Proposition 8

Do you believe society should have the ability to determine if same sex partners should marry? Determining your soul partners should be a privilege for all, such as homosexuals, lesbians, gays, bisexuals etc. and not society. Homosexuals are not abnormal humans, so there is no reason to treat them any different, after all they are citizens who oblige to the same jurisdictions. In the brief article, 8 Is Not Hate: The Meaning of a proposition by Jennifer Roback Morse, Morse explains how marriage is a gender-based institution that attaches mothers and fathers to each other and to their children, but I disagree with her theory of marriage.I believe marriage is based on the love, trust, and the ability to provide for one another. If you were brought into this world as a homosexual then who are you to deny marriage to same sex partners, because although you deny marriage to same sex couples they’re not going to change their beliefs and values just because society does not accept th em for who they are. Same sex couples should have the ability to choose their own spouses, without having to deal with ignorant bigots such as those who won’t accept others preferences, because of religious beliefs and values morals.If homosexuals have the same responsibility, consequences, and obligations as straight people then there is no reason to keep marriage away from same sex partner. Being homophobic is having fear of or contempt for lesbians and gays. Proposition 8 is seen as a discriminating proposition towards to gays and lesbians, because same sex couples are judged by almost all who don’t accept their sexual desires.Not only are homosexuals judged but they are also verbally assaulted, physically harmed, and even threatened by homophobic bullies who have hate against same sex couples. I experienced this discrimination and bullying three months ago. I have a co-worker whose name is Rene and that is gay and I got to be good friends with him over the summer. He described how he would go to school and he would have students call him names, and at times physically harm him because of his sexual preference.I asked him when he realized he was gay and he told me he always liked girl accessory for some reason. It’s like if he was born gay so what can he do about it? He is a very confident young man and explained how he wants to marry his boyfriend, so why can’t he choose who to marry his soul mate. I don’t believe anyone should have the ability to decide on other people’s ability to marry, only god can decide that and apparently he doesn’t mind because he put homosexuals into this world so why deny the love they share for each other.If gays/lesbians don’t have ability to decide if straight people could get married then I don’t believe straights should decide who homosexuals should marry. Proposition 8 is denying same-sex partners to marry through civil law then there should be no implementation s on the religious side. Morse also describes how, â€Å"The court changed the jurisprudence of sexual orientation discrimination cases, giving same sex-couples the highest level of protection.This means that in contest between religious liberty and sexual orientation discrimination, religious liberty would almost always lose. † (p. 83) Morse is describing how the court ruled over religion because in reality same-sex couples that get married through civil law have nothing to do with religion. If same-sex partners do not get married under religion, then there is no reason for people who believe in religion and marriage as only heterosexual couples to decide if homosexuals have the ability to marry.In the bill of right of the United States the first amendment states how congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting free exercise thereof. If being a homosexual is a free exercise and no law Is made to respect religion, then there shouldnâ€⠄¢t be a proposition banning the same- sex marriage, because it is only in the bill of rights to do as you please as long as it’s in the jurisdiction bounds. . Our society is not as tolerant as it used to be, but that doesn’t mean it should be tolerant towards certain issues such as the one on proposition 8.Homosexuals will not stop fighting this issue because marriage is a part of life and if religion does not have anything to do with this issue because they are getting married through the civil law, then let them live just like they let us live. Voting no on proposition eight is what everyone should do not only because it’s the right thing to do but also because in the end they will not turn straight just because society does not let them marry. Same-sex couples will not stop fighting this issue that has to do with their realties and not ours, so let them be.

Dead beat dads Essay

A dead beat dad should be penalized for not taking care of their child by providing financial support. Dead beat dads should serve jail time; attend an educational program, and show these men the circumstances that they have forced their child and mother to live in. In most homes children are born out of wedlock. Even though a child is born out of wedlock, it is still both parents responsibility to contribute to the child needs. Unfortunately, its easier said than done because this is not happening much in today’s world. A deadbeat dad isn’t just someone who doesn’t pay child support. A deadbeat dad is also a man that is mostly never around his kids, break promises that he makes to his kids, and doesn’t help contribute to his kids house hold by taking care of home finically. The term â€Å"deadbeat dad† came from child support agencies that used the term to identify men who had fathered a child and choose not to pay child support ordered by a family court of law. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, â€Å"Children who have fathers in their lives learn better, have higher self-esteem and show fewer signs of depression than children without fathers†. Dead beat dads are a menace to our society. First and foremost the police needs to arrest these dead beat dads in put them in jail. They should go to jail if there child support payment is 3 weeks or more late. 3 weeks is enough time so that the child want have to suffer no longer than they should. The place of arrest should be at their job or hang out area. What an awesome way to put these men down just like they done to their child. By doing this it will show these men that their behavior is not acceptable. A father’s decision to leave their household and not help support his family can cause a lot of unnecessary conflict in the family. It is easy for a man and a woman to make a baby in the heat in the moment. However, in most cases the father decides he doesn’t want anything to do with the mother or the newborn leaving the baby fatherless. The responsibilities that the father is faced with such as child support or just being around a newborn baby can scare them away. It is not fair to a child or a mother to be walked out on. It is the father responsibility just as well as the mother to take care of a child that they created. Most men feel irritated with the mother but he’s only getting what he started. Putting these men in jail will definitely make them start paying their child support. While these men are in jail they should be required to attend educational programs. This program will teach these men parenting skills and how important it is to be in their child’s life and the importance of child benefits and financial support. These men should also attend a psychology class that teaches them the consequences that a dead beat dad can have on their child. Dead beat dads should be required to read personal stories wrote by kids that experienced hurt that has been caused by men that has failed to be a father. Hopefully this will open up these men eyes and help them realize how much harm these children go through. The goal is to teach these men how important it is to help these women out with the children they’ve created. Education is very important when it comes to these dead beat dads. With these educational parenting programs, these men would have what it takes to raise their children the right way. Dead beat dads will make better decisions on raising their child with education. Last but not least it is important that the actions we take teach these men a lesson that sticks with them for life. After they complete the educational classes, then these men should be placed in an afflicted home where they will be required to take care of a computerized baby for 1 month. These men will be forced to go find work to take care of themselves and the baby because no food, transportation, or clothes will be given to them. These deadbeat dads shall be required to purchase baby food and diapers for the computerize baby. While these men attend these programs they will also be required to pay back all owed child support. With taking these steps these dead beat dads will understand the nurture of a child. With all this taking place dead beat dads want be a menace to our society any more. Men that choose to not take full responsibility for their children will no longer be accepted in this world. This problem will no longer exist. This problem with dead beat dads has not only affected families but also it has become a public problem that must be addressed now. The goal is to make sure that no child shall ever suffer again because of a dead beat dad. Innocent children need both of their parents in them lives. With these extremes our society will rehabilitate dead beat dads while helping innocent children.

Compare and contrast about 2 different speakers Essay

Compare and contrast about 2 different speakers - Essay Example Oprah repeats some of her words to emphasize certain facts and to drive home vital facts. Oprah also takes time to summarize her speech in a simple yet captivating way ensuring that her main points sink in the minds of her audience. Sarah Palin shares quite a lot with Oprah. She is confident, not nervous, and maintains steady eye contact as she addresses her audience. Palin throws in a few jokes which keep her audience captivated. She is better at speaking when she refers to her notes, something Oprah never (or rarely) does. Palin, like Oprah acknowledges her audience and speaks passionately – she is generally emotionally centred. She uses body language, facial expressions and tonal variations. Even though she refers to her notes, Palin is dynamic in her presentation, her voice not as smooth as Oprah’s. Like Oprah, Sarah does not focus on herself but on others similarly giving examples that have a connection with her

Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Question - Essay Example Among the knowledge hoped to be acquired by the student are engineering, technology, design, mechanics, mathematics and physics. This knowledge also encompass as many theoretical and practical areas as possible. Bearing the prestige of acquiring the above skills and knowledge comes with a number of responsibilities. As the adage goes, to whom much is given, much is expected. This means that the mechanical engineering graduate is expected to give back to society by exhibiting and appropriately applying the acquired skills and knowledge. In today’s contemporary society where technology revolves round almost all industries, the mechanical engineer is expected to apply his or her knowledge by incorporating advanced technology into solving some of the key problems and challenges that come with the basic functions and operations of mechanical parts of machines. More importantly are automobiles. As the mechanical engineering graduate apply the knowledge in the field, it is expected that certain core values would be exhibited along side the ordinary exhibition of skills and knowledge and these include values like recognition, achievement, independence, trust and cordial interpersonal

International trade theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International trade theory - Essay Example Therefore, a country should only specialize in the production of its efficient commodity. Interpreting this account to the illustration on chart 4-10, Ghana specializes in the production of cocoa for commercial purposes than Korea who takes its advantage based on rice. Ghana being 4 times more efficient in cocoa productivity than Korea who specializes in rice gives absolute advantage of each other in trade negotiations. Besides, the theory of comparative advantage illustrates that country’s exports should not be measured by quantity but efficiency to avoid market dominancy. For instance, if 4tones of cocoa were exchanged by 4tones of, rice from Korea then Ghana would be susceptible compared to Korea (Pomfret 107). Clusters or networks of similar companies in the same industry are always encouraged as this harmonizes competitive advantage of the countries involved by creating room for innovations otherwise improving productivity. Cluster is also very essential for the promotion f a particular good or service believed to be efficiently located (Pomfret

