service time than the House. The Executive branch is the president and his cabinet. The president gets to appoint his cabinet which consists of several positions, the Secretary of State, Attorney General, National Security Advisor, and more. The judicial branch has nine justices as apposed to six thousand, one that serve as the Chief Justice. Once they are appointed by the president they serve for the rest of their lives. As you can see, the American democracy doesnt quite fit the Greeks definition of democracy. They have appointed officials that can dictate how the people live. The Greek democracy actually consisted of citizens that could participate in political issues without being elected or appointed.

The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry

The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry today is in the front rank of Indias science-based industries with wide ranging capabilities in the complex field of drug manufacture and technology. A highly organized sector, the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry is estimated to be worth, $4.5 billion, growing at about 8 to 9 percent annually. It ranks very high in the third world, in terms of technology, quality and range of medicines manufactured. From simple headache pills to sophisticated antibiotics and complex cardiac compounds, almost every type of medicine is now made indigenously. The number of purely Indian pharmaceutical companies is fairly low. Indian pharmaceutical industry is mainly operated and controlled by dominant foreign companies having subsidiaries in India due to availability of cheap labour in India at lowest cost. Most pharmaceutical companies operating in India, even the multinationals, employ Indians almost exclusively from the lowest ranks to high level management. Mirroring the social structure, firms are very hierarchical. Homegrown pharmaceuticals, like many other businesses in India, are often a mix of public and private enterprise. Although many of these companies are publicly owned, leadership is passed from father to son and the founding family holds a majority share. In 2002, over 20,000 registered drug manufacturers in India sold $9 billion worth of formulations and bulk drugs. 85% of these formulations were sold in India while over 60% of the bulk drugs were exported, mostly to the United States and Russia. Most of the players in the Indian market are small-to-medium enterprises. It has been estimated that 250 of the largest companies control 70% of the Indian market. The 1970 Patent Act., made the multinational companies to represent only 35% of the market, down from 70%, thirty years ago. In terms of the global market, India currently holds a modest 1-2% share, but it has been growing at approximately 10% per year. India gained its foothold on the global scene with its innovatively engineered generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), and it is now seeking to become a major player in outsourced clinical research as well as contract manufacturing and research. There are 74 U.S. FDA-approved manufacturing facilities in India, more than in any other country outside the U.S, and in 2005, almost 20% of all Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA) to the FDA were filed by Indian companies. Growths in other fields notwithstanding, generics are still a large part of the picture. As such, the Indian pharmaceutical industry has now become the third largest producer in the world and is poised to grow into an industry of $ 20 billion by 2015, from the current turnover of $ 12 billion. As a result, manufacturing expertise and efficiency were the only requirements to participate in this industry, creating low barriers of entry. The most critical challenge facing the global pharmaceutical industry today is the increasing cost of drug discovery and development and the increasing time to market. This is further compounded by: Impending patent expirations of blockbuster molecules Pricing pressures Low public opinion Challenges to intellectual property by increasingly aggressive generic companies. Re-importation pressures Medicare/Medicaid reform Increasing regulatory hurdles This scenario is forcing the multinational pharmaceutical companies (MNCs) to rethink their strategic options in order to exploit their core competencies across the globe. In this situation, India stands to a gain a lot because of its inherent advantages like stability, culture, cost, and educated workforce. This has led to increased alliances and collaborations as a result; the leading Indian pharmaceutical companies have become some of the most efficient manufacturing units in the world. In fact, India has the highest number of US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) certified manufacturing facilities outside USA. The overall phenomenal progress made by the industry in the last three decades has instilled a strong belief in the government and the pharmaceutical companies in India that the country has a competitive strength and it should be enhanced by suitable policy measures and firm specific actions with regards to export, innovation, strategic alliances and investment. The pharmaceutical policy 2002 echoes the same sentiments and has shifted focus of the policy from self reliance in drug manufacturing to the objective of enhancing global competitiveness. The