Torture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Torture - Essay Example But after a while we start to wonder what security can possibly mean, when so much of what people have struggled to secure in this country—the Constitution, basic human rights, and the rule of law—seems to be going out the window. Convention Against Torture (http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html) Article 3 1. No State Party shall expel, return ("refouler") or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture. 2. For the purpose of determining whether there are such grounds, the competent authorities shall take into account all relevant considerations including, where applicable, the existence in the State concerned of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights. Article 4 1. Each State Party shall ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law. The same shall apply to an attempt to commit torture and to an act by any person which constitutes complicity or participation in torture. 2. Each State Party shall make these offences punishable by appropriate penalties which take into account their grave nature. Christopher Hitchens (http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/08/hitchens200808?currentPage=2) Torture advocates hide behind the argument that an open discussion about specific American interrogation techniques will aid the enemy. Yet, convicted Al Qaeda members and innocent captives who were released to their host nations have already debriefed the world through hundreds of interviews, movies and documentaries on exactly what methods they were subjected to and how they endured. Our own missteps have created a cadre of highly experienced lecturers for Al Qaeda’s own virtual  sere  school for terrorists. Which returns us to my starting point, about the distinction between training  for something and training to resist it. One used to be told—and surely with truth—that the lethal fanatics of al-Qaeda were schooled to lie, and instructed to claim that they had been tortured and maltreated whether they had been tortured and maltreated or not. Did we notice what a frontier we had crossed when we admitted and even proclaimed that their stories might in fact be true? I had only a very slight encounter on that frontier, but I still wish that my experience were the only way in which the words â€Å"waterboard† and â€Å"American† could be mentioned in the same (gasping and sobbing) breath. Michael Levin (http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/torture.html) There are situations in which torture is not merely permissible but morally mandatory. Moreover, these situations are moving from the realm of imagination to fact. Suppose a terrorist has hidden an atomic bomb on Manhattan Island which will detonate at noon on July 4 unless ... here follow the usual demands for money and release of his friends from jail. Suppose, further, that he is caught at 10 a.m on the fateful day, but preferring death to failure, won't disclose where the bomb is. What do we do? If we follow due process, wait for his lawyer, arraign him, millions of people will die. If the only way to save those lives is to subject the terrorist to the most excruciating possible pain, what grounds can there be for not doing so? I suggest there are none. In any case, I ask

Faces of Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Faces of Power - Essay Example the destructive power – a structure involving threats and this is clearly depicted by how the defensive forces of any country act, Productive power – structure that entails making and creating e.g. exchange and trade, and the integrative power that involves creating of new relationships that encourage togetherness (Dahl, 1961, 7). Significantly, any face or form of power has its advantages and disadvantages and it is up to the people in power to identify them and weigh on both sides to ensure that negativity does not have a greater impact more than the positive side. The social structures connection with power is seen when for instance; in an organisation the power is distributed among the different employees or in a state where power is divided from the head of state down to the governors or senators (Ball,1992, 5). In such situations, communication and the decision making processes are the core factors required since everything is done through a hierarchical structure . Many political scientists have come up or rather tried to elaborate the different faces of power on the verge of making people comprehend the power structure more and thus due to the different notions and theories sometimes there is a lot of confusion. However, the most common structures of power include; institution of property, nation-state, knowledge structure, financial structure, production structure (Productive power) and the security structure (Susan, 2004, 64). With these many structures, some of which are not related or similar in any way, it is quite hard for most people to lean upon two or three forms/faces of power alone. However, out of all the faces of power established, Lukes’ seem to have had a great impact and they still are today; reflectively, between January 1975 and June 2006, more than 1200 journal articles cited his article, an impressive figure by any standard and surprisingly after this Lukes was asked to do a second edition. It has been over thirty years since the publications and scholars agree that he wrote the articles on other bases and not to make money; concurrently, analysis of both editions provides readers with both recent literature and original insights on power. Basically, in the second edition (2005), the 1974 (1st Edition) essay was not altered but instead a substantive introduction and other two new chapters were added (Power, Freedom and Reason and Three-Dimensional Power); moreover, a little bit more attention was given to some writers like James Scott and Michel Foucault, all of which are also in the social context of power. Power is typically a concept where a ‘first’ person (entity A) exercises power over the ‘second’ person (entity B) when A affects B in a way that is divergent to what the second person wants or would like (Lukes, 2005, 19). In the final edition Lukes discusses three dimensions of power and terms the third one to be as a personal view based on the shortcomings of other people’s views but and a more apposite way on how to evaluate power. First Face of Power (One Dimensional Power) This face of power focuses on behavior when making decisions, particularly on the core issues and fundamentally only in transparently in situations where can make observations; these often take the structure of prejudiced interests like policy preferences that are mainly demonstrated through political power. Through the concept of power individuals are able to modify or change the behavior of others when it comes to the process of making decisions, which is why it is considered to be a behavioral aspect; however, the person in power in different situations prevails in the decision making process. Principally, this first face of power, which is one-dimensional, focuses on behavi

Management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Management accounting - Essay Example This paper focuses on management via accounting and applies the same for Ryanair. Importance of Management via accounting The main theme of The Visible Hand is that modern business enterprises utilise the market mechanism for allocating resources and coordinating the activities of the economy. According to Chandler, the traditional American business enterprises were single-unit operations and small in size, which used to produce single product within a small geographical area. The activities of the traditional enterprises were monitored and coordinated by the price mechanism and the market. Eventually, the modern business firm evolved which were larger in size and conducted multi-unit operations, which monitored the production of different products from different locations. The activities of those enterprises were not coordinated and monitored by market mechanism, but by the salaried employees. In simple words, the modern enterprises had suspended the market because the administrativ e coordination provided higher profit, better productivity and lower cost, compared to the coordination by market mechanism. He emphasised on the fact that management via accounting has created advantages that gained precedence over all other previous forms. The main advantages that it draws are: Lowering internal transaction costs by ‘routinizing the transactions between units’: The organizations with high value supply chain ends up increasing the transaction cost. This requires paying immediate attention by framing policies for reducing the cost. Properly organizing the information or goods between the units involved in the production of goods and services will lead to decrease in the transaction cost (Spulber, 2009; Swinnen, 2007; Pollitte, 2008). Reducing costs for information on markets and supply sources by ‘linking the administration of producing units with buying and distributing units’: Market failures may result from asymmetric and inadequate info rmation. The appropriate and full information is not always perfect since goods information is also expensive. In a market that deals with good and services, inadequate information can lead to various social costs like, market power, low innovation or inefficient allocation of resources resulting from customer deception. Thus, the cost of information available to the market and supply sources linking between the various units like, administration, production and distribution, should be reduced (Kouvelis et al., 2011; Sunstein, 2002). Faster and cheaper flow of goods or services and of information from one unit to another: Goods and services are seen to travel through manufacturers, warehouses, retailers, wholesalers, distributors and customers. The organization should link the sellers and the buyers together via an ongoing communication that can enable the business to effect the decisions taken by each of the business units. Therefore, the organization should emphasize on the fast a nd cheaper flow of goods, services and information through both down and up the supply chain. By making this flow cheaper and faster, the organization will be able to save lots of cost incurred that can be utilized in other forms (Finch, 2008). Management via accounting provides the organization with lots of value added benefits. They provide information for decision making and