Book Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Book Questions - Essay Example They started decoding coded telegraphs, dicing-out captured documents and intercepted mails, and endlessly interrogated their prisoners. The role of intelligence was very vital in the outcome of critical battles. In the absence of the advanced equipment that we have today such as satellite radios, tracking devices and spy cameras, both sides were able to fairly execute their national-level military intelligence service though neither government had any formal training. General Washingtons agents came in different shapes and sizes of men and women. Many of these agents will never be suspected because they were considered to be bandits or outlaws by their neighbors. General Washington done a great job in finding people with best talents in military deception and counterintelligence. Most of all, each was dedicated to the General and the Independence of their country. Espionage ruled over the revolution and without it, the war could have ended in a different way (History of American Int elligence, 2007). The Pueblo revolt can be described as a sudden eruption of a volcano. The underlying causes of the revolt was attributed to their inborn hatred of the Spanish, the love of Pueblos to their ancient way of life, and due to their denigration and prohibition of the traditional religion. The pain-stricken Pueblo natives turned back to their old gods because they were unsatisfied with the protective powers of the the god and church that the Spanish imposed to them. Conflict between the Spanish government and the Franciscans began when the governor issued an order which allowed the native religious rituals. The Franciscans called them â€Å"devil worshipers† and fumed, railed and burned not just Pueblo religious items but the people as well. Peace and harmony were completely vanished. It was a loop of Indians getting hurt, then they would tell the Spanish government that in turn favored them. From the 1660s up to the 1670s, the Pueblo people went through

Contrasting the Hobbesian and Lockeian Social Contracts Essay

Contrasting the Hobbesian and Lockeian Social Contracts - Essay Example John Locke’s â€Å"The Second Treatise of Government† and Thomas Hobbes’ â€Å"Leviathan† both present theories for the construction of social contracts that would enable the sanctioning of a sovereign force to protect the whole. Where Locke takes a more liberal perspective, inviting the ideal that people can function by accepting a ruling authority for the greater good, Hobbes takes a similar yet opposing stance that while a ruling authority is key in the success of protecting the human race, people cannot accept such influence without giving up certain inalienable rights including their own personal sovereignty. With that said, a closer look will be taken into the contract theories of both Hobbes and Locke to determine how their different assumptions yield two distinct forms of social contracts and illuminate which political thinker’s ideal holds more value today. To begin with, John Locke has long been thought to be one of the most archetypal the orists in all of American political thinking. His ideas are so fundamental in the political landscape that it has been understood that his beliefs backed the foundations of the American Revolution in 1776. In his essay entitled â€Å"The Second Treatise of Government: An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government,† Locke details his theories for a distinct form of social contract in which he states that people would be bound by a moral code to uphold a certain dignity when dealing with others. By this code, people would do no harm to others or the property of others, but this could only be regulated by a governmental force that could provide protection from the inherent fear that not everyone would abide by the moral code set forth. Moreover, it is because of this need for protection from those of wavering morality that people would come together and form a state-sanctioned force which would umbrella a safety net upon their lives. It is important to note, however, that since this governmental faction is elected in a pseudo-democratic fashion for the need of the many that faction is only in place as long as the legitimacy of freedom remains intact. Moreover, the governmental faction is there for the protection of the whole, as an impartial judge, and will not persecute anybodyfor protecting his land or family. On the other hand, Hobbes’ â€Å"Leviathan: Or, the Matter, Form and Power of a Commonwealth, Ecclesiastical and Civil† theorized that life was an anarchic mess, where people were unable to act for the good of the many and instead only focused on their own selfish needs. His moral code is similar to Locke’s only in the realm that people come together for a fundamental purpose – but that is where similarities end. Hobbes believed that people had to give up something to be part of the whole. It was regulatory without leadership, a constant realm of chaos and anarchy unless the social contract c ould be enforced which would essentially require everyone to act in the greater interests of the whole by giving up their own individualized sovereignty. Further, in Hobbes’ contract, people are inherently selfish beings. Unable to share the vested interests of others, people lived in an anarchic state that teetered between the needs of the one and the sacrifice of the many to achieve that fact. In this, Hobbes is almost the complete opposite of Locke in that people are unable to declare a sovereign ruling force without giving up their individualized sovereignty. People are unable to become part of the state without asserting that they no longer need any sort of individualism. Hobbes details that â€Å"therefore before the names of Just, and Unjust can have place, there must be some coercive Power, to compel men equally to the performance of their Covenants, by the terror of some punishment, greater than the benefit they expect† (Hobbes 97). Essentially, for the social contract to function in the ways Hobbes has detailed, people must be compelled by some

MARKETING FUNDAMENTALS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words - 1

MARKETING FUNDAMENTALS - Essay Example The quality of the brand and services offered by the company have improved, but the company has tried to personify the introduced products in such sophisticated manner, so as to attract the focus and interest of the customers; topped with whipped cream and a dusting of toffee sprinkles, McDonalds version of this traditional delicacy is a luxurious tasty treat (Burt, 2007) is one of the notations associated with the particular product. The McDonalds has been successful in offering convincing experience which has enthralled and delighted the customers, the company instead of coming up to the expectations of the customers, has further enhanced the level of their taste through magnificent offerings. The chairman of the McDonalds has agreed and stressed upon the effectiveness of such strategy, the one common thread to the success of these stories and the company is that they have to be true and they have to be authentic (Burt, 2007). As per the current record of the sales, and future prediction of the sales on the basis of current trend are encouraging, by the end of 2012 the sales of the Schultz will be three times higher and will reach the mark of twenty three billion US dollars. The company has revealed a comprehensive plan aimed at the expansion of units, more than forty thousand stores are expected to be launched in the coming few years. Keeping in view the mission statement of the company, which aims at the establishment of the McDonalds as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining the uncompromising principles during growth (Burt, 2007), the mission statement is in lieu with the planned and present activities of the company, and by the end of next five years, the company is expected to achieve the glory highlighted in the statement. The company has decided to create a healthy work environment, which is expected to develop positive consequences on the performance of the company. The importance of the healthy environment in the

BS in Law Enforcement Leadership Personal Statement - 6

BS in Law Enforcement Leadership - Personal Statement Example I was at all times determined to be the top student in my class, especially after having an opportunity to enroll in the program. I feel proud of myself, particularly after achieving my dream to complete the leadership mission as a capstone experience. My self-esteem has also improved a great deal, and I have so far learned how to appreciate myself and all the efforts that I have dedicated to achieving my goals. Having taken part in projects and discussions, I am confident that I am what most employers are looking for, as my contribution to my class teams has been exemplary. The online Accelerated Degree Program also presented me with the chance to embrace ethical perspectives. In my coursework, I was challenged to present essays and presentations that reflected the same. I was taught to be a critical and creative thinker especially in terms of cultural values, crime investigation, present-day policing and police administration as required of the course (PhilaUonline 1). Thanks to the course, I am capable of identifying the issues that surround law enforcement, then devise the best solutions towards the same. Relating this to my professional ability, I am confident that I am well baked to fit in the demanding field of law enforcement. I also term myself as more of a problem solver as opposed to problem initiator. Prior to my enrolment in the Accelerated Degree Program, I did not appreciate cultural diversity. This has now changed as I am now able to demonstrate my understanding of cultural differences and the importance of respecting those differences. Before, I would use words that were annoying to some cultures. After enrolling for the program, I avoid using such words, whether slang or not, as I realized the importance of appreciating people and their culture.  

The role of nursing in a mas casualty event Research Paper

The role of nursing in a mas casualty event - Research Paper Example Acts of terrorism, disease outbreaks and natural and man-made disasters can occur anywhere at any time. Some of the disasters for which for which we must be prepared are avian influenza outbreaks, violent storms, bombing, floods, fires and transport accidents. Whatever may be the form of such casualties, in case there is always a need for nurses various services to comply with the crucial needs of such an event. In Zwirn et. al., The International Nursing Coalition for Mass Casualty Education has expressed that every nurse, on graduation from an entry levels, must have knowledge and abilities to respond to emergencies of various forms, and also that if you or your staff are unaware of any such knowledge, then you must work to acquire any such, before you are asked to respond to any emergencies. (Zwirn, et. al., 2006) In short, it is intended that nurses, without the aid to usual medical support, must be able to react in a mass casualty or emergency, affecting a larger group in unusual circumstances. At Columbia University, excellent instructive programs have been developed including the Mailman School of Public Health National Center for Disaster Preparedness and also at the Saint Louis University School of Public Health the Institute for Biosecurity and in last but not the least the certification at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing called the Mass Casualty Education (Nursing Emergency Preparedness Education Coalition, 2007). Disaster Education All sorts of medical and ethical and social trainings must include the preparedness activities. As stated by Veenema (2003) a number of useful materials can be found at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's website (FEMA), information provided at this website includes disaster fact sheets and special material is available for parents, health professionals and teachers also to guide them as to how to speak to minors about terrorism and casualties. This material is also useful in preparing you and your family to prepare for such incidents. These materials particularly discuss the measures necessary after the very crucial seventy two hours of the emergency, particularly when the possibility of state aid and local help is low. (Veenema, 2003) As volunteers and nurses it is essential that we must know that how available resources at the event of a calamity can be made use of efficiently. To counter such emergencies, it necessary that we must be aware of our society's susceptibilities and also realize the calamity plans and other practical societal activities for instance mock drills. Such experiences are highly useful if we are the first responders in any event, and what if the available persons are the only trained disaster-trained personnel, and how ones behavior would vary if we are to permanently offer our services as caregivers. (Congressional Testimony, 2006) Recognizing Potential Threats Usually nurses are the first trained professionals, to which people approach in the event of some form of casualty. Although most of us haven't experienced disorders that may be regarded as bioterror weapons, it is essential t