introduction of policy says: The basic objectives of the governments policy relating to drug and pharmaceutical sector were enumerated in drug policy of 1986. These basic objectives still remain largely valid, however, the drug and the pharmaceutical industry in the country today faces new challenges on account of liberalization of the Indian economy the globalization of the world economy and on account of new obligations undertaken by India under the WTO agreements. These challenges require a change in current pharmaceutical policy and the need for new initiatives beyond those enumerated in drug policy 1986, as modified in 1994, so that policy inputs are directed more towards promoting accelerated growth of the pharmaceutical industry and towards making it more internationally competitive. The need for radically improving the policy framework for knowledge-based industry has also been acknowledged by the government. The Prime Ministers Advisory Council on Trade and Industry has made important recommendations regarding knowledge-based industry. The Pharmaceutical industry has been identified as one of the most important knowledge based industries in which India has a comparative advantage. THE GROWTH STAGE OF INDIAN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY SECTION-1 2.1 GROWTH STAGES OF INDIAN PHARMA INDUSTRY Bengal Chemicals Pharmaceuticals Limited (BCPL), established in 1901, is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India and is Indias first pharmaceutical company. The company was started by Prafulla Chandra Roy in Kolkata (then known as Calcutta) and has since manufactured such household Indian products as Hospitol, naphthalene balls, and Phenol. The company is headquartered in Kolkata and reported aggregated revenues of Rs 6,199 lakhs (US$ 138.2 million) in fiscal 2006. The Nascent industry, however, received setbacks in the post world war-II period as a result of new therapeutic developments in the western countries that triggered natural elimination of older drugs from market usage by newer drugs like sulpha ,antibiotics, vitamins, hormones, antihistamine, tranquilizers, psycho pharmacological substances etc. This culminated in the discontinuation of local production based on indigenous materials and forced the industry to import bulk drugs meant for processing them in to formulations and for selling in the domestic market. Figure- 2.1: stages of Growth of Indian Pharmaceutical Industry . Source: ISID Working Paper, 2006/05. The government started to encourage the growth of drug manufacturing by Indian companies in the early 1960s. In the post independence period, Indian pharmaceutical industry exhibited four stages of growth (see Figure 2.1 2.2). In the first stage during 1950s-60s, the industry was largely dominated by foreign enterprises and it continued to rely on imported bulk drugs notwithstanding its inclusion in the list of basic industries for plan targeting and monitoring. Foreign firms, enjoying a strong patent protection under the Patent and Design Act 1911, were averse to local production and mostly opted for imports from home country as working of the patent. Given the inadequate capabilities of the domestic sector to start local production of bulk drugs and hesitation of foreign firms to do so, the government decided to intervene through starting public sector enterprises. This led to the establishment of the Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (IDPL) plants at Rishikesh and Hyderabad in 1961 and the Hindustan Antibiotics at Pimpri, Pune, in 1954, to manufacture penicillin. The starting of the public sector enterprises has been an important feature in the evolution of the pharmaceutical industry as it assumed initiative roles in producing bulk drugs indigenously and led to significant knowledge spillovers on the private domestic sector. The second growth stage, of the industry took place in the 1970s. The enactment of the Indian Patent Act (IPA) 1970 and the New Drug Policy (NDP) 1978 during this stage are important milestones in the history of the pharmaceutical industry in India. The IPA 1970 brought in a number of radical changes in the patent regime by reducing the scope of patenting to only processes and not pharmaceutical products and also for a short period of seven years from the earlier period of 16 years. It also recognizes compulsory licensing after three years of the patent. The enactment of the process patent contributed significantly to the local technological development via adaptation, reverse engineering and new process development. As there exits several ways to produce a drug, domestic companies innovated cost-effective processes and flooded the domestic market with cheap but quality drugs. This led to the steady rise of the domestic firms in the market place. The NDP 1978 has increased the pressure on foreign firms to manufacture bulk drugs locally and from the basic stage possible. Foreign ownership up to 74 per cent under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) 1973 was permitted to only those firms producing high technology drugs. Foreign firms that are simply producing formulations based on imported bulk drugs were required to start local production from the basic stage within a two year period. Otherwise were required to reduce their foreign ownership holding to 40 per cent. New foreign investments were