Humor within Leadership Theory Essay Example for Free

Humor within Leadership Theory Essay The key to the success of any venture is strong leadership (Howe 1994). Courage, vision, and humor are key ingredients in the formula for success. Service to the community or communities also plays a critical role in the development of leadership potential. The importance of humor in this model is fundamental. Every leader has some selfdoubt, but using humor and spiritual authenticity to overcome self-doubt will lead to success and prosperity. And what is said for leaders also can be said for those who are led. Muslim humor is famous all over the Western world. There is an almost endless number of collections, anthologies, and treasuries of Muslim humor, bulging with tens of thousands of Muslim jokes and anecdotes. That the humor of every ethnic group mirrors its conditions of life, its economic, political, and social circumstances, its position vis-a-vis other population groups, is so self-evident that it needs but passing mention. What is perhaps not so apparent is that the jokes, the anecdotes, and the other manifestations of humor are keys to understanding the life of the people in question and can serve as peepholes through which we can look into otherwise hidden corners of existence. As far as muslim communities are concerned, treasuries of Muslim humor can and should be used, and humor should be applied to make the West more likable and admired by the young muslim communities of the world. The techniques and strategies of humor are equally relevant at several levels of living systems, as well as between levels. Thus, the study of humor in multicultural society is interdisciplinary and is becoming a discipline in its own right. The current work is toward methods of negotiation with humor in which the objectives are to obtain a more cooperative long-term relationship and a more rewarding substantive outcome for young muslim communities. Muslim humor is second to no other product of the Muslim mind in revealing the mental state of the Muslims in any given place and at any given time. Whether it contains selfcriticism, directing its barbs at a Muslim group from which the humorist wishes to distance himself, or whether it compares the Muslims and the Gentiles, most often to the latters detriment, the Muslim joke is a manifestation of Muslim thinking and feeling about the in-group and various categories of out-groups. For example, the actor Sasha Cohen in the movie Borat makes young muslims laugh by making fun of Israel, despite him being Muslim himself. It would be ridiculous to pretend that none of the people who found Sasha Cohen funny were laughing at him for the wrong reasons. Some would have been laughing at what they took to be his imitation, others at one further remove, were probably laughing at the black parts of his monstrous hybrid. They laughed louder and longer because he revealed it to be alien, eccentric, and absurd in its snobbery, stupidity, and perverse attachment to numerous forms of destructive hierarchy-class, race, religion. Those dismal qualities were not being exposed from the outside by a stranger but explored from the inside in a daring act of patriotic love. That laughter does not intersperse loathing and self-hatred with manic elation. It helps instead to cultivate the everyday, ordinary virtue involved in managing healthier relationships with otherness that are not deformed by fear, anxiety, and violence. The most powerful weapon for creative mind stretching and therefore for reconstruction is humor, especially when it is self-directed rather than outward bound. Humor directed at another serves to break the lifelong habits of a sickly (symbiotic) relationship between people. Self-directed humor is a real mind healer: By flooding the anxious mind with grotesquely exaggerated fears, it banishes phobias and obsessions. In general, it drastically corrects in the mind and in behavior habitual neurotic (self-sabotaging and destructive) patterns. Humor is a technique involves any action one take to cause the proposals, ideas, or values of another to be rejected in favor of own by getting group members to laugh at, ridicule, or scorn the other persons proposals (Duncan, 1990). Rationalization is founded on trust and respect, and if respect is lost, so too is much of power. While power may abhor a vacuum, it equally abhors scorn. Without respect, dominance cannot be maintained. Getting others to laugh at or denigrate in any way the proposals of others that one oppose is another way to exercise power in the organization. Perhaps the ultimate in withdrawal of consent is laughter. Nyberg (1981) proposes that laughter, not revolution, is more common in overthrowing a regime. Authority fears rejection more than any other threat to its legitimacy. Especially in informal organizations, if the leader loses the respect of the fellows he or she is incapable of securing their compliance in even nominal organizational transactions. Humor is a motivated process of communication between living systems with the goal of reaching agreement about certain joint or reciprocal acts. These acts may involve management of conflict, exchange of resources, or cooperation on actions directed at the mutual environment. Behavior within a system is normally regulated by the template of that system. Internal conflict may indicate a need to amend the template. Humor can be used to modify the template so as to remove the source of conflict. For instance, when negotiation occurs between components or subsystems of a system, as in talks to manage conflict between two divisions of a corporation, the resulting humor may modify the template with respect to the roles and required behavior of the divisions. Three general stances facilitate reflexive humor: not-knowing, curious, and collaborative. They provide a way for individuals to explore, express, and share the views and meanings of situations that, otherwise, can drive them apart. Let us examine each in turn. Not-knowing Stance This stance involves taking the nonexpert position of not knowing. Taking this stance encourages humor by levelling the hierarchies of position and knowledge. While hierarchies exist in all organizations, emphasizing them discourages humor; deemphasizing them encourages humor. Reflexive humor emphasizes equal participation rather than hierarchical power, thereby bringing about a shift from hierarchy to collaboration. Humor is characterized by content and relationship aspects. We all are aware of the content aspect of communication the information that a message is intended to convey. The egalitarian ethic of reflexive humor eliminates the positions of hierarchy and power in the humor. A not-knowing stance conveys the message that everyone is equally qualified to generate ideas, opinions, and perspectives about a situation or a problem. This means that the manager enters into the dialogue without any preconceived notions or ideas. The not-knowing stance also encourages listeners to attend to both the â€Å"outer† humor of others as well as to their own â€Å"inner† humor. This egalitarian approach encourages each participant to contribute to the mutual exploration of ideas. Curious Stance The curious stance simply means that one expresses ones ideas in a funny manner. A dogmatic or assertive expression of ideas often hinders the creative process, but a comic mode of expression encourages others to take, leave, or develop ideas at will without vesting or territoriality. This climate encourages the free exchange of ideas on their own merit and without threat of penalty. Taking this stance helps to multiply varying perspectives on a problem and, naturally, leads to an evolved solution. A final advantage is that emergent solutions are usually not only the best thought-out and most fitting but also explored and designed by the individuals who will implement them. Collaborative Stance This stance is the result of the two preceding stances. The shared perspectives, ideas, and meanings contributed by the conversants evolve into common knowledge. This process filters many levels of perceptions and triggers deep involvement among participants making possible the co-construction of a jointly-owned outcome. They bring about better understanding among individuals whose culture and gender may create varying perceptions of the same reality. There is nothing simple about dealing with diversity. Diversity is one of the most complex and refracted areas of management because it involves the intimacy of the self with the impersonality. The first step in implementing reflexive humor in university setting is to form small, voluntary, diverse groups. Participants can come from either the same class or a variety of divisions. There are only two rules for membership in the group commitment and confidentiality. One quickly comes to realize that the premises and stances of reflexive humor are