Stakeholder Analysis Model of Change Essay Example for Free

Stakeholder Analysis Model of Change Essay There are several models of change available for use when organizations begin the process of implementing change. The stakeholder analysis model focuses on the position of key stakeholders in regard to the planned change. Stakeholders in a company include individuals or groups inside or outside the company who can influence the success of the change (Palmer, Dunford, and Akin, 2006). This review involves a six step process and includes identifying stakeholders, recognizing the capacity to influence change, checking stakeholder track record, interest in change, ability to affect change, and determine position on change. The main purpose of the stakeholder analysis is to inform the change manager of the likelihood of the change being successful and widely accepted. As a supplement to the analysis, the change manager may use the power-interest matrix to plot the level of stakeholder interest against stakeholder power. The matrix can identify specific action to be taken based on the classification of specific stakeholders. Upon concluding the analysis and power-interest matrix, if the change manager determines weak favorability by key stakeholders, steps can be taken to improve the projection of the change initiative (Palmer, Dunford, and Akin, 2006). The change manager can take action by adding agreeable stakeholders, removing oppositional individuals, or modifying the proposed change to address stakeholder concerns without compromising the initiative. As with all things, there are pros and cons of the stakeholder analysis. A pro is that this analysis is a thorough way to review the business and needs of stakeholders. In addition, it helps to determine the appropriate changes that would benefit the majority. This detailed approach to implementing a change may lead to better results with respect to stakeholder acceptance of the change. A con to this study is that it seems very involved and time-consuming. Depending on the timeline of the company to implement and train stakeholders on the change in processes and systems, the stakeholder analysis model of change may not be the best option.  Something to consider when determining the best model of change for an organization is to assess if the costs outweigh the benefits. Often this will be the deciding factor in regard to which model to use and what changes are advantageous for the business. Six-Box Model Organizational Development is an important aspect along with the culture of the business. The Six-Box Model proposes is six broad categories that can be broken down into purposes, structures, relationships, leadership, rewards, and helpful mechanisms. The organization’s mission and goals defines how the structure in which the organization is organized and the purposes. Goals include programs or projects where teams work together to meet an objective weather it be sales or implementing change. Relationships are the interaction among individuals in the organization or the way employees interact with technology. Rewards are also a fundamental way to get motivation among employees to meet goals. The typical management tasks include balancing the other boxes. The mechanisms include, scheduling, monitoring, budgeting, and information systems that aid to meet organizational goals. The external environment depicted in by the model is represented by the box surrounding these key compon ents. Inputs defined in his model include money, people, ideas, and machinery. Outputs are merchandise and services. Employees buy in is used to determine if the organizational members agree with and support the organization’s mission and goals. Structuring everything correctly will get the purpose and the internal structure of the organization to coincide with one another. This can be achieved by forming the key relationships between individuals in different departments to avoid conflict. Rewarding the organizational members feel, they are rewarded within the environment. Leadership defines the purposes and embodies it in their programs. â€Å"Helpful Mechanisms can help or hinder the accomplishment of organizational objectives, (Organizational Development Models Weisbord’s Six-Box Model, 2009).† The model has guidelines that focus on internal issues in the organization. Primarily the six-box model poses many interconnections in the organization. The biggest down fall is concerning the impact of the external environment in the model, which is vaguely described. References Organizational Development Models Weisbord’s Six-Box Model. (2009, July 31). Retrieved 5 17, 2014, from every one a leader: http://everyonealeader.blogspot.com/2009/08/organizational-development-models.html Palmer, I., Dunford, R., Akin, G. (2006). Managing organization change: a multiple perspectives approach. New York, NY: Mcgraw-Hill Irwin.