to be permitted only when the production involves high technology bulk drugs and formulations thereon. In the third growth stage or phase of evolution Indian pharmaceutical industry developed modern technology for manufacturing of all dosage forms like tablets, capsules ,liquid ,oral, injectables etc.. This domestic industry based on large scale reverse engineering and process innovation achieved near self sufficiency in production of bulk drugs belonging to various major therapeutic groups resulting in lasting impact on competitive position of Indian pharmaceutical firms in national and international markets. During , 1980-90s ,Indian pharmaceutical industry had emerged as one of the most export oriented sectors in Indian pharmaceutical industry with more than 30% of the production being exported to the foreign market. In 1991, domestic firms contribute about 70-80% market share in case of bulk drugs and formulations respectively. The trade deficits of seventies had been replaced by trade surpluses of 1980s. (FIG-2.1). The fourth stage of evolution of industry during 1990s witnessed dramatic changes in the policy regime governing the pharmaceutical industry. The drug de-licensing, hundred percent foreign investments is permitted through automatic route and price control has been significantly reduced. One of the major factors that have increased the confidence of foreign multinationals looking for local opportunities in India is the adoption of a new product patent regime in January 2005, before that India had already carried out three amendments in march-1999, June2002 and April 2005, in the patent act of 1970 to bring to bring Indian patent regime in harmony with the WTO agreement on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs). The third and the final one, known as the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005 came into force on 4th April 2005 and introduced product patents in drugs, food and chemicals sectors. The term of patenting has also been increased to a 20 year period. The number of pharmaceut ical units has also increased to over 23,000 in 2002, further more Fig: 2.2: Growth phase of Indian pharmaceutical industry graph1 SOURCE: BEST PHARMA INDUSTRY REPORT-2011-INDIA The fifth stage is in progression (Fig.2.2), in which we are observing investment in innovation and research, with enactment of new IP laws and investments in biotechnology aided companies. There is promising growth in production of bulk drugs and formulations (Table: 2.1) from Rs 10 crores in 1947-48 to Rs 21100 crores in 2002-03 in formulations and almost nil in 1947-48 to Rs 5400 crores in 2002-03 in bulk drugs production. The drug industry also becomes capable to spent 497crores in 2002-2003 from almost nil in 1947-48 on research and development of new molecules. All in all Indian drug sales are expected to rise by an annual 8% to nearly $26.59 bn between 2006 and 2015 and further is the matter of wait and watch depending up on conditions prevailing in international and domestic markets. In the UNIDO-classification of developing countries, according to the state of art in the pharmaceutical sector India is ranked among the top and today India manufactures over 400 bulk drugs and around 60,000 formulations. 2.2 Drug industry-growth As shown in, Table: 2.1 and table2.2, depicts the growth progress in production of bulk drugs and finished formulations. India produces bulk drugs related to various therapeutic areas. Indian pharmaceutical industry, manufactures over 400 bulk drugs and roughly 60,000 finished medicines used in different formulations. 2.3 THE GROWTH SCENARIO IN CONTINEUM: Indias US $ 3.1 billion pharmaceutical industry is growing at the rate of 14 percent per year. It is one of the largest and most advanced among the developing countries. Domestic Demand The industry has enormous growth potential. Factors listed below determine the rising demand for pharmaceuticals. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The growing population of over of a billion à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Increasing income à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Demand for quality healthcare service à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Changing lifestyle has led to change in disease patterns, and increased demand for new medicines to combat lifestyle related diseases. More than 85 per cent of the formulations produced in the country are sold in the domestic market, there has also been a record increase in consumption of drugs worldwide. India with its large population has recorded the therapeutic segmentation in healthcare market with changes in pattern of drug consumption in turn affecting its production.Fig:2.3 shows the percentage increase in sales in various therapeutic segments. India is largely self-sufficient in case of formulations. Some life saving, new generation under-patent formulations continue to be imported, especially by MNCs, which then market them in India. Overall, the size of the domestic formulations market is growing strongly at 10 percent per annum (Table, 2.4), with rs23047crores in 2006-07, from rs2350crores in 1987-88. Fig: 2.3: Percentage Increase therapeutic segments. SOURCE: ORG-MARG AUDIT-2011. Table 2.4 shows demand for drugs as per therapeutic segments, showing categories, for treatment