not part of normal communication repertoire. People have learned to function in the hierarchical worlds of home, school, and, the university. In these settings they do not always relate to one another on an egalitarian basis. Much less accepted is the practice of communicating with others, whether colleagues or superiors, from a curious or not-knowing stance. Furthermore, assuming a collaborative stance in their dealings with one another is not an everyday occurrence either. One achieves competence in reflexive humor through learnable skills that require practice. One trains individuals in reflexive humor by introducing each premise and stance and allowing time for practice. The individual being trained acquires the command of one skill before moving on to the next. It may be difficult to begin the training by talking about diversity issues. To create a conducive climate, groups might begin by discussing study-related or other relatively neutral matters because such topics are more familiar and potentially less explosive. Reflexive humor is a general theory that lends itself to any communication context. Therefore, in any setting or on any topic, the process of reflexive humor will evoke multiple points of view and generate mutual self-awareness for the participants. Jointly concentrating on common tasks is an excellent way to begin diversity training. With practice, the process of reflexive humor will engender a sense of trust among its participants. The structure of reflexive humor creates an environment wherein participants can freely exchange their views and, eventually, communicate with one another on deeper and more meaningful levels. Trust and synergy. †¢ Trust reduces the amount of time and energy wasted in suspicion and politics. This time and effort can therefore be better deployed on added-value activities that help to deliver the purpose and vision. †¢ When trust, competence and alignment come together we can achieve synergy, and unlock high performance. †¢ To develop into an attuned team the members of the group have to be able to trust each other. Reflexive humor is a new approach to face-to-face communication. It offers a process by which one can access the uniqueness of each individual as well as each individuals cultural paradigm. Through this approach, individuals can better generate information and co-construct those mutual realities that lead to enhanced problem solving. Reflexive humor is particularly useful to individuals from different cultures who wish to establish a common ground for mutual understanding and action. Humor is not just joking, and management is not just the bloodless supervision of humans in the machine-like achievement of goals. Human emotions and feelings are involved in many issues, especially in culturally diverse settings. The reflection of feeling captures the emotional aspect of human nature. The purpose of this microskill is to identify and make explicit emotions that are often concealed allowing the listener to tune into the speakers emotional experience. While nothing seems more ordinary than to empathize with another, the reflection of feeling has a specific structure. The reflection of feeling informs the speaker that you are aware of his or her emotions. This in turn encourages the speaker to clarify further the issue at hand. The listener needs to be cautious about inaccurately labelling feelings. Adequate time and care must be given to identify the precise feeling correctly. Mislabelling an emotion is a sure sign of misunderstanding the speaker. The reflection of meaning may be the microskill that is most relevant to the diverse workplace. It has to do with how different racial, ethnic, gender, or cultural groups organize life and experiences as well as the meaning they draw from those experiences. This microskill may appear to be very much like the preceding ones of the paraphrase (which restates thoughts) or the reflection of feeling (which reflects emotions). Indeed, the reflection of meaning combines thoughts and meanings. One should remember that both reflecting skills of humor deal with profound issues emotions, values, meanings, and the particular sense each one of us makes of the world. Neither skill should be used insincerely or manipulatively. Inappropriate use can cause as much anger and distrust, on the one hand, as understanding and trust, on the other. However, used ethically, with a sincere attitude, no microskill is more useful, what joke one may make of situation, what values may motivate seemingly culturally different behaviors, or why an action or word that is unimportant (or important) to you may be important (or unimportant) to a colleague. Patterns of eye contact and gaze also play an underestimated role in sense of humor. White males have their own, unique, eye contact patterns. When speaking, a white male looks away from the listener most of the time, making eye contact with the listener to emphasize significant points. While listening, a white male looks at the speaker most of the time. Eye contact indicates that the listener is paying attention to what is being said. Another pattern of eye contact signals the moment when turn-taking occurs for speaker and listener. Generally, when the speaker is nearing the end of a statement, he briefly looks away from the listener. Then, upon finishing the utterance, he reestablishes eye contact to signal that it is the turn of the other person to speak. Major humor problems can result if eye contact patterns are not in synchrony. Without either conversant being consciously aware of it, at appropriate times in the white male style a trustworthy person looks in the eye, while an untrustworthy person does not. If both parties share this pattern, conversation flows smoothly. If the patterns are at odds, one may call the other shifty, while the other may feel uncomfortable. In such a situation, the humor becomes strained, and the participants are conscious of that fact. White males do not seem to employ or recognize the value of nonverbal communication, in general, or of eye contact, in particular. Yet, it is evident that eye contact patterns play a significant role in effective humor. The general white male pattern is for speakers to gaze less at listeners and for listeners to gaze more at speakers. This is how white male listeners demonstrate their intentional listening or attending behavior. One of the most significant characteristics of the Muslim verbal communication style is its oral tradition. Muslims were forcibly transported from traditional societies that were oral. The heritage of orality may be most evident in two areas of the Muslim verbal communication style: the mode of listening, and the importance of expressing feeling during interpersonal interaction. Comparative studies have found that Muslims and whites have different verbal communication styles. Whites tend to make more use of the attending or listening skills in their face-to-face communication by using a forward lean of the upper body or asking open-ended questions. Muslims tend to be more directive by giving advice or confronting. An earlier discussion of microskills noted that open questions are less direct and invite a conversational partner to provide more information on a topic while closed questions tend to retrieve specific pieces of information and limit dialogue. Depending upon the circumstances, each type of question is equally valid. However, a dialogue with predominantly closed questions can take on the tone of an interrogation. Similarly, humor replete with open questions lends a less tenuous tone by giving respondents more room to provide information at their own pace. Therefore, the type of question sets the tone of a conversation. The Muslims expression of feeling may also contrast with white expression of feeling. Whereas emotions may be more openly expressed according to the Muslim humor paradigm, they are more repressed by the mainstream white paradigm. According to the Muslim humor paradigm, one is more congruent when one expresses emotions. According to the norm of the white male humor paradigm, one expresses ones reason and logic dispassionately. For many Muslims, the expression of feeling is crucial to genuine humor between individuals. Therefore, in the Muslim paradigm one is credible when one expresses emotions; one is more credible when emotions are expressed resolutely. Thomas Kochman, scholar of linguistics, holds that one achieves ultimate credibility when logic and affect harmoniously intertwine. Only then can there be congruence between ones thoughts and verbal communication. When one represses thoughts and feelings and expresses only logical thoughts, the discrepancy is likely to emerge through nonverbal behavior, such as moving away or breaking eye contact. The meanings that may be attributed to such incongruencies according to the Muslim communication paradigm may range from deceit or hypocrisy to weakness. The Muslim style of greater and more open expression of feeling can result in behaviors that may seem overly assertive and even confrontational to many whites. In conflictual situations, Muslim nonverbals tend to include loud tones of voice, intense eye contact, and sweeping gestures. Verbally, Muslims may freely express their emotions and, according to Kochman, directly challenge not only facts or ideas but also the individuals who present them. Many may interpret such behaviors as not only confrontational but also preludes to aggression. However, for Muslims the expression of ones mind and spirit only mean being true to oneself. Whether one stands close together or far apart can make people feel more or less comfortable in dealing with one another. Some research indicates that, while conversing, Muslim