Front Office Department Yield Management

Front Office Department Yield Management Chapter 1 Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to give an overview of the Front Office department and the yield management. The term Front Office was introduced in the US, but now used in worldwide. Front Office is divided into sub-departments namely reception, concierge, switchboard, bellboys, reservations and guest relations. Nevertheless, as hotels vary in size and type, some of these sub-departments may not be present. Despite the size or the type of the establishment, the department is in many ways the nerves of the hotel. One reason for this is that the sale of rooms generates more than 50 per cent of revenue and profit of a hotel, thus it is compulsory that Front Office department maximize its sales. For instance it might be through the switchboard, in the process of making reservation over the telephone, by entering the hotel to check-in or to make an inquiry. It clearly depicts that Front Office is a strong marketing tool that generates business for a hotel through guests registration. It i s the center for guest activity. Front Office is in fact a hotel department where guests check-in, request information about services that the hotel provides and at the end of their stay they settle their bills and check-out. The Front Office as well generates profit or revenue indirectly, for other departments such as restaurant bookings and up-selling of the hotel in general. Normally, up-selling is done by the team members to increase profit by offering other services to the guests. When guests inquire about those services then it is an opportunity for the staffs to persuade them to purchase these facilities. It is important that the department sets goals and objectives to be able to manage and control yield management so as to maximize sales revenue. The Front Office should however have its own mission statement for a successful management system. Aim: Planning and evaluating Front Office yield management for a better revenue management and for the success of the department Objectives: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Proposing a solution for an effective communication and how to eliminate all barriers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Understanding the purpose of yield management and how to plan, manage and organize in the Front Office department à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Investigating the link between Front Office Operations and yield management: how it contributes in the department à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Implementing yield management in Front Office department à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Making Front Office department successful in controlling and calculating revenue obtaining from up-selling Problem Statement: There is an increase in communication barriers interdepartmentally concerning sales revenue. Messages are not passed accordingly to right person, to the right place and at the right time. It is noticed that employees are not convince to do up-selling owing to lack of training facilities and procedures. Thus, expectations are not met which results to a low revenue. The fact that there is misunderstanding, conflicts may arise among staffs and supervisors to make decision on how to increase sales. The time scale does not allow the employees to properly plan, organise and implement their task if managers do not set objectives and guidelines. Finally, owing to a miscalculation or a decrease in revenue and sales, it minimizes the profits. In general, team members do not take their planning of task into consideration thus result to ineffective, inefficiently and less productive. Updated information is not usually circulated. Thus, outdated data is given to guests concerning the selling price of the products and services at the hotel. If there has been carelessness, guests get compensation, for instance a dinner free of charge on the beach. In somehow, reducing the revenue and sales. Chapter 2 Front Office department Front Office department is one of the departments within the rooms division. It is the heart center of the hotel and is the most revenue generating. Front Office is a noticeable department in a hotel with the greatest amount of guest contact and highly people orientated. It is designed as the first lasting impression. The front office functions can be divided into six general areas: 1. Reception 2. Guest Relations 3. Bell service 4. Mail and information / Reservation 5. Concierge 6. Cashiers and night auditors Front Office Structure A hotels size and objectives determine the organizational structure of the Front Office. (Abbott,P. and Lewry, S. 1993) A table of Front Office structures is shown below. [Drawing]Front Office Manager [Drawing] Assistant Front Office Manager [Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Text Wrapping Break] [Text Box][Text Box] [Drawing]Reservation Manager [Drawing][Text Box] [Drawing][Drawing][Drawing][Drawing] [Text Box][Text Box][Text Box][Text Box][Text Box] [Drawing] [Text Box] Planning and evaluating operations There are seven management functions that have to be considered when planning and evaluating operations. These points are as follows: 1.Planning 2.Organising 3.Coordinating 4.Staffing 5.Leading 6.Controlling 7.Evaluating Planning Planning is an essential function in the success of different office operations. It is a procedure of setting objectives, developing plans and outlining tasks and schedules to accomplish the goals targeted. An effective strategic planning is done for the contribution of a successful operation and to maintain higher or constant revenue in the Front Office operation. At the stage of planning, the Front Office manager determines the departments goals and objectives. Therefore, the Front Office manager uses these goals as a guide for planning most specific and measurable objectives. Finally, through these goals, the front office manager determines the strategies and procedures to reach these objectives. These aims will thus discuss to the Front Office staffs so as to plan and organise their task efficiently for the success of the department. Organising After setting the objectives, the Front Office manager organised the work to be done through dividing it among Front Office staffs. When organising the tasks, the work is distributed properly and is to be completed in a given period of time. Coordinating Coordination and team spirit are vital. It involves togetherness and using the available resources to attain planned goals. Staffing The right persons and experienced ones are recruited. It is important to introduce training to the employees for a better success of the department. Leading Leading involves supervising, motivating, training, disciplining and setting an example for the Front Office department. Leading is important to maintain the effectiveness of the tasks. Controlling Through controlling, it ensures that the concrete outcomes of operations closely match the plan results. Leading and controlling of task are mostly the duties of the supervisors. Evaluating Through evaluating, it determines the extent to which planed goals and objectives are actually attained. Furthermore, it involves appraising and when necessary reviewing or helping to revise Front Office goals. Moreover, to maintain the successful of the department, every task are planned in advance. The room allocations for arrival of guests are well planned. Before the arrival of guests, the registration card which is a legal form is prepared on the eve of the day as well as concerning the hotel information sheets. The cold towels and the cocktail juice are also prepared in the evening for the arrival of guests on the following day. The departure and arrival check list are prepared one day before. If there are any group arrivals, a planning is done on how to do the check-in. A daily event record is prepared every evening by the Guest Relation Officers; showing all detailed information about arrivals and departures of guests including total guests- in- house. A daily event report is shown in the annex. If there is any early arrival, then, the housekeeping department has to be advised to prepare the room earlier. Establishing room rates The Front Office manager allocates to each room category a rack rate. In fact, the Front Liners are expected to sell rooms at rate unless a guest qualifies for an alternative room rate for example airline rate, commercial rate, group rate, day rate, package plan rate, complimentary rate, cooperate rate, promotional rate, incentive rate or family rate. While establishing room rates management has to consider its operating cost, inflationary factors and competitions. In general, there are three well-known approaches to pricing room: 1)Market condition approach 2)Ruled-of-thumb approach 3)Hubbart formula approach Market condition approach Under this approach management look at comparable hotels in the geographical market to verify the prices charging for the same products. Thus, charge only what the market will accept. In contrary, this approach is endangered to some drawbacks as it does not take into account the value of the property and the strong sales effort to accomplish. Ruled-of-thumb approach In this approach, the rate of a room is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1 for each à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1000 of construction and furnishing cost per room, assuming a 70% occupancy rate. However, this approach does not consider the inflation term, the contribution of other facilities and services towards the hotels desired profitability. The Front Office manager must stay in contact with the General Manager and controller to monitor room rate effectiveness. Hubbart formula approach This approach considers operating costs, desired profits and expected number of rooms sold, that is, demand. Generally, this approach lays emphasis on the factors such as operating expenses, desired Return on Investment (ROI) and income from different departments in the hotel; to establish room rates. This method relies on the Front Office to produce income to cover operating expenses, overhead and ROI for the hotel operation. According to Hubbart formula approach, the procedure of calculating a room rate is shown below: i.Measuring the hotels anticipated profit by multiplying the desired rate of return (ROI) by the holders investment. ii.Measuring pre-tax profits by dividing the anticipated profit by 1 minus hotels tax rate. iii.Measuring fixed charges and management fees. This calculation includes estimating depreciation, interest expense, property taxes, insurances, amortization, building mortgage, land, rent and management fees. iv.Measuring undistributed operating expenses. This includes estimating administrative and general expenses and energy costs. v.Assessing non-room operating department income or loss, that is, Food and Beverages department income or loss, telephone department income or loss. vi.Measuring the required room department income which is the sum of pre-tax profits, operating department losses less other department incomes. vii.Determining the room department revenue which is the required room department income, plus other room department direct expenses of payroll and related expenses. viii.Measuring the average room rate by dividing rooms department revenue by the expected number of rooms to be sold. These methods are guidelines only. Room rates must frequently monitored with regard to market conditions of demand and supply. Furthermore, some more formulae are depicted below: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Doubles sold daily = double occupancy rate x total number of rooms x occupancy% à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Singles sold daily = rooms sold daily number of double rooms sold daily à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Singles sold daily x X + doubles sold daily x (X + Y) = (average room rate) x (total number of rooms sold daily) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Whereby: X = price of singles; Y = price differential between singles and doubles; X+Y = price of doubles. Forecasting Room Availability: Forecasting room availability is to predict the number of rooms available for sale on forthcoming date. The kind of forecasting helps to manage the reservation process, guides the Front Liners for an effective rooms management and is used as occupancy forecast. Therefore, it is useful in attempting and to roster the essential number of staffs for a planned size of a department. In order to predict room availability, the following information is needed à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room arrivals/ check-ins à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room no-shows à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room walk-ins à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room stayovers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room overstays à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room check-outs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Number of expected room understays The above mentioned information helps the Front Liners to conduct various daily operational ratios. The formulae to calculate No-show percentage, Walk-ins percentage, Overstays percentage and Understays percentage are as follows: i.No-shows percentage = (Number of no-show rooms) divided by (Number of rooms reserved) ii.Walk-ins percentage = (Number of walk-in rooms) divided by (Sum of the number of rooms arrivals) iii.Overstays percentage = (Number of overstay rooms) divided by (Number of expected check-outs) iv.Understays percentage = (Number of understay rooms) divided by (Number of expected check-outs) The predicted number of rooms available for sale for upcoming date can be likely successful by using the formula shown below: Forecasted number of rooms available for sale = Total number of guests rooms -Number of out of order rooms Number of stayovers rooms Number of reserved rooms + Number of no-show rooms + Number of understay rooms Number of overstay rooms Under non-automated and semi-automated systems, total of rooms available for sale forecasts are measured upon demands and needs which vary from three-day to ten-day forecasts. Nevertheless, under fully automated systems, forecasts are done at any instant for imminent period of time. For instance, on opera system, room forecasts are already registered and considered, thus eliminating monotonous labour work and human error margins. Budgeting for Operations Hotels have to prepare annual budgets, which are profit plans that address all revenue sources and expense items for the next calendar year. Furthermore, the hotel annual operating budget represents against which management can evaluate actual outcomes of operations. In the twelve-monthly budget preparation process, close coordination efforts of all management personnel are essential. The annual operation of a hotel budget is generally divided into monthly plans which in turn divided into weekly and even daily plans