of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and central nervous system are on the increase. Health scenario is also changing. There are around 700,000 new cases of cancer each year and total of around 2.5 million cases. It is estimated that there are around 40 million people in India with diabetes and the number is rising, 5.1 million HIV/AIDS patients, and 14 million tuberculosis cases. According to industry reports, while the Indian pharmaceutical industry witnessed a growth of 7 to 8 percent, the cardio-vascular segment recorded 15 to 17 percent growth and anti-diabetes segment of over 10-12 percent growth. So, with the increase in diseases and various ailments, consumption of medicines is on increase day by day (refer, Fig: 2.3). As per estimates, Over 20,000 registered pharmaceutical manufacturers exist in the country. The domestic pharmaceuticals industry output is expected to exceed Rs260 billion in the financial year 2002, which accounts for merely 1.3% of the global pharmaceutical sector. Of this, bulk drugs had accounted for Rs 54 bn (21%) and formulations, the remaining Rs 210 bn (79%). Table: 2.5, shows the 16.98% CAGR for bulk drugs amounting to rs17, 307.02 crores in 2009-10. 2.4 BULK INDUSTRY GROWTH EX-IM MARKET The export market growth has been one of the most outstanding features of the Indian pharmaceutical industry (Table-2.5). Negligible before the 1970s, exports started picking up after the abolition of product patents in 1972, accelerating in the 1980s and then growing rapidly since the mid-1990s. In recent years, exports have been increasing annually at more than 20%. The proportion of exports in net sales for the studied 120 companies was 44%. The export market was found to be larger than the domestic market not only for large companies, such as Ranbaxy (Now owned by Japanese Daichi Sankyo Corporation), Dr. Reddys or Cipla , but also for smaller companies such as Granules , Shilpa Medicare, Kopran , Transchem, and Pure Pharmaceutical etc. The period between 2000 and 2010 witnessed Indias top 10 drug companies growing in their sales turnovers, ranging between Rs 500-Rs 800 crores, to professionally-run MNC generics manufacturing companies with turnovers ranging from Rs 3,500 crores t o over Rs 7,000 crores. India is among the top 20 pharmaceutical exporters world-wide. Most of these exporting firms earlier dependent on bulk drug supplies, small exports to unregulated markets in Africa and Asia and formulation sales in the domestic market, the last 10 years saw them aggressively tapping regulated markets of the US and Europe and penetrating into newer and emerging market Exports Over 60 per cent of Indias bulk drug production is exported. Indias pharmaceutical exports are to the tune of Rs 87 billion, of which formulations contribute nearly 55 per cent and the rest 45 per cent comes from bulk drugs. In financial year 2005, exports grew by 21 per cent. Domestic pharmaceutical export, growing at 30 per cent per annum, touched a new height of US $ 4.8 billion in the financial year 2006-07. The years exports will push the drug sectors contribution to Indias Forex earnings to 7.75 per cent from the current 5 per cent. The growth in drug exports, despite the pressing generic competition in the global markets, is attributed to increased Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) approvals in the US market and contribution from unconventional markets in Latin America, Australia and the emerging markets in the Middle East and African Region. The formulations and exports are largely to developing nations in CIS, South East Asia, Africa and Latin America. In the last 3 years generic exports to developed countries have picked up.In the coming years, opening up of US generics market and anti AIDS market in Africa will boost exports. Indias pharmaceutical sector has seen unprecedented changes in the past decades ensuing for a remarkable growth in its exports (pharmaceutical exports occupy a share of 4.4% to 5.2% of Indias total exports over the last 6 years) and exports grew at a CAGR of around 22% in the 6 year period of 2004-05 to 2009-10( Fig:2.4). Indias growth story in itself vindicates its potential; it had a $ 333.33m turnover in 1980 to around $22.30 bn. by 2010-11 FIG: 2.4 PHARMA EXPORT TOTAL EXPORT SHARE pharmaceutical industry in the country today faces new challenges on account of LIbralisation of the Indian economy graph2.JPG SOURCE: Indian pharmaceutical export [emailprotected] 2.5 Revenue from Export As earlier discussed India accounts for less than two per cent of the world market for pharmaceuticals, with an estimated market value of US $ 10.4 billion in 2007 at consumer prices, or around US $ 9 per capita but has the potential to reach more than 2% by 2020. India currently represents just US $ 6 billion of the $ 550 billion global pharmaceutical industry but its share is increasing at 10 percent a year, compared to 7 percent annual growth for the world market overall. Also, while the Indian sector represents just 8 percent of the global industry total by volume, putting it in fourth place worldwide, it accounts for 13 percent by value, and its drug exports have been growing 30 percent annually. Cipla, Nicholas Piramal, Ranbaxy, Zydus Cadila, Dr. Reddys are the few Indian pharmaceutical companies, which are known at the global level due to their quality products. The Indian market