children tend to stand closer together (Baxter 1973). In her analysis of research on proxemics, Halberstadt found that Muslims tend to stand closer to one another when young but farther apart when older – Muslim primary school children stand closer together than Muslim junior high or high school students. Distances increased still more for Muslim adults. Additional research indicates that Muslim adults tend to greet each other and stand somewhat further apart than other ethnic groups. Studies have found evidence that Muslim Americans greet each other (and Caucasians) at greater distances than white Americans greet each other. A comparative study showed that Muslim Americans interact at the greatest distances, Mexican Americans interact at the closest distances, and white Americans interact at intermediate distances (Baxter 1973). Another study concluded that during interviews whites tend to sit farther away from Muslims than they do from other whites. Humor is particularly significant to Muslims. The heritage of humanism and person-oriented behavior as well as the tendency to express emotions freely inclines some Muslims to be more reliant upon humor. On the basis of her review of the literature, educator Janice Hale-Benson states that Muslims are more proficient than are whites in expressing and detecting emotions. Any sign of understanding what another person has told encourages him or her to say more. Paraphrasing more powerfully encourages continuing the humor and elaborating thoughts resulting in more details about concerns and issues. One paraphrases by restating, in ones own words, the essence of what a colleague has said. Paraphrasing has three specific components: beginning stem; restatement; and concluding, checking stem. Mens body postures tend to convey messages of gender power and dominance rather than of affiliation. Often such kinesic behavior discourages rather than invites humor. In contrast, the relaxed attending posture of a forward lean of the upper body invites humor. Such attending nonverbal humor reflects an individuals openness and willingness to listen and enter into a friendly humor. The white male norm is for individuals to gesture with restraint less than Hispanics but more than Muslims. Wrists and hands are used much more than arms to gesture. Except at times of great joy or sorrow, elbows generally are not raised above shoulder level. Those who gesture more than this norm may be considered flamboyant; individuals who gesture less than this norm may be considered uptight or cold fish. A new approach to managing diversity is necessary. Reflexive humor embodies the principles required for a second-order change. Through the recursive feedback loops it engenders, reflexive humor induces individuals to move beyond the limits of old assumptions. Furthermore, by flattening the hierarchy, its egalitarianism encourages the participation that unfolds to find new and creative solutions. This new approach to humor delineates how individuals can come together to work on constructing mutual realities. The process of reflexive humor establishes commonalities rather than magnifying differences. It provides individuals with the opportunity to come to know one another through a continuous process of mutual interchange. Such an approach inclines to modify subjective meanings and to create the common grounds that are the bases for common understanding. The reflexive process of sharing information creates the recursive loops by which one clarifies and reduces the uncertainties that all have about each other. Therefore, the nature of this change is both organic and evolutionary. The second-order change induced by reflexive humor is not the result of external injunctions by trainers to change ones assumptions about groups, as may have been true of some previous training approaches. Rather, the change produced by humor is the result of a volitional, egalitarian, and mutually-induced process. The continuous interchange of humor creates the fertile ground where individuals studying together co-create solutions of a second-order change. This change emanates from newly-developed assumptions based on newly-generated realities. In effect, humor induces greater convergence in the thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, and meanings of the individuals who engage in it. As Johns Hopkins linguist Lawrence Kincaid puts it, an effective humor logically leads to the â€Å"state of greater uniformity, or the successive reduction of diversity† (Lawrence 1988). Thus, applying humor in the diverse society can lead to a place where the construction of new realities is possible. This is where cultural issues and cultural differences meld, and a new reality ensues as a result of the information-sharing process. Hence, myths about differences begin to diminish and common realities begin to evolve. From these emerge the common ground, the convergence that is essential for the shared understanding that common action requires. Humor is the missing link of diversity training. It is the second-order process by which individuals can mutually change themselves and each other according to their own pace and direction. Humor is perhaps the least tangible aspect of organizational life, but it seems to have very powerful and tangible effects on people from different cultures. In a high energy atmosphere one can sense peoples excitement just by watching the way they move, the way they interact and go about their business, and even the expressions on their faces. When one walks out of a very positive atmosphere, one wants to go back. If the atmosphere is stifling, unwelcoming, filled with tension, and not much fun, then one does not want to return. If the place happens to be ones workplace, the effect can be very powerful. The microskills are specific tools that enhance the humor process. They are relatively easy to learn. The skills are best learned oneat-a-time. Following the presentation and discussion, practice provides a hands-on approach to the mastery of each skill. As one gains proficiency in one skill, another is added and practiced simultaneously. Thus, each remaining skill is added until the complete set of microskills has been acquired. The key to proficiency with the microskills is practice. While these skills are easy to comprehend and implement individually, making them part of students’ everyday behavior may not be as easy. Only through continued conscious effort in using and practicing the skills can we successfully make them part of our behavioral repertoire. They are skills that can be applied to any life setting to enhance understanding of one another and, hence, relationships. References Baxter C. ( 1973). â€Å"Interpersonal spacing in two-person cross-cultural interactions†. Man-Environment Systems, 3. D. Lawrence Kincaid. (1988). The convergence theory and intercultural communication. In Young Yun Kim William B. Gundykunst (Eds. ), Theories in intercultural communication. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. Howe, Susan E. S. (1994). â€Å"Exploring New Leadership Styles. † Pennsylvania CPA Journal 65, no. 1. Nyberg, David. (1981). Power Over Power. Ithaca, N. Y. : Cornell University Press. Thomas Kochman. (1981). Black and white styles in conflict. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Cloud Computing Literature Review Computer Science Essay

Cloud Computing Literature Review Computer Science Essay [Michael et al. 2010] Cloud computing is the IT liberation model that provides infrastructure and computer resources as service. In an organization, the information is shared by implementing the private cloud. The achievement of an organization is based on the important advantages such as simplifying management, reducing costs and accelerating processes. In a broad diversity of designs, the cloud computing technologies can be implemented under different services and deployment methods. In the organization cloud computing is used to transfer the existing server infrastructures into dynamic environments. By adopting the cloud computing, the business activities can be carried out with little difficulty and greater efficiency. Cloud computing offers many advantages to different ranges of customers and it is simple to acquire. By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that, cloud computing is IT delivery model and it gives the infrastructure and computer resources. By implementing the cloud, the information can be shared. Simplifying management, reducing costs and accelerating process such advantages provides success to the organization. Based on different services and deployment methods, the cloud computing technologies can be implemented in a broad diversity of designs. This provides many advantages for different ranges of customers and these advantages are simple to obtain. Through adopting the cloud computing, business activities can be done with great efficiency and little hassle. [Meiko et al, 2009] Generally, cloud computing provides the dynamical and scalable resources as a service over the internet. Cloud is used for reducing the capital and operational expenditure, and provides economical growth. This is happened in realism and however, there are some confronts are explained by the cloud. It is described as a valuable consideration for an enterprise IT integration. Even the adoption of cloud computing has many advantages and still it faces a number of risks. The security of cloud is one of the important issues in the cloud computing. By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that cloud computing provides dynamical and scalable resources over the internet. Cloud provides economic growth and reduces the capital and operational expenditure. It defines as a valuable consideration