for a better control over the current consequences. In addition, while preparing the Front Office department annual budget, the Front Office manager has to coordinate with the financial department to estimate only rooms revenue and related direct expenses. The hotel controller and the General Manager, therefore, have to revise this budget. Forecasting room revenue In order to predict room revenue, the Front Office manager considers the historical financial data such as past room revenue, past number of rooms sold, past average daily rate and past occupancy rates. Thus, compare and contrast for a better decision making. Forecasting direct expenses Owing to the fact that the Front Office manager is responsible only for his or her department direct expenses, that is, variable costs; the Front Office manager consult past financial data showing variable costs to room revenue ratios, in order to estimate department expenses. Refining budget plans If ever the external strong factors change considerably, in an unpredicted way, then the actual operating budgeted figures have to be revised. Evaluating Front Office Operations A successful Front Office manager has to continuously evaluate the outcomes of the department activities on a daily, monthly, quarterly and yearly basis. While evaluating, the following items and tools have to be considered: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Daily operations report; for example Room move report à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Occupancy ratios à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Rooms revenue analysis à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Hotel income statement; for example Early breakfast sale à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Rooms division income statement or schedule; for example up-selling of rooms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Rooms division budgets report à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Operating ratios and ratios standards Daily operations report This report is also known as the managers report, the daily report and the daily revenue report. It encloses a summary of the hotels financial activities during a 24 hour period. In addition, it assists as to reconcile cash, bank accounts and revenue and accounts receivable. Occupancy ratios Occupancy ratios measure the enhancement of the Front Office in selling the hotels guestrooms. Some common ratios that are used in the Front Office department are depicted below: i.Occupancy percentage = (Number of rooms occupied) divided by (Total number of rooms available for sale) ii.Multiple occupancy percentage = (Number of rooms occupied by more than one guest) divided by (Total number of rooms occupied) iii.Average guests per rooms sold = (Total number of guests) divided by (Total number of rooms sold) iv.Average daily rate = (Total rooms revenue) divided by (Total number of rooms sold) v.Average rate per guest = (Total rooms revenue) divided by (Total number of guests) Room revenue analysis One prime report to succeed control over room revenue is the room rate variance report, that is those rooms that have been sold at rates other than their rack rates, for instance, airline rate, corporate or commercial rates and so on Another form is the yield statistics, which is the ratio of the current revenue to the sum of the possible potential revenue if all rooms are sold at rack rates. Formula of Yield statistic is shown below: Yield statistic = (Actual room revenue) divided by (Potential room revenue) Hotel income statement This statement provides vital financial data about the outcomes of hotel operations for a given period of time. Room division income statement The room division income statement also known as a schedule has to be referenced on the hotels income statement. Furthermore, the room division schedule has to be prepared by the hotels financial division not by the hotels Front Office accounting agent, that is, the Night Auditors. Room division budget reports These reports are monthly budget form comparing to current revenue and expenses figures against budgeted amounts depicted both in Euro values and percentage variances. Operating ratios Operating ratios for instance occupancy ratios, yield statisticsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ assist managers in evaluating the success of the Front Office operations. In addition, for the ratios to be meaningful they should be compared against proper standards such as prior periods, competitors or budgeted ratios. Front Office Operations A need for communication exists to communicate with other managers and staffs working other shifts. The reservation area is the sales department of the Front Office, thus a revenue center for the department in the sense that reservations determine on occupancy levels. The Front desk staffs must compulsory alert the guests when their credit limit is exceeding. Lastly, the Front Office staff should take the check-out as an opportunity to offer the guest supplementary services; for example, proposing the guest to book a room in the hotel for the future. (Vallen, J.J. 1985) Night audit, reception and Guest Relation are an essential element of Front Office department and claimed to be revenue generating department. The Guest Relation Officers have to convince the guests to accept upgrades. (Jones, C and Paul, V. 1993). There has to be a control process system to monitor the performance objectives targeted. Furthermore, the Front Office controls its cash or revenue sales. Interdepartmental Communication The Front Office staffs cooperate with all departments of the hotel including marketing and sales, housekeeping, food and beverage, banquet, controller, maintenance, security and human resources. Each department has a different kind of communication with the Front liners. These departments view the Front Office as a communication connection in providing guest services. The Front Office is a clearinghouse for communication activities. Marketing and Sales department The marketing and sales department depends on the Front Office to provide data on guest histories or concerning guests prior visit. The guest history is a valuable resource for marketing and sales as it uses the guest registration information to target marketing campaigns, develop promotions, prepare mailing labels and select appropriate advertising media. Housekeeping department Communications between the Front Office and the Housekeeping department is vital as it revolves around room status. Team members of the Housekeeping department provide a room status report to the Front Office department. Thus, follow-up can be done easily through this report. Food and Beverage department There are handovers which are used to communicate a charge to a guests account. It is essential that the Food and Beverage department communicates with the Front Office department to know the meal plan of the guests. This is to charge the guests accordingly prior to their meal plan they paid for. Through interdepartmental communication, information is spread out to all the departments so as to communicate effectively for an enhancement situation of the hotel and to increase revenue. It is also essential for a better planning of work. Intradepartmental communication Communication within the department is essential for a better planning of work. After planning the goals and objectives for the success of the Front Office operation, it is important that all the Front Liners work together and communicate effectively to deliver a proper task. Through effective communication, the Front Liners may achieve their aims and increase their revenue in the operations. The team spirits and understanding are the prime factors to be considered for the enhancement of the Front Office department. There has to be an interaction between the Front Office manager, the supervisors and the Front Liners so as to determine the root of the problem and therefore find solutions to remedy the situations. Interdepartmental exchange of information is crucial to attain goals and objectives. Barriers resulting to a decrease in sales revenue Decrease in sales revenue leads to unsuccessful operations of the hotel. There is lack of co-operation between departments which results to barriers of communication. A decrease in arrival of tourists results to a negative outcome concerning a raise in revenue. That is, a low demand leads to low revenue for instance, a decrease in room sales, products and services revenue. The problem root comes primarily from the reservation department. There may be barriers in departments such as Financial department, Food and Beverage department and housekeeping department relating to sales. For instance, if a guest has an Half Board voucher and that on the opera system it is All-inclusive it creates confusion to the departments concerned. The All-inclusive minibar and that of the Half Board is completely different. If the Housekeeping, Food and Beverage and Financial departments are not advised or change the guests meal plan on the system by the Front Liners, may create loss in revenue. Lack of t raining procedures concerning up-selling will not increase sales revenue. The lack of skills does not convince the employees to make upselling. There may as well conflicts in different tariffs charged to guests for example; a Front Liner may charge a guest Rs 200 instead of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬200 resulting to a huge decrease in sales revenue. Ways to remedy the barriers relating to a decrease in sales revenue Through effective communication, there may be an increase in sales revenue and a successful department. It is important to maximize rates when demand is high but if demand is low, special promotional package has to offer to guests to increase the demand. The Front Office manager has to well-trained the Front Liners to understand the meaning of yield management and how to increase sales or ensure sales revenue. The Front Office management has to set objectives to increase sales revenue and thus discuss with various departments of the hotel. Through these strategies, there is co-operation among the departments for successful revenue generated. Front Liners have to communicate effectively and efficiently to departments such as Food and Beverage, Financial and Housekeeping concerning the guests meal plan. Training allows team members to be successful in delivering good sales techniques. It is vital that each department provides training facilities and procedures to the employees so as to learn the methods to increase the sales revenue. The employees should be product knowledgeable; thus promote more profits and the staffs have to attentive when taking payment from guests. Questions have to be asked properly concerning the booking for accommodation and meal plan when guest reserved a room. It is important to keep a record concerning the financial transactions so as the Financial department may evaluate the ways to remedy the barriers relating to a decrease in sales revenue. Its not always easy and often takes a lot of determination. But making an effort to remove the obstacles tangible and intangible that stand in our way, can be the key to building relationship that really works by Eric Garner Yield Management Yield Management is a demand forecasting technique used to maximize room revenue that the hotel industry borrowed from the airlines. It is based on the economics of supply and demand, which means that price rise when demand is strong and drop when demand is weak. Thus, the purpose of yield management is to increase profitability. Yield management allocates the right type of aptitude to the right customer at the right price so as to maximize revenue or yield per available room. (Kimes, S.E, 1989) Yield management will monitor reservations and based on previous trends. Existing demand determines the number and type of rooms to sell at what price to obtain the maximum revenue. The yield management program will monitor the demand and supply and recommend the number and type of rooms to sell for a given day including the price for which to sell each room. Planning sales revenue The Front Office plays a vital role in promoting sales and the Front Office manager has to develop and implement a plan to the utmost to increase sales opportunities to the Front Office agents. This plan focus on areas of promotions, developing objectives and procedures, incentive programs, training program for staffs, budgets and tracking systems for employee feedback and profitability. Moreover, planning yield management includes setting up objectives, evaluating alternatives, drawing up budgets and developing an evaluation tool for feedback. The plan has to be discussed with the General Manager, department managers and Front Liners from different department to attain goals and objectives. The team members have to ensure that the profitable plan is accordingly developed. According to Narula, (Feb 1987), some goals were provided to the Front Office employees to increase sales. The following are depicted below à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Sell rooms to the guests who have not make prior reservations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Upgrade is to be made to the guests so as to boost the customers to purchase higher priced product or service; to those guests having former reservations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Maintain the record of the rooms. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Convey information about the product facilities available in the premises for sale, for instance, Food and Beverage and other facilities. The objective of the Font Office employees is to sell all facilities and benefits available at the hotel. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ensure that the maximum revenue is generated from the sale of rooms by prominent a stability between overbooking and a full house. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Achieve guest feedback Planning can only be started if there an increase of communication between Front Liners and Marketing and Sales department. It is essential to formulate an effective marketing strategy when there is a change in the market conditions. The eventual goal of a sales-oriented Front Office is to increase revenue from room sales, Food and Beverage sales and sales in various departments. The Front Office and other departments of the hotel have to plan on how much to increase revenue to accomplish the objectives set. Before decision making, several questions have to ask for a better planning of revenue management. Each moment new objectives has to plan for future months to generate revenue. When developing and implementing a program to increase sales activities, the Front Office manager along with other department managers and employees, have to identify products and services to promote. A list of services and products to be promoted is shown in the annex. Evaluating sales Yield management in Front Office Operations The Front Office team members have to determine which concepts to produce in order to increase sales re