for over-the-counter medicines (OTCs) is worth about $940 million and is growing 20 percent a year, or double the rate for prescription medicines. The industrys exports were worth more than $3.75 billion in 2004-05 and they have been growing at a compound annual rate of 22.7 percent over the last few years, according to the governments draft National pharmaceuticals Policy for 2006, published in January 2006. The Policy estimates that, by the year 2010, the industry has the potential to achieve $22.40 billion in formulations, with bulk drug production going up from $1.79 billion to $5.60 billion. Import Imports have registered a CAGR of only 2 per cent in the past 5 years. Import of bulk drugs have slowed down in the recent years as per DGIC reported data in the year 2010-11. The value of export was Rs 10,937 Crores, recording a declining growth of 9.82% as compared to 15.15% in 2009-10. The situation is advantageous and good sign, as the industry is becoming self reliant in production and less dependent on foreign markets. Based on the retrospective data, USA, Germany, Russia, UK, China, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Nigeria, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam, Israel, Italy, Mexico, UAE, Singapore, Iran had been potential importers of Indian Drugs. Countries like South Africa, Israel, Turkey, Kenya, Singapore, UK, China, Russia, Italy and Vietnam etc. have been identified to be potential prospective markets with high growth rates of imports from India. Africa, Latin America, ASEAN and CIS countries with huge demands deem them to be put in the category of focus countries as these are the emerging markets and have a huge potential with day in day out incremental growth rates of per capita drugs consumptions supported by treaties like SAFTA (with SAARC), treaties with GCC, EU, Japan, Korea etc. As shown in table: 2.10, based on such estimates, it has been predicted that the 17% export growth of Rs 248,000 crores would be achieved in 2019-20 with a domestic growth of 22% amounting to Rs 233,000c rores. Section-II CROSS BORDER ACQUISITIONS IN INDIAN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY 2.6 INDIAN PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR CROSS-BORDER ACQUISITION The health-care costs are rising world-wide. Leading companies across the world are merging. Strategic alliances and collaborations are taking place in order to meet the increasing RD budgetary requirement that exceed billion dollars each for many leading global pharmaceutical players. Indian Drug manufacturers are pursuing foreign acquisitions due to their need to: Improve global competitiveness Move up the value chain Create and enter new markets Increase their product offering Acquire assets (including research and contract manufacturing firms, in order to further boost their outsourcing capabilities) and new products Consolidate their market shares Compensate for continued sluggishness in their home market. Often there is a significant overlap of expenditure in creating manufacturing assets or investing in RD either in generics or in basic research resulting into wastages at national level. Consequently corporate have indulged either in acquisitions or mergers to avoid duplication of investments and capture larger market share at global place. Table 2.7 shows the data of number of overseas acquisitions by Indian pharmaceutical Industry. We can conclude that the year 2005 witnessed the maximum number of overseas acquisition due to paradigm change in pharmaceutical policies and enactment of certain new laws which are later discussed in this chapter. Indian companies had gained a lot by these cross border acquisitions and details of which has been given in table 2.8 Many Indian companies are seeking to expand their distinctive capabilities by acquiring specific skills, knowledge and technology abroad that are either unavailable or of inadequate quality at home. By mergers and acquisitions they get advantage of acquiring new resources and gain entry to new markets for better profitability. Table2.8 shows the number of cross border acquisitions by Indian companies with their focus areas. 2.7 INDIAN PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET AND THE WORLD : DISCUSSION The period between 2000 and 2010 witnessed Indias top 10drug companies growing in their sales turnovers, ranging between Rs 500-Rs 800 crore, top professionally-run MNC generics manufacturing companies with turnovers ranging from Rs3,500 crore to over Rs 7,000 crore. India is among the top 20 pharmaceutical exporters world-wide. Most of these exporting firms earlier depended on bulk drug supplies, small exports to unregulated markets in Africa and Asia and formulation sales in the domestic market, the last 10years saw them aggressively tapping regulated markets of the US and Europe and penetrating into newer and emerging markets. The Indian industry had filed only 3 marketing applications with the USFDA in 1998, the number swelled to 148 in 2009. Approximately $123bn of generic products is at risk (subject to patent renewal approvals by regulators) of losing patents by 2012.Even at a conservative estimate of 15% opportunity this translates into $18.4bn opportunity for India. However the figures need to be appropriately deflated since Indian opportunity will lie in generics equivalent of branded