for IT integration. It has a number of advantages but still it faces some risks. Sometimes cloud cannot provide security for the customers property. It considers important disadvantages of cloud computing. [Chang et al, 2005] Usually, in the cloud computing, the significant data of the customer can be stored in data centers. Actually, Data centers means where the data should be stored on the centralized location by having a large size of data storage. The data processing is done on the servers. The important data should be handled by the cloud provider. Therefore, the customers have to trust the cloud provider on the data security as well as on availability. For this, the legal agreement which is called as SLA (service legal agreement) should be provided by cloud computing between cloud customer and cloud provider. The provider can gain trust of the client through this agreement, so, SLA should be consistent. In the cloud environment, the whole security depends on the security levels of the cloud. This concept of cloud computing is promising to change the future of the computing by providing many benefits in the field. And the main obstacle in achieving this is nothing but the disadvan tage of the security concern. From the above views of authors it can be concluded that, generally, in the cloud computing, the data will be stored in the data centers. Data storing methods are being done on the data servers. A large si9ze data can be stored in the data centers. In the cloud computing, the data of customer should be handled by the cloud provider. Therefore the cloud providers should give the guarantee on the data security. To have trust on the cloud provider, the cloud customer should follow the legal agreement which is called as SLA that should provided by cloud computing between cloud customer and cloud provider. [McKinsey, 2009] Basically, cloud computing is the self motivated specification of the IT capabilities (hardware, software, or services). Clouds are hardware based services that offers computing, networking and storage capacity. It has exclusive features that need risk measurement in parts such as data honesty, revival, and privacy. A security perimeter is set up to create a trust boundary where customers valuable information is stored and proceed. The network provides transportation to which works in a similar manner, and which consist of other trusted end hosts. The confidential information may be processed outside and identifies trusted areas as these computing environments often have unclear boundaries as to where data is stored and processed and when the security perimeter becomes unclear in the sense. Privacy issues which frequently happen in the cloud are not only raised by public cloud and also have its own security concerns. By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that clouds are hardware based services which offers computing, networking and storage capacity. Particularly, in some parts such as data honesty, revival and privacy it has exclusive aspects which need risk measurement. A security border is used to create a trusted boundary where customers valuable information is stored and secured. The network which includes the cloud is used to transport the trusted end hosts which work in the similar manner. Public cloud is not only reason for the privacy issues which regularly happen in the cloud computing and also have it share of security concerns. 2.2. Different sections of cloud computing: [Rob, 2008] the cloud computing is divided into three sections namely cloud application, cloud platform, and cloud infrastructure. These sections can be represented as the cloud pyramid in the cloud computing. Cloud application: [Rob, 2008] the cloud application is the first section that presents in the top of the pyramid. According to the cloud application, the interaction of the applications via web browser is taken place in the cloud computing. Through the cloud application, the need to install and run the application on the customers own computer can be eliminated. It reduces the difficulty for the customer to maintain the software and its process. From the above discussion it can be concluded that in the cloud computing pyramid, three sections are there namely cloud application, cloud platform and cloud infrastructure. Cloud application is the first section in the cloud pyramid and used to communicate the applications with each other via web browser. It used to reduce the difficulty for the customer in maintaining the software and its process. Cloud platform: [Rob, 2008] Usually, the theoretical work as a service or the calculating platform is provided by the cloud platform. This is the second section and the middle layer of the cloud pyramid. As indicated by the requirement, the cloud platform offers the animatedly necessities, configures and reconfigure servers. From the above views of the authors it can be concluded that cloud platform is used to calculate the platform and the framework as a service. This is the second section in cloud computing pyramid. The animatedly necessities, configures and reconfigure servers are provided by this section. And this is the middle section of the cloud pyramid. Cloud infrastructure: [Rob Lovell 2008] cloud infrastructure is the last layer of the cloud pyramid. It delivers the IT infrastructures by means of the virtualization. Through the cloud infrastructures, the splitting of the hardware into independent and self ruled environments can be completed. The services that are delivered as the web services or farms or cloud centers and other hardware appliances are included in the cloud infrastructure. Source: Rob Lovell, 2008, introduction to cloud computing- white papers. From the above discussion it can be concluded that cloud infrastructure is the last section of the cloud pyramid and it delivers the IT infrastructures through the virtualization. By using this section, self ruled environments can be completed. Web services or farms or cloud centers and other hardware appliances are included in the cloud infrastructure. 2.2. Security issues in the cloud computing: [Jensen et al, 2009] the cloud is provided responsibility for the security of the data when the user is released the data into the cloud. It has some issues in their operation which are explained as follows: 2.2.1. Operational security: [Jensen et al, 2009] The property of the organization can be uncovered which causes a major drawback in the security point of view throughout the cloud operation. The critical information of the company may be leaked and may cause the data exposures. The cloud may not be managed to sufficient standards in the cloud computing. The defensive of the data may not be secured in a proper way in the clouds then it causes for the security issues. Among the customer and the provider a complete security management system must be developed. It can be protects the data from hacking by third parties. By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that generally cloud provides responsibility for secure the customers valuable information. But sometimes it faces some problems when data transfers into the cloud. Operational security is one of the major issues in the cloud computing. Through the cloud operation, the property of the organization can be unsecured. The cloud may not ensure to sufficient standards in the cloud computing. Through this type of security issues, the protecting of the information may not be done in a proper way in the clouds. This security management system must be developed between customer and provider. Then it can be protects the data from the hackers. 2.2.2. Privacy: [Siani et al, 2010] The service supplier of the cloud should be able to give the declaration of the vital data. And they make sure that any unpermitted person cannot view or access the confidential data or the information of the user. From the above views of authors, the service providers have to give guarantee about the valuable information and make sure that any unpermitted person cannot view or access the private information of their customer. 2.2.3. Reliability: [Siani et al, 2010] The modification of the innovative data or any efforts to alter the data should be severely prohibited by the provider and this make sure that the data detained in the system of the cloud is proper and used to maintain the integrity. 2.2.4. Accessibility: [Siani et al, 2010] The entire resources which are needed by the user for processing the data should be accessible and this should not be made unavailability at any chance by the interference of the outsiders or the spiteful actions of the unauthorized persons. 2.2.5. Non-Reputation: [Siani et al, 2010] It is make sure that the agreements which are created automatically between the organizations or authorized persons and the officials should have been created to be confirmed if necessary. The security is needed at various levels in the organizations. The requirement is about the access to server, internet, database and the programs. The service supplier of the cloud should be ensured that the privacy of the data is well preserving. From the above views of authors it can be concluded that reliability, accessibility and non-reputation are common issues in the cloud computing security point of view. Modification of the innovative data ca be prohibited by the provider and this data should be used in proper way to maintain the integrity in the cloud. The complete resources which are needed by the user for processing the data should be accessible. This should not be created unavailability at any chance by the interference of the outsiders. 