Dangerous Goods Can Create Accidents Engineering Essay

Dangerous Goods Can Create Accidents Engineering Essay Dangerous goods are essentially for wide range of global industry, commercial, medical and research requirement and processes. This is because of the advantages of air transport, a great deal of this kind of dangerous cargo is carried by air transport called airplane. Besides that, in term of definition dangerous goods (DG) is something about hazard material or can be easily said any risk object which can causes mischief such as explosive, corrosive, flammable, toxic and even radioactive. Nevertheless, ICAO has been recognized the importance of this type of cargo and has been taken steps to ensure that such of cargo can be carried safely. Furthermore, dangerous goods posses lots of significant risks and impacts. For example like it can start a fire and help in spreading a fire. Then, it can react with aircraft material, can release toxic vapor and even come o worst explosion might happen. http://www.ritchiestraining.co.uk/pix/uploaded/Library/Ritchies_Dangerous_Goods_By_Air_and_Sea.jpg Figure 1: Dangerous Goods Can Create Accidents Page 1 https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOkxpl0MURWSuyBzvOjSSlaVI52YQGkIBhdn0gOBs496DPtcrjfXyDf-TPJNJ9MA0O1IqjMfx7Thm1JDgKmbptShMd1DtUDA9p5W8sg-uRbI-92GH28pzVBQ0lkvD_1_-rMkmGF-feQw/s660/wentwrong+header+copy+small.jpg Figure 2: ValuJet Accident by Explosion There is an incident where can be proved that hazard material can causes harm to aircraft itself. On May 11, 1996 Everglades, Miami, Florida ValuJet, Flight 592 McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32, N904VJ. The in-flight fire was caused by activation of one or more oxygen generators in the forward cargo hold. The generators were outdated, improperly labeled, lacked safety caps and were prohibited from being transported on a passenger flight. The loss of control resulted either from flight control failure or incapacitation of the crew due to extreme heat and smoke. Recently, all 110 aboard killed. The person who handles dangerous goods at airport called dangerous goods inspector. He / she must be well trained in every aspect of the duties as a technical inspector and regulatory officer otherwise the aviation will turn down. This kind of person must aware where an each shipment of dangerous goods may possibly represent an intimidation to life, health, property or environment. In addition, the inspector should obey the procedures and regulations attempt to handle cargo and minimize the danger during transport. Basically, how do the inspector handle the DG is he / she carried out at cargo facilities with the scale and nature of the operation. Besides that, inspection of procedures includes visiting operators or handling agents premises as proper. Page 2 2.0 Transport Dangerous Goods by Annex 18 Annex 18 can be specified as standard and recommended practices which enable dangerous goods to be carried safely. Annex also makes compulsory upon Contracting States the requirements of the Technical Instructions, which contain the very detailed and various instructions necessary for the correct handling of dangerous cargo. Logically speaking, the use of these common bases by all forms of transport allow cargo to be transferred safe, sound and even smooth between air, sea, rail and road modes. Nevertheless, ICAO requirements for the safe handling of dangerous goods firstly identify a limited list of those substances which are unsafe to carry in any circumstances and then show how other potentially dangerous articles or substances can be transported safely. Technique of Transport Dangerous Goods Classification 5. Procedures Emergency Respond 3. Documentation, Acceptance for Air Transport 4. Handling Stowage 2. Packaging, Marking Labeling Figure 3: Technique of Transport Dangerous Goods Page 3 Identification and Classification of DG The nine hazard classes are those determined by the United Nations Committee of Experts and are used for all modes of transport. Class 1 includes explosives of all kinds, such as sporting ammunition, fireworks and signal flares. Class 2 comprises compressed or liquefied gases which may also be toxic or flammable examples are cylinders of oxygen and refrigerated liquid nitrogen. Class 3 substances are flammable liquids including gasoline, lacquers, paint thinners, etc. Class 4 covers flammable solids, spontaneously combustible materials and materials which, when in contact with water, exit flammable gases, such as some powdered metals, cellulose type film and charcoal. Class 5 covers oxidizing material, including bromated, chlorates or nitrates and this class also covers organic peroxides which are both oxygen carriers and very combustible. Class 6 includes poisonous or toxic substances example pesticides, mercury compounds, etc comprise together with infectious substances which must sometimes be shipped for diagnostics or preventative purposes. Radioactive materials are in Class 7 which there are mainly radioactive isotopes needed for medical or research purposes but are sometimes contained in manufactured articles such as heart pacemakers or smoke detectors. Corrosive substances which may be dangerous to human tissue or which pose a hazard to the structure of an aircraft are dealt with in Class 8 for example, caustic soda, battery fluid, paint remover. Finally, Class 9 is a miscellaneous category for other materials which are potentially hazardous in air transport, such as magnetized materials which could affect the aircrafts navigational systems. http://www.ctsgb.ltd.uk/assets/generic/icons.gif Figure 4: 9 Classes of Dangerous Goods Page 4 Packaging, Marking Labeling Basically, the operator or handling agent looks at the external appearance of all the packages of dangerous goods as a safety package inspection before being transported. In addition, the items need to keep in the operators custody provided whether the goods are due to transport or have been transported. However, the inspection will check that the requirements of marking and labeling have been fully filled. Hence, type of packaging that has been used is permitted and tag along with the correct specification. For the radioactive material, the handling agent will pack the material based on the radiation level packages which fit in state for transport. Nevertheless, the packages of dangerous goods should only be opened in exceptional circumstances and with extremely caution. Once if the package opened, they need to take the potential hazard from the contents into account and handle it with fully attention. Any package opened during an inspection, it must be handed before to the consignee which means the goods must be restored in its original condition by inspector. https://images.fedex.com/images/us/services/options/ground/hazmat/PhenolSolid_Boxes.jpg Figure 5: Packaging, Marking, and Labeling Page 5 Documentation and Acceptance for Air Transport Documentation is to determine a dangerous goods shipment meets all applicable requirements. Information that contain in several documents need to transport out a detailed check because it is necessary to cross refer from one document to another. The handling agent must check the associated documents when he / she have the packages of dangerous goods in his / her premises. A document check only is made when there are no packages available. There are several inspections that required inside the documents such as Air Waybill, Shippers Declaration, Acceptance Check List, Notice to Captain and others. The intention of inspecting the Air Waybill is to ensure that they have completed correctly by using the correct classification and method of packing so that it can be established. Thus, the purpose of inspecting the Acceptance Check List is to make sure that the handling agent uses a form which allow for completion by the acceptance clerk. Nevertheless, the Notice to Captain is to determine that all the required information was given and checked. At this moment, where the form was signed by the pilot and the loading / stowage requirement met. https://images.fedex.com/images/us/services/options/ground/hazmat/OP-900_Exception.jpg Figure 6: Documentation of Dangerous Goods Page 6 2.4 Handling and Stowage Handling also can be known as loading so that it can be pronounced as loading and stowage. The inspection of loading and stowage at the cargo side is to ensure the dangerous goods are adequately secured to prevent movement. Then, the requirement of segregation distances can be maintained respectively when any radioactive material has been stowed. Besides that, any cargo aircraft that has placed dangerous goods on the main deck and only get accessible by the Technical Instruction. And also make sure of toxic or infectious substances are not in close proximity to animals and foodstuffs, it can be harmful to them and also aircraft fuselage if there are any leakages from the toxic substances. http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/plcy/images/318-gl5-1_e.gif Figure 7: Handling and Stowage Table Page 7 2.5 Procedures and Emergency Response The procedure of transport dangerous goods is a guidance tool for airport directors and crews to use when developing, evaluating, updating or training an Airport Emergency Plan. It also can be informed the emergency responders to who are not experienced with airport operations or airport emergencies. However, whenever once hazardous material spills out on the aircraft body, it can be resulted as aircraft accidents or incidents. This is because the body of aircraft will be corroded and eventually it will create a whole on it and can be cabin pressurization and even lead to the aircraft crash. Thats why precautions should be aware to avoid exposure to hazardous components for safety purposes. In this kind situation, Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) needs to clean up the aftermath emergencies involving hazardous materials such as foam and hydrocarbon. The agencies must follow the strategies and procedures which contain in the flow of hazardous materials after an emergency inside the aircraft or even at the airport. Besides that, they also need to repair the pavement of the runway if the materials damaged the runway by the spills. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLirlGHe2OESAJcrvJ8XUKha8GZvDLGioIeKdfg8rTOFjW9PPBk4nwW4tYnI6MbZrJbEA_buJOSu80j1LJavuw33MOfRp09cXBpvw4n50enitMcClnjNetMLSs_1tCJShD_YB7_CEqognr/s1600/emergency_response_title_page.jpg Figure 8: Emergency Responses Page 8 3.0 Class 3 Flammable Liquids In many classes of dangerous goods that have been enshrined in the aviation law procedures. There are limitation on loading dangerous goods inside the aircraft, this is because not all classes are allowed to be loaded inside the aircraft unless with special exemption or provision. So, I choose Class 3-Flammable Liquids as my point of assignment of TDG. http://www.thecompliancecenter.com/store/media/catalog/product/l/b/lbcn06us_hi.gif Figure 9: Class 3 Flammable Liquid Flammables liquids can be defined as liquids, mixtures of liquids or liquids that contained solids in solution or suspension which is given off a flash point of flammable vapor at suitable temperatures must not more than 60-65Celcius. Transportation must follow the procedure which is transport the liquids at temperatures at or above the flash point for the safety purposes. Hence, this class has specific reason for regulation which is competent of posturing severe hazards due to the volatility, combustibility and potential in causing or propagating rigorous conflagrations. Besides that, there are several common transported flammable liquids in aviation industry such as acetone, paints, alcohols, perfumes, gas oil, and etc. Page 9 Nevertheless, dangerous goods inspector has an authority to handle flammable liquids. He also has capability to inspect all customer requests that has connection with logistics of flammable liquids for example like packing, packaging, compliance, freight, forwarding and training. Meanwhile, the labeling and marking of dangerous goods, the method in which they shall be located at beneath an aircraft, the responsibilities of the crews in respect of the carriage of dangerous goods and the action to be taken in the event of emergencies arising involving dangerous goods. Otherwise, if the operator fails to follow the procedure, it can turn down the aviation world industry and make disaster and even can affect the aircraft fuselage and passengers. http://images.thenews.com.pk/updates_pics/1-24-2011_9678_l_u.jpg Figure 10: Airport Explosion by Flammable Liquid Leakage at Moscow Page 10 4.0 Conclusion As my conclusion, Transport Dangerous Goods is very important subject where we as an aviator can know about the dangerous goods as well. Dangerous goods can be known as hazard materials which can cause harm to surrounding including human and animal. As we all know that dangerous goods has nine classes provided which is Class 1-Explosives, Class 2-Gases, Class 3-Flammable Liquids, Class 4-Flammable Solids, Class 5-Oxidizing Material, Class 6-Toxics and Infectious, Class 7-Radioactive, Class 8-Corrosive, and Class 9-Miscellaneous. Furthermore, with this kind of classifications we can conclude that the goods inside container are dangerous or not. Then, I have learned about the flow of instruction in dangerous goods which is classification, packaging, documentation, handling, and emergency responses. This flow is a must to operator, if one of them is missed, the transportation will automatically cancel and aviation industry will be terminated. Page 11 5.0 Bibliography 5.1 Website 1) www.dgiglobal.com 2) www.caa.md 5.2 References 1) Transport Dangerous Goods Slide Show 5.3 Books 1) Annex 18 Page 12 Content Page No. Content Page 1.0 Introduction 1-2 2.0 Transport Dangerous Goods by Annex 18 2.1 Classifications 2.2 Packaging, Marking and Labeling 2.3 Documentation and Acceptance 2.4 Handling and Stowage 2.5 Procedures and Emergency Response 3 4 5 6 7 8 3.0 Class 3 Flammable Liquids 9-10 4.0 Conclusion 11 5.0 Bibliography 5.1 Website

Comparing Heroism in Red Badge of Courage, Journeys End, and Regeneration :: comparison compare contrast essays

Heroism in Red Badge of Courage, Journey's End, and Regeneration      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The idea of heroism is constantly evolving with time. The traditional idea of heroism, is derived from ancient Greek influences such as the two major epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The mythological figure of heroism is endowed with great strength and ability, and of divine descent. He brings honour and acclaim, and is admired for his courage. This is the Homeric ideal that The Red Badge of Courage and Journey's End approaches. There is the predominant emphasis on the physical, courage and masculinity, in the ideal of a heroic person in these two texts. However heroism redefined in the modern context has extended its definition beyond the distinctly physical terms with the obvious absence of the intellect and morals, and is exemplified by Sassoon in Regeneration.    According to the Britannica-Webster dictionary, heroism refers to "great self-sacrificing courage, that is, greatness of heart in facing danger or difficulties." The modern definition of heroism, though it remains to be purely subjective, has evolved to mean (as I would define it) an unyielding and uncompromising commitment to one's purpose and morality even in the face of antagonism, qualities of which will command admiration.    It is this very idea of heroism that is the motivational force behind many young ambitious men to join the war. This desire to live up to the Homeric ideal feeds on pride and vanity of youths and is clearly demonstrated by Henry Fleming in The Red Badge of Courage.   His exaggerated and romantic notions of honour - "tales of great movements shook the land...there seemed to be much glory in them" - drives him to the decision to join the war. However, his misguided fantasies of which " in visions he had seen himself in many struggles...imagined people secure in the shadow of his eagle-eyed prowess", proves to be terribly wrong in a matter of only a few days. In no time, he found himself to be "part of a vast blue demonstration".    Crane tries to dispel the link between heroism and actual real-life warfare by bringing Henry, an ignorant youth immersed in idealized notions of glory fame and honour, to a clearer and more sombre view of the world and himself.