drugs, which would be cheaper. Ageing populations of the US (plus the 2010 US Healthcare Reforms in action), China European economies leading to the more and more expenditure on medicines and appreciation in the per capita consumption value of the drug products with cheaper rates. As global markets such as North America, Europe and Japan continue to slow down (graphical representation below), pharmaceutical companies are scanning markets for new growth opportunities to boost drug discovery potential, reduce time to market and squeeze costs along the value chain. The Industry is beginning to realize that some of the most promising opportunities will come from emerging markets (Asia/Australia/Africa Latin America). IMSHealth and other sources suggest that emerging markets (China, India, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, Mexico and South Korea) will contribute to over 40% of the incremental growth of the global Pharmaceutical industry over the next decade. With its enormous advantage ,including a large well educated ,skilled and English speaking workforce, low operational costs and improving regulatory infrastructure, India has the potential to become the regions hub for pharmaceutical and biotechnology discovery research, manufacturing, exporting and health care services within the next decade. However, in order for this to happen, it is imperative that the regulatory environment continues to improve . otherwise ,India will have to face tough competition from china leading to capture of market shares by china as their government strong commitment and pro industry policies have produced a favorable and protective environment for not only product patent but also for crucial data protection so while developing an Indian collaborative RD strategy, pharmaceutical MNCs should keep in mind certain issues like data and IP security, performance metrics, and quality standards, and address and evaluate these upfront to ensure a successful relati onship. Although the major factor that has increased the confidence of foreign multinationals looking for local opportunities in India is the adoption of a new product patent regime in January 2005. This already had facilitated concurrent global phase II and III clinical trials. A new patent regime has changed the dynamics of the Indian pharmaceuticals industry in other respects, too. Several leading domestic producers have begun to conduct original research into new chemical entities (NCEs) and novel drug delivery systems. However, these companies are likely to license most of these drug candidates to Western pharmaceutical companies, because few Indian companies can afford the high costs and failure rates associated with developing an NCE. In this context, several Indian firms have already entered into research partnerships with multinationals. Some pharmaceutical MNCs like AstraZeneca have opened their own captive research centers in India to take advantage of the low costs as we ll as availability of high quality intellectual work force. Russia 2013, marketing insight estimates. (ASSOCHAM). IMS estimates the healthcare market in India at $31.59 bn. by 2020, whereas the global management consulting major, McKinsey Co. predicts that the Indian pharmaceutical market is expected to touch $40 by 2015. The industry has given employment to approximately 2.86 mn people and has around 20,053 units. Globally, India is 4th in terms of volume (8% of worlds production), 13th in terms of value, and 17th in terms of pharmaceutical export value. The drugs and pharmaceuticals exported are worth over $3.8 bn. Section-III INDIAN PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET 2.8 DOMESTIC PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET The pharmaceutical industry in India meets around 70% of the countrys demand for bulk drugs, drug intermediates, pharmaceutical formulations, chemicals, tablets, capsules, orals and injectibles. There are about 250 large units and about 8000 Small Scale Units, which form the core of the pharmaceutical industry in India (including 5 Central Public Sector Units). These units produce the complete range of pharmaceutical formulations, i.e., medicines ready for consumption by patients and about 350 bulk drugs, i.e., chemicals having therapeutic value and used for production of pharmaceutical-formulations. As discussed in earlier chapters about the Indian Pharmaceutical sector which is highly fragmented with more than 20,000 registered units. It has expanded drastically in the last two decades. The leading 250 pharmaceutical companies control 70% of the market with market leader holding nearly 7% of the market share. It is an extremely fragmented market with severe price competition and government price control. North Indian states UTs are also engaged in production of pharmaceutical products, few states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, are also providing tax holidays so as to motivate the pharma companies to enhance their production facilities, more over the climatic conditions and other macro factors are suitable for the growth of pharma and especially biotech., Industries in these two states. Table2.14 shows the state wise distribution in north India. FiG.-2.6 :STATE- WISE DISTRIBUTION OF PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR IN INDIA, 2010-11 . graph3.JPG Source: Annual report: 201