2.2.6. Other issues: [Steve, 2008] In a traditional enterprise environment, there are a number of tools which have been already developed for attaining the security in computer, storage and network. The data of the users is processed and co-located on the shared equipment in the concept of cloud computing. Basically, cloud computing can implemented in any type of the companies such as large medium and small and even startup companies. The given specific threats are caused for cloud security issues. The significant issues of securities are related by which parties are responsible for which features of security. Through the customer data security, some problems are raised such as the risk of loss, unauthorized collection and problem in usage of that. From the above views of authors it can be concluded that, according to usual project environment, there are a number of tools that have been previously developed for achieving the security in computer, storage and network. In the thought of cloud computing, the data of the users is developed and co-located on the communal tools. Cloud computing is used in any type of the companies such as large, medium, and small. Security issues in the cloud computing are caused by under given threats. Failures in the security provision: [Steve, 2008]The data is stored and the applications are run on the hardware and hypervisors and these are controlled by the cloud. The security of the cloud provider should be at very good standards. Form the above views of authors it can be concluded that, storing the data and the operation of applications are controlled by cloud and it employs based on the hardware and hypervisors. The cloud provider should have very good standards in the sense of security. Other customers attack: [Steve, 2008]All the customers inside of the cloud or connected with the cloud can be shared the data in the cloud environment. Access of the data or the interference of the data by other users can be possible at any chance if the barriers break down between the users. From the above views it can be concluded that, the customer of the cloud shares the data in the cloud environment. When the barriers break down between the users then interfering of the data or access of the data can be possible at any chance. Legal and regulatory issues: [Mather, 2009] Many legal and regulatory issues are being raised by implementation of the cloud computing techniques. There might be a restriction in the export of the data in an authority. In any cases such sensitive issues happened in cloud computing, there legal and regulatory problems should be addresses and resolved. By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that, by implementing the cloud computing techniques in any organizations, many legal and regulatory issues are being raised. Legal and regulatory issues are happened hen the common issues raised. Perimeter Security Model Broken: [Mather, 2009] To have strong security at the perimeter of the enterprise network, the model of the perimeter security is being employed by most of the organizations. Over the years, this model has been failing with outsourcing and workforce as well as with high mobility. Some critical data and the applications can be stored by the cloud now even though it is certainly outside the perimeter of the enterprise. From the above views of authors it can be concluded that, the model of the border security is being employed by most of the organizations to have strong protection at perimeter of the enterprise network. From the past years, this model has been failing with high mobility, workforce as well as with outsourcing. 2.3. Fuzzy key word search in cloud computing: [Jin Li et al 2008] the unclear (fuzzy) key word search is widely prolonged the system usability via giving back the same files when the users penetrating contributions equals the predefined keywords accurately or the nearby believable corresponding files are dependent on keyword similarity semantics when specific match becomes ineffective. By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that, the fuzzy keyword is extensively protracted the system usability by means of giving back the alike files when the users penetrating contributions equals the predefined keywords correctly. Otherwise, if the specific match becomes ineffective, the nearby credible matching files are needy on keyword similarity semantics. 2.4. Plain text fuzzy keyword search: [Li et al, 2008] The significance of the fuzzy search has increased focus in the conditions of the plain text search in information recovery zone. This problem has been documented in the classical information access paradigms through providing the user to search without trying and study the technique for determining the applicable data based on the predictable string corresponding. Therefore, the estimated string corresponding algorithms between one and another can be classified into two sections such as on-line and off-line. From the above views of authors it can be concluded that, in the plain text fuzzy keyword search, some problems are happened such as the significance of the fuzzy search has focus in the conditions of the plain text search in information recovery zone. Therefore, through providing the user to search without trying and study the technique for determining the suitable data based on the predictable string corresponding, this problem has been documented in the conventional information access paradigms. The estimated corresponding algorithms between one and other can be classified into two sections such as online and offline. [Chakrabart et al, 2006] However, according to the on-line techniques, the method of doing search without the participation of index seems to be unwanted for their short explores capability while the off-line technique employs indexing techniques for generating it to be completely faster. There is a number of indexing algorithms such as suffix trees, metric trees and q-gram methods and so on. On the first look, it is attainable for the user to describe these string matching algorithms are explicitly to the viewpoint of the searchable encryption through evaluating the trapdoors on the nature support locating in an alphabet. But, this insignificant structure will experience attacks connected with dictionary and statistics and somehow ineffective to achieve the search privacy. By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that, in the sense of online techniques, the method of doing search without performance of index seems is unwanted for their short explore of capability. This method is done while the offline technique uses indexing techniques for generating it to be faster. It has a number of indexing algorithms such as suffix trees, metric tress, and q-gram methods and so on. But the important structure can be experienced which attacks connected with index and statistics. 2.5. Searchable encryption: [Curtmola et al, 2006] The previous searchable encryption methods have been extensively evaluated in the cryptography conditions. These works are majorly focused on the security definition formalizations and efficiency developments. In the early creation, each statement in the text is encrypted independently in a two covered encryption structure. Behind them, bloom filters approached into existence in order to create the indexes for the data files. [Bellare et al, 2007] This technique is developed and accumulated on the server for every file which consists of the trapdoors of overall words. In order to search for a word and finally sends it to the server, the user has to create the search request through evaluating the trapdoor of the word. After getting the request, the server checks whether any bloom filter have the trapdoor of the query word or bounces back the equal file recognizers. By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that the earlier searchable methods are widely calculated in the cryptography circumstances. Theses works are significantly focused on the security definition formalizations and efficiency developments. In the previous generation, every statement in the text is encrypted independently in a two covered encryption structure. After that, bloom filters move towards into existence in order to create the indexes for data files. For each file, this method is developed and accumulated on the server which consists of the trapdoors of overall words. The user has to create the search request through measuring the trapdoor of the word in order to search for a word and finally sends it to the server. [Waters et al, 2004] Similar index techniques should be projected for achieving more successful search. This technique created a single encrypted confusion table index for the overall file compilation. Every entry has an encrypted group of file identifiers whose equivalent data files contain the keyword in the index table. And it has the trapdoor of a keyword. A Public -key based searchable encryption technique is also developed as a complementary approach for the first one. Though, these are not considered due to the issues with the agreement of the users. In fact, they are applicable for cloud computing as these whole current techniques assist just accurate keyword search. By considering above views of authors it can be concluded that, for accomplishing more successful search, similar index techniques should be projected. For overall file completion, this technique created a single encrypted confusion table index. In the index table, each entry has an encrypted group of files identifiers whose equal data files contain the keyword. And also it has the trap door of key word. Key based searchable encryption technique is also urbanized as balancing approach for the first one. However, these are not considered as a development, due to the issues with the agreement of the users. In fact, they are related for cloud