The Aztecs Essay -- Native Americans Spanish Conquest Papers

The Aztecs Throughout time women have had to fill a role, defined by her culture, in order to be considered desirable. Wherever or whenever she might have been from she struggled with the pressure to fill her niche in society. These pressures vary greatly from one culture to another, but some cultures are particularly demanding. Women in pre-Colombian Aztec society were held to a very strict code of behavior. From the day they were born to the day they died their domesticity was held up as being the most important aspect of their lives. This was probably necessary because of the warfare oriented nature of the men in their culture. This made having a woman at home to keep the civilian life going incredibly important. Without her there the home would be in shambles at his return. The National Standards for Geography that apply to â€Å"Aztec Women† are: 6. Knows and understands that culture and experiences influence people’s perceptions of places and experiences. The Aztec women had a very hearth-centered life and therefore a very distinct worldview. 10. Knows and understands the complexity of the Earth’s cultural mosaic. The Aztec were a people of many people’s They adopted many cultures into their own and the Spanish adopted some of the Aztec characteristics. 12. Knows and understands the processes, patterns, and functions of human development. Women are central to the lifestyle of the family. They control and keep the family together in the Aztec culture. The Aztecs built their great society long after another great society had already grown to a peak and fallen. The Olmecs, antiquity to the Aztecs, had a high level of society beginning around 1200 BC. They were the most highly advanced culture at the time in America. The... ...hile the Spaniards waited several miles away Tenochtitlan became a horrific death trap. The city of Tenochtitlan fell on August 13, 1521. Aztec life continues on a small scale in the valley of Mexico even now. The people remember the past but it is not only history to the modern Aztec women. Theirs is a living history in which they see life as a continuing cycle of destruction and creation. They continue with their everyday lives speaking their native language of Nahuatl and holding on to the traditions of a long fallen empire. The loss is expressed in a Nahua poem written in 1523: Nothing remains but flowers and sad songs In Tlatelolco and Mexico Where once there were Warriors and wise men Works Cited: www.albany.edu/~mesmith/tlahuica.html http://www.corona.bell.k12.ca.us/student/adrian/2.html www.geocities.com/athens/5003/aztec.html

An experiment to investigate the effect of changing the concentration E

An experiment to investigate the effect of changing the concentration of hydrochloric acid on the rate of reaction with sodium thiosulpahte. Aim I am trying to find out how the concentration of hydrochloric acid affects the reaction time with sodium thiosulpahte. If a clear solution of sodium thiosulphate is mixed with hydrochloric acid then a reaction will occur where a creamy-yellow precipitate of sulphur is produced. H20 Text Box: + Text Box: + Text Box: + Na2S203 2HCL Text Box: + 2NaCl SO2 S Reactants Products The sulphur takes a while to form and starts to turn the water cloudy after a short time. You cannot tell when the reaction has stopped so a cross drawn on a piece of paper in pencil can be sued to do this experiment. The liquid is placed on top of the cross in a beaker and it is timed how long it takes for the cross to disappear when viewed through the liquid. This experiment can be used to investigate the effects of concentration and temperature on rate of reaction. This is the experiment I am going to do because I am trying to see how the concentration of acid affects the rate of reaction. Variables In my investigation I could change: * Concentration of sodium thiosulphate * Temperature of solution * Concentration of acid * Type of acid * Volume of thiosulphate * Volume of acid I am going to change the concentration of acid. I will keep all the other variables the same. The independent variable will change the dependant variable- the rate of reaction. Prediction I predict that the less concentrated the acid is then the longer it will take for the sodium thiosulphate to react. If you increase the temp, increase concentration, add a catalyst or the solid reactant is crushed up into smaller bits then the rate of reaction will always increase. Apparatus * Sodium thiosulphate * Hydrochloric acid * Measuring cylinder * Beaker * Paper * Pencil * Distilled water * Stop watch * Conical flask Safety Goggles should be worn to prevent any of the solution from going into the eye. Everyone should behave sensibly to prevent accidents. Collision theory The rate of reaction depends on how often and how hard the reacting particles collide with each other. The particles have to collide hard enough in order to react. The rate of reaction can be increase... ...2 and 3 only have a 1second difference in time. These results are too close together and cannot be reliable. These results aren't adequate for a firm conclusion as it has a few anomalous results and on the average times they don't have a large enough gap between them e.g. 34 and 36. The experiment should be carried out more times for a more accurate result. The procedure used was suitable but produced quite unreliable results as the cross on the paper may have not fully disappeared when the other person was told to stop the timer as this is what we did. If the person looking at the cross and observing when it disappeared changed then the person's opinion on when it has disappeared may make it an inaccurate test so it would have to be kept the same person all the time. If I did the experiment again I would probably take more time measuring out the solutions and it would probably be a better idea for the person observing to see when the cross can no longer be seen to have the stop watch so they can stop it at the exact time they can no longer see it. It could also be improved if the experiment was carried out more times as a better average could be produced.