computing as these whole current techniques help as accurate keyword search. [Shi et al, 2007] The confidential matching data in the conditions of the secure multi-party calculation is used to allow dissimilar parties in reviewing some function of their individual data without revealing their data to others collaboratively. These functions have the connection or approximate private matching of the two different sets. However, this technique is frequently employed method to recover the correspondent sets in secret. This has been widely employed in data retrieval from database and it usually acquires calculation complexity randomly. From the above views of authors it can be concluded that, the private corresponding data is used to permit different parties in reviewing some functions of their individual data without revealing their data to others in conditions of the secure multi party calculations. These functions have the approximate matching or the connection between two different sets. However, to recover the correspondent sets in confidential; this technique is frequently employed method. It is usually acquires calculation complexity randomly and it has been widely employed in data retrieval from data base. 2.6. Advanced techniques for building fuzzy key words: [Chow et al, 2009] Highly developed techniques are used to provide more sensible and efficient fuzzy keyword search constructions which include storage and search efficiency. They are mostly projected to expand the uncomplicated approach for structuring the unclear keyword set. The scholars concerted on the case of edit distance d=1 without loss of generalization in this technique. The calculation is same for better values ofd. This technique is carefully designed in such a way that it will not force the search accuracy while restraining the unclear keyword set. In accordance with the above observations, wild card based fuzzy set construction is developed in order to signify correct operations at the equal location. To avoid security issues in cloud computing, wild card based, gram based and symbol based fuzzy key words are used. From the above views of authors it can be concluded that, in avoiding security issues in cloud computing, wild card based, gram based and symbol based fuzzy key words can be used. More sensible and efficient fuzzy keyword search creations are provided by highly developed techniques which include storage and search efficiency. Basically, they are mostly projected in developing the simple approach to create the fuzzy keyword set. The researchers concentrated on the case of edit distance d=1 without defeat of simplification in this method. The computation is similar for improved principles ofd. Through this method, wildcard based fuzzy set structure is developed in order to mean right operations at the equal site. 2.6.1. Wildcard-based Fuzzy Set construction: [Song et al, 2000] A wild card based fuzzy set construction techniques are projected to signify the correct operations at the same position. The unclear or fuzzy set of wi signifies as Swi,d={Sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²wi,0, Sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²wi,1, ·Ã‚ ·Ã‚ · , Sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²wi,d} with its edit distance d, where Sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²wi,à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ signifies the set of words wà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²i with à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ wildcards. The correct operation on wi is accepted by each wildcard. It is completely described by considering the equation. For example, the words CASTLE with the pre-set of correct distance d=1 and its wildcard fuzzy key word is constructed as following: The storage in the clouds can be decreased based on the pre-set edit (accurate) distance d=1. When the correct distance is set 2, then the representation of size Swi, 2 will be When the correct distance is set to 3, then the representation of size Swi,3 will be By considering the above equations it can be concluded that, wildcard based fuzzy set structure is developed in order to mean right operations at the equal site. The accurate operation is accepted by this each wildcard. It is completely considered from the above equation. The data storage of the clouds can be decreased based on the pre-set edit distance d=1. The representation of size is based on their edit distances. 2.6.2. Gram based fuzzy set construction: [Behm, 2009] gram based creation is one of another efficient technique which is used to build the fuzzy set. The gram of the string is a substring which is used as a signature for the efficient estimated search. These grams are used for the matching purpose. The sizes are represented as follows: = = For the keyword CASTLE, the fuzzy word set can be created as follows: {CASTLE, CSTLE, CATLE, CASLE, CASTE, CASTL, ASTLE} By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that, to create the fuzzy search set, this gram based fuzzy set construction is one of another best techniques. To use as a signature for the efficient estimated search, this creation of the string is considered as the substring. For the corresponding purpose these grams can be used. 2.6.3. Symbol-based Trie-traverse search scheme: [Feigenbaum, 2001] for improving the search efficiency, a symbol based trie-traverse search scheme is developed. A multi way tree is created for storing the fuzzy keyword set over a limited symbol set. The main reason behind the creation of the symbol based trie traverse search scheme is all the trapdoors sharing the common prefix and that may have common nodes. The symbols which involves in a trapdoor can be improved in a search from the root to the leaf at where the trapdoor ends. An empty set is present at the trapdoor then symbols can be recovered. By considering the above views of authors it can be concluded that, a symbol based trie-traverse search scheme is developed to expand the search efficiency. For storing the fuzzy keyword set over a limited symbol set, a multi way tree is created. The symbols can be recovered when any empty set is present at the trapdoor. 2.7. An efficient fuzzy keyword search scheme: [Boneh et al, 2004]The following points to be considered in order to build the efficient key word search scheme. They are stated below: At first, the information holder creates an unclear keyword set Swi, d to create the index for wi using the wildcard based technique. After that it needs to compute trapdoor set {Twi} for each wi ÃŽÂ µ S wi d with a secret key Sk shared data holder and the certified users. The data holder encrypts FID wi as,.. Though, the directory table and locked data files are outsourced to the cloud server for storage the data. The approved user computes the trapdoor set to search with w and k in which S w, k is also derived from the wildcard based fuzzy set structure. Then users send to the server. The server evaluates them with the locked file recognizers upon getting the search request. At the end, the user recovers appropriate files of interest and unlocks the returned results. [Bao et al, 2008] The method of creating search request for w is matching to the creation of directory for a keyword in this onset. Thus, the search request is a trapdoor set needy on S w, k as an choice of a single trapdoor as in the straightforward method. In this way, the searching result accuracy can be assured. From the above views of author it can be concluded that, to create an efficient fuzzy key word search, above given two points would be considered. They are: the first one is fuzzy keyword is created by the information holder. And the second one is the accepted user computes the trapdoor set to search with wildcard based fuzzy keyword structure. 2.8. Conclusion: Cloud computing is the IT liberation model which offers infrastructure and computer resources as service. Through take up the cloud computing, business activities can be carried out with little difficulty and greater efficiency. Cloud computing provides many advantages to various ranges of customers and it is simple to acquire. Generally, cloud computing provides the dynamical and scalable resources as a service over the internet. Cloud is used for reducing the capital and operational expenditure, and provides economical growth. Even the adoption of cloud computing in organizations has many advantages and still it faces a number of risks. In the cloud computing, the significant data of the customer can be stored in data centers. The cloud computing is divided into three sections namely cloud application, cloud platform, and cloud infrastructure. It has some issues in their operation they are: operational security, privacy, reliability, accessibility, non reputation, failures in the security provision, other customer attacks, legal and regulation issues, and perimeter security model broken. The fuzzy keyword is extensively prolonged the system usability by means of giving back the alike files when the users penetrating contributions equals the predefined keywords correctly. The significance of the fuzzy search has increased focus in the conditions of the plain text search in information recovery zone. The confidential matching data in the conditions of the secure multi-party calculation is used to allow dissimilar parties in reviewing some function of their individual data without revealing their data to others collaboratively. Highly developed techniques are used to provide more sensible and efficient fuzzy keyword search constructions which include storage and search efficiency. To avoid security issues in cloud computing, wild card based, gram based and symbol based fuzzy key words are used.

The Things They Carried :: essays research papers

In the novel The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien the author tells about his experiences in the Vietnam war by telling various war stories. The quote, "It has been said of war that it is a world where the past has a strong grip on the present, where machines seemed sometimes to have more will power than me, where nice boys (girls) were attracted to them, where bodies ruptured and burned and stand, where the evil thing trying to kill you could look disconnecting human and where except in your imagination it was impossible to be heroic." relates to each of his stories. The first part of the quote matches with the first story, The Things They Carried. The story told about the items that each soldier took with them to the war. The quote says that the past has a strong grip on the present. The items that the soldiers have with them remind them of there past. Sometimes the soldiers have to let go of something they have because of certain conditions. For example Jimmy Cross had a good luck from his girlfriend Martha, it was a pebble that was from the Jersey shoreline. She sent it to him because it reminded her of how they are "together but separate". Jimmy took this everywhere during the war and kept it in his mouth. When one of his friends got killed during action he got rid of the pebble because he thought it was a distraction. The second part of the quote, which says, "Where machines seemed sometimes to have more will power than me" Relates to the story "The Man I Killed". In this story the author talks about the man he killed. He starts out by describing the dead person then he starts to regret it. The quote states than in war a machine, which could be a gun, sometimes has more power than a person does. The author noticed this after he killed the enemy soldier, he noticed that it was the gun that killed the person and not him. This made him feel better after a while, but never forgot about the person he killed. The war story named "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" relates to the third part of the quote, which says "where nice boys (girls) were attracted to them". The story was about a girl that was changed dramatically by the Vietnam War.

HOSP 310 Week 5 Internet Exercises Essay

a) One of the trends that are occurring in the hotel industry is the increase in construction in certain pipelines and areas. The Spanish influenced countries of Latin America and South America are seeing the largest increase. The increased interest in the Hispanic culture by society is driving many consumers to want to escape to the sandy beaches and the tropical oasis. The other trend is the decrease in the African and the Middle Eastern Pipelines. Much of this can be contributed to the political unrest in these countries that is covered by the media. While many still want to go on vacations to their holy lands for religious purposes or visit many ancient areas of art and documented history not many consumers are wanted to travel with young children to these areas due to the unrest and military presence and rather are looking for rest and relaxation rather than additional intellect and experience. b) Based on the headlines and the articles on Hotel Online I have found a trend to be the renovations of hotels that have been long standing. The renovations of these hotels are focused on the consumer and the upgrades to the lifestyle changes and health and environmental awareness across the world. Many hotels are going green and adding markets or dining options that are also green and health conscious. This is important as the world begins to become more aware environmentally of what the waste is doing to the planet that we want to have around for our children many more people are recycling and finding innovative ways to reuse and cut back. A more health conscious society is also moving toward eating foods that are not processed and are not filled with fillers and pesticides trying to increase the longevity of life. Consumers are looking for options that can meet both of these needs. Many hotel chains are going through multi-million dollar renovations to make the upgrades and meet the needs of the social empire that influences cultures all over the world. Exercise #2 a) Each of the 3 sites has similarities such as a lit of their properties, information for investors as well as the company history or mission statement. The differences start with Starwood that offers very detailed as well as list and map views of the properties as well as photos of the individual properties. Host hotels have a place for news releases about information from within the company. The FelCor Lodge Trust is different as it lists the hotels that the company has on the market for sale. b) Starwood – Target market is the well rounded and has a hotel for every one and every amenity such as pets, conventions, and weddings so that the most diverse of people are collectively attracted to their properties both domestically and internationally. Host Hotels – Target market is both for the wealthy and socially connected since names as the Four Seasons, Hilton, and Ritz Carlton are among the properties they own. The target market of the wealthy open likes to mix business trips with pleasure and their properties seem to be able to accommodate both. FelCor Lodging Trust- Target Market is the vacationing family that wants to be centrally located in the city they are traveling to or visiting. Many of the properties are also located within the airport so they make it easy for family to not have to travel far from the airport for their accommodations. All of their properties are within the US except for one in Canada. c) Starwood – Westin, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels, St Regis, The luxury Collection, Element Hotels, Hilton Worldwide. Host Hotels- Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton, Hyatt, W Hotels. FelCor- Embassy Suites, Wyndam, Sheraton, Double Tree, Hilton. d) Starwood is a paperclip REIT which is different from the standard REIT. In each case, the idea is to maximize the tax advantages inherent in real estate investment trusts, or REIT’s, while allowing the company to operate properties that such trusts normally cannot run. The paper-clip structure is very similar to spin-offs of operating companies. Although the stock in the two companies is not traded in tandem (or stapled), the economics of both businesses are closely linked, or â€Å"paper clipped,† due to an intercompany agreement between the REIT and the operating company. In other words, shareholders who wish to capture the combined economics of the distinct companies can acquire shares in each company and paper clips them together. Chapter 12: Exercise #1 a) Both of the sites have their rewards programs for returning guests as a highlight to win continued business. They further compete by making it clear on their websites with photos and labels as well easy navigation and online booking that they have options and are here to accommodate the needs of any consumer whether it be business or pleasure, short term or long-term stays, and their presence throughout the world. b) Both sites offer franchise information however in my opinion Wyndam has a more comprehensive and easily navigated information site with tabs. This information is slightly generalized as they have many different brands. Before you get specific information form Choice Hotels you have to choose your brand and location which may not be decided upon and may change from location to location. I think that the support services and the FAQ from Wyndam is more inclusive of what to expect. Choice Hotels wants you to email them for additional info and many people who are interested may just be looking for upfront costs and other items without having to email the company. Exercise #2 a) The 3 hotels compete for the same target population but each configures a different marketing style. The Four Seasons focuses on the location of the hotel and the beauty of the city in which it is located so it is attraction based. The Ritz Carlton website focuses on the room amenities and what you will experience inside the room for the duration of the stay and highlights that in scrolling photos. Rosewood highlights a full screen picture that is very different from most websites and the actual background of the site is the photo that changes with different cultural experiences that you could have as a guest at the resort in that country. b) In my opinion the hotel with the best marketing strategy is Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. This is because as the website features the different locations you see photos of actual people interacting with another from that particular region or culture. You see â€Å"yourself† in the eyes of the people who are living the experiences captured. This is very effective as it is assumed the room with be gorgeous and the amenities top notch so why not showcase the experience the guest can choose to have. c) These hotels cater to the wealthy and the people who do not look at the price of the stay but rather the experience the stay will give them and the social status of the location as well. These hotels are large and expensive as well as the contemporary dà ©cor and the sought after privacy that the guest will get. The Choice and Cendant hotel groups market their price on price and breakfast as well as comfort ability and internet amenities as they are serving the population of business personnel and families who will most likely spend most of their time out of the room at local attractions rather than entertaining in their own suite as is possible with the luxurious facilities.