Night World : The Chosen Chapter 3

God, it stank. RashelJordan had seen a lot of vampire lairs in her seventeen years, but this was probably the most disgusting. She held her breath as she stirred the nest of tattered cloth with the toe of one boot. She could read the story of this collection of garbage as easily as if the inhabitant had written out a full confession, signed it, and posted it on the wall. One vampire. A rogue, an outcast who lived on the fringe of both the human world and the Night World. He probably moved to anew city every few weeks to avoid getting caught. And he undoubtedly looked like any other homeless guy, except that none of the human homeless would be hanging around aBoston dock on a Tuesday night in early March. He brings his victims here, Rashel thought. The pier's deserted, it's private, he can take his time with them. And of course he can't resist keeping a few trophies. Her foot stirred them gently. A pink-and-blue knit baby jacket, a plaid sash from a school uniform, a Spiderman tennis shoe. All bloodstained. All very small. There had been a rash of missing children lately. TheBoston police would never discover where they had gone-but now Rashel knew. She felt her lips draw back slightly from her teeth in something that wasn't really a smile. She was aware of everything around her: the soft plash of water against the wooden pier, the rank coppery smell that was almost a taste, the darkness of a night lit only by a half moon. Even the light moisture of the cold breeze against her skin. She was aware of all of it without being preoccupied with any of it-and when the tiny scratch sounded behind her, she moved as smoothly and gracefully as if she were taking her turn in a dance. She pivoted on her left foot, drawing her bokken in the same motion, and without a break in the movement, she stabbed straight to the vampire's chest. She drove the blow from her hips, exhaling in a hiss as she did it, putting all her strength behind it. â€Å"Gotta be faster than that,† she said. The vampire, skewered like a hot dog, waved his arms and gibbered. He was dressed in filthy clothing and his hair was a bushy tangle. His eyes were wide, full of surprise and hatred, shining as silver as an animal's in the faint light. His teeth weren't so much fangs as tusks: fully extended, they reached almost to his chin. â€Å"I know,† Rashel said. â€Å"You really, really wanted to kill me. Life's tough, isn't it?† The vampire snarled one more time and then the silver went out of his eyes, leaving only the look of astonishment. His body stiffened and slumped backward. It lay still on the ground. Grimacing, Rashel pulled her wooden sword out of the chest. She started to wipe the blade on the vampire's pants, then hesitated, peering at them more closely. Yes, those were definitely little crawly things. And the blankets were just as repulsive. Oh, well. Use your own jeans. It won't be the first time. She carefully wiped the bokken clean. It was two and a half feet long and just slightly, gracefully curved, with a narrow, sharp, angled tip. Designed to penetrate a body as efficiently as possible-if that body was susceptible to wood. The sword slipped back into its sheath with a papery whisper. Then Rashel glanced at the body again. Mr. Vampire was already going mummified. His skin was now yellow and tough; his staring eyes were dried up, his lips shrunken, his tusks collapsed. Rashel bent over him, reaching into her back pocket. What she pulled out looked like the snapped-off end of a bamboo backscratcher-which was exactly what it was. She'd had it for years. Very precisely, Rashel drew the five lacquered fingers of the scratcher down the vampire's forehead. On the yellow skin five brown marks appeared, like the marks of a cat's claws. Vampire skin was easy to mark tight after death. â€Å"This kitten has claws,† she murmured. It was a ritual sentence; she'd repeated it ever since the night she'd killed her first vampire at the age of twelve. In memory of her mother, who'd always called her kitten. In memory of herself at age five, and all the innocence she'd lost. She'd never be a helpless kitten again. Besides, it was a little joke. Vampires†¦ bats. Herself†¦ a cat. Anybody who'd grown up with Batman and Catwoman would get it. Well. All done. Whistling softly, she rolled the body over and over with her foot to the end of the pier. She didn't feel like carting the mummy all the way out to the fens, the salt marshes where bodies were traditionally left inBoston . With a mental apology to everybody who was trying to clean up the harbor, she gave the corpse a final push and listened for the splash. She was still whistling as she emerged from the pier onto the street. Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work we go— She was in a very good mood. The only disappointment was the constant one, that it hadn't been the vampire, the one she'd been looking for ever since she'd been five years old. It had been a rogue, all right-a depraved monster who killed human kids foolishly close to human habitations. But it hadn't been the rogue. Rashel would never forget his face. And she knew that someday she would see it again. Meanwhile, there was nothing to do but shish-kebab as many of the parasites as possible. She scanned the streets as she walked, alert for any sign of Night People. All she saw were quiet brick buildings and streetlights shining pale gold. And that was a shame, because she was in terrific form tonight; she could feel it. She was every bloodsucking leech's worst enemy. She could stake six of them before breakfast and still be fresh for chemistry first period at Wassaguscus High. Rashel stopped suddenly, absent-mindedly melting into a shadow as a police car cruised silently down the cross-street ahead. I know, she thought. I'll go see what the Lancers are up to. If anybody knows where vampires are, they do. She headed for the North End. Half an hour later she was standing in front of a brownstone apartment building, ringing the buzzer. â€Å"Who's there?† Instead of answering, Rashel said, â€Å"The night has a thousand eyes.† â€Å"And the day only one,† came the reply from the intercom. â€Å"Hey there, girl. Come on up.† Inside, Rashel climbed a dark and narrow stairway to a scarred wooden door. There was a peephole in the door. Rashel faced it squarely, then pulled off the scarf she'd been wearing. It was black, silky, and very long. She wore it wrapped around her head and face like a veil, so that only her eyes showed, and even they were in shadow. She shook out her hair, knowing what the person on the other side could see. A tall girl dressed like a ninja, all hi black, with black hair falling loose around her shoulders and green eyes blazing. She hadn't changed much since she was five, except in height. Right now she made a barbaric face at the peephole and heard the sound of laughter behind the door as bolts were drawn. She waited until the door was shut behind her again before she said, â€Å"Hi, Elliot.† Elliot was a few years older than she was, and thin, with intense eyes and little shiny glasses that were always slipping off his nose. Some people would have dismissed him as a geek. But Rashel had once seen him stand up to two werewolves while she got a human girl out a window, and she knew that he had practically single-handedly started the Lancers-one of the most successful organizations of vampire hunters on the east coast. â€Å"What's up, Rashel? It's been a while.† â€Å"I've been busy. But now I'm bored. I came to see if you guys had anything going.† As Rashel spoke, she was looking at the other people in the room. A brown-haired girl was kneeling, loading objects from boxes into a dark green backpack. Another girl and a boy were sitting on the couch. Rashel recognized the boy from other Lancers meetings, but neither of the girls were familiar. â€Å"Lucky you,† Elliot said. â€Å"This is Vicky, my new second-in-command.† He nodded at the girl on the floor. â€Å"She just moved toBoston ; she was the leader of a group on the south shore. And tonight she's taking a little expedition out to some warehouses in Mission Hill. We got a lead that there's been some activity out there.† â€Å"What kind of activity? Leeches, puppies?† Elliot shrugged. â€Å"Vampires definitely. Werewolves maybe. There's been a rumor about teenage girls getting kidnapped and stashed somewhere around there. The problem is we don't know exactly where, or why.† He tilted his head, his eyes twinkling. â€Å"You want to go?† â€Å"Isn't anybody going to ask me?† Vicky said, straightening up from her backpack. Her pale blue eyes were fixed on Rashel. â€Å"I've never even seen this girl before. She could be one of them.† Elliot pushed his glasses higher on his nose. He looked amused. â€Å"You wouldn't say that if you knew, Vicky. Rashel's the best.† â€Å"At what?† â€Å"At everything. When you were going to your fancy prep school, she was out in theChicago slums staking vampires. She's been inL.A. ,New York ,New Orleans†¦ even Vegas. She's wiped out more parasites than the rest of us put together.† Elliot glanced mischievously at Rashel, then leaned toward Vicki. â€Å"Ever heard of the Cat?† he said. Vicki's head snapped up. She stared at Rashel. â€Å"The Cat? The one all the Night People are afraid of? The one they're offering a reward for? The one who leaves a mark-â€Å" Rashel shot Elliot a warning look. â€Å"Never mind,† she said. She wasn't sure she trusted these new people. Vicky was right about one thing: you couldn't be too careful. And she didn't like Vicky much, but she could hardly turn down such a good opportunity for vampire hunting. Not tonight, when she was in such terrific form. â€Å"I'll go with you-if you'll have me,† she said. Vicky's pale blue eyes bored into Rashel's a moment, then she nodded. â€Å"Just remember I'm in charge.† â€Å"Sure,† Rashel murmured. She could see Elliot's grin out of the corner of her eye. â€Å"You know Steve, and that's Nyala.† Elliot indicated the boy and girl on the couch. Steve had blond hair, muscular shoulders, and a steady expression; Nyala had skin like cocoa and a faraway look in her eyes, as if she were sleepwalking. â€Å"Nyala's new. She just lost her sister a month ago,† Elliot added in a gentle voice. He didn't need to say how the sister had been lost. Rashel nodded at the girl. She sympathized. There was nothing quite like the shock of first discovering the Night World, when you realized that things like vampires and witches and werewolves were real, and that they were everywhere, joined in one giant secret organization. That anybody could be one, and you'd never know until it was too late. â€Å"Everybody ready? Then let's go,† Vicky said, and Steve and Nyala got up. Elliot showed them to the door. â€Å"Good luck,† he said. Outside, Vicky led the way to a dark blue car with mud strategically caked on the license plates. â€Å"We'll drive to the warehouse area,† she said. Rashel was relieved. She was used to walking the city streets at night without being seen-important when you were carrying a rather unconcealable sword-but she wasn't sure that these other three could manage. It took practice. The drive was silent except for the murmur of Steve's voice occasionally helping Vicky with directions. They passed through respectable neighborhoods and venerable areas with handsome old buildings until they got to a street where everything changed suddenly. All at once, as if they had crossed some invisible dividing line, the gutters were full of soggy trash and the fences were topped with razor wire. The buildings were government housing projects, dark warehouses, or rowdy bars. Vicky pulled into a parking lot and stopped the car away from the security lights. Then she led them through the knee-high dead weeds of a vacant lot to a street that was poorly lighted and utterly silent. â€Å"This is the observation post,† Vicky whispered, as they reached a squat brick building, a part of the housing project that had been abandoned. Following her, they zigzagged through debris and scrap metal to get to a side door, and then they climbed a dark staircase covered with graffiti to the third floor. Their flashlights provided the only illumination. â€Å"Nice place,† Nyala whispered, looking around. She had obviously never seen anything like it before. â€Å"Don't you think-there may be other people here besides vampires?† Steve gave her a reassuring pat. â€Å"No, it's okay.† â€Å"Yeah, it looks like even the junkies have abandoned it,† Rashel said, grimly amused. â€Å"You can see the whole street from the window,† Vicky put in shortly. â€Å"Elliot and I were here yesterday watching those warehouses across the street. And last night we saw a guy at the end of the street who looked a lot like a vampire. You know the signs.† Nyala opened her mouth as if to say she didn't know the signs, but Rashel was already speaking. â€Å"Did you test him?† â€Å"We didn't want to get that close. We'll do it tonight if he shows up again.† â€Å"How do you test them?† Nyala asked. Vicky didn't answer. She and Steve had pushed aside a couple of rat-chewed mattresses and were unloading the bags and backpacks they'd brought. Rashel said, â€Å"One way is to shine a flashlight in their eyes. Usually you get eye-shine back-like an animal's.† â€Å"There are other ways, too,† Vicky said, setting the things she was unloading on the bare boards of the floor. There were ski masks, knives made of both metal and wood, a number of stakes of various sizes, and a mallet. Steve added two clubs made of white oak to the pile. â€Å"Wood hurts them more than metal,† Vicky said to Nyala. â€Å"If you cut them with a steel knife they heal right before your eyes-but cut them with wood and they keep bleeding.† Rashel didn't quite like the way she said it. And she didn't like the last thing Vicky was pulling out of her backpack. It was a wooden device that looked a bit like a miniature stock. Two hinged blocks of wood that fit snugly around a person's wrists and closed with a lock. â€Å"Vampire handcuffs,† Vicky said proudly, seeing her look. â€Å"Made of white oak. Guaranteed to hold any parasite. I brought them from down south.† â€Å"But hold them for what? And what do you need all those little knives and stakes for? It would take hours to kill a vampire with those.† Vicky smiled fiercely. â€Å"I know.† Oh. Rashel's heart seemed to thump and then sink, and she looked away to control her reaction. She understood what Vicky had in mind now. Torture. â€Å"A quick death's too good for them,† Vicky said, still smiling. â€Å"They deserve to suffer-the way they make our people suffer. Besides, we might get some information. We need to know where they're keeping the girls they kidnap, and what they're doing with them.† â€Å"Vicky.† Rashel spoke earnestly. â€Å"It's practically impossible to make vampires talk. They're stubborn. When they're hurt they just get angry-like animals.† Vicky smirked. â€Å"I've made some talk. It just depends on what you do, and how long you make it last. Anyway, there's no harm in trying.† â€Å"Does Elliot know about this?† Vicky lifted a shoulder defensively. â€Å"Elliot lets me do things my way. I don't have to tell him every little detail. I was a leader myself, you know.† Helplessly, Rashel looked at Nyala and Steve. And saw that for the first time Nyala's eyes had lost their sleepwalking expression. Now she looked awake- and savagely glad. â€Å"Yes,† she said. â€Å"We should try to make the vampire talk. And if he suffers-well, my sister suffered. When I found her, she was almost dead but she could still talk. She told me what it felt like, having all the blood drained out of her body while she was still conscious. She said it hurt. She said†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Nyala stopped, swallowed, and looked at Vicky. â€Å"I want to help do it,† she said thickly. Steve didn't say anything, but then from what Rashel knew of him, that was typical. He was a guy of few words. Anyway, he didn't protest. Rashel felt odd, as if she were seeing the very worst of herself reflected in a mirror. It made her†¦ ashamed. It left her shaken. But who am I to judge? she thought, turning away. It's true that the parasites are evil, all of them. The whole race needs to be wiped out. And Vicky's right, why should they have a clean death, when they usually don't give their victims one? Nyala deserves to avenge her sister. â€Å"Unless you object or something,† Vicky said heavily, and Rashel could feel those pale blue eyes on her. â€Å"Unless you're some kind of vampire sympathizer.† Rashel might have laughed at that, but she wasn't in a laughing mood. She took a breath, then said without turning around, â€Å"It's your show. I agreed that you were in charge.† â€Å"Good,† Vicky said, and returned to her work. But the sick feeling in the pit of Rashel's stomach didn't go away. She almost hoped that the vampire wouldn't come.